Desolation

Naruto was locked in a back-and-forth battle with Orochimaru. After dodging one of Naruto's Rasengan, Orochimaru chuckled. "Naruto-kun, I'm growing fonder of you by the minute. How about it? Interested in leaving Konoha and joining me? I can make you much stronger."

Naruto laughed. "Orochimaru, you should worry about yourself. I'll have you in front of the Third Hokage soon enough."

Orochimaru smiled. "I'll have to decline. I still have plenty to do, so I'll leave you to play by yourself."

Seeing Orochimaru about to leave, Naruto sneered. "Orochimaru, do you really think you can get away?"

Orochimaru smiled. "Your strength has exceeded my expectations, but if I want to leave, I doubt you can stop me."

Just then, Sasuke's scream rang out. Orochimaru smiled. "I really have to go now, Naruto-kun. I hope we can spar again sometime."

Hearing Sasuke scream, Naruto realized he had fallen for Orochimaru's trick. Sasuke had definitely been marked with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. Naruto flew into a rage. "Orochimaru, you really think you can get away?"

Orochimaru stared at Naruto in surprise. A tremendous surge of chakra suddenly poured from Naruto, coalescing into a fox with five tails.

Orochimaru gasped, "The Nine-Tails," then quickly retreated. Naruto's burst of Nine-Tails chakra had also alerted every exam candidate in the Forest of Death.

Shukaku, sealed inside Gaara, immediately began to rampage. Fortunately, Gaara managed to suppress him in time. Gaara glanced toward Naruto, then hurried in that direction. Temari and Kankuro weren't as sensitive as Gaara, but they could also feel the tremendous chakra.

Temari asked in confusion, "How can there be such terrifying chakra? And judging by Gaara, he seems really excited. Could it be..." She and Kankuro exchanged a glance, both seeing deep fear in the other's eyes.

Gaara wasn't the only one to notice. Using his White Eye, Neji also saw Naruto in Nine-Tails Mode and exclaimed, "That guy really is a monster."

Tenten asked, "Neji, do you know who released such terrifying chakra?"

Neji didn't answer her, only saying, "Come on. Let's go take a look." The three of them headed toward Naruto.

Hinata was the most worried of all. She sensed Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra as soon as he released it and hurried after him. Kiba and Shino were puzzled, but didn't dare ask. Hinata looked terrifying right now.

Shikamaru was also heading toward Naruto. Ino asked curiously, "Shikamaru, is that really Naruto?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. It can only be him."

Choji said, "I knew Naruto was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, but I had no idea the Nine-Tails' power was so terrifying."

Shikamaru replied, "Yeah, but if Naruto's being forced to use that much power, his enemy must be formidable. We have to hurry and help."

Ino asked, puzzled, "But what can we do when we get there?"

"I don't know, but we have to go," Shikamaru replied.

While everyone hurried toward Naruto's location, Naruto and Orochimaru had already exchanged dozens of blows. Naruto repeatedly swept at Orochimaru with the Nine-Tails' tails, while Orochimaru dodged each attack. Then he formed Hand Seals. "Ninja Art: Snake Formation!"

Orochimaru sprawled on the ground and spat out countless little snakes. Each one held a sharp sword in its mouth as they lunged at Naruto. Naruto swept both hands forward, wiping them all out at once.

Seeing that the Snake Formation was useless, Orochimaru prepared to retreat. Suddenly, a Nine-Tails tail burst from beneath his feet. It transformed into a claw and tore him in half.

Orochimaru emerged from the body split in two by using the Shedding Technique. (How disgusting.) Naruto looked at Orochimaru, who seemed completely unharmed. "I don't know which of us is the monster, you or me. This is so disgusting it's beyond words."

Orochimaru smiled. "Heh. I didn't know you had such a sense of humor, Naruto-kun."

Naruto snapped, "Humor? I'll show you humor! Die, you disgusting creep!" Countless chains burst from Naruto and wrapped around the Nine-Tails.

Seeing the Nine-Tails bound, Orochimaru grew extremely tense. Naruto didn't waste words. He sent all five tails lashing toward Orochimaru. This time, Orochimaru didn't underestimate him and quickly dodged.

But his arm was still grazed. Seeing the wound being eaten away by the power of the seal and the Nine-Tails, Orochimaru decisively severed the arm. As soon as it fell away, it crumbled into ash.

Orochimaru sighed. "Looks like if I take a direct hit, I really will die."

Just then, Sakura arrived, carrying Sasuke. She shouted to Naruto, "Naruto, please help Sasuke! He seems to have been poisoned."

Seeing Sakura in such a state and Sasuke unconscious, Naruto erupted in anger. "Orochimaru, you hurt Sasuke! I'll kill you!" He began gathering chakra.

