Team 9 were walking down a road near Konoha when Guy motioned for them to stop, and made a seal that they were used to seeing Naruto use. With a puff of smoke two shadow clones appeared.
"We have one day before we reach the border, and it's our best chance to train, so let's make the most of it!" Guy enthused. "This way you can each have someone train you individually! Lee, you should train that new move we worked on, but do it somewhere where you won't damage any roads with your youthfulness!"
"Of course!" Lee ran off with one of the clones.
"Hinata, you need to work on your Juken. There are some special techniques that Neji was working on that you should try to develop if possible. One was a rapid-strike technique he called 16 hands, and the other was a defence he had started work on that used a spiralling chakra shield."
Hinata looked shocked. "I… I'm not sure I could work on those, they're advanced techniques…"
"Just try," Guy replied. "You have quite a while before you'll have need of them, I'm sure! But the earlier you start, the sooner you'll manage it!" His remaining clone raced off, and Hinata followed as fast as she could.
The real Guy turned to Naruto. "We will be working on ninjutsu. However, unlike Kakashi I don't believe that the number of jutsu you possess is important – it's how well you can use them. Therefore we will concentrate on how to use the three academy jutsu – the Clone technique, the Transformation technique, and the Replacement technique."
"I can't do a normal clone," Naruto replied regretfully. "I simply can't regulate my chakra to that point. I used to be able to mostly complete it, but it's easier for me to use a shadow clone."
Guy nodded. "Also, you have a different Transformation technique to the normal method – you actually become your target shape, instead of simply using it as a disguise. These two techniques are very powerful in your hands, not least because of your chakra capacity."
"Ok, that makes sense," Naruto replied.
"Mostly, though, we'll be working on the Replacement technique. It could be combined with the shadow clone technique for devastating effect, if my assumptions are correct."
-X-
After a day of hard training and two days of patrolling, the 'normal' half of Team 9 were incredibly homesick for Konoha. Naruto especially missed eating Ramen instead of meal bars that tasted of dust, and Hinata longed for her bed, with a mattress and soft sheets, as opposed to a hard bedroll on rocky ground. Guy took it all in stride, and Lee admired his teacher too much to even think about complaining.
The main problem for any patrol team is boredom. When you must spend twelve consecutive hours at the ready to repel an attack at a moment's notice, but can't give any outward signs of preparedness or nervousness, it's incredibly easy to simply relax, just for a moment, because what are the odds of being attacked at that precise moment?
This is why patrol duty is rotated often. After two weeks of being on edge – effectively in hostile territory – it's difficult for the human body to calm down again. Older ninja, who may have several years of experience in combat, flinch at any unexpected noise; their reflexes are honed to the point that the sudden bark of a dog in the middle of the night can have them pepper the wall with throwing knives and cling to the ceiling before they're even fully awake.
Different ninja villages have sought different solutions. Iwa trains its ninja to have a mental switch between alert and resting, which works well for the chunin and genin, but jonin have often worn this switch out. Kumo relies on always being the aggressor, so they rarely need to defend. Since they choose the time and place of the conflict, they aren't required to be on high alert as long.
Kiri used a cocktail of exotic chemicals to enhance their ninjas' perceptiveness, but this was discontinued when it was found to have a host of side-effects that included mental instability, bloodlust, and hair loss. Suna have a variety of sensory jutsu they teach their ninja to give them a sense of their surroundings, such as detecting faint tremors in the earth or feeling air disturbances. And Konoha uses two bloodlines, the Byakugan and Sharingan, as well as animal companions like dogs and insects.
The virtues of this technique were soon shown when Hinata detected five incoming chakra signatures.
-X-
Picture the scene. There are four people walking along, all in green spandex. Hidden behind the surrounding rocks that litter the barren land, five ninja hide. One is wielding a sword as tall as he is, with blade that's fifteen inches wide. Another has a selection of bandages and tinctures on his person. A third carries a pair of small scythes, while the fourth and fifth are unremarkable, almost aggressively so.
The man with the scythes forms three seals, then disappears into the rock below him. Two seconds pass. The spandex ninjas are suddenly pulled into the ground up to their necks. The scythe-ninja then leaps out of the ground and bends over to taunt his four captured foes. From this distance, you can't hear what he's saying, or their replies, but he's clearly becoming angry. A sharp hand motion brings the four other ninja accompanying him out from their hiding places.
