Second Half Over

!

The 3rd Hokage sat in the meeting room with the elders and the heads of the clans of the village. The people in the room knew it was important as the Hokage hadn't called everyone to a meeting like this since the nine tailed fox attack the village. He had just left the fights for to see who would continue onto the third part of the exam leaving them to go on without him.

"As you are all wondering why I called this meeting, it is that my two former students Tsuande and Jiraiya had a run in with the Butcher," the Hokage said.

"The Butcher is here?" one of the elders said. They all remembered the slaughters that the Butcher did to their clans during the war, they all lost many Leaf nins to his blades. Only the Forth Hokage was ever able to go toe to toe with the Butcher even the 3rd's students had to work as a team to fight the Butcher on even terms before one of them turned into a missing nin.

"Yes he is," the Hokage said. "He came here to fight Niamh as he wants to test himself against a soldier from another land. But he now has his sights on someone else, Naruto."

"He wants the demon," one of the members said.

"No he doesn't want the nine tail fox he wants Naruto," the 3rd said. "He knows of the demon sealed inside of Naruto but he doesn't want the demon just Naruto. He already knows about the nine tail fox sealed inside of him."

"How did he learn of the demon?" Donzo ask as they had made sure that no one outside the village knew about the demon.

"The Butcher was the one who gave the Fourth the sealing scroll," the third said making everyone in the room gasp.

"He's the one who gave the fourth the seal?" one of the women said.

"Yes he did," Tsuande said as she and Jiraiya entered the room. "And he told us something that none of you will like."

"Like how Naruto is my late student's son for one," Jiraiya said making everyone in the room held their breath and eyes widen.

"Naruto is his son?" Kiba's mother asks.

"Yes he is," the Third said. "I never told anyone that he had a wife or a child knowing that his enemies were still out there."

"All of this time he was his son and you never told us?" his old teammate ask.

"Would have that made a differences in how the village has treated him?" he ask making the entire room become silent. "Tsuande tell them what the Butcher told you."

"Right," Tsuande said taking in a breath before telling them about the effects of the seal that's been placed on Naruto the son of the Fourth as the Butcher had told them a few hours ago.

The room was silent as the council members took in all that they heard. The seal on the Fourth's son was to weaken the demon to the point when Naruto dies the demon could be killed. But only if he was happy, as any negative emotions would strengthen the demon and once it was strong enough it could break free. And according to Tsuande the demon when Naruto was at the age of five could have broken free but didn't as it wanted to feed off of all of the negative emotions that dwell inside of Naruto.

"This means that…," Ino's father began to say but couldn't find the words to express them.

"All of the suffering that Naruto has gone through by the hands of the village has made the nine tail fox five times stronger then it was before," Jiraiya said.

"And before any of you even think of killing Naruto, remember that its his choice as he dies to take the demon with him as he dies," Tsuande said.

"We have to do something," one of the elders said.

"As long as Naruto is happy the demon will be weaken right?" another ask.

"Yes it would but how do you make up twelve years of suffering?" the Hokage ask. "Even if the village does what Naruto's father wanted them to treat his son it won't take back all of the pain and suffering he's been through. And there's also the fact that he won't trust anyone but a few in the village who start showing him kindness, he's been tricked like that too many times in the past and if the village starts showing him kindness he won't accept it."

"Is there anyway to weaken the demon?" Sakura's mother asks.

"The only one who would know is the Butcher and there's little hope in him helping us. He has his sights on Naruto to become his heir and become the next ninja Butcher," Tsuande said. "Having his only true rival as his heir to his title isn't something that the Butcher isn't going to give up. The irony of that is too good for him to past up."

"We're going to have to make sure that Naruto is as happy as we can make him," one of the elders said. "Because once he dies the demon fox will be sent free to finish what it started."

"Naruto is most happy with Niamh as only a handful in the village has ever treated him with any kindness," the Hokage said. "I have never seen him so happy before."

"We have to keep her in the village then," an elder said.

"We can't do it by force as it will only anger Naruto and we can't make him more upset then he already is now," another said. "We need every top nin we have to fight Niamh."

"And we can't have what's been said here spread," another said.

"Because if either Naruto, Niamh or her companions learn of this then there's no chance any of them will trust us as we're only treating Naruto well because of the nature of the seal on Naruto," the Hokage said taking in a deep breath. "He will never forgive us for what has been done to him, even if he does the hatred he has in his heart will still feed the demon as he has suffered more in his short life then most of us ever will. This village has dug its own grave and the only thing keeping it at bay is a boy who has no reason why he shouldn't let it happen."

