NARUTO: THE SOARING LEAF

CHAPTER 11

THE DAWN OF WAR

Part the Third

THE GREAT CLASH, ELITE VS. ELITE

Convergence,

The Bane of this

And every Other World.

Power attracts Power

To Seek, To find

To Conquer and to Destroy

Until only One is left

"This generation of Shinobi is difficult, Kabuto, the skill and talent inherited by them far surpasses what has come before." Orochimaru said.

"Is that why you created your Chosen?" Kabuto asked his Master.

"Kukuku, yes Kabuto, yes. To deal with these new Ninja I had to find children equally as talented. The Sound Five were the beginning, experiments that lead to the Chosen."

"I will admit that they surpassed my expectations. They stood up to the drugs extremely well and going on the data from the Sound Four, Kimimaro and Sasuke-Kun I was able to create the performance enhancing drugs that have worked so well with their Juin Jutsu" Kabuto said.

"This was no accident, after all it is a god's right to create beings in his own image." Orochimaru said in a voice filled with gloating glee. "They will meet the Leaf's Elite Ninja and they will triumph over them. Then I will kill Naruto-kun. Once that is done then everything will be mine."

"Convergence" Kabuto whispered

"Convergence, in this battle everything will be decided."

"In all of this Orochimaru-Sama you have not yet spoken of Akatsuki. I know of their goal and I know you have met with them. What I do not know is their role in this battle, the law of convergence states that power draws power. When they meet one must surely destroy the other." Kabuto.

"Akatsuki covets complete power, but I covet immortality, they are fools bowing before short sighted goals. I will use them in my own way, and you will see what I mean soon enough Kabuto. For now, wWe have a battle to win. Now Begin!" he commanded.

"Hai Orochimaru-Sama" Kabuto brought his hands together in a set of rapid seals.

Wave Nehan Shōja no Jutsu Wave Temple of Nirvana Technique

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The field of battle was enormous the Green and Brown of Konoha (Leaf) and Suna (Sand) clashed with the Grey of Oto (Sound).

Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari

The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya

Jiraiya of the Legendary Three (Densetsu no Sannin), The Gama Sennin (Toad Hermit), was in the middle of the field his presence marked by the large toads that were currently battling the giant snakes from the Oto army. He was a presence that none could deny, let alone escape and he knew it.

Is this where I belong he thought to himself even as he and Gama engaged the last of the giant snakes. Gama had grown since that time when he summoned him to aid Naruto from Kisame and he was now of a size similar to the Snake Hunter Toad. Gama even carried similar Katana's to his superior and his armour had grown to match his frame.

The Snake that they were fighting was a giant green and grey king cobra, it was the most dangerous of the lot as its evenvenom was extremely poisonous and the amount it could release was massive.

It lunged at Gama but the large toad jumped into the air even as Jiraiya leapt off Gama and he brought his hands together.

"Doton: Yomi Numa" Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld

He knew that this Jutsu was very powerful and performed on such a battlefield it could wreak havoc upon friend and foe indiscriminately but he was not an inexperience novice. He maintained a strict control over the Jutsu and thus he was able to capture the enormous Snake. At full power, it transformed the green grass into a brown swamp that sucked the snake in.

He was slowly falling back to the ground and he saw that the Snake was not yet done. It tried for one last desperate lunge at him, mouth gaping and fangs gleaming, only to have a silver Katana driven through its open mouth. Gama had returned to finish it off.

When he landed, he smiled at the large toad and behind him the last of the snakes sank from sight its death scream sending shivers through the Oto ranks.

The Oto Nin who were around shrank away.

Maybe it is, after all this is where Naruto wanted me to be and in him, I can see that man...

A small white feather floated down in front of him and as he raised his hand to catch it, he saw it disappear. He clenched his hand into a fist and looking up he saw a rain of feathers.

"How weak" he smirked.

"Jiraiya-Sama, I will now depart from this field" Gama's voice boomed.

Jiraiya glanced up at the Toad "Thanks for your help, Gama, and say hi to your dad for me" he said to the toad.

"Until next time" The Toad then disappeared in a loud bang and a puff of smoke.

Now for some Taijutsu he thought to himself as he moved to engage a large group of Oto Nin.

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Kopī Ninja no Kakashi

Copy Ninja Kakashi

He was preoccupied and he knew it. Although he had not taken any harm, it did not mean he was fighting efficiently. He was mainly using Taijutsu, opting not use up too much Chakra on Ninjutsu. He was preoccupied and it could all be attributed to one person.

Rin

After all this time, he had accepted her into his heart, finally admitting to her and to himself that she was his precious person.

