A/N This chapter has been reuploaded because I neglected to put in a pretty crucial scene at the bottom and I want to make sure no one misses it. I've done this before, so you know the drill, follow the asterisk (*) to get to the new scene if you've already read it. Once again, forgive my dumbness.

Chapter 10: The End of The Beginning

(Many Years in the Past)

In broad daylight, Dende stood at the opening to a deep, dark cavern. A smirk on his face, he walked through the rocky veil, into the black depths of the earth. Pausing a moment inside, he shot a thin beam of ki out of his finger tip and caused the collapse of the entrance. His footsteps echoed throughout the whole of the cavern, but fell on deaf ears.

Kurotsuchi of Iwagakure was many things. She was a just barely turned 13 year old girl. She was a shinobi. She was a major fan of the famous actress Kazahana Koyuki who starred as Yuki Fujikaze in countless hits. People tended to like her, and she quite liked herself. This blond kid seemed nice enough, but the village comes first and so, she was going to kill him no matter what it took.

The only problem is, his strength was far more than a match for hers, that much was apparent. Seeing him fight that Karui girl from Kumo put things into perspective for her. That first fight against Gaara had been strange from the offset so it had not been a good judge of Naruto's skill. It only proved that he was swift and strong, something that she could potentially deal with. The second fight proved his skill, which was not something to scoff at. This combination left her with few options, if she thought clearly.

Naruto was flying down towards her, which was another huge problem. How do you pin down a flying freak? He landed and made a slight grimace as he drew his machete, "Sorry, but I was told to wrap these fights up a bit quicker. Normally, I like talking to people, but..." He advanced towards her.

"Wait!" She held up a hand and he actually stopped. That was just great. She smiled and said, "Who says we can't fight and talk at the same time?"

"What?"

"Listen, I didn't really wanna be here. I could care less about the Dragon Ball or whatever. I don't believe in wishes." She said, lying as best as she could. Her hands were behind her back, flipping through a few handseals.

Naruto scrutinized her for a few moments, but eventually nodded and said, "Well, you can always forfeit, it isn't against the rules."

"I can't forfeit. It's not that simple for me."

"Why don't you want to be here? Aren't you fighting for your village?" He quirked an eyebrow and rested his machete against his shoulder.

She waved a hand in front of her and sighed, "No, no way. I don't even really want to be a shinobi. I've wanted to be a painter all my life. My grandfather over there just pressures me into being a shinobi to keep the family tradition alive."

"A painter, huh?" Naruto nodded and smiled at her. "That's pretty neat! I've never met someone who paints before, well... Not that I know of."

"Oh yeah, I just paint all the time. So many colors."

"I bet, I bet. You use one of those little art plate thingies for your paint?"

"A palette?

"Right, one of those. That's so cool! Do you make paintings for people? Because I've had this great idea for a really long time, imagine me on top of a hill, wearing a duster, I'm surrounded by dinosaurs and-"

"Ooh, wow that's great, the image is crystallizing up here!" Kurotsuchi thought quickly and decided to do something a little exotic to sell her story. She pulled some shinobi wire out of her thigh pouch and pulled a little topknot of hair up and out of the rest of it and tied it. "This is my creative hairdo, nothing to get the creative juices flowing like this."

"Mmmhh..." Naruto regarded her with skeptical eyes. He had always heard that artists were strange, but this chick was just a little too loony. "Well, this is all cool, but I think we need to start fighting now."

Crap! She oversold it! Time to go in for the closer, "Nonsense! I'm always looking for potential commissions, so come right over here, I carry some printed copies of my work at all times."

"Really? Well, I guess a small peek wouldn't hurt. I'd really love that sweet dino-painting soon, so maybe after the tournament?"

"That's right, now take a look." Naruto came closer and leaned in slightly as she slowly unfurled a scroll. Dropping the scroll, she instead whacked Naruto as hard as she could in the face. He was sent stumbling backwards but recovered quicker than Kurotsuchi would have liked, so she couldn't press her assault. Before he had the chance to say anything she smiled and said, "No, I couldn't possibly show you, I'm much too shy."