"My daughter," Hiashi said. "Niamh said that the Two Soul style has the two users marry because they complete each other in the style. Naruto might hate the village but if he has Hinata with him as his wife, he might take the demon with him or at least the happiness he has with her will weaken the demon."

"That could work," Sakura's mother said.

"I still can't believe that you knew that Naruto was my student's son and you never told me," Jiraiya said to his former teacher.

"I made so many mistakes with his son," the Hokage said as he felt the weight of all of his past mistakes in raising Naruto on him.

"Indeed you have," a new voice in the room said from the corner of the room.

"Butcher," Tsuande said recognizing the voice from before.

"Indeed I am," Butcher said as he leans on the wall of the room. "I'm surprise that none of you notice me till I spoke up. But then again you have gotten soft over the years."

"Why are you here," the Hokage said as he eyes everyone to not to do anything to the Butcher knowing that even with them outnumbering him they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

"Came to gloat," the Butcher said. "To think the only son of the only nin who has ever managed to fight me on even terms alone, will become my heir to my title."

"You're so sure that he'll join you," an elder said.

"Can anyone name a single day that Naruto was ever happy?" the Butcher asks. "When he wasn't charged more when he needed to buy something from a store? When he could play with other kids without you adults telling the kids to stay away from him? When he could have a walk through the village without being shouted or beaten? Can any of you name more then five people in his entire life treated him with kindness? A day where he wasn't wearing that smiling mask he wears to mask his pain?"

There was silent as no one in the room could think of a single day when Naruto was ever happy.

"I on the other hand have a clean sheet to work on while you Leaf nins have twelve years worth of pain and suffering to clean before you even have a chance of him ever trusting this village. Especially when I tell him the truth of his birth and the full effects of the seal his father placed on him," the Butcher said.

"You're going to tell him?" the Hokage said knowing that once Naruto learns everything, it would spell doom for the village.

"Of course if there's going to be any kind of trust between me and my student," the Butcher said. "Something that you old man have never learned, keeping so many things from him for all of his life. When I'm done training Naruto he'll be even stronger then I was at my best."

"Nimah is never going to let you have him," Tsuande said.

"You really think that she won't let me?" the Butcher said.

"What do you mean?" an elder ask.

"I'm going to let Naruto choose and if anything Niamh won't stop him whatever path he picks. He has little to hold him here that has taken so much and gave back so little," Butcher said as he walks over to a window to leave. "Even his mother left him."

"His mother is still alive?" Jiraiya said.

"Yes she is and she's still in this village," the Butcher said leaping out of the window leaving a stun group behind him.

!

Back to the exam –

"Come one Ino is that the best you can do," Sakura taunted as she evades the kunis thrown at her and fires her bottle-rocket launcher at her rival.

"Talking so tough when you're armed," Ino said as she jumps out of the way of the rocket. She's been trying to use her mind jutsu on Sakura ever since the fight started but with her firing that bottle-rocker launcher at her, she didn't have the time needed to use it.

"Well then let's see you handle this!" Sakura shouted as she charges at Ino using the sling on the launcher to strap it onto her back. She grabs Ino's arm as it lashes out for a punch and pulled. Wrapping her legs around Ino's arm she forced her rival on her back as she got her in a hold that she couldn't break.

"Impressive," Gai said to Niamh as he saw that Ino in that position couldn't break free or use her free arm. "That hold can't be broken by using strength, I really have to learn some of those holds you showed her."

"Yes that move is for dislocating the arm," Niamh said. "Sakura try not to ruin Ino's arm."

"Right," Sakura said as she puts more power in her hold causing Ino a lot of pain.

"What did she mean by that? Ino ask as she tries to break free.

"That if I use anymore power I'm going to pull your arm right out of its socket," Sakura said.

"The fights over," Niamh said. "Sakura has you, Ino where she wants you and you can't break free from that hold, its over."

"It's not over yet," Ino said as she tries to make eye contact with Sakura but couldn't at the angle she was pinned.

"It is," Sakura said free one of her hands and aims the launcher at her rivals head.

Ino stared at the bottle-rocket launcher right in front of her face. "You win," Ino said knowing that there's no way she'll be able to take a head shot at point blank shot.

