Chapter One: Many Regrets For generations the hidden village of the Leaf had been considered one

of the most peaceful and beautiful villages in all the world. The strength of its ninjas was known by all and nobody ever considered that the day would come when the village fell and certainly not at the hands of one of its own ninja. A ninja who was once considered to one of Konohas greatest allies and defenders. Yet for the past 9 years Konoha has been under constant attack by one such ninja. The once legendary Sannin known as Orochimaru had laid siege to the great city of Konoha in attempt to invade it during the Chuunin exams just over 9 years ago. While the invasion failed the damage was done. Orochimaru succeed in killed the third Hokage Sarutobi and escaped with his life. Seeing that he had successfully weakened the leaf with his assault, Orochimaru continued to raid the village and its ninjas while on missions for the next several years leading to its forces being further weakened and making way for the Sound leaders final invasion attempt nearly 4 years to the day of the first. With its forces weakened and the city still under repair from the first attack the leaf was unable to repel the second invasion attempt and the Sound gained a powerful foothold in their territory. It has been nearly 5 years since Orochimaru successfully gained a foothold within the leaf and things have never looked worse for the once proud village. Nearly half of Konoha was held by the Orochimaru and his Sound forces. Those parts of the city still held by the leaf were a wasteland from constant bombardments and battles. Naruto sat alone overtop of the Hokage monument and looked out over his once beautiful village. There was nothing but death and destruction for as far as the eye could see. Even the parts still occupied by the leaf were in ruins, garbage and debris everywhere. He was finally ready to admit to himself that the leaf was lost. Even so he refused to leave his home, he and his fellow ninja would stay until the very end. They would make the Sound pay for every inch of land they took, and they would pay for it with their blood. The leafs numbers were dwindling fast. They had evacuated the village civilian population last month, or at least what was left of it. Near four thousand people were evacuated through the escape tunnels in the Hokage monument that Naruto sat upon now. Four thousand out of the once eighteen thousand. Of the near two thousand ninja that the leaf had at the start of the war roughly three hundred remained. Three hundred ninja to stand their ground and bloody the sound as much as they could, to make them rue the day that they set foot in Konoha. Naruto was among those three hundred and he more then anybody else wanted revenge for the lives of his friends. So many of his precious people were gone now including the most important person of them all. Oh Hinata, how could you do something so stupid. Why did you have to save me at the cost of your own life. Naruto looked out over the village again as the sun was setting and began to cry. It had been years since he showed any real emotion. He always had a strong mask over his feelings pretending to always be happy and upbeat to try and keep everybodys sprits up. But not now. He had killed Hinata, His recklessness had resulted in the loss of her life and all because he had to rush in head first without thinking like he always did. Naruto continued to cry as he ran through the events of the past week in his mind.

Naruto looked over his strike team once more making sure that everybody was prepared for what they were about to do. Their intelligence was telling them that Kabuto was leading a large strike team of chuunin around their flank to try and break through their lines and seize more of the city for his master Orochimaru. Narutos team was going to surprise them with an ambush and with a little luck kill Kabuto in the process. Ok does everybody understand the missing Naruto asked. Hai!, The springtime of youth shall not fail us my friend. We shall have a great victory over our enemies. Said Lee. Tenten and Neji just nodded their agreement while the other Anbu members did the same. Alright then lets head out. Its time to kick some Sound ass, and I for one am looking forward to bringing Kabutos head back on a silver platter. Naruto said while the others shouted their agreement. No really I am, Look I got the platter right here. Naruto said as he produced a platter out of his pack. The others laughed and then they were on their way. An hour later they were setup waiting in ambush for Kabuto and his gang. Waiting to get some revenge for the lives of their fallen comrades. Naruto Gritted his team and flexed his hand as he waited for Kabuto to approach. He wanted to badly to be the one who killed Kabuto. It was largely his fault that things had gone the way they had. He had played a large part in capturing Sasuke 9 years ago, and had continued to be instrumental in the war that occurred afterward. Oh sure Konoha had been able to repel the first attack but the sneak attack had results in a lot of damage and a lot of deaths. Konoha was weakened by the attack and that was when Orochimaru decided that he would commit himself fully to bringing down the leaf. Again and again over the years he attacked and influenced others to attack the leaf as well. Each attack left the hidden village weaker. Naruto wanted more then anything to pay them all back for what they had done to his homeland. He would kill Kabuto with his own hands and then leave his body for Orochimaru to find, Minus the head of course which he fully intended to bring back to show everybody their victory. Neji tapped Naruto on the shoulder to gain his attention. Their headed this way Naruto, No more then 500 feet in front of us now. Naruto raised his hand and gave the signal to hold, He waited a few more moments for the group of invaders to get into position and then with a single command the strike team fell on Kabuto and his gang and began the attack. Not to long after the fight began Naruto found his way to Kabuto who looked at him with a wicked smile and said Ah Naruto-san it is good to see you again. Such a terrible thing whats happening to the Leaf is it not. Perhaps if you could convince the Hokage to surrender things would be much easier on you all. Naruto looked at Kabuto and laughed. Thats so kind of you Kabuto but I think I would just rather kill you and take my chance with that snake bastard boss of yours. I got a few choice words I like to shove in his face before I rip his head off. Kabuto Smiled at Naruto and then pushed up his glassed and removed a kunai from his pouch. Very well then why dont the two of us relocate to somewhere more suited for our battle. I would hate for one of your little friends to spoil our fight by interfering. That is of course unless you are afraid to fight me by yourself. Naruto Sneered at Kabuto

Fuck you Kabuto. Your nothing but a low life Trader. I can kick your ass all over Konoha by myself. I dont need my team to do it for me. Lets move if thats what you want. Consider it your final request before I cut your fucking head off and feed you to the sneaks. And with that the two took off from their teams to a more secluded area where they could be alone without the fear of interference. The two arrived at one of the few remaining unoccupied training grounds within minutes. Well you were so kind as to offer me a final request I guess I should do the same for you Naruto. Said Kabuto The only request I have is for you to die as painfully as possible. Yelled Naruto. Naruto Performed some seals and Yelled kage bushin no jutsu. Instantly 10 clones appeared around Naruto. Each removed a kunai from their pouch and with that they charged at Kabuto. Kabuto smiled and whispered to himself so predictable. He never thinks, just charges. That will be your downfall Naruto. Kabuto Laughed and charged at the clones who were quickly approaching. Within seconds they were tangled up in the heat of battle. The clones were flipping and sliding at Kabuto from all directions while the Sound nin almost casually removed them one by one. Kabuto turned and dispatched the last of the Clones only to see the real Naruto mere inches away from him. Naruto slammed his fist into Kabutos face and then followed it up by doing a back flip and catching Kabuto under the chin with his foot. Kabuto went flying backwards head over heals to land on his stomach several feet away. He slowly stood up whipping the blood from his broken lip and laughed. Thats very good Naruto. You have gotten better over the years. And here I was thinking it would be boring fighting you. At least I will get some amusement from this fight. With that Kabuto performed several seals. Mystical Palm Technique. Instantly Kabutos hand glowed blue with chakra as he formed his chakra scalpels and charged at Naruto again. Naruto was all to familiar with Kabutos favorite Jutsu and was quick to call on some reinforcements. After performing the needed seals and saying the words once again he was flanked by 20 Clones. 10 on either side. The clones wasted know time and got into battle position. They charged at Kabuto and began the attack. One of the clones slid at Kabuto trying to knock him off his feet while another jumped into the air to take him from above. Kabuto Jumped above the first clone and spun in the air tagging both clones and watching as they burst in a puff of smoke. He landed on the ground and immediately parried an attack from another Clone and hitting him on the back of the neck. In less then a minute all the clones were gone and Kabuto laughed at Naruto. Is this the best you have for me Naruto. I really expected more from an Anbu. I guess the leafs standards have really fallen since the siege started. Theyll make anybody an Anbu these days. Naruto cursed and created more clones. He ran at Kabuto. Well see whose laughing when this fight is over you bastard. Naruto yelled. The battle continued like that for nearly an hour. Back and forth they traded blows. Both parties using all their best moves to try and gain the upper hand. It seemed like the battle was going to go on forever. Naruto charged Kabuto with his clones thinking that he was unaware of his approach from behind. He prepared to use his Naruto Rendan Attack sending out his clones to get Kabuto in the air. Thats it, charge at me like you always do. You are just to predictable Naruto. Kabuto whispered to himself as he removed a kunai from his pouch and poured a dark liquid over

the blade. Kabuto continued to fight with the clones in front of him pretending not to notice the 3 clones coming from behind. He waited for Naruto to approach and quickly dispatched the remaining clones in front of him before being swept off his feet by the first clone from behind. He smiled inwardly and continued to play his little game as Naruto obliviously continued his attack, charging straight to his death. Another clone slid underneath Kabuto and kicked him into the air followed by another attack from yet another clone. Uzumaki Naruto Rendan the real Naruto yelled as he slammed his foot into Kabuto and sent him flying towards the ground. Kabuto smiled just as Naruto was about to kick him back towards the ground. He threw the blade right at Narutos chest who was taken completely by surprise and unable to do anything but avoid a fatal blow. He slightly deflected the blade lodging it in his right shoulder instead of his chest. Naruto Cursed as he landed and pulled the blade from his shoulder. He charged at Kabuto again who was staggering to his feet unaware that Naruto was even still alive. He turned in time to see Naruto slam the Rasengan towards him in an almost lazy manner. That combined with Kabutos quick reflexes allowed him to avoid a direct hit and instead was hit in the side and sent spinning to the left into the dirt. Kabuto slowly crawled to his feet and smiled despite the blood flowing freely from the wound in his left side. He formed a few seals and instantly his wound began to heal. Next he popped a pill in his mouth to replenish his blood supply. Whats wrong Naruto. Feeling a little tired, maybe that arm of yours is bothering you. Its amazing what a little poison can do. This battle is as good as over now. Youll be dead within an hour. And there is nothing the Kyuubi can do about it. After all he may be able to heal your wounds but he cant remove the poison. Kabuto laughed and began to walk away as Naruto fell to the ground. Where the fuck do you think your going Naruto yelled as he forced himself up. Kabuto turned around just in time to see 3 Naruto Clones Tackle him to the ground. His wound still not completely healed was troubling him and so it took him a moment to rid himself of the clones. This time was all that Naruto Needed to summon the last of his strength and charge one last time at Kabuto. Jumping into the air he summoned the Rasengan and descended from above. Just as he dispatched the last clone Kabuto heard Naruto scream Rasengan and looked up to see Naruto bury the swirling ball of energy into his chest. He continued to pump more and more chakra into the Rasengan as Kabuto screamed in pain. Within Seconds Naruto had driven his hand through Kabutos chest leaving him dead on the ground, his blood spilling out around him. Naruto stood slowly, His vision blurring as he pulled his hand from Kabutos chest with a sickening sound. He shook his head to clear his mind of the fog that surrounded his thoughts and stumbled forward dragging Kabutos body behind him. He was not going to risk Orochimaru finding some way to bring him back. He would take him with them and burn the body. Let everybody know that he was the one that killed the bastard. He continued back towards where he left his team. He cursed as he felt his legs beginning to go numb and feel to the ground. He knew it would not be long now. Death would take him but it didnt seem to matter anymore. At least I Killed that bastard. Perhaps this will help the leaf survive. Naruto said. And he closed his eyes to await the end.

Tenten ran towards Naruto as he saw him fall. She quickly picked knelt beside him and checked for a pulse. He was alive, barely. Naruto, Naruto can you hear me. Its Tenten. Open your eyes. Naruto opened his eyes slowly and looked up at the women standing above him. Her image swam in front of him. He had to fight hard to focus the image before realizing who it was. Tenten, Im glad to see your alive. Is everybody okay? Did you see me get that bastard? I killed him good. Naruto Smiled and closed his eyes again. It hurt to much to keep them open. Neji and Lee arrived and bent beside Tenten. Tenten smiled faintly Yes Naruto. The springtime of Youth served you well. Said lee We all saw you kill him. Just rest. Said Tenten The mission was a success, No casualties on our side. Were heading back to Head Quarters Now. said Neji as he helped Tenten pick up Naruto while Lee grabbed Kabutos body. That was the last thing Naruto Remembered until he woke up at Head Quarters. He had blacked out a few seconds later. Tenten and Neji had brought him back to head quarters near dead. They lied him down on a bed and went to get Tsunade. Instead they found Hinata and Sakura. Tsunade was in another part of the city. They sent somebody for her while Hinata and Sakura went to Narutos side. After a short examination Sakura told them that there was nothing they could do. The poison would have to be drawn out to save him but with the time left and the strength of the poison it would probably kill whoever did it. Hinata ignored Sakura and began the procedure. Sakura tried to stop her only to be held back by Neji. She needs to do this Sakura. You know how she feels for him. She would never forgive herself if she let him die without trying to save him even if the cost was her life. So nobody stopped her. And the procedure was a success. The poison was drawn out of his body and the Kyuubi healed the damage. An hour later Hinata died. Naruto had woken up a few hours ago and was incredibly surprised. He was alive. He was certain he was going to die and yet here he was alive. The first thought through his mind was Tsunade must have healed him. Only she could pull something like this off. Sleeping at the side of his bed was Sakura. Her head resting on the bed. She had awoken when she felt him move and he smiled brightly at her as he always did. He had asked her where Tsunade was, he wanted to thank her for saving his life yet again. Sakura just looked down at the floor and told him that it was Hinata that saved him. Naruto laughed. That was even better. He was happy to see she had improved so much with her medical jutsu. He asked Sakura to go get her so that he could thank her properly. Sakura began crying and told Naruto that she had died after removing the poison from him as a result of the procedure. That she had been told it would likely kill her to do it but she had done it anyways. Less then 5 minutes later he had stormed into the briefing room where most of his friends were eating lunch. He had yelled at all of them, thrown a chair at Neji and punched Lee. He had practically turned the lunch area into a war zone before Tsunade and several others could restrain him. He had swore at all of them, asked them how they could let her throw away her life for his. Was he so much more important then her. He had made his way up to the Hokage Monument after that leaving everybody at Head Quarters to clean up his mess and talk about how much he had lost it while his friends just shook their heads. They knew he felt guilty even though it was not his fault. She had

made the choice, it was hers to make and there was nothing to feel guilty about. Even still they knew that would not stop him from feeling that way. Even if he had not admitted it to himself they all knew that he felt strongly about Hinata. They had become close friends and it always seemed like he felt more for her even though he was too dense to realize it. There was certainly no lack of love from Hinata. She had loved Naruto since the first day she saw him back when they started to academy. She had never been able to tell him how she felt. Naruto Continued to cry into his hands. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He could not understand why he felt so lost, so empty inside. It was like he had lost the most perish thing in the world to him, something he would never be able to replace. He just did not understand this feeling he was having. He had other friends die. Shino had been killed years ago in a raid; He had killed Sasuke with his own hands years ago. Or rather Sasuke had killed himself with Narutos hands. It had always hurt sure, but never like this. Naruto Startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He had not even heard anybody coming up behind him. Not that it was surprising. He was not exactly in the best state of mind right now. the loudest ninja in the world could have walked up behind him and he would not likely have noticed him. He turned to see Neji sitting down beside him. He had a serious look on his face as always but there was sadness in his eyes. It was unusual for Neji to reveal his emotions; it was not something he did often. He was usually able to hide them very well and did so often. Neji looked over at Naruto and began to speak Naruto I wanted to explain why I let Hinata try to save you. There are some things I think you should know about her. Things she would have wanted you to know and things that she had never been able to bring herself to tell you. Naruto I was the one that prevented anybody from stopping her. If you wish to hate somebody then hate me. It was my fault but If I had the chance to do it all over again I would do the same thing. I knew it would kill her and so did she. She made the decision and it was hers to make. You have to understand and respect that even if you do not like the outcome. Naruto looked back over the village. Eyes blank and unseeing. He was right of course. It had been her decision. She would have known the second she looked at him that it was a lost cause. That it would have been a life for a life if she helped him. But she had made that choice. Even though he said he hated everybody for her death the truth was he hated himself more. He would have to learn to accept that it had been his fault that he got poisoned and it had been his fault that she died but he also had to accept the fact that it had been her choice to save him. I know it was her Choice Neji. That does not make it hurt any less. Neji nodded and continued. Naruto you have to understand why she did what she did. You see she loved you Naruto. I have a feeling that deep inside you know that is true but you were never able to let yourself see it. You had to be cold and heartless to win this war and so you blocked everything out. But despite that I believe you knew at least subconsciously that she loved you and whats more I think you loved her too. Neji Sighed She would never have been able to live with herself if she let you die Naruto. She has been watching you and has loved you since the day she first saw you back when you both started at the Academy. She has never seen anybody else but you. At first I could not understand why she liked you so much. You seemed like such a misfit, not worthy of her status but soon I learned otherwise. You have changed my life for the better

Naruto and you did the same for her. You supported her and gave her confidence that she never had before. Its because of you that she became the women that she was. I know that she would have wanted you to know that. She would have wanted you to know just how deeply she loved you. Neji stopped and looked out over the village with Naruto. Just sitting there and waiting for what he knew was to come. He waited for Naruto to yell and scream that he should have stopped her. He waited for him to throw a punch, to drag him bag from the cliff and demand a fight. He waited for the Inevitable. But instead what he got was a thank you. arigato Neji Naruto said. He stood up, tears running down his face. Neji if you do not mind I need to be alone for a while. Thank you for all youve done. I loved her too. I only wish I had been able to tell her. And with that he walked away leaving Neji sitting on the Hokage Monument staring at him in surprise. Naruto walked out to one of his favorite spots and sat alone again. Nejis words were running through his mind. They hurt so much he could barely keep the tears from coming. How could he have been so blind. There were so many times when it was obvious that she liked him. He had just ignored all the signs and pushed it from his mind and in the end it had gotten her killed. So many things have gone wrong Naruto said to himself. How could I have let this happen? Me the future Hokage! What am I to be Hokage of now? The leaf is a smoldering mess. The sound occupy the majority of the city, Hinata is dead along with Kakashi, and Jiraiya, and Shino and so many others. He shouted. The tears finally came again as he was unable to stop them. This time he didnt care. He let them come. He needed to let himself feel this pain, feel the loneliness. He had held it all in for so long and it had eaten away at him. So he cried and screamed, and yelled out to the world and then he feel asleep. Tomorrow was another day. He would make them all pay for what they did to Hinata. The leaf was lost to him now but his revenge was at hand. They would learn to fear him like no other. He may not be able to bring her back or any of his friends but he would kill every sound ninja he came across until the day they got him. That was his ninja way. The next year saw things get even worse then they were before. It seemed that killing Kabuto did nothing to slow the Sound. They continued to advance pushing the leaf ninjas farther and farther into their own village and seizing more of their territory. The numbers continued to dwindle. It was only a matter of time before they crushed the remaining forces of the Leaf and completely took control of Konoha. It had been nearly a year since Hinatas death and Naruto was still troubled by the sense of loneliness but more then that he was faced with the very real truth that he would likely outlive all of his friends. The Kyuubi would keep him alive during his battles while his remaining friends died around him. In the last year their forces had fallen from three hundred to twenty nine. The Hokage had ordered them all to retreat three weeks ago saying that she would stay behind and kill as many of their enemy as she could. She would make them pay for the death of all their brothers and sisters. It seemed that the rest of the ninja agreed with her choice of action and decided to stay as well. When she told them it was an order that they

leave, their response was that Konoha was no more and thus they had no more orders to follow. The only orders that remained were orders from the heart and their hearts all screamed the same thing. REVENGE. Their was no way they would save Konoha now. Now all they had was revenge. Kill as many as they could before they were crushed. Naruto approached the last remaining holdfast of the leaf, their current makeshift headquarters. It was a rickety old building that sat against the base of the Hokage monument. It was the last place that anybody would think to find them as it looked about as run down as the rest of the buildings in the leaf but it worked just as well for their needs. It had been three days since he was last here. He had been out on another mission. The 7th one this month and the month was not even done yet. He had become more and more reckless over the past several months. Both Sakura and Tsunade had tried to get him to be more careful saying that he was constantly coming back with deep cuts, broken bones and severe burns. Naruto just laughed at them each time telling them that they worried to much. The Kyuubi would keep him alive he told them and in the mean time his recklessness was allowing him to kill lots of sound ninja. That of course was a fact that everybody could tell easily enough. Every time he returned he was covered in blood which was obviously not his. he would walk in, take a shower, grab something to eat and then immediately demand another mission. It was a never ending cycle. Today of course was no different he told himself as he opened the door and stepped inside. He they were a mere twenty nine now. the sound was getting closer to them. He figured it would only be another month or two before he was the last one standing. He wanted to get as many of them as he could. Naruto slowly walked down the hall on his way to see Shikamaru, he wanted to report the success of his raid and get another one assigned. He saw Sakura and tried to rush ahead to avoid the lecture that he knew was coming but of course she stopped him. Damn it Naruto, I told you to take it easy. How many times do I have to tell you to slow down and think things through before you jump. Look at you, youre a mess. Yelled Sakura. Naruto laughed You just worry to much Sakura, you know Im not going to die. At least not before the rest of you. The Kyuubi will see to that unfortunately. And with that he continued on his way, leaving Sakura to worry alone about her friend. Naruto headed down the hall to where Shikamaru would be sitting reviewing maps and data like he always did. It was a wonder that he did not complain more often about how troublesome this war was. He laughed at the thought and opened the door. Hey Shika, hows it shaking. I figured I would come and check in. Let you know that I got me 12 sound jounin said Naruto. The Nara looked at him with lazy eyes This war is so troublesome. said Shikamaru. At least you seem to be winning your battles. Maybe you could give some pointers to the rest of our ninjas because it seems that most of us are just getting our asses kicked. Naruto laughed. Not everybody can be as good as I am Shika. Got anymore raids for me? Shikamaru shook his head. Yeah I got one but not until you go see the Hokage. She has been bitching at me about letting you go out constantly on these raids. Its just too troublesome to put up with so until you deal with her Im staying out of it. The Nara said as he turned around to face his wife.

Naruto smiled. Who would have thought that Shikamaru would get married, and to Ino of all people? You would have thought that would have been the most troublesome thing of all. But he seemed to be fine with it. Love, what a strange thing Naruto mussed not for the first time. Naruto got up and headed out the door content to leave the two of them alone to their mushy romance. His heart was not suited for that stuff anymore. Just looking at it reminded him of her. He shook his head and proceeded outside the room to find the Hokage. He needed to get another raid to take his mind of things. It would not due to be thinking about this stuff now. he never wanted to think about any of them again, it just hurt to much. Naruto Passed by Kiba and Lee on his way to the Hokages make shift office at the back of the house and laughed at the scene folding out in front of him. Here was Sakura lecturing them just like she lectured him. And Lee of course followed up by begging for forgiveness and flirting endlessly with Sakura as he always did. His old friend has gotten used to the bushy browed ninjas antics over the years and found it sweet as well as funny now instead of embarrassing followed by Kiba yelling at Lee for volunteering his services. At least he still found some things amusing to some extent. The more things change the more they stay the same he said to himself. Kiba was still a hot head and Lee was still obsessed with Sakura. He continued on his way leaving Sakura to deal with the two of them. Shikamaru stared at his pregnant wife. It was a cruel world he realized. She was a mere 4 months pregnant and every bit of his intuition was telling him that they would not last another 2 months here. He would loose his own life along with the life of his wife and unborn child and there was nothing any of them could do about it. He had tried to send her away when he found out she was with child. But of course she would hear none of that. She was a ninja just like him and she would not run from the people who had killed her family and friends and destroyed her life. The world was going to hell in a hand basket she had said, what does it matter if I die here with you now or along with our child a few years from now. He could never truly argue with her on that point or any others. She always seemed to win despite his superior reasoning skills. Shikamaru got up and sat behind his wife gently leaning her against his chest like he always did. Ino smiled and relaxed against him. She had not been sleeping well lately and was quite tired, only every able to sleep peacefully when he was there holding her. Shikamaru looked once again at his wife, his fear rising inside him as he thought about the end. He decided he would beg her one last time to leave, to get away from here now and give their child a chance at life. He sucked in a breath and dived in. Ino Ino looked up at him and smiled. Yes dear. She laughed, he hated it when she called him that. Ino I want to you leave Konoha. The end is near now and you know it. I want our child to have a chance at life. Inos smile instantly turned into a frown and she sat up suddenly not wanting to be leaning against her husband. I told you Im not leaving and thats final. There is nothing you can say or do that could possibly make me leave. This is my home as much as it is anybody elses. I want revenge for what they did as much as you. She yelled. Shikamaru

breathed heavily. She was so stubborn. Thats true but you can not even go out on missions anymore. At best you can hope to kill a few of them before they take you when the end comes. And even thats a maybe. You are not exactly in the best shape to fight right now Ino. For once in your life be reasonable. Ino sighed. She knew he was right but she didnt want to leave him. She surrendered herself to her fate, it was time to leave. They had given this child life and now its life had to come first no matter how much it hurt. But perhaps she could convince the Hokage to get Shikamaru to leave with her. She decided she would go see her right away. Alright Shikamaru but only if you come with me. You owe this child your life as much as I do. If I must leave my revenge behind then so must you. We will go together to the Hokage and get her to let us leave. Shikamaru sighed. It was so troublesome. She had him and he knew it and all the advanced intellect in the world was not going to be able to get him out of this situation. Very well. Lets go. And with that they stood and headed for the Hokage. Naruto approached the Hokages office and brisk pace wanting to get this over with as quick as possible. It always seemed that the old women treated him like a kid still despite his age. He was 22 years old now and she still treated him like he was 12. He supposed she just felt overly protective of him because he reminded her of her little brother and her husband so much but even still it annoyed Naruto to no end. He entered the office and threw himself into the chair in front of her desk as he always did. What the hell do you want now Obaa-chan. Im trying to get another mission here and your stopping me so hurry up and lecture me already so I can get back out their and kill me some more snakes. yelled Naruto. Tsunade looked at him and shook her head. He was always like this. Not really abusive but loud. He hated that she tried to restrain him a bit and she hated watching him through himself into harms way all the time. They never seemed to see eye to eye on this matter. I think its time you take a break for a few days Naruto. You have been at it for nearly a month straight. You have been on raid after raid without spending more then a few hours in between here at headquarters relaxing. Your going to get yourself killed and the rest of us do not want to see you gone so soon. Tsunade said in a motherly tone. Naruto glared at her. Did she really think he was going to just sit on his hands just because she told him too. If she did she had another thing coming. Like hell old woman. Im going back out there whether you like it or not. I am going to kill as many of those bastards as I can before I die and thats a promise. Besides, there is nothing here for me anyways. And with that he got up from his chair, turned around and immediately froze in place. In front of him was the one person he did not think he would ever see again. An old friend of whom he had last seen at Hinatas funeral. He had left with his brother and sister the next day to return to the sand and everybody just assumed that he would not be able to make it back through with the war going so badly. Gaara what how I mean when did you get here stammered Naruto. The red head looked at him with dark eyes and the side of his mouth ever so slightly curled up. It seems you have some sort of a death wish Uzumaki Naruto. I would have thought you

had better sense then that. said Gaara. Naruto smiled and moved forward. Yeah well you know me, Im not exactly the sharpest kunai in the pouch but I get the job done. Naruto grabbed Gaara and pulled him into an embrace. Its good to see you my friend. I did not think we would see each other again. Gaara stiffened at the sensation of being hugged. Naruto was the only person he would allow to do such a thing without immediately killing the person afterwards. Even so he had never quite gotten used to the sensation despite it being a normal part of his Narutos greeting ritual. The Hokage tells me that you have some time off now. I decided we would hang out as you say it while youre still alive. Naruto laughed at the look on the boys face. He doubted that Gaara had ever just hung out in his entire life. This was probably a ploy put in place by Obaa-chan to get him to relax. Even still he supposed it would be good to relax a little if it meant seeing his friend again. Yeah apparently I do have a few days off so I supp- Naruto was cut off by a knock on the door followed by a very determined looking Ino entering the room, and being dragged behind her was Shikamaru who was just radiating a this is so troublesome aura. Ino walked right by Naruto and up to the Hokages Desk. Tsunade I want you to let me and Shikamaru leave through the escape tunnels. Shika insists that I leave for the sake of the child and I agree with him but I refuse to let him off the hock so easily. His lazy ass is going to take care of me and this baby if it is the last thing he does so help me god. Tsunade smiled. She had wondered when Shikamaru would finally convince Ino to leave and she knew that when he did that there was no way she would leave without Shikamaru. She had been waiting for them to come and had even gone so far as to drop subtle hints here and there that she would let them go if they only asked. Well its about time the two of you got your priorities straight. I was beginning to think I was going to have to have Naruto drag your asses out of the city and chain you to a bed at some inn far from here so that you stayed away. But at least you finally came to your senses. said Tsunade. Ino blinked surprisingly, well that was easier then she thought it was going to be. If she had known it would be this easy she would have dragged his ass in here weeks ago. She would have to blame Shikamaru for that later, after all theres no way it could be her fault. She was too perfect and besides, its always the mans fault. She laughed. So you mean you will let us leave? Ino asked. I will do better then that. Naruto you wanted a mission well why dont you and Gaara escort the two of them to the escape tunnels and see to it that they get out of here. Then you can sit back and take a break for a few days. Naruto smiled. He was happy to see that at least two of his precious people would live on. Sounds like a plan. Just let me get cleaned up and we can leave in a few hours if their ready. Ino looked at him with a smile on her face. There could be nobody better to escort them to safety. Well be ready Naruto. And thank you. She turned to Tsunade thank you for all you have done Tsunade. Im sure that you will all sur- That was as far as she got. At that exact second an explosion rang out from the front of the house and the whole place shook violently. Gaara saw the flames coming down the hall and heard the second explosion to sound in the sleeping quarters of to the left. He had just enough time

to grab Naruto, pull him close and wrap them in a shield of sand before the flames engulfed the room and another explosion went off right above them. Naruto shook in the darkness. What the hell had just happened? He had to be dreaming. Why would their being explosions here. They should never have found them here. They had been careful to hide their base of operations and they hade protected it with several powerful genjutsu. It should not have been possible. He stayed like that for what seemed like hours but in reality was only a few minutes. Held in place by Gaara and then finally he was released and he tried to escape the prison of sand to get to his friends. He through himself against the wall, slowly breaking it down as the outer layer had been turned to solid glass from the intense heat. What he saw when he emerged on the other side of the barrier made him sick. Ino laid dead on the ground, burned to a crisp with Shikamaru huddled overtop of her trying to protect her from the heat. Tsunade was likewise burned and impaled to the wall by a piece of wood that had flown loose from the explosions. The rooms were still on fire. Naruto quickly pulled himself together and put out the fires with water jutsus. He frantically ran through the house looking for survivors. He had to find somebody, anybody. He needed to find Sakura. She was the only family he had left now, she had to be alive. He rushed to front of the building where he had last seen her and began ripping pieces of debris from the floor franticly looking for any sign of the pink haired girl. And then he found her pinned beneath several pieces of the ceiling. They had protected her from the fire for all the good it did her. She was barely alive, a long piece of metal piping lodged through her chest. She could tell that she had severe internal damages. There would be nothing he could do for her. Hang on Sakura, its ok, youre going to be fine. I just need to get this piece of pipe out of you and then I will heal you up good as new. You can count on me right. After all Im the fu-future ho-ho-hok he couldnt get the rest out, he broke down into tears crying over her. She knew as well as he did that it was useless. Shhh, shh, its ok Na-Naruto. Im fine re-really. I just need to re-rest a bit and then I will be good as new. She smiled at him, blood running out the side of her mouth. She coughed, spraying blood from her mouth. She reached her hand up and cupped his face with it. Im sorry I wont be here to comfort you this time. a single tear feel from her eye and rolled down her check, she took one last shaky breath as her hand fell from his face and she breathed no more. Naruto was beside himself. He felt a deep overwhelming sadness like he had never felt before. Everybody he had ever loved was gone. He was the last surviving leaf ninja and he could not even save his best friend. He raised his head to the sky and let loose a blood curdling scream to the heavens to let them know how he felt about their justice. AHHHHHHHHHH!!!. There is still a possibility that you could bring them back kit. said the Kyuubi. Narutos eyes lit up with anger. Fuck you, you stupid fox. I wish you were out here right now so I could kick your ass just like the Fourth did. You just shut the fuck up The Kyuubi chuckled. Well dont we have quite the temper? And such a colorful vocabulary too. You want to see colorful, I will show you colorful and with that Naruto went into a rant throwing every profane word he could think of at the Kyuubi. By the

time he was done he was actually physically yelling at the Kyuubi with Gaara standing behind him wondering what the fox could have possibly said to get him this pissed off. By this time the Kyuubi was fed up with the young boys antics and snapped at him. You dare call yourself the future Hokage. A Hokage is supposed to listen to everything and base his decision off of the information at hand. You are nothing but a scared weak little boy. You are a hypocrite. What the fuck to you mean a hypocrite you stupid fox. And I am not scared. I am afraid of nothing. Ill kill every fucking sound ninja out there. I will have my revenge. You are a hypocrite because you said you would do anything to save your friends, anything to have them safe and yet when the time comes to do just that you instead think only of yourself and your revenge. You are nothing but a close minded little boy. You could never be a Hokage. The snake Sannin would make a better Hokage then you, at least he is strong. Barked the Kyuubi knowing the boy would respond to that. Naruto instantly shut up and paled. How could the fox possibly think that the snake would be a better Hokage. And what did he mean by their being a way to save his friends. Ok fox tell me your plan. How do I save them? How do I bring back my precious people? asked Naruto in a defeated tone. The Kyuubi smirked inwardly. He knew that would work. You dont bring them back. What? You just saShut up and let me finish You dont bring them back You simply stop them from ever dieing in the first place. Huh? How the hell do I do that? Stop talking in bloody riddles you damn fox. Must I spell everything out for you kit. You simply go back and stop the war from ever starting. You stop the snake from invading, stop him from gaining a foothold, simply prevent all the events that led to your downfall. Do that and your friends will live. Naruto Blinked. What the hell was the fox talking about? Had that explosion jumbled his non-existent brains or something and made him stupider then he already was. And how in the hell am I supposed to go back in time and stop all this from happening Mr. Im the big bad fox that knows it all. Did they teach you nothing in this damn village? I suppose it would have been a forbidden jutsu since you humans are all so bloody week but its nothing for a demon like me. And since youre my host you can use it too. Of course youre probably too stupid to use it so I will have to walk you through the steps. As for how you prevent all this from happening. Well you will have to figure that out. I mean I know you humans are stupid but I imagine you should be able to figure at least that much out by yourself. Naruto sneered and ignored the comments about his intelligence made by the Kyuubi. Instead he focused on the possibilities. He had nothing to lose at this point and as much as he hated the Kyuubi when he spoke like this the truth was they had gotten along much better over the years. They had established somewhat of an understanding and had

melded with each other further. He had given the fox more freedom and brought him closer to his mind while the Kyuubi freely melded a large portion of his chakra with the boy and gave him easy access to the rest. He knew he could trust what the fox was saying but it was still hard to believe. Naruto was brought out of his thoughts when Gaara put his hand on his shoulder. I believe you should take the chance my friend but you should do it quickly. The enemy approaches. I shall give you the time you need and with that Gaara ran from the wreckage of the building into the open to engage the enemy. Naruto stretched his senses out to keep track of his last remaining friend. Alright fox. Tell me how to do this. Well youre too stupid to remember all the seals by heart so I will have to tell you them one by one while you meld your chakra properly. Be sure to get it right kit. One mistake and you will kill us both. With that the pair began performing the jutsu. The Kyuubi barking out commands and seals while Naruto melded the chakra as directed and performed the matching seal. He had almost finished when he heard Gaara scream and could feel him no more. A tear came to his eye as he said a silent goodbye to his friend and thanked him for the delay. Naruto performed that last seal and screamed the jutsu out as a level 3 curse seal ninja jumped at him. The last thing he remembered was seeing the huge fist flying towards him and expecting to go flying across the room. But he felt nothing. Instead the ninja just flew by and everything spun. He felt his entire body going numb as his vision swam in front of him. Just before his vision went black he saw the blood red outline of the Kyuubi floating above him. he saw the fox reach out and grab a hold of him with one of its tail and then took off running. Chapter Two: Reunion Naruto stared at the scene unfolding in front of him, eyes wide with amazement and horror at the same time. Before him stood a giant fox with blood red fur and eyes of black and red. he took a step back scared out of his wits and the site of the demon Lord Kyuubi standing before him in all his glory. His eyes became larger still at the realization that his fur was not just the color of blood but was drenched in it as well. all around him lay the bodies of hundreds of ninjas. These are leaf ninja he realized with a start. What the hell was going on. How could the Kyuubi be free from the seal, how could he be slaughtering leaf ninja when there were none? He looked around an instantly recognized the scenery. They were a mere mile from the gates of Konoha. Suddenly it began to make sense. This was the event 22 years ago. This was the day Kyuubi attacked Konoha. But why was he here. Had the fox double crossed him? Naruto was brought out of his thoughts at the sight of a man he recognized as the forth Hokage. He was tall and handsome with bright blue eyes and long messy blond hair. Something seemed so familiar about his appearance but he could just not place it. He brushed it off and turned his attention to squad of ninja that walked beside him. Each wore identical outfits with a small red symbol on the sleeve that Naruto could not make out. They took up positions in front of the Hokage preparing to protect him while he reformed a ritual of some type. That was when Naruto noticed her. A young beautiful woman approached from the darkness behind the group, dressed in the uniform of the ANBU but with her

mask hanging around her neck. In her arms she carried a child who she rocked delicately in her arms, singing gently to him to calm his soul. Thats me Naruto realized with surprise. If thats me then who is that woman? Why is she so kind to me? The women knelt beside the Hokage, looked deeply into his eyes and began to cry. He reached for her, taking her in his arms and comforting her as best he could. After a few moments he took young Naruto from her arms, kissed him on the forward and whispered something in his ear. He placed the child on the ground in the middle of the large seal and began the ritual. Naruto knew what was coming. This was the moment that he was cursed with the Kyuubi. This was when it all began. He watched in horror but unable to take his eyes away. This was his past, he had to know what happened that day. Instantly the Kyuubi noticed something was wrong and turned his gaze at the group. The ninjas surrounding the Hokage charged at the Kyuubi, drawing his attention as best they could. They threw kunai, fired jutsu after jutsu at the demon Lord while the fox just laughed at them for their effort and slowly killed them one by one. In less then 20 minutes all the ninja were dead and only the Hokage, the woman, and the child remained. The Hokage seemed to be at the end of the ritual. The Kyuubi sensing the danger charged at his prey. The young woman quickly rose and attacked. In the time it took for the Kyuubi to dispatch her, the Hokage completed his task and charged at the Kyuubi, activating the seal on the field. Naruto looked around again as he watched Kyuubi being sealed inside his younger self. Toward the outskirts of Konoha he could see a large bright white light the same as the one here on the battlefield. He wondered what was being sealed back in Konoha at the same time as Kyuubi was being sealed here. As the Kyuubis spirit was ripped from his body and transplanted into Narutos his vision began to swim again. He rocked back and forth and fell to his knees. He closed his eyes to try and steady himself but nothing helped. Then it was over. He found himself sitting in the cell room where Kyuubi was housed, a place he had become familiar with over the years. Something seemed to be different though and he could not quite put his figure on it. He stood up, the water dripping around him. And then it hit him. Where the hell was the Kyuubi? He could not see him in the cell. Fear overtook him. What was going on, how could he get out? He was about to lose it when he heard a loud strange noise behind him in the direction of the cage. Naruto spun around quickly and started at the cage. Wondering what the noise was. After a few moments the noise came again, louder this time. Every few moments it would repeat at varying levels. It took Naruto nearly 10 minutes to realize what it was. It was snoring he realized finally. It was the Kyuubi snoring. But that did not make sense. When had the Kyuubi ever slept? He could not remember a single time since he began speaking with the fox nearly 10 years earlier. Hey wake up you stupid fox. What the hell is going on here? Yelled Naruto. He waited for an answer but nothing came. He wondered once again why he was here in this room. And why did he feel so tired. He had realized a few moments earlier while listening to the fox snore that he himself was beat. He felt like all the energy had been training from his body and he was running on fumes.

Naruto sat down on the floor and closed his eyes trying to think over everything in his mind. I was at head quarters when the sound destroyed it. Everybody died but mw and Gaara. It had been luck that the two of them had lived. The damn fox suggested a time traveling jutsu to come back to the past and stop the war from happening. Only instead of landing myself in the past Im here in this damn cell room listing to this lazy ass over here snoring. And what the hell was up with that dream or vision or whatever it was. Who were those ninja, who was the lady with the Hokage, and what was up with the light from the seal showing up in Konoha as well as on the battlefield. It doesnt make any sense. My head hurts just thinking about it all. Would you shut up kittling? Im trying to sleep here. That damn jutsu really took a lot out of me. Speaking of which, you should really get some rest too. It was just as hard on you as it was on me. What are you talking about you bastard. We didnt go anywhere. Im sitting in this damn cell with you. What is going on? Youre here because you exhausted yourself with the jutsu and you have not melded with your former self yet. Just lie down, close your eyes, and shut up. By the time you wake you will be melded with your self and you can go on your merry way. Now if you do not mind Im going to get some more sleep. Damn loud kid waking me up. Naruto ignored him, he was right. He felt incredibly tired to the point that he could barely keep his eyes open. Perhaps a few hours sleep wouldnt hurt. He closed his eyes and instantly fell over with a splash. He was out cold. The room faded around him into darkness and then it was all gone. When Naruto finally awoke the sun was just rising. The room was slowly lighting up along with the sky. He blinked and rolled to his right as he normally did only to slam his head off the end table beside his bed. The impact startled him and he strong from his bed straight up into the air causing him to bang into the shelf above his bed and knocking him forward onto the ground. He lay their for a moment trying to get his bearings so he did not run into anything else. Slowly he stood being careful to watch his surroundings. He was unsure of where he was. It seemed so familiar but yet so foreign at the same time. he could just not put his finger on in. He looked around the room he was standing in and it all began to make sense. This was his apartment he realized. There in the corner was the large crack in the wall that had been their since the day he moved in. his bed stood in front of him all warn down and beat up like it had been the whole time he stayed there. To the right was the bathroom and in the corner was his washing machine and dryer. And through the door behind him would be the kitchen. It was strange standing in his apartment again. The whole apartment building had been destroyed around his 17th birthday. By that time the sound already had a foothold and the building was held by them. He shook his head. Now was not the time to be reminiscing. There were things that needed to be done. First and foremost he needed to find out what day it was. He needed to know how much time he had until the sand attacked with the sound and likewise how much time he had until Sasuke betrayed the leaf for power and revenge. If he could stop those 2 events it would go a long way to foiling Orochimarus plans. Naruto began pacing around and using his Anbu training to take in all the information he

could from his surroundings. He may not be able to get an exact date this way but he should at least be able to get an idea of when they were. well I have the apartment so that right away puts me between 8 and 16 years of age. And based on the way things look outside I can safely assume that since there are no patrols and no construction going on that its before the chuunin exams on the year of the first invasion. So that puts us between 8 and 13 years of age. Naruto said to himself. He looked around the room. Looking in drawers and on the floor. Anything to find a clue as to how old he was. He found a pair of goggles in his dresser and smiled. well if I have these I have to be at least 10 since I got them on my 10th birthday. And I know for a fact I did not take them off for about the first year so that makes me at least 11. Naruto scrunched up his nose. He was somewhere between 11 and 13 years of age. So he was anywhere from a few hours to a few years before he the invasion. this is getting me no where fast. Hey Kyuubi wake your lazy ass up and tell me when you dropped us. I dropped you at a major turning point in your life. Thats all you need to know for now. its more fun for me to watch you squirm. You should be able to figure the rest out easily enough. Naruto sneered at the fox and headed to the bathroom. He would have to grab a shower and get dressed so he could go out and try and gather some more information. Damn fox having to make things so difficult. Naruto got out of the shower and walked towards his dresser again to get dressed. He opened his draws and laughed. He had forgotten how ridiculous those jumpsuits looked. And to think that he wore them all the time at this age. He was going to have to change that. Their was no way in hell he was going to go around looking like that much of an idiot. Naruto began to route through his drawers in search of the one outfit he would have owned at this age that looked half decent. He had bought it by mistake and did not wear it often which was ironic considering that it was much better looking then the damn orange jump suits. Where the hell is it he thought to himself as he ripped his dresser apart. Finally at the bottom of the last drawer of his dresser he found what he was looking for. He pulled the 3 pieces from his drawers and put them on. First was a black t-shirt with his signature red swirl on both sleeves. Second was a dark blue green vest and last was a pair of dark green shorts. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. It was not perfect but it was a lot better then the jumpsuit. Naruto walked to the kitchen and prepared himself some ramen for breakfast. While he ate he began to formulate a plan of action. First he would need to get a lay of the land. He would need to know what the date was, he would have to get used to everybody here again and then he would have to get close to some of his old friends so that he could recruit them when the time was right. This was not something he would be able to do by himself he realized with disappointment. The obvious problem there was that anybody he got involved would have to know about the future so they knew exactly what it was they were trying to avoid. But in order to know about that they would need to be told about how Naruto had come to the past which mean explaining the jutsu which would undoubtedly lead to a discussion about his little fury friend that was living inside him.

