text:
A New Nindo
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto I would be rich, I don't. If I did own it I wouldn't be counting my pennies like the pauper I am. I have begun to borrow jutsus from another author, specifically Tokehgecko who has given me their permission. I will point out which jutsus I borrowed in the author's notes at the end of chapter. For more information on the jutsus I borrowed from the author visit TokehGecko's There Where When is Now, Book series. This story does not reflect the ability of any authors I borrowed from. In other words if my story sucks it's not their fault, it's mine. This version of the Naruto story belongs to me; most of the characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Summary: What if you died? What if it was a mistake? What if you were given a chance to step out of your normal everyday life and become hero? I'd grab the chance. This is my story.
From now on thoughts will be indicated by who said them for example:
Naruto: What time is it?
Sakura: Sasuke-kun.
Sasuke: Annoying.
Author's Notes:
1) Italics include my thoughts as well as other characters' thoughts. Bold is for the Kyuubi's thoughts and Inner Sakura.
2) Haku is a girl!
3) No Yaoi
4) Secret Jutsu list is on my Author's Profile
5) All character bio info is taken from Naurtofan(dot)com.
6) Most Pairings are closed for Voting, only Nejihina is up for votes right now.
Thanks for helping me reach 500+ Reviews.
ClassicDrogn: First thing about the Hyuugas, yeah its eww because its incest but I didn't want to do any stereotypical relationships like NarutoHinata because it's been ran into the ground.
As for Kabuto, he's very complex. Like you said his actions suggest that he would want to foil Orochimaru's plans but later on he does something to contradict it. When Orochimaru is in the shower and in pain from the Shinigami stealing his arms Kabuto asks if he wants him to prepare a body for transfering. He even goes so far as to offer his own body to Orochimaru which seems to contradict his earlier actions with Sasuke. Because of Kabuto's complexity I am having a hard time dealing with him. I like him too as a character, not as much as Itachi but hey we can't all be Uchiha badass prodigies.
For using strategies I can't explain why Kishomoto wanted it that way, but that's why I'm doing a self-insert. Characters will definitely have more strategy involved. Or as strategic as I can get because I am not familiar with any warfare strategies, wish I was cuz it be easier now. This is by no way saying Kishimoto is a bad manga writer. Right now my opinion of Naruto manga has put him in god-like status for me (Top 5).
For the Byakugan I can understand your complaints, I've found a way to fix that. After all Neji's Hakke Kuusho suggests that they do have ranged attacks. It's just that the Hyuuga are famous for close combat. My ideas I want to use for Neji won't come out until after Chuunin Exam, because I feel that Neji should master the current aspects first. So we'll only see him fight close range for now. I will not give out any suggestions as to what I believe the higher echelons of the Hyuuga fighting style is in public.
On a personal note I view taijutsu as superior to ranged attacks. Ranged attacks offer distance but I feel a skilled opponent is more likely to dodge it more easily than a close combat attack. Keep in mind this isn't Dragonballz where you can't evade ranged attacks cuz they can blow up the frickin' planet.
As for Kage Bunshin, my Naruto realizes their importance because like you said he used them in the field test, but he also used it to clean up trash outside of Takigakure. My Naruto doesn't use it too often though because the Kage Bunshin equally divides chakra so 100 percent can become 50. I will try to use it effectively in the future.
Rawrness: I'm sorry if Sasuke seems too evil but people have been complaining about character development so I wanted to show his gradual change. So I can put up reasons for really flaming him if/when the time comes. As for cheating, well I didn't want to use some other ways because they would require Naruto to be a lot stronger so I settled for this one, don't know how you'll feel about it. I also took your advice to heart and decided to put out this chapter as bait (as quickly as possible, I'm actually supposed to be working now) to keep the rabid fans at bay just a little longer.
Kageryu: I'm sorry but I'm not quite sure what you're referring to. Please email me the part you are referring to. If there's a problem in the text I'll fix it.
Jest: Thank you, I'm also proud of the NaruHaku work I've done so far. I don't plan on tearing them apart since other people seem to support this. I also planned to have it like this. Please send donations for the firewood used to flame Sasuke.
Blazer-6: I had thought about giving them fans along time ago because I wanted to give them a ranged attack. Then I saw the manga issue where Neji uses Hakke Kuusho. I can't say what I've given the Hyuugas. I'll show you what improvements I've made to Neji in the Final Exam. It's something pretty basic but it makes him a lot more deadly.
For Chidori I never thought of your level two but the level three you're talking about I already thought of but it has a different name. I haven't posted it on my author's profile. I'll probably give one or both of them to Kakashi because if only Naruto knew them right now that would make him too powerful in my opinion. I haven't released these versions of chidori or used them because I personally still retain the firm belief that Rasengan is above Chidori so I have to make better versions of Rasengan as well.
Next time I'd appreciate it if you emailed it to me, because I don't want to give out techniques publicly before they're shown. I feel it ruins the surprise.
For the Cloud Nins I'll put them in. This will have an affect on the Konoha and Kumo (Cloud) relations that will affect the future.
Edengrave: I'm glad you mentioned that monopoly on strength that ninjas have because I will have a sort of non-ninja oc appear. Ridiculously strong but if you email me I can give you some info on it.
Noname: Yes I will give Ice techniques to Haku, I have a reason to. I think I've shown one ice technique in the mission to wave country. I will explain eventually why she knows Ice jutsus. I've also associated Hijutsu with bloodline techniques so they can't be copied. When Sasuke and Naruto fight I will reveal all of Naruto's knowledge of how to fight the Sharingan as well as its limitations.
Ninfan: I said I wanted to be Gaara's friend. I said that Shukaku wasn't at fault for his insanity. All these are important information that will lead to my future actions on how I deal with Gaara.
For the second question go read the top part of my profile, if by sakure you meant sakura. Then I think it's important for you to know I loved Man Within the Monster. It was a gaaraxsakura story.
Azureunderworld: I won't use Akuma's attack, don't worry.
Bunch-o-Nuts: I planned to talk about the tailed beasts when I reached Souten, the fourth and probably final arc of my story. The two arcs between A New Nindo and Souten deals with the two years Naruto is away in the manga.
Meheeners: I'll get to it don't worry, Sasuke will receive his backhand. I'm just waiting until the opportune moment to beat him into the ground, just kidding. It'll be a fair fight, the kind we all like, a vicious one.
Gold-case: I can't just kill him off but I can say that Kabuto will get what's coming to him.
Mike: Sasuke will get what's coming to him, if it wasn't apparent how I felt about Sasuke it will be by the end of this arc. Painfully clear.
Soul Reaver: Yes I will use the movie. And if you were Naruto would you just let a perfectly good chakra armor lying around, is all I can say for now.
Azure: It will appear, I'm not gonna go over her measurements because I figure all people have to do is imagine the hottest dark haired woman you've seen.
Daniel Lynx: It will be significantly different, but some things can't be avoided. I don't want to say anymore in the reviews. If you want some hints I'll tell you but only if you email me. My email is in my author's profile and I do check it regularly.
Tombadgerlock: You're right about Haku, however she doesn't have a track record of missions to support that. She's spent most of her time in the hospital, why? Will be explained later after Chuunin Exams.
Binnybobarino: I already thought of that. I will probably use them if/when Naruto becomes a Chuunin.
Ranma Hibiki: In the anime Gaara said he was feeding his mother (Shukaku) blood. I just put that in because I wanted Shukaku to recognize the Kyuubi. Since Naruto has a high affinity with Kyuubi he can sense demons as well as vice versa.
Mrasdfghj: If you could tell me what data book? that would be nice. I'll check it out if you can tell me where.
Dragon Man 180: I'm saving it for the possible rescue Sasuke Mission, if I have that. No matter what Naruto and Sasuke will go at it. It will be a big fight with lots of techniques.
Virgil: Thanks a lot for the email. I'll be sure to use your suggestions.
Panuru4u: If Sasuke does get owned, let it be known it will be big and viscious.
Chapter 15: Tests of Wills and Blood
For Uchiha Itachi it was the most horrific and strenuous experience so far was to have "the talk" with his mom.
It started off with, "I assume you know about the birds and the bees already?"
He'd rather be off chasing S-Class criminals. When she first stepped in his mom looked like she was going to have a heart attack. Anko was no help whatsoever. She didn't even try to hide.
Itachi: I swear to God that woman will be the death of me.
Not to mention she had the gall to say she couldn't find her panties. At that point Itachi wanted to kill himself. In fact he was looking for a stray kunai lying around his room.
Itachi: Strange how they're never around when you need them.
After Anko left, no abandoned him he had a deep, heart to heart conversation with his mom. Later his mom started talking about much more awkward topics like love and marriage.
"Itachi, do you love her? Are you going to marry her?" asked Kaname.
Itachi didn't known what was worse: when his mom was raving like a lunatic or when she was calm and asking uncomfortable questions.
Itachi: She'd be great for the T & I division.
Across the village, Itachi wasn't the only one uncomfortable.
At the Chuunin Exam…
I was listening for my name to be called and assigned a seat. I decided to let my friends have a heads up. Neji, Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru noticed the way I tilted my head and walked over to me.
"You guys should watch out for Kabuto and his team during the exam, as well as the team from the Sand," I said quietly.
"Geez, you just had to make things more troublesome," mumbled Shikamaru lazily.
"What's wrong Naruto?" asked Neji.
I looked at Hinata, "I'm sure you noticed it too but Kabuto has information that isn't open to the public."
"What kind of information?" asked Shino.
Shino always liked to ask vital and important questions, like Shikamaru anything else like chit chat was too troublesome.
"He has my mission status which has been classified by the Hokage as well as my entire life training."
"He could be a spy," said Shikamaru in a low but causal voice.
Naruto: Just as expected of Shikamaru, he appears lazy but it's only his body, his mind is always alert and working.
"My bugs have told me that he has an abnormally high chakra for a Genin," said Shino.
"Do you think he's from the Cloud?" asked Hinata.
Clearly Hinata was considering the possibility that he was after her eyes the Byakugan. She wasn't naïve, she had seen the number of Cloud Nins in the exam and knew something was strange.
Neji put a comforting hand on Hinata's shoulder and tried to reassure her, "Don't worry Hinata-sama, I'm sure Hiashi-sama has something planned if the Cloud are up to something."
Hinata held Neji's hand on her shoulder and gave him a nod with a smile.
"In any case we'll have to watch each other's backs, no matter what happens in the exam. Even if they pit us against one another we shouldn't fight unless its one on one and there is no chance to avoid battle," I said.
"Fine," sighed Shikamaru, but his eyes were darting around the room taking in the Cloud Nins for memory.
"Agreed," said Hinata.
"That suits me fine, but…" Neji started. "I do want fight you Naruto."
