To the Waterfall We Will Go!

Naruto had been back in Konoha for a month, training to complete the Chakra bubble, and practicing with the team, when Genma came up to him, on training area seven.

'Ah, Naruto! Just the genin I wanted to see!"

"Yata! Genma-sensei! It's good to see you're back from your mission!"

'Ano, it's good to see you too, Naruto. Hokage-sama wants to see us first thing in the morning for a new mission. Kimourii is off with Tenten and Rock Lee for a cross-team mission, so Hyuuga Neji will be joining us there, in the morning. I've already notified Nushi to be there early, so you need to be there around six."

"Hai sensei!" Naruto said.

The man smiled, Naruto was improving at such a great pace, he deserved the praise he was sure to get from the place he was going to. Luckily for him, he had now perfected the chakra shield, and could do the Chakra crust nine times out of twelve, and had finished with the Katon Jutsu that was in the stores.

Going to Ichiraku, Naruto sighed. The man was going to be so mad, but Naruto did have to leave. As Ayame closed the door he smiled and said, "Ayame-neechan!"

"Naruto-kun!" she said, hugging him. Naruto smiled. The girl always did that. "What's wrong?"

"Hai, ano, I know it's late, but I've got a mission in the morning, and Genma-sensei sounded like it was really big!"

Her response was to smile. "Naruto-kun, Genma-san has already been by, and said to tell you that the place you were going had a Ramen stand. So, no need to worry. We've got you covered for the while it'll take to get there, though!"

"Arigato, Ayame-neechan!"

"Welcome, Naruto."

He awoke up the next morning after the third ring of his alarm, stretching and saying, "ah, that felt good!"

After waiting the customary three minutes for the ramen to cook, minutes he counted down his temper growing with each tick, and guzzled down the precious liquid.

Sarutobi sat behind his desk, three of the four expected there fifteen minutes early. Why they were early he didn't know, but that's the way it was. At five minutes till, a ragged, and weighed down Naruto, who had a pack on his back as large as a tent, smiled. "Hi Sarutobi-sensei! Genma-sensei!"

The two sighed, a puff of air exiting their noses at the site of Naruto. He really was prepared at all times. "It's good to see you're all here on time. I have a request from the leader of Waterfall Village, it is a peacekeeping mission. C-ranked, your objective is to find the perpetrator of some acts against the Hidden Waterfall Village, and bring them in for questioning. Hyuuga Neji, since your team is temporarily on another cross team mission, you will join the remaining Team Genma for the duration of this mission. It is a long term, three month mission, and you are expected back right before the graduation of the new students from Ninja Academy.

Neji just sighed and said, "hai, Hokage-sama. It is an honor to work with you, Genma-san, Naruto. Nushi."

The three nodded. "The team will set out in an hour from Southern Gate, do well and make Konoha proud."

The three genin smirked while Genma simply nodded. "Oh, Naruto, I heard about your advancement in Za Gamen, and wanted to say that I was very proud of you."

"Arigato Sarutobi-sensei. Well, I have to go on my mission now, Oyaji!"

The man smirked. "Bye Naruto."

And, it was so, that Naruto left the village with his team, heading to the Hidden Waterfall Village to the northwest of the village.

"Three months is a long time for a Genin team, and a cross team at that. Of course, three clans are represented in this mission, so I can see why Hokage-sama would want it like this. Hyuuga Neji, for the time being, I am to be your jounin instructor. During this time, I will expect the same thing from you that I expect of all my team members. And, simply put, that is simply put to do as I say, when I say. If you cannot do that, you can never be a true shinobi. Will you accept me, then, as your leader?"

Neji bowed his head to the jounin and said, "Hai, Genma-san. It will be an honor, and most deeply, a privilege to work with you, and most importantly, get away from the 'power of youth'.

Naruto nodded vigorously, and said, "hai, hai, Genma-sensei!"

'Alright, we'll make it to hidden waterfall tomorrow should everything work out correctly. It's not far from the Hidden Waterfall Village, but it is extremely difficult to catch anyone with the way the terrain is. Naruto, while we travel, I want to work with you on you Genjutsu, and get you up to speed on how it affects us, how to break out of it when you feel it, and most of all, whether or not a Genjutsu can actually hurt you.

Also, we'll all be practicing the Bariagen no Jutsu. It is a special jutsu that causes the mind to be protected by genjutsu, and was one of Kimourii's scrolls at the beginning. Naruto, ano, did you ever get around to all of your chakra exercises?"

"Ano sa, ano sa! Genma-sensei, I finished the Chakra Shield, and have almost completed the air-walking practice, ano, you still have the scroll for Fresh Fire Blast, sensei! I got the Suiton jutsu easy though!"