"What?! You're a liar!" Naruto said, pointing at her, "You are one, aren't you!"

Kurotsuchi looked contrite. "Yes, you're right. I've been lying to you. Only..." After pulling her hair out of the strange topknot, she gave him her best doe eyes and clasped her hands together beneath her chin. "Only because I fell in love with you when I first saw you this morning."

"Huh? R-r-really?" Naruto blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his head. He had always heard that love made people act strangely. And this girl was an artist so she was probably a little screwy... Wait, no she wasn't one. But did she really love him? "Hmm... I don't think anyone has ever loved me before. I think maybe one girl likes me, but... Uh..."

The way Kurotsuchi was looking at him was turning his stomach in knots. Unwillingly he thought back to a time while he was still in Konoha. He took a glance at a shelf of risque magazines and lingered for a moment too soon before being thrown out by the shopkeeper. He had always resolved to go back out of curiosity towards the pretty girls on the front of them, but had been abducted by Piccolo and Popo before he had the chance.

"Yes. You're just so handsome, and well, I think I need you in my life. You had me at hello."

"Wow."

"Come here." She spread her arms towards him and closed her eyes.

Naruto wasn't sure what would happen to him if he stepped into her embrace. It had been nice hugging Fuu... But this girl was a certified liar. And this girl was also not someone he almost considered family. "Umm... Ok." Some part of him (Ahem...) wanted him to take his chances with the hug. He stepped towards her once again and she closed the distance and they wrapped their arms around each other.

After a moment or so, Naruto smiled, "This is nice."

"That's right." That scroll Kurotsuchi dropped had not been forgotten, nor had it been dropped in vain. When she went forward to embrace Naruto she stepped on the edge which had been unrolled slightly and dragged it further out, revealing more of the seal underneath. She also molded the chakra for another genjutsu to lock Naruto's current physical sensations to his nerves, on top of the one she had placed on him at the start of the fight. The Forced Gullibility Technique made the victim more pliable to suggestion and was a great infiltration jutsu. When fighting such a strong opponent, subtlety was key - she seriously doubted that he was defenseless against genjutsu and so she took advantage of his naive nature and questionable intelligence.

Ringside (Start of the Fight)

Sasuke remarked, "She's got him under a genjutsu..." He smirked at the thought that Naruto couldn't use genjutsu.

The masked jounin with the sharingan said, "That's right, it seems like Naruto is susceptible to Genjutsu. Though, he may be on guard for them after this. Assuming he wins."

Sasuke glared up at the man, but said no more. The fact that he had a Sharingan was driving him mad. Were the eyes of the Uchiha merely a commodity after his family had been torn down from greatness? He balled his hands into fists out of rage.

Jiraiya observed his student's mood and decided to challenge him, something that he wished Sarutobi would have done once Orochimaru started acting out during their early teenage years, before he learned to hide his insanity. "But that boy sure is something isn't he, Kakashi?"

"Yes, he really is. All of that strength and speed - coupled with the Kyuubi's chakra as well as the advantages of his heritage." He shook his head, "But, he does seem to be quite naive. It's been a problem in just about every one of his matches."

"That's right, he is too naive. But, the way Sasuke is right now, I don't think he stands a chance." Jiraiya stared Sasuke dead in the eye as he said this.

Teeth clenched in anger, Sasuke snapped at Jiraiya, "There is no question of whether or not I will win-"

"Did you see that red cloak of chakra and that 3rd energy he used during the previous matches? I've never seen anything like it, and let me tell you, it's very powerful. Once he taps into the Kyuubi's power he is nigh unstoppable and the force of that strange power is multiplied. Of course, either Kakashi or myself could handle him with little difficulty, but for a kid like you, it's just impossible." Sasuke was about to retort, but Jiraiya cut him off, "But that's why I'm going to get you a fair fight with him."

"What?"