How would they react to him when they found out. The only person that ever knew in the future was Sakura and it scared the hell out of her at first. Sure she was fine with it but she had known me for nearly 10 years before she found out. I can not say the same about anybody in this time. At most they may have known me for a few years from a far. But nobody will have known me personally. Naruto made himself another bowl of ramen and sat back down to continue his thoughts. Well I can not avoid it. I will need to bring at least some of them in on this. Theres too much at stake. Even if they fear me they will likely act for the sake of the village. If their resentment and hatred is the price I must pay for their safety and the safety of the village then so be it. Naruto stood up and placed his bowl in the sink and headed for the door. No point putting this off any longer. I might as well go gather the information I need. Naruto walked to the door, swung it open and nearly bowled over a young blue haired girl standing in front of him. With his quick reflexes he was able to catch her before she hit the ground. Naruto Pulled Hinata into his arms to keep her from falling. He took a few steps back and stared into her eyes. Hinata Naruto felt like he was staring at a ghost. So many hidden feelings flooded his mind at that moment. Suddenly he felt like falling to his knees and crying. The sight of her dark blue hair blowing in the wind and her pale lavender eyes sparkling in the sunlight set his heart on fire. Here was the women he loved, alive again and standing a mere foot away from him with that wonderful blush of hers painted on her face. Are you alright?... I didnt see you there, sorry. Said Naruto. Hello N-Naruto-kun, Im fine. Hinata stared at the ground, her face turning a bright scarlet as she thought about how close Naruto had been. He held me in his arms. I think Im going to faint. oh whats that in your hand Hinata? I hope I didnt ruin it for you. Said Naruto as he looked at the large plastic bag in Hinatas right hand. Hinata quickly handed Naruto the bag, never once making eye contact. Ano I b-brought this for you for b-breakfast. I thought you would enjoy it. I-Im sorry for b-bothering you. stammered Hinata and with that she spun on her feet and started to quickly walk away. Hey Hinata, wait up. Come on wont you share it with me. I would love the company and you bought it. Food is always better when you eat together right? said Naruto, yelling after Hinata. Hinata stopped in her tracks. Hes asking me into his apartment, he wants my company, and he wants to share his ramen with me. Oh my god Im going to faint. And that is exactly what she did. Naruto cursed his own stupidity. He knew how shy Hinata was. He should have remembered that she fainted all the time when she was younger. The slightest encouragement from him always caused her to blush brightly and usually she would faint not to long after. Naruto set down the ramen on the table and ran to pick up Hinata. He brought her into his apartment and laid her down on the couch. Naruto flicked some water on her face and she woke up. Hinata are you alright? You just passed out. Asked Naruto. Hinata looked up at Naruto and blushed intensely again. He was so close. I-Im fine Naruto-kun said Hinata. Im glad to hear it. So how about that breakfast. Come on I set out a bowl for you. Said Naruto as he walked to the table. Hinata stared at him as he walked away. A small smile

crossing her face. Hes sharing his ramen with me. He never shares his ramen. Maybe he cares for me too. Hinata stood and walked over to the table. Arigato Naruto-kun. You dont have to share your ramen with me thought. I bought it for you said Hinata while trying to force the blush away. Naruto looked at Hinata again. He was not seeing the young girl that sat in front of him but gorgeous young woman whom he had loved in his future. He smiled brightly at her. This is my chance. I will not make you wait this time Hinata-chan. I swear I will tell you how I feel and I will look after you. I want so badly to be their for you always and hold you tight. I love you so much my sweet Hinata-chan, Im just sorry it took your death for me to admit it. I swear I will not make the same mistake again. Naruto snapped out of his thoughts realizing what Hinata had said. Its fine really Hinata. I may not have to share but I want to. So enjoy. Hinata smiled briefly and turned to her ramen. She had not forgotten the reason she had come here. Here I am being comforted by Naruto-kun and Im supposed to be the one comforting him. its so unfair that they would fail him. Hinata looked back up towards Naruto, tears threatening to pour from her eyes as she thought about how badly the young blond must feel. Her face instantly lit up as she saw the early morning sun bounce off the Konoha headband sitting nicely on top of the fridge. You passed she yelled in a happy tone. Naruto, not knowing what she was talking about turned his head in the direction she was looking at caught sight of his headband. He smiled. Well that made sense. It was the most important day of his life, or at least one of them. The day he officially became a ninja and was assigned to team 7. He turned back to Hinata who was all smiles by this time and smiled his normal foxy grin. Well of course I passed. I am the great Uzumaki Naruto after all, Born to be the next great Hokage. Naruto boasted in a humorous manner. Hinata jumped up from the table and threw herself at Naruto, clinging onto him in a huge hug. Im so glad you passed. Congratulations. Said Hinata. And then she realized what she had just done. She jumped off of Naruto Blushing like she had never blushed before and promptly fainted, falling back into Narutos lap of all places. Naruto Laughed out loud at the scene that had just unfolded. He felt truly happy to be back with his friends and it was nice to see Hinata again even if he did have to break her of her nervous habits for a second time. Naruto looked at the clock. If today was the day that he got assigned to team 7 and Hinata got assigned to team 8 then they were going to have to get going soon. He shook Hinata lightly to get her to wake up and then slapped her gently on the check a few times. Hinata slowly opened her eyes and stared up at Naruto. ummm Naruto-kun she moaned happily, obviously reliving some type of dream she had recently had. Wake up Hinatachan. We need to get to the academy so we can be assigned to our teams. Come on we can walk together. Hinata quickly woke up unsure if she had said that out load or not, but blushed furiously all the same. She walked over to the door and put her shows on while Naruto walked to the fridge and grabbed his headband and strapped it on. Naruto walked back to Hinata, threw on his shows and guided her out of his apartment. "Well Hinata-chan shall we go. Asked Naruto. Hai! said Hinata and with that they left.

"You look beautiful this morning Hinata-chan Naruto said as they continued to walk to the academy. T-thank you Naruto-kun Hinata said as she blushed furiously. The last real Uchiha. That was what they called him. He heard it everywhere he went and he hated it. He was not the last Uchiha. Their was another and he hated that the village had forgotten him. Not because he loved his brother, or because he thought he deserved to be remembered by the village. No Sasuke hated the village for forgetting because it made his reason for living seem like a joke. Sasuke knew that his brother was still out there and he intended to kill him. The dark haired boy walked do the streets of Konoha on his way to the academy. Today he would be assigned to a team filled with nothing but useless fools. He had no idea how skilled his partners would be but it didnt matter. They would only ever be in his way, or so Sasuke thought. He grumbled to himself not for the first time today as he tried to pull ahead of the two girls who had been trailing behind him all morning. The first was a young pink haired girl who had the largest forehead he had ever seen in his life, the other was an annoying blond girl who gave new meaning to the term dumb blond. No matter what he did they followed him, and what was worse was they were fighting with each other, about him of all things. It pissed him off to no end. He just wanted to spin around and shove a kunai through both their throats. He forgot about that quickly as he realized doing so would make it rather hard for him to kill his brother as he would be either dead himself or sitting in jail. He sighed and continue walking. Would they ever catch a clue and figure out that he didnt want any of them. Sakura walked close behind Sasuke fighting with Ino about who was better suited as Sasukes girlfriend. Sakura had said that she was best suited because she was strong and guys loved her pink hair. While Ino insisted that she was better suited for him because she did not have a big forehead and blonds always had more fun, guys knew that she said. In the end they had ended up at each others throats trying to push the other to the ground until Sasuke had whirled around on them and told them to shut up or he was going to kick both their asses. That had stopped them fairly quickly. It was the first time they had seen him so irritated. Of course they had not stopped long. Within 10 minutes they were fighting again only this time it was about who had caused Sasuke to become upset. It was funny that they fought like this. Until a year ago they had been the best of friends and then they had both fallen for Sasuke. That had been the end of their friendship. Sakura had gone to Ino and told her that their friendship was over because they could not be friends and go after the same guy. Ino had argued for a few minutes and then simply agreed and they had walked their separate ways. She wondered not for the first time if she had made the right decision. She shook her head, of course she had made the right choice. This was Sasuke-kun she was talking about here. he was worth anything. On top of one of the many buildings in the city of Konoha, underneath a wood awning laid the leafs laziest ninja to be Shikamaru and beside him was his good and rather

chubby friend Chouji. This was their favorite place in all of Konoha. This was where they had first become friends and was known at least to them as being the greatest spot in all of Konoha to watch the clouds. Shikamaru sighed and tried to ignore Chouji. As good of a friend as he was he could be very troublesome at times, and this was certainly one of those times. But Shika we have to go find out what teams we are one. I dont want to go by myself. It will only take a little bit. Please shika. Whined Chouji. Its easier to just wait until the results are posted and then go see our sensei. Besides its so troublesome having to go to this meeting. Said Shikamaru as he continued to stare up at the clouds. But Shikaaaa what if we get in trouble for not going. Cried Chouji. Shikamaru sighed yet again and climbed to his feet. It was troublesome but Chouji was his friend. He was going to bug the hell out of him if they did not go to this meeting and that was even more troublesome. Very well Chouji. Lets go and with that they headed down from the building and towards the academy. Kiba stared at the dark haired boy in the long trench coat. He never seemed to show any emotion. And all those bugs, it really creped Kiba out. What kind of a person likes to have bugs crawl all over him and never shows any emotion. This was not the first time Kiba had thought like this. It seemed that he thought this way once every couple of weeks which coincidentally happened to be how often Shino kicked his butt in sparing matches at the training grounds which was where they were returning from now. Shino had been casually giving pointers to Kiba for the last several minutes which was only adding to Kibas annoyance. It was bad enough that he had to loose but now he had to get lectured by Shino as well which was all the worse because he could not decide weather Shino was mocking him or just trying to help because of his lack of emotions shown on his face. Shino continued offering pointers while Kiba seethed in private about his loose. He would beat him next time, yeah thats right he would win next time and then he would be the one giving pointers. Kiba sighed. Thats what he had said last time, in fact it had said it the last 4 times and he had still to beat Shino. His bugs were just so sneaky. It just wasnt fair. Kiba just wanted to get to the academy and find out who was on his team so he could take his mind off his horrible loss and even better, maybe their was somebody on his team that he could smoke in a sparring match. That would certainly lift his mood. Kiba smiled at that prospect and continued walking with Shino towards their destination. Naruto and Hinata were more then half way to the academy, talking happily about nothing in particular. Hinata had her arm rapped around Narutos and was walking close beside him enjoying his warmth when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and stiffened. She could feel him start to go cold and when she looked up to ask if he was ok she noticed he had gone completely pale. Naruto-kun Hinata said following his gaze down the road to where a dark haired boy and two girls were coming down a side street not more then 50 feet ahead. She thought

she recognized the boy but was not sure. The girls however she knew right away as Sakura and Ino. She figured the boy was probably Sasuke. That was the only boy she knew of that all the girls chased after, Ino and Sakura included. She looked back up at Naruto wondering what could be the matter. Naruto-kun are you ok. Naruto she was beginning to get worried. What was wrong with him. he looked like he had just seen a ghost. She knew he was not particularly fond of the Uchiha but that did not explain this reaction. It looked almost like he was afraid, no that was not it. It was something else but she could not quite put her finger on it. Naruto heard Hinata but could not return. All that existed to him was the boy that stood a mere 50 feet down the road. He was torn in his feelings. On one hand he was ecstatic to see his best friend, his brother figure standing there, alive, and still a member of the leaf. On the other hand he was sickened at the sight of the traitor who had betrayed his people, his friendships, and had even tried to kill him. He wanted to run down the road and rip his throat out and at the same time he wanted to pull him into an embrace and thank the gods that he had a second chance. His face hardened at as a member formed in his mind. Sasuke.. you bastard. -FlashbackThey had received word that Sasuke was in the area with Orochimaru and was going to be taken as a host any day now. They were out of time. Their was no more chances of saving him, instead they would have to kill him so that he could not be taken by Orochimaru. To make matters worse the Atasuki member Itachi had been spotted in the area as well. More then likely waiting for Naruto to come out of the village to deal with his old friend so that the Atasuki could grab him when it was all finished. Even so he insisted on having the mission to go take care of Sasuke. He had demanded to go, he was the one that should end Sasukes life. It was his duty as his friend and if Itachi got in the way he would simply kill him too. Tsunade had agreed reluctantly after realizing that he was going to go with our without her permission. At least with it she would not have to mark him as a missing nin. He took off headed for a nearby village where Sasuke was supposed to be hiding out and waiting for the time to complete the transfer. Only when he got their it was not Sasuke he found waiting at the little inn but Itachi, Red eyes glaring back at him behind that stupid black clock. "Hey! What the hell are you doing here you son of a bitch?" Naruto demanded. He knew it was stupid to ask, it was pretty obvious that the information had been fake and only used to lure him out. No matter. Naruto had come out here intending to kill an Uchiha, He had no problem making that Itachi. He deserved no less for what he had done. It was his fault ultimately that Sasuke had fled the leaf and become Orchimarus lap dog. "come now Naruto-kun. I would think you knew perfectly well what Im here for. Come quietly. There is no way you can hope to beat me." Naruto stared at the man leaning against the wall off the inn. "Itachi!" Naruto hissed "you underestimate me. You should have brought more of your little friends. At least then you might have stood a chance. Ill kill you for what you did to your family. If it was not for you Sasuke would still be with us and not with that fucking snake."

"prepare to die." The boy growled. His eyes became slit, while the whisker like marks on his face stretched out. His nails became sharp claws. The red chakra started to ooze out of him and cover his body in a protective shell. Narutos body slowly began to resemble the Kyuubis and once Naruto agreed with the fox. the time for talk was over. It was time to Kill. Naruto rushed at Itachi throwing tables out of his way as he went. They meet in the middle of the inn trading blow for blow. For nearly an hour they stayed like that. Attacking and blocking, using Taijutsu against Taijutsu. Flame against flame. Illusion against illusion. No matter what they tried neither side seemed to be winning. It seemed like things could just continue forever like this. But unfortunately for Itachi Naruto had an incredible amount of stamina and chakra. Something that Itachi could never hope to match. As the fight continued Naruto stayed as fresh as the moment that they started while Itachi slowed and weakened. In the end it was Naruto that won, dodging a flame jutsu and slipping under Itachis defenses just long enough to slam the Rasengan into his chest, Itachi never saw it coming. In seconds it was over, Itachi lay dead on the ground while Naruto fell to his knees next to him, desperately trying to suck in breath. He had never been so tired in his life. And then as if he sensed his brothers demise Sasuke walked into the inn. Naruto looked over to the door, their eyes meet and Naruto could see the hatred, the sadness, and the loss in his eyes. It seemed that he was part of some big cosmic joke. What had he done to deserve all this attention today. "Naruto. How could you kill him. You knew he was mine to kill. Revenge was all I had left. Naruto staggered to his feet. Never taking his eyes of his old friend. Please Sasuke you have to believe me I had no cho- He was cut off by the last Uchiha's words . if possible it seemed he got even colder. "You .. you took my revenge. Now I will have to satisfy myself with killing you. Naruto winced at the expression on his friends face and the sight of him activating the level 3 curse seal. he tried to explain. But it was no use. He would not listen. Sasuke looked once more at his dead brother and activated the Chidori. Naruto quickly slid back into a defensive stance and charged up the Rasengan preparing to battle his friend. They would finish this in one shot they both knew. Today one of them would die and the other would be left to hold the weight of his friends death on his shoulders for the rest of his days. Naruto stood his ground, watching as his friend approached at high speeds. Sasuke raised the Chidori and thrust his arm forward at Naruto. At the last second he closed his eyes, he did not want to see his friends death as much as he hated him for killing his brother and taking his revenge from him. He would kill him but he did not want to watch. He heard the sickening sound of ripping flesh, felt blood run down his hand and heard Naruto scream out in pain. But instead of feeling his friends body weaken he felt him seize his arm. Sasuke shot his eyes open and stared at Naruto. He had one thrust his arm through Narutos side, Naruto had moved at

the last moment and purposely taken the Chidori to restrain him. Naruto flipped Sasuke over his shoulder onto the ground, looked once more into his friends eyes and said Im sorry. Seconds later Sasuke was dead beside his brother. Naruto had slammed the Rasengan into his chest while he lay on the ground. With nowhere to go his body had sunk into the ground as far as it could before Narutos hand had smashed through his ribcage and straight through to the other side. Naruto stood up, pulling his arm from his friend and removing Sasukes arm from his side. Naruto took a few steps away and fell to the ground on his knees and cried. That was it, he had killed his friend, his blood was still warm on his face as Naruto reached up and whipped it away. Naruto sat their for hours before finally getting up and returning to Konoha. It was over now, there was no reason hanging around any longer. End Flashback Naruto Could feel his heart breaking. Tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. Here was his friend again, the boy he would have called brother. Alive and well, and still in Konoha. His mind was running a million miles a minute. He felt like he couldnt breath. He wanted so badly to run to him and give him a big hug and then beat him over the head and tell him that if he ever tried to run off with a snake bastard for his revenge that he would kick his ass. But that would never work, the boy would just look at him like he was insane and then probably challenge him to a fight to prove that he would not get his ass kicked. Suddenly Naruto realized that Sasuke was not the only one standing there. His eyes landed on Sakura and then to Ino. The last day he had seen them both alive had been the day he left. They had both died in the final attack along with Shikamaru and Kiba and about two dozen other ninja. He had to run, he was going to loose it if he stayed here. they were all here he realized, he was being reunited with the rookie 9 without any of them knowing it and he could not handle it. He had to run, he had to get away. His eyes fell on Shikamaru and then on Chouji as he walked forward at a slow pace with Hinata following him still wondering what was wrong and with that worried expression on her face. Next he saw Kiba and Shino, both staring at him, or were they looking at Hinata. He realized with a start that everybody was staring at them. It could have been for a dozen reasons but it was probably because he likely looked as white as a ghost right about now and while he had not looked at Hinata he could only imagine that she was as bright as a tomato with so much attention on her. That was it, he could take no more. He pulled his arm from Hinatas and bolted forward towards the academy. He ran as fast as he could, past his old friends, or were they new acquaintances now. He ran and he ran until he reached the academy doors. He threw them open and bolted right instead of left heading for one of the classrooms at the end of the hall that he knew would be empty. He barreled through the door a second after he slammed it open, but before he could

close it behind him and seal it shut he felt a warm hand on his and arms around his next. He promptly fell to the ground, a little from the surprise and a little from his emotional stress. Hinata stared at the boy in her arms. It was strange being able to say that. It was true though she was holding him protectively in her arms and rocking him gently back and forth as he cried of all things. She had no idea what was wrong but it was obvious for at least this moment that he was either not able or not willing to tell her. She would wait at least for a few minutes to find out what was wrong. He would tell her when he was ready. She realized suddenly that she was not fainting, here she was holding her love in her arms, cradling him in his hour of need and she was not even the slightest bit embarrassed. Oh she knew that if anybody were to walk in at this moment that she would probably turn the brightest color of red that anybody had ever seen in their lives and then promptly faint on the spot but for the time being, while they were alone she felt no such urges. Instead she felt overwhelmed with a deep sense of warmth that was leading her to be with Naruto. She wanted, no she needed to comfort him. Perhaps now she would be able to tell him of her love, but not right this moment. He was in no shape to hear of her selfish wishes right now. For now she would just be here for him. Naruto felt the arms around him, he could smell her scent in the air. She was so warm he realized, he wished he could just stay here in her arms for ever. Was this what he sacrificed by ignoring his feelings for all those years. He had kept silent about the way he felt even though he could plainly see the way she felt about him. He had rationalized it to himself by saying that his only purpose in life was to kill Orochimaru and that he would only be putting her in harms way if they got together. But that was not the truth. He had been afraid, afraid of what would happen when he told her of his secret. And if they had gotten together he knew that he would have to tell her, their could be no secrets in a relationship like that. So he had ignored his feelings instead because it was easier, he had thought she would just move on and find somebody else, Kiba perhaps. But she had stayed true to him even without his acknowledgment. Perhaps she knew how he felt and thought that if she just waited he would come around, or perhaps she could just not bring herself to go after another man. Whatever the case was she had devoted herself to her love for him, never faltering and always being their for him until the very end. She had given her very life for his and they had even said she died with a smile on her face when she heard that he was going to live. The tears came harder now as Naruto thought about her death again and all he had given him in the past. Hinata was still holding him close, rubbing his back and whisphering sweetly, calmly in his ear to relax him. They were soothing words, perhaps the words to a song, he really couldnt tell but they helped all the same. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Hinata startled as she felt his arms wrap around her back and pull her close. And then she froze as she heard his words, his voice so full of sorrow and pain. She had never heard him like this before, it was like he had been totally and utterly beaten, all hope lost. He sounded almost defeated, but there was something else in his voice, ever so faintly, it was

love and hope and determination all rolled into one. She would never forget this for the rest of her life. How she wished he would tell her what was wrong. But instead all he said was Im sorry Im So sorry. I promise I wont fail again. And with that he pulled himself from her arms and stood up. We should get going Hinata. The meeting will have already started by now. in fact its likely almost over. Im sorry I kept you. Naruto said. Hinata looked at him in pure and utter disbelief. How could he go from being so totally destroyed to acting like nothing had happened. Naruto-kun Please, whats wrong. Talk to me, I want to help. I dont want to see you so hurt. Please. She started to cry softly as she finished. Naruto walked over to her and pulled her close. Please dont cry Hinata. Dry those tears. Naruto said. He turned around after whipping her tears away with his thumb and spoke once more in a soft and sad tone. Hinata I trust you more then any person I know, perhaps even more then Iruka-sensei, but I just cant tell you what's wrong right now. Im not ready. So please, will you keep what happened her today a secret. Will you do that for me. I promise that I will tell explain everything someday soon. Just please give me time to sort through my thoughts. That is all I can say right now. Hinata looked into his eyes, they were so tired she realized, they were not the eyes of the overly energetic boy she knew and loved, these eyes seemed darker somehow. They seemed it be the eyes of somebody who had lost everything, somebody who had be totally defeated. She smiled lightly to show him that she understood. It hurt to see him so sad and she would do anything to help him, she would do anything for him, even if that meant doing nothing and just waiting for the right moment when he would finally open up to her. Until then all she could do was be there for him. From now on she would always be there for him, she would not let her shyness stop her, not when he obviously needed her so badly. She smiled again. Ok Naruto-kun. If that is what you want then I will wait. But you promise you will tell me eventually, and you will let me be there for you in the meantime? she asked hesitantly. Naruto sighed and smiled. She always worried about him. What had he ever done to win her love? I promise Hinata. No lets go. If were lucky we can catch the end of the meeting and not get in to much trouble from our senseis. And with that they left the room and headed down the hall to the other end of school. He smiled inwardly. He would tell her, sooner then later. She would help him, he knew she would, now more then ever. He only hoped that she would love him the same when she knew his secret. Wait for me Hinata. I promise I wont make you wait long. He said to himself as they approached room 7C.

Chapter Three: Secret Revealed The sun would begin setting soon Naruto realized as he approached room 7C with Hinata close behind. He stopped at the door well aware that the teams had already been assigned and that the only people they were likely to find within were Sasuke, Sakura, and probably one very irritated and worried Iruka wondering where the hell Naruto took off to on the biggest day of his life.

Naruto opened the door, stepped inside and stopped. There behind the desk was his father figure and beside him was the last person in the world he expected to see at this time. What the hell is Kurenai-sensei doing here, shes usually a real stickler for schedules and timing and she wasnt here last time arro Naruto was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by one of Irakas patented lectures. Naruto, where the hell have you been? This was the most important day of your life, you have been trying to pass for ages and now that you have you decide to just ditch the team assigning ceremony. And what were you thinking dragging Hinata along with you. Said Iruka in a rather parental tone of voice. Ano Naruto-kun didnt-began Hinata but was interrupted by Naruto. give her any choice. I wanted some company so I dragged her along. Naruto shot Hinata back a look that said let me take the blame, this is my fault, and then continued to stare at Iruka and Kurenai. Iruka sighed and turned away. Something must have happened. The hole classroom had been abuzz about how Naruto had ran from the group in a hurry with Hinata fast behind him. it was obvious something was up but he could not push the boy while everybody else was around. He would just have to let it slide for now and hope that it did not affect his chances at passing his genin qualifications. Kurenai realized that Iruka was done with his lecture and decided to take things in her own hands. She was certainly not going to let them get off scoot free. She would make things harder on them, all of them and as a result the two of them would have to put up with their teammates anger for being forced to deal with their mistakes. Well since you two decided that it was fine to delay my qualifications I have decided that team 7 and team 8 will do a joint test. And since I know how Kakashi works you will either all Pass or you will all fail. Kurenai said as she turned towards their 4 companions. And you four can thank them for this pleasure. Let this be a lesson to all of you. A ninja always looks after their own. You all saw them run off. You should have done something about it. Kurenai paused for a moment and then continued. Kakashi always does a survival training test so tomorrow morning at 7am; we will all meet out front of the academy and leave as a team for the training ground where your survival training will take place. Oh and dont bother eating any breakfast. Finished Kurenai. She stood their for a moment before realizing that they were not leaving and added in an aggravated tone Your dismissed. Before walking back over to Iruka and starting to lecture him on how to properly hand out punishments. Naruto for his part had barely been paying any attention through most of the lecture from Kurenai-sensei, oh he had caught the basics but his mind had been on other more pressing issues. The biggest of which was the increasing amount of discomfort he found himself in. It had started while he was walking with Hinata. He had begun felling a little dizzy and warm. He had passed it off as a side effect of the jutsu that would just go away and it had not been that bad. Then when he was in the spare classroom with Hinata he had felt his muscles start to ache. Not a sharp pain, just a light pulling sensation. It had become much worse now though. Every muscle in his body was throbbing now to the point where he could barely keep the pain from his face. He had been getting increasingly worried and what worried him more was the fact that Kyuubi seemed to be

in pain as well and was not replying to his questions. He seemed to be off in his own little world. Naruto quickly got to his feet no that they had been dismissed and headed for the door in a hurry. Hinata had noticed that something had not been quite right with Naruto since they got here, even more so then before. She had caught him flinching a few times out of the corner of her eyes and for a brief second she could have swore she saw his face cringe in pain but when she looked over to get a better view he had just turned towards her and smiled that same foxy grin that he always smiled. She was sure he was hiding something. She had promised she would be there for him, she decided to follow after him to make sure she was not far away if he should need somebody to help him again. To say that Sasuke was upset would have been the understatement of the century. He had never really liked Naruto but this had pushed him over the top. He was going to make sure that Dobe knew who he was dealing with and know that he would not let him fuck around with his future, his revenge. Sasukes anger only increased along with the others as they saw Naruto bolt from the room with Hinata quick in tow. Seeing this Sasuke quickly ran after the too, set on beating some sense into the boy once and for all. Naruto did not know what was going on but he was sure whatever it was it was a result of the jutsu he had used to come back in time and that was not something he could deal with in the company of others. He pushed some chakra to his feet and began running faster, if he was going to deal with this problem he had to get away from the prying eyes of the villagers and ninja. He would need to go somewhere private. Shikamaru sat at Ichiraku ramen bar with Chouji and Ino as Chouji finished his fifteenth bowl of ramen. Shikamaru grumbled as he thought about the meeting they had just come from. He had known he shouldnt have gone, he just should have waited and gotten the information afterwards but instead he had let Chouji talk him into it and had been subjected to a very troublesome lecture with the rest of the class about letting Naruto and Hinata run off without trying to stop them. How was it his responsibility to make sure that somebody else came to the meeting. He had found it troublesome enough just to bring himself and he was wishing now that he had just stayed and watched the clouds. Ino was completely ignoring her two teammates as she seethed privately about her lose to Sakura. Sakura had been graced with the presence of Sasuke while she had been cursed with these two lazy bums. How could her luck be so bad, what had she done to get stuck with the fat ass and the lazy bastard? She had considered demanding that she be switched to a different team but was unable to do so as Shikamaru and Chouji had promptly dragged her out of the room and here to this damn ramen bar so they could stuff their faces. Ok so truthfully it had been Chouji that wanted to stuff his face and their was nothing wrong with the ramen bar, in fact she rather liked the food but she was to upset to admit that to them right now. Chouji sat at contently in his favorite spot at Ichirakus blissfully unaware of the discontent feelings of his teammates. There was nothing he liked more then sitting down and eating a bowl, or two, or twenty of Ichirakus ramen after a hard days work, except maybe sitting down and eating his fill of Korean Barbeque which was his favorite food

by far. He finished his last bowl and of ramen, and paid for his food. He turned towards his partners and was surprised to see them looking down the road in a curious manner as if they were trying not to seem interested in whatever it was they saw. Chouji stood up and walked around to corner to look down the road his teammates were. There at the end of the road and approaching fast was Naruto, and following behind him just like before was Hinata. Personally he had not cared about the lecture, he had thought that perhaps they should go check on them in the first place but he knew Shikamaru would not want to go, it would be to troublesome he would say. And Shikamaru was already going to the meeting with him so he had just decided to leave well enough alone. So of course when they were lectured about it later he seemed to think it only natural that they get yelled at. Seeing him in the same state again or perhaps something different, he was set in his resolve to help him this time but was rather surprised to be beaten to the punch by Shikamaru of all people. He cared greatly for his friend but he was the laziest person he knew. As troublesome as it is to go after them, it would be more troublesome to have to deal with another one of Asumas lectures. Said Shikamaru as he took of running towards Naruto and Hinata who had passed by them a few seconds earlier. Before they could get far though they were quickly meet up with by the rest of the rookie 9 and passed by one very aggravated looking Sasuke. Shikamaru just knew that things had become more troublesome. Why did he always have to deal with these problems? Naruto slowed slightly as he realized the pain had slightly subsided; he had just entered the woods, still trying to figure out why the pain was fluctuating so much when he found himself flying through the air. Naruto slammed against a tree with a sickening crunch and slowly pulled himself to his feet. He looked back towards the direction the attack had come and was both surprised and sickened to see Sasuke standing there with a look of pure malice on his face. Naruto whipped the blood from his mouth where he had been punched and took a step forward. What the hell do you think your doing you bastard Naruto screamed and then winced slightly as the pain returned with a vengeance. What am I doing, what am I doing? Ill tell you what Im doing. Im going to kick your ass you Dobe. What right do you have to be a ninja? Youre can barely even create a bunshin. You failed the test 2 times before passing. Your nothing but a dropout and I intend to make you realize that so youll stay out of my way. And with that Sasuke charged. Naruto had less then a second to think before Sasuke was on him. He quickly slipped into a fighting stance and let his instincts take over. Sasuke jumped in the air and delivered a back kick right at Naruto which he easily blocked, holding his leg in place. Sasuke promptly pulled back and threw a blazing punch right for Narutos face but found his hand blocked with Narutos free one. Not giving up Sasuke rolled in the air so he was upside down brought a kick down right for Narutos shoulder. Naruto quickly realized Sasuke, spinning on his heel he performed a roundhouse kick which found its mark right in the middle of Sasukes back sending him flying through the air and until he found himself upside down against a large Red wood.

The rest of the rookie 9 just started in utter amazement and shook. The counter had been almost simple in nature. He had seemed to due it with no effort at all, as if he had done it a thousand times before. And the speed at which he completed it, he was easily faster then any of them but yet he had never showed any such talent or speed in his academy days. What was going on? They found themselves staring on in awe and waiting to see what happened next. That is all of them except for Hinata who, had like the rest of them caught the reversal barely and was amazed as well as impressed but she was far more concerned about the almost constant twitches that she was seeing all over his body. They were little things that the others probably did not notice or waved off as being nothing important but she could tell that was not the case. He was in pain, a lot of pain and he was trying desperately to hide it with all his strength. What was wrong with him? Naruto was acting as cool as ice despite the deep pain he was feeling throughout his body. Despite the way it must have looked he had actually held back substantially with his attacks against Sasuke. Every muscle in his body had been and still was screaming in pain and all his instincts had told him to finish the boy quickly but he did not want to hurt him and he was afraid of showing anymore then he was now for fear of revealing his secret or at least making them very suspicious. You should have trusted your instincts you damn brat. You do not have time for this. You ha- the Kyuubi was suddenly cut off as a sharp wave of pain cut through them both and only a moment before Sasuke ran at him again. Sasuke got to his feet, blood running down his forehead from where the skin had split when he collided with the tree. He found his back was a little sore from the force of the kick Naruto had delivered. How the hell had he moved so fast. He was sure he had him but then in less then a second he had spun around, out of my range and countered by attack with what looked like no effort at all. Sasuke was furious; who did he think he was, he was trying to show him up, make a fool of him with moves like that. He would show him who the genius was. He would eat make a mockery of his skills and grind him into the ground with the heel of his foot. Sasuke ran at Naruto as fast as he could. At the last second he noticed Naruto flinch and took advantage of the opening by kicking Naruto into the air and performing the shadow of the dancing leaf technique so that he could follow up with his Lion Combo. Sasuke quickly throws a kick to Narutos left side which he barely blocks and is followed up by backhand to the face which catches Naruto off guard. Continuing with the combo Sasuke slams his fist into Narutos stomach sending him careening back towards the ground at high speeds. What the hell is going on Kyuubi? Why am I in so much PAIN? Naruto screamed inwardly.Stupid brat Beat boy get away no time replied the Kyuubi, barely able to get the words out. Naruto was in an incredible amount of pain. Every time he used some chakra the pain was reduced slightly but only for a few moments and then it would return and stronger then before. He had no choice. He had to finish Sasuke now, and in one move. He would have to risk a higher level technique and hope that he got away with it. He had to get away. He felt like his muscles were going to rip apart and that his heart was going to explode. What was causing this incredible pain? Realizing the dire situation he was in Naruto resorted to an Anbu evasion technique to

transfer the bulk of the damage from Sasukes attack and avoid taking any damage personally from the final blow. Naruto caught Sasukes leg at the last second as he performed a spin kick that would have drove Naruto into the ground. Using Sasukes Leg as leverage and his momentum to help propel his actions Naruto reverses the final flow flipping in the air and righting himself. As his foot touches the ground Naruto spins quickly in place and releases Sasuke. The reversal sent Sasuke flying across the woods and narrowly slamming into a tree which caused him to summersault through the air before landing with a sickening thud on the ground. They had all prepared for the worst when they saw Naruto fly towards the ground. They were sure the match was over and were all ready to walk to his side and congratulate him on a match well fought despite his loss in the end but were quickly frozen to their spots by what occurred next. Even Hinata with all her worrying about Naruto was brought out of her thoughts at the sight of such an impressive maneuver. Naruto had completely evaded Sasukes attack in mid air using Sasukes own momentum to spin him out of the way and allow him to land right side up on the ground smoothly. But whats more was he had gone a step further and using chakra and the boys momentum he had reversed the attack completely by grabbing a hold of Sasukes leg and spinning him around at high speeds and then sending him flying across the forest. Sasuke had slammed his legs off of a big tree in the process which resulted in him spinning furiously towards the ground and landing with a huge thud. Even after he hit the ground his momentum had carried him nearly a 100 feet and left him up against a large bolder all broken and bleeding. Sasuke lay on his side, back against the bolder which he had just slid into. Every part of his body ached from the force of the last attack. It was impossible. How could he have possibly have avoided my attack and use it against me. He was sure there was nothing broken but he would have bruises all over his body by morning and he could barely move right now as it was. Sasuke could feel the warm liquid running down his face and arms from cuts and scrapes that he had suffered. He could not believe it. The dobe had totally and utterly destroyed him and in 2 moves. Sasuke realized with a start that the boy had been toying with him the whole time. He could have finished it the second the battle had started but he had held back and then finished him with his own assault. He would have to give the boy a chance now he realized with a sense of annoyance. Perhaps he was not a dobe after all. Sasuke rolled over onto his stomach and tried to push himself to his feet. He got halfway before his arms gave out on him and he fell flat in the dirt again. That was it, the battle was over. After seeing Sasukes valiant attempt to stand after taking such a brutal hit and his subsequent failure both Ino and Sakura run to his side to help him followed closely by the other members of the rookie 9 save Hinata, Naruto, and Shikamaru. Shikamaru eyed Naruto cautiously. He was sure there was something strange going on now. this was not the Naruto he had seen in the past, granted he had not particularly ever paid any attention to the boy in the past but even still he had enough information on him to know that something was different. His skill, strength, and power were all abnormally high and he had the distinct impression that the he was seeing but a fraction of what was truly being hidden.

