Chapter 11: Deadlock Showdown, Triumphant Return 1/2

Shizune looked over Tsunade watching Naruto sleep "How's he doing?"

"He's collapsed from exhaustion." Tsunade told her "And his right hand is severely burned from concentrated chakra. He's out of it, he won't wake up till the day after tomorrow at the earliest. That boy Tatsu was right about me, to think I've sunk so low I'd bet against a kid. What am I getting so torn up about? It's his problem not mine."

"And tomorrow? Please tell me you're not going tomorrow."

No response.

"Why don't you answer? Say something! Lady Tsunade, answer me! I need to know because if you tell me you're going…"

"What then?"

"I will try and stop you if even if it costs me my life."

"Shizune, have you forgotten who you're talking to?" she then knocked out Shizune with one blow to the gut and left the room.

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As they made their way to rendezvous with Tsunade, Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to kill Shizune to be on the safe side, and so Kabuto went off in another direction.

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"Hey, where the heck am I?"

Shizune finally too "Naruto, I-" then she freaked "Naruto, what time is it? What day is it today? What day? What time?"

"It's Monday morning. Why? What is it?"

"It's amazing, are you sure you're feeling alright? You were supposed to be out for 2 full days at least."

"Not a chance, no matter how beat up I get just give me a good night's sleep and I'm right back at the top of my game."

'Of course, the Kyuubi.'

"I know what you're thinking, and his name is Kurama. Besides, I've got a date to keep with that rotten old witch Tsunade! Today's the day I wipe that smirk off her face."

"So you've mastered the jutsu?"

"Tatsu gave me a little tip that he used to perfect it, I've just been pretending to struggle this past week to screw with her. Honestly, Tatsu's a pranking genius. If I had him with me when I was a prankster I'd be unstoppable!"

Shizune laugh, then winced 'What am I doing? We're running out of time.' she quickly bolted to her feet "Stay here Naruto, you hear me? Stay here!" she opened the window, only for a kunai to whiz past her face "What in the world?"

"Hey." Tatsu stood there with Dosu's arm slung over his shoulder "So the procedure went well?"

"Um, yes."

"Good. The anesthesia hasn't worn off, so he's a little out of it."

"What're you talking about? I'm fine…" Dosu mumbled "Onward to Oz!"

"...See what I mean? Anyway, where's Tsunade."

Then Shizune got back on topic "She went to meet with Orochimaru."

"Spill the details on Tsunade and Orochimaru, what kind of deal are they making?"

"I never imagined she would go through with it, and that's why I didn't say anything about it before. But now… There's no time to lose. You must come with me quickly, I'll explain on the way."

"Let's move. Naruto, take Dosu." he shoved Dosu over Naruto's shoulder and rushed off in the lead.

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Orochimaru found Tsunade "Well, what's your answer?"

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Naruto stared at Shizune in horror "You can't be serious, the answer has to be no, at least it'd better be."

Tatsu frowned 'Sorry Jiraiya, but things are worse than you thought. Could it be that the loss of her loved ones has clouded her judgment? You give me no choice Tsunade, if I have to kill you then I will and I'm the only out of the 4 of us who can.'

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Making him swear to leave the Leaf alone, Tsunade prepared to heal Orochimaru's arms, but before she could do so she was stopped by Kabuto, who realized that she was planning to attack him, so he decided to force her as the battle began, taking it away from the castle ruins.

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By the time Tatsu's group showed up, he knew they were nowhere in sight "Naruto, Dosu, remember this sight. It's the effect caused by a maiden's wrath. Or simply put, Tsunade was pissed off by something."

Shizune looked down 'So this must mean she refused him.'

"Let's move before we get caught here and have to pay for property damage."

"But where is she now?" asked Dosu.

"Well I could sense her chakra, or I could just follow the path of destruction. Alright guys, let's move."

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Though Tsunade had far more battle experience, Kabuto was able to hold his own and even managed to land a few debilitating attacks.

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Tatsu sensed out the situation 'Three large chakra signatures, there's Tsunade and Orochimaru so that last one must be Kabuto.'

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"So you fear the sight of blood eh?" Kabuto charged in with a kunai "Let's put it to the test shall we?" he prepared to bring it down, only to be interrupted by a smokebomb.

Then Tatsu, Dosu and the others appeared "Hey, sorry we're late."

Then Naruto took a minute to recognize Kabuto "Hey, Kabuto aren't you?"

Kabuto smirked "Naruto."

"Yeah, we took the Chunin exams together. What're you doing here Kabuto?"

"Out of the way!" then Tsunade charged "Stay out of this, I can handle them!" she charged and forced Kabuto on the evasive "So you recovered quickly. No matter, you're still not at 100%! The game's up kid!" she watched Kabuto pull out a kunai "Too late for that!"

