Little Lion Man; Open

[Chaos]

It had been three years since Sasuke had been in this world known by the Ninja and even longer since he had stepped foot inside of the Fire Nation. Here he was however and his sights were set on a small patrolling city right outside of the Damiyo's main city of Import. This would be the Uchiha's target, to release a rumor of himself to Konoha. To send them a message they would never forget. This was where it all ended, the nice things, the peace, it was all coming crashing down underneath the feet of Uchiha Sasuke. His eyes red that matched the color of blood as he approached the city. Three ninja appeared in front of him.

"State your name and business he-" but the ninja stopped in his tracks when he saw the man in front of him. Sasuke's hair had grown longer and blocked his eyes but through the strands of hair could be seen the sharingan. A flash happened and Sasuke appeared behind all three men, his sword drawn out with blood on it. His eyes shot open as three slashes appeared behind him and blood flew from the ninja that stood there before they all fell to their deaths. Now it seemed at least fifteen ninja ran at Sasuke but the Uchiha would only use taijutsu against them.

One of the brave Jounin jumped to attack with an earth technique but was evaded quickly and smoothly as the blade came across his throat and blood flew outward. His life had ended in a mere instant the other ninja came at the man but he did not care as the blade flipped and turned cutting through each ninja until the last chunin was about to be cut down but the blade stopped just inches before it pierced into the man's throat. "I need you to do something for me..." Sasuke said, his voice was cold and smooth as the chunin was bleeding from a cut just above his eye brow.

"I want you to go to Konoha, tell all of them that Uchiha Sasuke has returned. Tell them that none of them are safe and that I will have their blood at the end of my sword." He said and then a slash was delivered into the man's shoulder. It was a scar that he was leaving on the man to prevent him from ever fighting again. No ninja would survive his attacks, even if that just meant they couldn't continue to be a ninja anymore. Coldness was all that surrounded Sasuke as he left the village a man tried to defend them though. "What gives you the right huh!? You childish bastard!" The man said as he moved from his family towards Sasuke.

Yet the ninja was no longer there and the man turned around with his eyes covered in fear. All he saw with a rotation and blood flew from his teenage daughter and wife as their lives were taken from them. "Maybe now... you understand a taste of my hatred!" Sasuke said as he hatred and anger left his voice and the eternal mangekyou came to his eyes and put the man in a genjutsu so intense and complex it left him brain dead as the Missing Nin disappeared. Life meant nothing to him and he showed that today with his slaughter. No doubt this would send Team 7 running.

Now the mountain side was where he would rest. He appeared there and looked over the village that he once called home. In the back of his mind he pictured the entire village ablazed, blood covering the walls. Naruto dead ontop of the mountain he idolized so much. Suddenly another presence appeared in the scenario. "I'd suggest you show yourself before you get hurt." Sasuke said with no patience for such actions.

[/size]

[White]

The leaves had changed their colours to that golden and brown that seemed to show off to the world that they were made of something special. That signaled to the woman that Fall was on its way and soon Winter would made its appearance and blanket the earth with the soft snow that crunched under her shoes. Sakura sighed as she made her way down Kohona's streets. There was not much to do and she wanted some excitement. There had been talk of sightings of a certain man and that had sent her heart into a tizzy. Was it true or was it just a ploy to lure Naruto and herself away from Kohona? She had no idea but she was leaning towards the former.

A Sasuke sighting was not something to be toyed with. No one wanted to cry wolf and possibly look like a jack ass in the process. Sakura had noticed that Naruto was getting hyped up over the news so she had kept an eye on him and spoiled him with Ramen. Anything to keep him from leaving the village.

She knew that her path would cross his but when was the question. She had no idea how it would happen but since Sasuke was bent on revenge it was a good thought to watch their backs. That much was clear to her as she looked at the sky in thought.

She knew that given the chance she would chase after Sasuke until her dying hour. That was how much she loved him and it was taxing her every muscle and organ to be so attached. Would it ever get easier? Probably not.