The man with the huge sword starts trying to anger the largest of the spandex ninja, to no avail. The medic steps forwards towards the only captured girl, bends down to her eye level and pulls out a scalpel. With a grin, he brings it towards her eye. She grins back, silent laughter in her eyes.
Three things happen near simultaneously. Two green shadows blast out from the trees, their powerful single, kicks each dropping a foe as they shout out in tandem 'Dynamic entry!' Three of the four captured spandex-wearers disappear in a puff of smoke, to be revealed as the same face. And lastly, all four are consumed in a quartet of explosions that rip a huge crater into the ground. When the smoke and debris from the explosion have cleared, there are two groups of four facing each other over the rocky and barren ground. Between them lies the broken body of the medic, limbless and with all his features burned off.
-X-
"So," Guy said, "you would break the truce between Konoha and Kumo for another chance at the Byakugan. When your superiors find out, they'll be less than happy that you risked another ninja war without their permission."
One of the normal-seeming Kumo-ninja replied. "This comes all the way from the top, you fool. You think we're only taking advantage of an opportunity we stumbled across? We came here specifically for the girl. And don't worry about war; the Hokage wouldn't risk thousands of deaths just for one girl. Besides, the whole thing will be pinned on our other guest."
Zabuza of the Mist smirked. "Remember me? I remembered you well enough that I was able to find out about your piddly team of genin, and that was interesting enough to get me the backup I needed to finish our fight from the bridge."
"Silence! Do you need to tell them everything about our mission?" the scythe-man cried. "Although, since none of you will leave here alive, it doesn't really matter."
Guy grit his teeth. 'There's only so much I can do alone. This looks like two chunin, a jonin and one of the seven legendary swordsmen of the Mist.' He thought for a moment. The main advantages he had were that he could open five of the Celestial Gates, Lee could open the first two, and of his opponents one chunin had a broken arm from Lee's kick, and the jonin had three cracked ribs.
"Listen up, you three. I will take the swordsman, Lee will face the man with the scythes. If you have to, use that technique. Naruto, Hinata, you should deal with the two chunin if you can. Use lots of clones and avoid going on the offensive with close combat for as long as possible – you're no match for two fresh chunin, but if they're tired and with some broken bones you stand a chance.
"This is going to be tough, but we don't have a choice. We've got to cripple or kill enough of them that we can escape. So remember, aim to kill if you can. This is serious business, but I believe you can do it. For Konoha!" and he charged forwards, straight for Zabuza.
Naruto gulped. This was a trial by fire that he'd hoped to avoid for the first few missions. But now there was nothing for it except trying to keep his team-mates alive, and therefore killing his foes. He formed a seal and created fifty shadow clones, each covered beneath their clothes by duplicates of the layers of explosive tags that he'd placed on his own body. Guy's training had been incredibly informative, and faintly disturbing.
On his left, Lee had dropped his weights and moved forwards so fast that Naruto could only follow him by his dust trail. On his right, Hinata seemed to flow forwards with the grace of a dancer, but the look in her eyes showed no mercy. And as he looked forwards again, towards the enemy who'd entered his country, threatened his team-mate he felt a grimace of hatred settle across his own features.
As one, his army of clones began to move.
-X-
Lee sprinted for his target. A Kumo jonin, although he was injured, would be hard for him to beat. No matter; his youthfulness would win him the day. That and his ability to open the Celestial Gates. Without his weights, he felt light as a feather, and a grin spread, unbidden, across his face, from the raw speed he was moving at.
Opposite him, his foe was moving just as fast. As the gap between them closed, Lee prepared his opening volley of blows. He launched two strikes to the face which were swiftly parried, and then he leapt back to avoid a slash from the wicked scythes his opponent carried, casually blocking the foot that rose to meet him. His counter, a sweeping kick, was jumped over, giving Lee the opening he needed. He slid under his opponent to get a clear shot at his back, but instead of another taijutsu salvo, he sent a handful of shuriken at his target while continuing to move away. He wore a satisfied grin as he drew blood, standing twenty paces from the other ninja.
The jonin turned, murder etched on his face. "Enough playing around!" he snarled.
"As you wish," Lee replied calmly. As the kumo ninja pulled out a syringe filled with a black fluid, he ran at him, opening the first gate when he was two steps away. The sudden speed increase took his foe off guard – the kick sent by the spandex ninja doubled his foe over, launching him against a nearby boulder. The man clutched his solar plexus, then plunged the syringe into his arm, fast enough that Lee couldn't stop him. He bared his teeth in a snarl as a grey tinge spread across his skin. "Five minutes should be enough to grind you to dust."