Naruto fell to his knees. Foolish brat. Run was all the Kyuubi could manage before succumbing to the agony again. Naruto Staggered to his feet took one last look at the people he would call friends and ran in the opposite direction, adding chakra to his feet to propel him faster. Naruto-Kun Hinata screamed as he feel to his knees. She was almost at his side, reaching out to grab him, to help him any way she could when he took off running. Hinata leave him, hes fucking crazy. You saw what he did you Sasuke. Look at him. he could have killed him and for what. It was just a stupid fight, nothing serious and he kicked his ass. Yelled Kiba. Hinata looked over her shoulder at her teammates, and then back towards the direction Naruto had just won. Ignoring the shouts behind her she took off running after him. She was determined to be there for him. What if he was hurt, he was obviously in pain. Something was wrong, who would help him if he was hurt and there was nobody around. Tears began to stream down her face as she imagined him injured and lying on the ground all alone and calling out for help. They were unwanted tears but they came all the same. Hinata activated her Byakugan so she could pick up Narutos trail and catch up with him. in less then a minute she had found him, about half a mile straight ahead on the outskirts of the village running for what looked like a secluded spot near the river. She quickened her pace in an effort to close the gap; she could tell something was terribly wrong now. he was stumbling, he had lost his speed and was running into things constantly like he was blind with pain. Naruto tumbled into the clearing by the lake. This was his place, he had never told anybody about it buy Hinata and that had been years in the future. He knew nothing but the pain. It was horrible; every nerve in his body was on fire, ablaze with an unending pain like nothing he had ever experienced before in all his days. He screamed out in agony. What the fuck is going on you stupid Fox. ANSWER MEEEEEEEEE. AHHHHHHHH Naruto yelled at the Kyuubi. Oodama Rasengan, Use Now Commanded Kyuubi. What, Stupid fox The Kyuubi Growled angrily at Naruto and said DO IT YOU LITTLE SHIT. Hinata shot through the brush and flew through the final wall of trees into the opening just as she heard Naruto Scream out in pain. She looked down at him, knelling there in so much agony and she wanted to run to him. Naruto Looked over his shoulder realizing that Hinata had entered the clearing, their clearing he remembered. He had no more time he realized. He had not choice any more. It was do as the fox said right now or die a very painful death and soon. He was going to have a ton of explaining to do when this was all over. He prayed she would listen, that she would still care for him when it was all over. he didnt have a clue how he was going to explain it but that would have to wait. Hinata ran towards Naruto, her body was racked with sobs now and she could barely see. She could feel it now, the immense waves of chakra emanating from him. That much chakra would rip him apart. That was it she realized. He was being ripped apart from the inside out, she did not understand it, could not understand it but she knew that was it. That was why he was in so much pain. She thought for sure he was going to die and there was nothing she could do to help him. all she could do was hold him and give him what little comfort she could. She was no more then 10 feet away when she heard Naruto

scream out again but this time it sounded like words, she couldnt make them out but she was almost positive that he had spoke to her or said something and then their were 3 of him, he had summoned 2 shadow clones. Before Hinata could guess what he was doing he yellowed out again. This time she heard him clearly. It was a jutsu but she had never heard of it before. The second part sounded familiar, so familiar. She could not put her finger on it. She thought maybe she had heard her dad say it before, or heard about it at the academy. Then she saw it, a huge spiraling ball of red and chakra glowing brilliantly was held in Narutos hand and supported by his two clones. OODAMA RASENGAN Naruto Screamed as he slammed the ball of Chakra into the ground. Instantly an incredible shockwave of energy threw Hinata back to the end of the clearing. She had heard Naruto scream that name, she had seen the ball of chakra but what had caused that shockwave. Was that Naruto. Terror filled Hinata to the core as images of Naruto being torn apart by so much chakra rushed through her head. She jumped to her feet and started to run to where he had stood but froze in her spot as soon as she looked ahead. There where the clearing had once been full of grass and little bushes was nothing but dirt. A 500 foot crater engulfed the entire area and in the centre of the crater stood Naruto. Naruto stood their breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. The pain was all but gone now. Just the dull ache that he had started with a few hours earlier. That was all that remained and he welcomes it now as a release from the horrendous pain he had felt earlier. Alright you damn fox. Start explaining yourself. I damn well know you didnt saying nothing about blowing up as being a side affect of that damn jutsu of yours. Naruto yelled at Kyuubi. Well excuse me Mr. know it all. Its not like I have ever used this jutsu before I was not aware that we would be melding out chakra capacity of our Future selves with the chakra capacity of our current Selves. That was what you felt. Over the course of the day our current selves have been melding with us, our chakra capacity being added to theirs. Of course in our current state neither of our bodies are suited to handle that much chakra. Even 10 years from now you we would not have been able to hold so much chakra. Yelled Kyuubi in an irritated voice. So what the hell do we do now? I dont know about you but I would rather not go through that again and I can already feel it getting worse. I take it the melding is still not complete. Every time I use my chakra I feel like its replaced by at least twice what I used. Explained Naruto. The only choice is to seal away our roughly half of our combined chakra with at least a 7 point seal. In your current weakened state youre not powerful enough to do a typical seal. We will have to use a demonic seal instead along with a regular seal. The demonic portion will seal my chakra and the regular seal with deal with yours. Follow my instructions exactly. Hinata watched from the edge of the crater too stunned to move. Naruto had done this she realized with a start. He had been powerful enough to use such an incredible jutsu. Now he was writing something on the floor of the crater. A script or seal of some type, she

could not see properly from here. She gasped in horror as she saw him remove a kunai from his pouch and rip it across his arm and sprayed the blood all over the seal. Hinata instant ran to his side. Naruto-Kun, Naruto-Kun What are you doing, please stop, your hurting yourself she screamed in terror, her tears running freely again. Naruto could feel her eyes on him, he knew she was worried sick about him, he had probably scared her half to death today and she most likely did not understand anything she was seeing. He would tell her soon enough. Just wait a little longer Hinata. I beg you. I promise I will tell you everything when this is done. Naruto pleaded. Naruto finished the integrated seal with the help of Kyuubis instructions. He thrust his palm into the middle of the seal and shouted Seven Earthly Star Demonic Seal. As he forced his chakra into the seal to activate it he felt the earth underneath his palm grow warm and begin to move. Moments later seven chains of dirt shot from the ground and rapped around his right arm pulling him closer to the ground. Four of the chains burst with demonic flames and began to burn the demonic seal into his forearm while the other three crystallized and cut the mortal portion of the seal into place. When the seal was complete on his forearm both seals glowed brightly at the same time and Naruto screamed out in agony as he felt the chakra ripped from his body and sealed away. He had not expected it to happen so suddenly or so forcibly. The pain was nowhere near as bad as it had been less then an hour ago but he still shook from the pain. And then it was over. He fell to the ground sweating and shacking from the shook of it all. His wounds had already healed, the chakra embedding itself in the seal and hiding itself away from prying eyes. Hinata knelt beside him quickly and wrapped him in her arms. For the second time today she found herself overwhelmed by motherly feeling and the urge to shelter Naruto from the world and take away all his pain. She pulled him back into her embrace and rocked back and forth gently. Naruto stiffened when he felt Hinatas arms around him and then melted into her embrace. He laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. It was so peaceful like this. He could almost fall asleep. Once again he found his mind wondering to the life he might have had if he had just admitted his feelings to Hinata and been content to look after her instead of always going out and looking for trouble. Tsunade had begged him to take a break, to just relax and enjoy what was left of life but he had refused. He hoped that one day in the near future he would have the chance to make that choice again. This time he would make the right choice. Hinata continued to rock back and forth, gently squeezing Naruto from time to time to let him know that everything would be all right. She was filled with questions and concerns and fears but she didnt want to bother him with her problems right now. Hinata thought silently about what had happened that day. Everything about him had changed since the last time she saw him only a day earlier. What had happened to cause such a sever change? How had he become so powerful? What was that seal Jutsu he used to make the crater? These were only some of the strange items that haunted her. The tension in the air was palpable. He could have cut it with a Kunai. She was trying so hard to act natural and be sweet and caring but he could clearly sense the uneasiness that she was feeling. Their were too many unexplained things for her to just forget and go on

living as if nothing had happened. What do I do fox, how do I tell her about everything that we have been through, about you, and the war, and her death? How do I explain all the pain that I have suffered? How can I possibly expect her to love me after all of that? Im not even sure that she will believe me and truthfully Im not sure I want her to. Whats worse, her thinking Im lying through my teeth because I dont want to tell her my secret or believing me and being scared out of her mind? What the hell do I do? Naruto asked the Kyuubi. You make it sound like I have some incredible wealth of knowledge for you to pull from. How the hell am I supposed to know what to say. Im a demon. If I want a mate I take one, I dont dance around the subject like you pathetic humans do. Said Kyuubi in a mocking tone. I was being serious you bastard fox. Why I ever thought I could get a straight answer from a smart ass like you is beyond me. Naruto yelled inwardly as he went back to his thoughts. He would just have to be straight with her he realized and hope for the best. He owed her at least that much. Tell her about what he was, where he came from, and what the leaf was up against and hope that she would still be their for him in the end. While he was not sure what her feelings would be for him when she knew all his secrets he was sure she would do what was right for Konoha. She would help him in his quest even if it was not for him. Naruto pulled away from Hinata and slowly gained his footing. He was still a little wobbly from all that had happened but he was sure the feeling would pass in a short time. He turned and faced Hinata, a weak smile on his face and offered up his hand to pull her to her feet. Hinata stared at the young blond with curiosity. He was asking like nothing was wrong again, was he just going to ignore what she had just witnessed and hope that things returned to normal? How could he possibly expect her to just go on living as if nothing had happened today? She reached up and grabbed his outstretched hand and was quickly pulled to her feet. She looked into his eyes for a moment before gathering up all her courage and asking Naruto-kun what just happened? How did you have so much chakra? How did you beat Sasuke so easily? Whats happening to yo- She was suddenly cut off by Narutos finger bring pressed to her lips. Shhh Hinata there is so much I have to tell you, so much I have wanted to tell you but I was and am afraid of how you would receive me once you knew the real me. I suppose I had hoped I could avoid this day for as long as possible, possibly even forever and still enjoy a normal life but I realized some time ago that you had a right to know. I care for you to much to lie to you any further. Naruto Sighed loudly as he prepared to reveal his biggest secret to the most important precious person for the first time. Hinata will you promise me just one thing No matter what you think of me, no matter what your feelings are once all is in the open I need you to swear to me that you will put Konohas interests above everything else. Can you do that? Asked Naruto as he waited with baited breath for her answer. Hinata blinked a couple of times and stared blankly at Naruto. What is he talking about? What could he possibly tell me that would change the way I feel about him? He talks as if Ill hate him once I know this secret of his, and what does Konoha have to do with it?

Thought Hinata, more confused now then before he had spoken. So she did the only thing anybody could do in that situation. H-Hai Naruto-Kun She agreed and waited. Naruto took a deep breath and began with his story, this would take some time. Ok Hinata, First you have to keep what I am about to tell you to yourself. Not another soul can know what I am about to reveal until the time is right. You swore to think of Konoha before anything else so think of it now. Naruto Paced around in front of Hinata as he thought of how to proceed. This was not an easy thing to say. It was not like he could just up and say hey Im the host to the 9 tail fox Kyuubi and guess what I traveled back in time because Orochimaru is going to totally fuck us up in a big war and were all going to die. She would look at him like he was on drugs and then probably kick his ass for being such a smart ass. Hinata do you know of the events that took place 12 years ago just outside of Konoha? asked Naruto. Hinata stared at him surprised that he would ask such an obvious question. Every body that had ever lived in Konoha knew of the attack by the nine tail demon fox Kyuubi and the story of how the Fourth had destroyed him in single battle at the cost of his own life. of course I know the story Naruto-kun. Everybody from Konoha knows that the nine tail Fox attacked Konoha a little over 12 years ago and was killed by the Fourth at the cost of his own life. No Hinata, everybody knows of a STORY about how the Kyuubi attacked Konoha and about how nothing could stop him, how he killed hundreds of Ninja until finally the Fourth himself faced him in one on one combat and in the preceding battle was mortally wounded while killing the Kyuubi. But its just that Hinata A STORY. Said Naruto in a voice slowly filling with ire. Its just something that the elders and council of the village made up on the eve after the battle to allow them all to ignore the true sacrifice that was made that night. They use that story to cover up the injustice of what happened that day and every day that has come since. You see Hinata the fourth never killed the Kyuubi and the Kyuubi never killed the Fourth. Oh they both disappeared that night and they were both responsible for the others demise but neither actually killed the other. Said Naruto. Hinata dont you think its a little strange that even as powerful as the Fourth was that he would be able to single handedly kill a creature that had slaughtered hundreds of other Ninja that would have been Jonin or better. Even as a Hokage it seems like an impossible feat dont you think? asked Naruto looking at Hinata to gauge her response. Hinata was blown away. How could he be saying this. How could he possibly say that the Fourth had not killed the Kyuubi and that the village was lying the entire time. what possible reason could the village have to lie about such a thing. Hinata began to question him Naruto-kun what are you talking about. How can you say such things. But was cut off by Naruto as he continued Hinata the fourth realized before the battle even began that the Kyuubi could not be destroyed in the mortal sense. The only chance was to seal him inside somebody. But that created a problem in itself. The Kyuubis was to powerful to seal in just anybody. The chakra system of a normal human being would not be able to contain the immense chakra reserves of the demon and so the only choice was to seal him inside the body of somebody young. Naruto took a deep breath and continued.

A childs chakra system is still developing throughout their childhood, into their late teens and early adulthood before it finally stabilizes. If the Kyuubi was sealed within the body of a child the demons chakra would change the development of the hosts chakra system and allow for the body to adapt to the huge chakra reserves. Over time the two would meld and the host would become the most powerful ninja alive and when he or she died so would the Kyuubi. It was the perfect solution or rather would have been had the village not ignored his final order. Hinata was slowly filling with fear and understanding. She had a deep sickening feeling that she knew where this story was going; things were slowly falling into place. Without realizing it she slowly took a step back. Naruto saw the look on Hinatas face change from Worry, to confusion, and finally to fear. Then she took a step away from him. His heart sank to the deepest recesses of his body as he realized that he had lost her. She slowly understood what had happened and the first thoughts into her mind had filled her with fear. Tears filled his eyes and he continued despite the feelings of loss and betrayal. The Kyuubi was not a normal being thought and so a normal seal would not suffice. Only a very powerful seal would be able to pull the demon from its mortal body and seal its soul inside the body of another. And the only seal powerful enough to do so was the Dead Demon Consuming seal. But their was another problem. This seal was not meant to seal the spirt in a host. It was meant to swallow the spirit of both the sealer and the sealed into the abyss of hell where they would battle for all eternity. But that was not good enough. If the Demon was sealed in such a fashion it was possible that he would simply consume all the souls of the humans and lesser creatures banished to their prison until he was strong enough to overwhelm the gatekeeper and break free into the world again only this time he would be far more powerful. No the only choice was to combine the seal with 3 others. And so the Fourth used the Dead Demon Consuming seal and combined it with two four symbol seals and the eight trigrams sealing style technique The idea being that together they would both seal the demon within the host and allow the demons chakra to be leaked out into the hosts chakra system to use as an effective weapon, making the host stronger, faster, and generally more powerful. Naruto stopped for a minute. Hinata stood nearly 5 feet from him now where she had once stood less then 2. He turned his eyes away from her unable to bare the look of horror on her face knowing full well that it was him she was so afraid of. He forced himself to continue. He had started it now, he had to get it out in the open. Late in the battle against the Kyuubi the Fourth arrived on the battle field with a large group of ninja, a single female Anbu, and a baby boy. It was this baby that he would seal the nine tails in side of. His final order to the villagers was that this child should not be looked at as monster but as a hero who had sacrificed so much to save his village, a village he did not even know yet. The Fourth prepared the ritual and sealed the Kyuubi inside the boy killing himself in the process. The rest of his ninja died protecting him during the ritual. Naruto cried freely now remembering the vision he had seen while he returned to the past. Remembering all the years of suffering and pain he had gone through at the hands of the villagers he had given so much to protect. in the end the villagers ignored the Fourths

last order and threw the boy away as if he was nothing. But worse then that they treated him as if he was a plague, as if he was the demon himself. Where he should have lived the life of a hero he was instead shunned and hated. The Third passed a law stating that none of the children would be allowed to know of this incident and instead would be told a STORY. He hoped that this would prevent the boy from being an outcast. But it didnt matter. The adults hated him and their hate soiled their children who began to hate the boy without even knowing why. And so the boy who would have been hero was instead and outcast ridiculed and ostracized by his own people. I was that boy Hinata, I am the host of the Kyuubi. Hinata stood frozen in place nearly 10 feet from Naruto as he finished. She could not believe what she had heard. It all made sense now. The way the villagers had hated him for what appeared to be no reason at all, the way he always seemed to heal so quickly. How could they have done that to him, how could they have left him out in the cold, all alone to fend for himself. For the first time in her life she actually felt ashamed of her village, of her people. And then she realized what she was doing. She looked at Naruto seemingly just realizing the distance that had grown between them and what must have happened. She stared into his eyes briefly before he turned away but it was long enough. She had seen the pain, the sadness, and the betrayal painted in his eyes as clear as day. She had betrayed his trust and friendship. She had sworn that she would take away his pain and be there for him, giving him strength as he had given her all these years but instead she, like the rest of her village had done nothing but betray him. She winced inwardly as she realized she had been calling it HER village, as if he was not part of it. She had never felt so ashamed in her life. She hated what the village had made her into and she hated them. She was filled with a rage that she had never experienced before and she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for what she had done to Naruto. Naruto-kun I I Im so sorry. She took a step forward towards him and then another. Please Naruto-kun I didnt mean it, I was just surprised, please forgive me. Im sor- Hinata stopped as Naruto turned away from her and began to walk away. She felt her heart shatter. Hinata you dont have to apologize theres nothing to apologize for. I knew this would happen and I do not blame you for it. You dont have to say anything. When we leave this clearing I want you to leave any obligations you think you have to me here. I promise I will leave you alone from this moment forward. All I ask is that you set aside your feelings for me when the time comes, for Konohas sake. And with that Naruto walked towards the edge of the clearing. Hinata watched as the only person who had ever believed in her turned his back and walked away. Naruto-kunnnnn she cried out as she fell to the ground crying. Please dont leave me. I know I hurt you, I didnt mean to, I was scared and my body acted without me, I beg you, please dont ignore me. You were the only one who ever believed In me, you were the only one who ever cared for me. Please let me care for you, let me stay with you. Naruto turned towards Hinata, surprise clearly written on his face. Did she really still care for him after all she had found out? Hinata ran To Naruto and threw her arms around his neck sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

Naruto could feel the heat of her tears soaking through his vest and into his shirt. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. This was more then he could have hoped for, she had taken everything he had said, learned the horrible truth about the Kyuubi and just brushed it all aside, it meant nothing to her in the face of her love for him. Im sorry I hurt you Hinata, I should have known you would stay with me despite my secret. Im sorry I doubted your loyalty. Will you forgive me? Hinata looked up at his face and smiled. Theres nothing to forgive Naruto-kun. Said Hinata and laid her head back down on his chest. Naruto looked at her face and felt sorry for what he had to do, she looked so peaceful now that it was all over but he would have to take that from her, he still had to tell her about all that had happened in the future. She had to know about what was to come. Hinata, theirs more that I must tell you. I need you to be strong now, I need you to help me complete my mission. I need you to- Naruto Stopped suddenly, His face turning hard, One hand pushing her back behind him, the other reaching into his kunai pouch. Naruto-Kun Hinata asked suddenly very concerned. Suddenly 4 Anbu appeared out of the shadows of the forest and approached cautiously. They knew she realized with a start and they were afraid of him. they knew what he was capable of, they knew he had caused the crater and they feared for their lives, and hers they realized with a start. She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his back. The Anbu stiffened at the obvious sign of affection. Hyuuga Hinata, Step away from him and come over here now. We have orders to take you into our protection and escort Uzumaki Naruto to the Hokage. Hinata scowled at the men before her, They had clearly hesitated when choosing their words for what they were doing with Naruto. Taking into custody was more like it. No, I wont leave Naruto, he needs me. Ill go with him. the Anbu did not look pleased at her choice and one of them began to walk flank Naruto and approach Hinata from the side. Naruto stared at the man and said Dont touch her, or else. And with that he flashed his eyes at the man which had briefly slit down the middle before returning to normal. The Anbu got the message and quickly backed away. Naruto looked over his shoulder, he knew the old man would not harm him, it was more likely that he had been told about the surge of energy, or the fight with Sasuke and feared that the demon was beginning to awaken inside him. If he had truly thought it was released he would have sent every ninja he had, not just four Anbu. Hinata its ok. Trust in me now and go with them. I will be fine. The old man only wants to talk. Try not to anger your family, they will not be pleased that you have befriended me. With that he stepped forward towards the Anbu, putting his kunai back in his pouch. Shall we go or would you like to shackle me as well. he chuckled inwardly at the obvious wince the leader made at the tone in his voice. Hinata stood there, stunned and saddened. He was being taken away, she had just learned his biggest secret and they had overcome it together. And now she was being taken away, back to her family who would no doubt forbid her from seeing him again, her father knew of his secret of course, he would be furious with her. Who knew what would happen now? They left the clearing in opposite directions, him heading for the Hokage tower, and her heading for the Hyuuga complex. She wondered if she would ever be able to talk to him again.

Chapter Four: What? 6 Man Team Naruto walked calmly with the three Anbu back towards town and ultimately to the Hokage tower where he would meet the Old man himself and he was sure that the old man was going to have some rather choice words for him about the events of the night. It was unlikely that Sarutobi was unaware of him and Hinata missing the meeting that morning, or the fight with Sasuke and he was certainly aware of the incident with the chakra overload. Any ninja within the village would surely have been able to sense the power unleashed from Naruto when he used the Oodama Rasengan. He looked at the Anbu and chuckled inwardly. Can you believe these guys. They are practically shaking in their boots. They must think Im going to go all nine tails on their asses and rip them to pieces. What a joke. Naruto said to Kyuubi Their just being smart thats all. They know of the power I hold and they fear it. That is the respect that I earned from your people, you should take a page from their book and learn to fear me. Sneered the Kyuubi Ha. Thats a laugh. Fear you. Your nothing but a giant caged fur ball. You couldnt hurt a fly right now. And their afraid because they believe that I have your powers. They think that I can just turn into you or something. Its ridiculous. Not that their fear is unwarranted. I could certainly stand toe to toe with them but I dont have the raw power in the way they believe I do. Naruto cut off his conversation with the Kyuubi as they reached the front gates to the Hokage tower. It was time to face the firing squad. He was sure this was going to be an interesting conversation. The Guards at the door moved aside to let them in and the 4 entered. Naruto changed his mind as they entered the lobby of the tower. Perhaps the Old man was not so sure of Narutos state of mind after all. In front of him stood nearly 3 dozen Anbu all dressed in battle gear as if they were expecting to go to battle. Naruto laughed out loud and the Anbu all stared at him. Wow you guys are really on edge arent you. Do I scare you so much that you have to come with such numbers. Dont you think that if I intended to do anything I would have done it out there. What a joke you all are. And with that he headed for the stairs. The Anbu broke into 4 groups and surrounded him, leading him up to the Hokages office. he cursed inwardly about his situation. Things were going horribly wrong. The Hokage suspected him enough to send nearly forty Anbu to guard him. how the hell was he expected to protect the village if he was to be under lock and key. And should things get out of hand he would be forced to fight his way free. That would make things nearly impossible for him. How he would save the village from themselves as well as Orochimaru was beyond him. he would just have to be sure that things did not get out of hand. The Anbu at the front of the pack stepped away from the group and entered the office. Moments later the he was ushered into the room with 3 other guards and the doors closed behind them. The others would wait outside incase they were needed. He supposed that was something. It could have been worse. They could have all come in. Hows it going old man? You feeling a little insecure in your old age or something.

Dont you think all this muscle is a little overboard? said Naruto mockingly. Sarutobi turned around from the window and looked at the blond haired boy who he commonly referred to as his grandson. In truth he loved the boy like a grandson. He had not wanted all the Anbu present but the council had insisted that this was to big of a risk. Well they could stay but not in his office. The Anbu Capitan stepped forward and addressed the Hokage. the boy was found in a clearing outside the village limits by the river Sir. He was found in the presence of Hyuuga Hinata who seemed to be uninjured. When we attempted to extract the Hyuuga heir the boy threatened one of my mean. We were eventually able to secure the heir and she was returned to the Hyuuga complex albeit reluctantly. She did not seem to want to leave his side. THE BOY has a name Capitan and you would do well to remember your manners in my presence, You may leave. Said Sarutobi. The Anbu Capitan looked irritated. With all due respect sir that thing threatened one of my men. Its obvious that the Demon is escaping its prison we should dispose of him now before he is able to break free. You did not see the size of the crater at the site where we found him. It was easily 500 feet in diameter. The Demon is escaping we must act NOW. Said the Capitan in a demanding tone. The Thirds eyes were like flames when he turned on the Anbu Capitan. Who do you think you are talking to Capitan or should I say Lieutenant. I am the Hokage of Konoha and I decide when and if we need to do anything to Naruto. Now you are Dismissed and take your men with you. I do not want you in my sight. Said Sarutobi. One of the Anbu members stepped forward. But sir, the council instructed us to guard the boy and you. We are not to leave his side. Sarutobi had had enough of this. He slammed his hand down on the desk to emphasis his point. And I have told you to wait outside. Let us not forget who you answer to. Now leave or I shall demote strip you all of your ranks and send you back to the academy. The Anbu hesitated for a moment, then turned and left, closing the door behind them. Sarutobi turned to Naruto, his face softer then it had been a moment ago, he seemed almost sad. I assume you know why you are here Naruto. Is It true that you threatened one of his men. Naruto stepped forward and sat in the chair closest to him. Yes I know why I am here and yes it is true I gave one of his men a scare. I simply released a little of the Kyuubis chakra to put them in their place. I did not raise a finger towards them. Hinata had expressed her wishes and they tried to forcibly remove her as if I was some type of danger to her. She was obviously afraid for my safety and they intended to restrain her. I simply let them know I would not tolerate them laying a finger on her. Sarutobis eyes widened in surprise for a moment and then set again. Naruto caught the look, he knew the man had been surprised at Hinatas reaction and his level of control over the Kyuubis power. So you have learned to tap into the Kyuubis power. Is that what happened earlier today, did something go wrong her asked. Yes I know how to tap into his power. But Im sure I dont know what youre talking about. Said Naruto, he was not ready to reveal things to the old man. It would only cause problems. Naruto the energy wave that was released was massive. It could only have come from the Kyuubi. what happened. How did you release so much power. You realize the situation you have

put me in. Naruto Sighed. He knew exactly the situation he was in. I was trying to create a new Jutsu and I pulled to much chakra thats all there is to it. I knew the jutsu would need a lot so I simply tried to pull as much as I could and got a lot more then I thought I would. As a result the jutsu I was trying to create blew up in my face and caused the crater. Its as simple as that. Sarutobi chuckled. The thought of the young boy nearly blowing himself up while trying to create a power jutsu was somewhat funny because it could have easily been the truth, even still he knew that it was a lie. But he decided to leave it at that. The boy was obviously hiding the truth for a reason, he had always been able to trust him. he would do so again. Instead he changed his line of questioning to discuss a different topic. So why did you tell her Naruto. I would have thought you would have wanted to take that secret to your grave. You know the law in the Lead states that the children are not supposed to know about your true existence. Said Sarutobi. Naruto frowned. No the law states that the Adults are not supposed to tell the children. I am not an adult, and its my secret. I will tell who I damn well please you old coot. Let us not forget who ignored the Fourths last order. If it were not for the adults things would have been very different. Sarutobi signed again. This was always a touchy subject with Naruto. He never failed to remind him about his obligation but it had been nearly a year since he last brought it up. Why was he bringing it up now? he smiled at how well the boy had avoided the important question. You are very right Naruto, things would have been very different if the council had listened to the Fourths order and wish. But you know that by the time I was put back into office that the damage had already been done. I did what I thought was needed to protect you. But you still have yet to answer my question. I know that you have told Hyuuga Hinata about the Kyuubi within you, that is why she feared for you and why she refused to leave your side. Am I not correct? Naruto laughed. The man may be old but he was still as sharp as a whistle. Yes your right. I told Hinata-chan about the Kyuubi. It seemed like the right time. She had witnessed me creating my jutsu. She felt the pulse just like you. I wanted her to know anyways. This just presented a good excuse to push me into it. Naruto thought on that for a moment. It was true, as afraid as he was about telling her, he had truly wanted her to know and todays events had given him the perfect excuse to tell her, he wondered if maybe he had subconsciously helped her catch him. There were plenty of times when he could have lost her if he had really have been trying. Sarutobi raised his eyebrow slightly. He had caught the suffix Naruto had added to the end of Hinatas name. it seemed he had matured more then the old man gave him credit for. Everybody knew that Hinata had a crush on the boy but for him to return the feelings, Sarutobi had thought the boy was oblivious to the girls affections. Obviously not oblivious enough. You seem to have matured more then I gave you credit for Naruto. I did not think you had realized how she felt about you. But that is obviously not the case. So you thought that because you cared for her that she deserved to know your secret and that things would not be able to progress further for you if you hid it from her.

I suppose you could say that. I knew she would find out one way. One way or another it would come out. I wanted it to be from me. And I wanted to give her the chance to leave without any regrets. If she had hated me for it would have understand and I would have respected her still. But instead she embraced it. I admit that it scared her at first. She backed away and I thought I would die. I felt somewhat betrayed I suppose. But it was only the surprise that scared her. It took her no time at all to push past it all. I only wish I could be so sure about the others. Sarutobi grabbed at the change of subject. He had wanted to bring up report he had on his desk of a certain incidence that had occurred between one Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Speaking of the others. It seems that you made quite the impression on your fellow classmates. I understand you defeated Uchiha Sasuke quite effectively and quite brutally. The hospital tells me that he will be fine by morning. Their does not seem to be any serious injuries. Just some deep bruising and a few cuts, which is good because I understand that you have a survival training course tomorrow with Kakashi and Kurenai in the morning. I taught Sasuke a lesson, nothing more, nothing less. He was upset because he was punished by Kurenai-sensei for mine and Hinatas absence at the meeting and so he decided he was going to pick a fight. I simply showed him that I was not such an easy target. Perhaps next time he will think twice before trying something so foolish. As for the test tomorrow Im not concerned. I have faith in myself and the rest of my team mates, even Sasuke. Said Naruto. Is there anything else you would like to talk about Naruto. I understand you seemed rather out of sorts today. The rest of your classmates seem to think you were not your normal happy go lucky self today. Anything wrong? asked Sarutobi, hoping to pry something out of Naruto. Naruto thought for a moment. The old man did not necessarily have to die in order for Tsunade to become the fifth. He simply needed to step aside and assign her. Getting her to take the position would be the hard part. Even still he would need to fight Orochimaru. But perhaps it could be arranged for him to have some help of his own this time around just like the snake had managed to have his own servants. But if he did not sacrifice himself to take away Orochimarus arms then their may be problems later. Regardless of the answer he did owe the old man a lot. He had been one of the few that had ever watched out for him. he had to at least give him a fighting chance. Naruto turned to the Third Well if thats all old man I think I will go get some sleep. Sarutobi signed and sent him off. Very well, have a nice night Naruto. Naruto turned away and headed for the door. He stopped just in front of the door and without turning around said to the Third I had an interesting dream last night. A desert Snake Battled the Monkey for the forest constantly forcing the retreat. In the end only with the help of the Toad and Slug did the Monkey prevail. Naruto stared at the door. I dream the weirdest things. and with that Naruto left and headed for home leaving Sarutobi to consider his words. Sarutobi fell back into his seat, exhausted from the days work and somewhat preoccupied by Narutos words. He had no idea what they were about of course but something about the way he had said it just rubbed him the wrong way. There was something odd about it.

Like it held some hidden meaning. Naruto was never one to speak in riddles but then he was never one to talk about his dreams either. Sarutobi stared at the papers in front of him. their along with a stack of other papers were the team assignments for this years graduates. Sarutobi had a bad feeling flowing through his bones, something just felt out of place. There was something Naruto was hiding, he was sure of it. He had seen fit to inform Hinata of his secret, an issue he would now have to deal with to ensure she kept his secret. Perhaps he would see fit to inform her of whatever else he was hiding as well. Sarutobi thought on that for a moment, there was a good possibility that as they got closer he would truly open up to the young Hyuuga. But that would not happen with her father in the way. He would surly forbid her from being anywhere near the boy now. Yes he would have to do something about that. Naruto would not tell him openly about what was going on, he was sure of that now. But if he told the girl Sarutobi would likely be able to convince her to tell him if it was of any important. The power they had felt worried him as well. Naruto had lied about that to of course, it had not been a new jutsu he was trying, it was something else. He was not sure he was comfortable having Naruto leaving the village on missions now, but if he removed him from his team it would only cause problems. No he would have to find another way to ensure his safety and the safety of the others should something truly go wrong. Sarutobi stared once again at the papers in front of him and the note about the joint training course that Narutos team would be participating in tomorrow, and then it hit him. He smiled to himself and stood up. Walking to the door he called for one of his guards. Moments later a guard entered the room. Hai Hokage-sama. What can I do for you. Asked the guard. Send for Kakashi and Kurenai and have them wait for me until I am ready to see them. And send someone to get Hyuuga Hinata. I would like to speak to her. Said Sarutobi. I will send someone to bring Kurenai and Kakashi at once sir. However Hiashi has told the Anbu who escorted Hinata back to the complex that she will be removed from the genin placement and is not to leave the complex. Said the guard. Sarutobi glared at the guard. Is everybody in the habit of giving me orders today. It seems I need to demote the lot of you. Send somebody to fetch Hinata at once and remind Hiashi that he is not the Hokage and until the day that changes he will not presume to tell me whom I may and may not speak with. Yelled Sarutobi as he returned to his desk. He looked up to see the guard still standing before him. NOW. The guard bolted from the room at once and preceded to dispatch Anbu to bring the two jonin and the young Hyuuga to see the Hokage. Naruto walked up the steps of his apartment building and down the balcony to his door. He cursed inwardly for about the sixth time since he had left the Hokage. He had made a right mess of things so far. He had revealed his secret to Hinata, beaten up Sasuke, revealed some of his skill to the entire rookie 9, gotten team 7 and 8 sucked into doing the survival training together which could mean problems and most of all he had attracted the attention of the old man in an obvious fashion. He had damn near blown his cover all together. He could not think of a worse way to start his mission off.

Things are already starting to change fox. if it keeps up like this I may not be able to count on my knowledge of future events. I dont even know if this damn test will be the same tomorrow now that I have gotten Kurenai-sensei involved in it. Im sure we will have a rather interesting addition to the course. I have to make sure that we pass and get that hard ass Kakashi to take on Team 7. said Naruto. Your stating the obvious again you dumb brat. Stop whining about what you have to do and just do it. Whining to me about it is not going to do anything except piss me off and give me a wicked head ache. Bitched the Kyuubi Naruto entered his apartment. It was too late to do anything about it now. he was tired as hell from the sealing and from using so much chakra during the day. He took off his clothes and climbed into bed. He would have to deal with all this tomorrow and hope for the best. If worse came to worse he would just have to use a little of his Anbu skills and make sure they passed. He closed his eyes and within minutes he was asleep. Hinata was sitting on her bed and staring at the floor. She had just been excused from her fathers presence. Rather he had ordered her to go to her room and to stay there after completely ruining her dreams and hopes. She had sent orders to the Hokage that she was to be removed from Team 8 and taken off the genin placement list. She was no longer to be a kunoichi. He had forbid her to see Naruto or even leave the complex until further notice. She was not even to leave her room except for meals and to fulfill her duties. She had begged him to let her remain a ninja. She had told him that she would do better in her training and that she would practice hard. He had denied her and then he had hit her when she tried to talk back to him again. She could still feel that burn of where his hand had gone across her face. She was sure there was a mark. She lay back on her bed, rolled towards the wall with a pillow in her arms and cried silently. She squeezed the pillow and imagined that it was a certain blond haired boy. That was all she would ever be able to do anymore. She would only be able to see him in her dreams now she realized. Her father would see to it that she never saw him again. Im sorry Naruto-kun. Please forgive me she cried as she thought about the boy she loved finding out about her punishment. He would be alone again and it was all her fault. If she had just let him go, if she had not followed, then she would still be a ninja and she would still be there for him. She was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door. She sat up quickly, whipping the tears from her eyes and walking to the door. She was surprised to see her cousin Neji before her, he had barely ever talked to her. What could he possibly want. Hello Neji is there something I can help you with Hinata asked quietly. Neji frowned inwardly. This was why he hated this family. They were all sick. Hinata was the best of them; he had realized that a long time ago. She had always been kind to him. She was of course to weak for her families liking and so they punished her constantly for it. And now when she finally get up the courage and strength to do what they want they beat her for it. Her own father at that. He would never understand the way the main family did things. You are requested to attend the Hokage. Get dressed and come to the front of the

complex. There is an Anbu waiting to escort you. And with that Neji turned and left without waiting for an answer. Hinata stared straight ahead for at least a minute after Neji had left before she realized what she was doing and closed the door to begin to change. She got out of her sleeping wear and put on her ninja clothes. This was the last time she would likely wear them she realized. Hinata opened the door and walked towards the front of the complex to where Neji would be waiting. She rounded the corner and halted in place when she heard the Anbu speaking with her father. It made her smile to hear the words. Inwardly of course. She would never be foolish enough to smile openly at her fathers misfortune but it made her feel good to know he was being yelled at after what he had done to her, even if it he was not being yelled at for that reason. The Hokage has ordered Miss Hinata to attend him at the Hokage tower. It is to be a private session and one which you were not invited to sir. Said the Anbu. Hiashi looked furiously at the ninja I am her father and the Head of the Hyuuga clan. Who do you think you are to tell me what I can and can not do with my daughter? She is forbidden to leave this complex. Said Hiashi. The Anbu sighed. I am here by direct order from the Hokage. The very Hokage who you server Hiashi and I suggest you remember that. The Hokage wishes me to inform you that HE is the Hokage and not you and that until the day that changes that you will follow his orders and not presume to tell him what he can and can not do with his people. And with that the Anbu agent pushed past Hiashi and headed towards Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata I am here to escort you to the Hokage. If you would come this way please we do not want to keep him waiting. Said the Anbu as he guided Hinata towards the door. Hiashi stepped in front of him preparing to say something but was merely pushed aside roughly by the Anbu as they walked through the door. I am sure that you simply meant to bid your daughter farewell and that is why you stepped in front of me Hiashi. Otherwise I would have been forced to inform the Hokage about your attempt to go against his orders and I am sure that would have brought harsh consequence. Please have a nice night. I will return Miss Hinata when the Hokage orders it. And with that they left. The Hokage stood in his office with his back towards the two Jonin. Both had been awoken from deep sleeps as was obvious on their faces by the bags under their eyes but they stood at attention none the less. Sarutobi considered his words carefully before beginning. I understand that the two of you will be performing Kakashis survival training course together tomorrow morning with both your teams. I have read the report you filed Kurenai. What was your reasoning behind doing so. The Hokage paused to be sure that she would not answer before beginning again ah I see. You did it to make the rest of their teammates angry in hope that it would keep them out of trouble in the future. So I suppose that means that you are responsible in some way for the fight between Naruto and Sasuke and possibly even the subsequent release of so much of Narutos energy. Perhaps we will never know Sarutobi smiled. He could sense her unease. This was exactly what he wanted. And you Kakashi. You are equally at fault for not being present on time. had you been their you

might have stopped her from ordering around your team but since you were not she was forced to deal with them. It seems to me that both of you are at fault. Sarutobi smiled again. they were right where he wanted them. He turned to begin again but was stopped by a knock at the door. Hokage-sama I apologize for disturbing you but you asked to be notified the moment that Hyuuga Hinata arrived. Said the guard. yes please bring her in he said to the guard before turning back to the two in front of him. You two shall wait for me out in the hall. I shall call you when I am ready, at which time we shall continue this. Do not think that you will get off easily for what you have done. Dismissed. The two jonin turned and left the room to be replaced by the young Hyuuga Hinata. Sarutobi looked at the young girl as she walked in and smiled. Hello Hinata please come in and have a seat he said sweetly I hope I have not woken you. I know it is rather late but I wished to talk to you about what transpired today. I am rather worried about Naruto and I understand that you were with him most of the day so I thought perhaps we should chat. Said Sarutobi as he sat behind his desk. Hinata soured at the sound of the mans voice. This was the Hokage that had let the villagers ignore the Fourths final wish and had left her Naruto to deal with the cruelty of the villagers for his entire life. She hated everything about him and no amount of kindness towards her could change that. Even so she knew her courtesies. She would have to be respectful or else she would give away Narutos secret. She had promised not to tell anyone that she knew. Thats quite alright Hokage-sama. I was not sleeping, I am just as worried about Narutokun as you are. Is he in any trouble. She figured if she had to be courteous the least she could do was pump him for information. Naruto is not in any trouble Hinata. He is back at his apartment by now and likely fast asleep. You need not worry about him. He is not in any trouble. He smiled at the girl. Sarutobi was well aware that the girl must hate him right now. Naruto had told her all about the Kyuubi within him and how it had happened. But no doubt he had not had the time to tell her that it had been He who had protected Naruto as best he could from the village, that his hands had been tied when he came into power because of what the council had already done. He realized he would have to just come straight to the point with her. She would not speak forthright with him as long as she felt he was guilty of such great crimes against the boy she loved. Let me get straight to the point Hinata. I understand that Naruto has informed you about the Nine Tails Fox that is sealed within him and the way in which it came to be there. I also understand that you are now aware that the village ignored the Fourths final wish to treat Naruto as a hero and instead treated him like an outcast. Sarutobi looked at Hinata, her eyes were wide with surprise, she was obviously unprepared for his bluntness. Hinata stared in surprise. How did he know that he had told her? Had she failed him again? How how did you know? asked Hinata Truthfully I did not know for sure when I spoke to Naruto but I was fairly certain. I pressed him on the issue and he informed me that he felt you deserved to know. And so upon speaking with him I decided to call you here tonight and discuss the responsibility which he has forced upon you by telling you his secret, a responsibility that Im sure you do not mind holding. You are after all in love

with him. said Sarutobi. Hinatas eyes shot open as wide as they could. He even knew of her love for him. how could this be happening. Oh how had she failed Naruto so badly? She wanted to cry. Do not look so sad child. You misunderstand your situation. Hinata was confused now. she had no idea what was going on. why had he called her here. Hinata there are many things that I must tell you tonight. I am not sure that I would have liked Naruto to tell you this secret so soon but the fact is that he has decided that he cares for you enough to open up to you a part of himself which he has kept locked up his entire life. He has shared a secret with you of which he has never told another living soul. He sighed. I hope you understand the significance of what he has done. He has made himself vulnerable to you, something he had swore never to do. He has been hurt so much in his life that he has built up a strong wall around his heart to protect himself. And now for the first time in his life he has decided to tear down that wall for one person. And that person is you Hinata. Hinata could not believe what she was hearing. It did not make any sense. Why did he care so much for Naruto after all he had let happen to him? It just did not make sense. I do not understand. How can you speak so kindly of him when it is you who did this to him. you have allowed him to suffer for 12 years. You let the villages ridicule him and treat him as an outcast, you let them beat him and turn their children again him as well. he has been utterly along his entire life and its all your fault. Your not worthy of the title Hokage. I am ashamed to off my village and my people. I hate you all for what you have done to him. screamed Hinata. Sarutobis eyes grew heavy with sadness, he turned the chair away from Hinata and stared out the window over the village. Then he began to speak with a voice filled with sadness and regret. You are very right Hinata. I do not deserve this title. It is more of a curse then an honor. I have failed Naruto and this village but most of all I have failed myself. I wish everyday that I could go back in time and fix things so that Naruto would never have had to live the life he has but all the wishing in the world will not change the fact that its just not possible. He sighed and turned back towards Hinata with tears in his eyes. I do not believe Naruto had time to fully explain to you what took place after the Kyuubi was sealed within him Hinata so let me fill you in on a few points. In the aftermath of the attack the Council took control of the village to manage its affairs while a new Hokage was appointed. In other words me. Between the time that the Fourth died and the time that I was appointed nearly 3 weeks passed. By the time I was instated and found out about Naruto the damage had already been done. The council had already covered up the real events of that night. They had every intention of just killing Naruto and being done with it once and for all. I was able to save him from that fate but little more. Their was no way for me to safely reveal the his true existence to the public any longer. Not without turning the city against the council and creating a war between the clans. And so Naruto was forced to sacrifice again to save his village. And so I did what I thought was the next best thing. I made a law that prevented the adults from telling the younger generation about the Kyuubi and Naruto. I thought this

would save him from a life as an outcast and that he would be able to at least live a normal life. But the adults found other ways to turn their kids against Naruto. They believed and still do believe that Naruto was not just the Host to the Kyuubi but that he was in fact the Kyuubi himself, that the demon had seized him and that he would turn on the village at the first chance he got. This village has done a terrible wrong against Naruto and he has done nothing but give of himself his entire life. Hinata you have to understand that I love Naruto as a son. I have hoped for as long as I can remember that the day would come when he was able to reveal his secret to somebody and open up to that person. That he would be able to finally have some peace in his life. I believe that he has made the right choice in picking you as such a person. I just hope you have the strength to do what is needed, to be their for him. He has sacrificed for this village and for you. Now you must do the same for him. Sarutobi stood up and walked over to the window again. he was restless. This was not a discussion he expected to be having so soon or with one so young. Hinata stared in amazement. A small portion of her belief in the village restored. At least the Hokage was still a great man; at least he was on Narutos side. I will do whatever it takes to ease my Naruto-kuns pain. I love him. said Hinata with a surprising amount of conviction. Sarutobi smiled at her strength of conviction. She was showing great strength already, overcoming her shyness in an instant. first Hinata you must realize that you may never tell anyone of the secret that Naruto has shared with you. Secondly now that he has opened up to you, you must be there for him always. He will need you more now then ever. I am certain that something is wrong with him although I am not sure what. I trust his judgment for the time being but I want you to be their for him, give him your strength and let him know that he is not alone anymore. But my father, he has forbid me to see Naruto-kun anymore, or even leave the house. And he has refused to let me be a ninja anymore. How am I to be with Naruto-kun if I am not a ninja. Cried Hinata, suddenly remembering the hopelessness of it all. her father had stolen it all away from her, her very life. Sarutobi smiled. Fear not child I will deal with your father. This is an order from the Hokage. You shall be a Ninja, you shall stay by Narutos side as your ninja life permits. Hinata smiled. She was so happy. She was going to get to be a ninja, she was going to get to be with Naruto, and she was even going to get to see the look on her fathers face when he found out that she was going to get to disobey his direct orders by order of the Hokage himself. It was great. She paled. It was all for nothing. but I am not on Naruto-kuns team. How am I suppose to stay near him if we are on different teams. Our missions will almost always take us away from each other and so will our training. Cried Hinata. She couldnt stand it. Her heart was in pieces. She had been so hopeful that it would all be alright and now it was ruined again. Sarutobi smiled. It was time to bring them in. this was going to be interesting. He walked over to the door and called for the guard. Hai Hokage-sama. What can I do for you. Said the man. Please send in Kakashi and Kurenai. Said Sarutobi. He turned to Hinata. its alright Hinata. I have everything worked out. Just calm down and watch. Kakashi entered the room followed by Kurenai preparing to get blasted again and was surprised to see Hinata still present. Why would he call them back in with her still here he

wondered. Sarutobi sat in his chair, looked at Hinata and then towards the two jonin and began to speak. Kakashi, Kurenai, I wish to inform you both that as of tomorrow you are now joint commanders of team 7. Team 7 and team 8 shall merge to become a single 6 man team. The two of you shall command this team together. I figured since you liked the idea of doing a joint training test so much that this would be perfect for you. Sarutobi smiled at the looks on their faces. But Hokage-sama, you cant possibly expect me to work with him. hes lazy, hes always late, and and hes a PERVERT. Yelled Kurenai. Kakashi looked at Kurenai with annoyance. I am not lazy. He insisted. The Third chuckled to himself. He found it funny that Kakashi was upset by the lazy comment but made no attempt to deny the part about being a pervert. You will both do as I commanded you and that is final. No as much as I would like to say that this is just a punishment the truth is not so simple. He sighed and continued. Naruto has informed Hinata about the Kyuubi which resides within him. I feel that it is important now that he has opened up to somebody that they be able to spend as much time as possible together so that he begins to mature. He has been alone his whole life, it is important that he get used to being able to talk to someone and trust somebody enough to reach out to them when he is in need. In addition I am convinced that he is hiding something, that something is bothering him greatly and I believe that he will inform Hinata of what this is in due time. more likely then not he will tell her long before he will tell anyone else. I wish her to have that chance so that she may inform one of the three of us should it be nessisary. What happened tonight was not natural. Even with the Kyuubis power it should not have been possible for him to release so much energy. And tonight when I spoke with him he seemed genuinely distracted by something. You two will see to it that they are put together as often as possible, and that they have every opportunity to grow together. I believe Hinata can benefit just as much from Narutos strength as he can benefit from her. I trust that you two have no problems with this said Sarutobi in a voice that left no doubt that it was a statement and not a question. No Hokage-sama. We shall follow your orders. But dont you think you are getting ahead of yourself. They have not even passed their tests yet. They are not genin until they pass my survival training tomorrow. Said Kakashi. I am well aware of this Kakashi. And it is for that reason that Kurenai shall be deciding weather they pass or fail. Im afraid I can not trust that you will not fail them just for the sake of failing them like you have every other team for as long as I can remember. Said Sarutobi. well I suppose thats everything for tonight. Hinata I imagine you will want to get home and get some sleep. I will send an Kurenai with you to explain my orders to your father and to impress upon him the knowledge that he should not strike his daughters. And with that he dismissed them. The three headed for the door, intending to leave the Hokage to his thoughts but before Kakashi could leave he was stopped. Kakashi I need to speak to you a little longer. They returned to the desk to speak further. I believe you already know what I am going to ask of you but I will say it anyway. The only way that Naruto could have gotten so much energy today is if he was being flooded with chakra to the point of suffering from chakra overload. I can not even begin to speculate as to why this would happen but one thing is for certain, it has something to do with the Kyuubi. I want you to watch him

