Crossover Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monster GX Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto 5Ds: Shinobi Signers ❯ In Pursuit of Sasuke ( Chapter 23 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Okay, folks, it is time to start the Sasuke Retrieval Arc of this story and like I said in the last chapter, it is going to happen pretty much the same way other than the Naruto and Sasuke battle at the Valley of Ends. Since Naruto has the Rinnegan and complete control of the Nine-Tailed Fox’s power among other things, this fight is going to be very different. This is just to let you know everyone and you also must be wondering what’s going to happen, but you are going to need to read and find out everyone!

I DO NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5ds, Naruto, Final Fantasy: Dissidia, Dead or Alive, Ninja Garden, Digimon, Sailor Moon, Kingdom Hearts, any of the characters, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction! Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series are owned/licensed by Tomonobu Itagaki and Tecmo, Digimon is owned/licensed by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, and Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot!

Warning: This story contains intense violence, blood, gore, and possible death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and possible X-rated adult themes/situations that some readers might consider disturbing!

Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in this whole story!

Naruto 5Ds: Shinobi Signers

Chapter 23: In Pursuit of Sasuke

Right now, we find ourselves on the moon where we find ourselves within a deep chasm on the moon where we find ourselves within what looks like the ruins of an ancient kingdom and there, we also find none other than Sailor Charon looking down at what looks like a stairway that leads down under the ruins.

Just then a female voice calls out, “It is interesting to see you, again.” Sailor Charon then looks to see a spirit of a beautiful female woman with silver hair in a hair similar to Serena’s hairstyle expect her buns are flatter, crescent moon sigil on her forehead, violet eyes, deep pink lips, and wearing a gorgeous silver-white dress that hugs her lovely frame perfectly.

Sailor Charon says, with a plain tone, “I needed to check on the seal, Queen Serenity.”

The female spirit replies, “I see, Charon.”

Sailor Charon says, with a plain tone, “The Earthling has a horrible amazing concept of the sinister power of this creature. To be honest, it makes the Negaverse, Heart-Snatchers, and Dead Moon Circus looks tame in comparison.”

Queen Serenity replies, “I know, Charon.” Queen Serenity tells Sailor Charon, “However, I’m not sure that I approve what you plan for my daughter, Charon.”

Sailor Charon tells Queen Serenity, sternly, “You might remember, your majesty: I never wanted YOUR approval.”

Queen Serenity sighs and she says, “You were always a rebellious one, Charon. You were always one for change and my daughter won your loyalty because even through she wasn’t ‘rapid’ as you for change, she supported you all the way and you always did like the fact that she fell in love with an Earth prince.”

Sailor Charon tells Queen Serenity, “All humanoid peoples are the same no matter how ‘enlightened’ that they may be, your majesty. Your daughter had the open mind and open heart to see that.”

Queen Serenity tells Sailor Charon, “However, I don’t think that it is my daughter that’s the one that the universe needs to stop the revival of this creature.”

Sailor Charon tells Queen Serenity, “No, it is another. A descendant of the man that Pluto and I helped millennia ago and the one that can unite the humans of the Elemental Countries as one because since the future that your daughter once had is gone, he will be needed more than ever.”

Queen Serenity tells Sailor Charon, “That’s something that you would know.”

Sailor Charon tells Queen Serenity, “The future is never written in stone, your majesty.”

Queen Serenity says, with a nod, “I know, Charon.”

(Back on Earth; on the meanwhile)

Returning to the planet Earth, we find ourselves back in the Leaf Village where we find our Signers, minus one Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, assembled with their friends/allies/family in which they find out the current situation from our Moon Princess in which we find one female Fudo not happy with a certain pink haired kunoichi.

Hinata says, stunned, “I can’t believe it!”

Matt says, with a sneer, “That coward! He gets his butt kicked in one duel and he goes running off to the enemy!”

Jun says, with a plain tone, “It’s more than that. He is power-hungry and he will do anything possible to get that power.”

Davis says, with a plain tone, “And that shows that he is just plain trouble with a capital ‘T’, sis.”

Ninja Ayane says, plainly, “Sasuke Uchiha follows the way of his clan. He is no different from the rest of his cursed clan.”

Ayane tells Sakura, glaring at her dangerously, “And you made him give that stupid promise! I thought that you were a pain before, but you really have stooped to new lows, girl!”

Sakura replies, protesting, “I didn’t make him promise!”

Ayane tells Sakura, with a nasty tone, “No, you preyed on his kind and caring nature to get that promise.”

Sakura yells out, with tears in her eyes, “I’m not like my mother, Ayane! I tried to stop Sasuke myself! I stood no chance! He easily beat me! Naruto is the only one that has the power to beat Sasuke and make him come back!”

Ryu says, with a sigh, “You have got to admit that she has a good point. Naruto rivals Sasuke due to full access to the Kyuubi’s chakra without its will influencing him and that Rinnegan is a legendary bloodline after all.”

Ayane says, with a nasty tone, “Well, if she didn’t fawn over that asshole like a sheep, she could have focused on her training and become more than powerful enough to stop him!”

Hinata tells Ayane, “Ayane, I am a bit angry for having Naruto to make a promise that he may not be able to keep, but I can understand and that might be a bit harsh…”

Sakura says, shaking her head, “No, Hinata… she’s right. I… I am weak. I fawned over Sasuke-kun like a little sheep and Naruto trained and trained to get stronger and stronger. To control that creature’s power sealed in him and he showed that with his battles with Kiba and Neji. Lady Tsunade may be from the Senju clan, but she had never the benefit of her grandfather’s bloodline and she turn into a powerful ninja. If I had only trained like Sasuke and Naruto, then I…” Sakura falls to her knees and starts to cry her eyes out.

Jun tells Ayane, “Girl, those aren’t crocodile tears.”

Mimi tells Ayane, “While you have a point, Ayane-san, I think that’s a nasty way of saying it.”

Yolei says, with a nod, “Even I think that’s way harsh. You have a right to be angry, but what you said…”

Ayane says, with a sigh, “Okay, I get it.” Ayane tells Sakura, “Look, Sakura, I’m sorry, but I still don’t think that you should have Naruto make that promise.”

Sailor Moon says, “Knowing Naruto-san, he would have made that promise even if she didn’t ask her anyway.”

Davis says, with a nod, “I would have if I was in his position, Serena-san.”

Ayane says, walking towards the Namikaze mansion, “I’m going after Naruto.”

Ryu asks Ayane, “What?”

Ayane says, with a plain tone, “Knowing that asshole, he will attempt to kill Naruto the instant that he tries to stop him. And the others that went with him might be occupied with anyone that Orochimaru sent to ‘escort’ him.”

Davis says, with a plain tone, “Let Jun and I come with you. We have ninja training through zit-face here has more training than me.”

Kasumi says, with a plain tone, “Allow us to escort you as well, Lady Ayane. We would have been around last night, but the Hokage asked us a favor that took us until this morning to get you.”

Haku says, with a plain tone, “I wish to aid you as well.”

Ayane says, with a nod, “I’m grateful to you, Haku-san, along with Davis, Jun, and Kasumi-san as well as her sister and Hayabusa-dono.” Ayane tells Sakura, with a stern glare, “And if Sasuke hurt one hair on Naruto’s head, he is dead… no ‘ifs’, ‘ands’, or ‘buts’, am I understood?”

Ryu tells Sakura, plainly, “Don’t argue with my sister, Sakura-san.” Sakura gives a nod of her head knowing that it would be useless as Ayane prepares to head using her Duel Board as her form of transportation.

Hinata thinks in her mind, “I hope that Naruto-kun, Neji-nii-san, and the others are okay.”

(Rejoining Shikamaru, Naruto, and their team; Later on)

Right now, we find Shikamaru and Neji, on their hands and knees, in front of the Sound Four and some kind of cylinder container. The retrieval team found the Sound Four and Neji found out that Sasuke is inside, alive or dead is something Neji can’t be sure, but the Sakon throws a kunai with three explosive tags that explode and send Shikamaru and Neji flying out of their hiding place near the Sound Four, who knew that they were there.

Sakon says, with a plain tone, “Well, I thought that I was flushing out a snake, but all I got was two mice.”

Shikamaru tells them, nervously, “Hold on! We’re here to negotiate, not fight! Can’t we talk this out like reasonable people?”

Kidomaru tells the two Leaf ninja, “Let’s not forget your friends, shall we?” He then throws his hands forward in which Naruto, Kiba, and Choji come flying out of tree with thread stuck to them, but Kiba takes out a smoke bomb and throws it to the ground creating a huge amount of smoke. Kidomaru says, with a grin, “Throw all the smoke that you want, brats! It won’t do you any good! My threads are still stuck to you. They might be tiny, but they are strong like steel!” When the smoke clears, Naruto, Kiba, and Choji were on their butts on the ground.

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “So, those double traps were in fact a triple trap? Very clever. You must be the smart one.”

Kidomaru says, with a grin, “You are about to be the dead one!” However, Kidomaru finds that he can’t move and he says, “Can’t move…”

Naruto says, with a grin, “Nice work, Shikamaru! Keep him talking and get caught by your shadow possession jutsu!” We look to see all members of the Sound Four trapped by Shikamaru’s Shadow Possession Jutsu.

Shikamaru says, with a grin, “Thanks for making me look good in the squad. You aren’t the only ones that can set a trap.”

Sakon says, with a grin, “Nice work, but bad news for you, kid, I had mastered that kind of technique too.” Just then three shuriken seem to come from behind Shikamaru and he yelps as he is cut by one causing him to be distracted enough to release the jutsu on them.

Shikamaru asks, perplexed, “What was that?”

“Earth Style: Earth Dome Prison!”

Jirobo slams his hands into the ground and the group of five ninja are entrapped a dome made of earth.

Inside of the dome, Shikamaru says, annoyed, “Just great.”

Neji asks, curiously, “What is this?”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “A barrier of some kind and we’re trapped in it.”