While his personal life was picking up his professional life was suffering. As far as he could count, he had taken down twenty Oto Nin but from what he last heard, Gai had taken out thirty-two.

That will not do he thought as he ducked under a wild swing from an Oto Nin and stepping in he sent a blow to the large Oto Nin's throat. Twenty-One.

He heard battle screams and he turned to see five enemies leaping towards him.

His mind raced and just before they converged, Kakashi spoke.

"Konoha Daisenpū" Leaf Great Whirlwind

The Oto Nin were all blown away by the power in the kicks and when they landed, they did not get up.

"Twenty Six" Kakashi said with a smile.

Even around the chaos of the battlefield, he was still keeping track of Rin's chakra and his attention was increased when he felt several chakra signals heading towards her. He did not even hesitate. His Leaf-Hitaite went up, revealing his Sharingan.

"Chidori" One Thousand Birds

He raced past Oto Nin faster than they could see and even as they went down the loud chirping of a thousand birds sang them to their eternal sleep.

When he reached herher, he found that her standing calmly in a ring of fallen enemies.

"You worry too much" she said with a smile. "How many is that now?" she asked him.

He was silent for a while and his eyes put on an expression that would say that he was not sure and that he had to do some hard thinking to call up the number she requested.

"Thirty Three" he finally said.

His Sharingan was opened to the world and as such, he could not see through the Genjutsu that was starting to blanket they battlefield. Even without it, he still knew the flavor of this Genjutsu and the nature of the man who had cast it.

"This might work on low level Ninja, but to us it's a joke" Rin said. "Sometimes I wonder if they have any brains on that side!" she complained.

"The man who cast this, there is something about him, a mystery that is not easily discerned. He rarely does things without a reason and I feel that this time there is something different about this Jutsu." Kakashi said to Rin. "Still it falls to the Sakura-Chan to take care of this."

Kakashi went to cover his Sharingan eye and as he did, that Rin disappeared.

Shunshin no Jutsu. "So fast! That's my queue to get back to business." He looked at the sky admiring the beauty of the falling feathers.

"Kai" he whispered and then he disappeared from his current position in a puff of smoke.

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Konoha no Kedakai Aoi Mōjū

Konoha's Prideful Green Beast

My Spirit of Youth still burns deep down inside. He dodged a punch and returned with an uppercut that skyrocketed his foe.

My Cool Student Lee has grown and I have grown, together we have achieved many great things. Another fist came at him but this time he caught it and pulled his opponent off his feet and he started swinging him round and round. The various Oto Ninja who had come to attack him were knocked back by Ninja he was swinging. At peak velocity he let go of the ninja, sending flying and as he had designed the ninja collided with the one he had uppercutted earlier.

That was so cool

He struck his Nice Guy Pose and he flashed that intensely brilliant smile. Although it seemed like a reckless move in the midst of a battle it did serve a purpose, it blinded Ninja in his direct line of sight.

The pause in his opponents allowed him to track the extremely fast movements of his rival. He was able to clearly see and hear the attack that Kakashi was using. Chidori. So far, he had taken down thirty-six warriors but now that he had seen what Kakashi had done, he understood that his rival was no longer holding back.

It is time to get serious He thought to himself.

"Dragon Weight Decrease no Jutsu" he said.

"Yosh! The power of my Youth is now shinning even brighter" he said to the eight opponents slowly getting up from the time he had knocked them down with their friend. He then shot off the ground at a speed even faster than Kakashi's and he began to rapidly circle his opponents herding them like cattle by tightening the circle. Once they had gathered, Gai increased his speed even further sparking a mini tornado around his foes. Once it had gathered its own energy Gai moved out of it knowing that it would not die down until he willed it so. He jumped back and crouched down focusing his chakra and stamina.

"Konoha Gōriki Senpū" Leaf Strong Whirlwind

He yelled as he charged through striking at all the Oto Nin and taking them down for good.

The mini tornado he had created began to die down and as the outside world filtered through, he saw white feathers raining down on the battlefield.

"Again, that Ninja never learns" with that Gai sped off at an extremely fast speed aiming not only to defeat the Oto Nin but to defeat his rival as well.

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Yūhi Kurenai

The Crimson Light of the Evening Sun

She had dispelled the initial Genjutsu that the sound forces had cast and now she was battling Oto Nin with Taijutsu. She knew that she was not as powerful as Gai or Kakashi but she could handle anything these Ninja could throw at herry. So farfar,, she had not unleashed any Genjutsu on the enemy, but she soon realized that the Oto Nin numberss of Oto Nin were getting out of hand.

Time to start.

