The Seventh Seal

Chapter 9: Changes

Naruto groggily awoke. He saw a teary eyed Sakura kneeling over him. "What happened?" he asked.

"You over did it, as usual," Sakura replied.

"So how much damage this time?" Naruto asked.

Yamato smiled and said, "A crater about two kilometers wide."

Naruto wearily smiled and said happily, "A new record."

Both looked at Naruto like he was crazy. Naruto sighed and said, "I was able to make a crater about a kilometer wide while fighting with Fu and Ero-sennin."

Sakura and Yamato's eyes went wide at the realization that he had done this before.

"Give me about ten minutes and I should be about forty percent and can follow the traitors and the pedophile," Naruto said to his teammates.

xxxXXXxxx

Naruto, Yamato and Sakura surveyed the damaged area and found Sai's discarded equipment. Naruto picked up the book that they had seen earlier. He took a sniff of the book and then the area. "Kabuto is with them and they headed off that way," he said and pointed in a westerly direction.

Sakura picked up Sai's stuff and repacked his pack. The team continued the trail for the next twenty minutes, but found a body that looked like Sai. Both Naruto and Yamato both confirmed that it wasn't the boy they sought and was a dummy to try to through them off the trail.

They finally landed in a deserted area with several large boulders and a few copses of trees. Naruto began to growl. He turned and blocked an attack by Kabuto. Kabuto then noticed that his arm, which should not be injured, was in fact injured. "So you know something of fighting Naruto-kun. You've improved, but it won't be enough," Kabuto explained.

He suddenly jumped away when a large group of wooden spikes nearly impaled him. He looked to the origin and found it to be Yamato. Yamato continued to push more wooden spikes at Kabuto, who just continued to evade. He even evaded a couple of strikes from Sakura. Finally thinking he had cornered Naruto, but then noticed he had his hands in a seal. Suddenly two plants shot up through Kabuto's feet and then the plants wrapped around his ankles, anchoring him to the spot. He began to struggle, only to have wooden bindings wrapped around his arms and sides.

"That should hold him," Yamato said happily. He then continued, "Now to find the traitor."

Naruto brought his fist back and then slammed it into Kabuto's face. He then explained, "That was for trying to shred my heart all those years ago, so all is forgiven, Kabuto-chan."

Kabuto slowly turned to reveal a cut and bleeding lip. He then smiled and replied, "I didn't know you had a vengeful side, Naruto-kun, but Sasuke-kun is still stronger."

Naruto snickered and then said, "Oh well..." He then turned and jumped down the hole that Yamato had created.

xxxXXXxxx

Naruto glared the boy in front of him. "So you work for Danzo? Tell me right now why I shouldn't kill you now," Naruto asked, while he passed the documents that he had just thumbed through.

The boy didn't smile, but then replied, "Danzo-sama was going to betray Orochimaru, but then again you already figured that out didn't you, Naruto-kun?"

"That still isn't a reason to spare you," Naruto said angrily.

"I've met him," Sai said.

"Who did you meet?" Naruto asked.

"Sasuke is here and I might be able to help you find him," Sai explained.

Naruto looked at Yamato who just nodded and then Naruto turned to Sai. "Okay, then lead the way," Naruto said authoritatively.