"Winner Sakura," Hayate said then blink when both Ino and Sakura disappeared.

"You two did well," Niamh said as she had brought the two of them where she was standing.

"So that's what its like," Ino said blinking as she suddenly finds herself standing upright.

"It takes getting use to," Sakura said as she.

"I wish you stop doing that," Hayate said to Niamh.

"Why?" Niamh responded. "If I didn't then Shino's bugs would have made Zaku's arms blow up."

"And I lost because you help me," Zaku said.

"Better then losing your arms," Niamh said before turning to his teammate Kin who was taken out earlier. "How's your head?"

"The ice pack helps," Kin said as she holds the ice pack where that boy made her hit her head.

"You two are just weak," Dosu said as he's the only one left in the running.

"So says the one who hasn't fought," Niamh said to him causing him to grumble.

The names on the screen began to run. Finally, they stopped: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba.

"Time to show them what I'm made out of," Naruto said as he jumps into the ring.

"Ready Akamaru?" Kiba ask his dog but when he looks downward he didn't see his dog anywhere. "Akamaru? Akamaru where did you go?"

"Eating," Niamh said as she fed Akamaru some fried chicken she brought from home.

"Hey!" Kiba shouted at Akamaru who look up from his piece of meat that Niamh had pulled off of a leg before going back to eating. (1)

"Looks like he's staying out of this fight," Niamh said continuing to feed Akamaru. "Unless you can't fight without your little puppy dog."

"I can," Kiba said leaping into the ring.

"And I won't use my gun," Naruto said holding up his gun then disappear as Niamh takes it.

"Are you sure about this?" Sakura shouted at Naruto.

"Don't worry," Naruto said holding out his knife.

"Ready…," Hayate said. "Begin."

"You really should have given up your biggest advantage!" Kiba said as he charges in.

"Why when I know I'll win," Naruto said as he blocks all of the punches and kicks that Kiba threw at him. "Compared to Niamh you're slow as a snail."

"I have been increasing my speed every time we trained and he has always kept up with me," Niamh said.

"You did?" Kurenai ask.

"Yes Naruto is able to keep up with my speed at ten percent," Niamh said.

"Ten percent?" Kakashi said to himself wondering how fast that was for her.

"Kiba is going to run out of stream long before Naruto," Niamh said. "He's just barely keeping up with Naruto."

Down in the ring Kiba pumped as much energy in his limbs to keep up with Naruto as he was now on the defense. Naruto's arms became a blur as he throws punches and knife strikes at Kiba who blocks with his kuni. Naruto breaks away and leaps back then disappears in front of Kiba.

"What the," Kiba said as he was suddenly blindsided as Naruto kicks his side sending him flying.

"It's called speed burst," Naruto said as he disappears again and punches Kiba's face then again and again. To the people watching Naruto would appear for a second after striking Kiba and then disappear followed by Kiba being struck again.

"What's happening?" Ino ask as she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Naruto has managed to come up with a jutsu that lets him run at a sudden burst of speed by watching me use my blood limit over and over," Niamh said. "It takes a lot of chakra to use and he and only use it in one short burst but that's enough to do the job."

"Really?" Lee said as he watches the fight.

"Then how about this," Kiba shouted as he shallows a soldier pill.

"What was that?" Niamh ask.

"It's a soldier pill the give anyone who eats it more energy," Kakashi explains.

"Really now… well then its time to end it!" Naruto shouted as he appears behind Kiba and use his speed burst as he held up Kiba. Following what Niamh showed during her match he body slams Kiba into the wall at full speed. Kiba fell over backwards out cold from the impact.

"Winner Naruto," Hayate said.

"Kiba is going to feel that when he wakes up," Niamh said as medic nins carry him away.

!

Elsewhere in the village –

Walking down the main street of the village was a familiar cast. "So this is what the Leaf village is like," Zan the oldest of the Demon Brother's said as they step through the gates of the Leaf Village. (2)

"I'm not impressed," Zaki the younger brother said.

"Just remember why we're here," Zabuza said carrying his massive sword on his back.

"It will be nice to see her again," Haku said.

"Zabuza it's been awhile," a dark hair woman wearing loose clothes that showed off her ample chest. But what really got peoples attention was the fact that she was carry a huge sword that look more like a huge black metal club with a slight edge to it, and she was holding it with one hand. The other held a large jug that she takes a drink now and then.