Kiba asks, seriously, “Now what?”

Outside of the dome, Jirobo says, with a grin, “Since I caught them, I get them.”

The other Sound Four walk away with Kidomaru putting the container with Sasuke inside on his back and Sakon tells them, “Fine, but don’t take all day.”

Back inside, Naruto yells out, annoyed, “Hey, you! Let us out right!”

Kiba tells Naruto, annoyed, “Like that’s going to help, Naruto!”

Neji says, with a plain tone, “It seems to be a wall of earth.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “It’s a jutsu of some kind. We had better watch out for another trap within a trap.”

Kiba says, with a sly grin, “A wall is a wall and I’m good at ripping them down!”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “We’ve got to do something despite the risk.” Kiba then uses his Tunneling Fang, but he only made a small crater in the wall which seems to vanish as quickly as Kiba made it!

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, surprised, “That damn wall is rebuilding itself!”

Kiba asks, surprised, “Did you…?”

Neji says, with a nod, “We saw.” Neji says, with a plain tone, “It appears to be more than a dirt wall.” Neji uses his Byakugan and he gasps to see the walls absorbing his chakra in which he says, stunned, “The walls…”

Shikamaru asks, surprised by Neji’s tone, “The walls are what?”

Neji says, with a plain tone, “They are absorbing our chakra like a sponge.”

The others gasp in shock and Kiba says, with a snort, “Bad enough they bury us alive in this dung heap and now, they steal our chakra. Got to give them points for thoroughness through.”

Naruto was about to panic, but he then remember something and he yells out, slyly, “Oh, yeah?! Let’s seem them have some yokai chakra for breakfast!”

Naruto was about to unleash his yokai chakra cloak and Shikamaru exclaims, nervously, “Hold it, Naruto! You unleash that creature’s chakra and you might blow us to kingdom come!”

Naruto gives a perplexed look and Neji tells Naruto, “Using such deadly chakra might help us because only someone like Naruto can handle such inhuman chakra for any period and if someone is absorbing the chakra, it could cause them serious harm. However, we aren’t sure how this jutsu works. The Kyuubi’s chakra might cause this whole earth chakra dome to self-destruct taking us with it.”

Kiba yells out, annoyed, “No joke, Naruto! You might have some kind of inhuman stamina due to that thing and your clan, but we don’t have your chakra or your stamina, pal!”

Naruto says, with a serious tone, “What do you expect us to do? Sit here and let them suck us dry?! There is no way that I’m going to do that!”

Neji tells Naruto, “I believe that you save the fox’s chakra as a last restore, but you do bring up one point. We need to figure a way out of here soon or we will be drained dry.” They continue on and try to figure out a way, but soon enough, they fall down to sitting on the ground as their energy is draining.

Naruto says, with heavy breathing in his voice, “I feel my strength is draining from me. Come on, we need to get out of here now. If I don’t use the fox’s chakra, I won’t be able to because my own chakra will be too low.”

Kiba says, taking out a few food pills, “That’s it guys. We need to get out of here, but save your ‘special power’ as a last restore. I’m going to try one more thing. Get back guys.” Kiba tells Akamaru, “Have a food pill, Akamaru.” Akamaru takes a food pill and his fur turns red as its effects course through the young ninja dog’s body. Akamaru turns into a clone of Kiba and they use their Fang over Fang to get out of the earth dome that’s sucking their chakra.

Naruto yells out, excitedly, “Way to go, Kiba. Go for it!” Kiba and Akamaru make many craters in the wall and floor, but when they exhaust out, they stop and Akamaru turns back into himself in which the cracks start to repair themselves.

Kiba says, with a snarl, “Look at that, everyone. As soon as one crack appears, it starts to repair and it is the same for the floor.” As Shikamaru looks around, he notices that some cracks repair quickly while others are taking more time and it is not because of their size. After awhile, Kiba says, “Ten more minutes left and then all of our chakra is gone.”

Naruto says, with a snort, “This stinks!” Naruto thinks in his mind, “I lost too much chakra as it is! I can’t form a Rasengan with all the chakra that I lost right now! I could take a chance with the fox’s chakra, but maybe…”

Shikamaru then shouts out, “Hey out there! Let me talk to your leader! I’ve got a deal to propose! If you let us go, we’ll let you keep Sasuke!”

Naruto asks, stunned, “But Shikamaru, what do you think that you are doing?”

Jirobo’s voice then rings out, “No deal! I’ve never let a captive go before and I’m not going to start now!”

Shikamaru gives a mental smirk and he yells out, “Ah, come on! How about you just let me go and keep the others? All this fighting, I’m tried of it! It’s not my thing!”

Kiba says, angrily, “You little! If you are selling us out, I’m going to ring your neck!”

Shikamaru says, plainly, “Shut up, Kiba. For once in your life, just be quiet.”

Kiba yells out, angrily, “What did you say?!”

Jirobo’s voice yells out, mixed with laughter, “So, you are the team leader, huh? What a fine example that you are setting for the rest of them! You see a man’s true character when they are at the point of death! You aren’t a man at all and hardly worthy of leading a team of ninja into battle! Sacrificing your team and Sasuke? That’s how a Leaf Chunin acts! You think that I would let you out?! You deserve to die!”

Naruto tells Kiba, sternly, “Forget that traitor, Kiba! I’ve got another idea! I’ll use my Rinnegan and blast us out of here!”

Kiba asks Naruto, with a serious tone, “Do you think that you have enough chakra to use one of those ‘gravity blasts’ of yours, Naruto?”

Naruto says, with a serious tone, “I don’t know, but it is better than listening to this jerk! I’m taking command of this mission since I’m a Chunin too!”

Choji then says, sternly, “No, you’re not Naruto!” When Kiba and Naruto look at Choji, he says, sternly, “Just shut up and let Shikamaru do his work!”

Naruto asks, perplexed, “Choji?” Just then Shikamaru moves his hands just like he did in his match with Temari, the position that he is in when he formulates a plan.

When Naruto and Kiba sees Shikamaru doing that, Naruto asks, “What’s Shikamaru doing? Mediating?” Soon after, Choji takes out a bag of chips and starts to eat as fast as he can and Naruto yells out, seeing this, “You have got to be kidding me! You’re eating at a time like this?!”
Kiba tells Naruto, “That’s Choji for you! Eating at a time of a crisis and that’s a big help!”

Naruto says, with a serious tone, “That does it! I’m going to give my Rinnegan a try!”

Kiba tells Naruto, with a grin, “That’s a good idea, Naruto!”

Neji tells Naruto, “Why that is indeed a good idea, Naruto, do you know where to strike?”

Naruto asks Neji, curiously, “Why does that matter?”

Neji tells Naruto, “This barrier is infused with chakra and if you don’t strike in the right place, you will just waste your own chakra. You are right. Multiple attacks won’t work, so, we need to attack a single point. And while your special gravity ninjutsu is very powerful, no mistake about that, it may be negated by this barrier. The best way is Taijutsu with the ‘punch’ that’s needed.”

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “Well, Choji’s Taijutsu has more punch then ever my own, but he has other things in mind.”

Naruto asks, with a plain tone, “Then what choice do we have?”

Shikamaru says, getting out of his ‘thinking position’, “We bust out of there, that’s what, Naruto.” Shikamaru tells Neji, “Neji, do you have enough chakra to use your Byakugan to look at the wall behind you and behind Choji?”

Neji says, plainly, “I think so.”

Naruto yells out, annoyed, “Hold on, you are not going to listen to him!”

Choji tells Naruto, annoyed, “Naruto, you don’t get it do you? Don’t you remember what Shikamaru said when we came together?”

Shikamaru says, his voice lowering down, “Everyone, keep your voice down. Kiba, are you up for putting another dent in the wall?”

Kiba replies, confused, “Sure, I guess.”

Shikamaru tells Naruto, “And by the way, Naruto, keep those freaky gravity powers on hold. Try to hold on to enough chakra to use it. For another rare time in your life, you managed to come up with a good idea.” Naruto gives an annoyed look and Kiba uses his animal based Taijutsu to put more dents into the wall while Neji observes them with his Byakugan.

Neji says, plainly, “I see it. That’s the spot.”

Shikamaru tells Neji, “Okay, Neji, mark the spot with your kunai knife.” Shikamaru asks Choji, “Choji, are you ready?”

Choji replies, with a sly grin, “Shikamaru, I was born ready.”

Naruto asks, perplexed, “Okay, what’s going on here?”

Neji tells Naruto, “As I said, these walls are infused with chakra, but that being said, the walls aren’t uniform and there are points in the wall weaker than others. Shikamaru figured that out.”

Naruto asks, surprised, “He did? When?”

Neji tells Naruto, “The whole time, Naruto. For example, when Kiba attacked the wall, he observed the rate of the repairs to the damage that Kiba made noticing that some areas are repairing slower than others.” After Neji throws his kunai at a spot where the cracks are repairing the slowest, Neji says, “That led him to suspect that some points of the wall were weaker than others, but he needed to be sure. He confirmed this when he talked to our captor and he talked in the way that he did as a ruse to trick him into revealing his position. The band of chakra running through this barrier is weakest at the point furthest away from him.” Neji asks Shikamaru, “That’s about right, correct?”

When Shikamaru smirks, Naruto asks, with a snort, “And Kiba’s and my reaction was a part of it? You need to trick us to trick him?”

Shikamaru says, with a sly smile, “Miracles can happen, Naruto.”

Kiba thinks in his mind, “So that’s it, huh? Not only did he fool the enemy, he fooled us as well.”

Naruto says, looking at Choji, “And I just remembered. Choji’s clan use food and what’s inside of it to replenish their chakra.”

Kiba thinks in his mind, “These two haven’t been working together for so long for nothing.”

Shikamaru says, “It’s up to you, Choji.”

Choji yells out, slyly, “Okay!”