"I'm sure we'll get our chance once all the weaklings are weeded out," I said.
Neji and I grinned at one another. I had actually developed a strategy for fighting against the Jyuken, it was simple yet effective. I didn't know how it would work on Neji since I had seen that Neji work so hard. He was much more advanced than most Hyuugas his age, not to mention the unique way he fights.
We waited for our names to be called and were seated accordingly. I smiled to Hinata who was sitting next to me and she returned it. Ibiki explained the rules to the exam but I wasn't listening. I was concentrating on how I was going to cheat and how I would carry out my plans to stop Orochimaru and Kabuto. For cheating I had that down pretty easy. My plans were a little harder. I couldn't just go up to my mom or Sandaime and say Orochimaru's head of Sound and is going to invade with the Sand. Now that Kabuto had revealed that he had accessed vital information he could be investigated or detained by ANBU. The only problem was how I could do that. If I acted too suspiciously Kabuto may notice.
Then there is that whole mess with the Cloud. I remember Kabuto telling us that seven teams came from the Cloud. I could only hope that Ibiki would weed some of them out or else…
Naruto: Ironically enough I knew this part of the exam was coming but I didn't think of any ways to cheat. Oh well, I don't have to cheat but I don't want a zero either.
I looked up at the clock and saw that half an hour had passed. I looked around with my Jagan to point out the Chuunin plants in the exam. I raised my hand.
"Can I please be excused to the bathroom?" I asked.
Ibiki stared at me for a moment before grinning and said, "Fine."
A Chuunin guard handcuffed me and led me out. There were two guards outside. As the door closed it seemed to stop in thin air for less than a second before closing.
Ibiki: I see… very interesting, I didn't expect him to know that jutsu.
When I was outside the Chuunin took off my handcuffs and he along with the two guards outside performed the same hand seal.
"Henge," they whispered and all three turned into me or more precisely back into my Kage Bunshin.
"Hey guys what should we do for the next ten minutes? After all, the guy inside needs time to work."
At first when the door opened one of my clones went inside, undetected by all (except Ibiki). Now that he was inside the examination room collecting answers from the Chuunin plants while he was invisible. This was all due to the useful jutsu known as Meisai Gakure (camouflage concealment).
I'm sure people like Sasuke, Hinata, and Neji saw it but I resisted the urge to perform stupid animal tricks in front of them. Not just because I would give myself away but it might also affect them. For some reason I felt kinda godlike when I used Meisai Gakure, probably because as a normal person I never dreamed to have the chance to be invisible.
Naruto Think of all the things I could have gotten away with if I was still alive in the other world with this jutsu…
I decided I'd eat, it was always fun and knowing I couldn't get fat. So my clones and I casually walked over to the vending machine and got something. When it was my turn the machine wouldn't work so we decided we'd fix the machine. I'm sure it was a strange sight (four people who looked the same, climbing all over the vending machine) for Rin who passed us, but she didn't say a word about us bullying the vending machine.
Ten Minutes Later…
As I walked back into the room I passed my invisible clone who handed me the answers as he left the room. After all we couldn't have him turning into smoke in the middle of the room. I sat down in my seat and did the most basic form of cheating (a.k.a. the oldest trick in the book). I covered my eyes with my left hand as I looked down in what appeared to be thought. When in reality I had the answers unrolled in my left hand, and I was copying them down. I started to doodle on my test when I caught Ibiki's attention.
Ibiki: Already done? Hmm…
I locked eyes with Ibiki for nearly a minute but thankfully no one noticed (Author's Note: This is a semi-important scene). Then he gave us the tenth question.
Naruto: Now that I'm listening to it in person it seems so obvious. I mean Ibiki doesn't have the authority to do prevent me from taking the test next year. Even if he did have that power he wouldn't be able to exercise that power over foreign ninjas. It is so painfully obvious.
I saw other people raise their hands and leave. I felt sorry for them.
"Now for all you kids still here I'd like to say one thing…"
The tension was thick in the air but I couldn't help but role my eyes.
Naruto: Ibiki's really getting into this but he is a sadist.
"Congratulations on passing the first exam!" he said with an uncharacteristic smile.
"What the hell?"
"What do you mean?"
Similar cries rang out throughout the room.
"Naruto," said Ibiki.
I looked at him confused before I realized that he wanted me to explain.
"The purpose of the final question is to determine those who have the willpower to become Chuunin."
"What are you talking about?"
Silence rang throughout the room when Ibiki took off his bandanna.
"Information on the battlefield is valuable. It can determine the fate of your friends or even your country. People will do anything to get them, torture or even kill. A Chuunin is a squad leader its his responsibility to keep the team safe. A real Chuunin doesn't back down from a mission just because he doesn't know everything about the situation. People who can say 'we'll take it next year' are the kind of trash that don't deserve the title of Chuunin. Let them run and hide because they are making the cut on my watch."
"What about the other questions?"
"They were to test your information gathering abilities as some of you discovered."
Just then I felt something coming. I looked out the window and saw a ball of chakra with my Jagan. It came crashing through the window and whipped out into a sign with a person, Anko. Behind her the sign introduced her.
"I'm Mitarashi Anko, the second examiner, everyone follow me," she commanded.
"Bad timing," mumbled Ibiki.
While everyone was focused on her arrival I was focused on what she was wearing. She wasn't wearing her fishnet vest and light colored coat. Instead she was wearing a dark blue shirt and white shorts that were too big for her. They seemed oddly familiar. When she turned to mumble something to Ibiki I realized why they looked so familiar. On her back was a fan, the Uchiha Clan symbol!
Naruto: She's wearing Itachi's clothes! Holy shit! Someone got lucky last night.
I turned to Sasuke and flashed him my shit-eating grin and saw that he had come to the same conclusion. While Sasuke was banging his head in the desk, girls were asking him what was going on.
Half an Hour Later…
While the Genins were waiting at the Forest of Death, Ibiki made sure he was alone before he casually walked straight over to my desk and picked up my test. He ignored all the other papers.
Ibiki's Flashback…
Ibiki: Something's strange…
"Ibiki," I said.
"Naruto," he replied.
"You're within my Jagan's genjutsu, since this is one way I can't reply to your questions."
I had mastered a new aspect of the Jagan. The current level Jagan had the ability to project genjutsu through eye contact. That was what I was doing when I locked eyes with Ibiki for a minute. The offensive genjutsu's success depend on the user's will overwhelming the victim's, as well as taking chakra capacity into account. Since Ibiki was an ANBU commander there was no way I could have overwhelmed him unless I used Kyuubi's chakra. Not that I wanted to anyway. Another aspect of the Jagan would have let me cheat easier but I hadn't mastered that yet.
Ibiki was silent as he waited.
"To prove that I am Uzumaki Naruto I'll say this, I've got a fuzzy, nine tailed fox in my stomach."
The knowledge that the Kyuubi was sealed into me was restricted to less than a dozen people, all my trusted friends. It wasn't written down anywhere.
"I wanted to say that I believe that Yakushi Kabuto is a spy. The Fox says his chakra levels are off the chart, Jounin level, no mistake about it. Because I don't want you to be too shocked I'll leave an encrypted message on my desk about the second intruder I've found. If your facial expression suddenly changes the intruder will know that something's wrong. He's too dangerous to let go. He's an S-Class criminal."
Ibiki: Naruto doesn't joke around about things like this. I better warn the Hokage.
End Ibiki's Flashback…
As Ibiki picked up my paper his eyes were immediately drawn to the ANBU symbol I had drawn.
Ibiki: I see what he means by encrypted, there are doodles all over this paper, the ANBU symbol is cleverly hidden as well. It's poorly drawn so it doesn't attract attention. Good to see you remember what I taught you.
Between Itachi and Ibiki I knew the basics of ANBU as well as their call signs or sign language.
His eyes were draws to the burning leaf symbol and the number three. Nearby there was a drawing of a smiling slug, a smoking frog, and a strange animal. Upon closer inspection the strange animal was actually two, a fox entangled by a snake while trying to bite each other.
"Shit," muttered Ibiki as he dropped the paper to his side. "Nothing's ever simple when you're involved Naruto…"
Ibiki: I better notify ANBU and the Hokage right now. There's no telling what Orochimaru is up to.
At the Entrance of the Forest of Death…
I was waiting for Sakura to get our scroll when I saw a Chuunin whisper something into Anko's ear, no one but me noticed the clench in Anko's jaw for a moment. After the Chuunin left it took some more time we were assigned to gates.
"What's taking so long?"
"Shut up, it takes time to process these forms kid," answered Anko.
I had a clouded look that Anko mistook for boredom when she threw a kunai at me.
Kyuubi: Naruto!
I whipped my head up in time and caught it inches from my face. I dodged the second she threw at me. With disturbing speed she came up behind me and hugged my neck with her left arm and a kunai in her right.
"Neh neh, Naru-chan, don't look so glum, things will get interesting real soon," she whispered seductively.
"Didn't you have enough fun last night Uchi-I mean Mitarashi Anko," I said.
Naruto: Is she grinding into my ass? Oh damn that feels good… No what am I thinking?
I resisted the urge to grab her ass in return when I felt a disgusting presence.
Anko whipped her arm out with the kunai and pointed it at someone's throat. An elongated tongue held the second kunai she threw.
"I wanted to return this," said the Grass-Nin.
"Fine but don't sneak up on me or I might kill you next time," said Anko, her voice dripping with venom.
"Sorry, I just got excited when my hair was cut."
I grabbed Anko's arm around my neck to calm her down.
"Hey, it's not nice to sneak up on people," said my clone behind Orochimaru as it poked him with a katana.
No one saw the shock written on Orochimaru's face. I was thankful that only my friends really paid attention to my Kage Bunshin. From the bored looks on the competition they hadn't recognized it as Kage Bunshin, they had mistook it for a simple Bunshin.
Orochimaru: Very interesting Naruto-kun, not only have you mastered Kage Bunshin but your timing is impeccable. I'll be keeping my eye on you.
Orochimaru slithered off like a snake.
Anko: Orochimaru, I'll definitely kill you, you bastard.
I was going to identify the Grass-Nin as Orochimaru but from Anko's expression I could tell she recognized him. As soon as the Chuunin notified her that Orochimaru was here she was alert. She would never forget his disgusting chakra as long as she lived.
Meanwhile I was thinking differently.
Naruto: Shit! I prematurely revealed my abilities to Orochimaru. I could have also revealed it to the competition. Dammit, me and my ego!
I calmed myself down before joining my team at the gate. Sakura and I both had extra pouches on. Sasuke's pouch was on the floor. I told Sakura to tell Sasuke that she thought of taking supplies for the exam instead of me. I could tell Sasuke was on edge and didn't want to irritate him anymore. I still didn't know about his obsession with my girlfriend. I thought it was just jealousy and overprotective feelings on my part.