The man smirked. "You really are a chakra freak aren't you, Naruto-kun."

"Hai sensei!"

The man sighed. "Alright, how goes learning your family jutsu's, Naruto?"

"Ano sa, sensei, I've completed the crust, sensei, now I have two family scrolls that go with the family jutsu. Can I practice them while I'm here, or will we need to wait until we're at Konoha?"

"I'll practice with you, Naruto. Nushi, it's been a while since our last mission. How are you and Sutermaru coming along in your training with the Inuzuka style?"

"Sensei, we're learning a lot about good ninken, shinobi workmanship. Also, we have completed the water walking skill, and want to try at the air walking. Kimourii-chan said she was not going to continue with the massive chakra exercises that Naruto-kun does because she doesn't have the patience to try them."

"She sounds lazy." Neji said. The crew turned to him, Naruto wanting to jump to her defense, but after the last time they were together training, he decided against it.

"A Shinobi that does not train them to be better does not deserve even the lowest of ranks. That is what Hiashi-teme-sama has said to me countless times."

Naruto, hearing the "teme" comment said, "so, you don't like him, huh, Neji?"

Neji chuckled, "you know as well as I do what it is like to be a caged bird, Naruto."

"Hai, I do, especially with this seal on my stomach, but even then, I can't hate the one that did it to me like you can."

Neji simply sighed, "so, when are you going to show me this 'ultimate counter' to the sixty-four palms?"

Naruto grinned, "the Chuunin exams, Neji. Let's meet there, and I'll show you then."

Neji nodded, "hai, it is a date, Naruto."

Genma chuckled. "Alright, I can't wait to see that. Alright, from what the Hokage told me, the fact that is that at any moment, the hidden Waterfall Village may be attacked from the inside. There is an uprising within to attack one of the five great shinobi villages, and beat them for the right to have a Kage. They will have representatives from all five of the great villages, and one from the new Sound village, as well. Hokage-sama believes the Sound-nin is just going to be there to cause trouble.

We are going as representatives of Konoha to help defeat the up rise, and if necessary, establish some help to the other representatives. Konoha is the strongest of the five great nations, our genin are often strongest out of all the others. You are going to be seen as the finest genin that we have to offer, and with even a branch family member, a Hyuuga there will show that we mean business.

The fact that the Fourth's son is here too, will show them that we are all about progress and protection. Naruto, the problem is they have some secret weapon that increases power. I've not seen it, but Maito Gai said it gave them ten times the strength they had before. If someone uses that, you're our only chance.

Naruto nodded. "Good, Neji, do you still take those diplomacy class Hiashi-sama was speaking of?"

Neji nodded, and the man said, "perfect. Like I said, even if the mission itself doesn't take three months, we'll stay in the area. But, we are dealing with the Stone, Sand, Mist and Rain, so expect anything."

They arrived at the Waterfall pointed on the map with little time to spare. They were about to look around when Neji activated his byakugan and said, "there's an opening behind the waterfall. They're expecting us, so we can go ahead."

Naruto, used to the Byakugan now that he'd been on another mission with the Hyuuga simply shrugged and walked forward, Genma following. Nushi smiled at Neji, blushing on her sides, before she walked forward too.

"Halt, no one is allowed to enter here unless accompanied by a Waterfall Shinobi."

Genma walked in front. "Ah, Ano sa, Gomen-nasai. I'm Jounin Genma from Konoha, and these are my Genin trainees. We were invited here for the peacekeeping summit?"

The man nodded, "hai, you are on the list, Gomen. Please, call your name as you enter, and I will make a note of your arrival.

Genma entered and waited. "Hyuuga Neji" Neji said as he entered next. "Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto shouted and the man raised his eyebrow. "You are not on the list, Uzumaki Naruto. Next?"

"Inuzuka Nushi" Nushi said, and the man allowed her in too. Naruto frowned.

"Ano sa, ano sa. Why aren't I on the list?"

Genma smirked. "Oh, did I forget to mention, Naruto? You're not listed as Uzumaki on the Leaf Book anymore."

Naruto's frown was evident. "Ano sa, Genma-sensei, why not?"

"That's not his family name, sir. His mother is an Uzumaki by birth, but she died and he wasn't told of his father's birth name until this year."

The boy's eyes lit up as he asked, "Kazama Naruto?"

The man nodded, "hai, and welcome son of the Yondaime Hokage. May your father rest in peace."

Naruto smiled as the Kyuubi snarled for a moment.