“Expansion Jutsu!”

Choji then expands his chest and stuffs his head, arms, and feet inside of his expanded clothes and starts spinning around like a huge boulder in which his jutsu’s name, Human Boulder. Choji then slams his form into the wall opposite of Jirobo had his hands implanted to maintain the jutsu in which he realizes what’s going on after awhile and tries to add more chakra, but it was too late in which Choji bursts through and the others escape through the hole that he makes.

As the dome collapses, Shikamaru tells Choji, “Well, Choji, there is no way of saying it: That was awesome.” Choji gives a sly smirk while the others prepare to continue on with their mission.

Jirobo says, a bit amazed, “They managed to escape my barrier ninjutsu.”

Shikamaru says, “He’s alone. The others must have gone on ahead.”

Neji says, using his Byakugan, “You are correct, Shikamaru. They are nowhere to be seen.”

Shikamaru says, plainly, “Swell. Just when I thought that we had caught up to them.”

Jirobo says, with a smirk, “Not bad of handiwork from a bunch of losers.”

Naruto asks, annoyed, “What?”

Kiba tells Jirobo, with a snarl, “Who are you calling losers?”

Kiba then charges in and Neji says, plainly, “Wait! We can’t charge him head on!”

Kiba replies, “We just broke through his barrier ninjutsu, Neji. How tough can he be?” Kiba then uses his Fang over Fang, but Jirobo bashes him aside in which Naruto decides to use his now active Rinnegan.

“Shinra Tensei!”

Jirobo yelps as he is blasted back into the forest in which he lands a good distance away with a loud crash that destroys several trees.

Naruto says, with a grin, “Gotcha, jerk!” Naruto then runs over to see if Kiba is all right, but then Jirobo leaps from where Naruto blasted him and slams into him with his right shoulder.

Kiba yells out, “Why you?!” Kiba charges in, but only get kneed in the gut as a reply sending him to the ground.

Jirobo says, annoyed, “You must be the Signer brat that Orochimaru-sama is also looking for! He wants you alive, but that doesn’t I can’t break your bones first!” Jirobo then tries to use the same barrier ninjutsu that he used last time, but Choji uses his Expansion/Human Boulder combo jutsu to create a ton of smoke and dust in which they escape since when the smoke/dirt vanished, they were gone. Jirobo says, with an annoyed tone, “Hardly worth the effort.”

Nearby, we find our group assembled together and Shikamaru says, “We are running out of time. We have got no choice, but to split up now.”

Naruto asks, perplexed, “Why would we do that? Wouldn’t be a good idea to stay together?”

Neji tells Naruto, “Shikamaru is right, Naruto. What you say is true, but with our chakra so drained, it will be hard for even all five of us to defeat him. And that gives them time to bring Sasuke closer to the border and once they cross outside of the Land of Fire, we can’t follow. So, we need to split up into two groups. One to hold him and the other to get back after Sasuke.” As they plan on how to split up, Jirobo slams his hand into the ground causing it to quake and Naruto dodges a tree that nearly falls on him forcing the others to stand up.

Jirobo says, with a plain tone, “There you are.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “As much as I hate to admit it, but Naruto, as the second ‘senor officer’, you’ll head the second team. Take Neji and Kiba with you.”

Jirobo says, with a grin, “Your old shadow parlor trick, huh? Ha! You already showed it to me and once is enough!”

Shikamaru tells Jirobo, “Funny, I remember someone being taken in by my ‘parlor trick’.” Shikamaru makes it seem like he is using his Shadow Possession Jutsu in frontal assault when the real shadow is coming behind him, but Jirobo slams the ground creating a dome of smoke and disrupting the jutsu.

Neji tries to find him with his Byakugan and he says, stunned, “He’s vanished!”

However, Kiba’s sensitive nose finds their enemy and he yells out, “He’s behind us!”

“Earth Style: Sphere of Pain!”

Everyone looks behind them as they see Jirobo holding a massive boulder that he created from the ground and he launches at them in which the group of five Leaf ninja barely manage to dodge.

When they land on the ground, another ‘earthquake’ is felt and Shikamaru yells out, “Look out, everyone! Here comes another one!” But then Jirobo bursts out of the ground and grabs Shikamaru by his legs in which he holds him upside.

Jirobo says, nastily, “So, you must be the moron leading this group, huh? When the leader is a complete idiot, the team suffers, so let me get rid of him!” He then throws Shikamaru towards a tree, but Choji uses his Expansion/Human Boulder combo jutsu to get there and save Shikamaru from nasty injury.

Shikamaru tells Choji, “Thanks a lot, Choji.”

Jirobo says, mockingly, “Ah, I help out and this is how you repay me.”

Naruto says, with a sneer, “You know, pal. You have a big mouth and I plan on shutting it!”

Choji yells out, sternly, “Naruto!” When everyone looks at Choji, he has a deadly glare in his eye and he says, seriously, “This guy is mine!”

The others look at him surprised and Naruto tells Choji, “Choji, this isn’t a guy that you can take on your own!”
Choji says, with a deadly serious tone, “I told you that this guy is mine!” Choji takes out a bag inside of his clothes and he tells them, “Give these food pills to everyone, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru says, amazed, “Choji…”

Choji tells them, “Don’t worry, I’ve got my secret weapon with me.”

Jirobo yells out, charging in, “Do you think that I’m going to wait for you to make your move? I’m taking you out right now!” Choji gets in-between the charging Sound ninja and the others in which he takes out a container with three large pills, green, yellow, and red. Jirobo thinks in his mind, “Large pills? But those aren’t food pills.”

Choji thinks in his mind, “First, the green spinach pill.” Choji takes the large green pill and when Jirobo gets in close afterwards, Choji manages to stop him!

Jirobo thinks in his mind, shocked, “No way! He stopped me?!”

Choji says, straining to hold Jirobo back, “Shikamaru, get everyone out of here!”

Shikamaru says, amazed, “Choji…”

Choji yells out, “Shikamaru, what did the five of us join up to do? If we let them get away, we will be the losers that this asshole says that we are! The idiot leader and his rejects! Now, get out of here!”

Shikamaru tells Choji, “You had better catch up with us, Choji. You hear me?”

Choji yells out, “Yeah, I hear! Now, get going already!”

Shikamaru exclaims, “Let’s move everyone!”

Kiba, Naruto, and Neji yell out in unison, “Right!” Soon enough, they head off into the distance as Choji fights Jirobo.

After they get some distance away, Shikamaru throws Naruto the bag of food pills after taking one and says, “A parting gift from Choji.”

Naruto says, taking a food pill from the bag, “We owe you one Choji.” Naruto throws Kiba the food pills and he and Akamaru prepare to take one too.

Neji asks Shikamaru, “Shikamaru, what were those pills that Choji pulled out?”

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “Yeah, he did say that he had some kind of secret weapon.”

Shikamaru replies, “Don’t worry, Choji has a plan. He brought the Akimichi clan’s tripe threat. There are three pills: Green, yellow, and red. The amount of power that those pills can give is massive.”

Naruto says, with a smile, “Oh, okay! That’s why Choji was so confident!”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “But pills that have such incredible power do have side-effects.”

Kiba asks, curiously, “What kind of side-effects?”

Shikamaru doesn’t reply and Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “I hope that he can settle things with just the green pill. Whatever you do, Choji, don’t take the red pill.”

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “I’m worried.”

Naruto asks Kiba, “About what?”
Kiba tells Naruto, “You know how Akamaru can tell a person’s strength by scene, right? Well, I’m not sure Choji can defeat that guy with just those pills.”

Neji says, with a plain tone, “Kiba has a point. Our enemy’s power is an unknown and Choji’s changes of winning may be zero. But that’s the case in many battles, however.”

Shikamaru says, with a sigh, “Neji is right. That’s just how battle is. We knew that this mission wouldn’t be child’s play and in the worst case situation, each of us would fight alone. If we aren’t ready to lay down our lives, then we have no chance in succeeding in this mission. Choji is good, but he doesn’t have much in the way of confidence. In fact, he feels that he is the weakest link.”

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “In a way, he is. That’s why he stayed behind, to be of some use.”

Shikamaru says, with a smirk, “I knew it. Everyone thought that way about Choji expect for me. I think that out of us, through Naruto might be the only one to exceed him in this, Choji has strength. And I’ve believed in him. I always did and I always will.” Along the way, the group stops in which Shikamaru makes arrows with his kunai showing that he believes that Choji will win against Jirobo and follow in which Naruto and Kiba help out. Afterwards, they continue on, Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “Choji, I know that you will win. We’ve stuck together and that’s not going to end now. Choji…” They continue on, but at one point, Shikamaru gets a really bad feeling and seems to see a blue butterfly go past.

Naruto asks Shikamaru, “What’s the matter, Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru says, lowly, “It’s nothing, Naruto.”

(Returning to the Leaf Village; on the meanwhile)

Inside of the Hokage’s office, we find Tsunade about to scream about what she just heard from her assistant, Shizune.

Tsunade calls out, stunned, “They did what?”

Shizune says, quite nervously, “Lady Ayane has left the village with Hayabusa-sama, Lady Kasumi’s sister, Davis-sama, Davis-sama’s sister, and Haku in pursuit of our team.”

Tsunade says, putting her right hand on her scalp, “We don’t have the resources to send someone after them. Don’t they know that Orochimaru’s thugs might take a chance to take one of the less powerful members of the Signers? Ayane might be able to use her powers to make monsters real, but she needs to use her duel disk as a medium. It’s not Yuki-san’s powers or the powers of the Millennium Items where all you need is the cards.”

Shizune tells Tsunade, “Should we try to find a team to aid them?”

Tsunade tells Shizune, “We don’t have the resources and we can’t have any of the others going out to aid them. Keep an eye on Hinata, the rest of the Signers, and all of their friends, family, or whatever!”

Shizune says, with a nod, “Yes, my lady!”