An Hour Later…
"Hmm, let's go find Sasuke-kun shall we?" said Orochimaru to his two subordinates.
"Hai Orochimaru-sama," they chorused.
The two began to walk off when they realized Orochimaru wasn't following them.
"Orochimaru-sama?" one asked.
He was silenced by a barrage of kunai that pierced his body. The other noticed and jumped away only to be impaled by snakes.
"Senei Jashuu (Hidden Snake Hands)!" cried Anko as snakes emerged from her sleeve.
The entire time Orochimaru was silent and calm, as if he were watching a television show. He was acting as if the scene in front had nothing to do with him.
"Orochimaru, S-Class criminal, nukenin (missing-nin), and traitor to Konoha," Ibiki said unemotionally.
"Why don't you come out as well Itachi-kun, Jiraiya," said Orochimaru.
Itachi and Jiraiya appeared behind him. Orochimaru was surrounded in the clearing, yet he remained calm, almost amused. Two dozen ANBU also came out of hiding.
"Orochimaru," said Jiraiya.
Itachi's Sharingan flared and he simply stated, "We won't let you have Sasuke."
For the second time that day Orochimaru was shocked, he merely looked at Jiraiya, "You always did like to keep little rats didn't you."
"Why do you want Sasuke?" asked Jiraiya.
"The Sharingan has the ability to learn potentially every jutsu in the world from just looking at it, do you have any idea how great your clan is, Itachi-kun?" asked Orochimaru. "Or have you been to busy with my ex-apprentice to notice?"
Now everyone else was staring at Anko and noticed her clothing or more precisely Itachi's.
"What!" she challenged, with a blush on her face.
Itachi was the only one paying attention to Orochimaru.
Itachi: Orochimaru, your ideals are flawed. You have no idea the weakness of the Sharingan, not to mention the fact that the Sharingan does not possess the ability to learn Kinjutsu (Forbidden Techniques) or Hijutsu (Secret Techniques).
That was one flaw of the Sharingan, it couldn't learn Kinjutsu because they took an abnormal amount of time and kinds of training to learn. Some even had restrictions or requirements. It was one of the reasons why they were known as Kinjutsu.
Hijutsu were simply techniques restricted to families with bloodlines. Without it Hijutsu could not be performed effectively or not at all.
"I'm sorry to cut this reunion short but I really must be going," said Orochimaru.
Several ANBU fell from the trees dead, with a break in the formation Orochimaru's Elite charged through.
"Orochimaru-sama!" shouted Sakon.
Jiraiya stood in Orochimaru's way.
"I won't let you go this time Orochimaru," said Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya," seethed Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was growing annoyed, he has things to do and people to see. He didn't like it when things didn't go his way. When that happened he got mad.
A Day Later…
I hadn't ran into Orochimaru and I took that as a good sign, perhaps he had been apprehended by ANBU. I didn't want to get my hopes up but couldn't resist with each passing moment. I had felt a huge amount of chakra the day before but we steered clear from it. Even Sasuke agreed that it was too much for him. We hadn't encountered anyone yet and were getting bored. With all our supplies our stay in the Forest of Death was probably more pleasant than some of the others. It was late and we were resting, half-awake and half-asleep.
From the Trees…
"There they are," said Kin.
"Only the Uchiha is on guard," said Zaku.
"Let's go," said Dosu.
The Sound Team descended on Sasuke who looked up at their disturbance. He dodged their kunais as we got ready.
"Sakura take the girl, Sasuke take the guy with the helmet, I'll take the mummy," I said.
We spread out. I thought it was the best course of action, since their objective was Sasuke. They were probably trained to fight him. This way Sasuke would have a higher chance of survival.
With Sakura…
"Just a little girl?" said Kin.
"You're a girl yourself," said Sakura.
"No, I'm a real kunoichi," said Kin as she fired off her senbon.
Sakura dodged the senbon that hit the tree behind her and was ready to attack Kin. However she became paralyzed as soon she heard bells ringing.
"You're caught in my genjutsu already? What a disappointment," said Kin as she fired off more senbon at Sakura.
The senbon passed through Sakura.
"Bunshin no jutsu?" said Kin.
She felt a presence to her right and turned, only to be socked in the stomach by Sakura.
Kin: What is with her punch? It feels like I'm being hit by a bull…
The seemingly soft punch from Sakura threw Kin into a tree.
"Gyah!" cried Kin as she coughed up blood.
Sakura: Phew, it looks like my training with Naruto paid off, I never realized chakra could be used this way.
"I think we know who the real kunoichi is now," smirked Sakura.
With Sasuke…
"Looks like I get to play with the Uchiha," smirked Zaku as he raised his arms.
"I'll show you the strength of the Uchiha clan," said Sasuke as he performed hand seals.
"Katon: Housenka no jutsu!" said Sasuke as he spewed out fireballs.
"Zankuuha!" returned Zaku.
The flames died out only to reveal shuriken.
"Nani (What)!" shouted Zaku as he felt the shuriken rip through his sides.
Zaku: It's a good thing I used Zankuuha, it seems like my blast deflected the shuriken a little so they wouldn't make critical strikes.
"Is that all you've got?" asked Sasuke.
With Naruto…
I saw Dosu lift the sleeve on his arm to reveal his weapon. My left eye arched, it was one of my quirks. When I was amused or interested I'd quirk one of my eyebrows.
He swung his arm at me and I dodged away rapidly. I felt a gust of wind pass my face. With my Jagan I could clearly see the chakra in his sound attack.
"It's useless, even though I may not be able to see your sound attack, it deteriorates on its own with time and range," I said. "As long as you don't hit me I'm pretty much safe."
Naruto: That's actually not true, if I feel like it, my Jagan will notice your chakra powered sound waves. No need for him to know that though.
Dosu was shocked.
Dosu: Shit, he clearly knows my weapon's secret, as well as its weakness. The sound wave attack is strongest when the device hits the enemy. Not to mention the sound attack is slowed if I have to redirect it with my chakra. Normally it wouldn't matter but that Kabuto guy said that this kid was a taijutsu expert. His speed is way above mine, probably a lot higher since he isn't winded yet.
Dosu felt a presence behind him and turned.
"Shoryuken!" cried my clone as it rammed its fist into Dosu's chin.
Dosu flew up into the air and saw another clone waiting for him.
"Eigi: Tomahawk!" said my clone as he planted his feet in Dosu's stomach.
Dosu was driven down into the ground by my clone. I almost didn't notice the burrowing in the ground beneath him. I turned and saw Zaku panting heavily, with his hands in the ground. He fainted.
Naruto: I see he cushioned the blow for Dosu. Must have taken up the rest of his chakra, fighting with Sasuke seems to have tired him out.
I saw Dosu stumble up and look at me, then his teammates. He noticed the victorious looks on Sasuke and Sakura, he was shocked at the outcome of the battle. Seeing that he was out numbered he pulled out an Earth Scroll.
"You're too strong for us, please let us go for now. In return I'll give you our scroll," said Dosu. "We will not run the next time we fight you."
Dosu: We'll have to rethink our strategy, these guys aren't just chumps.
"Why shouldn't we just kill you right now?" asked Sasuke. "You'll just come after us later."
I didn't turn around to face Sasuke because I didn't want him to see my shocked expression. I knew these guys were the bad guys but it's hard to kill an enemy that's already surrendered.
"Sasuke-kun…" whispered a shocked Sakura.
If I had turned around I might have seen the bloodthirsty look on Sasuke's face. I didn't see it, just like I didn't know about his obsession with my girlfriend.
"Forget them, they're not worth our time," I said as I picked up the scroll and watched Dosu pick up his teammates.
That answer seemed to appease Sasuke as he watched them go.
"Trash," mumbled Sasuke.
Day 5…
I don't know why but it seemed like the whole competition decided to send one of their team members after us. We encountered an enemy from each country. Though they were alone and easy to take down, most of them didn't have scrolls on them. The only ones we hadn't encountered were the Cloud.
It was getting boring so we decided to take a stealthy approach to the tower. As we moved on I thought about the day before. We had encountered the team of ninjas from the Hidden Rain. The ones dressed up in light colored body suits with underwater breathers. They tried to use genjutsu on us, big mistake. They were easy enough to take down because Sasuke and I found them with our dojutsus. What surprised me was Sasuke displayed his eagerness to kill them, which he did. I didn't even have time to object. What's worse is that he did so after we had captured them. He just slit their throats. I knew down the line there would be situations where that may be necessary, like war, but this clearly wasn't one of those situations.
I cast a worried glance at Sasuke who was ahead of me. I was wondering what Sasuke was thinking. If I did know what he was thinking about my girlfriend I probably would have killed him right then and there.
Sasuke: This feeling inside of me, it feels like I'm a predator and I'm feeling the thrill of the hunt. If only Haku was so easy, but then she wouldn't be so much fun.
"Hey, can we stop for a moment?" asked Sakura.
I looked at Sakura and saw she was tired. I was very impressed with Sakura, she displayed that her combat abilities had greatly increased. If Ino was the same as she was in the anime then she'd be dead meat. Sakura had seemingly mastered my mom's chakra punch after our time in the forest. She seemed to excel after experience in fighting with it. She still had a long way to go until it compared with my chakra punch but it was more than effective for this test.
"Yeah, Sasuke, I'm a little tired too let's rest for a bit," I said.
Sasuke stopped and didn't say anything. He simply went to a tree and leaned against it. Sakura collapsed onto the floor. It looked like she used the chakra punch too many times.
I thought about Kabuto and wondered why I hadn't heard from him. Perhaps he had been caught with Orochimaru as well. It was almost too good to be true. I hoped none of the other teams encountered Kabuto, but if they did they had managed to take him out. However that would probably be impossible, since Kabuto was on Kakashi's level. I began to walk off for a bit.
"Where are you going Naruto?" gasped Sakura as she took deep breaths.
"I need to use the men's room," I said.
Sakura blushed and nodded. I had a newfound respect for Sakura that seemed to strengthen our friendship which had been growing these past few months.
Naruto: Now if only she could get rid of her Sasuke obsession… Well what do we have here?
I spied a couple of Cloud Nins conversing with another team of Cloud Nins.
Naruto: This isn't good. It looks like Hinata and Neji's concerns were warranted.
With Hinata, Kiba, and Shino…
The trees above them seemed ominous as they blocked out almost all sunlight.
"Now I know why Naruto wanted us to watch out for the Sand Nins," said Hinata.
They still remembered witnessing Gaara's fearsome power and were still shaking. They would have made it to the tower already, but they were chased away by a large number of unidentified enemies. If it weren't for their individual tracking skills they would have been caught already.