Blood spilled, and Kabuto smirked "Your jutsu has worn off, now I am at 100%."

Tsunade froze 'Blood…'

"I knew that I'd never be able to take on Tatsu as well as one of the legendary Sannin at the same time, but now at least I've got one down!" Kabuto slugged Tsunade in the face, knocking her back into Shizune.

Naruto blinked "I don't get it, what's going on? I'm confused, did I miss out on something? How come Kabuto and Grandma Tsunade are mixing it up?"

"I see you're as… slow as ever… Naruto… No wonder you're no match for Sasuke."

"Hey, low blow man!"

Tatsu smacked him on the head "Have you not been paying attention you idiot? Just look at his headband, he works for Orochimaru and always has."

Kabuto nodded "That's right, I'm a spy from the Village Hidden in the Sound."

Naruto froze "But… a spy? That's impossible. You don't really mean it? But you- you helped us get through the Chunin exams, you saved our lives."

"Only in order to gather information about all of you, that was my mission. Indeed, I learned one very important thing about you Naruto. You lack any ninja ability, you're not a bit like Sasuke or like Tatsu over there."

Naruto looked back to where Tsunade was trembling 'Grandma Tsunade.'

"Go on, glare at me all you want. You're still just a pint-sized genin that's in over his head. I admit that the demon inside of you had me worried for a time, but surrounded by two of the three legendary Sannin and Tatsu I see how insignificant you are. Next to them, you're a mere child sitting at the grownups' table. Stay out of it, or die."

"Oh yeah?" Naruto charged in blindly 'His right hand, I think it's hurt. I can hit him with multiple attacks, then come at him from the right side where his defenses are weak! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he summoned a barrage of clones that all shot out shuriken and formed several hand seals "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" the shuriken multiplied, and all of the clones charged.

Kabuto managed to dodge most of the shuriken, receiving a few shallow cuts across his body but nothing more, and managed to dispel the clones with ease before throwing the original away.

"Naruto!" Shizune caught him and spat out some needles.

'Poison needles! My reflexes are still out, I can't dodge them! If I can just…' Kabuto moved his head down to block them.

'He blocked them with his headband!'

Kabuto retreated to Orochimaru's side and pulled out a food pill.

'So that's it. Plasma pill."

Naruto finished wiping his eyes of the blood Kabuto spilled "Plasma pill?"

"He's trying to replace the blood he's already lost, so he's a medical ninja like me."

"We can't have too much blood, can we Kabuto?" Orochimaru chided.

Kabuto smirked "Lord Orochimaru, isn't it time to take the bandage off your arm?"

Orochimaru bit off the bandages for one of his arms.

Tatsu stepped forward "Now we can finally get down to business. Shizune, you and Naruto take care of Kabuto while I take care of Orochimaru myself and Dosu will back me up. Lady Tsunade, use your healing jutsu and rest for now."

"What about me?" asked Naruto "What should I do?"

"Have some Shadow Clones guard Tsunade and the pig, the real you is Shizune's backup. Kabuto might be partially right when he says you're in over your head, but I know you can handle him, but only him. Orochimaru is one of the Sannin trained by the Third Hokage himself, whom he also killed. I'm gonna need to pull out all the stops to beat him. Besides, Kabuto could go toe-to-toe with Kakashi if he had to, but you're skilled and crafty enough to at least hold your own for awhile."

"Don't worry, not a problem."

"Remember, clones won't work here. With someone like him it wouldn't even distract him, you'd just waste your chakra. These two are a dangerous pair. So then Snake-Pedo, let's get this started." his eyes turned blue with golden irades as his Tenseigan flared into life, then he bit down on his thumb "Summoning Jutsu!" he slammed his hand into the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Kabuto took some of Orochimaru's blood and slammed his head into the ground, summoning a three-headed snake.

Tatsu looked down at the ground and saw a note where his summon should've been "What the hell?" he read it "An IOU? We're sorry, but all dragon summons are currently on a yearly retreat to the home of the hawks. Please try again later. Are you kidding me?"

Orochimaru smirked "Well Tatsu, still playing the fool I see. Your father always was ridiculous as was your father, but this time you've outdone even him. Those dragon summons truly are a pest aren't they?"

'Well how do you like that, I got screwed before the battle even started.'

"You're as big a disgrace as your father was."

Naruto finally had it 'That's it, I'm not gonna stand here and let that slimy son of a bitch insult Tatsu!'

Orochimaru took a moment to recognize Naruto 'That's the Kyuubi brat from the Chunin exam, I suppose I should've killed him when I had the opportunity. For the sake of the Akatsuki and their goals, I let the boy slip by. But the only ones ever capable of breaking a 5-pronged seal were the Third Hokage and we of the legendary Sannin.'

