World of Ninja

Chapter 1

The world is changing.

A huge maelstrom is raging above the Sea. In the deafening sound of waves and wind, crashing into small pieces of land where no life forms were able to survive, a roar cut through the air.

A great evil awakened from its eternal slumber to once again shake the fragile peace.

Many countries suffered from natural disasters. Earthquakes cracked the face of earth, creating new canyons and defacing all lands. Storms went through peaceful homelands leaving only devastation and death. Cities buried, villages burned and old enemies were lurking from the darkness, ready to strike.

But where there is darkness there is also a spark of light.

On deserts rain fell and all kind of plants and animals appeared in the new areas. All creatures seeking for a new home found it there, hoping to for better future to grow for them.

The wind of war blows again. As the Fallen One rise again in his Dark Tower, with his everlasting anger, the Nine will be chosen to battle Him.

A lone rocky island submerged from the depths of the Sea. A mountain rose from the ground. Sharp cliffs were standing like they wanted to reach the Heaven itself. In the deeps of this monument a creature awoken and let out a terrifying roar of never ending rage that shook the entire land and echoed through minds of all that's alive.

The Nine will arrive from Beyond. Different from anything and anyone.

Content Avenger

Strong Healer

Calm Strategist

Wind Mistress

Spirit Warrior

Flower Child

Kind Giant

Gentle Princess

Lone Hero

~~

Thunder roar through the sky. Deep in the ancient ruins a cloaked person with a long staff is scribing on the soft ground. He's in hurry because they're coming.

If they reach him before he's ready then all hope will be lost.

A blowing wind carries the words that are leaving the man's lips into the dark night.

"Ether'o masuuru karath. Viisora gereth koren…" his gentle voice goes through the forbidden text of the powerful magic. He continues, noticing how little time he has left. "Nadiryuu bekoret hatero malac."

As he says those spells he's drawing a giant circle of power. For this act to work he must to go through the ritual all the way or his whole effort will be fruitless. And that was one thing he couldn't allow to happen.

The circle was almost complete, as well as the text he was reciting the whole process. Just five more magic runes and three more sentences to activate the portal.

A shiver runs down his spine. Breath becomes shallow, the temperature drops suddenly and he could swear that he hears a suffocated cry of fear from thousands of throats. That meant only one thing.

They found him and are close. Very close.

"Jareene etsu marath! Hoderane kaltepe viase!" Just as these words left his mouth, the creatures of abyss appeared and went at the man in order to stop and kill him. He almost finished the incantation and the circle lacked only two more runes. Not stopping his work to defend himself, he drew the missing runes and screamed the ending part of activating spell.

"NIBORI ETHERU MARA KEDETH!" And he slammed the end of his staff into the center of magic circle.

The earth trembled, the sky roared and the lighting flashed.

From beneath of the man's feet a pillar of light shoots into the night, illuminating everything in the distance of many miles. All dark creatures were destroyed by the pure might of the spell. They all were vaporized by it.

Once the Light Pillar vanished the caster was nowhere to be seen. He disappeared with the power he summoned. There was no one to witness the event that took the place in these long forgotten ruins.

Only nine stars, shining in a circle on the midnight sky, were aware of this and what the future holds for the world.

With that image in his mind, Thrall, the Warchief of Horde and the leader of Frostwolf clan woke up in his home. Getting up from bed he looked out the window, taking the sight of the first sun lights gracing the capital of Durotar, the orcs country, Orgrimmar.

'What could this dream mean? I'm almost certain that the hooded person was The Prophet but what spell did he use? And what were those dark creatures? Is there another war coming? Or was it just one regular dream without a meaning?' his train of thoughts was interrupted by the captain of his personal guards, experienced in arts of war and fighting, Habral Shieldcrusher.

"Warchief! There is an emergency!" shouted the aged orc as he made his way into his leaders chambers. Just from the tone of captains voice insured Thrall that something had shaken one of the strongest warriors in Orgrimmar. And that in itself was not an easy task.

"What is it Habral?" asked Thrall calmly.

"Our guards on towers spotted a huge pillar of bright light on West. They reported that firstly they saw a flash and then something like a shooting star but it shot straight into the sky. We got reports from other posts stating the same. It was after I got the report from our scouts on Echo Islands that I knew you should be informed," stated Habral.

"What is the report saying?" Thrall was intrigued and uneasy. There were still too many questions and too few answers.

"It seems that whatever this light is and who or what caused it, they're not in Kalimdor. The report says that they saw this light straight line on the West… in the old Human Kingdoms or at least close to them" explained Habral. Not waiting for Thrall to voice his suspicions, he asks question that is bothering him. "Warchief… are we going to face another war? Do our people again have to stand against demons or humans?"

Thrall hadn't said anything. He was too deep in his own thoughts. Even being a Seer he couldn't determine if this new dream was a vision of a new danger to his people or if it was a warning of incoming disturbance in peace.

"I don't know Habral… I just don't know…" with this Thrall went to the window and looked at the waking city, bathed in the rays of morning sun.  

Wondering about the meaning of all this events as well as this strange dream, and what it could bring upon his people, Thrall didn't suspect that at the same time, in a different world, where magic doesn't exist and ninja are a military force of the Elemental Nations, a certain whiskered blond Jinchuuriki, was waking from the same dream, that is now plaguing the mind of the Warchief.