Hinata: Unidentified my ass.
Kiba sniffed the air and looked at Shino. Shino merely took his hands out of his pockets while Hinata activated her Byakugan.
Hinata: Great we're surrounded.
"I'm sorry guys, it's probably them," whispered Hinata.
"Don't worry Hinata we'll protect you from the Cloud," said Kiba as he rubbed Akamaru's ears and discreetly fed him a soldier pill.
Shino stood stoically but put his hand on Hinata's shoulder.
"Let's go," he said simply.
Kiba bared his fangs, Hinata's veins pulsed around her eyes, and Shino let the bugs emerge from his sleeves.
The Cloud teams descended upon them.
With Neji, Lee, and Tenten…
"What's wrong Neji?" asked Tenten.
Though surprisingly dull most of the time, Lee read Neji's face like a book.
"Oh, my good friend and rival Neji is worried about his beloved cousin," shouted Lee.
"Would you be quiet Lee, I don't want to fight everyone in the exam," said Neji harshly.
Lee put his arm on Neji, "If it distracts my rival so much we should go check on the beautiful Hinata."
Neji seemed a little shocked by Lee's suggestion but his look softened.
"Thanks Lee," said Neji with a small smile.
As they leapt away Neji asked an important, "Since when have you thought Hinata was pretty?"
(Author's Notes: Not a HinaLee fic, probably not, God I hope not.)
Back to Hinata's Team…
They were doing admirably well against the seven teams of Cloud Genin but they were wearing down. They had managed to knock out six of them which left fifteen Genins left.
"You're after the Byakugan aren't you?" asked a panting Hinata.
The Cloud-Nin infront of her smirked, "Where Gashir failed we will succeed and bring victory to the Cloud."
"I don't think so," said a voice as it dashed at Hinata's enemy.
The Cloud-Nin only noticed a pair of white eyes before he blacked out. He didn't even feel the palms of a hand thrust into his heart.
"Neji-niisan!" cried Hinata.
Despite her fatigue she was able to give him a cheerful smile.
"Konoha Senpuu," shouted Lee as he flew through the air with his kick.
It connected with a Cloud-Nin's head and blew him away like a rag doll.
"Don't give up we have the advantage in numbers," shouted a Cloud-Nin.
Unfortunately he neglected his surroundings long enough for one of our kunoichi to sneak up on him.
"Quantity not quality," said Tenten as she pierced his neck with her kunai.
"Alright, reinforcements, let's go Akamaru," shouted Kiba. "Gatsuuga."
Up in the Trees…
"Should we retreat?" asked a Cloud-Nin.
"Forget the others and get the girl, she's tired, but the boy's fresh we'll never get him."
"I agree with you," said a foreign voice. "You'll never get them."
The last thing they heard was the sound of a thousand birds chirping. One man made swift work of all three as he dashed through them. The first Cloud-Nin was slashed across the stomach, then the second's heart was pierced, and finally the last one felt the full force of Raikiri in his face.
Down Below…
"What's so funny?" asked Neji.
"You came here to protect the girl but now she's in our trap."
Neji glanced back at Hinata through his Byakugan and noticed she was unguarded and tired. He then noticed the descending figures.
"Hinata-sama!" yelled Neji, worry broke through his cold exterior.
Hinata looked up and noticed something strange. The three descending figures all slammed into the ground, not gracefully like a conscious fighter would.
"Now we're down to nine," said a voice behind Hinata.
She didn't even have to turn around to see who it was. She grew up around that voice and knew it as well as Neji's.
"Naruto!" chorused Neji and Hinata.
"Sorry I'm late guys, now it's seven against nine. Let's wrap this up," I said as I flared up my Raikiri again.
"Right," said Hinata as she turned her Byakugan back on and took a stance.
Hinata's and Neji's teams worked well with each other even though they hadn't really trained or practiced together. Neji and I made the ultimate defense for the Hyuuga heiress, no one got past us. It was only a matter of time and we weren't letting anyone get away.
I saw a Cloud-Nin perform a familiar jutsu, although it was still one I couldn't use.
"Raikurai!" he shouted as bolts of lightning burst from his hands.
"Let me show you why this technique is called Raikiri (Lightning Edge)!" I said as I ran forward.
Using Raikiri I easily cut through the bolts of lightning like a hot butter knife through paper. This was much to the Genin's surprise. I ended with my hand in his heart. It exploded, leaving a crater in his chest. I withdrew my arm the way a samurai would do so with a katana.
"Gatsuuga!" cried Kiba as he and Akamaru double teamed a Genin.
The Genin didn't stand a chance against their two pronged attack as they spiraled into him.
"Ahh!" screamed some Genin as Shino let them experience his man-eating bugs.
"Konoha Senpuu!" shouted Rock Lee as his leg snapped someone's neck.
Tenten's weapons laid scattered on the ground. Her breathing was heavy as she clutched her wounded arm.
"It's over," said the Cloud-Nin.
"For you it is," said Tenten and with a flick of her wrist her kunais and sickles rose up from her strings and tore him apart.
"Kaiten!" shouted Neji as he deflected their attacks.
As soon as he finished he launched into his attack, "Jyuken Hou: Hakke Rokkuju Yonshou!"
Neji's hands made quick work of the remaining Genins. He did so by closing the tenketsus around the vital organs. Unknown to people outside of the Hyuuga, closing tenketsu could do more than seal up chakra, it could also cause certain major organs to fail if done correctly.
Five Minutes Later…
We were all resting silently in the clearing when Shikamaru's team found us.
"Geez what happened to you guys?" asked Ino.
"Looks like you guys handled the Cloud," said Shikamaru as he lazily scanned the twenty-one corpses around us.
"Yeah," I said as I gripped my right arm tightly.
I may have had the chakra capacity for Raikiri but using it so many times put a definite strain on my arm. It wasn't a wound so Kyuubi couldn't heal it. I tried looking for some pain killers but they didn't help much anyways. Suddenly I saw a bag in front of me full of soldier pills. I looked up and saw it was Chouji. He was chomping on some chips but he gave me a smile anyway.
"Thanks man," I said as my shaky hand took some soldier pills.
Neji noticed this and commented on it, "Are you okay?"
"Fine," I gasped as I chewed the soldier pill. "I just didn't think I would have to use Raikiri so many times in this exam."
Neji put his hand on my shoulder, "Thanks for having my back."
"Yosh, Naruto-kun you inspire me to be an even better friend. Your burning passion arrived in time to save your friends. Your valor will be engraved in my burning heart."
"Thanks Lee, you were pretty good too."
I switched from being hunched over to leaning against the tree. I then noticed Tenten's discomfort so I walked over to her.
"Are you okay Tenten?" I asked, concerned.
When she nodded off and fell backwards I knew something was wrong.
"Tenten?" asked an alarmed Lee.
"Stand back, I need some room," I commanded.
Everyone backed away but kept their eyes on us. I checked her pulse, eyes, and finally her wound. It looked a little gray.
Naruto: She's been poisoned.
I then began the stressful and intensive task of drawing out the poison with my Chakra Mesu. The scalpel made of chakra was able to perform multiple tasks that a regular scalpel couldn't. Removing poison was one of them. There were more orthodox and regularly used methods but I wasn't that advanced in ijutsu yet. Using my Chakra Mesu was safe, nonetheless. When I finally got the glob of poison out of her body, some seemed curious.
"What is that?" asked Neji.
"The poison," I said as I flung it away.
"Chakra Chiyute," I said.
My hands turned into a green aura and I applied it to Tenten's body. I was beginning to repair the damage that the poison had done to her body. Thankfully, I had noticed it quick enough to prevent the poison from doing any serious damage.
"Will Tenten be okay?" asked Lee with tearful puppy eyes that didn't look cute on him.
"Yes she will be with a little rest, I recommend you guys head straight for the tower," I said as I wiped my brow.
I didn't really want to think it, but Tenten looked really pretty these days. I got up and stumbled a bit and thought no one saw, I was wrong.
"Hey where's Sasuke-kun?" asked Ino as she looked around.
"Oh he's resting with Sakura. I better go back now, they might be worrying where I went," I said.
Ino did a 180 and stared me straight in the face.
"You left him alone with Forehead-Girl!" fumed Ino.
I didn't listen to her as I walked away, but I felt an arm stop me.
"Do you need help?" asked Neji.
I was thankful that Neji was worried, after all he was without a doubt my best friend.
"I'm alright, I'll meet you guys at the tower," I said and left.
Twenty Minutes Later…
It took a surprising long amount of time to get back to my team. I became a little worried. I had a bad feeling in the middle of my stomach. I found out why when I found them. I arrived in time to hear Sasuke scream.
Kyuubi: Orochimaru!
Naruto: Shit, what do I do? I'm exhausted!
I drew my katana and advanced on Orochimaru, fully intent on cutting his head off. He whipped his head off of Sasuke and threw shuriken at me. The "me" he attacked poofed out of existence.
Orochimaru: Kage Bunshin…
"Ah Naruto-kun, I just saw Jiraiya a few days ago," said Orochimaru. "I would very much like to evaluate his pupil Tsunade's son."
The way Orochimaru spoke of Jiraiya and my mother sounded like he was sorely pissed. I then realized that the huge chakra signatures I felt on the first day was Orochimaru and Jiraiya. He was angry with Jiraiya and the rest of Konoha giving him such a hard time and interfering with his plans. If there was one thing Orochimaru hated then it was when people interrupted his plans.
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin!"
Instead of six shuriken, several dozen flew at Orochimaru. He expertly dodged him. He gazed up at my hiding place with his snake-like eyes. I was instantly filled with fear. I had to turn on my Jagan just to resist his killing intent. I was breathing heavily from fear. Not just because I was facing off against him but because my Jagan let me see his chakra capacity.
Naruto: Shit! This guy's chakra…it's huge, like looking at a solar flare in the middle of a dark room!
Now that I knew that his chakra dwarfed my own considerably. Suddenly he slithered up the tree I was hiding and I leapt away, not quick enough because his hand latched onto my leg and threw me into a thick tree branch.
"Ughh," I groaned as blood dripped freely from my mouth.
"Naruto!" shouted Sakura.
She was crying and I couldn't blame her. Sasuke was unconscious and I was getting my ass handed to me like I was nothing. I did the only logically thing.
"Sakura… take Sasuke… and run…"
"What about…"
"DO IT NOW!" I yelled with all my strength.
This wasn't the time for arguing. I didn't even know what I was doing. Maybe Orochimaru didn't have time to put his cursed seal fully on Sasuke. I could only hope my efforts were worth it. Then again he might have just run away if I left him alone like in the anime but I didn't know that for sure.
Kyuubi: Judging by how pissed he sounded I find that highly unlikely.
