The New Target: Naruto

The New Target: Naruto!

What if Sasuke wasn't the one Orochimaru was after, but Naruto? How would things be different?

The story starts where Naruto meets up with Sasuke and Sakura after defeating that giant snake. However, there IS a short scene before all that, right at the start where they're going into the forest.

Anyways, enough chat from me, let's got on with the story.

Disclaimer

The Naruto Cast does not belong to me. They belong to Kishimoto Mashashi.

Anyone who doesn't belong in Naruto belongs to me, unless said otherwise.

Key:

"Word" Talking

'Thought' Thinking

Three Grass Ninja stepped inside the Forest of Death.

"Remember who our target is."

"Right."

"If any of you find him, come and get me immediately."

"Yes sir."

Naruto panted heavily, staring down at Sasuke. "I forgot the password."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Naruto, you must have come to show off by helping us, but don't get involved! Run!"

Naruto said nothing, only continued to watch.

"Don't you understand? He's way above our level!"

But Naruto wasn't paying attention to what Sasuke was saying. Instead, he was studying the grass ninja.

Said Grass Ninja looked at Naruto. "Look's like you defeated that big snake, Naruto-kun. Excellent…"

Naruto sucked in sharply. 'That guy looks like a snake…I see. So it must have been that guys doing. Hmm…'

The Grass Ninja looked intently at Naruto, almost as if eyeing a prize of some sort. 'Ha…Attacking the Uchiha boy was an excellent idea. It attracted the boy…All is going according to plan.'

Sasuke glared at Naruto, half angry, half desperate. 'There has never been a situation where things got better when he came. What should I do…?'

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Naruto shouted at the enemy ninja. "Looks like you were picking on the weak." Naruto pointed his finger at said ninja. "Now that I, the great Uzumaki Naruto, am here, I'm going to beat you to a pulp!"

"Crap!" Sasuke cursed under his breath. 'All three of us are going to get killed at this rate. What Should I do…?'

'Sasuke-kun…' Sakura watched with wide eyes.

The Grass Ninja and Naruto stared eachother down.

'Shit…This is the only way I know of.' Sasuke's sharingan faded. "Wait."

Everyone looked at Sasuke, waiting for him to do something.

"I'll give you the scroll. Please, take this and leave us in peace."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "What?" Sakura gasped, not quite believing her ears.

"Hey, Sasuke! What are you doing?" Naruto shouted at his comrade. "What are you trying to do by giving the enemy our scroll!?"

"You shut up!" Sasuke replied angrily. "What?"

The grass ninja smiled and rose into a standing position. "I see. You're smart. The only hope the prey has from a predator, is to hand over something else to save itself."

"Take it." Sasuke tossed the scroll to the ninja. Naruto gasped, and jumped forward.

The Grass Ninja held out his hand, waiting to catch the scroll. Naruto got there first.

Snatching the scroll from mid-air, Naruto landed next to Sasuke.

"You…! Don't butt in! Do you understand the situation you're in!?" Sasuke was cut of as Naruto hit him in the face.

"What?" Sakura was astounded at the actions of Naruto. She knew they hated eachother, but this was going to far…

The grass ninja smiled. He had always loved conflict in a team. And what was even better, was that now Naruto was all alone, on the same branch as he. 'Things are going even better than I thought…'

"Why you…Why did you do that?" Sasuke shouted at Naruto.

"I…forgot the password, so I can't make sure of this, but, You're a fake Sasuke, aren't you?"

"Naruto what…what are you saying?" Sakura took a step forward.

"You idiot! I AM the real one!"

"Liar. The idiot and coward I see in front of me right now can't be the Sasuke I know. I don't know how strong he is, but there is no guarantee that he'll let us go, even if we do hand over the scroll!" Naruto made a fist.

"You're the one who's scared, the one who doesn't understand the situation!"

The grass ninja, which had been ignored for al this time, finally unwound himself from the branch and stood up, chuckling. "Naruto-kun…You're correct. I just have to…kill all of you to take the scroll." And then he bit his thumb, making it bleed.

The grass ninja rolled up his sleeve, then dragged his still bleeding thumb along what seemed to be a tattoo.

Naruto reacted instantly. Taking out a kunai, he charged at the enemy, shouting angrily, "Don't mess with us!"

"Stop! Run, Naruto!" Sasuke shouted.

"Damn it!" Naruto leaped into the air, preparing to strike. 'I've lost faith in you, Sasuke!'