"Let's just hope this fight lasts a little longer." Jiraiya said, as he pulled out a scroll and ink. "Even if it's just a few minutes, let's hope I have time." Someone approached him from behind and feeling his student's presence, Jiraiya turned, "What's up, Shino?"

"I managed to diffuse some of my insects into the surrounding area and received a message a few moments ago. Naruto offered to subdue the Suna jinchuriki's biju during their match. This leads me to believe that he has a foundation in sealing, unless he was lying - which considering his character is unlikely."

"You're right about that..." Jiraiya said, nodding his approval. It looked like Shino was as reliable as ever, the steadfast nature of his clan was alive and well within him. "What do you suggest we do?"

Shino asked, "I assume that you intended to give Sasuke a seal with the capability to supress Naruto's bijuu chakra?" Jiraiya affirmed that his intention had been such. "There is a chance that Naruto could surmount the seal and negate any advantage we manage to gain for Sasuke. Perhaps a different tactic is in order?"

"Very good, you're thinking things out clearly. Don't worry, there is no way that kid is going to get around one of my seals, especially not in the middle of his fight with Sasuke. I'm not known as one of the greatest Fuinjutsu specialists in the world for nothing." He smirked down at Shino as he spoke, "You let me worry about the seal, in the mean time, go over and collaborate with your teammates. Shikamaru has something interesting cooked up and he could use your input." Jiraiya watched him walk off and quickly got to work. It looked like Naruto and the girl from Iwa were hugging of all things, which probably meant that he was deeply entranced in the genjutsu.

"Do you want to know something, Naruto?" Kurotsuchi's voice was melodic to him, and he happily kept her in his arms, just enjoying the very rare contact with another human being. He let out a slurred response. Her voice was farther away now, "You actually are kinda cute. And I guess you're nice enough as well... Anyway, it's nothing personal, but you shouldn't have crossed paths with a ninja of Iwagakure."

Naruto almost purred as she spoke and swayed slightly from side to side. So Kuro-chwan thought he was cute? Now that he thought about it, crossing an Iwa shinobi was quite unwise, he never should have. "Just die, Lava Release!" She pumped some chakra through a chakra string she had created and activated the seal, spewing forth a bubbling pool of lava. Without physical contact the seal would function more slowly, but in this situation it made no difference.

Oh, so his cute girlfriend thought that he should die? That was just adorable. 'Lava is such a Kurotsuchi thing to say.' He thought, as he still enjoyed the false sensation of holding Kurotsuchi. To the outside world, Naruto was being slowly cooked, as he was standing in a shin-deep mound of lava.

"Hmm... If anyone cares about this kid's life they should throw in the towel and forfeit for him." She said, with a pointed look upwards at Piccolo and Popo. Her appeal was met only with cool indifference, and she felt that she had no choice. "Fine, I tried to spare him." She formed the hand seals for a justu that would allow for a clean kill shot.

Inside of Naruto's head, a struggle was being waged. 'What is that burning smell?' He asked, a shade of reason breaking through to his addled mind. 'Kurotsuchi smelled way nicer than this before, she smelt like girly stuff and dirt... But in a good way...' The burning stench was beginning to overpower his senses until he could bare it no longer and- PAIN!

Opening his eyes for the first time in minutes, Naruto was met with the glow of lava consuming his legs and the scorching agony that accompanies being melted. There was no air in his lungs, he was going into shock - while a large spike of earth rose from the earth to impale him through the heart. All at once he realized the truth of his situation, the shock of the sheer pain he was under only served to startle him into action. Naruto, not thinking rationally, submerged himself deep into the Kyuubi's chakra.

Kurotsuchi could only watch in dismay as her carefully laid plan was wrecked, and had to dodge the fat globs of molten lava that were blown away from Naruto by the tempest of red and orange and blue energies that whorled around him in a tight helix. Shattered fragments of rock rained down all around the ring and she noticed immediately that her Rending Earth Spike technique was no more. The flesh of his legs up to his knees were burnt and charred, but before her eyes, the black, dead skin, flaked off like it was never there and his numerous wounds shut one after the other.