"That may be, but Jiraiya is training the boy." Kabuto pointed out.

"You could be right, if he's learned to wield the power of the Kyuubi then it's not impossible. Then again, that doesn't appear to be the case."

"Well he never had any skill as a shinobi to begin with."

"Now then, let's begin!" Orochimaru had the snake charge in "I want you to leave the Kamikaze boy to me, the rest are yours to play with as you will."

"Now that is a shame, I'd been hoping to test my mettle against someone who could defeat one of the Sannin!"

"I merely underestimated him, that's all!"

"As you say lord Orochimaru." the snakes hit the ground and Kabuto charged forward and slugged Shizune in the face, sending both her and Shizune crashing to the ground.

Tatsu watched as Naruto got eaten by a snake "Naruto!"

"You're dealing with me, boy!" Orochimaru appeared behind him "I still owe you for that Rasengan in the Forest of Death."

"No problem. Dosu, do it!"

"Right! Earth Style: Dark Swamp!" Dosu formed several hand seals, and both snakes were drowning in mud 'The bog is way too small, it's not deep enough to sink them. It's not a total loss though, these snakes aren't going anywhere in this state.'

Orochimaru smirked "Most impressive Dosu, you've improved."

"And I still owe you for sending my team on a suicide mission!"

"I suppose the loyal dog wasn't so loyal."

"Well I just found a better master."

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Kabuto dodged several poison needles and hit Shizune with his Chakra Scalpel, sending her back.

"Ninja Art: Poison Fog!" Shizune unleashed a poisonous cloud.

'One breath of this and I'm a dead man.' Kabuto was quick to hold his breath, then quickly disappear "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!" he grabbed Shizune from underground, still using his Chakra Scalpel.

"My leg tendons…"

"No way in hell I'm letting you eat me again!" Naruto broke free of the snake's mouth, letting it drown.

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"Get ready boy." Orochimaru charged in.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Armor!" Tatsu was covered in a layer of lightning chakra, frying Orochimaru's foot as he attempted a kick.

"Even if I am impaired, you haven't a chance of beating my true power. You might as well give up already."

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Tsunade was frozen 'Blood…' she slapped Kabuto's hand away frantically.

Kabuto scowled "What a tragedy, I had only the utmost respect for you as a fellow medical ninja."

"Stay back! Get away from me!"

"Please get ahold of yourself Lady Tsunade, else the name of the Sannin of which Lord Orochimaru is counted weep for shame." he started kicking at her, despite her frantic screams.

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Orochimaru smirked "To think your potential is wasted by plodding along dutifully for the village with those brats in tow. Such talent wasted."

"You obvious don't understand it." Tatsu snarled "What it means to fight to protect something."

"So be it, there is another. With that brat over there, all I see is insipid mediocrity."

"Then you're a fool, he's got more potential than either me or Sasuke. Still though, where's the fun in teaching a kid who's already a genius to begin with?"

"How touching, you're drawn to him because he reminds you of your dearly departed brother is that it? That brat over there could never beat the Uchiha, born as he was into the shinobi art of Sharingan. Without a Sharingan, poor Naruto hasn't a chance of surpassing him. A shinobi's strength rests upon his ability to obtain and master all the jutsu of this world. The very reason we are called ninja is because of the many ninjutsu arts that we wield."

"You're wrong, that's not what makes a shinobi though I can't expect you to understand. A true ninja is one who endures, no matter what gets thrown at him."

"A difference of opinion I suppose."

"Let me explain something to you. There's only one thing that matters if you're a shinobi, and it's not the number of jutsu you know. All do you need is the resolve to never give up, and Naruto has that in spades." he flashed into his Tenseigan Chakra Mode "And I should follow his example. Dosu stay out of this, I'll take it from here."

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Naruto appeared and blocked Kabuto's fist with his headband "Back the hell up, you traitorous son of a mather f*cker." he forged his incomplete Rasengan.

Kabuto easily sidestepped the attack and severed the tendons in Naruto's leg 'I don't know what jutsu you've learned, but you'll need to be more subtle than that if you want to beat me.'

'It's no use, I'm not gonna be able to hit a moving target.'

"It looks like you fractured the thigh bone in your left leg during your little tussle with the serpent, if it were only the bone then you could still move but it's beyond that now. I've severed the lateral vastus muscle in your right leg as well."

'What do I do? I need both my hands to do this, if he gets even one of my arms then it's over!'

"What's the matter, are you frightened? Hope you don't feel like running away." he held up one of his Ninja Info Cards "Naruto, as I remember you were nothing but big talk during that first Chunin Exam. Don't underestimate me, I don't run away. I don't care if I'm a genin the rest of my life, you guys aren't going to scare me off. I'll still be Hokage someday. So where's all your big talk now? You're not a kid anymore, you don't want to shoot your mouth off like that. Admit when you're in over your head, sometimes it's better to run away."