Kakashi. You were the Fourths student, you above all others have done your best to respect his final wish. If it comes to it I know that he would want you to be the one to kill him. just be sure that there is no other way. I will do what is required of me sir but I do not believe that the fox is escaping. Only time will tell us what is truly going on but if the fox is truly trying to escape Naruto would likely be going mad right about now. from what I understand he seems to be anything by crazy, in fact if anything it seems like he has a great amount of control over the fox. I still believe that he will become a great ninja like the Fourth believed he would. And with that Kakashi left. Hinata walked away from the living room towards her bedroom leaving the arguing behind her. Her father was furious just as she knew he would be but he was even more upset about being told how to treat his own daughter not to mention that it was her sensei that was talking down to him, the head of the Hyuuga clan. She could not help but smile. She opened the door to her bedroom and walked inside. She quickly got changed and climbed into bed. Tomorrow would be the start of a new life her for she realized, a life together with the one she loved. They would be together practically everyday, it was wonderful. She could hardly wait. She sighed happily at the thought of bunking tenting with Naruto. Kurenai had told her that as long as she passed the test tomorrow and promised to behave herself until such time that it became appropriate to act on her emotions in that manner that she would see to it that the two of them were tent mates. after all the Hokage did say to ensure you spent as much time together as possible. She had said. She had laughed a little saying that she saw no reason that the two of them could not cuddle a little during the night. Hinata closed her eyes and went to sleep. In the morning she would awake fresh and ready for the new day, her new life. She would fight for what this chance and she would pass this test. She would not let anything stand in her way. It was dark, so dark that he couldnt see a thing. Slowly the fog in front of his eyes began to lift and light began to spill into his eyes. He was in a room that he did not recognize. It was warm and filled with color. He stood against the far wall looking over the room. The room was a large master bedroom suite. It stretched out in front of him at least 40 feet and at least 30 feet to either side in a giant rectangle. In front of him at the far side of the room was the entrance to the room. To the left in the far corner was another door that lead to what looked like a bathroom and beside the door was a large bed. To his left along the back wall was a large fireplace that was crackling warmly. To his right along the back wall was a large desk with papers spilled out all over it, seals that Naruto had never seen in his life scribbled across the pieces of paper and their in the centre of them all was the one seal he did recognize. The seal that had ripped the Kyuubi from its body and sealed it within him, there as no mistaking it. That was definitely the seal, but where was he, and how did somebody else know of that seal. It was a forbidden technique and only a handful of people knew about it. One of them was dead, the other three would never have it displayed so blatantly. What

was going on here. Naruto snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of voices, voices that he did not recognize. Before he could do anything the doors burst open and a man with long messy blond hair ran into the room yelling back over his shoulder. Tell my wife to bring the child and see to it that she is protected. Gather 30 of your best men and meet me at the front gates. We will beat the Kyuubi I swear it. The man quickly glanced over the seals one by one as if memorizing them and then took off running the way he had come. Naruto could have swore the mans eyes had been different the last time he had saw him. he recognized him not of course. It was the Fourth. Why he was dreaming about the fourth or how he knew what he even looked like was beyond him. in fact all of this was beyond him, he had no idea where this place was or what was going on. Suddenly he felt dizzy. His eyes began to haze over again and felt his knees give out. He tried to force himself to see but it was pitch black again. it was all gone. Narutos eyes shot open like a bullet. He glanced quickly around the room trying to get his bearings before realizing that he was in his own apartment. The sun was starting to rise in the sky and peak through his window. Today was the day of the survival test he realized with disgust. He had hated it the first time, and now he had to take it again. the only good part was he got a chance to kick Kakashis ass for that thousand years of pain bullshit that he had pulled the first time round. He sat up slowly, threw off the blankets and headed for the shower. It was going to be a long day. He hoped that Hinata had not gotten in too much trouble for what happened yesterday but knowing her father she had probably cried herself to sleep last night after being told how useless she was. What a fucking asshole he thought. He would have to straighten that guy out sometime soon. And Neji too he realized. That was not something he looked forward to. Neji had been a true friend to him in the last several years of his life before he had died with the rest of Narutos friends. He did not relish the idea of having to put up with his high and mighty attitude and you cant beat fate bullshit again after so many years. It had been bad enough the first time around. Their were so many things he had to fix and even more he had to do right again for a second time. it was enough to drive a guy crazy he thought. Oh well like the fox said no point whining over it. Naruto got into the shower and continued with his morning routines. Sasuke stood in the lobby of the hospital preparing the leave. Outside Sakura was waiting for him, ready to head to the training grounds to take the survival training. The last thing on his mind was the survival training. No he was thinking about Naruto and how easily he had beaten him the night before. He had spent most of the night thinking about it. About how the boy had acted and about how he had reversed his moves and countered so effectively. At first he thought the blond had been playing with him, just toying with him for pleasure but as the night went on and he played through the fight over and over again he had changed his mind. The boy had never been into the fight to begin with. There had obviously been something wrong with him. he had seen him flinch in pain half a dozen times during the fight and just before he had blacked out when trying to stand at the end he could have swore he saw him fall to the ground in pain when everybody was rushing to help him instead of

Naruto. He had not been playing at all he realized, on the contrary he had been purposely holding back because he did not want to cause any serious damage. Naruto had merely done what was needed to subdue him in the quickest possible fashion. He was certain of it now, he would have to categorize the boy again now. He was certainly not a dobe. Sasuke walked outside to meet the Sakura and found that team 8 had joined them along with Kakashi and Kurenai. Hello Sasuke. Im glad to see that Naruto did not hurt you to badly. It would have really been to bad if I had to fail you just because you stupidly picked a fight with a much better fighter then you. Said Kakashi in a mocking voice. The boy sneered at his sensei. He had heard that he was an asshole but this was a little ridiculous. He had only been here 5 seconds and already he was making wise cracks. Yes Im quite all right. Yesterday was just a fluke. Im sure I could take Naruto if we sparred again but for now I will have to settle with this survival training of yours. Said Sasuke and with that he headed off towards the training grounds with the others close behind. Naruto waited at the training grounds for the rest of his teammates. He sat in a tree, masking his chakra without even thinking, his Anbu training running its course naturally. He was surprised to see everybody show up together, even more surprised to see that Kakashi was with them and ON TIME. However what surprised him most of all was when they stopped nearly 10 feet from where he sat high above them and waited. For him all people he realized when he heard Sasuke Where the hell is that Dobe. Cant he even show up on time to his own punishment. Bitched Sasuke. Naruto Jumped from the tree and landed on the middle training post less then a foot in front of them. Perhaps you should rephrase that Sasuke. You see it was me that was waiting for you, and I would have thought that I proved to you last night that I am anything but a dobe. Mocked Naruto. The genin jumped at the sound of his voice and the sight of him standing right behind them while the jonin seemed to hide their surprise as his stealth capabilities a little better. where the hell did you come from yelled Kiba. Naruto laughed. Ive been here the entire time. I saw you guys coming from nearly a mile away. Its not my fault youre crappy at detecting people. Said Naruto. Kakashi decided it was better to ignore the issue for the time being, it was just one more incident to add to a growing list of things that did not make sense about him. It seemed that Kurenai had the same idea. They stepped forward and addressed their team. We have several announcements to make so listen up. First of all this will be your genin selection test. if you pass you will become genin and become a member of this team. If you fail you will return to the academy and retake your training at which point you will be given another chance to become genin. Said Kurenai The test has changed a bit due to the nature of having 6 people testing instead of 3. the test is a simple one, there are 4 bells. You have 4 hours to get them by any means nessisary however since there are 6 of you instead of three Kurenai is going to be working defense for me. At the end of the 4 hours. Those who have a bell pass, those who dont fail. Its as simple as that. Said Kakashi. Sakura stared. but sensei there are only 4

bells and 6 of us. Said Sakura. Yes and? Kakashi looked at Sakura with a questioning look. but that means that no matter what 2 of us will fail. Said Sakura. Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. Exactly. You have 4 hours. Beg- Kakashi was cut off by Kurenai not so fast Kakashi. The last part of the announcement is that as of today this is one team. Those of you who pass will form the new team 7. Now Begin

Chapter Five: Pass or Fail? A New Beginning Naruto stood staring at Kakashi and Kurenai about ready to have a heart attack after this latest piece of advice. How in the hell could things be changing so much and so fast. This was a complete mess. He quickly snapped to his senses as he realized that the survival training had begun. He had intended to keep the group together so that they could assault the jonins together but his momentary lapse in concentration had screwed that up. Sasuke and Sakura had scattered in different directions the moment Kurenai-sensei gave them the go ahead. They had not even stopped to think about the true purpose of the test but then none of them had the first time around so he could not really blame them for that. Even still that was going to make his job a hell of a lot harder. Kiba it seemed had the same idea since moments after Sasuke and Sakura had left he did the same leaving Shino, Hinata and Naruto behind. Naruto smiled inwardly. It was not a complete loss. Both Hinata and Shino had always been very insightful. He had no doubt that they both realized the futile nature of attacking a jonin by yourself when you were only a genin. After all they were Jonin for a reason. Naruto-kun we have to stick together said Hinata in a low voice. Shino just nodded his agreement while Naruto smiled. You are quite right Hina-chan. Said Naruto before motioning towards the trees and saying come on. This is not the place to discuss our plans. And with that he took off for the tree line. Hinata blushed at the nickname that Naruto had used and then quickly followed after him and Shino who had already started towards the trees. Shino gave Naruto a curious look as they headed into the woods. He had expected the blond to take off with the others leaving only himself and Hinata to work together as a team. The boy had quite surprised him when he made no move to run for cover and then gave a look of what appeared to be annoyance when he saw his other teammates run off as if he had known the point of the test all along and was upset to see that the rest had missed it. He smiled slightly at the thought of having Naruto on his team. He had not thought much of him during his days at the academy but the battle between Sasuke and the blond had proven to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that the boy was not as weak as everybody thought him to be. Despite how odd it was for their two teams to be joining together Shino saw a lot of benefit from having Naruto on their team. He had seen how Hinata acted towards him as was well aware of her feelings for him as was everybody else. He was sure that having the two on the same team would help bring Hinata out of her shell. Shino looked back at the young Hyuuga behind him; the blush was still evident on her face. He had not missed the nickname and apparently neither had she. Naruto had said it

as if it were nothing which was funny enough in itself. He wondered if the boy had any idea at all what effect that simple name had on her. Naruto came to a stop at the base of a large tree and waited for his two teammates to catch up. This was as good a place as any to discuss their battle plans. He could sense everybody from here which was important since he knew he would eventually have to recruit the others if they were going to pass this test. But for now his objective was to ensure that Shino and Hinata were on the same page as he was. Hinata stopped beside Shino and stared and Naruto who was leaning against the tree casually as if there was nothing to worry about. Naruto seemed to be thinking and then suddenly said Im assuming that you both understand the true meaning of this test. Hinata was about to confirm Narutos statement but was beaten to it by Shino. Its a test of teamwork. The bells are put in place to make us overlook the underlying test which is teamwork. If we were all thinking clearly it would have been obvious to all of us that the only way to successfully take on a jonin was if we worked as a team. Said Shino Hinata picked up where Shino had left off by adding The bells are merely used to make everybody overlook that fact and instead think only for themselves. In the ninja world the lone ninja is a danger to the whole team. This test is meant to see if we can work as a team even when we know that the end result will be a loss to that same team. Naruto smiled at the two in front of him. They had caught almost all of it but had missed on key point. He could not blame them for it but he would enlighten them all the same. There is one more point which you both missed. Ninjas are expected to be willing and able to sacrifice themselves for their mission should the need arise. This test focuses on that point as well. However with all that said I think everybody missed on the most important point of all. They never once said that the ONLY way to pass was to have a bell at the end of the test. And they never said that they could not take those bells BACK. This test is about teamwork. If we work as a team we pass as a team and that is the point. If by some chance we were able to get bells while working alone without team work they would simply take them back and fail us all. Our goal for now should be to work as a team as much as possible. I believe our best bet is to work in 2 groups attacking as one. I think we all know that getting Sasuke to cooperate with us will be next to impossible so lets just leave him to do his own thing. In the end I will deal with him. The teams will be me and Hinata, and then Shino, Sakura, Kiba. Said Naruto. Naruto looked back and forth between the two and waited for their confirmation. He was pleased to see that they both agreed and continued with the rest of his plan. Shino you will go to Kiba and discuss our plans with him while Hinata goes to Sakura. In the mean time I will keep Kakashi and Kurenai busy. Lets keep in mind that they think that we will all work separate of each other. Or at least they think that most of us will. We can use that to our advantage. Said Naruto They will expect me to just attack them head on because thats my style, it always was. Im the loud mouth that always liked to play pranks. Well I will give them exactly what they expect and while they are busy thinking of me that will you guys the chance to get the rest of out plan put into position. When everything is set me and Hinata will take

Kakashi while the rest of you take Kurenai. I will get the bells and that will end the test. Easy as pie. Said Naruto in a happy tone. Shino thought on this for a moment. It seemed that Naruto had thought this out quite a bit which was surprising seeing as how they only knew about the nature of the test for a few minutes. It was as if he knew what was coming and whats more it was as if he knew all of his teammates inside and out and was able to understand how and what they would think. He did not understand how the blond understood all of this but he did agree with his review of the situation. Using their senseis preconceptions of their students against them would be an effective tool and it was true that everybody would expect Naruto to just charge ahead blindly. His teams had the highest chances of success and a 2 pronged attack would give the best chance for success. One team dealing with Kurenai while another attacked Kakashi to extract the bells. It was not going to be easy by any stretch of the mind but it would at least be possible. Naruto looked at both of his teammates, pleased to be able to work with them again even if it was only for the first time in their eyes. They had done so many missions together in his future and had become great friends. He still found it hard to keep his memories in check from time to time. he so wanted to be able to have those relationships back again and it killed him to have to wait. But he had more important things at hand right now such as passing this infernal test. he sighed and dismissed his team to their duties. Shino Nodded to Naruto and headed off further into the forest where he knew Kiba was hiding. As he left he saw Naruto stop to talk to Hinata briefly before she too left to handle her part of their plan. He wondered what had happened the night before when the two had ran off. He guessed he would have to wait to find out. Shino hurried through the forest and finally came to a stop beside his friend and stared down at him with emotionless eyes. Kiba always said how much he hated that Shino never showed any emotion. He said it creped him out sometimes. Shino kneeled next to Kiba and tapped him on the shoulder before beginning to explain the plan. When he was finished Kiba looked irritated more then anything. Kiba glared and the bug user with fire in his eyes. He could not believe what Shino had just said. How could they agree to a plan that the idiot had come up with? He had failed at the academy twice and barely passed the third time. His victory over Sasuke had obviously been a fluke; there was no other way to explain it. And what was worse was that Hinata was on his team. How the hell could that happen? He did not deserve Hinata; she was too good for him. How the hell could you let Hinata be on his team, the three of us should be working together and leaving the loser to deal with his own teammates? We can do this by ourselves. We do not need his stupid plan or his help. Kiba yelled softly. On the contrary, we do not have what it takes to beat a jonin let alone 2 jonin and if we have any hope of passing this test and thus becoming genin we have to work together with Naruto. Said Shino calmly seemingly unaffected by Kibas temper. Fine so let Him have Sakura while the 3 of us take on Kurenai, what the hell should

Hinata be on his team for this, she is just as suited for working with us and she was on our team to begin with. Whined Kiba. Shino sighed You need to look at this without your emotions Kiba, your jealousy has no place in this test and giving it a place is only going to cause us trouble. Let me remind you that we will all fail if we do not work together. Said Shino Kiba seethed quietly as he thought briefly on Shinos words. He knew the bug user was right but it pissed him off to no end. How was it that after all these years of trying to impress Hinata that she did not even look at him as more then a friend while the idiot had all her love and didnt even realize it let alone return it. It was just bullshit and now he was going to have to work together with him. Only four of us can pass Shino, do you honestly think he is going to let his own teammates fail. Two of the 3 of us will be left out in the cold and its more then likely going to be me and you because I do not think he will let Hinata fail. Bitched Kiba as he sat seething. It appears you were not listening to me when I explained this plan earlier Kiba. The test is not about the bells, they are only a distraction. The test is about team work. If we pass we pass as a team and none of us will fail, if we ignore this underlying fact then even the ones of us who get a bell will likely be failed as the lone ninja is dangerous to the team structure and therefore not worth the risk. Said Shino as he sat down against a tree. He could tell this was going to take a little time. Kiba sighed deeply and submitted himself to his fate. He did not like it one bit but he was not about to risk having to repeat his academy years because of jealousy. He would deal with this test now and then deal with the moron after they had all passed. He would jus have to show Hinata how much of a loser Naruto really was and then Hinata would come running to him. it was a perfect plan and he was sure it would work. so for now he would cooperate. Alright I will cooperate so what the hell do we have to do? asked Kiba in a resigned tone. Shino stared at the boy with confusion. He had not expected him to give up so soon. He was sure it was going to take a little more time before he was able to get Kiba to agree and move on with the plan. He wondered what Kiba had up his sleeve. He was fairly certain it would not be anything that would jeopardize their mission so he would leave it be for now. But he would have to keep an eye on him after their test. He personally felt that Hinata and Naruto were well suited for each other. Naruto would help make Hinata strong and give her the confidence she so badly needed, while Hinata would help calm Naruto of his rebellious attitude and give him a dose of humility which he badly lacked. We are responsible for dealing with Kurenai-sensei. Naruto will engage both Kurenai and Kakashi while we move into place along with Sakura and Hinata. When the time is right Hinata will engage Kakashi directly to split his attention between Naruto and her. At that moment Kurenai-sensei will no doubt try to overwhelm Naruto and get to Hinata. Its our job to engage her before she overwhelms Naruto and then hold her off with Sakura while Naruto moves against Kakashi again. While Kakashi is distracted by Hinata, Naruto will use his speed to slip past Kakashis defenses and riddle him with blows of which he will no doubt be able to block or at least most of them. While he is on the defensive Naruto will cut the bell belt from his waist, Hinata will secure the now free bells while Naruto continues to keep Kakashi busy. And of course

somewhere in all of this you can be sure that Sasuke will get involved although we are not sure when, where, or how. Said Shino. He looked towards the clearing where he could sense the 2 jonins and prepared to leave. He had sensed Naruto heading that way but suddenly he could not feel him anymore. He was certain that meant Naruto was about to engage them. They had to leave now. Come on, Its about to begin, we cant be late or the plan will fail. And with that the bug user started to leave. Kiba stared at Shino. It was a good plan actually which just pissed him off even more, why could he not have come up with a plan like that. He stood and headed after Shino along with Akamaru. Hinata was heading towards Sakura to fill her in on the plan that they had come up with. She had just stopped sensing Naruto around the tree line a moment ago so she knew she was running out of time. Anytime now he would engage their two senseis and attempt to hold them off by himself long enough for the rest of the team to get into place and make their moves. Hinata thought back to the conversation she had just had with Naruto a few minutes earlier. He had waited until Shino left and then grabbed her arm before she could leave so that he could talk to her for a few moments. Hinata I have to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me. I did not want to bring it up with Shino or anybody else around because I did not want to make you feel uneasy. I just want you to know that Im always here for you, you can tell me anything so do not be afraid to answer me ok? said Naruto. Hai Naruto-kun said Hinata Hinata how did you get the bruise on your face? You did a very good job at covering it up but I still noticed it. Who did that to you? Was it because of what happened last night, is that why you got that? asked Naruto with sadness in his voice. Hinata had just stared at him for a moment. She had thought nobody would notice but she should have realized that Naruto would catch it. She bowed her head towards the ground refusing to meet his eyes. She did not want to tell him that her father had beat her because she had been caught with him. She did not want him to feel like it was his fault. It was her fault, she had been weak and he had punished her for it. As if he had sensed her thoughts Naruto reached out and tilted her chin up with gentle fingers. He looked deeply into those pale lavender eyes and sighed. I could get lost in those eyes Hina-chan. Please tell me the truth my Hina-chan. Im pretty sure I already know the answer but I want to hear it from you. Its not your fault Hina-chan. Its not. Youre not weak and I dont want you to think that you are. You are one of the strongest people I know and that is one of the reasons I love you so much. He leaned forward and kissed her on the check where her bruise was and then pulled her close to him. Hinata jumped in surprise at those 5 words. He had said he loved her. that he really loved her. and then something unexpected happen, something she had been dreaming of for years. He kissed her. Well not on the lips but he still kissed her. She was in heaven. His lips were so soft and they felt wonderful on her bruise. All the pain seemed to simply melt away from that spot. She felt him wrap her in his arms and she had cried silently for

a few moments while telling him about what her father had said and done. When she got the part about him forbidding her from being a ninja and then hitting her when she tried to question him on it she could feel him stiffen, she could feel the warmth go out of him and a pure rage replace it for just a moment before he relaxed again as if he had been trying to hide his feelings and had caught them an instant to late. Hina-chan I want you to remember this above everything else ok. I will always believe in you and I promise that I will do everything I can to protect you from assholes like your father. Please forgive me for causing you so much pain, its my fault that you went through all of that but I want you to remember that no matter what anybody tells you, you are strong, you will always be strong, and I believe in you. He had hugged her again after that and kissed her once more on the check before whipping away her tears and sending her on her way. That had been only a minute or two ago. She felt stronger now then she had in her entire life. Those simple words had given her a power, a strength that she had never had before and that she would never loose again. as long as she had Naruto-kun by her side, on her side, she would never be weak again and nobody would ever make her feel that way again. a single tear of happiness ran down her face as she approached Sakura. She brushed it away and then landed softly in front of the girl. Sakura startled at the sight of Hinata landing in front of her only a few feet away. she thought she had been masking her chakra fairly well and had not really been keeping an eye on anybody except for Sasuke-kun and their senseis. She wondered what Hinata was here for. She thought for sure she would have stayed with Naruto and followed him around. She didnt have any problems with the young blue haired girl. Really who could have a problem with her, she was so easy to like and so shy that it was hard to think of anybody who would dislike her. Hello Hinata Sakura said in a questioning tone hoping that she would simply explain herself but thinking it was more likely she would have to drag it out of her since she was not exactly the most talkative person in Konoha. That of course was why she was so surprised when she spoke up without any pushing involved. Hello Sakura. I came to ask you for your help in our test. Naruto and Shino and I have come up with a plan to pass this test and I was asked to come talk to you while Shino went to talk to Kiba and Naruto distracted our senseis said Hinata in a soft but confident voice. Sakura was not sure what surprised her more, The fact that Hinata was acting so strong and confident, the fact that Naruto had come up with an actual PLAN, or the fact that he thought he could keep two jonins distracted for any period of time at all. Instead of dwelling on that question she decided to bring up a more important one in her mind. Hinata how can we work together when in the end 2 of us will fail. That in itself is like a cancer to teamwork. Said Sakura in a defeated voice. She knew that working as a team would increase their chances of any of them getting a bell but the fact still remained, at least in her mind that in the end their were 6 of them and 4 bells which meant even if they worked as a team 2 would fail. Hinata smiled. Naruto had been right. She was going to need to have it explained to her first and they she would probably hit herself for missing such an obvious point. Sakura the test is not about the bells. Its about teamwork. The bells are simply put into play to

make us think that we can not work as a team. Said Hinata. Sakura stared at her for a few minutes and then slapped her forward with her hand. How in the hell had she missed something so obvious. Of course it was about teamwork. How the hell was a genin expected to beat a jonin by themselves. Simple you DONT. She felt like such an idiot. Leave it to you to come up with the right answer Hinata. I feel so dumb. I swear sometimes I wonder if my hair was actually supposed to be blond. Said Hinata while laughing slightly. Hinata smiled at the pink haired girl and then said actually Sakura it was Naruto that pointed out the true purpose of the test although Shino and I were somewhat aware that the only way to succeed was to work as a team. We had expected to be working with Naruto and possibly Kiba but it was Naruto who pointed out that in the end we were either all going to pass as a group or fail as a group, their would be no in between. Sakura stared at Hinata again. Then she laughed. He sure has changed a lot in the last 48 hours. He just keeps proving all my preconceptions about him wrong. Next thing you know he is going to end up being some super powerful ninja. Said Sakura while still laughing slightly. Hinata is correct you know Sakura. The only way to pass this damned test is to work together. I hate to admit it but the dobe has outdone me again. but if either of you tell him that I said that I will kick your asses. Said Sasuke as he jumped off the branch of the tree that he had been perched on, listening to their conversation. But girls stared at him in surprise. When had he gotten there thought Hinata. She had been watching the surrounding area and had not felt him approach. Now that she was really thinking about it though she could feel a little something coming from him. He did not have Narutos level of control yet but he was close. She was more surprised by the fact that he agreed with them all and was willing to cooperate. This would make things much easier for them. Hello Sasuke-kun. I am glad to see that you are willing to help. It will make things much easier. Since you are both here and you seem to agree with the idea of working as a team perhaps we can go over Narutos plan as I do not think we have much time left until Naruto engages Kak- She was cut off by the sound of an explosion in the direction of the clearing and then the sound of kunai meeting kunai. Oh no, were late. We have to hurry Narutos already started with them. Said Hinata in a worried voice. Sasuke smirked slightly at Hinatas concern. He found it funny for 2 reasons. The first was that it seemed she was truly concerned for his safety and it was killing her not being able to help him right that moment. The second was that she actually believe he needed her help. Dont worry about the dobe. I fought him so I know what he is capable of. Or at least I know some of what he is capable of. At the very least he can hold is own for a few minutes. I can guarantee you he was holding back on me when we fought. Said Sasuke in a matter of fact tone of voice. So hurry up and tell us this plan so we can get out their Hinata. We do not have all day. We have already blown an hour practically. Said Hinata, slightly frustrated and the girls lack of concentration. She could not really blame her, she would be the same way if it was Sasuke out there and not Hinata. Hinata seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly snapped out of it. The plan is fairly simple. Naruto will engage our senseis like he is doing now and keep

them distracted while the rest of us move into position. Before they can overwhelm him Kiba, Shino, And Sakura will move against Kurenai-sensei and keep her preoccupied so that she can not help defend Kakashi-sensei. While that is going on I will move against Kakashi-sensei and try to distract him enough for Naruto to slip past his defenses and secure the bells. Said Hinata She took a breath and then continued. Now that Sasuke-kun is on our side as well he should help us with Kakashi-sensei in and effort to distract Kakashi. The easiest way to get the bells is to just take the whole belt that holds them instead of trying to get one at a time. Once we have them we will all fall back and claim our victory as a team Hinata smiled at the brilliance of the plan while both Sasuke and Sakura seemed to stand in awe. Well Sakura stood in open awe while Sasuke hid is sentiments but Hinata could still see that he was impressed that Naruto had thought things through so thoroughly. Alright well that sounds like a plan to me. Lets go. I assume that the others are watching for us so that when we move into position on this side of the woods that they will engage with us at the same time. said Sasuke, more as a statement then a question. Even still Hinata confirmed the statement to be sure both her partners knew the facts. Sasuke looked at the two girls for a moment and then took of running towards the meeting point with Sakura and Hinata following close behind. Naruto jumped back for a moment to catch his breath as he assessed the situation. He hoped that the others got their soon. It was quite tiring keeping two jonin busy without using anything more then chuunin level techniques. At least he could claim that he had been training privately and as such was able to improve to a chuunin level. That would be believable but anything above that would raise a lot of questions, questions which he could not afford to have asked of him at this point. He stretched his senses out and sighed in relief. Kiba and Shino were already in position and waiting for the others to get into place. He gasped in surprise as he looked at the other team. He was completely blown away to sense Sasuke with them. He had thought he would do his own thing. This would make things easier. Things were certainly looking up. They would be in place within the next 60 seconds or so. He had to keep Kakashi and Kurenai of guard so that they would not pay attention to the others. Geez is that all you two got. I thought you were supposed to be Jonin. This is a piece of cake. Maybe I should just take the bells now and relax. I was hoping for a little more of a challenge from the famous copy-ninja and the genjutsu specialist Kurenai. But I guess I overestimated you both. Naruto laughed in a mocking tone. He got the reaction he was looking for. They both seemed to be a little annoyed at being mocked by a genin although they would not do anything stupid like attack his recklessly it would likely keep them focused on him and off his friends in the trees. Naruto started to perform some seals and said its time to get serious I think. Lets go. Kage Bunshin no jutsu yelled Naruto as he charged at his senseis. As soon as he finished the words instantly 20 Narutos showed up on each side of him. He smiled at their surprised look. That had obviously caught them of guard but this was something he was able to do since before the training course. Iruka could vouch for that. It may not work effectively against them in such small numbers but the surprise would keep them of guard

and any second now his teammates would be in place and things would start to heat up. Naruto dodged a kunai from Kakashi by jumping into the air and angling towards Kakashi to deliver a kick to his head. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kurenai coming at him to knock him out of the air with what looked like a very painful punch. Kurenai gasped in surprise as Naruto used a clone to maneuver himself in mid air and land a spin kick on her shoulder which caused her to fly towards the ground. She landed gracefully on both feet and was instantly meet by a barrage of punches and kicks from nearly a dozen Naruto clones. Kurenai and Kakashi were quickly dealing with his clones although they were getting a few hits in. Naruto called the rest of his clones to his side and they all removed a kunai and an explosive tag. The 10 or so Narutos quickly wrapped the tags around the hands of the kunai and smiled wickedly at the jonins. All the Narutos jumped into the air and threw their kunais in the general direction of the two jonins as Naruto noticed his teammates get into place. The explosions would give them all the distraction they needed. He could not wait to see the look on Kakashis face when the smoke cleared. When the smoke did clear Kiba, Shino and Sakura were all over Kurenai, who for her part looked extremely surprised to see them, let alone seeing them working together. But the look on Kakashis face was priceless. If he had not had a battle to fight he would have been rolling on the ground laughing his ass off. One thing was for sure, the Kyuubi was getting a kick out of it. He could feel the foxs rumbling laughter echoing throughout his mind. It was a little distracting but funny all the same. He wondered what Kakashi would think if he knew he was being laughed at by a demon. Kakashi looked like he was about to have a heart attack as he ducked and dodged out of the way of both Sasuke and Hinata. Neither of them were giving him an inch to play with. They were constantly on him, one would go in while the other pulled out and then they would switch. Things were going perfectly. It was obvious that the last thing Kakashi expected to see was the 6 of them working together in a planned attack and certainly not one that was so well thought out when they had barely had an hour to work through everything. The fact that his students had all split in different directions without so much as a look at each other had added to his sense of security. Sure he had expected to see Naruto, Shino and Hinata together but when Naruto had showed up all alone he had figured that the blond had gotten impatient and decided to go in alone like he figured he would to begin with. He looked over briefly at Kurenai to see that she was not fairing much better then he. Neither of them had expected this. And whats more it looked like Naruto had been the ring leader of the whole thing. He would seriously have to change his opinion of the young boy when this was all over. But what surprised him the most was that Sasuke was working with them. He had certainly not expected that at all. Naruto jumped back into the battle and ran straight for Kakashi who had his back turned to him while he battled Hinata. Kakashi noticed Naruto running towards him from behind and decided he would teach the kid a lesson about running in blind. Kakashi quickly performs a few seals and then performs his Thousands years of Death Jutsu. Kakashi lunges at Naruto from behind now and is surprised when Naruto bursts in a puff of

smoke. Crap yelled Kakashi as he realized to late what had happened. Less then a second later Naruto Burst from the ground delivering a devastating uppercut to Kakashi sending him flying into the air. Sasuke jumps into the air and performs a spinning kick, landing it square in Kakashis chest who was still slightly dazed from the punch he received at the hands of Naruto. The force of the click drove Kakashi back towards the ground where Naruto performed his own drop kick driving Kakashi slightly further into the ground and obviously dazing him significantly. Kurenai, seeing the way that Kakashi was being man-handled quickly shoved through her three assailants and grabbed Kakashi, pulling him up and jumping back to a safe distance. it seems your getting to old for this Kakashi, you just got your ass kicked by 2 genin wannabes. chided Kurenai in a joking manner. Kakashi looked at his fellow jonin with annoyance. Id like to see you do better. Besides what happened to you being my defense. Kurenai laughed. Poor baby, you just rest here and let me deal with them for a while. Laughed Kurenai and then she was off. Kakashi laughed, he was going to enjoy watching this. Kurenai runs towards her students and performs her Demonic Illusion: tree bind death technique to trap them all within her genjutsu. Naruto notices the signs she is forming and immediately yells to his team Genjutsu before Kurenai can complete the task. She successfully captures 4 of her students leaving only Hinata who she expected would be able to see through her technique with her Byakugan and Shino whom she was more surprised about. Even still she was more then capable of dealing with 2 genin unlike Kakashi. Kurenai pulls out a kunai and charges at her two students preparing to subdue them quickly but before she can reach them she was swept off her feet by a Naruto clone and kicked into the air by another and then another. The next thing she saw was Naruto performing the Kage Bushin No Jutsu technique again and then she was bouncing around like a pinball. The final kick caught her in the stomach and sent her slamming into the tree beside Kakashi. She slid down the tree slowly into a sitting position before slowly climbing to her feet with the help of Kakashi who was actually openly laughing at her, and loud enough that the students could hear. That was great Kurenai. You really showed them and me. I feel so much better now after that rest too. Thanks really. he continued to laugh. You should have seen yourself, you were being kicked left, right, and center by Naruto clones, I was starting to get dizzy just watching it. oh I have never laughed so hard in my life. But I think its time that we end this test. I think they have proved that they can work as a team enough by now. but I can not let them show me up like that so what do you say we teach them a lesson before we tell them the good news. Said Kakashi. Kurenai laughed, she had been thinking the same thing. Kakashi quickly ran through a series of seals which Naruto instantly recognized as a earth jutsu. He barely had enough time to launch himself off the ground and towards the trees before it turned into quicksand and swallowed up his team. He groaned. This was really a pain in the ass. Very well if he wanted to play dirty that it was time he showed them his most power technique that he could safely use at this time. Naruto smiled and called out to his teachers.

That was a cheap shot dont you think Kakashi-sensei. Well if you are going to play like that then I guess there is no need to hold back any longer. Yelled Naruto in a mocking tone. Both Kakashi and Kurenai instantly got a worried look on their faces. They did not like the sound of that at all. he had been enough of a pain as it was, if he was only screwing around up until now then this was going to be nothing but bad news for them. Naruto ran through the seals quickly and then screamed Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Narutos teammates gasped at the scene that appeared around them. There were hundreds, no thousands of Narutos covering every inch of ground and tree space in the entire clearing. For the second time in Sasukes life he was truly awed by somebodys power. This was an incredible technique. Hinata stared in admiration at her Naruto-kun. He was so powerful and he was doing everything he could to win this test for them. She felt a surge of pride run through her. She was so proud of him, she wished the test was over right now so she could run up to him and give him a huge hug and tell him how amazing he was. Shino just arched an eyebrow in surprise while Kiba actually yelped. you have got to be fucking kidding me. How the hell can he do that. Screamed Kiba to which Shino actually chuckled. It was quite funny to see the look on Kibas face. Sakura who was beside him just seemed to be staring blindly at Naruto as if she was seeing him for the first time. she could not believe that he had this much power. Kurenai looked over and Kakashi and then back to Naruto and finally back to Kakashi again who was just blinking continuously. Did you know he could do that, do you think he is tapping into its chakra. Look at all of that Kakashi. We are going to ge- she was abruptly cut off as all the Narutos leaped from their positions and flew at the two jonin. Kakashi and Kurenai didnt even have a chance to react. The last thing they heard was Naruto scream out Uzumaki Naruto one Thousand Combo technique. The Narutos broke into two groups, one thousand targeting Kakashi and one thousand targeting Kurenai. Before either of them could react they each found themselves being shot into the air by one thousand punches only to moments later find themselves careening back towards the ground as a result of one thousand crushing kicks. The Naruto clones quickly burst into smoke as Naruto simply walked forward and removed the bells from a now nearly completely incapacitated Kakashi. The rest of his teammates walked up behind him behind him having been dug out of the ground by a group of Naruto clones while the fighting had been going on. They stood a few feet away from him as Naruto helped Kakashi get to his feet. Kurenai had actually handled in fairly well, she was at least able to get up by herself but had decided that there was no point in continuing the test and so she simply leaned against the tree shaking her head at how badly they had been beaten. Naruto tossed the bells over his shoulder to his teammates well looks like we win guys. So Kakashi we worked as a team, we kicked your asses, and we all got your bells as a group so whats the verdict. Do we pass or what. Asked Naruto as he laughed at the second part. Kurenai had to cover her mouth in a valiant but futile attempt to stop herself from laughing at the look on Kakashis face. It was true, they had been truly schooled by a bunch of genin and partly because they had completely underestimated them. Kakashi pushed off the tree and stood wobbling back and forth as he tried to steady

himself. You all pass, as Im sure you no doubt already figured out seeing as how your working as a team, this test was never about the bells. It was about teamwork which you certainly displayed. As for you Naruto, I swear I will get you back for this. I should fail you right here for kicking my ass so badly. Said Kakashi which only served to generate a new burst of laugher from everybody including Kurenai at the admission of Kakashi getting his ass kicked. Kakashi sighed again. He had not meant for it to come out like that. The damn kid really had him flustered. Alright, alright. Thats enough now. Jokes over. OK really stop laughing. Yelled Kakashi. Kurenai, feeling sorry for Kakashi and his injured ego decided it was time to dismiss them. Ok thats it for today guys. Go rest up. You have all worked hard and I think we ALL could use a break after such a work out. We will meet up in a few days to get started on your training. Congratulations on becoming Genin and welcome to team 7. I can honestly say that we are both very proud of you. You did an excellent job. Said Kurenai. The genin cheered for their success, that is all of them except for Naruto who simply smiled and then turned around and began walking back towards the village. This was their victory not his. he did not see this as a victory at all. it changed nothing. All he had done was accomplish something he had done before. Albeit it had been much harder this time around but it was still nothing more then fixing a problem he had created in the first place? Hinata was happy they had all passed and was about the congratulate Naruto on his victory and tell him how amazing his last move was when he just walked by her and continued walking towards town, hands in his pockets. He had just ignored them all including her, what was wrong thought Hinata. She quickly said goodbye to her new teammates and ran after Naruto. Kurenai saw what happened and went after the two, Hinata was supposed to head directly home after training but she had a feeling the two had somethings that they needed to talk about. She decided she would give them a chance to do just that. She caught up with them quickly enough and stopped them. Hinata I understand your supposed to head home now to meet up with your father. Said Kurenai Hinata paled. It was true, she was supposed to leave, she was not supposed to be around Naruto unless they were training or doing missions and now that the test was over she was supposed to go home. She felt like crying again, a fact that Naruto did not miss. Hinata its ok well have plenty of time to talk, just remember what I told you about your strength. Said Naruto. Kurenai smiled at the words of encouragement. Well actually your supposed to go home after your training is done Hinata. And I have one more thing I want you to train with. I want Naruto to help you get over your shyness. He is the most qualified seeing as how he is the most energetic person in the whole village so for the next 2 hours I want you two to just do whatever you think will help you come out of your shell. I expect you to work hard at this. You are not to leave a second before the end of your training, do I make myself clear. Said Kurenai with a smile on her face. Hinata lit up like she had just received the greatest gift in the world. Hai Kurenai-sensei. I will not let you down. Said Hinata while she smiled brightly. Naruto laughed. Youre

a slick one Kurenai-sensei. I have to give you that. And with that the two walked off towards town while Kurenai stood their smiling at the pair. Naruto walked silently back towards his apartment with Hinata leaning on his shoulder. Naruto smiled at the contact. This was the life he wanted. Things were starting to go the way he wanted them to. Now if he could just keep things from going horribly wrong he might actually get to live the life he wanted. They were just returning from an early dinner at Ichirakus ramen bar. Naruto had been starving after using so much energy in the test. Hinata had expected that and was happy to join him. She was surprised when he shared his ramen with her for the second time in 2 days. They walked up the stairs to his apartment complex and into his apartment. Naruto closed the door behind her, turned on the light and offered her a seat on the couch which she took gladly. Naruto turned towards the door and began running through a series of seals. Hinata looked worriedly at Naruto. Naruto-kun what are you doing? asked Hinata. Naruto pushed his hand against the door and the room glowed with a faint red blue light before fading away to leave nothing behind. Naruto turned back to Hinata and said I just sealed the room Hinata so that nobody can see or hear what we are talking about and so that nobody can enter my apartment. Hinata stared at Naruto with a concerned look on her face. Naruto whats wrong, your scaring me. She backed slightly away from him before stopping and moving back. She did not want to hurt his feelings. She loved him and he loved her. He would never do anything to hurt her Hinata thought. Im sorry Hina-chan. I never meant to scare you. I just need to talk to you. I need somebody to talk to, to get this information out into the open. Its eating me alive Hinata. I have never felt so helpless in my life. I need allies, I need friends but I dont know how to get them. I just dont know Hinata. Hinata moved forward and pulled him into her arms. He looked totally defeated again. This was becoming a common occurrence. Whatever it was that he needed to talk to her about must be something terrible if it was weighing so heavily on his usual energetic personality. Hinata I have some things I need to tell you about. I had wanted to tell you last night but we were cut off before I could get to it. I know that this is a cruel thing to ask but I need you to promise me that you will keep this between us for the time being. Nobody else can know until we figure out how to best approach this situation. Everything is at stake and youre the only one that I feel that I can trust not to ruin things right now. Not even the Hokage can know about this. Not yet anyways. Please, can you promise me this? pleaded Naruto. Hinata I need you, please I need you to help me with this. I so desperately need help with this. Its so out of control its not even funny. I cant stand the pressure of it all. I feel like Im trapped and there is no way out. All I can do is watch as I fly towards my failure. Said Naruto. Hinata stared at the boy before her. Never in her life had she expected to see this side of Naruto. He looked lost, defeated, he looked SCARED. Thats what it was she realized, thats what really worried her. The only boy she ever knew to fear nothing was truly and utterly terrified about something and it must be something big because he didnt think he could tell anybody about it.