As the jonin ran forwards, matching Lee's speed, and brought his scythes back, Lee took a moment to plan. Each gate gave him about a minute of power at a higher level each time, so with two gates he'd be outlasted by his enemy, assuming '5 minutes' wasn't a bluff. He'd have to try to cripple or injure his foe with the power he got from opening the second gate, or when it closed again he'd be easy prey.
In the ensuing deadly dance, the two ninja were evenly matched. Neither took or inflicted injuries, or gained or lost any other advantage. Until, with a loud shout, Lee opened the second gate. He drove his fist into his opponent's side, where Guy had already broken the ribs, and felt the lung cave in a little. A blow to the face knocked two teeth out, and then a final knee to the stomach doubled the Kumo ninja over and flipped him back twenty paces. As he landed, he brought a second injection into his arm.
"How are you going to beat me when I can't feel pain, you foolish boy?" he cackled, completely ignoring the blood running down his face. He formed a handful of seals as Lee rushed in again, creating a large rock wall in front of him. The Konoha genin ploughed through without slowing down, and saw his foe sinking into the ground. He darted in and grabbed his hand just before he sunk out of reach, then flipped himself forwards to bring a massive leverage to bear on the other man. He drove his opponent into the ground headfirst, then casually broke his index finger while taking one of his weapons away and snapping it. Scant seconds left before the second gate closed. 'Let's see him try to form seals now,' Lee thought grimly. The jonin surprised him again by proceeding to do just that, and sinking into the ground again too quickly to stop.
Lee cursed, then spun about wildly to see where his opponent had fled to.
-X-
Hinata dodged another swing of a kunai, then blocked a pair of shuriken before leaping out of the way of a vicious kick. Her opponent was forced back under a wave of Narutos, which exploded to buy her more time. Even with a broken arm and countless bruises and scrapes, and although she had backup in the form of Naruto clones, the chunin still outclassed her by a long way.
After five minutes of close-range combat, she was barely tired at all. The heavy training under Guy was paying off, as she could see from the heavy breathing of her foe. As he launched himself forwards again, a Naruto clone beside her suddenly whispered instructions in her ear. She moved forwards, and launched a volley of attacks. The sudden shift from defence to offence baffled the enemy long enough for her to land four glancing hits, damaging his leg. Then she was hurled away by two more clones as a third launched a vast fireball at the chunin, the fifth one so far.
The previous four had been dodged almost contemptuously, but this time as the fiery ball of destruction flew at its target, he stumbled for a fatal second as he readjusted to his injured leg. He barely cleared the top of the fireball, and as he landed again Hinata could see a raw red area covering both legs where he'd not been fast enough. This time when she attacked him, it was all he could do to stay on his feet. Two blows to the lung made his breathing laboured, and she ended with another strike at his leg. She moved back again to let another clone burn him.
This fire blast was not like the others, though. It was faster, hotter, in the shape of a dragon – a focussed lance compared to the previous area attacks. Tired and injured as he was, the enemy chunin took the strike straight to the chest. Two clones moved in to check whether he was still breathing, but from up close you could see that his entire ribcage had been turned to ash.
An angry shout from behind her turned Hinata around, as the scythe-wielding jonin charged at her.
-X-
Naruto finally got a report from his clones that the second chunin had been killed. The first had fallen to his classic trick – throw a clone transformed into a knife, then undo the transformation and stab – but his friend had learnt from his untimely demise. Lee and the jonin were both too fast for him to help, and Guy and Zabuza were throwing high-level area effect jutsu around like they were going out of style, then matching nunchuks and sword in a deadly display.
He turned to Hinata just in time to see Lee's opponent rush at her from behind, scythe held high.
He knew there was no way to reach her in time, nothing he could do except watch as the Kumo ninja killed her. Naruto felt rage and hatred rise up and swallow him.
-X-
Hinata turned just in time to see an orange blur intercept the scythe heading for her throat. A splatter of blood burst out and covered her face, even entering her active Byakugan. Naruto was standing facing away from her, and the tip of the scythe had gone clear through his lower back. A detached part of her noted that his right kidney was probably skewered.
Naruto turned to her. His whisker marks were even more strongly pronounced now, and his eyes had slits for pupils.