Naruto shot a fierce glare.

"Come now, what's the matter? Why such a look? If I kill you then you can kiss your dreams goodbye. Little kids think life is so easy, that's why they're always going on and on about their dreams. That's why they never give up." he started kicking Naruto "They go chasing after some stupid dream, and they die."

Then Naruto caught Kabuto's foot "That's enough! I'm not gonna run away! I never go back on my word! That's my nindo- my ninja way!"

Kabuto fired up another Chakra Scalpel "You should've stayed out of this Naruto." with it he smacked Naruto to the ground.

Naruto stood once more.

Tsunade had been shaking and watching the battle this whole time, and finally reached the point where she had to ask "What're you doing?"

Naruto slowly got to his feet "Alright Grandma…"

Kabuto scowled "Still haven't had enough?"

"Get ready to pay up on our bet, that cursed necklace of yours is about to be mine. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he formed a single clone 'Like I practiced, just keep focused.'

Tsunade stared in horror 'Shadow Clones can't help him here. Enough, Naruto you don't have to protect me! Stop already!"

Kabuto drew a kunai "I warned you not to be stubborn, now you die!" he charged "You've just thrown it all away, dreams don't come true when you're dead!"

"Just get out of the way Naruto! No, look out!"

"Don't you worry about me." Naruto stopped the kunai with his bare hand, then firmly gripped Kabuto's fist "Until I become Hokage I don't care what happens, I'm not gonna die! Okay, let's see you dodge me this time." the clone began building the chakra in his hand "Okay, let's see you dodge me this time!"

"He's channeling chakra again, like before." Kabuto noticed "No, this is different!"

Tsunade felt realization hit her like a ton of bricks "Now I see, he made up the clone to gather his chakra. Ingenious."

"Compress the chakra… keep it going… Rasengan!" Naruto slammed the Rasengan directly into Kabuto's gut, sending him tumbling back into a boulder.

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While clashing with Orochimaru, Tatsu observed Naruto's victory and smirked 'I knew he'd do it, good job Naruto.'

Orochimaru scowled 'A child mastering a jutsu like that, it's unheard of.'

"For the record, I mastered it before he did."

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Tsunade was just as awestruck 'It's impossible, but he did it. He actually mastered the Rasengan in one week!'

Kabuto had a huge wound grinded into his chest, but still smirked 'Any second now…'

Then Naruto suddenly coughed up blood, then blacked out and collapsed.

Tsunade rushed over to his side, then looked at Kabuto "And you, how can you be standing after that?"

Kabuto chuckled "I focused my chakra at the point of impact, before he'd even hit me I'd started healing myself. You see now why Lord Orochimaru values me so highly, not only for my skills and knowledge of jutsu but most of all for my recuperative powers. No matter how great the injury, I can repair and re-energize any damaged cells. But there is a limit, and I'm almost out of chakra. Naruto on the other hand doesn't have that gift, he looks finished." he slowly limped forward, then stopped 'What?' his glasses cracked 'No!' he collapsed 'I never thought- Even with my healing powers, the damage was too great, and now I haven't enough chakra left.'

Tsunade checked Naruto's heartbeat "His heart is failing." she opened his jacket and put her hands on his chest "The muscles surrounding his heart have been torn to shreds."

Dosu limped over "But how did he do it, and when?"

Tsunade froze 'Wait, of course. That moment just before they separated, Kabuto must've struck his heart.' she placed 2 fingers on Naruto's chest 'Stop shaking, get a grip.' she sliced open his t-shirt.

Kabuto smirked, despite his position "You're wasting your time, it's all over for him. With the last of my strength, I severed his heart's chakra network. I cut him off from getting any help from the Kyuubi, and he hasn't the power to save himself. I'm telling you, he's finished. Dead. All your skills are useless now-"

"Oh shut up! You'll be dead soon, I'll see to that." Tsunade let out a gasp 'He's stopped breathing… no… no… no! I won't let it! Don't die! Don't die! Don't die! Don't die!'

Then Naruto suddenly reached up and grabbed Tsunade's necklace "Hey… don't forget… our bet… I won… remember?" then he passed out.

"To be Hokage. That's still your dream Naruto, isn't it?" she held his hand in hers, healing chakra flowing into it 'One more time. Just one more time, for the last time, I want those words to be true.' she placed the necklace around his neck.

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Orochimaru smirked "Poor boy, I really don't think he'll make it."

"You're forgetting Tsunade's healing powers." Tatsu pointed out "Don't worry about him, he'll be back on his feet in no time."

"Perhaps so, but that's not what I meant."

"Forget Naruto for now, I'm the one you should be worrying about."