By now, the others in the Forest of Death had also arrived. Gaara stared at Naruto and murmured, "He's a monster just like me. Hahaha, a monster just like me."

Behind Gaara, Temari and Kankuro stared at Naruto in shock. They weren't the only ones; everyone else was just as stunned.

Hinata looked anxiously at Naruto and tried to go to him, but Kiba held her back. She said urgently, "Let go of me, Kiba! I have to get to Naruto-kun."

Kiba said nervously, "Hinata, calm down. Naruto's fine."

Shikamaru walked over and said, "Hinata, Kiba's right. We're the ones in danger right now. We're too close. If that chakra sphere Naruto's forming explodes, we'll be caught in it."

Everyone realized what kind of danger they were in. They were too close, and it was risky. Neji said, "Everyone, come over here. Shikamaru, use your Nara Clan shadow technique to pull Sasuke and Sakura over too. Hinata, I need your help."

Shikamaru didn't waste time. He used his shadow technique to pull Sakura over. Hearing Neji call her, Hinata said, "But... but Naruto-kun..."

Neji came over to Hinata. "Hinata, don't worry. I promise that big idiot Naruto will be fine. Right now, we have to work together and use Rotation to block the shock waves from their battle. Or do you want to watch Kiba and the others die?"

Neji's words finally brought Hinata to her senses. She said to him, "I understand, Neji-nii. I'll protect everyone."

Neji nodded. "Everyone, stay together. Hinata and I will use Rotation to protect you from the shock waves."

Hinata stood beside Neji, then suddenly asked, "Neji-nii, do you hate me anymore?"

"I do," Neji replied coolly, "but I don't hate you. I hate the bastard who made up these clan rules. My father talked to me, and I've thought it through. The person I want to protect is you, my sister, not the Hyuga Clan's young lady."

Hinata was moved. "Neji-nii, you..."

Neji said, "All right. Here it comes."

Orochimaru had already realized what Naruto was doing as soon as he started gathering chakra. He quickly put some distance between them, then pressed his hands to the ground and formed Hand Seals. "Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashomon!"

Orochimaru summoned three massive gates to stand between himself and Naruto. Naruto had been blinded by rage, with only one thought in his mind: to kill the disgusting bastard who had hurt Sasuke. (This feels kind of gay.)

Naruto roared, "Try blocking this! Die, Orochimaru! Tailed Beast Bomb!" A Tailed Beast Bomb erupted from the Nine-Tails' mouth.

Neji shouted, "Now! Rotation!" He and Hinata used Rotation together, shielding everyone. Gaara also raised his Sand Shield, while Temari and Kankuro hurried behind him.

A tremendous explosion rang out, and Orochimaru's Triple Rashomon was shattered. Fortunately, the Tailed Beast Bomb had lost much of its power. Orochimaru immediately used all his chakra to create an Earth Wall and block the remaining force.

Although he managed to stop it, the shock wave sent Orochimaru flying. When the dust settled, everyone saw that the landscape had been transformed. The blast had carved a massive crater more than thirty meters across into the Forest of Death. Everyone stared at the scene, speechless.

Naruto looked at Orochimaru lying on the ground. "You're still alive? Fine, I'll fire another one and see how long you can last." He began gathering another Tailed Beast Bomb.

Watching the Tailed Beast Bomb grow larger and larger, Shikamaru said, "Again? Naruto's crazy. Neji, how much chakra do you have left?"

Neji replied, "That last one used up a third of my chakra. I can still hold on."

Just then, the boy wearing a demon mask appeared beside Orochimaru and said to Naruto, "That won't do. Orochimaru can't die here yet, so I'm taking him with me. You don't mind, do you?"

Naruto found the boy strange. He felt as though they were connected somehow, but he had no time to dwell on it.

Naruto said coldly, "You think you can save him?"

The boy smiled. "If you don't care about the consequences, of course I can't. But would you really do that?"

The moment the boy appeared, Naruto knew he had Space-Time Ninjutsu. If he really wanted to escape, Naruto couldn't stop him right now. And if Naruto pursued without regard for the consequences, he might destroy Konoha.

The Nine-Tails' power was simply too great. One careless move could cause irreparable damage to Konoha.

Naruto said calmly, "Fine. You can take Orochimaru, but you have to tell me what happened to Sasuke."

The boy smiled. "Heh, no problem. Sasuke was only marked with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. I'm sure you can handle it. Well, I'm off."

Naruto watched as the boy took Orochimaru away with Space-Time Ninjutsu. He could only say helplessly, "So Sasuke was still marked with the Cursed Seal. Is there really no way to change it?" Naruto looked utterly desolate.