Kyuubi was right. This was reality and he could have killed Sakura and taken Sasuke right now for all I knew. I had to hold him off.
"Naruto," choked Sakura.
She was probably crying, but who could blamer. I felt her chakra presence go away.
I picked myself up off the ground and tried to stand. Orochimaru appeared in front of my face. I ran back as fast as I could but he kept slashing me with his kunai with a delirious look on his face full of bloodlust and dare I say ecstasy.
Naruto: You're a sick bastard Orochimaru.
"Kuchiyose," said Orochimaru.
He was now standing on top of a huge snake, not Manda but in my current state it didn't really matter.
"Eat him," he commanded.
The snake stalked me with its eyes before it lunged at me. I didn't have many options. My body was too battered to perform most jutsus properly right now.
Naruto: Shit if I had just used your chakra I wouldn't be in this mess right now.
Kyuubi: Your body's messed up from the Cloud Genin, you can't handle my chakra right now. Don't worry Kit I'll fix up your body, just hold him off for a little bit. Dammit if only we were somewhere else I could call for some help. This Forest of Death is too full of death and decaying filth to call my spiritual beasts.
Naruto: Ninjutsu, I don't have anything that big; genjutsu, like that will work on him; taijutsu, maybe if I had stronger jutsus. I guess I'll have to resort to kenjutsu.
Orochimaru was a little surprised by my taking a stance with my blade, he was even more surprised by what I did next.
I raised my hands above my head as I collected all my chakra for one final strike. The blade of my black katana glowed a bright blue as chakra came out from my body and wrapped around the blade.
"Hama Ryuuoujin (Demon-Slaying Dragon King Blade)!" I shouted as I brought my sword down.
A huge blue dragon of chakra, the size of a truck, emerged from my katana and tore through the mouth of Orochimaru's snake and blasted its head to pieces. Whatever was left of the snake fell through the trees. When it hit the ground it caused a small rumble, enough to shake the huge tree I was in.
Unfortunately the stress of the technique was too strong for my katana and it shattered.
I collapsed to the ground in exhaustion and gasped, "Did I get him?"
Naruto: I hope so cuz I'm almost out of chakra. I don't think I can even form a Kage Bunshin.
I couldn't even lift my eyes to search but I knew I had been naïve when I had heard a voice.
"That was a very impressive jutsu, Naruto-kun," said Orochimaru as he licked his blood from his slightly wounded arm. "In fact you are a very impressive little boy, aren't you?"
The next thing I knew I was pierced through the right side of my chest, opposite of my heart.
"AHHH!" I screamed.
Orochimaru had impaled me into a tree with his Kusanagi blade. He looked at me with menacing eyes. I had never been so afraid in my life. I thought I was truly going to die. No, with Orochimaru I kept feeling as if what he did to me would be worse than death. I knew he was only going to kill me but he invoked an unparalleled fear in me. So much that I wanted to cry, to scream, to do something. Instead of being pinned helplessly against a tree.
"Naruto!" cried Hinata as she entered the trees.
I couldn't turn my head but I saw all of my friends there from the corner of my eyes.
"RUN AWAY!" I pleaded with them.
Naruto: Shit! This isn't just an anime or manga any longer. This isn't some game on the television screen. I'm really going to die!
All of them were shocked. Not just to see me in such a state, but to see my expression of fear and helplessness.
Neji: Who the hell is this bastard? Whoever he is Naruto seems deathly afraid of him. It doesn't matter. I won't forgive you for what you've done to my best friend.
Hinata was nearly in tears when she took in the entirety of my battered body, "Naruto."
She remembered the lively boy who smiled with her and Neji when they were children. It was almost painful for her to look at my body.
"I think I should give you a present Naruto-kun, you don't have what I want but I have a feeling you're special in your own way."
I felt Orochimaru's fangs in my collar bone and the last thing I saw with my eyes was a pair of fully mature Sharingan standing behind him. I didn't even have the energy to scream. My mouth merely opened and closed, gasping for air.
Orochimaru jumped away from me and let my body fall when Itachi slashed at him with his katana. It made a deep mark in the tree's bark above my head. I felt a pair of large, rough hands catch me.
"Naruto, hang in there," said Jiraiya.
But I couldn't hear him, I was already unconscious in my mind. I was now fighting a battle for survival with a 90 failure.
Naruto: I can't cheat this time.
Kyuubi: Don't worry I'm here for you Kit.
Kyuubi's words soothed me in a way I had long since forgotten. It reminded me of when I was in the other world. I faintly remember my biological parents having the same soothing affect.
Neji's POV…
"Well Naruto-kun is certainly interesting, as well as your brother Itachi-kun," hissed Orochimaru.
"What the hell is going on here!" I shouted.
Now wasn't the time to maintain the Hyuuga appearance and etiquette.
Neji: What the fuck did he do to Naruto?
"Take Naruto to the tower," said Jiraiya as he handed Naruto to me.
I was not in the best moods to follow orders after seeing someone man handle my best friend, but I knew who Jiraiya-sama was. I also saw Uchiha Itachi. Who ever this guy was he was beyond my capacity. It hurt to know I couldn't do anything for Naruto other than to follow Jiraiya-sama's orders.
Neji: Naruto is my best friend, and although I'll probably never say it aloud… he's the closest thing I have to a brother. No, in my heart he truly is my brother. I promise you Naruto I'll get you to the tower safely even if it costs me my life.
"Naruto," whispered Hinata.
I looked at Hinata and she looked like a fragile little girl, something I hadn't seen since we were children. I knew she was hurting just as bad as I was. Naruto was family to us. We weren't going to let him down.
I took one last glance at the Sannin. I knew that he was Naruto's sensei, but from the hate in his eyes, I could tell he was livid with fury. Itachi also seemed angry as well but in a different way. His calm, but cold eyes told me he would stop at nothing to kill this man. If I couldn't kill this man then I suppose I would have to make due with the knowledge that two of the most powerful ninjas in Konoha would. They would do it with vengeance.
I heard Akamaru whimper as he looked at Naruto's body before I said, "Let's go."
The Konoha Genin had a new mission that we couldn't fail.
End Neji's POV…
Naruto's POV… Dreamscape…
I was in a field of flowers. I recognized it as Kyuubi's field. I felt something fluffy under my backside and knew that the great fox let me use him as a pillow.
"Is it over?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah, you beat his cursed seal," Kyuubi replied.
"What about in the future?"
"Between you and me kit we have the will to hold it back. Maybe we can even get rid of it. But not now, you're too weak physically and mentally. I can't heal fatigue but I can help you rest."
"Thanks…" I said as I fell asleep.
The great Kyuubi watched his memories of his great forest before he drifted off to sleep with me.
Hokage's Private Meeting…
Tsunade was still looking at her bloodied hands that she used to operate on her son. Jiraiya was standing in the corner, partly contemplating his thoughts, partly ashamed he wasn't in time. Itachi was looking ahead but his mind was miles away. Anko's hand on his brought him back to reality. She gave him a sad smile that he saw through. He wrapped his fingers between hers.
Jiraiya: Dammit, if Orochimaru's elite guard hadn't interfered I would have put him in the morgue by now!
Hiashi had come in earlier saying how thankful he was for Naruto and his friends in protecting Hinata from the Cloud. When he saw the gloomy expressions and found out Naruto's situation he left them in peace.
The Hokage himself was silently smoking his pipe. His face seemed calm but his mind was a storm.
Sandaime: Naruto and his friends protected Hinata and the Byakugan from falling into the hands of the Cloud. From Neji's testimony we can assume they are still sore about what happened with Gashir. It's to be expected, he was one of their top Jounins from a respected family. I wonder if he's still alive in the cells. In any case I have to think about what the Cloud Jounins will do now that their plan has failed. How will the Cloud respond to what happened? Not to mention Orochimaru.
We couldn't apprehend his spy Yakushi Kabuto because we couldn't find him in the Forest of Death. Now that he's in plain view we can't act suspiciously in front of the other countries' ninjas. We also can't let Orochimaru know that we've caught onto his spy or else he might change his plans. We're still waiting for the most opportune chance to apprehend him. Damn, Naruto was good enough to help point him out and we can't do anything about it.
Jiraiya was getting tired of Tsunade clenching and unclenching her hands so he walked over to her to stop it.
"Tsunade," he said.
When she looked up at him it tore him apart. He was so used to seeing her firey side, to see her respond to him violently that he couldn't stand this Tsunade. The one that was crying with a helpless look in her eyes.
"I can't help it Jiraiya, I almost lost my baby boy today," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
That empty look in her eyes almost killed him.
"But you didn't," Jiraiya said soothingly. "Your medical skills saved him. It's all thanks to you."
Itachi and Anko decided that they were having a private moment and decided to leave. Itachi cared deeply about Naruto but he felt out of place and decided to go look for his brother.
"The fox was supposed to protect him, why didn't he?" she asked, almost desperately. "Until today I never thought I'd outlive my boy."
"Probably the cursed seal Orochimaru gave him, it might have interfered with the one the Arashi gave him," said Jiraiya.
"I almost lost him, like Nawaki and Dan," whispered Tsunade as she softly cried. "Children are supposed to be protected by their parents, aren't they Jiraiya."
The great Toad Sannin was at a loss. He had never seen Tsunade so weak and fragile like glass since the death of her brother or her lover. He knew that her current state was because she wasn't just "Tsunade-Hime" anymore she was also "Tsunade-Kaasan" now.
"I should have been there to protect him from Orochimaru."
"No Tsunade, I should have stopped him, it's my fault I'm sorry," said Jiraiya as he hugged her.
For once Jiraiya wasn't thinking about perverted thoughts. For once he wasn't thinking about women. He was thinking about his pupil. The closest thing he had to a son since the Yondaime. It didn't hurt that the kid was a little more like him than his father.
Jiraiya: No, maybe I feel more like a grandfather…
"Tsunade," said the Hokage. "Do you remember the time when I asked Naruto-kun if he would like to know about his parents?"
Tsunade's Flashback…
"I've decided that I will upgrade your team's mission to A-Class, however I can't adjust your pay for it," said the Hokage.
"That's okay, I just wanted it to look good on my record," smiled Naruto.
"By the way Naruto I was wondering if you would like to know about your parents?"
"Not really, I know the Fourth was my father."
"What about your mother?"
"It's not necessary, like I told Kakashi-sensei, my only mother is Tsunade-Kaasan."
As the Hokage looked at Naruto he couldn't help but admire the boy. He didn't have one shred of curiosity in his voice, it was full of conviction. The Hokage decided to keep the file on the boy's mother in his desk.
"I see, you can go now Naruto-kun," said the Hokage.
After Naruto left, the Hokage looked towards his balcony which was open.