Tsunade says, with a sigh, “That kid… just like his dad sometimes.”

Shizune says, with a giggle, “Kushina-sama wasn’t impressed by him through.”

Tsunade says, with a nod, “A woman after my own heart, Shizune.” Tsunade says, with a moan, “Through her kid inheriting much of her personality is a real headache sometimes.”

Shizune says, with a smile, “Works on plenty of girls outside of the village and even inside of the village through, Lady Tsunade.”

Tsunade gives a nod, “I know, Shizune.” Tsunade thinks in her mind, “And you had better get back here, buster! Or I will kill you myself, Naruto!”

Shizune says, nervously, “You know if Lady Ayane finds Sasuke, she might…”

Tsunade says, with a nod, “Then he will be begging for me to punish him if that happens Shizune.”

Shizune thinks in her mind, “I agree. There are parts of Lady Ayane that make me think of Kushina-sama.”

(Elsewhere; A short time soon after)

Right now, we find Ayane, riding her Duel Board, being flanked by Jun Motomiya, Ninja Ryu, Ninja Ayane, and Haku in the trees with Davis riding on Raidramon with him holding the Dragon’s Orb in his two hands.

Davis asks, perplexed, “What am I supposed to do with this thing?”

Ninja Ayane tells Davis, “The Dragon’s Orb reacted to you in your duel with those rogue duelists that invaded over a month ago, Davis-sama. You are the guardian of the Dragon’s Orb.”

Davis asks, curiously, “If you knew that, why didn’t you give it to me then?”

Ninja Ryu says, with a plain tone, “Too risky. We knew that the invasion would start at the finals and we didn’t know if Orochimaru knew about the Dragon’s Orb.”

Jun tells Davis, “Yeah, bro. Even with all my chakra, there is no way that I can fight against a Sannin and that means that you can’t too, bloodline or no bloodline. Plus, that snake, if he doesn’t know already, might come after you to get it.”

Haku says to Jun, “Personally, I never knew that such a bloodline existed.”

Ninja Ryu tells Haku, “There are plenty that want Davis-sama’s bloodline, Haku-san.”

Ayane tells everyone, “Come on, everyone! We need to speed it up!”

Davis tells Ayane, “I know that you are worried about Naruto, but we are going as fast as we can!”

Raidramon tells Davis, “She is just worried about Naruto.”

Haku tells Ayane, reassuringly, “Naruto-sama is strong, Lady Ayane. You know that he will be just fine.”

Ayane thinks in her mind, “I hope so, Haku.”

(Later that day; Rejoining Naruto and his group)

At this moment, however, Naruto is far from fine. We find Naruto and a group of Shadow Clones trapped in a large web, Shikamaru bound up on a tree trunk by another web, Kiba and Akamaru are trapped by webbing on the tree branches that they are on, and Neji gets trapped in a large cocoon made up of webbing in which all of this is from Kidomaru of the Sound Four. Our team, minus Choji, tried to sneak attack with Shikamaru using a transformation jutsu to look like Jirobo, but since he didn’t act like Jirobo, the three Sound ninja caught on quickly, in which Tayuya and Sakon run off with the container with Sasuke inside while Kidomaru battled with the others.

At this moment, Naruto tries to cut the web with his kunai, but no success in which he yells out, “What’s this stuff made of? I can’t cut it!”

Kidomaru, hanging on by strings of his web, says, slyly, “My Spider Silk is so powerful that nothing can break, not even two elephants can break it!” Kidomaru then fills his mouth with something and leaps down onto a tree branch.

“Ninja Art: Sticky Spider Thread!”

Soon after, Kidomaru brings out golden-brown spider thread from his mouth and Shikamaru thinks, “That stuff is a different color from the stuff that he used before!” Kidomaru then turns it into six chunks which harden in which Shikamaru thinks, “It’s solidifying.”

Kidomaru tells Naruto, “Since you’ll be my first victim, we’re going to have some fun!”

Naruto replies, with a sneer, “What did you say scum?!”

Kidomaru says, with a grin, “Oh, yeah! Orochimaru-sama told us to capture one of you, Signers, so, I’ll make sure to give you a non-lethal injury! However, while I have to bring you in alive, I don’t have to bring you intact!” Kidomaru throws one of his hardened silk weapons into one of the Narutos’ backs, but it vanishes into a Shadow Clone. Kidomaru says, with a grin, “One down! He was clone and now, let’s try another!” He launches another one which lands in the upper chest through not a lethal wound, but that ‘Naruto’ vanishes in a puff of smoke revealing a Shadow Clone. Kidomaru says, with a grin, “You are pretty lucky, kid! Now, let’s try two and the odds will be double in my favor!” He throws two more, hitting two more ‘Narutos’ with nasty, but non-lethal wounds, however, these turn out to be Shadow Clones too. Kidomaru says, with a grin, “You are one very lucky guy, but I’ve got a fifty-fifty shot now!” He hits another one in the back, but that ‘Naruto’ vanishes in a puff of smoke! Kidomaru says, with a grin, “A fighter to the end, huh? I’ve got to say that it’s been fun and consider yourself lucky, Signer brat! Orochimaru needs you… at least until you have that power extracted from you! Don’t worry, you won’t be dead! You’ll just wake up with a nasty wound and in Orochimaru-sama’s hands!” Kidomaru throws that last one in which it hits Naruto in a place where it won’t be lethal to him, but the final ‘Naruto’ vanishes in a puff of smoke as well! Kidomaru calls out, stunned, “Wait! When did he…?!”

“Shinra Tensei!”

Kidomaru is then hit from behind by a powerful gravity force that sends him flying through the air, but he quickly regains his balance and uses his webbing to slow and then stop his flight.

Kidomaru thinks in his mind, “Of course, he let his Shadow Clones get caught and wait until he get an attack in! For someone to think out that plan in the middle of battle, he isn’t so dumb after all. No wonder Orochimaru-sama told us to be wary of this kid.” Kidomaru then exposes one of his threads in which he yanks real hard to show it on the heel of Naruto’s left sandal sending him flying towards him in which he yells out, “Too bad that you are at the end of your rope, kid!” However, Neji appears and uses his Gentle Fist to cut the threat holding Naruto in which Neji manages to catch Naruto and get him to another tree branch where Shikamaru, Akamaru, and Kiba, all free from their binds, are waiting.

Neji tells Naruto, “Good work on distracting him for me.”

Naruto says, with a plain tone, “No problem, Neji.”

Kidomaru tells Neji, “I had you trapped. How did you get free?”

Neji replies, “Your webs are chakra based and chakra based substances are no match for my Gentle Fist.” Neji tells the others, “This guy’s jutsu, everyone, can only be handled by me, everyone. Go on, you guys. I’ll take care of him.”

Akamaru whimpers in fear and Kiba asks, concerned, “What’s wrong, buddy?” However, Akamaru leaps into Kiba’s coat and Kiba tells them, “Well, it looks like that this guy is even stronger than that big guy and I mean MUCH stronger, everyone.”

Neji asks Shikamaru, “It looks like we are going to need to go one-on-one if we are to succeed, Shikamaru. That’s what you said, right?”

Shikamaru says, with a nod, “That’s what we agreed, Neji.”

Neji says, with a plain tone, “If we are going find Sasuke, we are going to need to split up.”

Kiba asks, “But what about Choji?”

Neji says, “We are here to bring Sasuke back to the village, but we are also here to protect another ninja and protect the bonds of the Leaf Village. At the funeral, do you remember the words of the Third Hokage and others?” Naruto gives a nod and Neji says, “Listen, Sasuke is heading towards Orochimaru. And we can’t let someone so evil get someone from our village. That isn’t our way.” When Neji looks at Naruto, he tells him, “Even without the Rinnegan, your eyes are even better than mine. Where he is Sasuke is in the darkness and only someone that knows the darkness, but who refused to let him take it over and let his or her light shine can bring him home. The Crimson Dragon chose wisely to have you as one of its warriors to succeed your murdered predecessor. You are the living representation of our village’s motto even through our village didn’t honor it in your case, Naruto.” Neji tells Naruto, “Now go, I’ll be right behind you.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “Okay, Neji.”

Kiba tells Neji, with a smile, “When you catch up, make sure to bring Choji too.”

Neji says, with a nod, “Of course, I will.”

As Shikamaru, Naruto, and Kiba head off, Naruto thinks, “Neji, I had better see you again.” However, Kidomaru unleashes more of his webbing on them and Naruto yells out, when he sees it behind them, “Look out, everyone! Incoming!” However, Neji uses his Gentle Fist Taijutsu to cut the threads and stop the attack in which Naruto says, with a smile, “Great job, Naruto.”

Shikamaru says, with a grin, “That’s Neji all right.” Soon enough, all three of them head off into the distance as Neji prepares to battle Kidomaru in an intense fight for his life.

(Back with Orochimaru; on the meanwhile)

Rejoining Orochimaru, we find him talking with a mysterious figure in the shadows.

Orochimaru tells the figure, with a sly tone, “Interesting, my friend.”

The figure tells Orochimaru, in a deep male voice, “I can give you the power to harness Ener-D and give you access to any card in the world and your forbidden jutsu can create the only weapon other than Dark Signers to defeat the six Signers.”

Orochimaru tells the figure, “You make an interesting offer and what do you get in return?”

The figure replies, with a deep male voice, “Nothing that harms you, Orochimaru-dono.”

Orochimaru tells him, with a wicked smile, “You tickle my interesting, my friend. However, I wish for Naruto more than his Mark of the Dragon after all.”

The figure replies, plainly, “The Rinnegan, huh? I’m not surprised that you are not going settle with just the Sharingan. However, did you know that the Sharingan and Rinnegan are linked together?”

Orochimaru asks, curiously, “Oh, really? I know the legends, but you sound like you know the truth about the Sharingan and Rinnegan. Do you?”