"Bringer of Light no Jutsu"

Aiming for Oto Nin who seemed to be gaining the upper hand on a faction, she cast the strong Genjutsu upon them. As she approached the targets, she witnessed the powerful Jutsu her student had created. The Hand of Life. The members of the faction that had been under attack were seriously injured and from what she could tell, the weary Medic Nin among them was not doing well.

There was a brilliant flash of blue light and the twenty people who had hovered near the Shinigami's Gate1 disappeared.

Her Genjutsu had blinded the fifteen Oto Nin and now she was going to finish them off. Even with their eyes closed they could not gain any relief, she knew that the Genjutsu she cast attacked the eyes and made the Ninja feel as if his scorched the Retina was scorchedof the enemies and to them they could not seeing anything and they experienced intense pain that could not be relieved.

"Magen: Jubaku Satsu" Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Death

The targets stopped screaming in pain as they suddenly felt a new terror, they were now unable to move and at an enemy's mercy.

She quickly rushed to the first one aiming to finish him off quickly.

He was a tall Oto Nin dressed in what she had gathered was an Otogakure Jounin uniform. Just as she was about to deliver the final blow, his eyes opened. This brought Kurenai to a complete halt.

Its happening again she realized in shock and horror.

The Genjutsu it was not an Illusion, it had been real.

After all this time it surfaces

Suddenly a strong presence was next to her and her shock began to wear away due to his presence.

"Beloved" she whispered.

"I'll take care of them" a familiar voice whispered next to her. The Oto Nin fell with precision cuts that had ended their pain and suffering.

"Are you going to be alright?" Asuma asked when he had finished the ninja bringing her into his arms. She could not help the sigh that escaped her lips, as she sank into the embrace of her one true love.

"I will be alright, all it means is that I should just be more careful. Now get back to the fight, what will the others say if they see us like" she joked lightening the mood and reassuring him that she was fine.

"I don't care" he said locking his eyes with hers. He leaned closer to her and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. When they broke apart, they were both a bit flushed.

Though she did not know it, Kurenai was subconsciously emitting a subtle Genjutsu so that any who came close enough was caught in it and they could not see the two figures in their warm embrace

"Go now, the power of the Sarutobi Clan should be felt by these ninja" she said to him.

He smiled and said "So should the power of the Yuhi clan" with that he jumped off towards the thick of the battle.

She sensed it before it even came into being, coming from the forest from which the Otogakure forces had appeared. It was a high level Genjutsu, higher than the one cast during that attack on Konoha. Anger flooded her being and the enemies coming upon her fell to the ground screaming in horror as their worst nightmares appeared to them. She did not even spare them a glance as she sped off in search of Sakura.

Such a terrible Genjutsu

As she sped across the battlefield feathers that had been, falling from the sky began to burn.

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First Among the Twelve Guard Ninja's of Fire

Sarutobi Asuma

He had been staying tightly with his faction, directing their movements and making sure to help them out in sticky situations. Though he had commanded and trained many Ninja there were none as talented as Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji. He had gained immense pleasure from shaping those lives into strong Shinobi who could handle themselves in any situation.

Leaving Konoha all those years ago… the things I did… all to carve my own path in life, away from the Sarutobi name. He had done just that attaining the highest rank among the Twelve Guard Ninja's of the Fire Countries Lord. He could never have known that he would return to Konoha, to fulfill both his duties. To his family and to his Feudal Lord. He had done many things without much thought and he knew that they had caused his family grief, but deep down he did not regret them. The Sarutobi Clan was highly respected in Konoha and in the World and he had in his own way contributed to that. Leaving Konoha and fighting in all of those battles, gaining renown and finally the position in the Twelve Guard Ninja's.

He truly did not consider it a bad thing that he was born into the Sarutobi Family. His father had fulfilled his duties as the Head of the Village, as the Sandaime Hokage and his sibling had ensured a bright future for their clan with Konohamaru.

Thinking of his nephew brought about a feeling of warmth to him. That boy had shown the power of the Sarutobi Clan. Uzumaki Naruto's influence on him had even helped the boy create a Nindo that was unique to him but still inline with the Sarutobi Clan Creed. He had been extremely proud of Konohamaru when the he had signed the Monkey Contract and he had summoned Enkōō: Enma. The Night had come when his father fell but a new dawn had begun for Sarutobi.

Even though he was deep in thought, he was still in a battle. His Wind Chakra enhanced knifes were causing devastation among the Oto Nin and he knew why.

Wind Elemental Chakra, The Chakra of the Most Supreme Battle strength. Is it any wonder that he possess it. That kid, he could cut through anything

He was brought from his musings by a bunch of Ninja jumping to him.