Before she could decide what she wanted to do, there it came: A cry from nearby and it seemed to be a warning. Was it Sasuke? That was quick even to her amazement. He sure knew how to stir up the drama. She didn't waste much time in going over what ifs. She sped off to see what had happened. Next thing she knew was she was being dispatched to a small import village. what made her heart race was the fact that there was a positive sighting of Sasuke. But she wasn't to go alone. No that was too easy for Sasuke to just face her. She shook her head as she stood inside Tsunade's office.

Apparently she was going with two others. Or more if Tsunade suddenly decided that Sasuke needed four or more opponents. She noted that Shizune was also present and she seemed to be the only calm adult. The sake bottle was the tell tale sign that the Blonde older woman was drowning her anger in the drink. Time would tell who Sakura was paired up with.

She just hoped that whoever was with her had something to trump Sasuke. Maybe Neji, Kakashi or Hinata would be summoned. Though she remembered that Kakashi was away on a mission so he was out of the question. So either of the cousins would be a good choice and she missed spending time with Hinata. and if it was Neji it would be another good battle. She crossed her hands behind her back as she waited.

Much later on it made sense why Tsunade wanted them to sneak up on Sasuke. But Sasuke wasn't one to be duped and the mere thought of him discovering them before they were ready. so it was a toss up between what could happen.


She looked at the trees as she waited on her partners. She still had no idea who was joining her and she wasn't too far from where the sighting had been. So many thoughts and emotions were stirring inside her body and she willed herself to be calm and let it go. She turned as she heard someone coming.

[Yosh]

Hinata gently rotated her left shoulder, slowly inhaling the fragrant spring air in measured breaths, silently exhaling on even counts; a time tested method she used to still her racing blood as it mixed with the pre-onslaught of adrenaline. Even though the spring atmosphere was bright with color and fresh with the rebirth so soon after winter had ended, there was a certain stillness that rubbed raw against her sharpened senses. An innocent observer might have mistaken it for 'normal' silence in an 'empty' forest, or even as the prelude to a spring shower that was so common with the blooming season, but she had never been what one would call an innocent observer. She was a kunoichi; her senses all honed to hear and feel and anticipate what others would describe as 'not there'. She knew better then to believe the facade of peace and quiet, even if she hadn't heard the rumors of who might be occupying the forest.

Her left arm gave a slight twitch at the awkward motion, healing muscles protesting softly against the unwelcome exercise; a protest that she actively ignored, switching to roll her shoulder backwards, stretching it as casually as she could without obvious movement. It wasn't that it was in pain, per say. Sore was more the better word for the stiffness in the joint as she warmed the muscle up as subtly as she could. She was determined not to let anyone notice, though. She refused to let a simple mishap during a botched training exercise exclude her from the mission. And, she had no doubt that it would do just that if anyone noticed. Stakes and hopes (and fears, if they were to be honest with themselves) were running high; no one would believe her protestations that she was truly fine for this mission, even if they knew it to be essentially true. There was too much at stake.

But... She had a lot at stake with this mission, as well. Oh, sure, there were simple, almost trivial matters such as pride and family honor; but she hardly gave either a thought as she made her way to the predestined rendezvous point she was to meet her teammates at.

Ironically, despite all her thoughts that Sakura deserved more, that she deserved better, Hinata understood the desire to find Sasuke for love, even if they had slightly different matters of who they loved and why it was important exactly to find him.

Mentally shaking her head, she pushed away any thoughts centering around spirals and sun colored hair; she needed to focus if she wanted to keep her promise, even if it was a promise she had been forbidden to say aloud. By order of the Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto was not to be informed of Sasuke's rumored location (it might have been impossible to keep rumors of Sasuke possibly returning from spreading through the village like wild fire, but if he were to even think that he knew where Sasuke was, no force on earth could stop Naruto from acting recklessly and chasing after him). But, Hinata mentally swore she would make up for the deceit by omission by bringing back information that the blonde could use. Were this the time, she probably would have sighed and shake her head at herself; she really needed to escape from her feelings for him.