The figure tells Orochimaru, “I do, Orochimaru. In fact, I know the origins of the Tailed Beasts and more in which I know the goal of Madara Uchiha, who is the true leader of the Akatsuki. Kabuto did tell what happened when the Namikaze dueled against Paradox, correct?”

Orochimaru’s eyes widen and the snake Sannin tells the figure, “My friend, we may be able to come to an agreement after all.” But then Orochimaru groans out in pain as his body shakes and quivers in which he groans before starting to cry out in pain and agony.

The figure thinks in his mind, “He is not going to make it. The energy of the Netherworld that Kushina Uzumaki used in her jutsu had speed up the process of decay of Orochimaru’s jutsu to take new bodies.”

Kabuto runs into the room and he yells out, “Orochimaru-sama!” The figure whispers something into Kabuto’s ear and his eyes widen in which he rushes over to take off the bandages in which he gasps to see them turning black as well as turn into ash. As the figure walks away, Kabuto thinks in his mind, “I may not trust this outsider, but he is right! The energy of the Netherworld is accelerating the decaying process. He has run out of time! He needs to take a new body now!”

(Back in the Land of Fire; reaching nighttime)

At this time, we find Kiba, Naruto, and Shikamaru continuing their pursuit of Sakon and Tayuya who have the container with Sasuke Uchiha inside in which Akamaru senses them with its sensitive nose.

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “We’re close.”

Shikamaru says, “Two against three, huh? I like these odds. This time around, if all goes well, we can wrap this up.”

Naruto yells out, excitedly, “Three against two? Awesome! I like these odds!”

Kiba asks, annoyed, “What do you mean three against two?”

When Akamaru barks in annoyance, Shikamaru says, with a sly grin, “Sorry, Akamaru. I mean FOUR against two.”

Kiba tells his canine partner, “I can’t wait to show them our new moves, right Akamaru?”

Akamaru barks in agreement and Naruto yells out, excitedly, “Once I give them a taste of my Rasengan with my Rinnegan, they will be out like a light!”

Shikamaru tells Naruto, “Maybe, Naruto, but for now, stick to the plan.”

Naruto replies, confused, “Right.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “The best thing to do right now is to get them in range before nightfall.”

Kiba calls out, “What are we waiting for then? Let’s hit it, guys!” They continue on, but when nightfall hits, they are still only close to them. Kiba says, with a serious tone, “We are right on top of them!”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “Okay, we’ll keep our distance and attack them in the morning.”

Naruto asks, stunned, “Huh? What about Sasuke?”

Kiba asks, seriously, “Isn’t it better to attack them right now in the dark?”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “The dark might give us an edge, but only at the point and instant of contact. Remember, our task is to distract them long enough for one of us to grab that coffin that they have Sasuke stuffed into, get him out, and then have that girl with that powerful crystal get rid of it while also getting him back to the village. If we are stumbling around in the dark, they might be able to figure out what we are going to do and all they need to do is create a good enough defense to protect Sasuke inside of that thing until they can get away. Plus, with these clouds and little moonlight, my Shadow Possession Jutsu is useless.”

Naruto gives a curious look and he yells out, excitedly, “Oh, yeah! You can use it to restrain them like last time!”

Kiba says, with a plain tone, “He did do that until they managed to attack him from behind.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “That’s why I need Naruto and his Shadow Clones to guard by my back and sides.”

Naruto says, with a grin, “Gotcha!”

(Sometime later; Back at Orochimaru’s Sound Village Base)

Soon after, we find ourselves returning within one of Orochimaru’s bases in which we find Kabuto inside of some kind of medical room with a male with an exposed muscular chest on some kind of bed with medical IVs and sensors attached to his body as Kabuto turns of a motion as screams of some kind of horror and more come from it.

The male says, in a deep voice, “I see that I was never meant to be the vessel, but I was to retrieve the vessel. That’s how I will replay Orochimaru-sama for my failure.”

Kabuto tells him, “Do you think that you should go? In your condition, Kimimaro? Most likely, the Leaf will send people after Sasuke to get him back. And one of them is one of those people that have the Mark of the Dragon on them.”

When we look at the male, we find that he has pale skin, green eyes, two dots on his forehead, and white hair that’s shoulder length and parted in a zigzag pattern across his scalp and he says, plainly, “The Signers.”

Kabuto says, with a plain tone, “That’s right, Kimimaro. And the one that’s most likely coming after Sasuke is the son of the Fourth Hokage and Red Storm, Kushina Uzumaki. He holds a dojutsu that rivals Sasuke’s and Orochimaru-sama wants him alive.”

The male, known as Kimimaro, replies, “It doesn’t matter. He shall not stop me. I shall retrieve the vessel and then he shall serve his purpose to Orochimaru-sama. He will have the power of the Crimson Dragon.”

(The following morning)

The next morning, we find Tayuya and Sakon racing through the woods when a ‘thump’ comes from the container with Sasuke inside.

Tayuya tells Sakon, “Hold on for a minute!”

Tayuya and Sakon stop and Sakon asks, “Are we almost there?”
Tayuya replies, plainly, “We have a ways to go still, but look behind us.” Tayuya and Sakon look behind them to see Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba behind them. Tayuya says, with a sneer, “Just when we need them, Jirobo and Kidomaru are nowhere to be seen.”

Naruto says, with a grin, “Sorry, just us!”

Sakon yells out, slyly, “Who needs those two? I can handle them myself!” Sakon charges in and Shikamaru and Kiba leap out to counterattack, but they are slammed by multiple punches while Naruto creates a Shadow Clone and moves to form a Rasengan. However, Shikamaru and Kiba vanish in puffs of smoke to reveal that they are Shadow Clones and when Naruto tries to attack, Sakon grabs his arms. Sakon asks, with a grin, “How are you supposed to attack when you can’t hit me?”

“Tunneling Fang!”

Just then the real Kiba comes in and attack going through ‘Naruto’ which is revealed to be another Shadow Clone and Sakon ducks to avoid the attack, but Kiba continue on for Tayuya.

Tayuya thinks in her mind, “They maneuvered Sakon in front of me! I was the real target!”

Sakon realizes this and he yells out, annoyed, “That changes nothing!”

However, Tayuya yelps as her ability to move is negated and she asks, weakly, “What hit me?” She struggles to look to her right and she sees Shikamaru with his shadow connected to hers.

Shikamaru tells her, “It’s called a Shadow Possession Jutsu!”

Tayuya thinks in her mind, “He’s got me pinned down and meanwhile…” Kiba then stops spinning when he reaches the container and grabs it.

Sakon exclaims, “Tayuya, don’t just stand there! Get that guy!” However, Shikamaru moves Tayuya into position to block Sakon in which he yells out, “What are you doing? Get out of the way!” Sakon thinks in his mind, “I can’t stop in time!” At the last second, Shikamaru releases Tayuya from his jutsu allowing Sakon to slam into Tayuya knocking both of them down for the moment.

Kiba throws the container to Naruto and he yells out, “Naruto, catch!”

Naruto catches the container and he tells Kiba, “Got it, Kiba! Let’s get out of here!”

Kiba tells Shikamaru, “You heard the man, Shikamaru!”

Shikamaru replies, “Yeah, I’m coming.” Soon after, all three of them head off while Sakon and Tayuya struggle to recover.

Tayuya says, annoyed, “Little punks.”

Sakon says, with a sneer, “They are not going to get away with this.” Sakon activates his Curse Mark, which spreads like black spots all over his body, and yells out, “This isn’t over, fools!” Soon after, Tayuya and Sakon chase after them to get back Sasuke from Kiba, Naruto, and Shikamaru. They continue on for awhile as the three of them noticed Sakon getting closer and closer.

Kiba says, amazed, “He’s quick.” Soon enough, he looks down and sees Akamaru by a paper bomb in which he says, “When you are done, Akamaru, get the heck out of there and join us!” Akamaru barks in reply and quickly heads away. When Sakon lands in a nearby tree, he hears a hiss and looks to see a paper bomb about to detonate.

Sakon exclaims, shocked, “Oh no!” The paper bomb seemly explodes in his face and sending the tree crashing to the ground, but Sakon then appears out of the smoke and dust in which he yells out, angrily, “You think that’s enough to stop me? That’s the last time that you’ll bark around him!” Sakon then uses wires to entrap Akamaru on a branch with another bomb that’s going to detonate.

Kiba yells out, running after him, “Hang on!” But when Kiba reaches Akamaru, the bomb detonates in a large explosion covering the area with a lot of smoke and dust.

Naruto calls out, shocked, “Kiba! Akamaru!”

Shikamaru says, seriously, “I can’t see them!” We see Kiba and Akamaru along with Sakon falling into a large chasm and who knows where after that.

Naruto asks, perplexed, “Where are they?”

Just then Tayuya’s voice booms out, “I’ve got you now!”

Shikamaru says, looking at Tayuya who is closing in on them, “And we’ve got another one to deal with!” Shikamaru tells Naruto, “Naruto, take Sasuke and get out of here. I’ll handle her.”

Naruto asks, stunned, “Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru tells Naruto, seriously, “Just get going Naruto!”

But then Tayuya stops and she asks, with a stunned look in her expression, “What? What are you doing here?” Just then a figure dressed like the Sound Four drops down on top of Shikamaru and Naruto and before they could say or do anything, he takes the container with Sasuke inside away from them. When we look to see the figure, it is none other than Kimimaro himself.

Shikamaru tells Naruto, “Sorry, Naruto, it looks like I miscalculated.”

Naruto tells Shikamaru, “Where did this guy come from? I thought that there were only four.”

Tayuya says, lowly, “Kimimaro…”

Kimimaro tells Tayuya, in a plain tone, “You took too long, Tayuya. And what happened to the rest of the Sound Ninja five?”

Tayuya replies, “How are you here? Your body… by now your body is…”

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “My body is too destroyed to move on its own. I used the power of my mind.”