"Yes it has Karura," Zabuza greeted her. "You're uncle did a fine work on my sword."

"Too bad my village doesn't have loyal customers like you," Karura said.

"Indeed," a woman who dress and appearance was that of a classic female samurai but she held a wooden sword instead of a metal one. "The weapons that are forged from your village have always proven quite troublesome in dealing with."

"Twilight Suzuka," Zabuza said. "Haven't seen you since Land of Fang."

"Yes it's been along time," Suzuka said. "I would like to finish what we started but I'm not going to risk getting injured to fight you now."

"Well, well," Ran said as she lead Meow and Maki down the street after having fun at the fair. "This has to be the first time we all been together like this."

"Ran," Suzuka said looking at her old classmate. "I heard you're serving under that woman Niamh."

"Yes we are," Meow said.

"And I see that you're still have her tagging along with you," Suzuka adds.

"I admit it isn't like me but I'm not complaining," Ran said. "In fact I have improved training under her. Trying to hit a target that is faster then the eye can follow is a great way to train."

"Maki how's your sword?" Karura ask.

"It's getting dull but it is still in good shape," Maki said. "I'm still improving my strength to get to your level."

"You're getting there," Karura said. "Any tips on beating Niamh?"

"Sorry but none of us has come close to beating her yet," Meow said.

"You're on your own there," Maki said.

"And she wouldn't like it if we told you guys how to beat her," Ran said.

"Then it's the hard way then," Karura said shrugging her shoulders. "Oh well more fun then."

"Yes it will," Zabuza said as he couldn't wait for his rematch.

!

Back at the exams –

When Niamh saw the last two names for the fight she heard and saw Hinata clench her fists. She also saw, from the corner of her eyes, the faint twitch of the Neji's lips, indicating he was smirking, or resisting the urge to do so. The blood feud between the main and branch house, would be seen today. As the two stood in the arena, the tension between them was palpable, Neji was practically oozing killing intent.

"Hinata, give up now, you cannot change your fate. You are destined to lose to me." The Hyuuga prodigy stated blandly.

Hinata's eyes suddenly flared to life, the Byakuugan fully active. "I won't lose to you Neji. Simply because…there is no such thing as fate. And I don't need my gun to beat you."

Neji narrowed his eyes at Hinata as she hands her firearm to Niamh, glaring at her for all he was worth. Hinata met his gaze unflinchingly. They settled themselves into their fighting stances.

Hayate shifted his view from one to the other. He raised his hand and let it fall. "BEGIN!"

They charged at each other and began pumping large amounts of chakra out of their hands in an attempt to damage to opponent's chakra coils. They traded turns attacking and evading, before they eventually both switched to an offensive attack.

Hinata swerved to avoid a strike aimed at her left shoulder and aimed a hit at Neji's ribs with her right arm, Neji grabbed her arm and yanked her forward, all the way around in a 180 turn and delivered a solid palm strike to the girls stomach Hinata stiffened for a moment before coughing as air left her lungs. She, growled and then did something that few people in the arena expected she grabbed Neji's wrist, leaned back, making him bend forward as she pulled his wrist along with her and then delivered a solid, hard kick to Neji's ribs, no fancy Juukken no Hyuuga taijutsu, just a solid straight up kick that hurt, A lot. Neji could testify to that as he felt the air leave his lungs. He coughed, and the metallic coppery taste of his own blood filtered into his mouth.

'What on earth? There's no way she managed to hit me that hard?' He thought to himself for a moment. But then remembered that she's been training with Niamh and from what he has seen with Naruto's fight has become a lot stronger.

He then realized what she did, she had combined the Juuken with that hard kick, it usually wasn't possible, since rapid muscle movement deteriorated the chakra control necessary for the fighting style to actually have an effect and not just be wasted chakra but Hinata had managed to do it. All of that speed training she has been doing under Niamh has allowed her to have fast reflexes and control over her body.

He gritted his teeth, Hinata had always been weaker than he was, he refused to admit defeat in front of her, fate would not allow it. He was the prodigal Hyuuga, the one who had been granted the greatest Byakuugan abilities in the Hyuuga clan in over a century he refused to admit defeat.

He rushed forward again, and the two continued to trade blows with the Jukken Neji's raw skill was better than Hinata's but Hinata's lithe and flexible form allowed her to even the playing field and with her training under Niamh showed that she was faster too. What Neji did next however, caught her completely off guard.