I promise my Naruto-kun, I will take your secret to my grave if need be. You can tell me anything Naruto-kun, just like I can tell you anything. Please let me be your strength like you have been mine. She leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his forward to calm him down. Naruto looked deeply into Hinatas eyes and then sighed with relief. Thank you Hina-chan. I knew I could count on you. said Naruto. He took a deep breath and tried to sort out his thoughts before beginning. Hina-chan I I he just could not seem to get it out, how do you tell somebody that your from the future. He just did not know what to do. Its ok Naruto, you can tell me. I trust you. said Hinata in a reassuring voice. Naruto started into her eyes again and began to speak Hinata Im sorry to have to place this burden on your shoulders. I hope that one day you will have the chance to forgive me for it. Hinata started at the way he said that. It was like whatever he was going to tell her was something that would be a huge burden and more then that, it was like he believe that she might not live to even have the chance to regret it. what could be so dangerous that he would fear for her life. Go on Naruto-kun, I want to share your burden. Let me help, please. Hina-chan, I know you already noticed that I have been acting a lot differently as of the last 2 days. Havent you wondered why that was, or how I was able to defeat Sasuke so easily, or why I acted so strangely around all of our class mates, or a hundred other things that are completely out of character about me? asked Naruto. Hinata thought for a moment before answering, Well yes I have wondered about it Naruto-kun but I figured that you would tell me when the time was right and no matter how you act you will always be my Naruto-kun. Said Hinata. Naruto smiled at her, she was so sweet and innocent. It hurt to have to push this on her. Hinata there is a reason that I am acting differently, theres a reason that I have started to return your love, and there is a reason that I am not the hyperactive dobe that everybody is used to anymore. Naruto sighed and then he said it. Hinata that reason is this, I had 10 years to change since the first time I lived through all of this. Hinata stared at him in confusion. What did he mean he had 10 years since he lived through this the first time. that did not make any sense. Naruto-kun Im not sure I understand what you mean. Said Hinata. Naruto cursed inwardly. He was going to have to spell it out. Hinata I am not really 12 years old. Im 22. I have lived this all once before and it turned out very badly for Konoha and all the people that I hold dear. I had to watch as everything that I cared for was stolen away from me piece by piece and the people I loved died all around me Including you my love. Said Naruto before he broke down crying into her lap. Im so sorry Hina-chan. I failed you, It was all my fault that you died. I, I, I tried to be the hero, I went after Kabuto by myself and he poisoned me before I could kill him. and then while I was lying on my death bed from that same poison you saved me at the cost of your own life. It was all my fault and I am so sorry. How can you ever forgive me and love me after what I did. How can anyone forgive me failing Konoha? They killed everyone hina-chan. I was the last leaf ninja alive. I couldnt do anything to protect them. Narutos body shook with sobs. He was unable to continue. He was overwhelmed by

sorrow and all he could do was cry. He had 10 years of tears to let out, 10 years of sorrows and regrets and pain. All of it bottled up within him and now the dam was breaking and it was all spilling out. He clung to her as if his very life depended on it. he was so very afraid that she would turn him away now that she knew, that she would leave him and never look back. Hinata was so very confused. She didnt understand what he was talking about but it sounded horrible. She knew that whatever had happened, however it had happened it must have been horrible on him. The boy who she knew was strong, unbreakable. He had spent 12 years of his life beat on and yelled at by everybody in the village and he had never faltered. She could feel the overwhelming pain coming from him as she held him close, not sure what to do except hold him. She rocked back and forth with him in her arms like she had the day before. She whispered sweet nothings in his ear and rubbed his back. She did everything she could think off, everything that her mother used to do for her when she was sad. And soon Naruto began to quite until finally he lay silent except for the odd mumble of Im sorry which he said over and over again. Hinata laid Naruto down on the couch and put his head in her lap. She gently ran her fingers through his hair while she hummed a quite tune that her mother used to sing to her. when she was done with the song she spoke softly while still running her hands through his wonderful blond hair. Naruto-kun I do not fully understand what you are telling me but no matter what you need to believe that i would never blame you for my death, if you were in trouble and I could save you, I would. Because I love you and I know now that you would do the same for me. Thats what true love is Naruto. Said Hinata. Naruto smiled softly as a tear ran down his cheek. Hinata gently brushed it away and said sweetly. no more tears my love. Im hear now and I know you will keep me safe. Now tell me the rest of your story. Naruto nodded and continued. I guess I should start from the beginning. Said Naruto in 9 months we will have a chuunin exam Hinata. Im sure you are aware of that. Hinata nodded and he continued. People will come from all around to see this exam including some of Konohas most power enemies, only they will be disguised as friends. Orochimaru will be disguised as the Kage of the sand who he will have killed. His personal guard will be 4 of his most elite ninja whom he has given what he calls the Cursed Seal too. This seal increases their power 100 fold and makes them incredibly hard to kill. Hinatas breath stuck in her through at the mention of the once famous Sannin turned missing-nin. Orochimaru plans to invade Konoha and has made an alliance between Sound and Sand. He was able to do so because he had infiltrated Sand by killing the Kage as I said and taking his place. When the chuunin exam comes they will bring and army and attack near the end of the exam. Konoha will rally in the end and beat them back and sand will realize what has happened to their true Kage and return to our side but by then the damage will have already been done. Said Naruto as he sighed The Hokage will be dead and will be replaced by Tsunade who will become the Fifth Hokage. Sasuke will have defected to Orochimaru in exchange for a cursed seal and

personal training so that he can become stronger to be able to avenge his family by killing his brother Itachi. In the years to follow the sound with the help of their allies will assault us over and over again, weakening us continuously until finally with the help of the Akatsuki they will be successful in laying siege to Konoha and that will be the beginning of the end. For the next 7 years we will fight a loosing battle to try and force them from our territory. They will slowly but surely take over Konoha and kill off our ninja until finally only a handful of us will be left. It was during this time Hinata. Roughly a year before the end of the war that I failed you, that I got you killed. Kabuto who is one of Orochimarus most powerful aids was leading a attack against us. I went along with a squad of Anbu to stop them and to kill Kabuto. In the end I succeeded in doing just that but during our fight he stuck me with a poisoned kunai and the Kyuubi could not heal me. Naruto was nearly in tears again at the memory of the loss of his home and friends until he looked back up at Hinata and felt her hand brush up against his face, encouraging him to continue. When I woke up I found out that you had sucked the poison out of me with a jutsu and in the process the strain on your chakra system in combination with the poison had killed you. I went crazy with anger and practically destroying out headquarters. Nobody was hurt but I was a mess. I was never the same after that. I started taking more and more missions; I just wanted to kill as many of them as I could before we all died. We all new it was over. There was no chance at winning. Then one day I came back from a mission and while I was talking to the Hokage we were attacked. Gaara who will be the new Hokage of the sand saved me with his sand shield but everybody else died. And then it was just me and Gaara left with an army of sound ninja marching on us. Gaara went out and held them off while the Kyuubi and I used a forbidden time travel jutsu that neither of us really understood how to use or how it worked. Naruto stopped and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. and thats how I ended up back here. the jutsu essentially melds your future self with your past self, you keep all your old memories, skills, chakra and the whole nine yards but you are in the body of your past self. The issue with my chakra yesterday was because my body could not contain the chakra I now had. I had all the chakra I had in the future plus everything I had now and as my body melded with my future self the chakra started to overwhelm me and that was why I had to seal away about half of my chakra in the seal you saw me use. Hinata I came back because I need to stop all of that from happening. I want to have the chance to live a normal life, I want to spend my life with you, grow old together and have a family, I want to see my friends live and have their own families, I want to save Sasuke from himself and I want to become Hokage. But I just do not know what to do. Im totally lost. Said Naruto with that defeated look on his face again. Naruto felt something cold and wet hit his face. And then another, and another. He opened his eyes and stared up at Hinata to see her crying. Oh Naruto-kun, my poor Naruto-kun. You poor thing, it must have been horrible living through all of that, 10 years of horror and feeling all alone. And then coming back to a village that hates you and a class that thinks your nothing. And seeing all your old friends, none of whom even know or respect you. Oh Naruto. She cried as she pulled him up to her chest and squeezed him

tight. Im so sorry you had to go through all of that Naruto. I cant even imagine how hard it must have been and how much you must have on your mind right now. It must feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you couldnt turn to anyone for help. You had so many friends around you and none of them were really your friends anymore and so you were all alone surrounded by people who were long dead for you. It must have been horrible. No wonder you were so sad the first time you saw them all on the street. She continued to hold him tight, refusing to let him go as if he would just disappear into thin air and she would never see him again. Hina-chan what are we going to do. The two of us cant possible hope to stop this all by ourselves. We need help. But the Hokage or any of the high level ninja would likely try to fight them right away and that could just make things worse. But if we do nothing it will just go the same as it did last time. I just do not know what to do and now I have put this all on your shoulders too. What kind of a cruel bastard am I? Hinata pulled Naruto away from her and looked into his eyes. Naruto-kun. I swear that everything will be ok. We will figure this out. We have 9 months. we will work this out. Just lay back down and go to sleep. I promise I wont leave you. I will stay by your side all night. I promise. Naruto looked at Hinata and smiled. He lied back down in her lap and closed his eyes. Hinata started to run her fingers through his hair again while humming softly once more and before long Naruto was asleep. Hinata slowly lifted his head from her lap and laid it back down on the couch before curling up beside him and resting her head on his chest. She rapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. She felt him wrap his arms around her and pull her close. She looked up to see that he was still asleep and that he had just done it instinctively. Hinata smiled at the gesture and closed her eyes once again. she breathed him in deep and then relaxed. Even with everything that she knew was coming, here, in his arms, she felt totally and undeniably safe. She quickly fell asleep hoping that the following day would be just as good as this one. Chapter Six: Truths Revealed, Training Begins Naruto found himself falling through the darkness again. He was not quite so disoriented this time as he had been the first two times. He immediately recognized the signs of his odd dreams. He had, had them every night since he used the jutsu. He was sure that the jutsu had something to with them but he was not sure what. What really confused him though was that he was dreaming about the Fourth Hokage. He was not sure what to make of them. The first had been what he thought was the actual events of the night the Kyuubi had been sealed inside him but he could not be sure. The second dream had been completely foreign to him. he had not recognized anything that he saw except for the Demon seal and the Fourth Hokage. It just didnt make any sense to him. he hoped that this dream would shed some light on things but he had the feeling that if it was anything like the previous two he would wake up with more questions rather then answers. The darkness started to dissolve around him and he found himself in what he was almost

certain was the Hokage Office inside the Hokage Tower. He could see the Hokage monument through the large glass window and the office looked almost the same as it did today. Behind the desk stood the Fourth, staring out the window as if it was to be his final chance to do so. Naruto stepped to the side of the Hokage and looked through the window and there in the distance was what could only be described as the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. He had no doubt that it was the Kyuubi. it was only a spec on the horizon right now but it was plain to see by the way the ninja were mobilizing that this was the night that the Kyuubi attacked Konoha and that the Fourth gave his life to save the village. Once again Naruto found himself confused. Why was he seeing these visions or dreams or whatever the hell they were? And how was he seeing them? If they were real how did he have these memories and if they werent then where was all this coming from? It just didnt make any sense no matter how he looked at it. He felt like he was loosing his mind. Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts when the Fourth walked away from the Window and towards his desk. He pulled out the chair, sat down and removed a scroll of parchment along with a quill and began to write. Naruto was not sure weather he should read the letter and even if he did he was once again confronted with the question of how the hell would he know what this letter said if he was not there. This was all giving him a headache. It was not like he didnt have enough issues to deal with without these bloody weird ass dreams. Narutos curiosity got the best of him and he decided that he would take a look to humor himself. He walked over the desk and looked over the fourths shoulder to read the letter. What he saw made his blood run cold. To my dear son I hope that this letter finds you well on your sixteenth birthday. It is with a heavy heart that a write this letter knowing that I will never get to see you grow up. It hurts me so to know that I am the one that must cause you so much pain in your life and that I will not be their to help you carry the burden. Without a doubt Sarutobi will be the new Hokage when I am gone since he is still young enough to resume his previous role. I know that he will take care of you no matter what happens. My son there are so many things that I want to tell you but I have so little time and so I must rely on Sarutobi to teach you the most important of these things when the time comes. For now I wish only to give you my love and to tell you of your heritage so that you know where you have come from. It is my wish that you live the life of a hero as you are the true hero of the day my son. When the time comes, I will seal the Kyuubi within you at the cost of my life and the life of our clan but it shall be you that must bare him and keep him sealed away, it will be you that must tame his soul and use his power, and even though it pains me to believe it, it will be you that must suffer the hate and prejudice of the village as you grow up. I am not a fool as the council thinks I am. I know that they will not follow my final order to give you the life you deserve and by the time Sarutobi takes his seat as Hokage it will be too late for him to save you from this fate. I ask for your forgiveness my son for the life

that I have condemned you to but I also ask for you to forgive those who will have wronged you. They do it out of fear of what they do not understand. I know that one day you will be a great Ninja and that you will make the people of this village see your true power, your true worth. I prey that when that day comes that you will find it within your heart to forgive them for their trespasses against you and move on with your life. My son I am sorry that your mother and I could not be there for you during your life. But I want you to know that every time you look upon your clans home you are looking upon us. We shall always be with you in spirit and when the time comes for you to cross over into the next life we shall meet again. Until that time my son, live a great life, live a long life, and may you be the rebirth of our great clan. Signed Dad Naruto stared at the letter, quickly reading it over again to be sure he had not misunderstood it, who was he fooling; there was no way to misunderstand it. He referred to the Kyuubi, and it being sealed inside HIS SON. What the hell was this? What was going on? It didnt make any sense before and now it sure as hell didnt make any sense. Naruto watched as the Fourth Hokage rolled up the parchment and placed a red seal of ink on the front to seal it closed before casting a sealing jutsu over the letter. It was then that he saw clearly for the first time the symbol on the Fourths robe. It was the same as the Ink seal. It was the Red Swirl that Naruto had always worn on his clothes. He had never known why he wore it. he always just had. But it made sense now. It was the seal of the Uzumaki household. Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts. This still didnt make any sense at all. he had never even heard of a clan called the Uzumakis and he sure as hell had never seen that symbol anywhere except for his clothes. It just didnt make any sense. Not to mention that how could he possibly read that letter. It had to be just his imagination right? I mean its not like he was there or anything and the only person present during that event as far as he could see was the Fourth himself. Naruto froze for a moment. That was the only thing that was the same throughout all three dreams so far. The Fourth was in every one of them. He had no idea what this all meant but he was determined to ask Kyuubi about it when he woke up. That fox was going to start talking or else. Naruto shook his head again. his ears were ringing for some reason, why was that. The darkness slowly began to cloud his vision again as he stood there and watched the Hokage leave the tower and run towards the edge of the village, no doubt to his death. Naruto found himself completely immersed in the darkness again. He was falling again and his ears were ringing like never before. Why was this ringing so familiar? Why did it seem so urgent? Naruto Shot up from his sleeping position to find Hinata asleep beside him with her arms wrapped around him. They had slept together on the couch he realized. Nothing had happened of course but that didnt matter. What did matter was the ringing in his ears. He knew now what it was. It was his seal warning him that there was somebody approaching his door outside of the seal and that they were trying to get inside. Naruto jumped from

the couch and grabbing his Kunai pouch. His seal was concealed. Only a seal expert would notice it was there. Anybody else would just think the door was locked. He went to the door and looked outside through the peep hole. The seal only blocked sight from the outside in, not the other way around. He saw that it was Kurenai-sensei and she seemed to be quite upset. Naruto cursed. Hinata had spent the night here which meant that her father was almost certainly looking for his head. This was bad, very bad. There was nothing he could think of that would explain her being here. Naruto turned to Hinata to explain but she seemed to already understand by the look in his eyes and the expression on his face. Its ok Naruto-kun I will deal with this. Said Hinata. Naruto looked at her with a question expression before giving up and removing the seal. Naruto opened the door quickly and welcomed Kurenai who entered inside followed closely by Kakashi. Before Naruto could even get a word out Kurenai started in on him. Who the hell do you think you are you little punk. I gave you guys 2 hours. 2 HOURS. Not the whole damn night. Do you have any idea how pissed off Hiashi is right now. it was all I could do to explain to him that I gave a training mission to you and Hinata and that Kakashi had gone with you to supervise. You had better thank your lucky stars that the Hokage backed up our story or your head would be on a chipping block right now with Hiashi himself holding the axe. Screamed Kurenai. In all the years Naruto had known the jonin in the future he had never seen her so upset. It must have been just as bad as she was saying if not worse if she was acting like this. He was about to try and explain himself but was surprised when Hinata stepped in front of him and slapped Kurenai in the face before beginning to yell at her. How dare you yell at Naruto-kun like that without even asking us the reasons behind my being here? I will have you know that there is a perfectly good reason and had you even bothered to ask you would have avoided all of this. As for my father well he can just suck an egg because it was you that asked me to train with Naruto and it was a result of that training that passed out, from, from, from embarrassment because he caught me when I fell over and I was so close to him that, I fainted. Yelled Hinata, her voice dropping to a near mumble at the last part while she blushed furiously. Naruto just stood staring in amazement with Kakashi standing beside him doing the same. It seemed that Kurenai was equally surprised because despite being hit and being yelled at she didnt seem to be upset at all. in fact she seemed to be in a cross between proud and surprised. Naruto thought this was the funniest thing in the world but he did a very good job at not showing it. he was aware that Hinata was saving both their asses so he kept his mouth shut but he was still impressed to see her lie so blatantly and to be able to put on the shy act so well, well she was very shy but to be able to act it as well, with the blush and all was impressive. Kurenai seemed to finally snap out of her trance and put her hand to her face where Hinata had slapped her. She took one look at Kakashi who just instantly burst into laughter at the look on her face. This of course made her very upset Naruto could see and within minutes she was dragging Kakashi out of the apartment while apologizing to Naruto and bringing Hinata along with them so that she could take her home. The last thing that Naruto saw before they left his field of vision was Kakashi being

thrown down the stairs by a very pissed off Kurenai. Naruto closed the door and broke out laughing. He was going to have to thank Hinata for her acting the next time he saw her. Naruto stopped laughing at once. The very thought of Hinata seemed to change his mood to one between happiness and sadness. On one hand he felt overjoyed at knowing that she accepted everything that he had said and that she had spent the night comforting him the way she used to in the future. On the other hand he felt a powerful sense of sorrow and guilt at the thought of what he had forced Hinata into. She was in harms way again because of him and he hated himself for it. Naruto decided it was about time that he questioned his house guest about the meaning of the weird dreams he had been having. The last one in particular since the information he had found within it was something that had many implications if it was true. The least of which was that if it was true, then he had been lied to his entire life but the one man that he thought he could trust completely. Alright you damn fox wake your ass up and start talking. Said Naruto as he stood in the seal chamber staring at the cage that he had become so used to. The Kyuubi approached the bars of the cage and stared at his host with blood red eyes. What do you want to talk about Kittling asked the Kyuubi. You know damn well what I want to talk about Kyuubi. what the hell is up with these weird ass dreams that Im having. I know that they have something to do with the jutsu that we used. So start talking. Yelled Naruto. Well arent we in a bad mood. That last dream stir up some rather unpleasant thoughts did it, like how you have been lied to your whole life? Asked Kyuubi in a mocking tone. Naruto growled at the Kyuubi before continuing. You know damn well how it made me feel now stop avoiding the questions fox. Tell me what the hell is going on. it doesnt make any sense. How could I possibly know any of what I am seeing. I was not even in any of the visions as a baby so its not like I just happened to see everything and am now somehow able to remember it. said Naruto You humans sure do have a limited amount of brain power dont you? I would have thought that you would have figured it out by now brat. They are not dreams at all, they are memories. And they are not your memories there your Fathers. Said Kyuubi in a matter of fact tone of voice. Naruto gaped at the Kyuubi, he could not believe what he had just said. Even if it was true how could he possibly have his fathers memories. The Kyuubi seemed to sense Narutos unspoken question and decided he would have to spell it out for the little ninja. It appears you are not as smart as I thought kittling. Its quite simple really. the seal that your father used to seal me sealed him as well. mind you he was sealed in a different fashion then I was and he was not sealed within you but even so their was bound to be some small part of him within your seal. More likely then not you had the last day or two of his memories or essence molded into your seal during the transfer process. Said Kyuubi. he looked at Naruto and realized that he still did not understand. In other words kittling when your father used the seal that ripped me from my body and placed me within you the last day or two of his memories would have been imbedded within your seal. These memories would normally never have been

accessible by you as they would have been woven into the very fabric of your seal. However its not everyday that somebody moves through time and melds with their past self. Kyuubi took a deep breath and continued. The extreme stress on your seal has obviously caused these memories or at least some of them to shake loose. And now whenever you use a large amount of chakra, the stress on the seal shakes a little more of his memories free and allows you to experience them. Once you have seen them all they will not bother you again. so you see the visions you have been seeing are quite real. Finished Kyuubi. Naruto just sat on the floor and stared at the Kyuubi with eyes wide as pancakes. He could not believe what he was hearing. The old man had betrayed him, how could he possibly have done that. Why would he keep something so important from him? He stopped for a moment and then asked the Kyuubi. Wait a second; I lived the next 10 years of my life. I NEVER so much as heard word one of this. How can this possibly be real if I have not heard of my clan, or the Fourth being my father or any of that when I have lived the next 10 years of my life already. Demanded Naruto. Kyuubi shook his giant head from side to side, amazed at how stupid the kittling could be. You really can be dense sometimes. Tell me Naruto who are the only two people that would have known who you were for certain and been able to tell you? Asked Kyuubi. Naruto just stared at the fox before answering. Well I suppose it would have been the old man and Ero-Sannin. Kyuubi grinned. Thats right and when was the letter in your dream addressed for? Asked Kyuubi. My sixteenth birthday, so what? Said Naruto. So kittling both of them were dead by your sixteenth birthday. Now that does not make it right, they could have told you anytime but I imagine that they did not think you were ready until that age so they with your father likely decided to leave it until then. Said Kyuubi Hinata walked beside Kurenai and Kakashi as they left the apartment complex. Well Kurenai-sensei Ill see you later. Im going to head home and see my father. Said Hinata before turning towards home. Kurenai reached out and grabbed her by the arm. Not so fast Hinata. You have to go see the Hokage first and we need to have a little chat on the way there. Said Kurenai. Let me just say Hinata that as happy as I am that you have begun to get over your shyness, if you ever lie to me like that again or strike me for that matter I will see to it that you remain a genin for the rest of your life. Do I make myself clear? said Kurenai with a sparkle in her eye. Hinata nodded meekly and headed towards the Hokage tower with her senseis. so Hinata tell me what really caused you to spend the night. Its not like you to disobey your fathers orders and I am almost certain that nothing actually happened but I am curious as to what possessed you to stay the night when you knew the consequences that would await you today. Asked Kurenai Hinata looked at her sensei and then said We just talked. Naruto needed somebody to talk to and I wanted to be that person so I stayed. Lied Hinata. Kurenai seemed to realize that she was lying but ignored it anyways. And what did you two talk about? asked

Kurenai while staring at Hinata with intense eyes. Hinata shook her head, Im afraid I cant answer that. Its personal and has nothing to do with either of you. said Hinata. Kurenai was shocked at Hinatas boldness. Something had obviously taken place last night to give her so much courage but she was fairly certain she was not going to find out from the young Hyuuga. They arrived at the Hokage tower a short time later and proceeded upstairs to where the Hokage office was located. When they approached the secretary greeted them. Hello Kurenai. The Hokage has been expecting you. Right this way please. They followed the secretary into the Hokages office where they were seated. Hello Hokage-sama said Hinata as she took her seat. The Hokage smiled kindly at the young Hyuuga before taking his seat behind the desk. Hello Hinata. I understand congratulations are in order. It seems that your team passed Kakashis survival training course. Said Sarutobi. Hinata smiled brightly. Yes Hokage-sama. Naruto came up with the plan, you should have seen him. He was amazing. Said Hinata with a voice full of pride. Sarutobi laughed. Yes I heard from Kakashi and Kurenai just how well Naruto did. It seems he bruised their egos somewhat. But Im sure you are aware that this is not the reason you are here. Said Sarutobi with a slightly more serious tone of voice. Hinata nodded. Hai Hokage-sama. Sarutobi smiled It seems that you and Naruto were to do some training last night and then you were to return home. However their must have been some miscommunication because as it turns out you did not return home but rather spent the night at Narutos apartment. Said Sarutobi. Hinata, I trust both you and Naruto a great deal and I am sure that nothing inappropriate took place last night however you must understand the seriousness of the situation you are in. Had it not been for your teacher covering for you, your father would have found you at Narutos apartment and there would have been a great deal of trouble to answer for. As it stands we have sorted things out and there are no issues but I still wish to know the real reason that you stayed the night. Said Sarutobi as he leaned back in his chair. Hinata sighed. As I told Kurenai-sensei, Naruto needed somebody to talk to. He was rather troubled about some personal issues and I wanted to be their for him like he has been there for me. Im sorry Hokage-sama but I do not have the right to inform you of anything further then that. I intended to stay until he fell asleep. However afterwards I was quite tired myself and I didnt want to leave him alone so I decided to stay the night despite the problems I new it would cause. Lied Hinata yet again. Sarutobi nodded. I see. Is their anything else you would like to tell me Hinata? asked Sarutobi in a kind voice. For the briefest time Sarutobi could see both Fear and Sorrow in those pale lavender eyes. The young girl was obviously fighting with herself about weather or not to reveal something to him which Naruto had told her. Sarutobi suddenly felt guilty for what he had done. He trusted Naruto a great deal and he trusted Hinata just as much. Naruto may be many things but he was never a danger to the well being of his village and his precious people. Of this he was certain. Whatever he had told Hinata it had scared her and it obviously was important enough to make her consider telling him however Naruto obviously felt it was important to keep it from him at least for the time being.

He owed him at least the right to make that decision. If he felt it was not time for him to know about this particular piece of information, what ever it may be. Then Sarutobi would wait until the time came when Naruto felt that it was time for him know. Hinata opened her mouth to tell the Hokage about his demise. She knew that Naruto wanted her to keep it a secret but how could they let him die. She was however unable to get the words out as she was cut off by the Hokage himself. Hinata I must apologize for asking you to spy on Naruto. I realize now how much of a mistake it was. You must understand I trust the boy a great deal. He has gone through so much in his life and I suppose I have just gotten used to him being able to tell me anything. And now suddenly I find myself in a situation where he feels that it is not appropriate for me to know his secret whatever it may be. I owe him the right to make that choice and you owe him your loyalty. You promised to keep his secret and I suggest you do so. He obviously trusts you a great deal and judging from the look you had on your face he may need you more then ever in the weeks, months, and years that follow. I know that when the time comes Naruto will tell me his secret and that if he gets in over his head he will call on his friends and precious people to help him. said Sarutobi. The old man stood up and walked over to Hinata. Come now child. You should get home to your father. Kurenai will take you. and with that Sarutobi dismissed the group and gently guided Hinata out the door. When Kakashi was about to leave the Third said Kakashi a minute of your time if you will. Kakashi turned around and walked back into the office closing the door behind him. Yes Hokage-sama asked Kakashi in a confused voice. Sarutobi sat down behind his desk and stared at the masked Jonin. Kakashi I want you to keep an eye on Naruto. I am concerned that something is going on that he is trying to shield the rest of us from. Just watch him, leave him his privacy but make sure he does not get himself injured or killed. Said Sarutobi before dismissing Kakashi. Kakashi Nodded and left in a poof of smoke. Sarutobi went to the window and stared out over the village like he had so many times before. His eyes fell on an abandoned section of the village which had all but been forgotten since the war against the Kyuubi. He wondered if there would ever be children running in the streets of that abandoned area of the city again or if it was doomed to be deserted for the rest of its days. Naruto what could you possibly be hiding from me that would scare that poor girl so much. What is it that you know that worries you so deeply. Where is the loud mouthed little boy that I had grown so fond of. You dont have to face the world alone. You could always ask for help. Said Sarutobi to nobody but himself. He continued to stare out the window, sighing as the sun reached the middle of the sky. It was going to be hot today he realized. Naruto was out walking around town to clear his head. He needed to gather his thoughts and think of a way to solve the ocean of problems he was going to face in the months to come starting with their first big mission. The mission to Wave country. A mission that none of his team were ready for and a mission that he could not warn them about. He was absent mindedly walking through town when found himself flying through the air. He slammed roughly into the wall of one of the buildings and slid down to a sitting position

before slowly picking himself back up and wiping the small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth that had appeared as a result of the fist that had been slammed into his face a few seconds earlier. He stared at his assailant with a small smile coming around his lips. He had been itching to give a little something back to Hiashi for his rude treatment of his daughter but had thought he would never get the chance. It seemed that fate had smiled upon him and taken it upon itself to deliver the pompous ass right to him. He locked his brilliant blue eyes with those bright white eyes of his opponent. Well hello Hiashi. Im sorry it appears that in my clumsiness I tripped, fell, and landed on your fist. mocked Naruto knowing that it would get under his skin. Hiashi stared at Naruto with fire in his eyes if that was even possible. Always the jokester it appears Naruto. I guess thats all we can expect from a fool and a demon. Said Hiashi in a calm and calculating tone. Naruto growled at the comment. Who the hell was he to call him a demon and a fool? He stared Hiashi right in the eyes and said well if you insist on being such a bastard I could always just shove that stick farther up your ass for you and see what happens you fuck. Hiashi stared in disgust. How dare you talk to the head of the Hyuuga clan like that you stupid boy. You dont even deserve to be alive, a problem which I intend to remedy right now. You took advantage of my daughter and I intend to bring her justice. I know that your teacher is lying about your so called mission together. You used your demon powers to hold her against her will. Once your gone she will finally be able to get on with her life and start acting like the true heir to the Hyuuga clan. Yelled Hiashi in a rare show of emotion. Naruto burst out laughing at the irony of the situation. Here was the person who in later years had become almost friendly in nature towards him and right now he wanted to kill him. He pushed the memory from his mind and focused on how good it was going to feel to shove his foot up Hiashis ass. Hiashi dropped into his Gentle Fist stance and charged at Naruto preparing to end the battle quickly assuming that Naruto was weak and would be unable to even hold him off for a matter of seconds. Naruto smiles and waits for the last possible moment to move to the side as Hiashi tries to rupture Narutos heart with a single strike. Narutos quick movements gave him just the opening he needed, seizing on the opportunity he slammed his fist into the side of Hiashis face sending him flying down the road and into the dirt. Naruto laughed out load at Hiashi and then said I just figured I would return the favor Hiashi. I hope you dont mind. Hiashi jumped to his feet ready to get serious but before he could go any further Kakashi appeared between the two just as Naruto called forth a dozen clones. Kakashi surveyed the scene before him and then said calmly. If you would like to continue this Hiashi I could step aside and then have the pleasure of bringing you to justice for murder. But Im sure Im just misunderstanding the situation and you two were just having a friendly sparring session in an effort to help improve the boys defense. Isnt that right Hiashi. Mocked Kakashi. Hiashi stared with hate in his eyes at the jonin and then calmly replied. You are exactly right Kakashi. I was simply trying to help the boy in his training and things got a little too spirited. If you will excuse me I have to return home and welcome my daughter back

from her mission. and with that the Hyuuga left. Kakashi looked towards Naruto who had dispatched his clones and was leaning against a building with a bright smile on his face. Something funny Naruto? asked Kakashi. Naruto laughed at the comment. Your damn right there is something funny. I got to put that old geezer in his place like he deserved. Bastard thought he would just stroll over her and kill me but I showed him whose boss. Said Naruto cheerfully. Kakashi sighed. It had been rather funny to see Naruto punch Hiashi in the face. The surprised look on Hiashis face between the time he missed his strike and the time Naruto slammed his fist into the side of his face was pure comedy. Even still he did not share Narutos belief in himself. Or at least not as much as the young blond did. He was fairly certain that Hiashi would have finished him off eventually once he stopped underestimating him. Oh well it was over now and nothing to really do about it but keep a close eye on the two and make sure it did not happen again. Naruto said goodbye to Kakashi before heading off to grab something to eat and continue sorting through his thoughts. He found himself continually returning to thoughts of Hinata as he walked and constantly had to shake his head to free his mind of her and continue to think on the more important and pressing matters that faced him at that moment. Naruto stared at the floor of his apartment thinking about what he had learned over the past few weeks. He had carefully researched the fourth and the Uzumaki name to try and find any reference to either the Fourth having a son or family for that matter or any mention of a clan by the name of the Uzumakis. He was more depressed now then he had been before he started searching. All his research had turned up practically nothing. Their were a few very vague references to the Fourth belonging to a very old and very powerful clan but no reference to the actual name and he could never find any reference to the Fourths actual name either. He was always just referred to as the Fourth or as the Hokage. There had been several times when he thought he was getting somewhere only to find that the reference material he was looking for had been mysteriously lost in a fire or some other unexplained accident. At the very least he was fairly certain that his dreams were true and that what had actually happened was that the council had erased all record of the Uzumakis and the Fourths true identity in an effort to keep the truth from the next generation. And of course the adults just ignored it before they had hated him in the first place preferring to think of the clan as being destroyed in the battle with the Kyuubi and never mentioning it by name because it would clearly link Naruto to it. He had decided about a week ago that he was going to take it upon himself to start training Hinata in some of the more advanced techniques that he felt she would be good at and he had decided to help her build her chakra control and chakra reserves. He hoped that under his tutelage that she would grow in strength much faster and that by the time the chuunin exam came around that she would be ready for what awaited her. He had mixed feelings about that of course. If she was too ready she would easily beat Neji and then he would have the unlucky fate of having to fight her in the third round of

the exam which he did not like the idea of at all. the last thing he wanted to do was have to beat up the women he loved. On the other hand he did not want Neji to kick her ass like he had the first time around. That had been part of the reason she had died in the end. The damage he had done to her chakra system had been serious and she never truly recovered. Yet another problem for him to think through. As much as he hated the idea of having to fight her he liked it a lot more then her getting hurt. At least he would know when to back off so as not to hurt her seriously. His training with Hinata had progressed well so far. He had started teaching her the tree climbing exercise which he informed her they would be learning on their first major mission. he told her that it would be funny for the too of them to do It as if it was nothing while the other four worked their butts off trying to figure it out. She had progressed well through that and managed to complete it in the first 3 days of their training. He had gotten her started on the water walking lesson next which she had just gotten the hang of last night by the end of their training session. They were going to meet in a few hours and continue her training. He intended to teach her a chakra absorption technique which would allow her to absorb chakra from anybody on the battle field to supplement her own. His ultimate purpose was to give her a way to tap into his nearly limitless amount of chakra so that she would be able to sustain herself longer in battle. He was not 100 sure on how this would work but knew the technique well enough that he could teach it to her despite the fact that he never had any use for it. Once that was finished he figured he would start to work on giving her some jutsus to work with. Naruto stood, eyes closed waiting at their usual training grounds while practicing his Taijutsu against a horde of clones. He waited for Hinata to arrive for their training session. He was not expecting her for another half hour and so he figured he would get in some training himself to keep his skills honed. Naruto Stretched out his senses watching for the clones to attack. Naruto spun to the right and backhanded a clone before dropping to the ground and leg sweeping another. He pushed off the ground with his hand and begun spinning in place kicking the clones around him, causing them to burst into clouds of smoke. Hinata stood watching from the tree line as Naruto proceeded to decimate the clones with what looked like ease. He looked so graceful and powerful at the same time. Every move was perfect and calculated so that he would be in the perfect position for his next. His combos were so complex she found it hard to keep up with him. See marveled at his skill and hoped that one day she could be even half as good as he was. She found it hard to believe that they had lost the war with that kind of skill on the side of the leaf. She shivered at the idea of being so incredibly outclassed that even with all the power that Naruto had that the Leaf was unable to push back their invaders and win the war. She looked on with an overwhelming sense of pride and hope for their cause promising herself that she would become strong so that she could help him tip the tide of battle in their favor. She had already improved so much in the past week from their training. She had not thought it possible for her to excel so quickly but with his guidance and words of encouragement she felt like she could accomplish anything. Naruto finished dispatching the last of the clones and stood in his battle stance, his eyes

still closed. Hello Hina-chan I hope you enjoyed the show. I wasnt expecting you for another 25 minutes or so. I just thought I would do some training of my own. said Naruto as he turned towards Hinata. Naruto opened his eyes to look at Hinata and smiled. He had been waiting to see her all day. Despite all that was on his mind he constantly found himself thinking of her and her future counterpart. She was becoming more and more like her everyday and it only made him long for her more. Hinata ran up to Naruto and gave him a big hug. Hello Naruto-kun. That was amazing. You were so graceful and so fast. I could never be as good as you. said Hinata. Naruto laughed and smiled wider at her. Hina-chan. You can do whatever you put your mind to. All you have to do is believe. If you do that and I swear that you will achieve anything you put your mind to. It may take some time but youll do it. Trust me. Said Naruto Hinata smiled again. she loved to listen to his words of encouragement. So what are you going to teach me today Naruto-sensei mocked Hinata. Naruto laughed at that. The idea of him being a sensei was hilarious to him. Well Hina-chan today Im going to teach you a chakra absorption technique. Once you have mastered this technique, as long as you are close to be you will be able to have an almost endless supply of chakra just like me. In other words I will be able to share my chakra with you along with the Kyuubis chakra. Said Naruto with a grin on his face. Hinata gaped at him with surprise. She wasnt even aware that was possible and she was sure that it would be very complex. But he believes she could do it so she would make it work. How does it work she asked curiously. Naruto walked forward until he was only a few inches away from her. Well it requires a medium in order to work. Were going to start your training with physical touch since thats the easier method. Once you have gotten the hang of pulling chakra through touch then we will move onto other mediums such as chakra strings and earth and wind. Said Naruto Hinata nodded. Ok what do I do sensei. Asked Hinata jokingly again. Naruto smiled brightly and then began his instruction. Ok first you need to perform the following seals. Horse, Pig, Rat, Snake Naruto continued naming off the seals in a long list approximately 25 seals in length. They practiced the seals for nearly an hour straight until she was able to do them by memory without thinking and then they moved onto the actual technique. Naruto instructed her on how to mold her chakra with each seal and once she had completed the sequence perfectly he had her place her hand in his. Ok now I want you to focus on drawing chakra from my chakra system through my skin and into yours through our hands. Use your Byakugan to help you focus. It should make this technique much easier to master and allow for a higher rate of absorption. Said Naruto. Hinata squeezed his hand for reassurance and then activated her blood limit and focused on Narutos chakra system. She began to try and pull chakra from him at a slow rate finding it hard at first but slowly getting easier. In the following 2 hours of their training Naruto was able to teach her to get a steady flow of chakra through touch. She still had a long way to go before she mastered the technique through touch but if she continued at this rate she would have it mastered within the week. He was encouraged by her determination and effort. The more she worked with him the more of her future self Naruto was seeing in her. she was becoming the strong ninja that he knew she could be, the ninja he needed her to be for their upcoming battles. He smiled to himself as he

watched her. Ok Hina-chan thats it for today. Lets pick this up tomorrow. Your doing very well. congratulations. I honestly thought it would have taken you a few days to get this far. At this way youll be ready to move to another medium within the week. Keep it up. Said Naruto with a huge smile on his face. Hinata blushed at his words of encouragement and cheer. She was happy to have outdone his expectations. They walked away back towards the village talking excitedly about the jutsus that he had planned for her and about how much fun it was to train together all the time. Naruto said goodnight when the reached the town. He went left towards his apartment while she went right towards the Hyuuga complex. He took one last look at her as she walked away and smiled again before turning and heading home. It had been nearly a month since Naruto first started teaching Hinata the chakra absorption technique. She had come a long way since then. She had mastered transfer through touch, chakra strings, and earth and was almost finished with her wind training. She could now use the technique from a distance of nearly 100 feet away and switch between mediums on the fly which would make it a versatile move in battle. The next step would be for her to get used to using other jutsus or techniques while using that one. Once she had mastered that she would be able to use it effectively in all battle situations as a way to maintain a stable chakra level. Despite his happiness about the success of Hinatas training he was very uneasy right now. It didnt help that he knew that his team would be getting a mission to wave country within the day. A mission that none of his teammates were ready for. Of course the Hokage had no idea that the mission was not what it appeared to be otherwise he would never assign it to them. They would be called to the Hokages office within the hour and would leave on the mission the following day. He hated the fact that despite all his research he actually had more questions then when he had started. The more he thought about it the more confused and pissed off he became. How could the old man not tell him something so huge? It was nearly as important as finding out about the Kyuubi. He just could not understand how the Third could justify withholding the truth from him. Naruto felt betrayed. He had never known his family, his origins. He had always just been an orphan. The Orphan with no history. He had always wondered why the Hokage took such great interest in him. This certainly made sense but still, the old man cared for him or at least he thought the old man cared for him. What possible reason would he have for withholding such information? Naruto stared out the window towards the Hokage tower. He wanted to storm into the old mans office and demand answers but as much as he wanted to do that he knew he couldnt. not right now anyways. It would have to wait until at least after this mission and more likely until closer to the chuunin exam. It would be extremely difficult to get answers from the old man without revealing his secret about the future. That meant that he had to wait until he was ready to reveal at least some part of the future to the old man. When the mission was over and they returned he would consider questioning the Hokage directly about his family. Naruto startled when there was a knock at his door. He opened

the door to find a shy looking Hinata standing there with Shino by her side. Hello Naruto-kun. The Hokage has requested our teams presence. We are going on our first out of town mission. said Hinata. Naruto smiled. It was time to get the show on the road. Ok well then lets get going and with that the three genin headed towards the Hokage tower. When they arrived at the tower they were meet by the remainder of their team and headed upstairs to see the Hokage. Naruto walked into the Hokages office and stood with the rest of his team awaiting the mission assignment. The Hokage sat behind his desk reviewing documents when they entered. He looked up and smiled at the group. Congratulations on your first out of town mission. This is Crank mission. You will be escorting a bridge builder back to the Wave country where you will guard him so that he may finish the construction of a bridge which is vital to the economy of Wave country. Said Sarutobi. Naruto chuckled inwardly at the description for the mission as he thought back on the way it actually turned out. This mission had turned out to be anything but a simple c-rank escort mission. In the end it had been an A-rank mission with several Chuunin and eventually two Anbu level ninjas attacking them in an attempt to kill their client. Naruto considered the facts that he knew to be true about the mission. They would no doubt meet up with Haku and Zabuza along the way. They would be powerful allies to have in the fight against Orochimaru if it was possible to bring them over to their side. They could use every ninja they could get at this point and these two were not to be overlooked. Naruto knew that Zabuza cared for Haku. The only way to bring them to the leaf would be if he could get Zabuza to see that it was what was best for Haku. There was something that bothered Naruto though. Zabuza had known that the bridge builder would be guarded; he had sent two assassins to take care of him before he even bothered to come out himself. There were 8 of them now instead of 4. He was sure this would change things. Zabuza was no fool. He wouldnt attack the same way he had before with both Kakashi and Kurenai in the group. And no matter how useless he thought the genin were he would not completely ignore them in a situation where he would already have his hands full with the two jonin. No something would change but the question was what. It worried him that this mission would put his precious people in harms way and with the way things were shaping up, his knowledge of the future would be less then perfect in this situation. Despite all this he couldnt warn them of what was to come. They would just have to deal with the change in the mission status. It was important that they have the chance to bring Haku and Zabuza over to their side. There was one person that Naruto was set on warning. He would not let Hinata walk into this without knowing what was to come, and her knowing would at the very least help him keep her safe. If worst came to worst he would unleash the Kyuubis powers and slaughter there enemies. He hoped it did not come to that. Naruto was brought out of his thoughts but Kakashis voice. We will leave in the morning. Meet at the gate at 9am and be sure to remember all your gear. Its a long ways to Wave country so we will be out of Konoha for a while. Be sure to bring everything you will need. Said Kakashi and with that he dismissed his team.