Exhale. Inhale; she forced herself to center once more, recognizing that she was nearly at the rendezvous point where she was to meet up with Sakura. Deftly forming the hand symbols that had been drilled into her since birth, she whispered ”Byakugan...” under her breath.

The moment the word left her mouth, fueled with concentrated chakra shooting through her body to her eyes, her world lit up in vivid detail, her family's famed kekkei genkai making it possible for her to see a dizzying panoramic view of and through her surroundings.

She instantly paled.

It wasn't because of the byakugan; she was far too used to the displaced sensation to be affected by nausea or any feeling of suspended vertigo. Nor was it because her teammate was missing. She could see Sakura, her familiar form and chakra structure as vivid as her hair in the strangely void forest.

Her hands gave a slight tremble that she instantly quelled, a practice from her less then confident past that she didn't even have to think about. Swallowing, she raced through the remaining distance between her and Sakura, landed beside her with only a gentle rustle of leaves and grass. Placing a single finger to her lips, she silently shushed the pinkette, only studying Sakura through the edges of her byakugan, unable to take her eyes away from the sight that sent her heart racing again.

In the back of her mind, Hinata had not really been sure if they would find Sasuke. He was mysterious and elusive. Whispers of where he was and what he was doing pulled the remaining members of Team Seven in all directions of the globe; a fact that she saw and wondered at their commitment to... him. She had thought he would be gone by the time they would come. Or that he would escape, as he was wont to do.

But... in the end, it was the rumors that were right; she realized, eyes locked on the stoic, bloody figure a few yards away. Uchiha Sasuke had returned to the land of fire.

[White]

Sakura soon felt that Hinata was nearby and that helped her racing thoughts. But that disappeared as she realized that she was going to have to fight the man she loved. She'd had to put away her feeling if she was going to stay alive. She knew one slip up and she'd be in trouble. However that was a lot to do. she shook her head as she pushed away that thought of hurting him.

She had no choice. She had to help out her partners even if that meant hurting him. His face riddled with blood crossed her mind and it startled her out of her present thoughts. It was just like when all three of them had been tested by Kakashi for the first time. She told herself mentally to calm down and she pulled her thoughts to something calming. The breeze against the flowers in a secluded meadow often did the trick.

But this time it was different. Every time she exhaled a mental picture of a gory scene involving herself and whoever was helping her and of course Sasuke filled her mind. It was that kind of poison that had done her in the past. Back when she was a preteen and was still struggling with her self- image and who she was. To be honest it still came to her mind every now and then. Now more than ever since she was about to see Sasuke. God her thoughts were everywhere and it was starting to piss her off.

She wasn't that weakling that relied on Naruto and Sasuke to save her skin. Then again she had come a long way so that quieted the negative thinking. She crossed her arms as she leaned against the tree Tsunade had said everyone would be meeting.

Now she thought of Naruto and how he would have followed if he had gotten wind. That tore her to go behind her best friend's back and go after his once close friend. Ugh it was so easy to place blame elsewhere and she reminded herself that she and Naruto had done all they could.

It was funny how love pushed her to the limits, sure she loved him but the fact was that he may not feel the same way towards her. That made her crazy that she had no idea. Then again he was no longer considered a friend to Kohona so that meant she'd have to sneak around and she wasn't sure she'd do it.

She looked at the sky as she waited on her partners. Even her friends had commented on her love for Sasuke. Psh she knew she had good friends but did they really understand what love could do to someone? Perhaps Hinata was the only one so far but she was sure there were others.

[Yosh]

As her slight fear faded away beneath a sudden surge of adrenaline, giving way to her time tested habits as a kunoichi, Hinata realized that there was no way that they were getting back to Konoha with out confronting Sasuke. It didn't take a genius to analyze their situation and realize their less then desirable predicament. It was their mission to find him—which they did with more success then anyone had honestly hoped for—and gather what Intel they could. And, it was their duty as proud shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village...

...and the Uchiha knew they were there; her byakugan catching the slight movements of his lips, spelling out the words that were stolen from her ears by the distance and slight rustle of the wind.