"Kaiten!"He yelled, she was standing barely three feet from him and therefore received the hit full on. She was launched to the far wall where she hit the cold stone with a sickening smash.

She struggled, standing on shaky limbs, shaking the cobwebs out of her mind. She then looked as Neji took a stance that she had seen many times. "You are now in my field of divination." The Hyuuga prodigy spoke coldly.

Hinata didn't have any time to respond before he rushed her. She wouldn't survive it, damage had been delivered to her stomach, her right lung, one of her kidneys and her liver, one wasn't too much of a problem, but all of them combined along with Neji's next attack, she would most likely die from the stress placed on her body. But she did have that little gift Niamh had given her.

Hinata's hands moved by instinct, reflex and survival instinct are all that moved her now. "Bee Hive Strike,"She said in a whisper . Her hands moving on their own, blocking each one of Neji's strikes even fast then he could deliver. Neji and everyone else in the room felt their eyes go wide, this was completely unheard of… a technique that could defend from the Hyuuga's most devastating attack? It was revolutionary and what they could see her strikes were blocking Neji's faster then he could attack.

"I knew that training with pay off," Niamh said.

"What training did you do?" Kurenai ask.

"I had her block each of my punches," Niamh said not needing to explain it further as everyone knew she used her bloodlimit.

Neji gritted his teeth, as his attack ended. He leapt back, and saw Hinata, fall to one knee as she gasped for breath. None of his attacks had gotten through as she could block faster then he could attack. He rushed forward again, in his anger, and in his underestimation of her strength in her current state he left himself open.

Hinata however caught it, in his next strike, all she had to do was divert the attack, and she would then be able to strike him in the chest, no doubt giving her the victory but also, it could kill Neji. Niamh noticed this as well as Hinata had explained her family art to her and had picked up where some of the weak points that the Hyuuga's aimed for.

Time seemed to slow down as Neji approached her. She heard his footsteps, saw his the chakra in his palm as he approached her. In the end…she couldn't do it. She lowered her hand and closed her eyes, before Neji's attack, hit her, just above her heart. She fell back, and hit the floor with a dull thud, unmoving. Everyone stayed there, stunned at the turn of events.

"You did well," Niamh said appearing next to Hinata helping her up.

"Niamh," Hinata said.

"I saw what you did and I'm proud of you," Niamh said making the people watching wonder what she meant. "You could have won but if you did Neji might have died. Killing on the field of battle is one thing but killing during a test is another."

"She what?" Neji shouted.

"She let you win because she didn't want to kill you," Niamh said. "Something that you should take to heart."

"But the damage I gave her would have…" Neji was cut off by Niamh.

"Would have done nothing," she said as she pulls Hinata's jacket off revealing a form fitting armor underneath.

"Ms. Niamh," Hinata said blushing red.

"She's wearing a flexible body armor under her jacket that's bullet proof," Niamh explains. "Like when Tsuande tried to use presser points on Hunter you're attacks wouldn't have done anything to her."

"Niamh when did you gave her armor?" Naruto ask.

"I gave it to her and Sakura yesterday," Niamh said.

"Why didn't you give me one?" Naruto asks.

"Because these are for women and the ones for men are all too large for you to wear," Niamh said.

"Oh okay," Naruto said feeling down with his small size.

"But don't worry you're still big where it counts," Niamh reminded him. "Much better then the rest of the guys of the village. Especially with your former teacher who lacks way behind in that department."

"Hey!" Kakashi said as he and the other male Leaf nins all grumbled under their breaths.

"What does she mean?" Kin ask Sakura as she and Temari wondered what Niamh meant.

"Well…" Saukra said blushing red as she whispered to the two nins.

"He's what?" both of them said at the same time and stared at the small blonde boy, with a bit of fear and wanting to find out for themselves how big he is.

"They do say big things come in small packages," Niamh said then turn back to Neji who's eyes were downcasted.

"You let me win!" Neji shouted as he uses his Byakuugan staring at Hinata. He would have attack but suddenly Niamh had flicked his forehead getting through his defense.

"Don't make me mad," Niamh said walking away from him leaving him gasping.

!

Author's Notes –

1 – Remember not to feed your dog or dog's chicken bones as it could get stuck in their throats.

2 – I said that they would be back.

!