Too many to cut, guess I will burn

"Katon: Haisekishō" Fire Release: Ash Product Burning

He breathed out a cloud of superheated ash causing third-degree burns to the eight Oto Nin attacking. Because it is ash and not flame it remained in the air around the targets, and once they were down, he focused his Chakra, kicking up a wind that blew the hot ash away.

He focused on the battlefield and he quickly located Kurenai. He watched her cast a Genjutsu on some ninja and just as she was about to take out the first one she froze.

He did not even think he rushed to her location even as he saw a small white feather alight on the ground.

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Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari

The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya

Tsunade of the Legendary Three (Densetsu no Sannin), the Godaime Hokage, The Slug Tamer and formerly The Legendary Sucker (Densetsu no Kamo) watched They had been well prepared thanks to the talents of Uzumaki Naruto and HyuugaHyuga Hinata and so far everything had gone well. The Hand of Life had extracted many Ninja on the verge of the Shinigami's Gate, allowing those ninja to receive urgent medical care from some of the best Medic Nin's in Konoha. Shizune was down at the hospital supervising the operation and Tsunade knew that the ninja were in good hands.

An aspect of the Jutsu that had caused her some concern was the fact that Naruto would have to initially drive the Jutsu and that Hinata would have to be the eyes that guided him. It meant that at the start of the battle two of the strongest Shinobi would not be directly involved. Naruto had told her that it was an even exchange, sighting that the lifeve's he could take in that battle were not equal to lives they could save. She had given in, telling Naruto that he was the commander and it was his decision to make, although secretly she recognized the value in the Jutsu. To protect the lives of the Ninja under his command, it was an action worthy of a Hokage….

She smiled to the pictures of her predecessors, her eyes resting on the picture of the Yondaime. Her smile fell away replaced by an expression of longing and sorrow. Before she could fall into that river of memories she pulled back focusing on the Palantir in front of her. The Ancient Seeing Stone had been a gift to the Shodaime, from a race of tall fair, skinned warriors whom he had met in his travels. She would have normally used Tōmegane no Jutsu (Telescope Technique) but because of she needed to cover a greater range and she needed to find specific Ninjas who were attuned to the Crystal she had opted to use the Palantir. She began to sing the words her Grandfather had taught her…

Tall Ships, For Tall Kings

Three by Three

What Brought they from the foundered land

Seven Stones

And

One White Tree

She raised her Chakra and channeled it into the crystal and she directed it towards the battle but she was not consciously focusing on a specific person. It was instantaneous, the sharp image of Jiraiya came into view and she witnessed him dispatch a large King Cobra, with the help of the powerful toad Gama. Deep down she knew the reason why it had shown her Jiraiya but she would not admit it to herself…not yet...too soon. As it stood, she knew that The Gama Sennin would be able to take care of himself. She did a quick scan of the battlefield and she realized that it was still too early to tell how the battle would go. The Rookie Nine, Team Gai and Team Baki had joined the battle throwing their strength into the fray.

She then moved closed her eyes briefly and she let her heart guide the crystal and when she opened them she looked upon a curious sight. She was staring at a large structure that reared far above the battlefield. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a shock of bright blonde hair, which belonged to Naruto, he was crouchedseated with his eyes closed and Hinata was next to him. She could see the Kazekage and she identified the last person as Uchiha Sasuke.

Offence in the form of the Uchiha and defense in the form of the Kazekage. You are too clever by half kid…

The image in the crystal flickered for a second and Tsunade recognized it immediately.

Genjutsu

Things were about to get dicey. A Genjutsu on such a wide scale only spelled trouble… it was a good thing that Sakura was there.

She leaned back and smiled and as she reached for a cup of coffee, she saw the image in the Palantir change.

A sick purple wave clouded the clear images and Tsunade felt the sickening feeling of an evil Chakra.

"Orochimaru…" the cup did not even stand a chance as it disintegrated in her fist and she barely felt the hot liquid.

The Hokage must protect the Village…but what of the future…

She stood up.

The Last Battle of the Fourth Ninja War was about to see the arrival of the Godaime Hokage of Konoha.

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Kabuto held the last seal releasing the Genjutsu upon the Konoha and Suna forces. He was not yet done. He felt a soft effeminate hand settle on his shoulder belying the horror that was about to be visited upon him and the Konoha forces.

The monstrous Chakra that seeped into his bones caused him to fall to one knee.

"Venom of the Orochi no Jutsu" Orochimaru whispered.

He felt the cold power seep into his bones and grip his very Soul and in that moment, he knew regret but the power did not care. Ruthlessly it stole his will, augmenting his power with its vile touch and unbidden words came to his lips.

"Temple of Orochi no Jutsu" and with those words darkest horror was unleashed.