'I'd suggest you show yourself...' He had never been one for pomp and circumstance, Uchiha Sasuke even when they had been children, he had maintained a strictly stoic facade that had caused so many girls to cry out that they could change him, that they could comfort the boy. But, now, his straight forward nature chilled her to the bone, coupled with his unflinching stance and the fresh blood splatters that decorated gory patterns across his clothing; a sight that her eyes did not afford her the luxury of ignoring.

Hinata's back straightened from her slightly crouched hiding spot as her resolve grew, courage born not from her growing confidence she had fought hard for over the years (she was not foolish enough to think that she stood a chance against the Uchiha avenger, even on her best days) but from the fact that there truly was no other option for her to take; pride and intelligence demanding that she take the only possible option for survival, for both her and Sakura. 'I'd suggest you show yourself before you get hurt...'

It was hardly an idle threat.

She exhaled, turning her head to look at Sakura, even though her byakugan remained focused on the Uchiha.

”Sakura...” she murmured, barely daring to breath sound into the words that interrupted the painful thoughts flashing through the pinkette's expressive teal eyes. ”He knows someone is here.... You get back up.”

Hinata felt a brief flash of empathy run hot through her stomach at her abruptness, but there wasn't time to be considerate of her conflicting emotions when it came to her crush turned traitor. Sakura needed to get away, as far as she could. The rumors that circled the village had persisted that Sasuke was hell bent on 'taking care of' Team Seven. She could only imagine what he would do to Sakura when he so easily cut down innocent women and children for no other reason besides to sate his own blood lust.

Licking her lips, Hinata steeled her chin, holding her head high as she walked out into the clearing with an almost obstinate air about her. Her byakugan active, she studied his mutated chakra system with a forced look of disinterest, suppressing a shudder at the damage obtained from Orochimaru's parting gift to the prodigy; his curse seal.

”Sight seeing, Uchiha?” She asked, her muscles tensing as she prepared to leap and attack at a seconds notice even as she struggled for an air of nonchalance; lies and facades never had been her specialty.

[Chaos]

Two chakras had arrived around him, Sasuke could feel it in the air. Although he did not do any further investigation on the matter. However he would want them to attack, that would be for the best.. Besides it seemed like much more inferior chakras were moving his way from the other side. He waited as finally they all seemed to have them surrounded. Did they even meet up? It seemed as two chakras and the other one came from completely opposite directions. None of them were Naruto, he'd be able to sense that bonehead's chakra from a mile away.

"Sight seeing Uchiha?"came the words of another clan member. Hyuuga Hinata stood before him. "Hinata, it has been far too long... Does Naruto feel the need to send his lady friends to fight for him now?" Sasuke said as a call out to the blonde that wasn't even there. It was always an insult to the Uzumaki brat, that was their standards. The Uchiha rose above everyone, even the greatest of prodigies were mere rookies before the Uchiha came. That was what Sasuke truly believed and stood by.

In an instant, another man was out as he lunged at Sasuke with a sword. "How dare you kill my bro-" The man began, another one from the town Sasuke had just thrown into terror. The reason his words were cut so short was because Sasuke deflected the blade and flat palmed it so it pierced through the man's throat. A quick kill that sent blood onto his face. Sasuke let this happen to show Hinata and the person behind her that he was no longer that boy they knew, he was a killer bent on revenge.

"Do you know why I do this Hinata? It's not because of some sick blood lust. It's my vengeance. You all praise the Senju, the same people who neglected the Uchiha. With every member of the Fire Country that I erase, the more cleansed the Uchiha name gets from the distains of Konoha!" Sasuke said as he held out both hands, his eternal mangekyou activated as he released his dark, cold, bitter, killer intent filled chakra to Hinata. Knowing her eyes would see how much he changed. How there wasn't anything Sasuke about him anymore.

[/blockquote]

[White]

It was the mere fact that she wanted it to go another way that had her thinking of one of two ways. If she fought him there was a chance that she'd end up hurt or worse, dead. The other was to run and get back up but that seemed to be the coward's way out and she wasn't a coward. Still both options had their pros and cons and she really didn't want to hurt Sasuke but Hinata needed her and this love of hers was obviously not helping at all. She moved forward so Hinata knew that she was coming to help her.Lets get this over with, Hinata-Chan." She murmured as she looked at Sasuke.