Tayuya tells him, “No way, Kimimaro. You can escape death now?”

Kimimaro tells Tayuya, “My life-force has become much stronger since ‘escaping’ the prison that’s flesh. I’ve had a taste of Orochimaru-sama’s magnificent dream.”

Naruto says, with a snarl, “Orochimaru…”

Kimimaro says, plainly, “This vessel is a part of that dream, but you took long in bringing it back, Tayuya.”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “Great, another freak to deal with and something tells me that he isn’t any ordinary guy. We need to sort things out and it would be dumb to take him head on…”

Naruto yells out, shaking Shikamaru out of his thoughts, “I’ve had enough of that nonsense that you are talking about, pal! I’m taking Sasuke back right now!”

Shikamaru says, stunned, “Hey, Naruto…!” Naruto closes his eyes and Kimimaro and Tayuya sense something in which Naruto’s eyes shoot open to reveal his Rinnegan.

Kimimaro thinks in his mind, “His eyes…!”

“Shinra Tensei!”

Kimimaro then gets thrown through several trees by Naruto’s gravity jutsu and he leaps forward to get the container, but Tayuya leaps into the air and manages to meet him using one punch to send him back, however, the punch doesn’t have much effect on him through it forces him to fall back onto another branch. When Tayuya lands on another branch, Kimimaro, his clothes torn and having a few minor cuts, lands right beside her.

Kimimaro tells her, “Tayuya, I could end your life right now. However, I don’t end your life right is because you have a duty to Orochimaru-sama as I have a duty to deliver that vessel to him.”

Tayuya asks Kimimaro, “I thought that you said it was too late, Kimimaro?”

Kimimaro tells Tayuya, “You were listening, Tayuya? Good. That’s the vessel that Orochimaru desires.”

Tayuya asks, “So, he is the next vessel?”

Kimimaro tells Tayuya, “That’s right. And delivering him intact and safely is the only way that I can please him. I must admit that the blond haired one is indeed a jewel. I heard of him from Kabuto. You will kill that piece of garage with the black hair, but the jewel is to be brought to Orochimaru-sama alive.”

Tayuya says, with a sneer, “He has the fucking Rinnegan, Kimimaro! How do I fight against a legendary dojutsu? He just blasted you!”

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “And that’s why he impressed me and showed that he, unlike the other one, isn’t trash and is a jewel like Orochimaru-sama thinks that he is. I leave it to you to figure it out, but if you kill him… I will kill you for Orochimaru-sama will have to wait until the Crimson Dragon chosen a new vessel for that part of its power that he is carrying.” Kimimaro then leaps off, grabs the container with Sasuke inside, and leaps off.

Naruto yells out, in a panic, “Oh, man! He is getting away with Sasuke! We need to stop him!”

Shikamaru tells Naruto, “Naruto, you need to calm down! Don’t forget that snake is after you too! For your eyes and that on your right arm! Make one mistake and he’ll get that too!”

Naruto says, lowly, “I know and I can’t let that happen either.”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “Tsunade knows that it was a risk to put Naruto on this mission since that snake wants the power of the Crimson Dragon, but something tells me that it was a good idea since he is quite the powerhouse. And right now, we need to choose the best plan for this situation and fast or else, we will fail in this mission.”

Tayuya thinks in her mind, taking out her flute, “Oh, man! It’s bad enough for this Uchiha ass, but now, I have to get this Rinnegan kid for his ‘tattoo’ in his right arm and his fucking eyes as well!”

Shikamaru tells Naruto, “Naruto, I’ve got a plan, but you need to follow it exactly.” Soon enough, Shikamaru talks to Naruto in a tone that’s too quickly for Tayuya to hear and she thinks about what she knows about them so far. Just then Naruto and Shikamaru get to their feet and charge right at her which surprises her in which she blocks a blow from a kunai, but Naruto charges in with a punch, however, he flies right over her.

Naruto thinks in his mind, slyly, “It worked! Shikamaru, you are a genius!” Naruto says, with a foxy grin, “As much as I would love to kick your ass, lady, I’ve got to fly!”

Naruto leaps away and Tayuya yells out, with an anime deadpan look in her expression, “That attack was a trick! Teamwork my ass!” Tayuya then looks to see Shikamaru in a familiar position and hand sign in which she barely manages to dodge his shadow.

As Naruto continues on, he thinks, “Good luck, Shikamaru. And you had better come back in one piece, buster!” Naruto then uses the Kyuubi’s chakra in short bursts to boost his speed and get after Kimimaro in which he thinks, “I’ve got to remember to really thank Hayabusa-sensei and even Pervy Sage for ideas to use the fox’s chakra in bursts without activating my chakra cloak! Okay, Sasuke-teme, I’m on my way!”

(On the meanwhile; Returning to Ayane’s group)

Back with Ayane, we find her, Davis, Jun, and Haku still heading in the direction that our group is in which the reason that Ninja Ayane and Ninja Ryu aren’t with them is that they had found the critically injured Choji and Neji along the way and in each case, they immediately took them back to the Leaf Village with the bodies of the two dead Sound ninja sealed in scrolls back to the Leaf Village.

Raidramon says, “Man! We’ve been at this all night!”

Davis tells Raidramon, “I know buddy, but being a ninja is twenty-four business!”

Jun says, while leaping through the trees, “You can see why we’re not into that! I’m into boys, but my little bro had to get himself into major shit again.”

Davis tells Jun, with a snort, “Hey, Jun, I didn’t ask for the ‘Mark of the Dragon’ or chosen to be a Signer!”

Jun tells Davis, with a smile, “Just funning with you, squirt. Look, I know that it is a great honor and all, it does cut into our social lives.”

Davis says, with a plain tone, “Better that that being dead or used in freaky experiments.”

Jun says, with a nod, “No joke, bro.”

Ayane says, with a worried tone, “Naruto…”

Haku tells Ayane, reassuringly, “Lady Ayane, Naruto has shown to be a strong person and ninja. He won’t be defeat that easily.”

Davis thinks in his mind, “Yeah, but if we found his teammates in the kind of conditions that they were, these assholes are no joke!” As they continue on to find Naruto, Ayane can’t help to worry more and more about our blond haired hero and Signer.

(A short time soon after; Elsewhere)

Returning to Kimimaro, we find him landing in a large clearing from the trees in the forest and he looks up into the sky.

Kimimaro thinks in his mind, “When I see Tayuya again, I must remember to kill her.”

Just then Naruto’s voice booms, “Hey, you!” Kimimaro turns to see Naruto landing in front of him and looks ready for battle.

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “So, Signer, you managed to get past Tayuya? No matter, you have saved me the trouble of coming back for you.”

Naruto yells out, annoyed, “Okay, asshole, start talking! Why does he want Sasuke so bad?”

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “Orochimaru-sama has acquired the Immortal Jutsu, but it takes time to gain all of the jutsu of this world.”

Naruto asks, with a snort, “So what?”

Kimimaro says, plainly, “Just because he is immortal, Orochimaru-sama can’t stay in one body forever. As his old body rots and decays, a new and stronger body must be prepared to be made to house his spirit… his very essence.”

Naruto asks, with a sneer, “So that’s it? Orochimaru is going to use his body?”

Kimimaro says, getting into a defensive stance, “That’s right, Signer. And you shall provide what is needed for the body after that along with the power of the Crimson Dragon.”

Naruto yells out, strongly, “Never! Orochimaru-baka will never get Sasuke, my power, or the power of the Crimson Dragon! And I’ll make sure of that by blowing him off the face of this planet! He has hurt too many people in his mad quest for power and I’m going to make sure that he pays!”

Kimimaro tells Naruto, “You dare threaten Orochimaru-sama? I can’t kill you, but you have just given yourself a sentience of pain. I give it to you before I take you to him.”

Naruto exclaims, strongly, “Just you try it!” As what looks like a bone coming out of Kimimaro’s left hand, Naruto gains a strong chakra aura around his body in which he uses a Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu to create several hundred Shadow Clones.

Kimimaro says, with a curious tone, “Interesting, Signer.” He creates another white bone-like weapon from his other palm and he says, “But in the end, you shall be at my feet and Orochimaru-sama’s.”

All of the Naruto Shadow Clones take out kunai and Naruto yells out, annoyed, “We’ll see about that!” Naruto thinks in his mind, “But what about his hands! It’s like he is growing weapons out them! Doesn’t matter! If Sasuke is nothing, but a meat puppet to him, I can’t lose to his… his goon!”

Naruto and his Shadow Clones yell out in unison, “Let’s get this scum!” When they get in close, Kimimaro, showing attacks similar to an expert swordsman, easily slices through over a dozen Naruto Shadow Clones with ease.

Naruto asks, stunned, “What the heck?”

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “Okay, it is time to get serious and end this battle right now.”

Naruto says, with a sneer, “Took the words right out of my mouth and I’m going to stuff them along with your foot back in your fat lip, jerk!” The two of them engage again, but Kimimaro continues to cut through one after another of Naruto’s Shadow Clones with grace and deadly accuracy. When two Naruto Shadow Clones throw their kunai, Kimimaro dodges them in which they hit two more Shadow Clones dispelling them. Naruto yells out, “Watch it, everyone! He can easily dodge those and take down us instead!”

One of his Shadow Clones exclaims in reply, “We can see that!”

Another Shadow Clone shouts out, “Okay, we’ll go close range then!” Another group of three from the hundreds of Shadow Clones charge in for a close range attack, but he easily defeats them.

Kimimaro yells out, “Now, behold the Willow Dance!” Kimimaro then charges in and cuts through a group of Naruto’s Shadow Clones in which he leaps into the sky in which a group of Shadow Clones in the air, but more sharp bone-like weapons come all over his body take them out even when they surround him in all sides.

Naruto thinks in his mind, “He’s got those things growing all over his body! Is that some kind of bloodline thing or what?”