"I understand now that I see it before my own eyes." She said out loud, observing the deranged and feral look on Naruto's face. "I understand what a Jinchuuriki really is. A most unfortunate weapon... At least Roshi can control his beast." She remarked, thinking of Iwa's resident Jinchuuriki, who was terminally absent of his home village but was well regarded on the few occasions he did visit.

Naruto did not respond to her, only standing there in the midst of swirling energy. Her genjutsu had been stripped away by the searing power of his bijuu chakra, that much was clear. Kurotsuchi tossed a couple shuriken at him which could not even penetrate his swirlng aura- lobbing a chakra intensive ninjutsu at him also did not seem viable. She went through her options and came up with nothing. All she could hope for was an opportunity.

Naruto put his hand out in front of him, a purple sphere of ki collected there, "Narugan!" The purple sphere of ki stayed intact until it burst, like a grenade, against the side of the barrier. Kurotsuchi was forced to dodge the ki attack and the instant she moved to get out of its way, Naruto began closing in on her, quickly.

'So that's what he was waiting for? He performed that powerful attack as a distraction?' She chided herself for underestimating her opponent, as she leapt away from the explosion of ki and chakra that resulted from his attack hitting the barrier. He was upon her, and before she could even raise an arm he had kicked her forcefully in the chest. She reeled from the blow but scrambled through handseals as she did so. "Earth Armor!" A thick plating of earthen material formed over her torso, face, neck and upper arms and legs. This turned out to be a prudent decision as Naruto's kick was followed immediately by a flurry of blows to the stomach and then a overhead right which came down with all of the fury of a guillotine, his clawed fingers spread out, red and blue chakra pooled over the sharp points and backs of his hands forming a cloak in the approximation of a fox's claws.

The armor she created did not last long, but had served it's purpose. Now she was cornered by a very angry bull in the midst of a colloseum, and her muleta had just been torn to shreds. She was beginning to wish she had taken her grandfather up on that offer of a second Lava Release scroll, which might have come in handy at the moment. There was one technique in her arsenal that might do something, but with Naruto's insane speed, using it accurately would be impossible.

Naruto cut off her line of thinking when he caught her with a stiff uppercut to her chin, which sent her upwards into the air. He was up beside her in an instant, arms busy loosing punches. She absorbed the blows in silent pain, each one that rained down on her brought her farther from conciousness than the last. He continued punching until they had reached the ground. Kurotsuchi landed like a ragdoll and rolled until she was lying there spread eagle. He pursued her and raised his hand, chakra claws poised to strike her. She was looking up at him in a daze. Onoki was raising a ruckus and shouting something that his deafened ears could not make out. His own blood rushed like thunder through his veins, his heartbeat matching the roar of his own fury and power. At that moment he completely and utterly desired her death.

His hand froze and after a moment of trembling reached back instead for his machete. Grasping at it desperately, like a lifeline, he used the sharp points of his nails to rip straight through the cloth covering of its handle, revealing a magical array based around an encircled pentagram. There was a flash of light from his machete, as the torrent of power around Naruto dissipated all at once. The metal of his machete glowed red and blue, burning with barely contained power. He pointed the blade up at a higher portion of the barrier with both hands and a huge beam in the form of a helix erupted from the tip of it, his three energies swirling and intertwining within - the orange of his ki, the red of the Kyuubi's chakra and the blue of his own chakra.

The beam ripped a hole straight through the supposedly unbreakable barrier and continued straight on all the way out of the atmosphere and into space before dissipating - the barrier reknit itself quickly. Naruto stood there, numbly holding his weapon aloft and wheezing. He glanced down to see that Kurotsuchi was not there beneath him. His barely open eyes widened and his head whipped around, but it was too late. Kurotsuchi already had a kunai to his throat and another pointed at the base of his spine.

Her voice came out small and diminished, "It doesn't matter... It doesn't matter how much of a beast you are, a shinobi of Iwagakure will not be stopped so easily." She held the knife harder against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. Her arms trembling, struggling to hold on to her kunai, "The... The only reason... If only I had the strength... to slit your throat!" She barked out that last spiteful phrase, even as she fell to the ground unconcious.