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The Purple wave flowed across the Battlefield and only the most hardened warriors did not quail in their hearts.

Fear was a weapon that could turn any battle.

Darkness was oppressive, making it hard for the Konoha and Suna Nin to breathe. Some of the more hardy Ninja could make out a Bright Blue Light high off in the sky but the majority of it was blocked off. The others though were suffering under the darkness and the monstrous Chakra that accompanied it.

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A Bright Pink Light appeared high in the sky and the Darkness fled from it.

"Final Kai (release) The Great Sakura Blossom no Jutsu"

From the bright pink light uncountable streaks of light spread out cutting wide swaths into the darkness that covered the battlefield and the hearts of the Ninja.

And in answer to her words, the Blue Light that had blazed far away intensified and it joined the Pink light and the two then drove the back the darkness.

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As the darkness lifted calm, air settled upon the battlefield but it was soon disrupted as Ten Figures with an enormous amount of Chakra erupted from the trees.

A cheer erupted from the Oto Forces as they saw their salvation.

THE SOUND TEN HAD ARRIVED.

A wide space was reserved for them as they slowly spread out into a widestraight line. Waiting.

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The Konoha and Suna forces did not draw back because even as the evil Chakra from the Oto Elite approached them a similar but pure force met it and it pushed back.

Neji, Tenten and Lee appeared together in flashes of Green, White and Black.

A swarm of bugs began to gather, and they started to rise until they took the shape of a man and from and then they cleared away revealing Shino.

"Gatsūga" Double Piercing Fang Kiba and Akamaru drilled out from the ground and they released the Jutsu and landed next to Shino.

Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji appeared together in a swirl of leaves. Ino wore an annoyed expression, Chouji was whispering something to her and Shikamaru stood with a cigarette in his mouth.

A small sandstorm erupted from the ground due to Temari's arrival on her summoned fan.

Kankuro was still on his flying puppet having attacked the Oto Nin from the sky but slowly he made his way down and as he reached the ground, he released his Jutsu and the puppet disappeared.

This time a deafening roar was heard from the Konoha and Suna forces.

The Shinobi had formed a line matching that of the Sound Ten and behind them Sakura slowly floated down to the ground.

THE NEW ORDER OF SHINOBI HAD ARRIVED

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THE GREAT CLASH, OF ELITE vs. ELITE WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN

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Neji vs. Kumo

He was tall, with tanned skin and a shaven head. His nose had been broken in the past and it had healed crookedly. There was a scar on the right side of his face, running from his eyebrow to just below his chin. His mouth was a thin angry line and his red feverish eyes showed a hint of the madness within. He wore a grey tunic he over his blue bodysuit and an Otogakure Hitaite hung loosely around his neck.

On the surface Neji could tell that he was facing a warrior with a dark history and somehow he was reminded of himself from his Genin days. Though he could not see it, he knew that this warrior carried a Cursed Seal (Fuin Jutsu) and his previous experience against Kidoumaru would not help in this battle. He knew that it had two levels and it supplied the enemy with massive Chakra and it amplified their Chakra disposition. Going into this battle, he would have to be careful.

"You are mine HyuugaHyuga" the Ninja boomed and the way he had said that name sent shivers down his spine. He had never heard so much revulsion for the HyuugaHyuga name save in himself. This he realized was personal. He would not delve below the surface, there was value in holding back and this Ninja would realize the power of the HyuugaHyuga before he died.

"I Deostine Kumo will crush you and the Hyuuga" the large warrior finished.

Enough of this it is time to start! Neji thought to himself.

"You are all within range…" he crouched down going onto one knee "of my divination" his Chakra spread blanketing the entire battlefield and he knew that every Ninja felt that Chakra. To some it would feel far away but to others it would be all too close. He concentrated and tightened the circle and those who were free from it breathed out sighs of relief. The warrior was also gathering his chakra but he was too slow.

Neji thrust forward and up and his Chakra sent the Warrior flying.

Calm and serenity flowed into his mind, he was the strongest of the HyuugaHyuga and he now carried that with pride. Beyond the main house or the Branch House. He was HyuugaHyuga and that was all that mattered.

He leapt after his foe to engage this Elite Ninja from Otogakure.

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Lee vs. Chuu Noree

He could not expect more from his eternal rival…, his brother and seeing as Neji had taken his foe from their vicinity he decided that he would do the same. It was different now from all those years ago at the Chuunin exam, he knew now that he did not have to measure up to his friends. He was a Shinobi and all that he needed was the knowledge that he would fight for his Village and he could protect his precious people. He knew who he had to face among the Sound Ten. He was well muscled, with curly bright red hair. He wore a white Gi that was open at the chest and bare at the arms. He had a black belt around his waist and his blue eyes were sharp and focused.