Team 7 made their way back through the Hokage tower and outside. Everybody seemed to have their own things to do in mind and so the team split up in different directions to enjoy the rest of their day. Hinata was about to return to the Hyuuga complex when Naruto grabbed her by the arm and escorted her out towards the training grounds where they had made it their practice to train with each other as often as they could. Naruto had taken it upon himself to begin to teach Hinata some higher level attack jutsus along with some Medical jutsu to compliment her style. He want her to be as strong as possible when the time came for her to face off against their enemies. He had found that she had a real knack for Water jutsus and so he had been teaching her as many as he could. Hinata looked towards Naruto with a smile. She enjoyed training with him but she really didnt think now was the best time. Narutokun I dont have the time to train right now. I need to get home and prepare for our mission tomorrow. Said Hinata sweetly. Naruto continued to guide her towards the training grounds despite her words. Actually Hinata were not going to train. Were going to talk. Said Naruto cryptically. He couldnt tell her whatever it was that he needed to say in public she realized. That meant it was either very personal or it had to do with the future. She winced inwardly at the thought; they had not talked about what was to come since that night at his apartment. It seemed like he was trying to avoid it. she was worried about what was so important that he thought she needed to know. When they reached the Training grounds Naruto guided them towards a large tree and sat down beneath it. He patted the ground next to him and Hinata sat down, curling up against him as she usually did after a hard days training. This was their favorite place to rest after training. Nobody ever bothered them here, Kurenai had seen to it that they were left alone during their training sessions telling everybody else that it was a special training regiment designed to break the two of their habits of being shy and loud. Hinata looked up into Narutos eyes and could see that something was worrying him. she sat up against the tree and pulled Naruto down so that he was resting in her lap. She liked the peaceful look he always got on his face when he was like that. She enjoyed just running her fingers through his hair and tracing the outline of his face with a finger until he would brush it away because it tickled. Whats wrong Naruto-kun asked Hinata in a concerned voice. Naruto looked up into her eyes and smiled weakly. Hinata I need you to promise me that no matter what happens in our mission tomorrow that you will stay close to me. I need to know that your safe. Said Naruto. Hinata looked at Naruto with a questioning look and then replied. Ok Naruto-kun. But whats so important about this mission. its only a C-rank mission and we have Kurenai and Kakashi with us. What could possibly go wrong? asked Hinata. Naruto sighed. Its not a C-rank mission Hinata, or at least it shouldnt be. Its ranked that way because of misinformation. If it was ranked properly it would be an A-rank mission. The bridge builder lied to the village about the nature of the mission because he needed our help and could not afford to pay for the real mission. I know for a fact that we will encounter at least 2 chuunin rank ninja and then 2 Anbu rank ninja. Said Naruto as he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Hinatas hands lightly messaging his scalp.

Hinata stiffened with fear at the mention of the missions true rank and the ninja they would have to fight. Naruto noticed her reaction and squeezed her hand for reassurance. Its going to be alright Hinata. I swear Ill protect you; I will protect all of you. Even if I have to use the Kyuubis power. The ninja well meet are on par with Kurenai and Kakashi. But their nothing compared to me, if it comes down to it I will stop them myself before things go badly. Said Naruto Hinata looked down at Naruto with a sad expression on her face. She felt badly about having to be protected by him. she loved him greatly but she wanted to be able to help him with his mission, to protect Konoha and all she was able to do was get in his way, give him one more thing he had to watch out for. She felt so weak, so helpless. Naruto sensed her concern and worked fast to reassure her. Hina-chan. I know you think youre a burden to me but your not. I need you to believe that. I couldnt possibly handle all of this myself. I need your strength. You may not be as strong as me but remember that I have 10 years of training on you. I have 10 years of War time experience. Thats something that none of the genin have. Right now I need your emotional support more then anything. You are my strength. Youre the only person I can talk to about any of this right now and I want you to know that I believe in you. When the time comes to fight, you will be ready. Said Naruto. Closing his eyes as Hinata began to rub his temples softly. Hinata smiled. He believed in her without hesitation. It was so reassuring to know that he didnt doubt her at all. Everybody else that she knew thought that she was weak and that she needed to improve greatly but not Naruto. He thought she was strong already and he was helping her become stronger. By the time the chuunin exams came around she would have a wealth of techniques to use and she would help Naruto stop the invasion before it began. She looked into the blonds ocean blue eyes and felt like she would loose herself in them. Naruto-kun why are we taking this mission at all. surely you could find a way to expose the truth about the missions true ranking. What is so important about it that we need to go along with the bridge builders lie? asked Hinata. Naruto sighed briefly. She had the truth of it. he could easily get them out of the mission but then the bridge builder would be sent to wave country alone and he would be killed. The bridge would be destroyed and wave country would suffer not to mention that they would not be able to recruit Zabuza and Haku. There are two ninja that we need to try to recruit to our cause Hinata. The two Anbu that I told you about, their both missing nin. They work for a man named Gato who is a gangster of types that hounds the people of Wave country and doesnt want to see this bridge completed. The two ninja Im referring to arent bad people. They could be very powerful allies to have on our side in the upcoming conflict and I believe that we can bring them over to our side if we work at it. But in order to do that we must be the ones to do the mission. Said Naruto. Hinata nodded. Naruto smiled at her brightly. You see Hinata one of the two Is just like me. He was all alone his entire life until Zabuza came and found him. He has come to consider Zabuza as a father figure and considers him, his only precious person. In my time they both died. I realized too late the possibility to save them both and bring them to

our side. I know better this time and I believe that if you and me work at it, we can save them from themselves and from Gato. Said Naruto Hinata smiled brightly at the blond. She was awed at his determination. He was determined to save these two ninja and Konoha as well. She had learned so much from him in the past month or so. When they were sparring it was annoying at times when she would beat him. She knew that he was so much more powerful then she was, or any of the other ninja in the village probably for that matter. But he would only ever use chuunin level or lower skills on her since thats what he was teaching her and when she would beat him, he would beam at her with one of those wonderful smiles and tell her how amazing she was. It made her feel warm inside to gain his approval and respect. She wanted to badly to make him happy and to be useful to him. Even though she knew that he was far more powerful then she was, he never made her feel that way. He always made her feel like she could do anything if she put her mind to it and that no matter what she did he would always be there to back her up and show her his support. The next morning they all meet at the gates and were introduced to their client. Naruto smiled at the site of the old bridge builder that he had become friends with in the future. It would be great to be with him for a while again despite all the trouble he gave them the first time. Kakashi gave them all their instructions and the gang headed out the front gates on their way to Wave country. As they walked down the road leaving Konoha behind them Naruto turned to Hinata and with a smile said in a low voice. Remember what I thought you and what I said and everything will be fine. Hinata nodded and squeezed his hand to reassure him that she would be fine. Naruto had forgotten about Kibas keen hearing and as such was unaware of the young boy listening in on their conversation. He wondered what they meant by everything would be all right. It was only a C-rank mission. He was acting as if they were going into battle. Kiba shrugged it off as another odd Naruto incident and ignored it.

Chapter Seven: Wave Country, The Fun Begins Naruto walked with the rest of team 7 lost in his thoughts as they continued along the road towards Wave country. Being that they were escorting somebody who was not of the shinobi world they were forced to continue at a slow pace with regular breaks. It was getting dark and they had decided to set up camp for the night. Naruto thought back on the first time he had done this mission. He had hated going so slow and had acted all tough but when the danger had finally come in the form of 2 chuunin bent on killing them and their client, he had frozen out of fear and had nearly got himself killed. It had been Sasuke who had saved him that time and then went on to save guard the old bridge builder as one of the Chuunin charged at him. Naruto looked over his shoulder towards Sasuke now thinking back on all the good times he had been a part of when they were in team 7 together. He had been avoiding all his old friends and comrades religiously out of fear of giving away his secret or at the least raising sufficient suspicion

for them to become wary of him. But now, as he looked on his friend and teammate he was beginning to regret his decision. They had made some sort of bond by this time and had solidified that bond during their battle with Haku and Zabuza during this very mission. He was risking alienating one of his most precious people and person who he knew would be one of his greatest allies if he could keep him on the straight and narrow. Naruto looked around the camp taking in the faces of his new teammates and realizing just how much damage he was doing by avoiding them. He had in essence alienated himself from them and was causing more suspicion by avoiding the group then by being part of it. He had even had to send Hinata back to them on several occasions to be sure to not bring to much heat down on her. Naruto stood from his seat beside the fire and walked to his senseis wanting to get their permission for what he was thinking. Kakashi-sensei said Naruto as he stood over the masked man who was on watch. Kakashi turned to face Naruto with a look of confusion on his face. Naruto had avoided him just as much as the rest of his team since the day they had became an official team. The last time he saw him work as a real team with his partners was during the bell test. He wondered what was on his mind to get him to openly approach him like this. Yes Naruto. What would you like? asked Kakashi. Naruto looked at the man considering his words carefully and then began. Would it be alright if we went and did some training while were at camp? asked Naruto in a tone of voice that made it sound like he didnt really care. Kakashi however saw through Narutos indifference and put two and two together. He was trying to join the group again for whatever reason and the only way he knew how was through training. Kakashi considered this for a moment and then agreed. Kurenai and he would still be at the camp and anything that could get past them was surely going to be able to get past a bunch of genin. Thats fine Naruto. If the others share your desire to train then go ahead. Dont go far from camp incase we need you or you need us. Said Kakashi as he turned back to his book and his watch. Naruto smiled. As much as things change they stay the same. At least he could always count on Kakashi to be a pervert. Naruto turned and walked back to the fire to see if he could convince the rest of the group to train with him after avoiding them for the last month or so. He hoped that Hinata would catch onto his plan and back him up. Naruto approached the fire where Kiba and Shino and Hinata were talking amongst themselves. He glanced to the right of the fire and saw Sasuke sitting by himself with Sakura staring at him from a few feet away. He smiled to himself at the sight of his friends the way he truly remembered them. The way they were before the war came and took it all away. He stepped towards Shino and asked Hey guys, you want to go do some training. Maybe a spar or two. Naruto waited with baited breath for there reply. Kiba just laughed. Yeah right, train with you. Why the hell would I want to do that? said Kiba. Before he could go on however both Shino and Hinata decided that they were more then willing to see Naruto rejoin the group. Naruto chuckled to himself. Leave it to those two to realize my true motives and to be quick to forgive me for my stupidity. Shino stood and said Ill train with you Naruto. It would be beneficial for us to learn to work as more of a team. Hinata smiled and agreed. Hai I agree with Shino. It would

be great to train as a group. Said Hinata. Naruto turned to talk to Sasuke whom he figured would be his hardest target but was rather surprised when the black haired boy walked by him without so much as a look and headed towards the edge of the camp. He stopped at the tree line before turning back. Are you coming dobe or what? said Sasuke with a smirk. Naruto was floored. He had not expected that at all. Seeming to understand his hesitation Sasuke simply replied. I want a rematch for our last spar. I intend to get as strong as possible so that I can kill my brother and avenge my family. Naruto frowned to himself as he thought on his friends reason for training. It had been that wish that had guided him to Orochimaru in the first place. He hoped that he could break his friend of his stubborn obsession before it was too late or at the very least get him to accept some help from his friends who would gladly aid him in his goal. Naruto smiled at the Uchiha as he walked towards his old friend you sure you want a rematch Sasuke. I mean I kicked your ass so bad the first time. I would hate to hurt that ego of yours. mocked Naruto. The four walked into the woods leaving Kiba and Sakura by the fire. Naruto chuckled to himself when he sensed them following. He knew they wouldnt be able to stay away long with the rest of the team training together. Naruto thought to himself about what he could do to win the group over and bring things back to normal for the team. He wanted to close the gaps that he had forced into place in a hope that he would be able to share his secret with them sooner or later. Having his whole team on his side would be a huge asset when it came to defending the leaf from Orochimaru at the Chuunin exams. Hinata seemed to sense his uneasiness and decided she would help things get moving. They had spared dozens of times over the past month of their training together. If they showed off some of the things that Naruto had taught her the others would want to know where she learned them and that would give an opening for her and Naruto to bring them over to their side. She was well aware of what Narutos motives were. He was just as worried as she was if not more so. She had him to believe in but he had nobody. He felt like the fate of Konoha was resting on his shoulders. She wanted desperately to bring their team together to help hold some of that weight. Hinata stepped out into a small clearing along with the rest of her teammates and turned to Naruto. Naruto-kun. Would you spar with me please. Said Hinata. Naruto smiled at her and walked forward. It would be a pleasure Hina-chan. No holding back ok? said Naruto. Hinata beamed at him with excitement. She was finally going to be able to show the others how much she had improved. Hinata stepped forward and got into her Gentle fist stance while Naruto stepped into his Taijutsu stance. Good luck Hina-chan. Said Naruto sincerely. You too Naruto-kun replied Hinata. In an instance they were engaged in battle as Hinata activate her Byakugan and charged at Naruto at incredible speeds. Naruto smiled happily as he meet with Hinata in the middle of the field. Hinata attempted to hit chakra point after chakra point while Naruto blocked each attack successfully, pushing the attacks harmlessly to the sides. Naruto smiled brightly at his opponent. Ok Hinata see if you can stop this. Yelled Naruto as he jumped back performing seals in the air before yelling out Fire Release:

dragon fire missile. Instantly a huge ball of fire in the shape of a dragons head flew from Narutos mouth towards the Hyuuga. Hinata stared in amazement for a moment before using a counter jutsu for defense. Quickly performing the seals she yelled Water Release: water Enchantment wall causing a large wall of water to shoot from the ground completely blocking Narutos attack. Hinata quickly performed more seals and yelled Wind Release: Great Breakthrough causing a great explosion of air at her location and sending it rushing towards Naruto. Naruto gaped at the jutsu she had just performed. He had only shown her the basics of it a few days before they left on the mission. It was by no means as powerful as it could be he could see but it was still performed well, especially well for somebody who had only been practicing it for a few days. It had taken him nearly a month to perfect that technique. Hinata smiled at the look on Narutos face, she had not expected to be able to perform the jutsu so well but had been determined to surprise Naruto. It seemed she had succeeded. She looked on worriedly; he was not performing any jutsus to counter. What was he doing? Naruto snapped out of his day dreaming realizing that he had to through up a barrier and quickly or he was going to get slammed by a pretty powerful jutsu. Naruto quickly performed the seals and shouted Earth Release: earth style wall. The instant before the wave hit a huge wall of rock shot out of the ground to protect him. Naruto quickly braced himself realizing that he had called forth an incomplete form of the jutsu. His teammates watched in horror as the wall cracked and then shattered sending large chunks of rock flying back towards Naruto at high speeds. Hinata cried out in horror as a landslide of rocks buried Naruto. Hinata ran towards where Naruto had been but halted when she heard him yell Extreme Decapitating Air Waves. A moment later the rocks that stood in front of Hinata flew into the air breaking into dust and small rocks before raining down on the surrounding area leaving a small crater where the wind had come from. And there in the centre of the crater knelled a very exhausted and beat up looking Naruto. A large gash across his forehead and his shirt ripped where a rock had cut into his chest. Naruto looked up and smiled weakly at his teammates who rushed towards him to help. That was one hell of a jutsu Hinata. I didnt expect you to be able to use it yet. Guess thats what I get for underestimating you. said Naruto as he collapsed into her arms. Sasuke looked at the blond and laughed Serves you right for showing off you baka. Said Sasuke as Shino stared on. That was a very impressive jutsu you used Naruto-kun. And in such a desperate situation. How did you manage that? Asked Shino. The rest of Narutos team seemed to just realize the same thing and reiterated Shinos question. Naruto cursed himself for his carelessness. He had been awe struck at how well Hinata had used that jutsu and hadnt reacted quick enough to counter. And as a result now he was in this situation. Naruto smiled at the group. It was just luck. Nothing more. I only had enough time to cast one jutsu and that was the only one I could think of that was powerful enough to get me out of a jam like the one I was in. lied Naruto. Everybody seemed to buy that except for Shino and Sasuke of course. Shino on his part simply didnt believe him because he knew that Naruto was hiding his true power and that something was not right about the boy. His intellect was telling him that the blond

was hiding a lot from his teammates and that he felt he had a good reason. He trusted Hinatas judgment and it was obvious that she knew most if not all of Narutos secrets and was not afraid of him for it. That was enough for him but he had every intention of getting the loud mouthed ninja to confide in him. Sasuke on the other hand was simply going on a hunch. He knew very little about the jutsu Naruto had used and thought it was possible that he was telling the truth. But he just had a feeling that he wasnt. Sasuke figured he would keep a close eye on Naruto. Regardless of weather he was lying about that last jutsu he had used several powerful jutsus that he would like to know and if he knew those then maybe he knew others. Hinata looked down at Naruto with concern in her eyes as she helped him to his feet. Its alright hina-chan. Their just scratches. Theyll be healed in no time. said Naruto. Sakura seemed to share Hinatas concern and insisted that they return to camp to have Kurenai sensei take care of Naruto with some minor medical jutsus. Naruto released that he would not win the argument and instead resigned himself to his fate. They headed back towards the camp, Hinata and Naruto holding back a bit from the rest of the group under the guise of Naruto being unable to walk to quick due to his injuries. Kiba walked just behind the group but well ahead of Naruto and Hinata listening carefully to the conversation they were having with his canine hearing. Are you sure youre alright Naruto-kun. They look pretty deep. Said Hinata as they walked. Naruto smiled to her. Im fine really Hinata. You know that. These wounds will heal by themselves within the hour. Their nothing significant. Said Naruto. Kiba gasped at Narutos words. How could his wounds possibly heal themselves? Did he have some kind of blood limit that nobody else but Hinata knew about? Hinata continued to look at him worriedly as they approached the camp. But are you sure Kyuubi will be able to heal those without any problems. How do you know he wont have any problems? We should have Kurenai take a look at them. said Hinata. Kiba stopped dead in his tracks at the mention of the nine tails fox. He was sure he had heard Hinata properly. She had clearly said Kyuubi. The name of the nine tails demon fox that had attacked Konoha 12 years ago. What did it all mean? How or why would a demon heal Narutos wounds let alone one that was dead? Naruto rolled his eyes at her for her concern before looking eyes on Kiba. His face paled as he realized what had happened. Hinata looked at Naruto and then at Kiba who was frozen in position before throwing her hand over her mouth and turning to Naruto with tears in her eyes. Im so sorry Naruto-kun. I didnt mean to really. Please you have to believe me. Begged Hinata. Naruto looked quickly at Hinata, squeezed her hand before shooting off and wrapping his arm around Kibas shoulder and squeezing his shoulder tightly and whispering in his ear. I know you heard her Kiba so listen closely to me. What you just heard stays between the three of us. I consider you a friend, I really do. But I will not let you reveal a secret that has been kept from the entire village for nearly 13 years. Keep it to yourself and I will tell you everything as soon as the three of us have a moment alone. Said Naruto. Hinata walked up on the other side of Kiba and grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. Please Kiba-kun. Its nothing like what you might think. Its really important, please dont tell anybody. Please do it for me. Pleaded Hinata. Kiba looked back and forth at

the two while he considered everything he had just heard and the way they were acting. He had not been sure what it all meant but now he was beginning to think that it was something big. As much as he wanted to scream out to the others, to get their attention and help he decided that if Hinata trusted the blond then he could trust him at least a little bit. If he didnt like what he heard he could always tell the others then. Kiba nodded silently and then said Ok, Ill keep it secret but you had better tell me everything Naruto. Its not right to keep secrets from your team. It only causes problems. And with that he shook himself free from Narutos grip and hurried to catch up with the others who had not even noticed the exchange. Naruto and Hinata reached the campsite shortly after the others and were met by a very angry looking Kurenai. What the hell did you two think you were doing training with jutsus that powerful while were on a mission. What if Naruto had been seriously hurt or worse killed. Then what. We would have had to take him back to Konoha for medical attention if it was serious and that would have screwed the whole mission up. Said Kurenai. Hinata thought she was going to break down right there at the thought of Naruto dieing because of her. How could she have been so stupid? She had showed up and caught him of guard and it had nearly cost him his life. And then what would have happened to his mission. She started to cry and quickly found herself wrapped in a pair of strong warm arms. Naruto glared at Kurenai. Dont you think you could have been a little easier on her? Im fine, nothing more then a few scratches and you just told her I could have died. What the hells your problem. Yelled Naruto. Once again Kurenai found herself taken aback by the pair and was about to rip into the little brat for talking back to her when Kakashi stepped in. Thats enough for tonight. Kurenai take Naruto and heal his wounds while I talk with Hinata. Said Kakashi as he took Hinata from Narutos arms and guided her towards her tent. Kurenai took Naruto by the arm and guided him towards the fire so she could see his wounds clearly. I know your right sensei but you didnt have to tell her like that. She was and is in bad enough shape as it is. She has to deal with the knowledge that it was her jutsu that did this to me. But I dont want her to know just how close she came to finishing me off. Said Naruto as he stared into the fire. Kurenai found herself staring at the young blond, surprised by his confession and showing of emotion, fear even. She began healing Narutos wounds. So it was that close was it? asked Kurenai. Naruto nodded. I was just able to perform a barrier jutsu to weaken the blow I took. It held together just long enough for me to use a wind jutsu to blast my way free. If I had taken even a second or two longer I would have been mush under those rocks. But I dont want her knowing that. It only happened because I lost my concentration. Said Naruto, looking down at his chest and realizing his wounds were healed. Naruto stood from the fire. Im going to call it a night Kurenai sensei. I think Hinata is going to need me tonight. I really scared her. I dont think I have ever seen her so worried before. I need her to know that it wasnt her fault and that Im fine. said Naruto. Kurenai

stood up and placed her hand on his shoulder. Sit down Naruto. Hinata needs to talk to Kakashi right now and you need to relax and grab something to eat. I may have gone a little hard on you. I know just as well as Kakashi that you two were trying to show off for the group so that they would want you guys to show them how to do those jutsus. Said Kurenai. You two really have come a long way since you started your training sessions. Although I get the feeling that its really Hinata thats improving the most. You just need to know when to go easy. If she had killed you Naruto it would have destroyed her and you know it. She cares a lot for you, thats something that anybody can see. Just think what damage it would have had on her as a shinobi and as a person if you had died today and at her hand. Naruto Shuttered at the thought. She was right of course. A large part of Hinata would have died with him today had he been killed. She never would have been able to continue being a shinobi. She was the type of person that would continue to blame her self for the rest of her life and her family would not have helped matters. Chances are she would not have lived much longer afterwards. He cursed himself again for his carelessness and swore he would never put her in that situation again. Naruto sat back down at the fire with Kurenai and continued to talk to the jonin about Hinata and himself and the progress that the two had made since they started working together. It was about twenty minutes later that Kakashi returned to the fire. Hinata walked towards her tent while Kakashi helped her along. She just stared at the ground while tears ran down her cheeks. It didnt matter what Naruto said. She knew how close it had been. Her stupidity had come so close to causing the death of the boy she loved and he didnt blame her at all. She couldnt stand it. She wished he would yell at her, tell her how stupid she was, and hate her for her screw up. At least that way she would feel like she was getting what she deserved but he would never do that. He knew that it was her fault; he knew that she had almost killed him even though he said he was just playing along and that he had never been in any real danger. She knew better. He was hiding it from her because he didnt want her to know just how close it had been. Hinata ducked her head and walked into the tent, taking a seat on her sleeping bag while Kakashi sat on Narutos. Kakashi looked at the girl in front of him. She had come so far since Naruto started working with her and yet one mistake had ripped it all away. she had gone right back to blaming herself for everything despite some of the blame rested on Narutos shoulders and some of it even rested on his shoulders for letting them train without supervision. Naruto knew it wasnt completely her fault and even if it had been he would never blame her. But none of that mattered he realized. She would blame herself enough for everybody. She was so used to beating herself up that it had just become second nature. Kakashi put his hand on the girls head and mussed her hair not knowing what else to do. Listen Hinata this was not your fault, at least not all your fault and you need to stop blaming yourself. He said and then sighed when she ignored him. Hinata, Naruto fines. Hes a quick healer because of the Kyuubi and hell be fine. You have to understand that. It would take a lot to kill him and despite what happened he would never blame you. But

more then that he wouldnt want you to blame yourself either. Continued Kakashi. Hinata looked up at Kakashi, tears still running down her face. I tried to show off and because I used a technique that he didnt know I could use yet he froze. And because he froze he almost died. Its all my fault. How can he possibly love me now that I risk his life so recklessly. Cried Hinata. Kakashi shook his head. She just didnt get it. Hinata if you really care for Naruto youll stop blaming yourself and get over it. Its true that it was a close call and it was friendly fire but even so the pain Naruto will feel if he sees you like this will be a hundred times worse then if he had been crushed by those rocks. He cares for you a lot and knowing that he was the cause of your pain will tear him apart. Do you understand? asked Kakashi. Hinata looked up at Kakashi and nodded. She knew he was right. Naruto had never blamed her for anything and he had always told her that she was so strong. He was even proud of her for using that technique and beating him despite everything. She still wanted to cry but not for the same reason anymore. It was a more selfish reason she realized. What she really wanted was for Naruto to be there to forgive her and to pull her close, to tell her that everything was going to be alright and then to hold her while she cried out her worries. He was so strong and he always had so much love to give. Kakashi smiled at the blue haired Hyuuga as he stood and walked out of the tent. He figured it was about time that the two got to bed. He would give them the last watch so they could have some time to talk before sleeping and getting up for the watch. He smiled to himself at the thought of how much they had both improved. A few months ago Hinata never would have fought with Naruto, she wouldnt even have talked to him but now she had openly expressed her love for the young ninja and had excelled at the training that Naruto was providing. Kakashi was not blind to the fact that Naruto had been the one teaching Hinata all the new techniques. It was obvious that he was hiding something now. The Hokages suspicions were correct but like the Hokage, Naruto believed in Naruto and trusted the boy even if he didnt show it openly. He was his teachers son after all. He hadnt been around to look after the boy in his childhood but now that he was a ninja he would watch over him. Naruto ducked into the tent after having a short talk with Kakashi and being told that he and Hinata had the 4am watch. He zipped up the tent behind him and sat down beside Hinata who was sitting in the corner of the next with her knees pulled up to her chest. She had stopped crying but Naruto could tell that she was barely controlling herself. She was a wreck he realized. Hinata. Im sorry. I never should have put you in that position. Its totally my fault, but Im fine really. You know itll take a lot more then some wind and earth to kill me. Naruto said with a slight laugh hoping to lighten her mood. Hinata looked up at Naruto, their eyes locked on each others and in an instant she had crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, knocking him over. She cried heavily into his chest while he tried to pull her off him to look at her face. Hinata refused to let go, she clung to him like her life depended on it. Please dont send me away Naruto-kun. I swear I wont do it again, just dont hate me please. Pleaded Hinata as she continued to cry into his chest.

Naruto stared blankly at Hinata as she clung to him. He could not believe what she had just said. Did she really believe that he would just throw her away like a piece of trash just because she had injured him a bit? Hinata how could you think that I would do such a thing. I love you, you know that. Im fine. You didnt hurt me, I HURT ME. My stupidity and my ignorance is what got me injured. I underestimated you, something that a ninja is never supposed to do for that very reason. Underestimating your opponent can get you killed in the Shinobi world. I know this better then most, I watched a lot of my friends die, several for that very reason. And yet I let myself forget that rule and got hurt because of It. said Naruto. It was not your fault, and even if it was your fault I would not send you away, I could never hate you. Youre everything to me, my most precious person. I would give up everything to protect you and what really hurts me is that Im the reason that youre like this, that youre so upset because of me. I cant stand to think about it, I cant forgive myself for putting you in a position where you would feel like you failed me. You didnt fail me at all Hinata, and I dont blame you for Kiba either. He was bound to find out eventually, they all are. And it was my mistake as much as yours. I need you to trust me when I say that you have done NOTHING wrong. Said Naruto in a pleading voice. Hinata slowly released Naruto and stared up into large ocean blue eyes. She crawled forward until her face was only a few inches from his. Pale lavender stared into ocean blue while they stared back. Hinata felt her heart racing and her body was on fire. She slowly closed the gap between them and very lightly let their lips meet. Naruto felt his heart skip a beat as she pressed her lips to his. He reveled in the taste of her lips and then gently pulled her away. Hinata looked into his eyes, looking for permission to continue and instead found hesitation. Not so fast Hinata. We have all the time in the world for that. Were barely 13 now? Just wait a little longer. You dont have to rush this. Im not going anywhere. Said Naruto. Hinata nodded silently before lying down on his chest and finding that nook in his shoulder that she loved to rest her head in. Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata and pulled her sleeping bag over them to keep them warm while they slept. He knew they would be up in about 6 hours to take the watch so he figured they should get some sleep. He closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep. Naruto awoke to a kick in the side. Wake up dobe. And wake your girlfriend up too. Its time for your watch. Naruto scowled at Sasuke and then sat up. Yeah, yeah. I got it. Im awake now get the fuck out of here. said Naruto before kicking Sasuke in the stomach. Sasuke staggered back a few steps before turning around and walking out of the tent. Naruto turned to Hinata who was still fast asleep and shook her lightly. Hina-chan, its time to get up honey. Said Naruto. Hinata moaned quietly as she opened her eyes and stared into Narutos. She smiled at waking up net to him and slowly sat up. Well good morning beautiful. Said Naruto as he stood and stepped outside. Ill let you get changed first. Come out when your finished. And with that he zipped up the tent behind him. Hinata smiled to herself. He was such a gentleman. Hinata quickly got dressed and stepped outside to let Naruto do

the same. Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan after Naruto entered the tent and then giggled quietly before deactivating it. Naruto exited the tent to find Hinata with a deep blush on her face that made her look like a tomato. He looked into her eyes and then back at the tent before putting two and two together and laughing. You know Hinata if you really wanted to see me that bad you could have just asked. Said Naruto as he laughed again. Hinatas blush got even worse if that was possible and she buried her face in his chest to hide it as they walked out to the edge of camp to relieve Sakura and Sasuke. Sasuke turned to see Naruto and Hinata approaching and jumped out of his place in the tree. About time dobe. I was beginning to think I would have to come get you again. said Sasuke. Sakura looked down at the two and waved. Hey guys. Nothing interesting going on. Enjoy the rest of the watch. And with that they went back to their tents. Naruto Climbed up into the tree that Sasuke had occupied a few moments earlier and took his post while Hinata occupied the tree across from him where Sakura had sat. Hinata looked over at Naruto who seemed to have a troubled look on his face. She thought back to the night before and how he had stopped her from showing him her love. She laughed to herself as she thought about it. Of course he would want to take it slow. As much as he may look 12 hes actually 22. He must think Im nothing more then a little girl right now and I made him feel awkward by trying to press the issue last night. Hinata frowned to herself over her foolishness. She would have to apologize to him and hope that he would forgive her. She smiled slightly as she thought about that. He always forgave her no matter what she did. Surely he would forgive her for this as well. Hinata was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of foot steps behind them. She whirled around to see who it was and was surprised to see Kiba standing beneath the tree staring up at them. Hinata smiled happily at the young boy. He had always been a friend to her for as long as she could remember. If anybody had to share Narutos secret with them she was glad that it was Kiba. Kiba returned Hinatas smile as he took a seat at the base of the tree with Akamaru and waited for things to get started. Hinata looked over to Naruto and realized he wasnt even looking at them. She wondered if he had somehow missed Kibas approach. Before she could follow that line of thought any further thought he spoke. I guess this means you want to talk now Kiba? Naruto turned in his seat so that he was focusing on boy before him and was about to say something when out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Shino approaching slowly as he normally did. What startled Naruto however was that he didnt sense the bug user at all? His stealth abilities were incredible. Hello Shino. It seems that nobody can sleep tonight. You come to join us on the watch or something? asked Naruto hoping that the boy would leave and think nothing of Kibas presence. Naruto soon realized that it was not meant to be as Shino nodded and took a seat under his tree. I believe that you have some things to tell us Naruto. While I sense that I do not know as much as Kiba does I have noticed enough to make me ask questions. Naruto cursed loudly. Am I such an open book that everybody can read me so easily? I mean FUCK; its not exactly something I want to announce to the whole world. Hinata winced at Narutos obvious irritation. He had been trying to hind his secret from

the group for his own reasons and planned on letting them all know in time but he was having the timing changed on him and there was nothing either of them could do. Naruto laughed slightly and shook his head. I should have known you would figure out enough to make you suspicious Shino. You always were so insightful. Said Naruto. Shino raised an eyebrow at this comment. He barely knew Naruto and was unsure how well the boy could possibly know him. Yet he talked as if he had known him quite well for years. He looked towards Hinata who seemed to be just staring at Naruto with sympathy in her eyes. He finally realized why she had changed so greatly in the past month. She knows doesnt she Naruto? asked Naruto sighed. There was no point denying it now. Kiba either knew for sure that he was related to the Kyuubi in some way or knew more then enough to start digging which would eventually lead him to that conclusion. The later of the two being much more public. And Shino, well Shinos damn insightfulness had given him more then enough reason to suspect that something was up and he would know soon enough. He looked to Hinata begging her for support with his eyes. Hinata locked her eyes with his and instantly understood that he didnt know if he could handle telling two of his friends about the very secret that had made almost everybody that knew hate him. She had been an exception to this rule of course as had a select few of the adults but on the whole the majority of the village hated him and he was afraid of turning them against him. She trusted Kiba and Shino. She knew they wouldnt judge him based on this information. Hinata tore her eyes from Naruto and jumped down from the tree to sit beside Kiba. She looked at him with a smile and then locked eyes on Shino. Will you two promise me that you will keep Narutos secret? I trust you both with my life and I couldnt possibly ask for more loyal and precious friends then the two of you, but I need to hear you say it to me. I need to know that you wont betray him. Because betraying him would be like betraying me. Said Hinata as she begged them both with her eyes. Kiba stared at Hinata for a second and then towards Shino to get his take on the whole situation. He smiled as he realized how useless it was to try and read the bug user. He had never been an easy read. He looked up to Naruto briefly before settling his eyes back on Hinata. If you trust him Hinata that I do as well. You have my word and Akamarus as well. said Kiba. Hinata smiled and then looked back towards Shino, waiting for his answer. Shino quickly assessed the situation. From what little he did know about Naruto he found it hard to believe that anything he had to say could cause him to dislike or hate the loud mouthed boy. Coupled with the fact that Hinata seemed to trust him implicitly and that gave him more then enough reason to trust him. Hinata had enough smarts to know when to trust somebody and to know if somebody was lying. If she knew everything and still trusted him, but more then that loved him, and even felt sad for him then it was enough for him. Shino nodded. You have my word Hinata. And you too Naruto. I shall take your secret to the grave, I swear It. said the bug user in a monotone voice. Naruto sighed. Hinata trusted them and he trusted Hinata with his very life. That should be enough. He sat there silent for a moment longer and then nodded to himself. Ok. Lets begin then. Said

Naruto as he jumped from the tree and sat beside the Bug user so that they were facing in a small square looking at each other. Naruto looked between the three of them and steeled himself for what was to come. You should all know that you will probably regret learning this little piece of information. It will bring everything you know to be true about the leaf into question. Granted most of what you know is true but there is one very large event which is shadowed in lies. What Im about to tell you has been with held from all of you by the council and the Third for your entire lives. Are you sure you want to deal with that truth. Asked Naruto as he looked between Kiba and Shino and then to Hinata who looked at him with love and pride in her eyes. Shino and Kiba looked at each other once and then in unison said. Lets hear it. Naruto smiled at their determination. Perhaps they would be able to handle the truth after all. Naruto took a deep breath to steel himself and steady his mind before beginning. Alright. Said Naruto. Nearly 13 years ago a powerful demon brought his fury against the leaf for an unknown reason. He ravaged all of Fire country before finally turning his attention to Konoha. It seemed like nothing could stop him until one night the newly appointed Hokage of the leaf walked onto the battlefield and on that night the Kyuubi was defeated. Said Naruto, looking between the two ninja to gauge their reaction. Both Kiba and Shino sat still, their expressions blank as they listened to Naruto. Naruto realized he would get no reaction from them at this point and continued. Now for the part that you dont know. The part that you were lied to about and the most important part. The adults of the village would have you believe that on that night the Hokage single handedly killed the Kyuubi at the cost of his own life. However in reality the Hokage never killed the Kyuubi at all. He knew that the demon was too powerful to kill and so he did the only thing he could think of. He sealed the demon away forever using a forbidden sealing jutsu. This jutsu costs the user his very life to cast. The user makes a pact with the God of Death and in doing so gives his soul in exchange for the soul of his enemy being sealed along with him. said Naruto. That caught their attention of course. Kiba was looking at him with a shocked and confused look on his face while Shino had simply paled his eyes full of immediate understanding. Naruto decided he should finish it. Normally this seal would simply seal both souls together in the underworld and have them battle for all eternity. However the Fourth knew that the demon was so powerful that he could potentially consume all the souls within the underworld and then beat the gate keeper, and in doing so release himself onto the world again even stronger then before. So he decided to seal the Kyuubi within a child, one who would one day be able to wield the demons power as they began to merge together. And when the child died the Kyuubi would die with him. Kiba still didnt understand what the hell Naruto was talking about. He couldnt believe that any of this could possibly be true but even if it was who the hell was this child that he was talking about. He looked over at Shino and startled at the look of the boy. He was ghostly white as if he had been scared out of his skin. Shino You ok man? asked Kiba. Naruto Ignored Kibas question as Shino did and continued. The child that the Fourth sealed the Kyuubi within is me. Said Naruto. He pulled up his shirt and pushed chakra to the seal so that they could see it. He fell back on the ground and looked up at the stars now that his job was done. He didnt have the heart to look them in the face and

see their response. Their silence was all he needed to hear to know what they thought. Kiba stared at Naruto and then back at Shino and finally to Hinata. He didnt know what confused him more. What Naruto had said the lack of response from Shino or the sympathy and sorrow that he saw in Hinatas eyes like she was suffering just watching the blond boy? Naruto got to his feet and without even looking at the group he turned his back to them and walked away. Hinata stared in shock at him as he started to leave. Where was he going? They were on watch together. Naruto-kun called out Hinata. Naruto Stopped and stood there for a moment. Where are you going? asked Hinata. I thought I would give you all some room. I dont think they want to be around me. Said Naruto and continued to walk away. Shino quickly looked up at the blond as he walked away and then called after him. Youre wrong Naruto. This information did nothing but make me respect you more. You will have to excuse my earlier expression but I was not expecting this. Said Shino as he stood and walked towards him. Kiba stood and followed the bug user. Well at least I dont have a headache trying to figure it all out anymore. This doesnt change anything though Naruto. Im still going to kick your ass and show you who the better shinobi is. said Kiba. Naruto laughed at the comment. Whatever you say dog breath. Hinata smiled at the boys. They had taken it well and they were even joking about it now. She walked to Narutos side, wrapping her arms around his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Arent you going to tell them the rest Naruto-kun? asked Hinata. Naruto rolled his eyes at the girl. Hinata you have a really big mouth you know that. Said Naruto with a laugh. Hinata shot her hand over her mouth quickly and then blushed. Im sorry Narutokun said Hinata. Kiba and Shino looked at the two and said the REST? Naruto looked at the two now very curious ninjas. You guys will have to wait for the rest. We have plenty of time to go over it but now is not the time or place to be reviewing such information. The boys looked at Hinata and then back to Naruto before agreeing and saying their goodbyes. Within a few minutes Naruto was alone with Hinata again. He turned towards the still blushing Hyuuga and hugged her. Thank you for being there for me. It meant a lot. Said Naruto. He walked back to the tree and took his place in his tree. Hinata stared at him longingly for a moment before returning to her own tree and staring out into the distance. Naruto turned as he sensed Kakashi approaching from the camp. The jonin nodded to the blond as he walked up beside him. You guys can come back to camp now. Breakfast is ready. Well be heading out within the hour. Said Kakashi. He turned and started walking back to camp. Naruto nodded and walked back towards camp with Hinata by his side. They walked to the centre of camp and grabbed a seat with the others. Kiba looked up from his breakfast and stared briefly at the two as they approached before returning to his food. His head was still swimming with everything they had discussed last night. Shino and he had stayed up for the next hour or so after their little chat with Naruto and Hinata to discuss what this did to the team. It was awkward at best with 4 members of the team keeping a secret from the other two. Kakashi and Kurenai didnt count if what Naruto said was true because as adults they had known everything from day

one. Both Kiba and Shino had been confused about what Hinata had meant when she asked Naruto if he would explain the rest. It had obviously been something important and far more secretive then the Kyuubi issue because he had seemed almost scared to discuss it in the open. They had talked back and forth between the two of them trying to figure out what it was but after about and hour they had given up and resigned themselves to the fact that they would have to wait for Naruto to reveal his last big secret to them. Naruto quickly finished his breakfast and helped Hinata pack up their tent before preparing to leave with the rest of the team. He was feeling more and more nervous as time went on. It had been around this area that the team had first been attacked in his time, a fact that he was not soon going to forget. He just couldnt shake the fact that with the team dynamics so much different now then they had been before; that the opponents they ran into could be different as well. The first time around it had seemed like they knew of the mission ahead of time. It had been like they knew where to wait for them. If that was true then that meant that they would know what the team setup would be and there was no way they were going to send 2 chuunin against 2 jonin and 6 genin. That worried him. If they really did know about the team setup then he was in the dark just as much as the rest of them except for the fact that he knew they were in danger and they didnt. The team finished packing up camp and started out towards Wave country again. In the last couple of hours Hinata had noticed that Naruto was becoming more and more edgy as time went on and it worried her. He seemed to have his guard up as if he was expecting something to happen any moment now. He had skewered a rabbit less then an hour ago when it hoped through some bushes. He had laughed about it afterwards saying he thought they could have it for dinner but Hinata had not believed his explanation. It was clear to her that he was expecting an attack and that something was different then it had been before. He was obviously on edge because he knew something was coming but didnt seem to know when or where or how. Naruto sighed to himself as they continued on their long walk. He was beginning to draw attention to himself again and he could tell he was scaring Hinata. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He was not going to let himself be overcome by the unknown. He still knew that they were out there and that was something they would not be expecting. All he had to do was take it easy, act natural and when the time came he would be ready. That was when it happened. He took a step and felt the line break under his feet. He hadnt been paying attention and he had walked right into their trap. He instantly spread out his senses and was horrified by what he saw. Half a dozen ninja on the outer reaches of his senses and there were explosive tags in the ground and on the trees in a 20 meter radius. Naruto knew he didnt have the time to warn his team. He spun performing seals as he went and screamed out. Wind Wave A powerful wave of wind shot from Narutos position towards his team. In an instant they were thrown clear of the blast radius leaving Naruto behind. Kakashi was about to retaliate to what he thought was a betrayal when the tags went off destroying the entire area where Naruto had been. Hinata stood staring at the cloud of