-X-
Naruto saw Hinata's face as if from a long way away. He registered the blood on her, then his attention was drawn to her eyes, which had tiny red flecks in them too. He could see his own reflection in them, but also something more. Something he didn't recognise. Something incredibly valuable. Then he realised she was safe, and turned to the front again. The Kumo jonin, who was sunk up to his knees in the ground again, flinched away from the look in his eyes.
Naruto tightened his grip on his arm hard enough to crack bones. With a snarl, he pulled his fist back to his side. He slugged a single, solid blow to his foe's face with a resounding crack, and watched the jonin collapse backwards with a shattered jawbone, and sink into the earth again.
Lee came rushing over. "What happened? Where'd he go?" he shouted. His eyes widened as they saw the blood on Naruto's lower abdomen. They widened further when he saw the fully healed wound inside. Then he collapsed face-first, energy spent.
-X-
"So, to summarise. Naruto is the living container of the Kyubi, and Lee can break his body's limits and face jonin one-on-one. Am I missing anything?" Hinata asked.
"That's it, I think," Lee forced out from between gritted teeth from where he was lying on the floor. "And can you check for the guy with the scythes? If he catches us unawares, we're screwed."
"I can see him. He's twenty metres underground and three hundred metres northwest of here. He's injecting himself with different syringes. Wait, he's moving towards us really quickly. He's heading for Naruto!"
As the jonin's scythes burst out of the ground and struck at Naruto's legs, too fast for him to dodge, two things happened simultaneously. Lee moved faster than he ever had before and tackled Naruto out of the way, while Hinata launched into a series of strikes that chained together to pin her opponent in place. Hinata watched as her strikes completely broke down her target's chakra vessels, and his jutsu was ended, leaving most of him sharing space with the earth he was hiding in. Seeing it all happen down to minute details, courtesy of her eyes, left her dry heaving on her hands and knees. He was definitively dead.
Lee, meanwhile, was dancing around while singing about his youthfulness in opening the third Celestial Gate, swinging Naruto around at arm's length.
"Calm down everyone! Can someone explain to me what happened?" Lee immediately set Naruto down while continuing to prance back and forth.
"I opened the third gate! My youthfulness is in full flow! And it's all thanks to you, Naruto!" he cried. Naruto was too slow to dodge the following bone-crushing hug.
"I figured out one of our family jutsu and shredded his," Hinata pointed at the corpse, "entire chakra system with a single move. And it worked because I can see not just his chakra vessels, but also the points on them that let you disable them. Which is really rare, and which I couldn't do even ten seconds ago."
"Well, as long as you're all right, it should be fine," Naruto said. "By the way, how's Guy doing against Zabuza?" All three genin immediately turned to look at their teacher.
-X-
Two blurs sped past each other repeatedly, with loud clashing sounds as their weapons collided again and again. The ground around them was ripped apart and large pools of water had formed. Chunks of rock were being hurled around and pulverised, and the air was filled with dust and water.
It was clear that this epic battle would soon come to an end. Both participants seemed exhausted and covered with minor wounds. Neither had much chakra left, and no-one was using any high-powered skills. The jonin in green spandex had a poison coursing through his veins that blocked off access to the Celestial Gates, administered at the beginning of the fight via a needle, and had a handful of shallow cuts covering his body and tearing his suit. The missing ninja from Kiri had bruises on his arms and legs from blocking blows that would split stone, and four shuriken wounds on his torso. His big toe on his left foot was also broken.
With a last desperate stratagem, the swordsman used half his remaining chakra for a last roll of the dice. A horde of water clones surrounded him as he plunged his sword into the earth beside him. He stepped forwards, moving his hands into the opening seals of the Water Prison technique, and the green ninja struck – just as planned – at the giant sword, leaping in and scattering clones left right and centre. As Guy reached the sword, the remaining clones that surrounded him transformed back into water. Zabuza finished a rapid chain of seals, and reached towards Guy as the water around him spun into a tight sphere that held him. A violent snarl of victory was on Zabuza's face as he looked down at his prisoner – and the space where his sword should be.
Guy grinned back as Zabuza saw the blade stuck in the dirt twenty metres away. A single seal, however, sent a water clone to collect it – a clone who was intercepted by a green blur with spiky blond hair.
-X-
A/N: I'm back! I didn't really have a proper plan for the whole story when I started writing this, just a few plot threads I wanted to weave into a mostly-canon world. I've got more of an idea now, though. I should be updating semi-regularly for at least the next few months.