When Kimimaro lands on the ground, he says, plainly, “Now, you have seen my Kekkai Genkai.”

Naruto asks, stunned, “You mean that freaky bone thing is a bloodline?”

Kimimaro says, with a nod, “Exactly, Signer.” Kimimaro then removes the part of shirt covering his left shoulder and a bone-like sword comes out of it.

Naruto thinks in his mind, “He uses his own bones as weapons?!” A Naruto Shadow Clones throws shuriken at him, but Kimimaro easily deflects them with his ‘bone sword’.

Kimimaro tells Naruto, “It is no use. This is no ordinary bone.” As the container with Sasuke inside starts to give off ominous dark violet/black smoke and Kimimaro says, “This bone is of the highest density as hard as tempered steel.”

Naruto says, with a serious tone, “Doesn’t matter to me! I’m going to break every bone in and out of your body!”

Kimimaro tells Naruto, “Do you think that you know the limits of my power? Fool. You may have a more powerful bloodline than mine, but you don’t have the experience that I do. I have five dances and you have only seen one. Next up, the camellia dance.”

Naruto says, strongly, “Bring it on, jerk!” Naruto and his Shadow Clones leap into the action and unleash shuriken all around Kimimaro, but he easily defects them in which they split in half when they hit the ground. Naruto asks, stunned, “Huh? He split them in two?”

Kimimaro tells Naruto, with a plain tone, “I told you, Signer. This bone is harder than steel, but maybe you will like for me to show first hand?” Kimimaro charges in for the attack and Naruto and his Shadow Clone charge in, but Kimimaro cuts through the Shadow Clones one after another.

Naruto says, stunned, “This is insane!”

Kimimaro tells him, “You have great power, but you don’t know how to use it, Signer. No matter how many you send against me, the result shall be the same.” Naruto’s Shadow Clone continue to fight until there were just five left and those five attacked on all sides, but Kimimaro cuts through them and Naruto is left alone.

Naruto thinks in his mind, “This is a nightmare! He defeated all of my clones with ease! But I’ve got to try something!”

Kimimaro says, with a plain tone, “And then there was one.” Kimimaro then says, “And now, the moment that I was waiting for.” Just then the seals on the container with Sasuke inside break apart and the whole container explode into nothingness in a massive explosion. Out of the smoke and dust, Sasuke comes out, but his skin is darker and his hair is longer and dark grey for a moment before his skin and hair returns to normal.

Naruto says, lowly, “Sasuke…” But then Sasuke leaps off into the distance and Naruto yells out, shocked, “Sasuke, hold on!” However, Kimimaro uses Naruto’s distraction to get on his left flank.

Kimimaro tells Naruto, “And now, you are done, Signer. The power of the Crimson Dragon belongs to Orochimaru-sama!” But before he can attack, Rock Lee comes out of seemly nowhere and lands a kick to force Kimimaro back.

Rock Lee says, “It is I. The Leaf Village’s rejuvenated handsome beast: Rock Lee!”

Naruto asks, stunned, “Bushy Brow?” Naruto tells Lee, “Bushy Brow, what about your injuries?”

Lee tells Naruto, “Don’t worry about me, Naruto. Go after Sasuke.”

Naruto tells Lee, “Are you sure, Lee? This guy is really strong.”

Lee tells Naruto, “Don’t worry about me, Naruto. I’ll take care of this guy.”

Naruto tells Lee, “Okay, Bushy Brow, but be careful. This guy uses his own bones for weapons and they are strong enough to cut my shuriken in half.”

Lee says, looking at Kimimaro’s weapon, “His own bones? I see, Naruto.”

Naruto says, with a plain tone, “It’s a bloodline and this guy’s strength is beyond belief. Be careful, Bushy Brows.”

Lee gives a ‘thumbs up’ and he says, “Don’t worry, Naruto. I promise.”

Naruto says, with a nod, “Good luck, Bushy Brows.” Naruto then heads off in the same direction as Sasuke.

Kimimaro says, plainly, “I don’t think so, Signer.” Kimimaro then leaps over Lee and heads right for Naruto, but when Naruto swings his head, his Rinnegan eyes are active. Kimimaro thinks in his mind, “His eyes…”

“Shinra Tensei!”

Kimimaro then groans as he is slammed by a powerful gravity force that sends him flying and then skidding across the ground until he crashes with a large ‘crash’ of smoke and dust.

Lee thinks in his mind, with a sly smile, “Nice shot, Naruto!” Kimimaro then leaps out of where Naruto sent him and charges for him, but Lee, with his own incredible speed, appears in front of him. Lee says, with a smirk, “I don’t like being ignored and Orochimaru shall never get Sasuke nor the power of the noble Crimson Dragon.” He then lands a powerful drop kick onto Kimimaro as Naruto heads off after Sasuke.

(Returning to the Leaf Village; around the same time)

Within the Leaf Village, we find ourselves inside of the Leaf Village where we find Tsunade inside of a room with multiple beds with Genma Shiranuri, the protector of the Third Exam to replace the slain Hayate Gekko, and Raido Namiashi, the currently former Third Hokage’s, Sarutobi’s, guard during the third part of the Chunin Exam.

Genma says, with a plain tone, “There is no team of Genin that can take them down even with Namikaze-sama in it.”

Tsunade says, with a plain tone, “I’m not so sure. Hayabusa-sama just sent us intelligence that two of them were beaten and killed by Choji Akimichi and Neji Hyuga, but… they are in critical condition and in far worse shape than either of you were.”

The two Jonin are shocked and Raido says, with a plain tone, “I’m not surprised that they are so injured, but I am surprised that they won.”

Genma says, plainly, “Even so, they are going to need support. We need to send a team of Jonin…”

Tsunade says, with a sigh, “That’s out of the question. Even through we didn’t suffer as much as Sound and Sand due to the ‘special aid’ that we had gotten, our forces too thin out due certain neighbors of ours sensing weakness. Even with the threat of losing the Sharingan, I can’t afford to spread our forces thinner than they are. And before you say anything, Naruto is too stubborn to be taken down so easily. Most likely, they’ll focusing getting Sasuke to Orochimaru and make another attempt at Naruto and the other Signers.”

Genma tells Tsunade, “But if Orochimaru regains his strength, he will make another attempt at the village and the Signers.”

Tsunade says, with a smile, “Don’t worry, I know that. That’s why I had made ‘special arrangements’.” The two Jonin look at the Fifth Hokage in surprise and wonder what kind of special arrangements that she made.

(Back with Shikamaru; A good time afterwards)

We find out what Tsunade meant when we find Shikamaru, worn out and exhausted out, with Temari of the Sand Village. When Tayuya was about to beat him when he run out of chakra and she overwhelmed his shadow jutsu, Temari came in just in time and saved him. Right now, Shikamaru explained about Tayuya’s abilities and his honest opinion about the situation based on his battle with Tayuya which nearly ended in his defeat and death.

However, Temari bites her finger, puts blood on her fan, and she asks, with a smile, “Excuse me, did I ask for your opinion?”

Shikamaru asks, surprised, “What?”

Temari says, with a grin, “All I wanted you to do is explain the situation to me. You have no idea what powers I hold. If this bitch thinks she can hide from me while remaining close enough to use her Genjutsu on me, she has got another thing coming.”

“Summoning Blade Dance!”

Temari then swings her fan, summoning a one-eyed weasel holding a large scythe/sickle, and the attack goes through trees the instant that the summoning creature comes in contact with.

Elsewhere, Tayuya hiding in a tree prepares to use her Genjutsu and she thinks, “All right, time to use my Genjutsu!” But she then hears a slicing sound and when she turns to look, the wind from Temari’s attack slams into her before she is flung into the air as the attack rips into her. During the attack, Shikamaru had to close his eyes, but when he opened them again, he saw a large part of the forest destroyed with Tayuya pinned under a group of trees, critically wounded through she looks dead.

Temari asks, slyly, “What about that?”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “She is subtle as a rhino and she might be more scary than my mom.”

Temari asks, with a grin, “Pretty good, huh?”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, with a sigh, “Oh, well. I guess that I should be glad that she is so scary.”

Just then a familiar voice calls out, “Whoa, what happened here?” Everyone looks to see Ayane, now being carried on Haku’s back, Haku, Davis, riding on Raidramon’s back, and Jun Motomiya.

Shikamaru asks, surprised, “What are you doing here?”

Haku says, with a sigh, “Lady Ayane is worried about Naruto-sama for fears that the Uchiha will kill him for trying to make him unable to reach Orochimaru.”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “Why am I not surprised? Naruto is becoming quite the ‘ladies’ man’. What a drag!”

Haku asks, curiously, “What is the Sand Shinobi doing here?”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “Lady Hokage sent them to help us.”

Jun says, looking over the devastation, “Wow. That must have been one nasty Wind jutsu.”

Temari says, looking at Jun, “I remember you. You were that girl that had that massive monster chakra that clobbered some of our best people!”

Davis says, with a grin, “That’s my sister all right. You don’t want to mess with her. She has the chakra level of a five or six-tailed Biju.”

Temari gives a look of surprise and Jun tells Davis, annoyed, “Why don’t you tell the whole world that I’m a ‘Human Biju’ squirt?”

After Jun bops Davis on the head, Shikamaru tells Temari, “Believe it or not, it’s true. I’ve seen her chakra in training session and she is nothing to sneeze at. She is combination of a fan girl and real kunoichi in the same package. And brother, what a pain.”

Temari thinks in her mind, “A combination of a ‘fan girl’ and a real kunoichi? I never thought that I would see the day that happens!” Jun then goes over to Tayuya and she puts her hand on her body.

Jun says, with a serious tone, “This one is still alive!”

There are plenty of gasps and Shikamaru asks, stunned, “She’s what?”

Jun says, looking over her, “She is in critically condition. She will most likely die if she doesn’t get any medical attention with the next half a day or less.”

