Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Home At Last ❯ Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 11

 

 

Naruto ran as fast as he could towards where the team had been. Dealing with the snake that had swallowed him had taken seconds but they were seconds that could cost them dearly if who he suspected was behind the attack was there. His heart was pounding as he ran through the trees and he could feel the foxes tainted chakra leaking into his system but he was grateful for the boost in speed it gave him.

 

He tore into the clearing and snarled as he saw the pale man facing off against his teammates. He saw the man lunge towards Sasuke, neck elongating as he went and Naruto drew his sword as he pushed off the branch, aiming for the rather long neck. He missed but it did cause the other ninja to miss his target as well. Naruto glared at the pale ninja as he planted himself in front of his shocked teammates.

 

“Alright Sasuke-chan?” He mocked playfully.

 

“Hn.” Typical Sasuke response.

 

“Yondaime's Legacy.” Naruto swallowed thickly as the man he was assuming Orochimaru identified him, luckily in a way that would not out him to his teammates.

“What an interesting team. Come fight me boy, let us see what you have.” He taunted and Naruto tensed as if he was going to go for it but then there was a cloud of smoke and they were gone.

 

Sakura opened her eyes to find herself thrown over Naruto's shoulder and looking down at the forest floor several meters below. Lifting her head she saw a pissed off Sasuke in the same position behind her, Naruto must have made at least one clone and then made a run for it with them.

 

“You okay?” The Naruto carrying her asked.

 

“Yeah.” She answered.

 

“Good, can you keep up on your own?” He asked and she hated to disappoint him but she had no choice.

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“Don't worry about it Sakura. We need to keep moving, doubt we've actually lost the hebi.” She answered by shifting her weight to a more comfortable position and holding on to Naruto so his hands were freed up. She couldn't help giggling softly as the argument between Sasuke and the other Naruto reached her ears. He finally began to slow as the light faded and they came to rest in a large tree, the other Naruto quickly catching up.

 

“You think this will fool another ninja?” Sasuke scoffed.

 

“Considering the forest if full of replica Team 7's I'd say we have a chance.” Naruto answered and Sasuke fell quiet.

 

“We still need the other scroll before we can go to the tower.” Sakura put in and Naruto nodded.

 

“I've got clones out looking for an easy target. We should know where to go by morning. Who wants first watch?”

 

“I'll take it, I'm freshest.” Sakura volunteered.

 

“Second.” Sasuke stated flatly and the two boys helped her set up traps before lying down to sleep.

 

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Kakashi looked his team over from where he was standing with the other instructors. They were all in one piece though a bit the worse for wear. Sakura had even had an unprofessional haircut while in the forest, her hair now short and jagged. Naruto's clothes were torn and dirty and there was blood on his sword sheath. Sasuke was paler than usual and just as dirty as Naruto. Once the talking was done he joined them on the balcony to watch the fights.

 

“Alright?” He asked Naruto who nodded.

 

“Had a run in with a snake but we got away.” Naruto whispered back and Kakashi nodded, relieved. They watched as Sasuke easily defeated his opponent and the fights continued. Kakashi smiled under his mask and Naruto cheered as Sakura beat Ino, even Sasuke gave her a small nod of acknowledgement. Naruto dropped over the edge as his match against Kiba was called. He nudged his headband up a bit to expose the sharningan; he wanted to remember every move so he could relate the fight back to Iruka later.

 

It was amazing to see how much Naruto had changed since he'd accepted the boy as his apprentice. He was calm and collected while face Kiba and his partner when even two months ago he would have been mouthing off. He was the only teacher not shocked when Naruto beat Kiba easily. Kurenai stared at him and he shrugged, they should know better than to expect normal things from his students.

 

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“I won!” Iruka grinned as Naruto pretty much bounced into the room, Kakashi following him at a leisurely pace.

 

“Against?”

 

“Kiba and his dog. I'm up against Neji in the finals and I'm going to beat him.” Hearing the anger in Naruto's voice at the mention of Neji, Iruka looked to Kakashi.