Lee recognized the Ninja from the time when they had attacked the Otogakure (The Hidden Village of Sound) and with all of the things that were going on at that time, they could not properly conclude their battle. It had been a hard battle, all the more so for his new self-imposed rule of using Ninjutsu only….

It had been one of his toughest battles but it had been worth it. He had tested himself and he had pushed his newfound Ninjutsu skills to the limit. Now it was time to finish what they had started and Lee knew now that he was a stronger man since that time. He glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eyes and she nodded at him.

He started to loosen up, going through some light stretches and hopping up and down to get his blood flowing. He saw his enemy also stretch and he knew that the challenge was answered.

"Yosh!" channeling his Chakra after his statement he performed Shunshin no Jutsu at a speed faster than most could see he appeared in front of his opponent, amidst the Sound Ten and he sent a kick to his chest. The Oto Nin brought his hands in front of him to block the attack.

Lee could not help but smile as he used his natural speed to break past his opponents guard with a powerful kick that sent him flying. Lee did not follow through because he turned and crouched under a swift kick. He did not even have to look up to see the log that replaced his opponent.

After ducking his opponents kick, he jumped back and when he landed, he assumed a familiar stance.

He stood ramrod straight with his left arm behind his waist and his right arm was bent straight at the elbow with his palm facing upwards.

"The Prideful Azure Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee! A Master of Gōken (Strong Fist)" he said to his opponent with a flash of his pearly white teeth. His opponent also took a fighting stance. He lowered his body, extended his left leg forward, raised his left arm into the air at a 450 with the hand open and his right arm was at his side with the hand closed.

"Let me show you Ryūko no Ken (The Art of Fighting) with Kyokugenryu (Extreme Limit School/Style) Karate" the Oto Nin growled.

The two simultaneously leapt into the air and engaged in their battle.

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Tenten vs. Aizen Tatsuka

Boys will be boys she thought to herself as she watched her teammates move to engage two of the Sound Ten. Team Gai had come a long way since their Genin days. Neji was no longer the dark brooding loner, he was now the representation of the New HyuugaHyuga, a Shinobi who could lead Ninja into battle and with the strength of his Nindo and helphelp, them overcome great odds. His early promotion to Jounin was not mistake and he was a worthy Captain respected by all who served with him. Lee was no longer desperate to prove his worth as none could deny his skills and with his burgeoning Ninjutsu talent, he had shown to all that hard work paid off.

She had also grown, into a Master Weapon smith and an expert Weapons Master. When she had found out about her heritage, she had been shocked but that shock had been overcome by awe. Shikeguni Tenten. That was her name and she would make her ancestors proud. She came from a long line of Sword Masters and she would not disgrace them.

Among the Sound Ten, she had long since identified her opponent. She was of medium height with brown hair, sharp grey eyes, a thin nose and an even thinner mouth. Her skin was pale and from what she could see, her build was slim and powerful. She wore a light grey undershirt, a dark purple kimono and hakama, and a white sash. There was a katana at her side.

That this Oto Nin wore those clothes made her angry, it was an insult to the Legacy of her family.

In her minds eye she could see the picture of the founder of her clan. The Large sleeves of the White Haori over a white undershirt, a black kimono and hakama, and a white sash.

To restore her families honor she would defeat this Oto Nin. To avenge her parents she would kill this woman.

She saw her enemy slowly walk forward and she went to meet her. The others were quiet watching them.

"Draw, your blade, Nino" the Woman said in a soft voice, laced with venom and evil. "I would not want to cut you to pieces without you at least putting up a defense".

Tenten said nothing. She leapt back from her enemy and unfurled a small scroll and she performed a set of rapid One Hand Seals.

"One Thousand Piercing Kunai no Jutsu" she said and the scroll disappeared in a puff of smoke and from around Tenten kunai began to materialize. They floated around her gathering in their hundreds and the Tenten thrust her hand forward. The kunai shivered for a moment and then they shot at her enemy.

The Oto Nin stood calmly in the face of the many weapons and just before they hit she raised her hand. A wave of power met the charge of steel, the kunai seemed to struggle between two forces, and suddenly the Kunai fell as both pressures were negated.

On closer inspection, one would have seen that the normally pointed Shinobi weapons were now flat and round.

"Come now Nino, such a pitiful attack" she mocked.

"Once my blade has been drawn" Tenten said in a whisper "Blood must be shed"

Tenten slowly reached for the Katana strapped on her back. She brought the weapon to her side and prepared to draw. She closed her eyes and focused her Chakra and when she opened them, she saw the Oto Nin was also preparing to draw.