Ayane looks at Tayuya and she asks, curiously, “What’s her name?”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “I heard that her name is Tayuya.”

Temari asks, curiously, “Why is that so important?”

Davis asks, curiously, “Tayuya? Where did I hear that man before?”

Haku asks Ayane, “I remember, Lady Ayane. But I don’t think that I can save her even with my skills. What should we do?”

Temari asks, curiously, “Why should saving her matter?”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “Good intelligence, Temari. She might provide information on Orochimaru and his operation AKA the Sound Village.”

Ayane says, with a plain tone, “I might be able to save her with my powers.”

Shikamaru asks, curiously, “How can bringing a Duel Monster’s card to life really help?”

Haku tells Ayane, “I know what you might try to do, Lady Ayane. But even if you succeed, she may not be so… thankful.”

Jun says, taking out some kind of spell scrolls, “Chakra suppression seals. Never leave home without them.” Haku lets Ayane off her back, Ayane activates her duel disk, and she says, putting a Cleansing Water Quick-Play spell card inside, “I can not only make monsters along with their attacks and effects become real, but I can do the same with spells and trap cards! And this Cleansing Water spell card restores one monster back to their original full strength! Let’s see if it works on a human!” Just then some kind of strange glowing droplets of water come down and land on Tayuya in which he wounds start to heal as wells as the blood coming out of her lip fades in which she coughs out as she is being healed.

Many of the others are amazed and Raidramon says, stunned, “Amazing.”

Davis tells Raidramon, “Took the words right out of my mouth buddy.” Jun removes the tree stumps all over Tayuya’s form as the healing effect of Ayane’s spell card made real by her Psychic Powers are working on Tayuya and when she is healed, Tayuya opens her eyes.

Tayuya asks, weakly, “What?” But before she can say or do anything, Jun slaps the chakra suppression seals on her form and binds them to her.

When Tayuya leaps to her feet, Jun says, with a grin while holding her flute, “Chakra suppression seals, girl. As long as they are on you, you can’t use chakra at all. And by the way, something tells me that you can’t use do anything without this.”

Tayuya says, with a growl, “Fine, you got me. But don’t think for a fucking minute, I’ll give you any satisfaction.”

Ayane tells her, “I didn’t heal for you for ‘that’, Tayuya-san. I did it because Kin-san told me to try to save you if we met you.”

Tayuya asks, stunned, “Kin? But I thought…?”

Shikamaru says, with a sigh, “She is friends with that troublesome girl that I fought in the Chunin Exams, huh? I’m not surprised because both of them are a real drag.” Shikamaru asks, curiously, “Last time that I checked, she is living at Naruto’s house at the Namikaze compound when Hayabusa-sama snuck her away after I rung her bells, right?”

Haku says, with a nod, “That’s right, Shikamaru. She is living as a guest of the house and before you say anything, Tayuya-san, she is no slave to Naruto-sama. As an honorable ninja and Signer, he has made her a guest of the house knowing that Orochimaru just used her as a pawn for his own games. I believe that most likely, he was going to kill her, use her in some kind of jutsu, or both.”

Ayane tells Tayuya, “Kin is alive and after the invasion, the Third Hokage granted her sanctuary in the Leaf Village and the Fifth Hokage, who just replaced the Third Hokage, maintained in which she put her under the protection of the Namikaze clan and the Signers. As long as the six of us are alive, she will be safe and treated well.”

Tayuya says, with a snort, “Even if I were to agree to come with you, I am bound to Orochimaru by the Curse Mark.”

Davis says, with a grin, “That hicky? Our newest got rid of one over a week ago.”

Tayuya gives a gasp and Haku says, “The newest member of the Signers, Serena Tsukino, holds a powerful item and we found that it can completely purify anyone of the Curse Mark. We tested this out over a week ago with Anko Mitarashi, a former student of Orochimaru, that was used as a test subject for it and she has been completely purified of it.”

Tayuya yells out, stunned, “You have got to be shitting me!”

Jun asks, curiously, “Did you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

Tayuya gives an annoyed look and Ayane tells her, “We’re not lying. We can free you of your Curse Mark. The one that Anko-san had was the prototype, but it is pretty much the same as yours.”

Shikamaru says, with a plain tone, “The choice is yours. Die here or join your friend as well as leave that snake’s service for good.”

Tayuya says, sitting down, “Not like I can do anything now. No chakra and no flute. Personally, I never really liked that snake asshole. He granted me power, but I know that even through I was an elite member of the Sound, I was just a pawn like Kin. Anyway, I’ll take less evil of the two darn choices and give up.”

Ayane says, with a plain tone, “I think that Kin will be happy with that.”

Jun says, with a plain tone, “I’ll take her back to the village, but I’m going to have to tie her hands behind her back. Even with the chakra seals on her, got to make sure that everyone knows that she is a prisoner… kind of.”

Tayuya says, with a snort, “Whatever.”

Shikamaru asks, curiously, “If you are here, did you run into Choji, Neji, or Kiba?”

Haku says, with a sigh, “We’re not sure about Kiba, but we found Neji and Choji and they were close to their opponents, both of whom are dead. However, Choji lost all of his… weight and he was really weak.”

Davis says, with a plain tone, “He was starting to look like a person when they don’t eat for weeks or months.”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, worriedly, “Oh no, Choji took the red pill! Oh, man! Choji, I hoped that you wouldn’t have to do that!”

Haku says, with a plain tone, “Neji Hyuga suffered horrible injuries including what looks like multiple kunai or shuriken hits on his back and shoulders and two penetration wounds, one in the shoulder and one on his waist, which went through one way and exited out the other.”

Shikamaru starts to really sweat and he says, trying to remain calm, “That bad, huh? This is starting to be a real drag.”

Davis says, with a plain tone, “Personally, I’m worried about Naruto-san going after that Uchiha asshole. If he is like the way that he is, Naruto could end up hurt real bad.”

Temari says, with a plain tone, “I’m not surprised. I always thought that Uchiha jerk had a major screw loose.”

Shikamaru thinks in his mind, “And that’s what worries me and it isn’t a question of if he will do it. He showed much of his real self after Naruto beat him in that Duel Monsters match and made him look like a fool.”

Ayane thinks in her mind, “Naruto, I hope that you are safe.”

(Back with Naruto; Sometime soon after)

Right now, we find ourselves looking at two huge statues with each statue by a massive waterfall in which one of the statues is of Tsunade’s grandfather, the First Hokage, and the other statue is none other than Madara Uchiha himself, the one that controlled the Nine-Tailed Fox after taking it from Naruto’s mom on the day of Naruto’s birth. This place is known as the Valley of Ends, where Madara Uchiha, after his defection from the Leaf Village, fought against the First Hokage himself in combat and their battle created made the Valley of End like it is today.

At this moment, we find Naruto standing on the statue of the First Hokage and Sasuke on top of the statue of Madara Uchiha and Naruto yells out, “Sasuke!” Sasuke prepares to walk away and Naruto yells out, strongly, “Are you going to run off like a coward like you tried your cowardly attack on me after you lost to me, Sasuke-teme?” When Sasuke turns around, Naruto’s eyes widen to see the left side of Sasuke’s face covered in the marking of his Curse Mark with his left eye having black iris along with being a demonic-like golden-brown color.

Sasuke says, plainly, “So, it’s you. Hopeless little knucklehead.”

Naruto asks, stunned, “Sasuke, what happened to you?” As Naruto looks at Sasuke in shock and who could only wonder what will happen next…

Next time in Chapter 24:

Sasuke: So, she sent you, huh?

Naruto: That’s right, Sasuke! And I’m going to bring you back to the village!

Sasuke: Why would I bother with that pathetic backwater? It just held me back. When you showed just a speck of talent, they turned their back to me and gave you the chance to gain power. Power that should be mine! I don’t care if Orochimaru takes my body as long as he gives me power to destroy Itachi, I could care less!

Naruto: Fine, Sasuke-teme! If you won’t come back of your own free will and get rid of that thing, then I beat the crap out of you and drag you back!

Sasuke: You can try. With my new power, there is no way that you can stop me. Even with that demon inside of your gut, you may have its power, but I doubt that a Dobe like you can truly control the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Naruto: Sasuke, you jerk. After all that the others did for you… They risked their lives for you! All you care about is power and you need for revenge! You don’t care about how you hurt physically and emotionally! I won’t let you make short work of the others’ work to save you and I won’t let their work be for nothing! I’m going to bring you back even if I have to break every bone in your body to do so, Sasuke!

Sasuke (shocked): What is this power? Is it the fox? No, this power… is beyond even the Nine-Tailed Fox! How can this be possible?! What are you Naruto?!

Naruto: Someone who tried to be your friend, Sasuke, but now, I’m the guy is going to make you wake up! Take this: Celestial Rasengan!

Ayane: My Mark of the Dragon! It feels really hot! What’s going on? This feeling is different from anything before!

Ninja Ryu: This chakra… could this be…?

Tsunade: What was that power? It could be felt throughout the Elemental Countries!

Madara: Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze… I thought that no one other than the Six Path Sage could achieve THAT power… He is too much of a threat now… Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze must die now!

Ryu: Next time on ‘Naruto 5Ds’: The End and the Beginning Again

Kushina: Naruto, my boy, it is time…

This is it and next chapter, it is Sasuke versus Naruto all over again! I’m sorry that this chapter didn’t contain the other battles of the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, but like I said before, other than the changes that you have seen in this story, those battles were pretty much the same as they were in the Naruto anime/manga. Plus, I try to limit the sizes of my chapters in order to get them out faster and it is a struggle to make sure that there is good ‘quality’ in each chapter. However, the battle between Sasuke and Naruto in the Valley of Ends is going to be much different and I’m not going to say much, but one of them is going to get the short end of the stick and the ending might surprise you. And there is much more, everyone, but you are going to need to read and find out, everyone! Later and best wishes, Naruto, Dueling, and Crossover Fans!
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