 

“Neji nearly killed his cousin Hinata.” Kakashi explained and Iruka nodded, he vaguely remembered the young Hyuuga's.

 

“Will you be there Iruka-niisan?”

 

“Yes, but I'll be in the Hokage's box under henge.” Iruka told him and Naruto nodded, excitement gone at the mention of where Iruka would be.

“The other exams went well?”

 

“Well...there was this really creepy grass-nin that wasn't actually a grass-nin. He tried to bite Sasuke but I grabbed the others and ran. Then we had to fight these jerks from Sound but we won and took their scroll.” Naruto explained and Iruka went white at the mention of the nin trying to bite Sasuke.

 

“The bite didn't connect?”

 

“No...was I right? Was it the creep that took you away?” Naruto asked and Iruka nodded slowly.

 

“Yes, if you run into him again do not let him bite you or anyone else, okay? You just get away as fast as you can.” Iruka demanded and Naruto nodded, letting Iruka hug him since it was obvious his big brother needed the comfort. Kakashi sat on the couch and the other two soon joined him. They had dinner together and Iruka transferred Naruto to the bed when he fell asleep around midnight.

 

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Iruka watched as Naruto fought Neji, hating that he couldn't cheer the blonde on but that would look odd coming from one of the Hokage's bodyguards. He glanced over at the Kazekage and fought not to shiver, he knew exactly who it was under that hat and it was not the man it appeared to be. He hated having to wait for his old sensei to make the first move but they needed to know what else he had planned that Iruka hadn't been privy to. Though on the up side ANBU had arrested Kabuto the previous night and he was being held unconscious inside their headquarters.

 

Iruka smirked slightly as Naruto was declared the winner and the other matches continued. He held his breath as Sasuke went up against Gaara, he knew the boy was the same as Naruto in a way but Naruto would never become so cold. Sasuke was outclassed but the boy was stubborn or just unable to see how over powered he really was. When Gaara fled the stadium all hell broke loose. Iruka dodged as his old sensei threw blades his way, sticking at Sandaime's side as a barrier went up around them. Facing Orochimaru he dropped his henge, enjoying the shocked look for a second before settling himself for the fight to come.

 

Naruto looked up at the purple barrier, knowing the Hokage and Iruka were inside with the snake freak, and then turned his attention to Kakashi for orders. Taking a deep breath he took off to back Sasuke up as ordered, praying he would still have his brother and pseudo grandfather when he got back.

 

Kakashi glanced up at the barrier as he fought off a Sound-nin. He was worried about Iruka and the Hokage, he knew both could fight and that Iruka probably knew more about Orochimaru's style than anyone else but that didn't stop him from worrying. The man was one of the sannin after all.

 

Iruka found himself fighting his old sensei as the Sandaime faced off against his predecessors. He was just thankful they'd kept the Fourth from being brought back or they would have had no hope of winning. He had a low level immunity to the poison on his sensei's blade but a direct hit would pump too much into his system so he was left trying to stay out of reach while trying to land hits of his own. He'd managed to draw blood once but that was all. At least his ribs were still in one piece.

 

Naruto looked up at the tree where Sasuke was trying to bring Sakura around and then at where the Sand Siblings had vanished. It sounded like the fighting was dying down and he really wanted to head back to check on the others but he had to stay with his team for now.

 

Kakashi cradled Iruka against his chest as exhausted brown eyes slowly blinked up at him. The younger man was bleeding from several wounds but at least he was alive.

 

“Hey.” Iruka whispered, reaching up to touch the side of Kakashi's mask.

“You okay?”

 

“Asks the guy who's bleeding all over me? Yeah, I'm fine.” Kakashi tease him and Iruka smiled.

“Medics are on their way.”

 

“Sandaime-sama?” Iruka asked, barely able to keep his eyes open.

 

“Alive, thanks to you. Sleep now.” Kakashi ran his fingers through the loose brown locks as Iruka slowly fell asleep.

 

TBC...