"Summoning Jutsu!" The grass ninja made several hand signs, and a ferocious wind started up.

"What?" Naruto was being suspended in mid-air by the wind, as it was so powerful.

Suddenly the grass ninja was standing on a large snake, even larger than the one that had swallowed Naruto up.

The snake leaned towards Naruto, almost as if it were going to eat him.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed.

The snake swung it's head downwards, barely missing Naruto.

Naruto landed on one of the lower branches, and watched, terrified, waiting for the snake that towered over him to move.

"How cute. What a cute prey." The grass ninja smiled. The snake lifted it's tail and swung at Naruto.

Naruto was fast, but not fast enough. The tailed caught him on the side and sent him crashing another tree.

"Naruto!" Sasuke tried to get to his fallen comrade, but the snake blocked his path, as well as Sakura's. They couldn't get close.

Naruto tried to stand, but fell. He tried again, but was forced back down by the injuries. His whole right side hurt from the blow. The grass ninja chuckled. "Such stamina."

"Naruto!" Sasuke leaped forward, only to be swatted back by the snake.

The grass ninja leaped down next to Naruto. By this time Naruto had managed to prop himself against the tree, but now he was cornered.

'This is the end…' he thought, closing his eyes.

"Oh Naruto-kun, I'm not going to kill you. Oh no, you're much top precious…" Naruto opened his eyes, but wished he hadn't.

The grass ninja's neck was all stretched out, just like a snake, and the head…was right next to his.

Naruto felt a searing pain in his neck, it was almost like he was being burned.

"AAAAAAGH!"

"NARUTO!" Sasuke screamed. He had seen it all, and yet, he couldn't do anything about it.

Sakura gasped as the scene of events unfolded in front of her. "No, leave him alone!"

"Ra-aaaagh!" Naruto thrashed about violently, while the grass ninja watched from a safe distance away.

Sasuke felt his blood boil. How dare this… this snake-bastard come and bother them!

He leaped onto the snake, and then onto the side where Naruto and the Grass Ninja was.

"I won't let you get away with this!" Sasuke shouted, starting to perform some hand signs.

The Grass Ninja frowned. "Nothing you can do will…oh!"

"Katon, Ryuuka no Jutsu!" A huge jet of flame enwrapped around the grass ninja.

"NOOOO!"

The snake disappeared, having been too close to the fire for comfort, and enabling Sakura to join them.

"Yes, he did it!" Sakura cheered, running over to them.

The fire died down revealing…the grass ninja, but something was different.

"Wha…How…?" Sasuke took a step back.

Part of the ninja's face was peeled, revealing an entirely different face underneath.

"Hahahaha…The Uchiha power is amazing, but not as amazing as the power that will soon be mine!" And he fled, just like that.

"No! Get back here you coward!" Sasuke shouted, but the ninja was already far away.

Sasuke was about to give chase, but Sakura stopped him. "Sasuke, he's already gone.We need to turn our attention to what matters most at the moment...Naruto."

They both glanced at Naruto, who was still thrashing some. He seemed to be in pain. "Naruto..." Sasuke whispered quietly under his breath.

With Anko…

The proctor panted heavily, staring at the grass ninja, or rather, Orochimaru.

Earlier that day they had found the corpses of three grass ninja…with their faces peeled off. IT was a disgusting sight, but she had seen it before.

"Why are you here?" Anko hissed through clenched teeth. "Are you here to assassinate the Third?"

Orchimaru chuckled. "No. I still do not have enough men to do that. Instead, I have given someone the cursed seal."

Orchimaru knelt down so he was at eye-level with Anko. "There is a boy I want…"

Anko looked up. "As usual, you do what you want…But that boy is going to die!"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Yes, there's only a ten percent chance that he'll survive, but he might be like you, and not die."

Despite the pain and danger she was in, Anko smiled. "You seem quite interested in this boy."

"Are you jealous? Are you still angry that I used you, then cast you off like trash? Unlike you, he seems like an excellent ninja. After all...he is the boy who contains the nine-tailed fox…"

Anko's eyes widened. 'Is he talking about…?'

"His body is beautiful, and he is capable of becoming my successor. If he survives, things should become interesting. Whatever you do, don't cancel this exam."

Orochimaru stood up and started to walk away. "Three from my village are under you're care. I'm going to enjoy this."

Constructive Criticism and Compliments Welcome! Flames and Spams will be laughed at.

Tropi