"He's a very kind and loving boy isn't he, Tsunade?" asked the Hokage.
Tsunade didn't let him see the tears that slipped out of her eyes."
End Flashback…
Tsunade: You'll probably never know how much you mean to me Naru-chan until you have your own children.
"He would never blame you, he loves you too much Tsunade," comforted the Hokage. "Please rest assured in that fact."
In Naruto's Hospital Room…
I awoke to a familiar feeling in my hands. Well, not exactly familiar since I had never touched them deliberately with my hands before.
Naruto: Definitely a C-cup…36 C? Oh damn…
"Naruto, I know you're awake, none of the drugs administered should cause delirium," Haku said as she stopped my hands from massaging her breasts further.
"Hey, I was just feeling around my surroundings…" I said. "It was really an accident…"
Naruto: It really was!
"Besides what were you doing on top of me?"
"I was checking your IV pack across from me, on the other side of your bed."
I felt Haku's creamy hands caress my face. I opened my eyes. Even that simple act was painful because my body was sore.
"Hey," I said softly, all humor aside.
"Hey," Haku said in her musical tone.
I broke down and cried. I felt so pathetically weak when Orochimaru picked me apart piece by piece. A part of me felt like I had grown arrogant and this was my entire fault. I cried into Haku's arms for awhile before I calmed down.
"Did I make it to the next exam?" I asked while wiping my eyes.
"Yes, but in your current state you shouldn't even be up. If it weren't for the Kyuubi I suspect you'd be out for several more days," she said.
Naruto: Thanks fox.
Kyuubi: Don't mention it Kit. I managed to heal your body but it took a lot longer while resisting the reaction of the Curse Seal.
"They're having the preliminaries in a little bit…"
"Then I should go now…" I said as I struggled to get up.
Haku's weight on my body wasn't helping.
"You're not going anywhere," said Haku.
"Yes I am," I said.
"Naruto please, your body can't handle this stress right now."
"Is Sasuke up?"
"Is he entering the preliminaries?"
"Then I'm going."
"Naruto, please…" cried Haku.
Her eyes glistened and I could tell she was on the verge of tears. I felt really bad but I couldn't stop here. If I stayed in bed who knows what would happen. Would I miss my chance to fight Gaara? Would I fail to save the Hokage-jiisan. Which of my friends would die if I stayed in bed? I didn't want to answer any of those questions. The only solution was to get out of bed.
"Haku," I whispered I kissed her eyelids. "It'll be okay. No one can beat me, remember? Besides I've got fuzzy on my side."
Kyuubi: I resent that nickname.
Naruto: Shut up.
"Please let me do this Haku?" I asked in a begging tone.
It was a few minutes before she answered me, "Alright."
She reached into her kimono and gave me what looked like a capsule-shaped pill, except the inside was blue.
"It's a new pill that I've developed from the Hero's Water, I've tested it myself with Shizune-san nearby just in case anything happened. It seems to work very effectively. It completely restores chakra to 100 percent, unlike soldier pills which only partially recover chakra. It also relaxes your muscles and relieves your tension giving you a fresh mind. It will also temporarily enhance your reflexes. I'm still working on it though. The Hero's Water has a lot of potential," she said, blushing.
I hugged her and reassured her I'd be alright. As I hugged her I was reminded how small she was compared to a guy. Her hands, her arms… So soft, smooth, and gentle.
"For you I'll win, I promise."
"Now that I've explained the rules we'll begin randomly selecting names…" Hayate started to say.
His voice was drowned out by my steps as I walked into the quieted room. Everyone's eyes were on me as I walked over to my team.
"Naruto," said Sakura.
"Hey Sakura," I said.
"You're okay," she said.
I could tell that Sakura was genuinely concerned for my well-being, and it felt nice.
"Yeah, I'm ready to kick some ass, how about you Sasuke?" I asked.
Sasuke didn't answer me, he just kept rubbing his shoulder.
"I had to forcibly wake him up," whispered Kakashi.
"I see," I mumbled.
Naruto: It only makes sense since we've been unconscious for less than a day. There's no way he could have woken up on his own. I'm only awake because of Kyuubi.
The first names on the board…
Akadou Yoroi vs. Uchiha Sasuke
They entered the fighting area and stared at each other.
With a wave of his hand Hayate spoke, "Hajime (Start)!"
Yoroi immediately went on the offensive. He charged Sasuke, who dodged.
Naruto: How will you win this time Sasuke? You haven't seen Lee's taijutsu so you can't use the Shishi Rendan (Lion Combo).
Sasuke tried to use his Sharingan but fell down in pain from the Curse Seal.
"Chance," said Yoroi as he grabbed Sasuke's head. "My ability is to drain other people's chakra through physical contact."
"Don't give up Sasuke-kun," squealed Ino and Sakura.
They shot sparks at one another but I didn't think it would help him out much. Sasuke wasn't that kind of person. Or so I thought. The words "give up" rang loudly in Sasuke's head. They brought forth the darkness in him.
He thought about all the times he had been passed up by his brother. All the times someone else had beaten him, no matter how small.
"Me, give up?" said Sasuke evilly as he slowly removed Yoroi's right hand from his forehead. "There's no way I can lose to trash like this!"
Yoroi: What the hell is with this brat's strength?
I'm surprised Yoroi didn't notice it but the Curse Seal was covering Sasuke's face.
"Ahh!" shouted Yoroi as Sasuke snapped his wrist.
Yoroi stumbled back and clutched his broken wrist with his good hand.
"Is that all?" asked Sasuke as he slowly stood.
Yoroi stared at Sasuke, his eyes widened. Seeing Sasuke with the Curse Seal, coupled with his evil expression was like seeing a devil. The next few moments happened in such a short time but it seemed as if time slowed down in that moment. Sasuke passed him, broke his right leg, and then turned around. He then did the same to his left arm. It was a gruesome sight to behold, especially with his broken bones sticking out of his skin. With half his limbs broken Yoroi didn't stand a chance. Not that Sasuke was going to give him one.
Sasuke: It's so easy, to break someone's body. That man gave me power. The power to surpass everyone, my brother, Naruto… Kuku. I'll make it so people will speak my name instead of my brother's. I won't be left out of the glory I deserve!
"Hahaha!" laughed Sasuke.
It was the kind of long, drawn out laugh that a madman would give. However it seemed to suit Sasuke with his current appearance.
The next thing I knew Yoroi was dead on the floor. Sasuke had not just snapped his neck he had turned it a complete 180 degrees.
I didn't have to look at my friends to know what their expressions were. Sakura and Ino were silently crying while Tenten and Hinata had disgusted looks. Neji was calmly analyzing the situation but I could tell he wasn't happy with Sasuke's actions. Shikamaru and Chouji were wide eyed and shocked. Shino tried to act calm but from his body language I could tell he was appalled. Kiba was growling at Sasuke saying how what he did wasn't right, that he abused his enemy. Lee was mortified that one of his rivals could do something that would shame Konoha.
I looked at the officials.
Naruto: What the hell are they doing?
I noticed their dark expressions.
Naruto: I see, Orochimaru must have threatened Konoha. That's why no one can interfere with what Sasuke does.
"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke," said Hayate.
This time I didn't miss the hungry look he threw my girlfriend. Haku cringed in disgust at Sasuke. As he walked up the stairs I felt pissed.
Naruto: If you ever look at my girlfriend like that again I swear I'll kick your ass.
Unfortunately I had no idea how terrible his thoughts truly were.
"Naruto, it's your turn," said Sakura.
"What?" I stuttered.
I looked up, she was right. Then I saw the names.
Naruto: Right after I get my ass kicked.
"Yakushi Kabuto vs. Uzumaki Naruto," spoke Hayate.
Kabuto: I wasn't able to contact Orochimaru-sama because of ANBU. He was supposed to give me further instructions when I reached the tower. I was supposed to bow out but now I'm glad I didn't. Who would have thought that I would fight Naruto-kun. I'll be able to sample power of Jiraiya-sama's student.
Naruto: My luck just plain sucks today doesn't it?
I looked incredulously at Itachi out of the corner of my eye and he simply shrugged like it was nothing. This made me want to smack him, but that was only a façade on his part. Inside Itachi thought much differently.
Itachi: I haven't seen him fight, but the fact that he was able to evade the ANBU for five days in a limited area speaks volumes in itself. The ANBU consists of all kinds of people, Hyuugas, Aburames, and Inuzukas. Within Konoha those three are the best trackers. To have evaded all three means he is probably an exceptional Jounin. Yet if we move against him Orochimaru will know we have spotted the spy. I'm sorry Naruto, I know it's not much but I believe in you.
While Kakashi took off with Sasuke, Jiraiya and Orochimaru vanished.
In a Secluded Dark Room…
"Ready Sasuke?" asked Kakashi.
Sasuke: I don't see why I have to seal this Cursed Seal, the power it could grant me…
In a few moments all Sasuke could do was scream. The sealing technique was immensely painful on Sasuke's part.
"You've come along way Kakashi-kun, you can do sealing jutsus now," spoke Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru," said Kakashi as he lowered his stance.
"Step away from the boy Orochimaru," said Jiraiya in a dangerous tone.
"Jiraiya, can't you let me do anything on my own," said Orochimaru.
"I know what you want with Sasuke, but why Naruto?"
"I was a little angry at you for getting in my way and decided to vent my anger on Naruto-kun, since he is your pupil."
"Why did you give him the Curse Seal?"
Jiraiya's question was calm and collected but his tone seethed with anger.
"I thought I saw potential in him, that's all."
Jiraiya spotted the bandage on Orochimaru's arm.
"Are you sure it isn't because of something he did to you."
Orochimaru smirked and flashed his reptilian eyes.
"I've enjoyed our little chat but I must be going now."
And with that Orochimaru merged into the darkness and disappeared. Jiraiya returned to the arena and Kakashi left with Sasuke.
In the Fighting Area…
As I stood across from Kabuto I kept seeing Orochimaru in my mind. I felt ashamed and scared. I gulped as Kabuto pushed his glasses up between his eyes.
"Hajime," said Hayate.
Kyuubi: Naruto!
I was snapped out of my daze and moved just in time to dodge.
Naruto: What's going on? This speed…
Kyuubi: It looks like he's holding back.
Naruto: That means he doesn't know that ANBU suspects him. He's holding back so he doesn't look suspicious. This means he'll only fight with Genin-level abilities.
Kyuubi: I wouldn't rest easily yet kit. You can't perform jutsus either. Your Kaasan thought it was too risky to put a seal on you just after surgery. She didn't put it on because she was afraid that it would interfere with your survival rate. I can hold the seal but I can only hold it for a short while if you perform any jutsus.