All around them, Shinobi from every nation. From the Sand were three really weird looking people, and a girl with pigtails. The tallest one had a scar covering his face, and a fall around veil covering the back of his head. The youngest looking one had red hair, and a large gourd on his back. His eyes showed signs of insomnia.

There was an evil clown looking one standing at the back of them, a package on his back and a growl on his face.

The girl, who had done away with the traditional kimono, and was wearing a small skirt that ended three inches above the knee, was standing between the two, and was also scowling.

From the cloud were three representatives, all wearing Chuunin vests.

From rock were two genin, a Chuunin and a jounin, the genin were really strong looking, and just smelled, to Nushi, like dirt.

And, of course, there were the representatives from the bloody mist, who wore genin clothes, and one with a jounin vests.

Genma was surprised at the sheer number of them all. Though, unnoticed to everyone, Naruto and the sand shinobi with a gourd on his back had caught eye contact.

Sabaku no Gaara, Chibi. It's Shukaku's host.

Naruto, though he didn't say it out loud, acknowledged the Kyuubi with a 'thanks, I know'. "Genma-sensei, our mission is one of peacekeeping, does that mean we interact with other shinobi too?"

"Hai, it does mean that, though it is meant to be more of a peacekeeping summit for the five greats, and a way for the Waterfall to introduce them to society. I don't know why, but I think it best we stick to our own for now."

"Hai sensei... ano sa, ano sa... when can I meet?'

"Honestly, it won't be anytime soon. As far as I remember, Sand never actually stays at these things, just come for a day and leave. The Kazekage doesn't like his shinobi interacting with others."

Naruto was about to respond when a decrepit old woman stood up and grinned at the crowd. "Welcome" she said, "to the Village Hidden behind the Waterfall. Feel free to ask any questions you desire, and make sure you are ready for a good time. The entire services of the village are at your disposal during your time here, and are meant to be a time of great enjoyment. I am, of course, Council-woman Ohana Koyuki, the host of the peacekeeping summit. During the next three months, we will hold various seminars, and competitions of enjoyment, including inter-village sparing with your best against our best.

The winner, of course, will face our strongest competitor in a competition for a bottle of our Hero Water."

A murmur was heard through the village, the shinobi from Cloud and Rock were already plotting to steal the water. "We do, of course, have a squad of jounin watching the Hero Water, and will not hesitate to kill anyone that goes near it, but since you are all honorable shinobi, I doubt that will matter.

Please, make yourselves at hone."

Genma sighed, "alright, it's a peacekeeping summit, but also a way for them to tell which is the weakest of the five nations. Naruto, send a summon back to Konoha and inform the Hokage of the change. It's a setup, I doubt anyone will want to leave now, not when there is Hero Water at stake."

Naruto nodded. "This seems like it's just a way for them to view the competition."

The man nodded, "it is that, Nushi. We were brought here under invitation, as a C-rank mission, to be peacekeepers, and now we're participants in a tournament that is meant to determine our strength. This is bad."

"What do we do, then?" Neji asked, he hated when things got complicated. The man laughed, "that's what Naruto's for. Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and said, "alright," and stood up. "Ano sa, ano sa, are we able to leave the village or do we need to stay?"

The woman said, "it is alright for you to leave the village, we are all friends here."

Genma nodded thanked the woman for Naruto, and pulled out a piece of paper. After handing it to Naruto, he said, "alright."

Naruto walked outside and looked at the guard, jumped off of the waterfall's rock face. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A Kage Bunshin appeared and asked him what was up. Naruto smirked at him. "Genma sensei wants this delivered to Konoha, as fast as he can. So, I'm using this as an oppurtunity to prank the village."

The Kage Bunshin grinned and said, "alright, what are we gonna do?"

Naruto bit his thumb, and did the appropriate seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Kyuubi no Kitsune!"

The gigantic Kyuubi appeared, and he grinned. "Yosh! Let's get out of here!"

Kyuubi nodded and the two of them took off together, heading to Konoha. Naruto walked back up to the guard, who nodded and let him back in.

"So, is it done?" Genma asked. Naruto nodded, "yep, Kyuubi is going to Konoha now, and he'll be back tomorrow."

The man's eye raised; and he shrugged.

With that, the four fell asleep.

The village was awoken by the sounds of an approaching earthquake, as the Kyuubi approached the city, Naruto riding atop him. Even the Sandaime had a momentary bowel lapse as he saw the oncoming, irate nine-tailed fox, who had terrorized the village all those years ago. As a figure jumped off of its head, the village knew this person should be feared, but never saw his face, many shinobi taking up arms before the creature disappeared in a giant cloud of smoke.

"A summon?" the crowd asked. As the figure entered the Hokage's Mansion, the group all ran forward.