smoke and screamed. NARUTOOOOO. Kakashi and Kurenai quickly took point. Take your positions, protect the client said Kurenai. As the smoke cleared they gasped at the sight before them. There nearly 50 feet ahead of the explosion was Naruto and 3 chuunin locked in battle. Naruto was dodging and parrying attacks all around him. Hinata ran forward intent on helping her love when Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. Hinata there might be more of them waiting to ambush us. We need to be careful. Said Kakashi. Hinata nodded as she quickly activated her Byakugan and searched the surrounding areas for traps and enemies. There dont seem to be any more traps sensei but there are 2 more ninja to the right about 60 feet and ahead of us about 75 feet. Theres another ninja 60 feet across from them. They seem to be waiting for us to attack. Said Hinata. Shino could tell that Naruto was hurt badly. He seemed to be badly burned on his left side and his left arm hung limp at his side. He had a large gash across his forehead which was bleeding profusely and he could see that his right leg was bleeding badly as well. Yet with all his injuries he seemed to be holding his own in the battle. Naruto dodged a kunai that was thrown at him and rolled to the right. Without his left arm he couldnt use any jutsu except for the Rasengan. And he couldnt use that either or he would reveal everything to both his enemies and his teammates. Naruto removed a kunai from his pouch and waited for the chuunin in front of him to charge. A few moments later it happened, the chuunin lunged at Naruto hoping to finish him in one blow, Naruto jumped in the air, twirling he stretched out his arm with the kunai and jammed the kunai through the attacking ninjas throat killing him instantly. Naruto landed slightly of balance and before he could steady himself one of the other chuunin cast slammed his fist into Narutos stomach causing him to double over in pain. The chuunin promptly delivered a kick to Narutos face sending him flying backwards. Naruto slowly climbed to his feet, red chakra seeping from his pores. He could feel the foxs power coursing through his veins and covering his body. He couldnt see himself but he was sure that if he could, he would see that his eyes were blood red, his whisker marks had elongated, and his fingers nails had grown longer into the shape of claws. Team 7 was about to launch an attack when they saw Naruto climb to his feet. The breath caught in Hinatas throat as she stared on in a mix of horror and awe at what she was seeing. Narutos wounds were healing at an incredible rate and he seemed to be stronger now. But what really scared her and the rest of her team was the incredible killer intent coming from Naruto. It was horrible, and the chakra she could sense from him was growing at an unbelievable rate. Shino and Kiba stared in amazement as Narutos wounds finished healing. One of the chuunin charged at him, performing seals and using an earth jutsu to send a series of spikes flying towards Naruto. Naruto looked towards the spikes flying towards him and then charged straight at them. He cut through them like they had been made of butter and in an instant he was on the chuunin who had called them forth. Sakura screamed when she saw what Naruto did to the chuunin he attacked. He had jumped onto the attacker and in a matter of seconds he had ripped large chunks of flesh from the ninja. By the time he was done there was little more then a pile of butchered meat where a ninja has once stood and beside it stood Naruto, covered in blood and tiny

pieces of flesh hanging off his clothes. Naruto looked around him, the other 3 chuunin had come out of hiding by this time and they were all eyeing him warily. He was beginning to take control of his body again, Kyuubi had taken over in order to protect him and now that the immediate threat was gone and his wounds were healed he was backing off. The first thing Naruto realized when he got himself under control was what he had done while under the power of the Kyuubis chakra. Beside him were the remains of a chuunin he had attacked. That is if you could call it a chuunin. Right now it didnt look like much more then diced meat. The next thing he realized was the screaming. He looked back to see Kurenai holding Sakura who was shaking in terror at what she had scene. Naruto felt like somebody had run him through with a blade. Seeing one of his most precious people so afraid of him hurt more then he could have possibly imagined. Hinata looked at Naruto and immediately knew he was back. She looked into his eyes and saw the pain and loss he was feeling at what lay before him. Naruto slowly began to back away from the two groups. He looked towards the chuunin who seemed confused by his actions and then towards team 7 and a moment later he spun around and started to run. Hinata screamed for him to come back but it was too late. He was already long gone and she knew she had to deal with the situation in front of them before she could go after him. Kakashi survived the scene quickly and then gave his orders. Kiba youre with me, Sasuke youre with Kurenai. Shino, Hinata, stay with Sakura and the client. Ill take the 2 on the left, Kurenai you take the 2 on the right. Said Kakashi and with that they were off. Naruto stopped in a tree a few hundred yards from the battle and hid his chakra signature. He watched the battle unfold from a distance with his senses. Kakashi had charged at one of the chuunin, Kunai in hand. The two meet in a clash of metal and began parrying each others attacks. Kurenai caught one in her Demon illusion tree bind technique and proceeded to quickly run him through with a kunai. Kakashi activated his Chidori and slammed his fist through the chuunins chest as Kiba and Akamaru battled with another chuunin to his right. Kiba jumped into the air and threw several Kunai at the chuunin before him. When his opponent dodged them he ran right into Akamarus piercing fang attack sending him flying out into the woods. Sasuke kicked his opponent into the air and jumped up following his targets path in the air. He lined himself up and slammed his heal into the chuunins chest sending him flying towards the ground. As he flew toward the ground Sasuke performed several seals, arched his back while breathing in deeply and blew a huge ball of fire towards the chuunin who had no chance to avoid it. In a matter of seconds the chuunin was nothing more then a pile of ashes on the ground. And with that it was over. Team 7 gathered together again with the client between them while Hinata searched the surrounding area with her Byakugan for more enemies. Kakashi looked back to Sakura who had calmed down and then to the rest of the team. He was sure that they all had questions now. At least all of them except for Hinata who knew about it. Even so he was fairly certain she had never witnessed Naruto in this state before. Truth be told he didnt think anybody had witnessed Naruto in that state before but it

didnt seem like it had been his first time. He seemed to be used to it when he came back and he already knew that it had been him that Sakura was screaming at. He had more important things to worry about right now other then their questions though. Like finding Naruto. If he had learned to tap into the demons chakra then that could mean any number of things. Not the least of which was that perhaps the demon had actually taken control of him. On the other hand it could be that Naruto had tamed the beast in some manner and gained his power like the Fourth believed he would one day. If that was the case he still had to deal with his emotional instability. It had been obvious when he left that he was broken inside. Sakura had really screwed things up by freaking out like that. Naruto relaxed his senses and rested for a moment while he tried to focus his thoughts. He had scared one of his closest friends to the point of making her hysterical. But worse then that, even those who knew his secret had been scared. Even Hinata was afraid of him. He had not missed the fear in her eyes when she looked at him. He had been a fool to think that they would be able to truly understand and accept the demon fox within him without ever witnessing its power. And he had been an even bigger fool in thinking that they would continue to trust him and value him once they had witnessed his transformation. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he looked back towards the direction of his team and in that moment he made up his mind. He had never belonged to that village to begin with. He would leave his friends behind for their protection and fight his war from outside the village. He would save them all the same but he had no place in that village, he had no right to his friends. His chances at happiness had died the day the Kyuubi was sealed within him; they had died with his clan and his father. This was his burden to carry and his alone. Even if they could not care for him, he would watch over them and see to their safety. Naruto jumped down from the tree still facing the direction of his team, silently saying his last goodbye before turning to walk away. He proceeded to walk straight into Hinata. She looked up at him, fear still clearly pained in her eyes. No it was different now. It wasnt the same as it had been back on the field. This was a different kind of fear he realized. She didnt fear him, no she feared loosing him. Before he could say a thing Naruto found Hinata latched onto his waist, her arms tightening around him like a vice. She screamed out his name and cried like a little child that was afraid of their parent leaving them. She was a child thought, as strong as she was; she was still only a child of nearly 13. He often forgot this fact. It was only natural for her and the rest of them to fear him at first. Sakura had never even been told about him. It had scared the hell out him the first time he realized what was within him, the first time he witnessed the fox in its cell. Of course they would be afraid. But for Hinata it had only lasted a moment. It had been nothing more then an instinct. Naruto Reached down and gently removed Hinatas arms from his waist and pulled her to her feet from where she had fallen. He placed her arms around his neck and leaned his head on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her back and pulling her close. I swear I will never leave you again Hinata. Please forgive my ignorance. I thought you had started to fear and hate me once you saw the Kyuubis power. I should have known you would

stay by my side. Naruto looked over Hinatas Shoulder and saw the rest of his team standing there. He knew he would have a lot of explaining to do now, to the whole team. But more then that it seemed like he had some magic to work. It was obvious that Kakashi once again wanted to head back to the village and leave the mission behind. He would have to deal with his stubbornness yet again and it seemed that the rest of the team agreed with the jonin except for one young Hyuuga. He cursed his luck, why did it always have to be so difficult?

Chapter Eight: The Following Day Naruto sat by the fire, Hinata sitting close beside him as the rest of Team 7 discussed the current situation amongst themselves. They were discussing the status of the mission and weather or not they should head back for Konoha. When the battle had ended a little over an hour ago Kakashi had insisted that the mission was too dangerous for the genin and that the client had lied which meant that they were not obligated to continue. Before Naruto could disagree with him Hinata had spoke up and pointed out that they should setup camp because it was already getting late and it would be better to head back in the morning after discussing the possibilities. Naruto had smiled to himself briefly as Kakashi put on a thoughtful face and then agreed that it was the best course of action. It had been what he needed. They had set up the camp within a half hour and then had gone out to gather wood for the fire. Now that everybody had returned Naruto had insisted that they discuss the options and showed his obvious displeasure in the idea of abandoning the mission. Kakashi had reluctantly agreed to discuss it as a team after Hinata had spoke up and added her agreement of Narutos point of view. So here they sat, the conversation was just starting and Naruto was waiting to put in his two cents worth. He was quite concerned. Previously it had only been 2 chuunin and he had been able to convince Kakashi to continue. But this time it had been 6 chuunin. The mission was already more dangerous then it was before and Naruto knew he would be hard pressed to convince the jonin without revealing his secret to them. At the same time Naruto knew that he was not ready to reveal the details of the future to anybody other then Hinata. He had not figured out how to tell them and ensure things went his way. Bringing the jonin into it would likely cause a lot of problems. He steeled his nerves as he listened to Kakashis words and prepared to jump in. This mission is just too dangerous for the likes of a genin team. This mission was originally ranked a C rank mission but it is now obviously an A rank mission and if that battle was any indication of whats to come we will likely face further hostiles as we continue. Those ninja were missing Nin. All of them. And they were all from different villages. That means that somebody hired them. They would not have come together by themselves. Said Kakashi in a way that made it clear that he felt they should return to Konoha. Naruto stood up and stared around the camp. Thats right Kakashi, they were missing Nin, they were from different villages, they were hired by somebody, and this mission is obviously now A rank at the least. But the fact is we accepted the mission and I for one

refuse to turn away when the going gets tough. We cant choose our battles. All we can do is fight our best and work hard. We know their coming now and we will be ready. We have to continue this mission. If we turn back now the old man will die and you know It. said Naruto in a calm and icy voice. Kakashi looked into Narutos blue eyes and saw a determination that he had never seen in the boy before. He was dead set on this but the question was why. There was obviously something more then what he was saying but he didnt know what it was. Why do you care about continuing this mission so badly that youre willing to put your life on the line Naruto? asked Kakashi. Naruto just stood there for a moment as if choosing his words carefully and then he replied in the same icy tone he had used before. Its simple, I refuse to let this mission be a failure, and I refuse to let an entire country suffer at the hands of a tyrant when I can do something about it. The fact is he lied to us about the mission, the old man hid the truth but he did it because he needed help and the Wave country could not afford the real cost of this type of mission. Im not saying its right but I am saying I understand his reasons. Naruto stared at his teammates to gauge their reactions and smirked internally as he saw their opinions changing before his very eyes. True they were not voicing them yet but he knew that he had got to them. Kakashi was a different story and to some extent so was Kurenai. Both jonin seemed to still believe it was an unnecessary risk and Kakashi voiced just that. This is not a matter of not wanting to help Naruto. Of course we all feel for their situation and if they had brought the truth of this mission to our attention the Hokage may have even helped them regardless of their inability to pay for it. But the fact is the rules say we should return, a genin team is not prepared for this kind of mission. There could easily be causalities; you yourself were almost killed in the last battle. Naruto was about to start in on Kakashi again but was beat to the punch by the last person he expected to come to his aid. Shino stood silently and placed his hand on Narutos shoulder as he began to speak. I must agree with Naruto on this matter. The mission may have changed drastically since we begun but I still believe we are capable of completing it and without the loss of any of our team mates. Shino sat back down having finished his contribution. Sakura was the next to speak out and compared to Shino and Naruto she was like the polar opposite. I think we should head back to Konoha. We are not ready to be taking on these kinds of fights and like Kakashi-sensei said things will likely get worse if we continue. Not to mention that there is still the matter of Narutos attack on those ninja. He should be looked at by a medical nin to find out what caused him to snap like that. Said Sakura with obvious fear in her voice. Naruto winced slightly at the sound of Sakuras voice. He had been expecting it but it still hurt to hear. Before he could reply however Hinata began to speak. Everybody stared in shock at her confident and strong voice. They had not been expecting it as she had been so timid up until this point and anybody who knew her knew that she was never the strongest willed person. But you would never have known by the way she was talking now. Naruto-kun and Shino-kun are right. We should continue on with the mission and bring and end to problems of the Wave country, doing so will bring the respect and

admiration of the Wave country to Konoha and that will only benefit Konoha. Said Hinata. Naruto had to force himself to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud as he looked at Kakashi and Kurenai. He had them exactly where he wanted them. He had won over Shino who was always one of the straight thinkers of the team and he always had Hinata on his side. And while the rest had not said anything he could tell that Kiba and Sasuke were practically ready to go along with it. Sasuke would refuse to look weak and so he would go along with the mission and Kiba would refuse to abandon Shino and Hinata even if he did disagree with them. It was time to deal the Final blow. For the first time in the conversation Naruto lost his temper and yelled and the jonin and his teammates or at least he appeared to loose his temper. TO HELL WTH THE RULES. Rules are all good and well but there are times and places for them and right now is not one of those times. You have to know when to ignore the rules and follow your heart. I refuse to abandon this mission. I dont care if I have to kick all your asses and continue on by myself, I will finish this mission, I will see the Wave country freed from this tyrant and I will do it with or without your help. A ninja that disregards the rule may be a bad ninja but a ninja that disregards his friends, or his heart is scum. And with that Naruto turned quickly on his heal and headed for his tent leaving the whole of team 7 staring in shock at his retreating form. Everybody was stunned and shocked at the way Naruto had just acted and how he had just walked away from a team meeting like it was nothing. Hinata winced at the sound of Narutos voice as he had yelled out his reply but immediately calmed when Naruto turned to walk away. She had seen it, for one brief moment while he passed her he had looked into her eyes and she had knew then that it was all an act. He had done that to push them over the edge and was leaving it to her now to ensure that it was a success. She forced herself to keep a grave look on her face as Naruto passed and when he was out of sight she spoke up. I believe in Naruto-kun and I will follow him in this mission. I say we continue with the mission but if you decide against it senseis then I will continue on with Naruto-kun. I will not let him go into this by himself. He is a friend and a teammate and like he said, those who abandon their friends are less then scum. With that Hinata sat down quickly and waited to hear what her team would decide. Kakashi couldnt believe it, Naruto had used his beliefs against him and he didnt even know that they were his beliefs. He had learned his lesson once the hard way that sometimes rules were meant to be broken, now he was forced to make the choice again and he wasnt sure what to do. It was the first time in a long time that he was unsure of what decision to make. However it seemed that Kurenai was not in the same position as he was. She seemed to know exactly what to do. Kurenai stepped forward from the tree where she had been leaning and spoke with a serious tone in her voice. She had made her decision already but if they were going to continue this mission then everybody had to agree. It was all or nothing. Well I think its time to bring this to a close. Regardless of the decision we all need some sleep so we have a vote. If we are to continue with this mission then all of you must agree or we will return to Konoha. Said Kurenai

She briefly stared around the camp fire and then looked at her fellow jonin leader to get his view on the situation. Kakashi glanced at Kurenai and nodded his assent to idea of a vote. It was the only way they could continue. If it was going to be this dangerous then they all needed to agree. Even then he was not quite sure it was a good idea to continue with the mission but he figured if they were set on it that they would follow Naruto anyways so it was better to go along with them and have some control over the situation. Kakashi stood. Alright well it seems that its going to come to a vote. Do we continue or do we turn back. Lets hear it. Said Kakashi as he looked around with a serious look on his face. He had to stop himself from smiling to deeply as he looked into the eyes of his students. With the exception of Sakura all he saw was determination. He knew what their answers would be before they even spoke. Shino and Hinata both agreed almost instantly. Kiba looked briefly at his friends before sighing deeply and going along with Shino and Hinata. Sasuke looked at Kakashi with a blank expression on his face and then smirked slightly as he said If the dobe is ready to take on this mission then I am too. And with that it was finished. Everybody turned towards Sakura who upon hearing Sasukes words had gone rigid. When Kakashi asked her for her decision she had waited for a moment before stating softly that she too wished to continue the mission. In truth Sakura wished for anything BUT continuing the mission but she knew that if she said no then they would return to Konoha and regardless of what happened next Sasuke would always think of her as weak and so she had steeled herself and agreed to the mission as boldly as she could. Kurenai broke into a huge grin as she looked at her team while Kakashi hid his pride much better. Both were proud of their team. They would be great ninja one day and they were making a great start at that now. Despite being outclassed in this mission they were willing to push themselves to their limits and risk their very lives for their beliefs and their teammates. Ask much as Kakashi thought this was a bad idea he had to agree that if they survived this mission it would bring the team together like nothing else could. Kurenai was the first to speak up. Alright then, its settled, we will inform the client of our decision and continue on in the morning. For now you should all get some sleep. You all know the watches. I and Kakashi will take first watch. Said Kurenai. She began to walk away and then paused as if she wanted to say something else. She stood for a moment before turning back around and speaking once again with a small smile on her face. Starting tomorrow you will all be training 5 hours a day. You will train 2 hours each morning after breakfast. Then we will travel. When we stop for lunch you will eat quickly and then train for another hour. And when we stop for the night you will train for another 2 hours after dinner. Every little bit will help in this mission. It already appears that Naruto and Hinata have excelled in their own training regiment before this mission started so they will be training you. If you need any help we will be available but mostly we will watch the client while you all train. Said Kurenai as she turned around again and left for the edge of camp to begin her watch. Naruto sat in his tent waiting for the conversation to end. He wasnt sure what they would choose but he was sure that he had won over several of them. It was out of his hands now

and so he sat, waiting for Hinata to come to their tent and tell him about what had been decided. He had been serious; if they refused to continue then he would go on alone no matter what it took. The leaf would need the support, he wasnt sure exactly how that would work if he had to disobey his teachers, it could cause more problems then it was worth but he had said he would go and he NEVER went back on his words. That was his way of the ninja. Naruto looked up from his thoughts as he felt a brief rush of wind entering the tent with the scent of lavender carried along with it. He looked to the door and saw Hinata stepping through the flap and zipping it up behind her. His heart skipped a beat as he looked her over. Even at this age she had been beautiful. He couldnt understand how he had missed her obvious affections for him as a kid. She was so strong, so full of passion and life. He felt so incredibly fortunate to have her in his life and to have finally accepted her love and support. He was so engrossed in his thoughts about Hinata and the life they would have in the future that he didnt hear her calling him, nor did he notice her walk towards him. It was for that reason that he nearly had a heart attack and practically jumped out of his skin when she placed her hand softly on his cheek. Hinata was so surprised by Narutos act of shock that she quickly pulled her hand back as if she had touched something hot. Hinata looked at her love with concern in her eyes. What was he thinking about that had him so tied up that he had missed her approach completely, enough to cause him to jump at her mere touch? Naruto noticed the look of concern in her eyes and quickly grabbed her hand, pulling gently to cause her to tumble forward into his lap. He smiled brightly as she blushed deeply. Hello Hina-chan, How did things go with the team meeting. Asked Naruto as he absent mindedly began playing with her hair as if he was entranced by it. Hinata sighed contently as she felt his hands run through her hair. She leaned back into his shoulder placing her head in the nook that she had claimed as her own and recounted the rest of the meeting after he had left. Naruto smiled as Hinata cuddled up to him and then listened patiently as she spoke, slight shivers going through him every once and a while as a stray breath of warm air would hit his neck. Hinata finished her tale and smiled slightly, she had noticed Narutos reaction to her breathing on his neck. It made her feel good to know that she could do something to get his attention. Naruto smiled brightly as Hinata finished recounting the meeting. So then were continuing on with the mission and were going to be training the rest of the team 5 hours a day to get them ready for whats to come. Well it will be nearly a week before we reach what should be our next encounter. They should be able to improve a fair bit in a week. And between you and me we should be able to balance things out when the battle comes. Said Naruto. He chuckled to himself and then said. The best thing is they didnt really bring up my transformation, I may not have to tell Sasuke and Sakura yet after all and I can still keep my past a secret or should I say the future. Hinata lowered her head slightly and then sighed. Im sorry Naruto-kun but I do not think that is the case. Sasuke and Sakura are very suspicious about your actions and Sakura is even scared. I think they need to be told. Even if they didnt bring it up they need to know. It will be on their minds otherwise and we must all be thinking of the mission and nothing else when the time comes for battle or it could cost us our lives.

Said Hinata as she looked up into Narutos eyes with love and compassion in her eyes. She knew how hard it was to tell people about his secret. I will be there for you Naruto-kun. Everything will be fine. I promise. Finished Hinata. Naruto let out his breath and wrapped his arms around Hinatas waste. Your right of course. At the very least I must tell them about the Kyuubi. I only hope that they react well. The last thing we need is for them to be scared out of their minds and hate me as we go into a battle. It would only cause problems. Replied Naruto. Hinata smiled a looked up from Narutos neck into his eyes as he looked down at her. I believe they will take it fine Naruto-kun. Sasuke is strong and Hinata has a good mind. Im sure they will understand. Said Hinata. And then she was silent for a moment before continuing. Naruto-kun Yes Hinata said Naruto as he looked into her deep lavender eyes. Hinata blushed at how closely Naruto was looking at her. It felt like he could see into her very soul with those eyes. He seemed to be drinking her in and he made her blush even deeper as she thought about what he might be thinking when he looked at her. She shook her head briefly. I think we should tell our team, at least our fellow genin about what is to come. As a team we will be better equipped to change things. I wont do it if you dont want to but I truly believe that the others would be valuable assets in our upcoming battles. You said yourself that we need all the allies we can get. Is there a reason you dont think we should tell them? asked Hinata slowly. It had taken all her courage to question Narutos decision and as she stared at him she was beginning to worry that perhaps she had gone too far. Naruto listened carefully to Hinatas words and he knew she had the truth of it. He was avoiding it because he was afraid. He didnt know how to tell her that he was afraid that his actions would lead to the death of his precious people and the loose of his home village. That was the real reason behind it. He knew that their chances would be better of winning if he could bring his team onto his side. She was right and he would have to tell them and get their support. After that he would need to recruit the remaining 3 members of the rookie nine. He would need to wait for Neji, Lee, and Tenten. His battle with Neji was a turning point in his friends life; he had to make sure that took place again. It was one of the things that made him the ally he ended up being. Hinata was about to apologize for her words when Naruto kissed her lightly on the forehead. Thank you Hina-chan. I dont know what I would do if I didnt have your support. You always seem to be able to see to the heart of a problem and find a way to fix it. I was afraid to tell anybody about whats coming and thats why I have been holding back but you just made me realize that if I keep it to myself then Im more likely to screw it up. We cant do this by ourselves. But I cant tell them right now, its not the right time. When we get to Wave country and are settled in we will have a few weeks there. Thats when I will tell them. Thats when we will tell them. said Naruto. Hinata smiled as Naruto lay back on his sleeping bag and closed his eyes. She quietly lay down next to him and wrapped her arm around his chest, leaning her head into his shoulder again. She closed her eyes and whispered gently to Naruto. Good night my Naruto-kun. Sweet dreams. Moments later she was asleep with a look of contentment on her face.

Hinata was awoke a few hours later with a jerk as she felt Naruto begin to twitch in his sleep. She looked briefly up as his face and frowned. Narutos face was contorted in an expression of pain and fear, silent tears were running down his cheek and he was beginning to shake gently. Hinata tried to wake him but he wouldnt wake. She shook him gently and said his name but he still slept. He was obviously having a terrible nightmare and she wanted so badly to help him. Just then she heard a small whimper escape her loves lips, and then less then a minute later it happened again, and then again. Hinata quickly wrapped her arms around Naruto and pulled herself close to him, she pushed his head to her chest and began to make small shushing sounds to the sleeping blond, and she gently ran her fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp. Naruto began to calm slightly at the sound of Hinatas voice but he was still whimpering. Hinata began to hum softly in Narutos ear and began planting small butterfly kissed all along the boys neck and face. Naruto calmed down as he felt Hinatas breath and kissed on his skin, his face changed from one of pain to one of peace and comfort. He sighed contently and cuddled up closer to Hinata as if she was his own personal pillow. Hinata smiled and let herself be taken by sleep again. She snuggled into Naruto as he snuggled into her and within moments she drifted to sleep with a single thought on her mind. Hes so warm and soft, god I love him. Naruto woke early the next morning preparing to start the watch. He had been having those nightmares last night again. The ones where he relived the death of his friends and village again only this time it was the second time around, he had failed in his task and as a result he had lost everything. It was just getting to the part where his friends would start to die when suddenly it all had stopped. He had suddenly felt so warm. So safe. He wasnt sure what it was but he felt so good. Now he was awake and the first thing he noticed was the position he was in. His head was resting on Hinatas chest, her arms wrapped protectively around his back with one hand holding his head tightly against her. There legs were entwined with each others and his arms were wrapped around her. If anybody had been able to see Naruto at that moment they would have thought that Hinata was starting to rub off on him, because at that exact moment his face looked like somebody had jumped a bucket of blood red paint over him. He was blushing furiously. Hinata awoke as she felt Naruto stir. She looked down to see him blushing brightly and was confused for a moment until she realized how they were lying together. She quickly untangled herself from him and relaxed her hold on the love of her life. But despite her embarrassment she did not remove her hand from his head, nor did she move away. Instead she sighed contently and rubber her cheek against his. Good morning Naruto-kun, did you sleep well she purred. Naruto startled at the love and the sensuality in her voice. It was so obvious that she loved him. He smiled and decided to relax for a few more minutes. They had about 30 minutes before their watch began. He liked the idea of just lying like this with Hinata. He felt so happy right now. I

slept wonderfully Hina-chan. I had a nightmare to start but then I heard your voice and it all just drifted away. said Naruto as he closed his eyes again, just enjoying the feel of Hinata wrapped around him. The time seemed to fly by and before they knew it, it was time to start their watch. They quickly and quietly got up and got dressed, each letting the other change in private much to Hinatas disappointment. When they were finished they went to their watch and relieved Sasuke and Sakura who quickly went to bed to get some more sleep. The watch was uneventful and mostly they talked about the training they were going to do with their team over the next several weeks. They both agreed that in addition to their 5 hours of team training each day that they would do another 2 hours of training at night after everybody had gone to bed to ensure that they were ready. Naruto secretly believe that it would not take long before the rest of their team joined them in this training. Naruto and Hinata walked to the fire and sat down to eat a quick breakfast before they set out with their team to continue for Wave country. Now that they had decided to continue the mission they were going to start training everyday to prepare themselves. Naruto had decided to teach them some defensive techniques over the next week. It wasnt long enough to teach them a wealth of techniques but he could teach them a few defensive techniques that would come in handy in the coming battles with Zabuza and Haku. He and Hinata had decided that once they got to Wave country and they were free to relax that they would train the rest of their team rigorously for most of the day each day. During that time they would improve their attacks. When they returned back to Konoha they would have about 6 months to prepare for the chuunin exam. During that time they would train everyday. If all went well the 5 of his teammates would be close to jonin level in skill by the time the exam came. That is all except for Hinata who would likely be nearly Anbu level by that time. She was progressing so quickly through her training that she was already easily chuunin level. They quickly finished breakfast and left to begin their training. They would train with the rest of their team while Kakashi and Kurenai took down the camp and watched over the client. Shino and Kiba quickly fell into step beside Naruto and Hinata as they walked into the forest. So what are you going to teach us oh fearless leader mocked Kiba as they continued to walk. Sasuke and Sakura followed close behind them as Naruto replied. Well work on defensive moves at breakfast and lunch and then we will work on a single attack jutsu in the evening. If were lucky you can all get the hang of the moves by the time we reach Wave country. Said Naruto. Sasuke smirked at this. And when are you two going to train? asked Sasuke as he continued to smirk. He knew Naruto and Hinata enough to know that they would train more then the rest of them. Or at least they would intend to. Naruto laughed. He should have known that Sasuke would catch on. When the rest of you finish your evening training me and Hinata will continue training for another 2 hours each night. Said Naruto as he came to a stop in a spot he figured was as good as any to do their training. Shino was the first to accept the idea. Then I shall join you. said Shino in his normal monotone voice. The statement was quickly seconded by Kiba followed closely by Sasuke and eventually by Sakura. Hinata smiled to herself. This would give them extra

time to focus on attacks and it would prepare them further for what was to come. Naruto turned around and faced his teammates. Sasuke and Sakura still had not approached him about his increased power and skills during their battle. He thought for sure they would have brought it up. He was just starting to think that Hinata was right, that he should just come out and tell him when Sasuke beat him to the punch. So dobe, are you going to explain yourself or am I going to have to beat it out of you? asked Sasuke with a smirk on his face. Naruto eyes went wide at the statement and then he started to laugh. Oh thats funny, just hilarious, you BEAT ME Im sorry Sasuke did I drop you on your head to hard in our last fight or something? I seem to remember tossing you around like a rag doll without so much as breaking a sweat. Said Naruto as he fell to one knee trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard. Needless to say Sasuke was less then impressed with Narutos words and his obvious mocking of his skills but he was not going to let the bastard walk away like nothing happened. He wanted to know what the hell was going on with that weird red chakra. What really pissed him off though was that he was almost positive that everybody knew except him and Sakura. Just the way they acted around him, and how they would stop talking or quickly change the subject when either of them would approach. It really rubbed him the wrong way and he was going to get to the bottom of it. Spit it out you bastard. Im sick of your bullshit. What the hell was up with you in that fight. You turned that one chuunin into mince meat, you survived a shit load of explosive tags blowing up in your face and then your wounds healed like it was nothing. You were covered in that strange red chakra and seemed to have limitless power. What the fuck is going on? yelled Sasuke in a rare show of emotion. Naruto chuckled to himself. It was not often that Sasuke let his emotions get the better of him. Truth be told, if he had just kept his mouth shut he would know by now but it was just to much fun torturing him like this. But it was time to bring that to an end. This was not the time to be playing games. They needed all the training time they could get and this little argument was wasting some of that time. Ok Sasuke you want to know what the big secret is? well Ill tell you although your not likely to like the answer you get. Said Naruto as his face suddenly became deadly serious. Sasuke couldnt help but take a step back at that instant. Naruto had been screwing around and then suddenly he became totally serious. The look in his eyes was enough to make his skin crawl and for the second time in his life he felt fear. An emotion that he had swore he would never feel again. He swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat and said with as much force as he could. Alright, get on with it. Naruto leaned lazily up against a tree and began to recount his life story. It took nearly 20 minutes to go through everything and when he was done turned away and looked at the rest of his team, the ones he knew already accepted him and acted as if nothing had happened. Well lets get training. We dont have all day. And so Naruto was about to speak about his plans for there training when something happened that he had not expected. At least not at this point. By the time Naruto had finished Sakura had tears in her eyes. She couldnt believe what she had just heard. It wasnt that she didnt believe Naruto, no quite the opposite. She knew it was true; it made perfect sense now that she thought back. Everything fell into

place. The way the village hated him, they way he was shunned and always alone, the way he always acted and the pranks he pulled but most of all the way he had changed yesterday. It all made sense and suddenly she burst into tears as she realized how badly she had treated him all these years. As she realized how much he had to deal with his whole life. Sasuke was a different matter. He felt for Naruto although he did not show it. But more then that he suddenly felt a strong connection to him. They were both the last of their family. They both had suffered endlessly through their lives. Although Sasuke had to admit that his life had been nothing compared to what Naruto would have gone through. He felt a new respect for the blond. He had gone through hell during his life but had fought on and he had become powerful. More powerful then he was. He was brought out of his thoughts as he heard Sakura burst into tears and fall to the ground beside him. Sakura fell to the ground crying hysterically as she tried to talk. Na-Naruto Oh Naruto How co-could they t-t-treat you like that. How could I have treated you like that? Im so sorry. How could I ever expect you to forgive me? I have been so horrible to you all these years and the whole time you were saving us. You are the first ninja to ever give every breath of his entire life in the protection of his village and we all shunned you. I-I-I Sakura couldnt finish her sentence. She just cried harder as the guilt washed over her in waves. Naruto had not been expecting this. He had expected them to either run in fear or to simply accept it like the others had. But he had not expected this at all. He stepped forward quickly and bent down before his teammate. He gently whipped away her tears and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sakura-chan I dont blame you and I dont hate you for what you and the rest of the village have done over the years. So dont beat yourself up like this. This is my fate and I accepted it many years ago. The fact that you feel bad about it at all shows me that you care. Thats enough for me. He said as he stood and pulled Sakura to her feet. Well now that, thats out in the open its time that we start our training. Since you have all agreed to train with me and Hinata for the extra 2 hours each night we will be spending our morning and noon training sessions to work on several barrier techniques that I know of which could save your lives in a pinch. In the evening we will work on one attack jutsu. They will likely take you a while to master and since we do not know when we may face another battle like the one we were in yesterday I think its best that we focus on one jutsu so that if you need it you will hopefully be skilled enough to in that one jutsu to use it. However I intend to teach each of you a different attack jutsu that will compliment the others. If we can work together as a team as we did in the bell test that Kakashi gave us then these techniques will aid us greatly in our fights. Said Naruto Shino arched an eyebrow slightly as Naruto finished his little pep talk about why he was going to be teaching them what he wanted to teach. Despite all that Naruto had told him so far about the Kyuubi and the source of his strength there were still some things that were not adding up. Of all his teammates he was pretty sure that he was the only one that realized it so far. Or rather the only one that realized it and didnt know the whole truth. Shino was a very observant person and he was anything but stupid or blind.

He was almost positive that Hinata knew far more then she let on and that Naruto had confided in her about all of his secrets. Shino had to admit that he was beyond a little bit worried at this point. He could not think of any logical reason for Naruto to hold back further information after telling them about something as big as having the Kyuubi sealed inside him unless it was something horrible, something that was far worse then even the Kyuubi. That thought was what scared him. There were still so many things that didnt add up but it would not do any could to bring up his concerns right now. They had mentioned something about another secret during their first conversation, Naruto had said he would tell them later. It was obvious that he wanted to tell them but something was holding him back, some fear. Shinos bugs were always quite nervous around Naruto, they could smell the anxiety coming off of him. He resolved to himself that he would question Naruto about this further once they reached the village and had a moment to get him alone. Shino was brought out of his thoughts as he realized that Naruto was beginning to discuss the defensive techniques he wanted to teach his team. Once again he found himself surprised at the blonds skill. He wanted to teach them C and B rank techniques. The fact that he could use them at all was impressive enough, but to know them well enough to be able to teach them that was astounding. Naruto looked at his students. He had to laugh at that, he had never imagined himself as much of a teacher, but then again he had been teaching Hinata techniques for well over a month now and she had been excelling well. He figured it was just one more thing that he seemed to have a natural affinity towards. Ok, so the first technique I think we should learn is an Earth Wall. Its one of two techniques I want to teach you for defense. The second is a prison technique which will allow you to encase your opponent in ice allowing you time to escape or prepare yourself for another attack. Said Naruto The first technique is Earth Release: Earth Style Wall. The basics are fairly straight forward. After molding your chakra properly you will be able to mold the earth to your will, allow you to create a wall of dirt. While the wall is forming you push your chakra into it which hardens the wall making it more difficult for your opponent to break it. you all saw me use this before. It is a double edged sword. Its very strong but when it breaks you had better not be standing behind it because it can do just as much damage if not more then the attack which broke it. Naruto paused for a moment while he looked around at his teammates. Hinata of course was fine, she already knew all the techniques that he was going to show them although Naruto had decided he would show her a more powerful attack jutsu in the evenings just so she would be better prepared. The rest of his team however were looking at him like he was nuts. He knew they could do it, even if they didnt think so. He was going to make sure that when Zabuza showed up he would not be facing any normal genin. They would have at least some chuunin level skills to meet him with. Sakura was the first to speak her objections. She wasnt sure who he thought he was talking to but she was fairly sure she was not skilled enough to use this level of technique. Are you crazy Naruto? Theres no way in hell we can use that technique right now. Were only genin. Thats a high level chuunin technique your talking about. Ive seen

chuunins use it before. It takes a lot of chakra too. Yelled Sakura with a frown on her face. Naruto laughed. What happened to the overly confident pink haired girl I knew all those years in the academy. I wouldnt be suggesting this if I didnt know you could use it. I can use it, and so can Hinata. I taught it to her just fine. As far as chakra goes, yeah it uses a fair bit but what the better choice, getting killed by an attack you cant stop or using a chunk of your chakra to block it. This is a defensive technique. Use it as one of your last resorts. Its meant to buy you time and nothing more. Said Naruto with a smirk Everybody stared in surprise at Hinata at the mention of her knowing the technique and being able to use it. Naruto was one thing, the Demon fox gave him incredible power and so it was understandable that he would be able to do it but if Hinata could do it too then they must be able to do it too. Sasuke smiled to himself, he was going to learn a couple new jutsus that would help him towards his ultimate goal of killing his brother. He need only stick with Naruto and he would learn all he needed to. The blond seemed to be like a walking encyclopedia of jutsus. Naruto smiled as he realized he had just put an end to their little rebellion. Knowing that Hinata could do the jutsu made them think it was at least possible. That was all he needed. Naruto and Hinata began working with their teammates to teach them the jutsu. They had discussed their plans for training the night before and determined that the best way to ensure that they learned the skills quickly was for Hinata to use her Byakugan to help them learn to mold and use the chakra properly for the jutsu which would help them avoid most of the trial and error. At least thats how they would work on the defensive techniques. When it came time to work on the attack jutsus then Naruto would use his Kage Bushin technique to teach all 5 of them at once in their individual techniques. Even then Hinata would help with her Byakugan since he intended to teach her an extension of one of the techniques he had already taught her which would be much easier to learn then what the others would be learning. For the next hour and a half team 7 worked on learning the seals and molding the chakra. Not one of them was able to get it perfect however Shino and Sakura seemed to have come close. Naruto figured based on what Hinata was telling him about their progress that Shino and Sakura would have the Seals and molding down solid by the end of the day probably. Sasuke would probably need until the end of tomorrows sessions and Kiba, well Kiba was going to need a little help but with Sakura and Shino finished they would be able to help speed him along hopefully so that with a little extra attention he would be ready to move to the next step by the time Sasuke was ready. That was promising with only 3 hours of training a day. There were three aspects of the jutsu that needed to be worked on and the first was the correct forming of the seals and molding of the chakra. The second was the flow of the chakra. Of course with the amount of chakra that they needed to use in order to be able to make the jutsu work they were each only going to be able to use it about a half dozen times before they would be exhausted so Naruto and Hinata would have to make sure they didnt attempt to create it until Hinata was sure that they were ready. The final step would be the manipulation of the jutsu to control the shape and size of the barrier that they were creating. The larger the barrier the more chakra it would use. If

they made it to big they would drain themselves and not be able to get away, but if they made it to small it would be weak and unable to hold up to any attack that would have warranted using it in the first place. This final step unfortunately would need to be based on actual trial and error. They would have to try to make the walls and that was what was going to take time. In all reality from a training point of view the last two steps went hand in hand. With time constraints they would just have to work on both at the same time and try to get it right. Naruto figured that with Hinata helping they would be able to get them to an acceptable level by the end of the forth day. At that point they would start work on the Ice Prison. Luckily the ice prison would build off of the Earth wall and they would likely be able to get through it faster. All in all Naruto figured it would take them the whole week to complete both techniques. If they were lucky they would be able to pull off the ice prison with some level of success. When the time came to use it. With the morning training session a huge success in Narutos mind the rest of the day was looking up. When they had returned to camp, four of them sweating like pigs while Hinata and Naruto seemed to be fine Kakashi had looked at them with one wide eye and asked them what the heck they had been doing. Naruto had spoke up quickly, not wanting to reveal the truth to his senseis yet and just casually mentioned that they were learning a new technique from himself and Hinata and left it at that. They had shouldered their packs and started out on the road again like they had everyday since they left Konoha. Naruto smiled to himself as he thought about how well things were going. Sure he still had a lot of concerns such as how the hell he was going to bring Zabuza and Haku over to their side and how they were going to stop the invasion at the chuunin exam but for the time being he was glad to see his team was progressing so well. Having the 5 of them on his side for his mission and with skills far outweighing what they would have had previously would make things at least somewhat more manageable. Or at least he hoped it would. They stopped around 1pm for lunch and then a quick one hour training session before heading back out on the road. Like Naruto had thought, both Sakura and Shino were able to complete the seals perfectly by the end of the lunch training session and were even able to start helping Kiba with his. Naruto admitted to himself that it looked like he had been right on the money with his estimates and his other two teammates would be ready to begin the actual use of the jutsu or rather the practice of it by the even of the following day. By the time the evening rolled around Naruto was more then ready for the combat training. As good as he was at teaching the defensive techniques it seemed, he hated how boring it was just sitting and watching. The combat training would be different. The first 2 hours each night would be spent working on a jutsu with the last 2 hours spent sparing to practice their Taijutsu. As odd as it sounded he had been looking forward to sparing with Hinata all day. She was actually able to give him a challenge when he used chuunin level skills and limited his speed which was impressive because even with limited skills

and speed he had vast amount of experience over her. That challenge is something that he craved right now. But more then that he just enjoyed being with her. They seemed to go to their own little world when they spared. Everything else just disappeared and all that remained was the two of them and their actions. It was a wonderful feeling to have. As much as he loved to win at everything he did he actually didnt mind loosing to her, every time she would land a blow or block one of his attacks he felt like running up and giving her a big huge for a job well done. Of course he controlled himself and made sure he didnt do that, instead he just congratulated her and got back into his fighting stance to prepare for another round. Naruto looked out over his would be students and put his thoughts in order to begin their training for the night. They had 4 hours ahead of them and he was going to make use of every minute of it. Well lets get started shall we. First lets talk about the techniques that Im going to teach you and how they are going to work together. Said Naruto as he smiled brightly. Sasuke Im going to teach you a fire technique since youre so used to them anyways. Its called Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile. This technique is far superior to any of your previous flame techniques that youve learned because you control its movements. In other words its not stuck in a static path. However the downside is that this bitch just eats up your chakra the more you control it. In order to maintain its movements you have to continue blowing fire into its tail which allows you to control it with your chakra. Obviously continually pumping your chakra into an attack of this level is draining. Said Naruto as he continued to smile. Sakura Im going to teach you a healing technique called Mystical Palm Technique. Now Im going to start by teaching you the first half of this technique as I dont know enough about it to teach you the second half. The first half allows you to heal wounds and perform surgery. Of course I do not know enough to teach you how to use it to perform surgery but I can teach you how to use it to heal cuts and other types of surface wounds. I know this is supposed to be combat training but frankly youre better suited as a medic nin with your incredible chakra control. That doesnt mean you cant fight but in the short time we have to train and the likelihood that we will need a medic on this mission, its best that you learn this. Said Naruto as he turned to Hinata. Hinata, Im going to teach you a wind jutsu called Blade of Wind. With your close range attack style it will suit you perfectly. This jutsu will allow you to create a sword out of tightly compacted, and highly volatile winds that are rotating at a ridiculous rate. Nothing can break it since its not a solid object but it can break practically anything. Its hard to control and requires a lot of chakra control and it eats up your chakra pretty fast as well but if you find yourself in a position where you cant seem to land a blow with your gentle fist technique, you should be able to slice and dice the little bastards as an alternative. Next Naruto turned to Kiba. Kiba, Im going to teach you a Wind technique called Decapitating Winds. Its the weaker version of the move you saw Hinata use on me in our sparring match a while back. You know the one I got my ass kicked in. It doesnt use a lot of chakra so it should be great for you but its hard to control and it takes out anything in its path so make damn sure one of your teammates isnt in the way when you use it. once

you have mastered this I might teach you the more impressive version of this technique. Said Naruto as he laughed at the look on Kibas face. Finally Naruto turned to Shino. Shino to be honest I wasnt sure what technique to teach you. You seem to prefer long range attacks so what I finally decided on was a long range earth attack jutsu. The jutsus called Earth Release: Split Earth. Essentially your able to control the earth to cause it to break apart and ultimately burying your enemy alive or crushing them to death. Like a lot of the other techniques I mentioned this one requires a fair bit of chakra to use and its hard to control. And with that Naruto finished his introductions. Naruto took a moment to catch his breath and look around at his teammates as they took in his words. He was pleased to see that they looked eager at least to learn what he had to teach them which were a good thing. The techniques he was going to teach them would work wonders for them as a team as long as they worked together. And ultimately if he was able to teach them the chakra transfer jutsu that he had taught Hinata before they left the village then they would be able to use those jutsus along with any others he taught them without having to worry about chakra. Granted he didnt have limitless amount of chakra but he had close enough. In some of the more serious battle that would likely come in the future it could be the difference between life and death for his teammates. Naruto quickly raced through some very familiar hand seals before using his trademark jutsu. In moments there were 5 Kage Bushin surrounding the original. Naruto smiled at the surprised look on his teammates faces as they tried to figure out what he was doing. So since I cant exactly teach you all your techniques at the same time by myself Im going to use my clones to help. Each has all the knowledge that I do and all the skill. They will work with you while I work with Hinata and at the same time Hinata will take some time with each of you while I train her to help you with the seals and chakra molding by watching with her Byakugan. Naruto quickly instructed his clones on what each was to do before facing back to his teammates. He looked at each of them for a short moment and then nodded in approval. Well lets get this show on the road. And with that they began to break off into pairs to practice their training. Each pair with one member of Team 7 and one clone. Naruto smirked briefly before turning to Hinata. Shall we? asked Naruto as he extended his hand while bowing slightly. Hinata giggled softly. lets go Naruto-kun and with that they walked a little ways from the rest of the group so they could practice her jutsu.