She knew her Earth Jutsus would be stopped by his Fire style Jutsu so she thought about another way. She nodded as soon as she figured out what she would do. She looked at Hinata as she braced herself for what was to come.

Seeing Sasuke kill someone in cold blood then hearing what he believed was true had her mentally shaking her head and wanting to talk it over. However that was not going to happen. If only her other partner was here, this felt like an unfair battle and it was. Sasuke had more exprience than both of them put together and he wasn't afraid of killing someone he once considered a friend. Well what ever was to happen it was going to be a hard battle and they would get injured. Luckily she had medical training and wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty.

She looked at Hinata as she waited for what was to come.

[Yosh]

Hinata's eyes flickered to her side, barely able to bite back the light curse that came to mind as Sakura silently joined her on the impending battlefield. Part of her was relieved to not be standing alone before the sudden onslaught of killing intent that the Uchiha was releasing in thick, choking waves, but most of her wanted to shout at her friend to get out of there. Someone needed to make it back to Konoha to report that the rumors were true. The Uchiha Avenger had returned to the Land of Fire; his lust for blood and vengeance having grown till he was no longer Uchiha Sasuke, but the twisted black soul that stood before them.

But she knew Sakura well enough to know that running away was no more an option for her then it had been for Hinata, herself. If she had believed in her family's superstitions about fate, she might have argued that it was indeed dealing them a cruel hand that bright spring morning.

Hinata narrowed her eyes, refocusing all her attention once more on Sasuke, as he sneered out thin insults—that she was foolish enough to allow briefly under her skin, despite intellectually knowing better. She let a wry twitch of her lips twist her face into a poor attempt of the condescending smirk she intended to return his icy glare with.

”He has b-better things to do besides try and baby sit you.” she snapped, refraining from wincing at her small miss-step, her brief stutter in her bold statement (she had worked so hard to lose the stammering problem that had plagued her as a child; only slipping up as adrenaline and nerves clashed).

It was a lie, and they both knew it. If Naruto had known that there was even so much as a hint of truth behind the rumors of Sasuke stalking the outskirts of their country, he would be standing here in place of her and Sakura. But, they also knew what he had said was a lie; a snide insult not at all unlike ones you would here school yard children spouting at each other when they were fighting. It was a childish move, but Hinata was prepared to play Sasuke's twisted game as best she could, for as long as she could; Even if it mean bluffing through sneers and taunts—her fingers tingling in an all too familiar itch as Hinata readied to call her chakra forth, preparing to use the juken.

Before that could happen, a man jumped between them, screaming out his call of revenge causing her to give a start. She had seen him skulk about the forest, bumbling about in blind rage, but Hinata had hoped (foolishly, as it would seem) that the man would have enough common sense to not spring out, screeching away his location. The strangers cry was cut premature with a flash of arched silver and spray of blood that gushed viciously from the man's now slit throat; his cry for vengeance ironically cut short by the Avenger who sought revenge for his own brother, as well.

Hinata's eyes went wide, though not in fright. Disgust clearly etched it's way across her delicate features as she stared at the creature she scarcely would even consider human. Her chakra flared and surged forth from her body, as she dropped into a fighting stance, one arm in front of her, and the other at her side. Vivid blue in color, and feed by raw emotions and the rapidly beating heart in her chest, her chakra flickered like a flame around her hands. ”You can try. But one like you will never succeed. You will be stopped.”

[Chaos]

The pink haired female ninja, Haruno Sakura was there and she seemed to be concerned for Sasuke and his new found blood lust. "All I seem if the eleven of you all laughing, now I realize that the laughs are that of mocking. I will turn all of Konoha's laughs at Itachi's suffering into screams of despair!" Sasuke said as he activated his eternal mangekyou sharingan and released a strong type of chakra. One that to a sensor ninja like Hinata with those special eyes would cause her spin to tickle. The mere blood lust he allowed to leave his pores was quite insane. Even Sakura would feel as though something bad was about to happen just from how cold his eyes were as the sword he held on his back was unsheathed. There was no longer a time to play with these two. "Who will stop me?"

