The Sound Ninja Who Asked for Trouble

"I'm going to protect Naruto and Sasuke!"

They had just been through a battle. Something had been carved into Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke's necks, and neither had woken up. Sakura Haruno was the only one still conscious.

Sakura carried Naruto and Sasuke into a tree hollow, then stood guard with a Kunai gripped tight in her hand.

"Looks like we've stumbled onto something good!"

Three figures jumped down from the trees and looked at Sakura.

"Hand over your scroll!"

"Naruto and Sasuke risked their lives to protect it. I'll never give it to you!" Sakura shouted.

Since Uchiha Yoru and Orochimaru had reached a friendly agreement, the Sound Ninja Orochimaru had sent no longer targeted Sasuke. Their goal was to pass the Chunin Ninja Exams.

"You've got no talent and have to rely on others to protect you, yet you think you can protect them?"

The three charged straight at Sakura.

Sakura had no choice but to rush forward with her Kunai.

Dosu raised an arm. The Kunai clanged against its metal surface.

His other hand closed around Sakura's throat. "Someone like you thinks she can protect them? Let me guess. You've always relied on other people to protect you on missions!"

"You barely have a scratch on you. All you do is shout encouragement while they risk their lives for you!" Dosu laughed mockingly.

Is that true? Am I really nothing but a burden?

Scenes flashed through Sakura's mind. It did seem to be just as they said: she had always stayed behind Naruto and Sasuke, relying on their help.

Dosu tightened his grip. Sakura felt it growing harder to breathe.

Goodbye, Naruto. Sasuke.

"Don't you dare talk about Sakura like that!"

Naruto Uzumaki drove Dosu back with a flying kick, then scooped Sakura into his arms and set her down.

This wasn't Pain attacking Hinata in the village, but beating up Sakura when Naruto was young was asking for it just the same.

"Sakura's been trying her hardest too!" Naruto said.

"Say whatever you want! That scroll is ours!" Dosu rolled up his sleeve, exposing a mechanical arm riddled with holes.

He charged, swinging his fist.

Naruto leaned back slightly and dodged with ease.

"What's going on?"

A ringing filled Naruto's ears, and his vision began to blur.

Blood suddenly burst from his ears.

Naruto dropped to his knees, clutching his ears in pain.

"Stay away from Naruto!"

Several Kunai whistled toward Dosu, but he blocked them easily.

"I'll deal with her!"

Kin, the girl on the team, stepped forward.

Sakura was nowhere near the level of Kin, whom Orochimaru had trained. Within a few exchanges, Sakura was on the defensive.

"Hiss!"

Cuts opened all over Sakura's body.

"It's over!"

"Goodbye!"

Dosu blocked Naruto's path, refusing to let him get close.

"I said, get away from her!"

Dosu was sent flying, and Naruto kicked Kin away.

Mysterious black markings covered half of Naruto's body, while red, foamlike Chakra shrouded him.

Inside him, the Nine-Tails howled wildly, "The Seal's loosening! The Seal's loosening!"

"How did his presence change so much?"

"That Chakra's terrifying—so dark! Akamaru's scared!" Akamaru, perched on Kiba Inuzuka, whined in fear. Something terrifying seemed to lie ahead.

"Byakugan!"

Hinata Hyuga looked in the direction that had frightened Akamaru.

"It's Naruto-kun! Three different kinds of Chakra are tangled together inside him!"

"Sakura and Sasuke are there too, along with three Ninja from another village!"

"Naruto-kun doesn't look good. Should we go check on him?" Hinata asked.

"Let's go. We did attend the same school," Shino Aburame said, adjusting his glasses.

"Akamaru, should we go?"

"Awooo!"

Naruto's rampaging Chakra threw the entire Forest of Death into an uproar.

"You bastard!"

Seeing Naruto in this state, Dosu didn't dare hold back. He cranked his mechanical arm to full power.

A piercing shriek rang from Dosu's hand. Everyone nearby clutched their ears in pain, but Naruto seemed entirely unaffected. He punched Dosu and sent him flying.

"Naruto's terrifying like this!"

"Is that blond kid really in the same class as us?"

Different kinds of Chakra gathered in Naruto's mouth. Everyone present knew this was only the calm before the storm.

Sakura knew she couldn't stop Naruto in his current state. Gritting her teeth, she carried Sasuke away to get him somewhere safe before returning for Naruto.

Dosu and his teammates knew they had to run, or they would die there.

The Chakra Cannon fired, and an explosion tore through the Forest of Death.

Even though Dosu's team had put some distance between themselves and Naruto, the blast still caught them.

Zaku and Kin, who had been slower to flee, died on the spot. Dosu hadn't run blindly; he had ducked behind a huge boulder and survived.

"Zaku! Kin! Damn you! I'll remember this!"

Dosu cursed, knowing the explosion had left nothing of his teammates.

"I'll avenge you!"

Dragging his battered body, Dosu limped away.

"Sakura, put me down!"

"Sasuke, you're awake!"

"I'm the only one who can stop Naruto!"

After Dosu escaped, Naruto seemed to lose his target. He destroyed everything he saw, and if he spotted a person, he charged after them to kill them.

A Ninja lying dead nearby had already proved that.

Sasuke Uchiha climbed down from Sakura's back and ran toward Naruto.

"What do we do, Shikamaru?" Choji Akimichi asked.

If Naruto kept this up, the Forest of Death would eventually be destroyed, and they might be caught in it too.

"Let me think, let me think!"

They were all Naruto's friends. None of them wanted this to continue, especially when they had no idea what it might do to him.

"Naruto-kun!"

Hinata's eyes were full of worry for her "friend."

"Rock Lee, what are you doing?"

"Naruto's our junior too. I don't want to see this happen to him!"

The thick-browed boy with a bowl cut and a green jumpsuit leaped in front of Naruto and took a stance.

Naruto's wild attacks were no match for Rock Lee's refined Taijutsu. But Naruto... could take a beating!

Rock Lee was already panting, while Naruto was still bursting with energy.

"A second tail!"

Naruto's blood-red Chakra formed a massive hand and slammed down.

"Eight Trigrams: Rotation!"

A figure leaped in front of Rock Lee. An azure vortex formed, blocking the crimson hand.

"Lee, what am I going to do with you?"

"Human Bullet Tank!"

A huge ball dropped from above, spinning furiously as it hurtled toward Naruto.

Naruto was sent flying.