Chapter 82 : Twenty Seconds (1)

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I got my ass to my aunt's place. It was the hardest thing I've done, but I did it.

HUGE thanks to everyone who wished me good luck. These past three or four weeks have been a struggle, but reading all the kind words everyone sent me helped me push through it. I have amazing readers. You guys are the best, really.

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My Nindo will be tested.

I do not fear, for I am fear personified. I will show no mercy for those who stand against me. Those who wage war on me shall fall. Those who face me shall see the Monster. I am the harbinger of god. I am the end for those who cling to darkness. I am heaven's sword, her shield. I have claimed much, and today…

I

Will

Triumph

...

Feathers began to litter the stadium, an obvious Genjutsu. So Orochimaru's plan was to put everyone to sleep, then. Naruto smirked as he put his hand in a half ram seal.

"Kai." His chakra flooded the arena, releasing the Genjutsu before it even truly started. The moment the first feather fell, a purple barrier sprang to life around the Kage box. Naruto's hands clenched into fists, Mei was in there, with Orochimaru. He was not happy.

Before he could do anything, Temari and Kankuro took off with Gaara. He couldn't follow. He had other things to do."Sasuke," he called out to his shadow.

The Uchiha was at his side, ready for his orders. Before he started, Kakashi, Anko, Gai, Asuma and Kurenai Shunshined (Body Flickered) to his side. "Gaara is your opponent. Nothing has changed." Sasuke smirked before vanishing.

"Anko, you should go with him." Anko nodded, taking a moment to look the blond in the eyes before vanishing.

"Kakashi, you and Gai take the enemy shinobi in the village." Kakashi and Gai nodded.

"Kakashi, you're in charge of the initial assault." He looked to Asuma and Kurenai.

"I need the Genin and Chunin out of the way. Have them all defend the Monument."

Asuma narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Genin and Chunin are supposed to evacuate the villagers, though."

Naruto smirked. "I've got that covered." The chakra of the Kyuubi sprang to life around the Uzumaki, covering him in a translucent boiling red.

He clapped his hands together, and the cries of confusion and fear were heard throughout the village. All around them, the civilians lit up in the very same red cloak as the Jinchuuriki.

"It's time the son surpassed the father."

The cloaks of the civilians suddenly began to connect, leading to the source in a thick line of Bijuu chakra. They were now connected to the very person they despised. That's when the blond whispered something that should have been impossible.

"Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)." Kurenai and Asuma went wide-eyed before Naruto and every civilian within Konoha simply disappeared in crimson light.

...

Umino Iruka had been prompted to lead his students to the evac center within the Hokage Monument an hour before the exams began. That's why he was there when suddenly, without warning; the entire village was transported to his location.

The room they were in was very large and very empty one second, and the next it was full. He didn't know why the civilians had powerful red chakra around them, but a random loud-mouthed woman gave him a good picture.

"Th-the demon, he did something to us!"

That statement sent the whole lot of them into an uproar. They didn't even think that he had saved them. They automatically went to him doing something sinister to his own people. Iruka scowled.

These were the people the Bringer of Hope protected? These were the people the Kamikage fought for, gave everything up for?

He opened his mouth, ready to scold these people like the children they were acting like, but was stopped by the softest of whispers.

"Thank you, Naruto-san." The voice was small, but it was heard. Getting the attention of the others, all eyes were suddenly on Ayame, the young girl who helped her father with his ramen stand.

"So you condone the demon, do you girl?" A random man said, his face twisting into rage.

"He's not a demon. He's our guardian angel." Ayame replied heatedly. She had known Naruto at a very young age, and she knew, without a doubt, that he was truly an amazing person.

"Not once has he hurt any of us!" The man who had spoken up was suddenly quiet before the borderline crying young woman.

"You people know his moniker! He's the Bringer of Hope! The other countries are either scared of him or almost worship him for his greatness and you just attack him with harsh words when he saves us." Her hands were balled into fists.

"You're all cowards!"

"Enough, Ayame-san." The 'demon' said. Turning back to where the blond was, all eyes were on the Kamikage.

"You cannot teach the blind to see if they wish not to. And I do not hate, or even dislike, the ignorant." He turned to Iruka, giving him a nod and a small smile as thanks for what he had been about to do.

"What's going on, Naruto?" The academy instructor asked.

"Are we being invaded?"

"Oto and Suna have decided to attack our home." By this time, the Genin and Chunin arrived.

"The attack is being led by Orochimaru of the Sannin."

"What?!" Yamanaka Ino shouted, making her way to the front of the crowd. She and Choji were told to protect the villagers. "What are you doing here then? You need to get out there and save the village!"

"She's right, Naruto. What's the plan?" Choji asked, a little calmer than his female team-mate.

The smirk on his face terrified the civilians. "Men do not fear other men; they fear what other men are capable of." He took in a deep breath. "They fear people like me." His eyes turned gold. "They fear Monsters."

Even Choji and Ino gulped. They could clearly feel the chakra the blond was building up within himself. They could feel his emotions, as if they could see it with their own eyes. The Kamikage was awake. The Monster was hungry. And the Bringer of Hope was excited.

"The plan is simple." He said in a hushed tone. "Death to all enemies of Heaven."

Before their very eyes, a true monster vanished in a gold flash.

...

As Sasuke rushed through the trees that made up Konoha's outskirts, he smirked as he felt her presence.

From above him, Mitarashi Anko leapt down the trees he was running on, keeping the pace he set.

"Naruto sent you as back up?" Sasuke asked, never taking his eyes off of the path ahead. He liked to think that, while watching his front, he never had to look back. He never had to look back at what he used to be, and how he used to feel.

Never again

"Yeah," Anko said, "Got a problem with that?" She said in an aggressive tone.

"Nope." Sasuke said kind of surprising the snake user. Naruto was right; the boy wasn't a little prick anymore. He was a true shinobi, and could actually play nice with others.

After a small silence, Anko had to ask the one question that wouldn't leave her mind. "So, just how strong are you now?"

She didn't miss the little smirk on the Uchiha's face. He didn't answer her, which kind of answered her question in a weird kind of way. The kid was probably high Chunin low Jonin levels now. What else could he be after spending an entire month doing nothing but training with someone like Naruto?

"We're close." He said- his Sharingan blazing to life. "Gaara's mine. I don't care about the other two."

Anko huffed. "Don't go acting like you're the boss of me just because you're soldier boy's student. I'm still a Jonin, don't forget that." Again, Sasuke did nothing but smirk. Just how strong was the raven-haired boy?

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