With those words Sasuke just stared into those big white eyes, veins all around them. "Konoha has no ninja that can stop me. Even Kakashi will fall prey to my power. The Hokage, the elders, I will make sure they all see the end of my blade. Just as Itachi was forced to kill all of the Uchiha and paint our crest red, I will re paint Konoha red while cleaning my clan's name." Those words were his dogma. There was no other way to put it. That was the way he lived now, all for the revenge of his clan and his brother. The village he once called home and would protect with his life had his entire family wiped off the map. Sasuke would never forgive them until all of their blood was splattered as his mother and father's was. He would show them no mercy.

Now he would start with them. Sasuke shot forward and began to do handseals with his sword still in hand. Quickly he shot out four fireballs. "Fire Release: Fireballs Jutsu!" He thought as he shot four mega fireballs at the two ninja. This would also send the forest into kind of a fire but that was all for the advantage of adding fear. Sasuke would show these two what a true battle was, one that they knew they would not walk away from. Sasuke would butcher the two of the Genin 12 he graduated with and would work through all of them. None of Konoha, including his old teammates would survive. These two would be the first to feel it.

[/size]

[Uzumaki Naruto]

As the fireballs soared towards Hinata and Sakura, something happened that one would not think to happen. The fireballs stopped and were absorbed by something invisible. That, at least, was until something or someone smashed into the ground before Sasuke. As the dust rose, a billowing was heard and the whistling of the wind picked up as the dust began to clear to reveal just who had landed.

The first thing to notice was the blood red jacket-cloak that bore a resemblance to the Yondaime Hokage's own apparel. On the back, black writing flowed on the back to read 'Sage of the Nine Tails'. The title was strange, but the dust was gone and the full details were revealed. The thought-gone hero was back, with his blond hair and his sapphire eyes. Not only that, but he looked mature and had no more whisker marks on his face. The hardened sapphire gaze locked forward as the fire raged in the forest around them.

"Long time no see, Sasuke."

It was Uzumaki Naruto.

The voice was spoken with a tone of pity and venom laced together. It would be a flash of hand seals followed by a puff of smoke before three familiar frogs appeared. They were the sons of Gamabunta, the boss toad. Naruto glanced to them and nodded, which was all they needed to know as Naruto created two clones who went with the frogs to clean up the mess while Naruto stared Sasuke down. The young man looked different and he 'felt' different by all means. His sapphire gaze did not reel from Sasuke's own hate-infused gaze.

"You want to kill my friends? Too bad you'll be locked away forever once I'm done with you."

Naruto leaned forward and was behind Sasuke the next instant. All that was seen was a yellow flash from where he was. Naruto spun around and opened up his first attack with a palm strike straight towards his back. If it connected, Sasuke would be able to feel the sheer strength thrown into it.

"This is between me and you, Sasuke."

[Chaos]

The fireballs disappeared as though never were there. Irritation showed on to Uchiha's face as he landed with a soft crouch on the ground. His sharingan burned bright to see the form that stood in the dust. Anger rose at the new appeal of Uzumaki Naruto. His appeal similar to the 4th Hokage while Sasuke matched that of what Madara used to wear as a youth. It matched the two, their armor in the war they fought against each other. The words cut into Sasuke's thoughts. "Yo idiot.." Sasuke said in the same mannered voice he did all those yeas ago. Nearly six years ago at the Valley of the End, he answered Naruto's call to him in the same manner and same words.

Naruto and Sasuke were different and the words threatened to have the Uchiha locked up, his only option. The return to Konoha would never happen. "You have no place to talk to me like that Naruto! You act as though we are children still!!!" His eyes burned red with hatred as blackness surrounded the Eternal Mangekyou sharingan. This was a show of the loss of humanity that was Uchiha Sasuke. He was tip toeing on hell's boundaries and had not a care in the world. Life was darkness to him and that was all he used himself for.