Chapter Nine: Another Step Forward Naruto was lost deep in his own thoughts as he lay on the ground, resting against a tree. They had just finished their first evening training session less then an hour ago and he had decided to stay behind to try and organize his thoughts and think out his next move. Time seemed to be against him in everything he was trying to do. Naruto found himself wondering yet again if he would truly be able to stop the disasters that awaited his village and friends in the not so distant future. Hinata rested beside him, laying her head against his shoulder as they stared up into the stars. She had grown rather close to Naruto over the past month or so and while part of

her wanted to be closer still she understood his reasoning behind taking it slow. It was a well known fact that women matured quicker then men and while Hinata was just coming into puberty Naruto still had another year or two before he experienced the same thing. It would just not be appropriate for them to be anything more then good friends at this point. That did not however dim her spirits in any way. She knew from talking with Naruto that his feelings for her were strong and that when the time came that they were both a little older that their relationship would grow as well. it was all just a matter of time now verses a matter of chance. Hinata imagined that this must be much harder on Naruto then he let on and even harder then it was on her. He had 10 years of pent up feelings for her and he genuinely seemed to want to be with her but he also wanted to follow the social rules that were present in Konoha and the rest of the world. Despite his desires he was committed to waiting until they were a little older before engaging in any type of more intimate relationship. Hinata was still very happy despite all of these thoughts. Even if their relationship was not intimate in nature, Naruto was still her boyfriend and she was his girlfriend. She had been waiting half her life for this and the last month had been the happiest days of her life. Hinata looked over at Naruto quickly for about the 9th time in the past hour. She had been stealing glances at her hearts desire constantly since the beginning of their training session tonight. She would smile and blush brightly whenever her lavender eyes met his ocean blue. Hinata had noticed that he had been getting more and more anxious throughout the day and wondered what was bothering him. They had done amazing in their training of their teammates. The results were beyond what they had hoped for. Something was on his mind and once again she found herself wondering what troubles he still hid from her. Hinata stole one last glance and decided it was time she talk to him and try and bring him out of his shell. So things went well today didnt they Naruto-kun? asked Hinata as she stared at her love. Naruto looked towards Hinata and smiled weakly making it obvious that he was not fully paying attention to her. He was still lost in his thoughts. Yes they made good progress. Although this was the easy part. The next day or two will tell if they are going to be able to complete the techniques in time to be useful to us in the upcoming battles and not just a hindrance. Said Naruto as he looked back towards the stars. Hinata frowned as he turned away from her. He was hiding his thoughts and she hated it when he did that. What do you think of their individual progress? asked Hinata as if she had not heard him mention their progress in that area. Naruto turned back towards Hinata and smiled brightly. He could tell what she was trying to do. She knew him to well to miss the way he was staring off into space as if something was bothering him. He just hoped she would leave it alone. He wasnt really interested in talking about it right now. Well Sasuke made a lot of progress with the Fire Dragon technique that I was showing him. His family background in flame jutsus has made it a lot easier for him then I had thought. He pretty much has the seals down solid and he seems to almost have the chakra molding figured out as well. I imagine he will be testing it out in a day or so. Although the real challenge will come with him trying to control it. That is when the hard part comes in and none of his previous jutsus have had that type of control property to it. Still I am hopeful that he will have a pretty strong handle on it by the end of the week. Said

Naruto. He looked at Hinata and realizing she was not going to let him off the hock he figured he would continue. It was better then talking about what was troubling him. Your progress was the best of everybodys. Obviously since we have been training for so long, you have gotten used to my style and are able to pick things up a lot easier. That and your really smart of course. Says Naruto trying to earn some brownie points. You already have a strong handle on how to rotate the wind at high speeds and your ability to mold your chakra to force the wind to contract tightly so that it becomes similar to a blade has come along nicely today. Id say youll have the jutsu down by the end of the week if not sooner. Naruto took a deep breath before continuing. Sakura seemed to be having a little trouble with the healing jutsu I was teaching her early on in our session but by the end she had pretty much gotten over the hurdle that was holding her back. Her amazing chakra control is aiding her a lot and I honestly dont think she will have any problems once she fully understands the principals behind the jutsu and how it is meant to work. If she keeps it up she should be able to have it at an acceptable level before we meet with Zabuza although there is a great deal that I cant teach her. said Naruto. Shino and Kiba both seem to be having some troubles with their techniques and I am honestly worried that they will not progress far enough. If this is any indication of their speed of progression then they will be having a lot of problems when we run into Zabuza and his group of merry thugs. And with that Naruto sighed before looking back up towards the stars. Hinatas frown deepened as she realized that he had stopped talking again and was not going to openly tell her what the problem was without her coming out and asking. She reached up and ran her hand through his messy golden locks causing him to jump slightly before turning back towards her and looking deep into her eyes. Naruto let out a soft sigh of content as Hinata slowly massaged his scalp. Whats wrong Naruto-kun? You seem so down. Please tell me whats bothering you. I hate it when you keep secrets from me and it hurts to see you upset like this. Said Hinata with a pleading tone in her voice. Naruto cursed his luck; he really didnt want to hide anything from her but at the same time he didnt want to bother her with his worries. He turned and resigned himself to his fate. She was not going to let this go so he might as well face the music and just come out with it. Hinata-chan Im concerned. Thats what the problem is. Their progress may be good but its not good enough. I mean I knew going into this that their chances of succeeding with these jutsus in the time we had were not very impressive but I had hopped that they would by some miracle pull it off. But now I am almost certain that they will not be able to use them effectively when the fight with Zabuza comes. Which means they are sitting ducks. Said Naruto while rubbing the back of his neck. out of the 8 of us that will be involved in this fight only 4 of us are skilled enough to hold our own against these guys and even then I am concerned about you going up against the likes of Zabuza and Haku. Even with the skills I have though you, they still outclass you. As far as our jonin senseis go, they can handle themselves but as it stands right now they have no idea that we will be running into them. They are on their guard now because of the last attack but they still are not prepared for a pair of S-Class ninja to

be starting a fight with us. They will try to protect the 6 of us while fighting and that type of action can get them killed in this battle. Whats more is its likely to be more then just the two of them coming for us. And you can be sure that at some point during the fight their attention will turn towards us genin, at which point I may very well have to show my true abilities in order to keep us from getting killed. And if that was not bad enough, with the way things are right now I have absolutely no idea how we are going to be able to bring Haku and Zabuza over to our side. Everything is against us Hinata-chan. That is what my problem is. finished Naruto who was breathing heavily now. it would have been obvious to anybody that could see them that he was extremely anxious about this whole situation and as a result his mask of calm and tranquility that he usually wore was nothing more then a pile oh dust at his feet. Naruto looked over at Hinata and what she saw scared her more then she thought she ever could be. Naruto had the look of a lost child on his face. He was supposed to be insanely powerful, everything she knew about him told her that he never gave up, he was always confident in his success and he was never afraid. But now all of those things lay at their feet and all she saw in his eyes was fear, worry, and a sense overwhelming confusion. Hinata was shocked. She realized that he was worrying about something but she did not expect him to break down like this. She couldnt even begin to understand how much pain his must be in with all the memories haunting him of what he considered his failures in the past. All of his friends dieing around him. It must have been so hard on him and yet he almost never talked about it. It was eating him up inside and it showed at times like this. Hinata leaned over and gave Naruto a hug, holding him close. She realized of course that these feelings were not for himself but his friends. He was not afraid for his life, he was afraid for the lives of his friends, his precious people. He was afraid that he would fail them when they needed him most and that it would result in an even grater failure which would ensure the loss of everything he knew. That was what he was afraid of, that was what he was worried about. And the confusion, the confusion was simple. He was just unsure of what he should do. She had always known him to be decisive in his actions; he always knew what he was doing. He may not have always had a plan but he always moved forward and never looked back. For the first time in his life he was genuinely unsure of what to do and confused about what he could do and that scared him. Doing nothing was just as good as accepting failure and yet if you do not know what to do then how can you move forward. For the first time in her life she decided to take things into her own hands. It was her chance to be a guiding light for him instead of the other way around. If he wasnt sure what to do then she would show him the way and together they would see each other through this mess. Hinata pulled back slightly and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders, shaking him roughly to snap him out of his thoughts before speaking. Naruto-kun Your not alone in this fight, you have to let others help you or we will never succeed. Trust in your friends and they may very well surprise you. Even if they cant master these jutsus they will fight hard to ensure that we succeed and they wont die as easily as you think. Naruto seemed to perk up a bit at her words. She was right of course. They may be jonin but they were still Konoha ninja and they would not give up. They would fight with every

ounce of their strength until they felt they could not go any more and then they would go for another round. He was once again snapped out of his thoughts by her words. From what you told me Haku and Zabuza are no push overs. Killing them was one thing, talking them into coming over to our side while trying to keep them from killing us is going to be a whole other matter. But you also said that you encountered them twice in your last mission. So dont try and convince them during the first battle. Instead beat them into the ground and make them see what Konoha Ninja are really capable of. Then before they retreat we make our offer. Keep in mind Naruto-kun that you said you know where Haku will be after the battle when we reach town. You can take that chance to convince him discretely about the benefits of coming to Konoha. Naruto-kun. You dont need to worry about the rest of us. We are all ninja and we know the risks. You need to trust that we will not let you or the village down. But more then that I know that you will watch out for us. You are a great ninja and you have 10 years of experience more then anybody would think that you had. Its a huge advantage to you in our upcoming battles. Everybody will underestimate you and since nobody was around to tell our enemies about what you did to the last ninjas we fought, our enemies will not know what to expect. They will think youre just a genin like the rest of us even though you have the skill of an Anbu captain. We can do this Naruto-kun, you just need to trust that we will all do our part and allow us to show you our ninja way. And with that Hinata pulled Naruto back to her and continued to hold him tight while waiting for his response. Naruto stared wide eyed at the actions of the once shy girl that he knew. You are truly becoming a woman of great strength Hinata-chan. I am so proud of you, I will never understand how your father could ever call you weak. You said you wanted to be more like me. My only response to that is your already there. You have all the confidence and strength you need Hinata-chan, you just dont realize it yet. Thought Naruto. Your right hina-chan, I need to trust that we will all pull our own weight and that in the end it will be us standing on top. What would I ever do without you? teased Naruto. Hinata blushed at the obvious comment before pulling away from Naruto and smiling brightly at him. Naruto smiled back and got to his feet. He still had his concerns but for now he had his wits back and was ready to call it a night. He needed his rest if he was going to maintain this schedule and stay sharp enough to be able to look out for his friends. He looked down at Hinata. Putting out his hand he said. Shall we go?. Hinata smiled shyly at Naruto, blushing gracefully and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet and into his arms. Naruto started to walk back to camp with his arm around Hinatas shoulder, talking happily about nothing in particular. Just enjoying her company. It was the 4th day of their training together and once again Naruto found himself sitting under yet another tree staring up at the stars with Hinata sitting next to him. There was however one major difference now compared to there earlier encounter several days ago. Naruto was practically freaking out. Of course on the outside he was cool as ice, he was trying his best to keep up appearances until he determined what to do about this new problem. He had woke up early this morning before his and Hinatas watch and decided

that he would go for a walk. He had masked his chakra and left behind a Kage bushin to be sure that nobody noticed he was gone. That was not what was bugging him now though, what was bugging him is what he had discovered on his little walk. He had been walking around trying to sort his thoughts and just genuinely trying to get his plans in order for what was to come in a few days when he sensed a chakra signature that he didnt recognize. His training immediately kicked in and he took off in the direction he had sensed it. he approached the location with stealth, being sure to watch his surroundings and almost jumped into the middle of an enemy camp. He had in fact landed in a tree with one of their sentries and had barely managed to avoid detection. He had observed them for nearly 30 minutes, listening in on their conversations and gaining valuable intelligence on what they were planning. Now you would think that he would be excited about this, after all he now knew exactly what to expect. Well sure he was happy that he knew but that did not change the fact that there was no way his team would survive unless he tipped them off about the ambush. There had been 14 ninja in their group spread out over nearly a mile of land in various hidden camps. They had obviously been following them for a day or two and that in it self worried him because he had not sensed them until now and even then he had barely sensed them. He was nearly certain that the rest of his team including his senseis were oblivious to them. As far as he could tell the ninja were varying levels from chuunin to jonin and they were all obviously well training in stealth. Naruto knew he would have to thin out their ranks if they were going to succeed. The best choice was to make a preemptive strike on them and wipe them out. The only way to do that would be to inform Kurenai and Kakashi and have the 3 of them with possibly Hinata make an assault on them. Of course in order to do that they would need to know how he knew about them and the end result of that conversation would almost certainly be him revealing his secret to the two jonin. One thing confused him though. Why the large force. He knew that Gato wanted to stop the bridge from being built but he didnt think he would go this far, or that he had this kind of fire power. Sure he had lots of thugs at his disposal but these guys were trained, highly trained ninja. Were they employed by Zabuza through Gato? No that wouldnt make sense. Zabuza was to full of himself to bring in this kind of backup when going against 2 teams of genin. He would be the type of person to go against them with just Haku and maybe one or two more ninja. Gato must really have been serious about this whole destroying the bridge thing if he was willing to spend the kind of money needed to hire this kind of heat. Well regardless of whom they worked for he did know they were working with Zabuza. He had learned that Zabuza and Haku were waiting 3 days ahead at the very lake they had fought before. The plan was a fairly simple one. Zabuza and Haku would engage the jonin and once they were busy with their own fights the ninja following that had been following them would attack from behind and wipe out the genin and the bridge builder. It was the worst case scenario. They would not survive such a scenario and that was why he felt like he was having a mental breakdown right now. He was trying desperately to determine how to deal with this situation and he kept coming back to the same answer time and time again. He had to tell Kurenai and Kakashi and prey that they supported him

without divulging the information he gave them to the Hokage or anybody else. To top everything off their training had not been going as well as he had thought it would. Other then Hinata the whole team had pretty much hit a brick wall on the second day and had been struggling with the jutsus ever since. They had all manage to produce low level versions of the defensive skills he had been showing them but nothing even close to being able to stand up to the attacks these ninja would through at them, as far as the attack jutsus went, they all had their own problems. The only one even remotely close to mastering theirs was Sasuke and as it was he was practically putting himself in the ground with the amount of chakra he was wasting while trying to control it. He may have got it to work but in a battle it would be the end of him because of his chakra use. Hinata at least had everything solid; she would be fine, he was fairly certain of that. And so Naruto found himself staring up at the stars as he had been for nearly the past hour trying desperately to figure out what to do and trying to keep his cool at the same time. He had already informed Hinata of what was to come and everything that he knew about the ambush to come. Naruto had already convinced himself that if things got bad during the battle that he would use his true strength to crush the opposition even if it meant revealing himself to his teammates. It was better then loosing his friends. He only hoped it didnt come to that, if it did then he was almost certain that the news would get out and that would be disastrous. Naruto jumped slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder but relaxed as he realized that it was just Hinata. She had been worrying about him all day as he had been getting more worked up. He smiled to Hinata and gave her a quick hug before standing up and offering her his hand. They walked quietly back to camp hand in hand while Naruto made up his mind about what to do. As they reached camp he finally made his choice and turned to Hinata. Lets get some sleep Hina-chan. Our shift is last watch tonight and we need to be on our guard from now on even more so then we are now. said Naruto. Hinata smiled and then nodded. Okay Naruto-kun. And with that they walked into their tent and proceeded to fall to sleep. Well at least Hinata did. Naruto on the other hand had already made up his mind to talk with his senseis. They needed to know what was coming and he wanted to talk to them by himself. He laid quietly for about and hour until he was positive that Hinata was fast asleep and then he got out of his sleeping bag and headed outside to talk to Kakashi and Kurenai while they were on watch so that nobody would disturb them. Kakashi sat in the branches of a large tree on the outskirts of their camp reading his copy of Ichi Ichi paradise while Kurenai sat in the opposite tree glaring daggers at him for his perverted nature. She could not stand perverts and it was a well known fact that Kakashi was one of the biggest perverts in all of Konoha. She continued to glare at him until she was suddenly startled out of her thoughts by a voice behind her. Hes quite the pervert isnt he said the voice before moving out of the way of the kunai that imbedded into the tree behind him a second later. Kurenai spun around and found Naruto standing on the ground with his arms folded, his eyes closed, and a smirk on his face. Youre a little on the slow side Kurenai-sensei dont you think? mocked Naruto Kurenai closed her fist tightly and clenched her teeth. Who the hell did this kid think he

was to mock her like that. How the hell did he sneak up on them? Naruto what the hell are you doing out of your tent. Its not your watch yet, get to bed. Said Kurenai. Naruto laughed and shook his head. Kurenai instantly stiffened as she heard the voice come from behind her again as Naruto blinked out of existence. I think its time we have a little talk Sensei whispered Naruto before reappearing on the ground, this time leaning up against a tree between the two trees his senseis occupied. Both jonin stared in shock. How the hell had he traveled so fast. The only technique that allowed speed of that extent was the Hiraishin no Jutsu, but only the Forth Hokage knew that technique, how could he possibly have learned it. And yet it didnt seem to be quite the same. Kakashi could not quite put his finger on it but he had seen the Forths prized jutsu in action and it had been different. Not much different but still different. This seemed inferior somehow but he didnt know how. Regardless the fact still remained that it had to be a offshoot of the forths jutsu and there was no way that a genin could learn such a jutsu, let alone the dead last of the academy. It just didnt make any sense. Naruto looked at both his senseis out of the corner of his eyes and chuckled to himself. That had gotten their attention. Both of them would be sure to know what technique he had used and they would have to listen to him now, at least to some extent. And he would not have to deal with them looking down on him while he was trying to explain the situation to them. Well are you two going to get out of those damn trees and talk to me or are you just going to sit their looking at me like a bunch of idiots. Joked Naruto. Kakashi put away his book at removed his headband from his eye revealing the Sharingan. How did you learn that technique Naruto, and how did you learn to sneak up on us like that? asked Kakashi in a stern voice. Naruto shook his head. Thats not important right now, what is Naruto never finished his technique however as Kurenai cut him off. No, it is important right now Naruto, answer our questions. How did a Genin learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu and learn to mask his chakra so well that not even a pair of highly trained jonin could detect it. Naruto clenched his teeth. He did not have time for their bullshit. I do not have time for your crap right now, either get your asses down here and talk to me or I will personally beat you both into submission and tie you up so that we can have this little chat. When were done talking you will have all the answers you need, so shut the fuck up and get down here. snapped Naruto. The last few days had been hell for him and he was sick of being looked down on. These two were going to listen or he was going to make them listen. Once again Kurenai and Kakashi found themselves staring in shock at their student. It was easy to tell that he was being series and the killer intent that escaped him for the briefest of moments was incredibly strong. Now Naruto will probably never know why they finally agreed to come down and talk to him but its a fairly safe bet that at the time it was because they feared that the nine tails was breaking free and were afraid of provoking the beast but regardless of what the reason was the end result was the same. Within seconds of letting off his burst of killer intent to show them that he was being serious they both landed on the ground a few feet away in what could be considered a very loose fighting stance. Meaning that while they were not actually in a fight stance they were clearly on edge and prepared to fight if needed.

Naruto looked over his new senseis and was struck with how different they truly were now compared to how they were years in the future during the war. The war had changed them greatly like he had changed most of those it touched and he was once again struck with the realization that he had to much to protect to stop now. So he took and deep breath, stealing himself for the hours to come and then began. What I am about to tell you is to stay between the 3 of us unless I give express permission otherwise. The information I am about to pass on to you effects the very fate of Konoha and every person living within her walls not to mention the lives of our allies. We have 1 chance and 1 chance only to stop what is to come and that chance will be lost if this information falls into the wrong hands. In fact it could very well make things worse. At the mention of the fate of Konoha both jonin stiffened and gave their full attention to the young ninja in front of them. Neither understood what was going on but they were both fairly certain that if they listened to what Naruto had to say that they would get the details and at that point they could determine the next course of action. I am being serious when I say that this information must stay between us. That means that not even the Hokage can find out until I deem it safe to tell him. And so that you both know, I will protect this information with my life and yours. If you try to betray my trust I will kill you without a second though. Do not think for a second that I am incapable of it either. Neither of you have any idea of what I am capable of and I will not let your ignorance ruin the only chance I have to prevent the death and destruction of everything I hold dear. Said Naruto. Kakashi and Kurenai were taken aback by Narutos suddenly aggressive and heartless attitude. It was so unlike him and yet they really didnt know him to begin with. He was acting more like a experience ninja with a mission then the genin he was and everything about him right now screamed authority and superiority. It was very disconcerting for the two jonin. Naruto smiled slightly before continuing. Now that we have that out of the way allow me to enlighten you on the current situation that we find ourselves in. and for the sake of time, please do not interrupt me. We can discuss your questions when I am done. The situation is like this. During the next chuunin exams Konoha will be attacked by the Hidden village of Sound and the Hidden village of Sand. The attack will be lead by our very own S-class missing ninja, a certain Sannin that we are all familiar with. Orochimaru will have by that time if he hasnt already infiltrated the Village of Sand and assassinated the Kazekage and replaced him without the village knowing. The same is to be said about his personal guard. Without any intervention from us the Sound will fail in their attack and the sand will be beat back. at the end of the conflict the sand will join us again as allies after realizing that their Kage was a fake but the damage will have already been done. The Hokage will be killed during the attack and nearly half our ninja will die with him. The village will be seriously damaged and the people will be scared. Over the next few years Konoha will try to rebuild with the help of Tsunade and Jiraiya but in the end before we are able to rebuild our strength the Sound will attack us again and we will be drawn into a war. For 7 years we will fight a loosing battle until finally Konoha will be destroyed and every last

ninja that stayed behind will die. Naruto paused briefly for this to all sink in before he continued and to get a feeling for how they were taking this information. The jonin were not exactly taking it very well. Kakashi was trying to determine weather he thought this was a huge joke and a sick one at that or if Naruto somehow was telling the truth. Kurenai on the other hand was just shocked beyond words and did not know what to think. In the end Kurenai was the one to speak first. H-how do you know all of this Naruto? The change in the mood was almost instant and both Jonin immediately knew that Naruto was telling the truth. Narutos expression changed from one of power and superiority to one of sorrow and loss, to that of a warrior who has experienced years of hell and watched everything he knew slip away. Both jonin had been involved in the previous war to different degrees and they both immediately recognized the look on the boys face. It was a look that only war could give you. I know because I was there the first time and was unable to stop it. I watched as my friends, my family, and my home was destroyed by a monster and nobody could do anything to stop him. I watched as we were slowly driven farther and farther into Konoha as the sound began to occupy our wonderful village and I watched as brave warriors fought along side me and my friends in a vain effort to regain our homes until finally I was the only one left. In the final attack I watched as all my remaining family and friends were killed including the fifth Hokage and when it was all said and done I was left with only one option. Return to the past and stop that war from ever happening. I will do everything in my power to avoid watching that horror again. And its as simple as that. If this is all true Naruto then we must inform the Hokage at once. Began Kakashi but was cut off by a kunai being placed at his neck. What did I tell you about telling others Kakashi? You will keep this to yourself or I will end your life here. Konoha has spies within its mists. We must deal with them first before we do anything else or the sound will learn of our plans and may advance the invasion. It was a close call the first time around at the chuunin exams. It could have just as easily gone the other way and then we would have lost then and there. And if they know that we know they will come in larger numbers, of that you can be sure. They will throw their whole weight at us and try and crush us in one fowl swoop. We must play our cards carefully and ensure that it is the leaf that wins and NOT THE SOUND. Said Naruto as he returned to his place at the tree he was leaning against. Kurenai was the next to speak up as Kakashi was still to shocked to speak again. Naruto, how did you get back in time and if you did come from the future, why do you look like your 12 years old. Naruto sighed. I used a forbidden jutsu that has been practically lost for hundreds of years. Only a small amount of information is available on it and none of that information is within Konoha. I personally learned about it from Kyuubi and before you two go freaking out relax. I am in control. But over the years I have built a relationship with the stupid fox. We have been through a lot together and I have learned to tap into his immense power almost completely at will which is a good thing because the damn jutsu took a shit load out of me. Even with my power It almost killed me. As far as the age thing, the jutsu works by merging the future and pass selves together to

create something more. My soul is stuck into the body of my past self. The result is that I look like Im 12 but I have all my skills and experience and I also have all my chakra from the future plus my chakra from the present which in itself was a problem seeing as I did not have the space to store such power. Which is what this seal is for. said Naruto as the rolled back his sleeve on his right arm and pushed chakra into his arm revealing a incredibly intricate seal which Kakashi could tell was partially demonic in nature. This seal stores all my excess chakra along with the Kyuubis excess chakra so that I do not explode from chakra overload. As a result I have nearly limitless amounts of chakra. In the event I really need it I can open the seal and gain access to the sealed portion of my chakra which is nearly double what isnt sealed. Naruto released the chakra from his arm and rolled down his sleeve again before continuing. Now that we have dealt with that its time to deal with more pressing issues. We can worry about the invasion when we return to Konoha. For now we have several key issues to deal with if we hope to even make it home to Konoha. The first of which is dealing with the 14 ninja that have been following us for the past day or two that are planning on ambushing us in a few days time. said Naruto in a calm voice. Both Kakashi and Kurenai nearly had a heart attack on the spot, they hadnt sensed anything of the sort, what the hell was Naruto talking about. Naruto what are you talking about, I havent sensed anybody. Said Kakashi as he stepped forward closer to Naruto. Sensei they are there, they are highly skilled in the art of stealth and that is why you have not sensed them. They are waiting for us to run into two other opponents farther up the road at which point they intend to ambush us. I came across their camp late last night after sneaking out for a walk to think. I had barely sensed the chakra signature of another ninja and when I went to investigate I came across their camps. I was able to gather enough information to determine their ranks and numbers as well as their purpose but none of that matters. What does matter is that if we do not stop them before they ambush us we are all as good as dead. The 3 of us will not be able to protect the rest of the genin, we may be able to escape, and even possibly Hinata but the rest would die for sure. Our only hope is to take them by surprise and slaughter them before they can react. Said Naruto as he stared intently at the two jonins in front of him. Realizing that both of them were still thinking about what was said Naruto decided to lay out his plan for the attack. My plan is simple; we go in as 2 teams. Hinata and I are team 1 while you and Kurenai are team 2. I go in solo first to take out their 4 sentries quickly and quietly seeing as how I am the only one the can ensure that they will not detect me and that they will not be able to react quick enough to save themselves. As soon as the Sentries are dealt with Hinata will meet up with me at their western most camp while you and Kurenai will go to their eastern most camp. When I scouted previously they had 2 ninja at each of the 2 outermost camps, 4 sentries and 3 ninja in each of the 2 inner most camps. One of two things will happen. The first is that we will take them by surprise again and will be able to kill them before they can alert anybody leaving the inner camps completely unaware of our presence or they are able to call for help at which point they will be forced to split their forces in some manner to deal with the issue. Regardless of what happens no one must escape. They must not be allowed to inform the party ahead of us.

Kakashi once again found himself surprised by the young ninja in front of him. He clearly had this thought out and everything he said made sense. It was a strong and sturdy strategy and it was true that if they caught them by surprise that their 4 man strike team would be able to tear apart their forces before they even had time to mount a defense or offence for that matter. When do you propose that we make this strike Naruto. Asked Kurenai before Kakashi could ask the same questions. The best choice would be tomorrow night after we make camp. You should take first watch like you usually do and have Sasuke and Sakura take second watch. When you two get off watch you should meet us at the rendezvous point by which time I will have taken care of the sentries and we will proceed with the plan. Sasuke will most likely sense our chakra signatures once we engage in battle and he will rouse the others. if they follow their training they will stay behind while Shino uses his bugs to scout ahead and check on us. Thats our best choice. Now if you will excuse me I should really get back to my tent. I need to get some rest if we are to succeed in our operation tomorrow and I imagine that Hinata-chan will begin to miss me if I dont get back soon. She has an interesting habit of cuddling up to me while she sleeps. My bushin wont likely last long if she tries to latch onto it. said Naruto with a smile on his face. And with that he disappeared. The pair stood still staring at the spot where Naruto had stood a moment earlier until finally Kurenai spoke. Kakashi what do you make of all of this. I mean this just seems a little out there to me but at the same time, he does have the Kyuubi within him. He would have the power to pull of that kind of jutsu if it really did exist and there is no denying that he knows a very powerful and very unique jutsu that only the Forth Hokage was known to of used. I just dont know what to think. If even a portion of what he says is true we are in so much trouble I dont want to think about whats going to happen. Can you even imagine? Konoha falling to that bastard Orochimaru and the Sound. But the worst part is its exactly the type of thing that he would do. he has hated Konoha for years, ever since the Third passed him over for the position of Hokage. It would certainly be something he would do and you cant deny that he is capable of doing such a thing. Kakashi stared at the spot Naruto had been for a moment longer until he turned his attention to Kurenai. He had heard everything she said and the truth was he was in the same boat as her. he was just as confused about this whole situation but at the same time he could find no other explanation for what Naruto had said. And there was of course the seal on his arm and the look in his eyes when he began talking about his experiences in the past. He knew that look. It was not something that could be faked and he was positive that Naruto was genuine in his sense of loss. Kakashi knew that look because he had dealt with it almost every day of his life after his teammates death. As far as I can tell Kurenai he was telling the truth. It explains a lot actually if you think about it. The sudden change in style, skill, and attitude starting the day of the team assignments. The way he was reported acting that morning when he saw the rest of the genin. The way he was able to so easily beat us during the survival test and the sudden increase of skill and confidence in Hinata who has been training constantly with Naruto. I mean this is Naruto were talking about, you said yourself that he never paid any attention to Hinata and then suddenly he just accepts her and they have been inseparable since then not to mention he told her his secret about the Kyuubi. The very day that they

got together. Those are too many coincidences. It all makes sense if we take what he said to be true. Do that and everything falls into place. Kurenai thought on that for a moment before finally agreeing. They continued to discuss the issues at hand for the rest of their watch before retiring for the night to get some sleep like Naruto had suggested. He was right after all. They would have to be well rested if they were to succeed. Kakashi made a mental note to cancel the teams training for tomorrow; he couldnt have Naruto and Hinata tiring themselves out with training if they were going to be fighting a battle against superior numbers in the evening. Things had progressed pretty much how Naruto thought they would from the moment he left his senseis and the following evening. He had returned to his tent to find his bushin gone as he had expected and Hinata lying close to his sleeping bag. She had instantly wrapped her arm around him after he lay down on his bag and had pulled herself close to him before resting her head on his chest and settling into a more restful state of sleep to which he followed shortly after. The following morning Naruto had awoken to Hinata sitting up with a huge blush on her face as was usual when she woke first and realized how close she was to her dream boy. Naruto was however surprised that they had not been awoken for watch. During breakfast they found out that Kurenai and Kakashi had taken their shift saying that they felt they needed more rest after all the intense training they had been doing. Kakashi had announced that the days training would be cancelled so that they could all rest and then they had packed up and left. The rest of the day went as usual; they stopped for lunch, rested a few times for the bridge builder and then setup camp at dinner time. it had all been fairly routine and nobody had expected a thing was going on. Naruto had pulled Hinata aside to inform her of the plan during their journey that day and they were both pulled away from the group by Kurenai and Kakashi that night under the guise of discussing a new training regiment. The remainder of the night went by quickly and without incident and so now Naruto found himself out on the edge of the perimeter of their pursuers camping area while Hinata held back and their senseis finished up their watch. Naruto slowly approached the first sentry as he had the night he found them. Just like that night, he was able to get into the same tree as the sentry only this time he carefully climbed down the tree and slipped around the trunk of the tree until he was directly behind the guard. The last thing the Sentry saw was the edge of a kunai slid across his neck before he died. Naruto Grabbed the body and carried it away to ensure that nobody happened upon it by chance before turning around and finishing off the other 3 sentries in much the same fashion. In less then 10 minutes he returned to the rendezvous location where Hinata, Kurenai and Kakashi were waiting. Hinata gasped as she caught sight of Naruto. The last sentry had turned around at the last second by chance and as a result he had be sprayed with blood when he slit the guards throat drenching the front of his jump suit in blood and covering his face in a thin spray. Im sorry you had to see this Hinata but you should get used to it. This is what happens

when you kill. Its not usually a clean job. Said Naruto as he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Alright you guys know your jobs. Lets get this show on the road. Said Kakashi as he and Kurenai jumped away through the trees in the direction of their target. Naruto looked at Hinata who nodded her head in agreement of the unspoken question and then they were off as well. Naruto looked over at Hinata as they approached their destination and whispered softly as to not attract attention. Be sure to keep your chakra masked as much as possible. Were going to wait for Kakashi and Kurenai to make their move. As soon as they do our opponents should drop their guard to us as they focus on the new chakra signatures at their far camp and when that happens we take them out quickly and with as little chakra as possible. The goal is to kill them without alerting the others to our presence. If it works then we will be able to sneak up on the next camp without them even knowing were there. Hinata nodded and they continued for another minute or so before landing in complete silence less then 50 feet from their objective. They didnt have to wait long for the fun to begin as they almost immediately sensed the battle beginning off in the distance. Naruto vaguely sensed several of the enemy ninja in the inner camps moving to provide support. He smiled and tapped Hinata on the shoulder to give her the go signal. For the 5th time that night Naruto eliminated an enemy ninja without his prey even knowing he was there. Using the forths signature technique he appeared behind the ninja, wrapping his hand around the persons mouth and ramming his Kunai through the mans chest before he could even make a sound. It was a move he had perfected during the war and he used it often. The second ninja spun around when he heard the body of his comrade hit the ground but before he could say a word Hinata was on him. 3 quick strikes from her family technique to vital organs throughout the body and the man dropped to the ground dead. She had used the technique flawlessly and with very little chakra output resulting in an almost non-existent chakra signature being produced. Naruto was fairly confident that if the enemy did sense it that they would have passed it off as their comrades coming to join the fight. It was to small to really sense who it belonged to. Hinata looked over at Naruto after the deed was done and smiled brightly when she saw his face light up with respect and pride for her. She had done her job perfectly and he was proud of her. That was a feeling that she enjoyed. Nobody had ever been proud of her except for Naruto. Her family had always thought of her as a failure but she had just proved them all wrong and it was all because Naruto believed in her and gave her a strength that she didnt think she had before. Naruto removed the bodies quickly with Hinatas help and then returned to the camp they had just cleared out. They could both sense the battle that Kakashi and Kurenai were involved in and it didnt feel like they were doing to great. Naruto looked over at Hinata and then jumped off into the forest with her hot on his heels. He didnt even need to tell her, she already knew. That was how well they worked together. He smiled to himself again. Hinata we dont have time to be stealthy anymore. We hold back our chakra until we get to the next camp and then we show our presence. Be sure to show them everything you

got. We need to draw their attention even if just for a moment. The sooner we get to the battle the better our chances of success are. Said Naruto as he continued toward on of the inner camps. Hai! Naruto-kun replied Hinata. A moment later they could see the next camp approaching. Naruto took the lead and jumped into the camp alerting the 2 occupants to their presence. It seemed that one of them had left to help out their comrades. That would make their job easier thought Naruto. Naruto charged at the chuunin in front of him with Hinata following close behind. At the last moment he blinked out of existence and reappeared inside of the second chuunins guard. He smirked before slamming his hand forward into the mans chest and yelling out RASENGAN. The ninjas eyes shot open in surprise and pain as the ball of energy ripped through his clothes and began to rip apart his skin before he was sent flying back into the tree behind him, instantly knocking him out. The moment Naruto had shifted Hinata had dropped down low as the chuunin Naruto had been running at threw a kunai followed by a kick, all of which were meant for Naruto. His eyes went wide with confusion when Naruto just simply disappeared and then was full of shock as he heard the yell behind him followed by his comrades scream of pain. Both actions left him unprepared when for Hinata as she began to bombard his body with Gentle Fist strikes. Within moments the chuunin dropped to his knees and keeled over. Hinata stood back up straight and turned around to see Naruto standing over his opponents body with kunai in hand. She watched as he plunged the blade into the chuunins chest before removing it and walking toward her. Hinata we cant leave anybody alive. If they live, theyll inform Zabuza and Haku of whats going on and that means trouble for us. Said Naruto if answering her unspoken question. He knew that she didnt like to keel people without reason, she was still only a genin and killing was always hard for a genin. He remembered his first kill and the effect it had on him. he truly was sorry to have to push this on her but their was no choice. Naruto quickly stood up straight as he sensed pair of chakra signatures coming his way. He and Hinata got into a battle stance and prepared for a fight. A moment later Kiba and Shino jumped out of the trees and landed in front of them. Naruto smiled and shock his head. He should have known they wouldnt stay put. Hows it going guys. Shouldnt you be back at camp sleeping. Teased Naruto. Kiba laughed. Yeah but we figured you would need a hand. After all its not like you can do anything right in the first place. We have disposed of the ninja in the camp to the west of here. He seemed to be by himself and was not a problem to deal with. Sakura and Sasuke have gone to aid our Senseis informed Shino in his normally dry and emotionless tone of voice. Naruto nodded his head making it known that he understood before speaking up. Very well, you two return to camp and watch over the client, you shouldnt have left him in the first place. Take Hinata with you. Ill go on to see if our all powerful senseis could use a hand. Im sure their getting their butts kicked by now. laughed Naruto and with that he blinked out of sight. Naruto reappeared on the edge of the camp where Kakashi and Kurenai were fighting and instantly relaxed. It didnt look like they needed his help after all. it had all been a ploy by the looks of things. Kakashi was leaning against a tree with his stupid book in hand

while Kurenai filed her nails a few feet away. Sakura and Sasuke were standing around with bored looks on their faces which told him that they were never needed in the first place. All in all they had faired fairly well against superior numbers although granted they had probably killed the two ninjas in the camp long before the back ups arrived at which point a 3 on 2 fight would not have been a problem for the famous copy cat ninja and Kurenai. Naruto shook his head and turned around to leave. Well I suppose were done then. You guys can deal with the clean up. Im going back to camp to check on Hinata. Said Naruto as he left the clearing at a slow pace, deciding to travel normally instead of using his jutsu. The next few days passed rather quietly. Naruto was aware that his senseis were keeping a close eye on him and Hinata after learning of both their skill and their knowledge. He wasnt sure weather they truly believe him yet but he was sure that they at least considered it a possibility and as such were not going to let it go without further investigation. Luckily they had chosen to keep their questions to themselves for the time being and had lied to the rest of their team about the reasons for leaving them behind on the raid. The other genin had accepted their explanation or at least mostly accepted although it was obvious to Naruto that they were becoming very suspicious of him and they all seemed to know that he was holding something back. He resolved himself yet again to the fact that it would not be long now before he was forced to reveal the whole truth to his friends and hope that they could handle it. Naruto was fairly sure that they were close to the lake now. he was having a hard time remembering the exact location as it had been so long ago that he had completed this mission but he was sure that they would reach it before long. Less then an hour later he saw the familiar scenery that told him they were only a few minutes away from the lake and he began to prepare himself. As they walked out of the forest as a group and towards the lake a think fog began to roll off the water and surround them. This time Naruto beat Kakashi to the punch and yelled out a warning to the team. Everybody DOWN and with that the group dropped just in time to avoid Zabuzas sword flying overhead and imbedding itself into a tree. Zabuza sneered at the genin and said That was impressive kid, being able to sense my attack at such a young age. To bad Im going to have to kill ya. The names Zabuza. Remember it well. For its the last thing youll ever hear. And with that Zabuza jumped off the sword and landed on the water. Naruto smiled inwardly. It was time to get the games started.