One heartbeat, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…ten

The two disappeared in a flash of Light.

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InoShikaChou Formation vs. ShuShiTro Formation

"Those guys are always getting excited" Shikamaru said around his cigarette.

"I know what you mean" Ino agreed, her annoyed expression had faded and it seemed that she was back to her normal superior self.

"I wouldn't mind facing off against that guy Lee is fighting. He looks like a Taijutsu master" Chouji said around a mouthful of potato chips.

"Hey you three don't worry about them you have us to deal with" said one of the Oto Nin. He was short and wiry with silver hair and he wore an Oto Nin Jounin uniform. His skin was tanned and he glowing red eyes. On either side of him were two tall twin female Ninja who wore the same clothing but with different colors.

Shikamaru regarded them with a stern gaze.

"The Three who are One, will destroy you and crush Konoha." The short Ninja said.

"For Orochimaru-" One the tall females said.

"Sama we destroy you" the other finished.

"Then bring it on, you freaks!" Ino screamed much to the chagrin of Shikamaru who could only look at her in annoyance.

"You shouldn't call-"

"Other people names"

"You blonde bimbo" the short one added.

Shikamaru put out his cigarette his expression turning serious, Chouji put the bag of potato chips away and Ino was surprisingly silent.

"From a large tree" Shikamaru intoned

"Small leaves bud" Ino continued

"And became Team Asuma" Chouji finished

"We will never Forget!" They all chorused

As they finished the Oto Nin attacked and their violent clash began.

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Kiba and Akamaru vs. Lycan

"Do you smell that Akamaru?" Kiba asked his lifelong companion.

"Yes, I do Kiba" Akamaru replied not even bothering to bark but sending the reply directly to his friend. "…Blood"

"The blood of innocent creatures frozen in fear" Kiba gravely added.

"It is all coming from that man's lips" Akamaru said with revulsion

"Hey Shino, we've got our opponent, so it looks like your on your own" Kiba casually told his teammate.

He was of medium height, strongly muscled with a feral look about his features. He had a savage look about his face and he wore an evil smile baring his fangs in a beastly challenge.

"Let's do this Akamaru" Kiba told his partner. "Gatsūga" Double Piercing Fang.

The two attacked the Monster like Oto Nin who leapt out of the way of the attack but Kiba and Akamaru were able to follow, forcing the enemy away from his team.

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Shino vs. Ines

Shino raised his hand and from a short Kunoichi among the Sound Ten a small insect flew up and it went to rest on Shino's open hand. Under his large collar, he smiled. He always hated leaving battles unfinished and now he would rectify that. This Kunoichi was extremely skilled at Genjutsu and Ninjutsu and during the retrieval of Sasuke, he had faced her under a different guise. Although they did not conclude the battle, he had planted the small bug egg into her ear cavity.

"Your battle is with me" he said.

"Who me" another Sound Nin spoke and it seemed that they were all confused as to who he was referring to.

"I was talking to her" Shino clarified, pointing towards his intended enemy. She was short with red hair, big eyes and a button nose. She wore a heavy grey cloak that covered most of her body, only allowing her head to be visible.

"Mine" she said.

The bug that was on his hand bit him and he shook quickly shook it off.

He crouched down and took a closer look at the insect and he was surprised to see that the bug was different from before. It seems that her Genjutsu was at an extremely high level and that she was an expert bug user.

This was going to be fun.

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Kankuro vs. Blayne

"Heh" Kankuro snorted as he turned to speak to Temari "Remember what Gaara sai-" He was silenced by the glare he received from Temari. "-I mean the Kazekage said 'No world devastating attacks', so it means reign yourself in"

Temari was silent and her glare faded into a scowl.

"These Konoha-Nin are likely to take forever, remember when we had to bail them out all of those years ago?" she asked her younger brother.

"Yeah, but you have to give them credit, not a lot of credit though" Kankuro replied.

"Back to the matter at hand though. Who will fight who?" Temari said.

The Oto Nin who answered was tall, with blue hair, brown skin and she carried a black staff with intricate carving down its entire length. "I will be your opponent" she said in a calm voice.

"And I will be yours" said a small red haired boy, with cold dead eyes.

"Hey, hey why do you guys get to decide?" Kankuro questioned the two Ninja.

"Because we were chosen to destroy you two" the small ninja said while he raised his hand and a haze began to surround it as if his hand radiated and intense heat, soon after his hand blazed with a blue red fire. "I will make kindle wood from your creations Puppet Weakling"

"What's your story?" Temari asked.

In reply, the Oto Nin planted a quarter of the staff into the ground and she gathered her chakra.

Kankuro saw Temari leap into the sky as the Oto Nin's staff came rushing out of the ground.