Naruto turned fully to look down at the girl who he had just defeated. There was nothing good about this fight, he decided and made his way back up towards Piccolo, pausing only to discard his ruined and melted machete behind him on the floor of the ring.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto."

"I've finished the seal just in time. You stand a great chance of stopping this here and now. Naruto is exhausted after that fight and Shikamaru and Shino have helped you analyze all of Naruto's weaknesses." Jiraiya handed the scroll to Sasuke, who snatched it eagerly. "Don't think that this battle will be easy because he is exhausted. As the container of a Bijuu he has near endless stamina, and don't you forget that." Sasuke only nodded and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Alright, now go out there and win. I'm hard on you, Sasuke, but that's only because you have so much potential and such a bad attitude. You've become stronger and more mature in these past few years... The point is, I know you can do this. I know you can bring Naruto back home."

Sasuke nodded noncommittally and walked off, leaving Jiraiya there looking displeased.

As far as Sasuke was concerned, killing Naruto in the ring was just as good as getting him back to Konoha. Both would prove his superiority over the blond boy who irked him for some inexplicable reason. 'Killing him is just as good.' Sasuke thought as he glared up at Naruto, 'Maybe better.'

(*) Above the Ring

"Can you fight?" Piccolo asked, his face stony as ever.

Naruto nodded weakly, "I can't wait to be done with all of this fighting. It's fun, but..."

"It's less fun when your life is on the line." Piccolo supplied helpfully.

Naruto shook his head. "It's less fun when other people's lives are on the line. I almost killed that girl! And she's only fighting for the people she loves, just like me! That's why I can't understand this stupid tournament? Why did you even bring back the Dragon Balls?"

Piccolo shook his head. He shook it again. "I don't know. I just don't know." He brought a hand to his mouth and fought down something that was rising out of his throat. His eyes turned hollow, "Just get in there and fight! I don't care about your concerns, just fight!"

"Piccolo?" Popo's eyes were wider than normal, if that were possible. The namekian turned his head to catch the genie in his gaze. "Naruto just go down to the ring, they've collected Kurotsuchi." Naruto was wearing a look of dejection that Popo had not seen since the old days, when he watched Naruto's life in Konoha. Dutifully, Naruto drifted down to where Sasuke was waiting for him, a smirk on his face and dark intentions in his eyes.

"Wait, Naruto!" Popo caught him in the air before he got too far off. "Take this, it might help you. It's not as good as the one Piccolo made, but..." He handed Naruto a machete that looked identical to his old one.

"Does this have the array on it?"

"It does." Popo was aghast to see Naruto rip the wrapping from the machete's handle and with a conjured kunai, carved a large scratch through the etched in array. "What? Why did you do that?!"

"I don't need it. I'm never going to use that power again." He threw his weapon over his shoulder and continued on his way down. Popo shook his head at Naruto's brash nature, but decided it was time to deal with the big problem.

Piccolo eyes were glazed over as they followed Popo's slow drift towards him. A smile came to his face, "It seems you've caught on already, we always did have a connection."

"I should have realized. How did I not see it?"

"That was me. You'd be surprised with how much you can do with namekian magic." Piccolo's mouth continued to move, smirking all the while, "The only question now is what you can possibly do to stop me? With me in this body, and you a miserable excuse for an attendant the only one who can interfere. Even those weak children the boy fights against could kill you easily, there is nothing for you to do."

Popo steeled his resolve, but remained silent. There would be a way. There was always a way. Piccolo was suddenly behind him, "No one will see this, I've arranged for them not to." His green hand pierced through Popo's chest from behind, dissipating him into mist, despite his struggling. "Have fun back at the Lookout." The magic carpet was still floating there, where Popo had been standing on it. Carelessly, he cut through the enchanted fabric with his hands and threw the pieces into the barrier to burn up into nothing. "That's better. Now to watch some violence."