Naruto: So I have to make it count huh…
I dodged his blows and countered with some attacks but it was pointless. Without chakra in my fists I wasn't doing any real damage and as the fight dragged on I'd be at a disadvantage. Not to mention Kabuto looks like he wanted to fight me now. Without significant speed I couldn't touch him.
Naruto: That's it, I've got in now.
I began forming hand seals, I could feel chakra circulating in my body when the Curse Seal reacted.
"Argh!" I groaned between grit teeth.
My memory of Orochimaru flashed through my mind and for a moment I was paralyzed with fear. I saw him in Kabuto's gestures. I remembered the intense, ominous feeling of death lingering over my head when I encountered the snake. The helplessness and the despair that I felt.
"Naruto!" cried a voice.
I didn't even turn to look at the voice's owner, I was to afraid to look away from Kabuto.
Naruto: Haku…
"Naruto, kick his ass!"
Naruto: Kiba.
"Good Luck Naruto!"
Naruto: Hinata.
Similar calls rang out from the rest of my friends. Then I finally gathered my strength ad looked up to see Kaasan, neechan, Hokage-jiisan, my friends, Haku…
Kyuubi: Calm down Kit! Don't give up! It's not over yet!
Naruto: You're right Kyuubi. "For you I'll win, I promise," I remember those words and I don't go back on my words. That's my Nindo as well.
My resolve turned from as brittle as a string to as strong as steel chains.
"Don't screw with me, Orochimaru," I mumbled through grit teeth.
The Curse Seal flashed and slowly receded.
Kabuto: Interesting, so you're not going to resort to Orochimaru-sama's Curse Seal?
When the Curse Seal had completely vanished I made seals.
"Meisai Gakure," I said as my image slowly vanished.
Kabuto: Do you think such a jutsu will work on me Naruto-kun? It's impressive that you are able to resist the seal and still mold chakra; I had fun but its time to end this.
"I am invincible," I mumbled.
Kabuto couldn't make out my words but he could hear me say something. He attacked where he thought I was and I dodged. Even if he knew where I was attacking an invisible enemy wasn't an easy task.
"My shadow skills are unmatched."
Kabuto threw a kunai and hit air again.
"The power of my blow… has no equal!"
Kabuto tried to sense me with his chakra sense but it was unnecessary.
"Kamui," I whispered in his ear.
Kabuto whipped around and saw nothing. Then I vanished from all of his senses-sight, hearing, touch, even his chakra sense.
"Where did he go?" asked an alarmed Kabuto.
Kabuto: His chakra instantly flared up to an incredible, concentrated amount just now but it vanished just as quickly.
There were certain techniques used to tract Kamui, but for now the only people in the audience that could tell where I was, were those with dojutsu.
Itachi: I see now.
Neji: Naruto…
Kamui was a technique that allowed me to achieve hyper speed but Kamui by itself was extremely hard to control. For now because I was using it, it had removed all traces of my presence. I was going so fast that I didn't make any noticeable sound or cause vibrations in the air. When coupled with the second technique Kamui was extremely deadly.
Kyuubi: Naruto! Finish him off now, my ability to hold back the cursed seal is at my limit!
Naruto: Shell!
For a several seconds nothing seemed to happened until all of a sudden Kabuto's body's jerked violently in different directions and flew into the wall.
Neji: That's amazing.
Itachi: Naruto that technique seems to put lots of stress on your body but unlike the celestial gates your chakra cushions your organs and absorbs the strain. Still it takes a lot of stamina.
Kabuto fell out of the wall like a rag doll. His body left a huge dent in the wall.
"Ughh…" moaned Kabuto as he threw up blood.
Kabuto: This can't be… happening… for a Genin… to have such… strength…
His glasses were broken along with his body.
"What…" started Anko.
"just happened," asked Tsunade.
All of a sudden my body became visible. I was on the verge of collapsing. Itachi supported my weight and brought me over to the medics. Meanwhile medics were hurrying over to Kabuto's body but when they tried to lift it was like jello.
"I told you not to over do it," Haku said harshly.
Her eyes betrayed her concern and her hands contradicted the harshness in her voice.
"I told you I'd win."
Naruto: That's right, if I stay scared I won't be able to move forward, I won't be able to save anyone if I'm scared.
Up in the sidelines…
"Neji what just happened?" asked Tenten.
"I'm not completely sure," said Neji.
"What do you mean?"
"Yosh, I see now Naruto's hard work rivals my own. I must triple my training to honor his hard work!" said Lee with passion in his eyes.
"Naruto was this strong?" asked Sakura and Ino aloud, voicing their thoughts.
The Jounins were thinking similar thoughts.
"You're amazing Naruto-kun," said Hinata.
"Damn, I'm gonna have to work a lot harder, I still don't know what happened, but I know it was something amazing!" said Kiba.
Akamaru barked in agreement.
My friends couldn't tell what I did to Kabuto because it happened so fast. Otherwise they probably would have been a little displeased with me, because they didn't know Kabuto was a traitor. I merely told them my suspicions without proof earlier before the written exam.
With the Hokage…
"I still don't know what happened," said Tsunade. "I mean I know what he did to Kabuto's body I just don't understand how."
"You're getting old Tsunade," said Jiraiya as he beamed with what seemed to be pride for his pupil.
Tsunade shot Jiraiya a look, but Jiraiya was just glad Tsunade was somewhat back to normal.
"I saw what happened baka, that's not what I'm saying."
"I know what Naruto did," said the Hokage.
"Oh really Sarutobi-sensei?" asked Jiraiya.
"Why don't you tell us then," said Tsunade.
"The jutsu Naruto used just now allowed him to move at a speed comparable with the eight celestial gates, but judging from his injuries I'd say he used something more advanced," explained the Hokage.
"What do you mean?" asked Jiraiya.
"Can't you see baka? His organs and muscles are perfectly fine his body is only fatigued as if he ran a marathon," said Tsunade.
Despite her words Tsunade was watching her son worriedly. Her quick assessment came from keeping her eyes completely on me.
"Because of his speed he was able to strike Kabuto dozens upon dozens of times. He broke his bones, tore at his muscles, and even damaged the internal organs. You can tell by the strange way Kabuto's body jerked up into the middle of the air, it looked as if his body was being jerked apart. Look at his body right now, as well as the blood he's coughing up," said the Hokage.
"That's right, when a person coughs up blood it's a sign of internal injuries," said Anko. "To the kids it probably seemed like an instant."
"Whoa, and the kid did all of that in such a short amount of time," complimented Jiraiya.
"Yes but because it caused so much fatigue I surmise that is why Naruto-kun doesn't use it more often," said the Hokage.
Ibiki cracked his knuckles, "Now that he's incapacitated it will be easy to move the traitor to the T & I Room. At least I get an excuse to take Kabuto now. Hehe…"
The mad look on Ibiki's face scared Anko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and even the Hokage. So much that they didn't dare stand in his way.
Down Below…
Naruto: From the Hokage's look and their conversation I'd guess they discovered what I did as well as its strength and weaknesses. One thing they probably don't know though is that the technique Shell is necessary because individually, unlike the celestial gates, they are weak attacks because they are regular punches, kicks, etc. But because there are so many I'm able to attack him multiple times before his body can absorb or react to the damage. Shell is the secondary technique that coordinates these attacks. I'm also able to perform precise attacks and use special moves like throwing or grappling.
As I was taken away I saw Gaara looking at me. Now that I was emotionally revitalized I didn't feel any doubt in myself.
Naruto: I'll save you and Shukaku. I'll need your help too Kyuubi.
Kyuubi: Sure thing Kit. I have to lend Shukaku a helping hand anyways. It'll help redeem myself.
"Uzumaki Naruto," said Gaara ominously as he watched me get scolded by my girlfriend.
His intense gaze went unnoticed.
Shukaku: See his strength? Imagine how wonderful it will be to kill them!
Author's Notes: In the next chapter of A New Nindo, Kabuto get's interrogated. What will he reveal? I was carted away so I don't know the results of the other preliminary matches, are they the same? Or are they different? What kind of training will people do in the upcoming month? What about Gaara? Will Haku stop scolding me? Will the next chapter even make it to the Final Exam where the action finally erupts? Find out next time in Chapter 16: Chuunin Exam Blood and Sweat. (Title may change due to content!)
Kakashi: He used an interesting technique to defeat his opponent.
Naruto: In one month you must master this attack.
Sakura: He can't win like that.
Naruto: There's no way he can beat him.
Raikurai: Borrowed from TokehGecko.
Shadow Skill
Kamui: a technique used to safely achieve hyper speed
Shell: used in conjunction with Kamui, layer upon layer of dozens of blows
In the anime both techniques are used by Diaz Ragu in his battle against the entity known as Darkness. Diaz suffered sever damage to his body when using these techniques because he was terminally ill.
Naruto has no such problem because he is healthy 99 percent of the time from Kyuubi, that 1 percent covers those rare instances that outside forces overcome/interfere with Kyuubi's healing abilities. Those instances are few and far between because few know about Kyuubi in my story.
Tsubasa Chronicles
Hama Ryuuoujin (Demon-Slaying Dragon King Blade): Used by Kurogane of the Tsubasa Chronicles Manga/Anime. A chakra attack in the shape of a huge dragon.
Important Notes:
1) The fight with Orochimaru was to gauge Naruto's strength at this time. It shows that Naruto is not all powerful. He didn't have time to use the Kyuubi's powers and was fatigued from dealing with the Cloud Genins. Not to mention Orochimaru has decades of experience and amazing strength, he is a Sannin. Not even an exceptional Genin could possibly beat him.
Naruto also appears emotional from his loss against Orochimaru because I put myself in his shoes. If I was nearly killed by Orochimaru, then honestly-I'd probably be scared shitless. Also it is really the first time Naruto felt he was going to die. In all other scenarios he knew that the Kyuubi would heal him, but this time Orochimaru's Curse Seal prevented the Kyuubi from utilizing his full power in fear of harming Naruto's body.
2) Kabuto was beaten because he was holding back and didn't expect Naruto to know such a technique. The technique Naruto used caused extreme fatigue so it can't be used on the battlefield carelessly. Also the dozens of strikes are just normal strikes individually. The strength of the technique comes from combining those attacks with hyper speed.
3) I really want to get to Gaara and Naruto's fight. I guarantee it's probably not gonna happen the way that people are expecting. Well some of it is similar but mostly it's off the wall kind of stuff. If people want more hints on the fight they will leave their emails in the reviews (this only applies to anonymous people). I will not give out hints to it publicly in the reviews.
4) Also the Naruto Movie is necessary for my story, so they will go to Snow Country. Question, who will go? What will happen to the chakra armor? I already know and have decided so it's not open to voting. I just wanted to give you guys a heads up.