Toads were summoned but Sasuke did the same handseals and summoned three eagles. One blue, one red and one black with red tribal symbols. The red and blue one attacked the opposing toads that went to the side as Naruto disappeared, the sharingan tracked the attack to behind him and was able to throw up a defense and was pushed backwards onto the black bird. "Your skills have improved Naruto.." Sasuke said as a compliment as the bird soared into the air, the chidori making a streak of blue leave it's back as the flew into the clouds. Soaring to levels never seen before as Sasuke fell of the bird's back, chidori in hand.

Lightning seemed to be falling at an alarming rate going for Naruto. The Eternal Mangekyou painted red with the look of evil in his eyes as the bird exploded into flames in the sky that made rain clouds appear. Now the chidori was coming at Naruto the wind made Sasuke's hair fly backwards.

[/blockquote][/size]

[Uzumaki Naruto]

Naruto did not find surprise as his attack was defended against. He had seen the hatred and the lack of remorse in Sasuke's eyes. Naruto watched as Sasuke soared into the air on the back of an eagle and kept his sapphire gaze on him as the bird exploded. Sasuke's nose dive caused Naruto to arch an eyebrow before he sighed. He reached up and threw off his jacket, towards the already cleared trees. Naruto then moved his hands to hand seals as Sasuke's descent continued.

Naruto then looked up as he slammed his hands into the Tora hand seal. As the Chidori struck Naruto, Naruto's body disappeared like it was a body held together simply by the wind. Whatever had happened was just one of the many new techniques Naruto had up his sleeve. All the while, Naruto reappeared with a yellow flash, his right hand holding the trademark technique of his.

The Rasengan.

Naruto charged forward and jumped into the air, dive-bombing towards where Sasuke could be with the whole Naruto dodging the Chidori. Naruto, however, had an added twist to this technique. He began to gain spin and momentum as he descended, becoming a Gatsuga-like whirlwind of pure chakra heading straight for him.

"Rasentsuga!

[/i]"

((Spiral Fang))

[/blockquote]

[Chaos]

In that instance Naruto was gone, the chidori didn't hit the ground though as Sasuke used the power of lightning at his side to make his land soft. Another yellow flash and there his rival was behind him. His signature move the Rasengan in his hands but the difference in the spin made Sasuke nervous. It looked like a near perfect jutsu in his eyes but as the Uchiha closed his eyes he opened them to show the power of the Eternal Mangekyou and Susanoo wrapped around the 20 year olds body. Wrapped around him as the Rasengan alternation hit the black ribs and aura that protected the boy.

An explosion sent both of them back but Sasuke just stood there and let Susanoo complete it's transformation and release the chakra pressure that was Sasuke and Itachi's strongest technique mixed into one. Brothers that different paths, Sasuke used their paths for his own power and gain. To avenge Konoha. "Naruto your advancements in power, technique all was for nothing. You readied yourself for my hatred but this is not where our battle field will be. It shall be in front of all of Konoha, for them to see their hero die at my hands. His blood run on the Uchiha hands shall be the cleanse of the Clan from this village."

[/color] Sasuke said as he guided the lightning in the sky with his chidori in hand.

"Kirin!" said Sasuke as the lightning shot down, as a god of lightning it flew at the same speeds as Naruto at the two girls. The jutsu crashed and made a crater, burning trees and grass alike. As the smoke cleared no matter what the end result was Sasuke and his dark chakra was gone. This wasn't where Naruto would die, he would die as an example to the Leaf. Sasuke would hold the hero's head to show that the Senju power that was held in the Will of Fire that was within would be broken down by Sasuke.[/center][/blockquote][/size]

[Uzumaki Naruto]

As Naruto recovered from his attack meeting Susanoo, he looked up to watch as Kirin formed. Cursing, he summoned a three-pronged kunai and pointed it towards Kirin in an odd fashion. The flat side was pointed towards the technique. Something to notice for the girls was how a piece of paper with a odd writing-seal was wrapped around the hilt of the three-pronged kunai. Concentrating, the Kirin would be absorbed by some sort of seal.