Many shinobi ran to the room, the only one simply walking Hatake Kakashi. He appeared at the room, and smiled as the people made way for him.

He opened the door to see the figure disappear in a cloud of smoke, and said, "Ano, the village is in an uproar now, and I find that extremely funny."

The Hokage nodded and said, "all of you are dismissed, Hatake, come in here for a moment."

As the crowds disbursed, the two fell to the ground in a fit of laughter.

"So, what did Naruto say?"

"Oh, nothing except that the Hidden Waterfall Village is planning on attacking the weakest village and, so, is holding a tournament to see who is the strongest of the villages, in the spirit of competition. The fact that most of the teams sent Genin wasn't lost on Naruto, who while basically at the level of Higher Chuunin, can't really be counted as such.

So, I told the Kage Bunshin to remind Naruto that it is a peacekeeping mission, and so to play along for as long as it goes on."

Kakashi nodded and said, "alright. Bye Hokage-sama."

"Bye Kakashi."

Naruto woke up with a sigh, as a vision entered his mind of them participating. He nodded his acknowledgement and walked out of the room. In front of him, Gaara was staring at his room as if debating with himself over something.

"Mother says you are dangerous" he states, very calmly. "she says that I should dispose of you now, so you are not a danger to us later."

Naruto, who had just woken up, still didn't actually care until sand erupted from the kids' gourd. He was instantly awake, and not in a good mood. "Mother is unhappy, of course, that you dare run."

"Who said anything about letting him run, Gaara." the girl said. The boy nodded, knowing that when Gaara was lusting for blood, it was best to let him have it. Naruto felt wires wrap around him as senbon needles entered his back and lower body. The sand was coming closer, now wrapping around his feet. He could feel the malcontent flowing off of the sand, as if it were alive.

With a nod, Naruto felt several bones in his leg break at once, and he fell to the ground. The sand was on top of him now, about to crash. "Koukaku!" Naruto said, flowing Chakra around his body, and biting his thumb. His body crusted over as the sand collapsed.

"Sabaku Ryuu" Gaara said. The sand completely covered Naruto, and attempted to squeeze him. As he turned, "mother" happy, Gaara said, "mother, be pleased with me."

The girl turned to clown boy and said, "at least it wasn't us." The clown like kid nodded, and was about to leave when the sand shifted, and Naruto sat up. "Chakra crust successful."

Just as they run off, Genma arrived in the hallway to see his best Genin with a broken leg.

"Sabaku no Gaara, I will get you." Naruto said, before he passed out.

The two turned to each other and with a nod, led Naruto out of the hall and into Genma's bed.

"His tendon in his right leg are completely broken, and it looks like we may need to amputate." the woman, a Rain medic-nin said. She was looking at the genin on the table with, while not sympathy, a bit of anxiety.

"He said a name, before he passed out, Sabaku no Gaara?" Neji asked. The woman nodded, "hai, a sand genin, able to control sand with his mind. He can cripple a person by compressing sand around a leg, crushing it instantly.

Your genin is lucky that he survived with just a leg, Gaara isn't known to let someone live."

Genma was frowning. Naruto had never been taken out like he had, and just in five minutes, his leg was completely broken, and he was looking at losing his status as a ninja.

"Kuso, this is bad. We can't leave, Hokage-sama has stated an interest in things to come during this time. But, at the same time, Naruto?"

Neji nodded, and said, "I agree. Doctor, could I check his leg?"

i She nodded and he said, "Byakugan."

"You're a Hyuuga?"

Neji nodded. She smiled, "alright, can you give me a description of his inner coils, see how his chakra paths are doing?"

Neji nodded and said, 'They're in tact."

She nodded. "Alright, leave him in bed, and keep his leg wrapped in the cast. I've done as much as I can, let's see if his body can heal, correctly. It'll take a while for that though."

Genma nodded, "thanks."

She smiled and said, "not a problem, just make sure he doesn't cross Sabaku no Gaara again, please?"

"What happened?"

That idiot that carries the Shukaku crushed your legs last night. Your sensei wishes you could understand that he is sorry he didn't show up in time to protect you.

Naruto smiled. "And what are they doing about the attack?"

The Shukaku container is going to be reprimanded by his Jounin instructor and let off with a warning because of his special condition, so basically he gets of free from punishment. You'll be happy to note, however, that I can have you healed in just a few weeks time, and after that you can do what the hell you want.

"The first thing I teach Sabaku no Gaara is to not piss of the carrier of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. That bastard is going down!"

I couldn't have said it better myself, kit. That stupid one tailed raccoon is going to feel the wrath of the nine tailed fox.

"And Hell hath no fury" the two said together.

End Chapter