Earth type Ninjutsu... this should be interesting for her He thought

Returning his attention to the small Ninja, he prepared to fight. This kid had insulted him and plus he was small brat… he hated brats.

"Kindle wood, hey. You've got some nerve." He mocked the last of the Sound Ten.

"Bring it on" the small Oto Nin said and this time an intense, flame surrounded his whole body and he stood in it unharmed.

This should be interesting for me and he smiled at that thought.

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Temari vs. Eahril

As she sailed thorough the air Temari saw the staff-giving chase. It was a well-known fact that Wind Ninjutsu was weak against Earth but that was among evenly matched foes. If one had the power then they could overcome anything. Naruto had shown her that, coming late into his Wind Natured Chakra he had advanced in leaps and bounds and that had in turn inspired her. Her primary nature was wind but that was not the only one…

As Field Marshall, she knew that her presence on the battlefield would inspire the Suna Nin and as the holder of The Heavens Moon Fan, she could not loose.

Earth Jutsu…piece of cake

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The Gauntlet is thrown

The rival's are chosen

Who will Fall

And who will

Rise…

Convergence…

The Bane of the Ninja World

Next: Convergence

AN: The ten for ten challenge was a success thanks go out to Miroku-Dono, nania, PoetJTB, Vld, Kaytiffer, raging hobo, Martrex, Egghead and midnight-angel-of-darkness.

To Raging hobo: The character descriptions in chapter ten were necessary and I see your point about interspersing the description with the story. The thing is in the whole story I never once described the characters and I felt like I was cheating a bit. I was taking for granted that we all know what the Naruto characters look like and therefore descriptions are unnecessary. I listed them in that way because I could not get it into the story. Anyway thanks for the review and I hope you like this chapter.

Raging Hobo ch7: It is hard for me to define how Naruto got so strong because I have not made it up yet. I have a general idea and it comes through in the chapter pretexts. All will be explained in the future.

GreatEnder: I tried to follow your request about the longer chapters, but it sort of backfired. I finished with the first part (From Jiraiya to Tsunade) last week and it took me forever to finish the second part and I was doing it all to make the chapter longer. I don't think long chapters will work for now, hopefully they will work in the future but for now an average of 4000 words, a week is what I can try to do.

Kaytiffer: Thanks for the Semi-Legendary Award of the Shimmering Pheonix, but one question when will it be Legendary?

Tellemicus Sundance: The Chapter 1 review: Rank in the end wont make a difference. In the manga Naruto has achieved something Kakashi or Jiraiya couldn't do and he is still a Genin, and Naruto once said that even if he was a Genin he would still be Hokage.

Chapter 2: the first two chapters were a build up to the story and I fell into it. I hope you noted how the Three Sannin described Naruto and how Kabuto and Shizune and Rin who have ties to the Sannin described Hinata. I sort of fell into it and I loved writing it.

AuroraStarPhoenix chapter 5: Thanks for your suggestion and I will definetly use your idea. Your answer to the faux chapter I put up exceeded my expectations and I am truly grateful.

Egghead chapter 5: Another answer to the faux chapter I put up. This is the official thanks. Peace.

Bailin ch8: thanks for correcting me, I usually confirm all of the facts I use but in that instance when I messed up the whole Suna Kage thing, I did not have my reference material and I just went with it. (show how much I know)

Nin of Man ch9: Orochimaru will have more than enough to deal with so he wont get his hands on Hinata, in fact he should hope that Hinata doesn't get her hands on him. You are right about the transcending time thing. I am moving it at a slow pace to prepare for a timeskip later on(you'll understand)

There is a lot more and to everyone thanks again. If you all review again we can double the count…(A secret wish of mine) come on guys review…………………….

CONGRATULATIONS TO BAILIN FOR THE 70th REVIEW

Bailin: When I started the story Asuma was not conveniently killed off (Its called a writers convenience and even though I don't like it, I have to accept it. DBZ was also full of those.) and I think I would have anyway. As to my ideas you ain't seen nothing yet. I cannot wait until the Orochimaru vs. Naruto fight.

Vld: Cool how you joined on my birthday lol. I don't know about an 11 for 11 challenge so far things are going slow. The hits are okay but the reviews are slow but its all good nothing will keep me from finishing Naruto's Story. Oh Kabuto is going to fight Hinata. I established that in the second chapter and I have to stick with it…a curse of writing on the fly, what I put down is iron. The others will be there in a round about way. Tsunade wont fight seriously but her presence will be necessary when all is said and done.

Fixed some mistakes so I am putting this up and taking the time to answer some reviews from some cool people.

SUPERKAYJIN