Moments later, an explosion sounded off in the distance as Naruto tucked the kunai into his pants. Despite the desperation for such a technique, Naruto continued forward, picking up his jacket-cloak and putting it on. Underneath, he had worn a specialized black jounin vest with typical shinobi pants and crimson sandals like Jiraiya had worn. Naruto came to a stop as he looked at the damage Sasuke had done. He shook his head as he turned to face in the other direction -- towards Hinata and Sakura.

"It has been a while, Sakura-san, Hinata-san."

He would step forward as his toads and clones dispersed from being summoned. His hair was wet, but it did nothing to its spiky look. He looked quite like his father, but also different. The hardened gaze of his, one of age and wisdom that was somewhat beyond normal for a twenty year old male, stood him out from most shinobi.

[Yosh]

He reminded her of the nameless villain that plagued the fairy tales her mother told her as a child. It was as asinine to realize as it was sudden—the distant memory of nighttime stories that lulled her to sleep coming to mind so abruptly—but she could not deny the resemblance now that she had drawn the obscure connection. Sasuke was just like the antagonist that had been driven mad in his quest for false honor and power; often, forsaking the former in the brutal pursuit of the later.

Hinata's pale eyes steeled in determination as he spouted off his manifesto about his own brand of justice. He could be as mad as he wanted, she was not going to idly sit back and allow him to slaughter Konoha.; that was her own manifest—her nindou way.

Hinata shot towards the Uchiha as Sasuke sprinted towards them, his hands flashing tell-tale symbols as his chakra surged in fiery colors beneath his skin. Sure enough, he breathed forth four fireballs, causing Hinata to halt, dirt rising as she skid to a stop. ”Hakkesho Kaiten!” she shouted, releasing chakra from every tenketsu point on her body, spinning about in a blur of blue and red as she diverted being burnt to death.

His attack deflected (even if it was a closer call then her pride would have liked to admit), Hinata called off her jutsu, smoke and the smell of stray burnt hairs surrounding them. Her smile twisted, as she fell into stance for her juken; so he wasn't the boy she had known as a child? Fine. It was about time he learned that she wasn't the girl he had known, either.

But before she could even lay one open palm on him, the other fireballs disappeared in a whirl of dust, causing her oversensitive eyes to wince and water. Hinata took one step back, crossing her arms over her face in defense, but her byakugan easily saw through the screen of dirt; a sight that caused her to gasp silently at what she saw.

It seemed that Uzumaki Naruto didn't want to be left out of the 'fun'.

Hinata swallowed lowering her arms as the dust settled, watching the two young men fight as she slowly stepped backwards to join Sakura, even if age old confidence issues caused her spirits to droop as she went back to playing backup-- unable to help a friend in this fight. It was a feeling she pushed aside (with some difficulty). It was neither the time nor place, as her eyes darted back and forth, watching the battle as it escalated. She couldn't dwell on that voice in the back of her head (which, oddly enough, still sounded like her father's condescending tone, even if their relationship had improved over the years) that sneered she wasn't any good to her comrades; she had to be prepared to step in, when called upon.

Their fight was short. Sasuke leaping into the air and disappearing almost as suddenly as he had appeared. Hinata sighed, letting her head droop down momentarily as her emotions fought over the desire to take the traitor down and relief that they were all alright. Relief won out, as she glanced next to her, at Sakura, before her eyes turned back to Naruto.

”Naruto-kun...” She murmured--slightly surprised with the formal greeting--blinking as she briefly looked him over. He, too, had grown over the years, she realized, forcing her hands to remain at her side rather then fidgeting in front of her. He was taller, for one; his hair a little longer, even if it managed to maintain it's gravity defying spikes. But... It was more the look in his eyes that screamed out his maturity, his change. Something... older and maybe a little wiser.... Or maybe she was just a silly prat who needed to grow out of her school girl crush.

”Why are you here?” Hinata blurted out, before turning red in the face. ”No... wait, that's not what I... what I meant to say was...!” she began to babble, gesturing with her hands before giving up with a sigh. ”What are you doing here?”