5) People have also wondered about Haku's figure. I didn't mention it because I felt it would be better for people to imagine rather than painting a picture with details that might be restrictive. Since a lot of guys in Konoha find her attractive, I leave it up to your imaginations to what her measurements are. Just try and imagine the most attractive raven haired teenage girl with creamy white skin that you've ever seen in your life, with at least 36 C breasts-they're not as big as Tsunade's. I think that would match her slender frame.
We know that Haku's cute because Naruto said she was "cuter than Sakura-chan" in the anime. Now Haku doesn't just have a feminine face, she has a feminine figure that is very pleasing to the eye.
6) People have told me I can't make Sasuke automatically evil, so I am slowly showing his evil side, leading up to the fight between him and Naruto. Sasuke is jealous of people showing him up and comparing him to his brother (we especially see this in the anime flashback). His innocent crush on Haku is starting to get twisted into something ugly. By the time they fight Sasuke will be probably a total bastard (maybe 1 percent of goodness we won't see for awhile). You've been warned.
7) The part where Tenten is healed by Naruto, was inspired by a reviewer's suggestion.
Updated as of May 8, 2005, the reviewer was Blazer-6!
8) Please review, when I see reviews I am motivated to write. They show me that people are interested. Those with interesting suggestions feed my creative engine-brain. People who only tell me to update soon don't know my schedule. Finals are very close, almost around the corner. I may not update for at least a week again.
Also thanks again for helping me reach 500+ Reviews.
IMPORTANT: If you want further hints about the fight with Gaara and Naruto, Snow Country Mission, or the fight with Naruto and Sasuke then please email me. I will only give out small hints (Which probably won't be much information anyway). I won't give out the entire thing. Rest assured these scenes will all happen.
What should happen to Kabuto? Open to ideas. He will be detained and probably tortured. What should I do afterwards?


text:
|Clinton speaking at Galvanize, Denver, CO, on June 28
Guest post by rugbymom
Hillary Clinton's chosen theme for Tuesday was technology, and specifically the roll-out of a detailed program to promote high-tech economic development. She began in Colorado, not coincidentally a battleground state where she has already committed $2.9 million in ad money during June. She chose as her venue the Galvanize Workforce Training Facility in Denver's "Golden Triangle" neighborhood, a co-working space, start-up hub, and coding school that, per the Denver Business Journal, helped "catalyze the burgeoning tech startup scene in the city core" since its founding in 2012. (There are now Galvanize sites in Boulder, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin and Phoenix, and the CEO, Jim Deters, told Clinton he hopes to establish one in her home state of New York.)
The substance of Clinton's newly-announced policy was summarized by Politico:
Hillary Clinton is preparing to release a "technology and innovation" agenda . . .that strongly defends net neutrality, calls for a special commission to study encryption and commits to bringing broadband to 100 percent of U.S. households by 2020.[T]he presumptive Democratic nominee wades into some of the most pressing issues facing Silicon Valley, from the future of surveillance to the treatment of Uber drivers. And she lays out her broad belief that new tools and services — from fitness trackers to self-driving cars — will "not only boost economic growth, [but] it will lead to immeasurable social benefits" in areas like health, education and energy. . . .Many of Clinton's proposals correspond with initiatives she championed while secretary of state and priorities advanced during the Obama administration. But her platform also offers up some new ideas, like the appointment of a chief innovation adviser, who would aim to "reduce federal regulatory barriers" that face startups and larger tech companies, helping them ensure new medical devices, for example, can come to market more quickly.
Clinton would support dedicating new federal funds to research the world of digitally connected devices known as the Internet of Things. Her platform would also have federal agencies research how they can use such technologies to save money and improve their work."
It also proposes a three-year deferral of student loan payments for entrepreneurs starting new companies, to relieve some of the debt burden that makes it hard to begin a new venture. The full proposal is available from Clinton's The Briefing.
Clinton's proposal got some immediate favorable coverage from Wired (As an aside, how often does Wired cover a Presidential candidate in depth?):
[W]hile her sweeping suggestions may not appease security experts and others seeking specifics, the fact that Clinton has a tech agenda at all puts her ahead of just about everyone else in this presidential election cycle."* * * * *It's little surprise that Clinton would embrace the tech industry and its issues. Silicon Valley is loaded with high-dollar donors, and last week, a slew of technologists including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, Dropbox founder Drew Houston, Netflix founder Reed Hastings, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and others openly pledged support for Clinton. Meanwhile, Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt, who also announced his support, has backed startups that work with the Clinton campaign and the Democratic party.Not that Trump lacks any Silicon Valley backing. Noted libertarian and billionaire investor Peter Thiel is Trump delegate. Still, it's clear that Clinton, like President Obama before her, has the tech industry's vote. Now, she's also got their attention.
The Denver Post collected a wide range of favorable reactions to Clinton's proposal
Her initiative spoke the language of local tech entrepreneurs, many who spend countless hours and personal funds to start a business."I wholeheartedly support her decision to defer an entrepreneur's student loan debt, because I've lived it and it's crippling," said Lizelle van Vuuren, a serial entrepreneur who also founded the Women Who Startup organization. "We don't have W-2's to pay our bills plus our student loan debts, but we sure are creating jobs, and I think that's a very interesting motivation to want to be an entrepreneur and support entrepreneurs who are creating jobs and value and more."Prominent entrepreneur and tech investor Brad Feld tweeted, "At first blush this looks excellent and substantive."Area entrepreneurs applauded Clinton's attention to the tech industry's woes. She wasn't vague and put numbers on her goals: Train 50,000 computer-science teachers in the next decade; dedicate $10 billion in federal funding for new educational programs like coding schools and nanodegrees; and grow the technology workforce by reaching out to a more diverse community via a $25 billion fund to support colleges that service minority students."Higher education in America is broken and it seems that Hillary knows this …," said Mike Gellman, founder of website developer Spire Digital. "Overall, I'm just happy to see such a rational and forward-thinking platform for technology and innovation from a politician. … If Hillary can make good on the promises she lays out in this document, I think we're going to be a very productive country over the next eight years."Educating the future tech workforce has been a goal for many in the local tech industry, including Galvanize, which is part co-working space and part entrepreneur support hub, and provides tech-education classes. In its computer software courses, Galvanize adds an entrepreneurial bent to train developers on what startups really need.Galvanize co-founder Jim Deters said Clinton's campaign reached out to them for Tuesday's visit. Announcing the technology initiative was a bonus, he said.* * * * *While Clinton touched on cybersecurity and privacy, some felt her position on privacy is unclear. In her initiative, she "rejects the false choice between privacy interests and keeping Americans safe."
"Much of what Hillary Clinton is proposing is relatively straightforward and necessary," said Mark Turnage, president and CEO of OWL Cybersecurity in Denver. "However, one of the major questions to be answered by the next president is the correct balance between the cybersecurity industry's focus on preserving individual privacy, and the US government's law enforcement function." . . .Integrating these goals into reality won't be easy, said Tom Higley, another long-time Denver entrepreneur currently working with 10 CEOs to create a health startup. "Many things in the initiative will be challenging. It will be difficult, for example, to do these things simultaneously: 'Establish rules of the road to support innovation — rules that foster healthy competition, reduce barriers to entry, and effectively protect intellectual property,' " he said, quoting from Clinton's proposal. "But those are the challenges that must be faced if a tech and innovation policy is to be comprehensive."
Clinton's visit had many startups excited and hopeful. And ultimately, this will benefit entrepreneurs, said Kate Waller, director of business development for the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, which helps startups get to the next level more efficiently."Talent development in the 20th century is of paramount importance. It requires universities, industry and political officials to work together," Waller said. " Anything anyone can do to move the dial is a good thing."
While in Denver Clinton also attended a "Women for Hillary" fund-raiser at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
From Denver, Clinton flew on to Los Angeles for a town hall with digital content creators, held at Neuehouse Hollywood, a co-working facility and social club on Sunset Boulevard. She then attended two fundraisers in the Los Angeles-area, one at the home of Napster co-founder Sean Parker and the second at the home of investor-philanthropist Marc Nathanson, founder of Falcon Cable. Per the Los Angeles Daily News:
Jack Pitney, political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said the one-two punch of pushing technology and raising money was strategically smart on Clinton's part as she looks to continue to coalesce support within the Democratic party."It's a no-lose situation for her," Pitney explained. "It appeals to the young, tech-savvy Bernie Sanders supporter, but Silicon Valley is a major source of campaign contributions.
In keeping with the high-tech theme, the entire Town Hall (almost two hours) was livestreamed and archived on YouTube:
While Clinton was presenting her technology plans, the major networks were focussed on the release of the massive (but entirely unsurprising) report from the Republican members of the House Benghazi committee. That was covered in multiple diaries yesterday, so if you want and can stand to read more about it, try these:
Clinton campaign: Republican Benghazi report full of 'discredited conspiracy theories' (Laura Clawson)
Hillary herself was asked about the report during her Denver appearance:
WATCH: @HillaryClinton on House Benghazi report: "It's time to move on." https://t.co/w5LRjgXy1R— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) June 28, 2016
Here is Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA-34 / VP short-list) calling the investigation "a partisan witch-hunt":
.@RepBecerra: The GOP Benghazi report was "always meant" to reduce Clinton's poll numbers https://t.co/IMQgxH2Fnk https://t.co/deoRgu3y5o— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 28, 2016
Clinton and her superbly competent staff keep up with current events even when she's on the road (or in the air). They quickly issued a thoughtful statement following the bomb explosions at the Istanbul Airport:
Demonstrating her ability to multi-task and address multiple issues, Hillary personally tweeted condolences (with a link to policy initiatives) on the death Tuesday morning of Pat Summitt, the legendary coach of the champion Tennessee "Lady Vols" women's basketball team, who died at age 64 of early-onset Alzheimer's-type dementia:
She also continued her ribbing of her presumed Republican rival, without allowing him to distract her from her own agenda. During his speech on trade, in which he vigorously condemned outsourcing, she (or more likely her staff) tweeted this:
Trump's speaking about outsourcing right now.— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 28, 2016
Here's one of his shirts—made in Bangladesh: https://t.co/GBx8oJhE6W pic.twitter.com/2jeNO3NDbq
Today Clinton will be in San Francisco for a fund-raising lunch with Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It is heartening to see her on a steady pace of fund-raising and public appearances that garner positive press for her and for her policy priorities, especially in key general election states. She's got this, with our help.
Donate Today!
(originally posted at Daily Kos)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|20 Sep 2013
Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
Option 3 to activate Upgrade version on a new or cleaned HD.
In addition look over the steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to see what works best for Win7 install (even retail) based on thousands we've helped with here.
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|20 Sep 2013
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That's worked guys, thanks for all advice and assistance, much appreciated.
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Good job basils57
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