~~

'That was one hell of a dream' thought Uzumaki Naruto. It was still early in the morning but the blond shinobi didn't feel like going to sleep again. That last dream had him woke up a little after five and got him to think about it's meaning.

'Kit, you worry too much. It was just another of yours stupid dreams and even not an interesting one.' Kyuubi made himself known to his young host, even if the other party didn't appreciate it.

Naruto groaned mentally at the Bijuu as he dared to answer. 'I just know that I'll be sorry but I'll ask anyway: which of my dreams you find amusing enough for you, oh great one?' He didn't have wait long for an answer.

'Well…' the demon grinned, which caused a shiver go down Naruto's spine. 'How about the recent one? I remember you, a certain white-eyed heiress, a dark room, a bed, lack of clothes and a LOT of passionate moaning. Let me remember you a few most interesting scenes...' A roaring laughter boomed in the young ninja's head as the boy blushed madly red that his face could rival a tomato.

'SHUT UP ERO-KITSUNE!' the blond yelled trying to get the images from his head but only got another round from the laughing demon. To make the matters worse a certain part of his anatomy was responding to the images in his head. Suddenly it got really tight in Naruto's groin.

'Kami must hate me… Yep, I see no other reason!' young Jinchuuriki was explaining to himself. 'First, I have a perverted sensei who's constantly reading a porn and THEN I'm training under a self-proclaimed Super Pervert, author of mentioned earlier porn… AND NOW I HAVE A PRVERTED FOX INSIDE MY HEAD!!! WHY KAMI?! WHY?!'

'Oh, shut your trap kit or I'll make your night sleep even more miserable for the next week! And you really don't want that!' Kyuubi growled at his host, who listened to the treat knowing full well how the demon's mind worked when ticked off. 'Thank you! Now I'm only wondering, why in Nine Circles of Hell you won't respond truthfully to white-eyed vixen's feelings? You were deceiving her on how you truly feel long enough!'

Naruto didn't know how to respond at that. He was fully aware of what the demon was talking about and he was asking himself the same question. After Hinata confessed to him during Pain's assault on the village, it was very hard for him to look at her in the same light. He now knew why she blushed, stuttered and even fainted around him. It all made sense. But when Naruto confronted her on the matter he gently made it clear that they were just friends. The look of disappointment in her pale eyes cut deeply into his heart. Still being on warm terms the two hung around the village more often, together with their other friends and as you couldn't name those meetings dates they were still enjoyable for both ninja. But it was for the better, as he thought about it. They were just friends in his mind.

Even if his heart was telling him something entirely different.

'Again with that Kyuubi?' The blond sighed mentally and in reality. 'I told you my reasons long ago so don't go back to it, it's a finished chapter' said Naruto as he wanted to escape from the topic. But the fox didn't want to go without a fight.

'Kit, don't even try to convince me with that crap. I'm far wiser and far more stubborn to give up this topic!' Kyuubi exclaimed, getting an irritated reply from his young host.

'And again I say you, FORGET IT! I don't want to hear about it anymore!' Naruto knew all too well what his tenant wanted to discuss and the hyperactive ninja wasn't in the mood for this. Actually he never wanted to hear about this ever again.

'You are destroying yourself and you know it!' Kyuubi barked loudly enough to make Naruto flinch visibly. 'Even if I respect you more gaki after you destroyed Madara along with this old warhawk Danzo I still can't understand why?! Why the hell are you sentencing yourself for a life of a loner? You love her Kit, face it! And she, sure as Hell itself and to my eternal confusion, still loves you back!' With a long sigh the fox spoke again, in gentler voice this time. 'You already know how hard it's to be alone. Even with your friends and those you think as a family there is nothing to compare with the feeling that joins two souls together. Don't deny yourself this feeling because there may be a time where you'll need it.' With that said Kyuubi broke their mental link, leaving the Jinchuuriki to his own thoughts.

"Damn it!" Naruto slammed his fist on the floor in frustration and could not help but ponder around the topic. It's true that the person he considers a brother, Uchiha Sasuke, returned and now is close to his self-proclaimed older sister, Haruno Sakura. They were dating ever since their fight with each other where Sakura almost died. Sasuke withdrew the last attack and took care of the girl. Asked why his answer was like this:

"I did what I thought was right… even if it was the only right decision in my life"

After this their feelings grew for each other and Sakura convinced him to meet up with Naruto so they could together destroy Uchiha Madara and the threat that was Akatsuki. It wasn't easy at the beginning but they got along and teamed up in the fight against Madara.

The return to Konoha was hellish, to say the least. Some people in the new Village Council wanted Sasuke dead for joining up with the traitor Orochimaru and then joining an organization which leader destroyed the village. At the least the demanded he'll be imprisoned in the highest security prison ward. Only thanks to Naruto's new reputation and his strong speech, as well as the support from Tsunade and some other councilors, the young Uchiha was able to walk free on the streets. However he had to spend some time on psychological therapy from Yamanaka clan member to deal with all traumatic events that had taken place in his life.

Sakura and Naruto were supporting Sasuke to the very end. When the therapy period ended the Sharingan user decided to live outside of Uchiha compound until it'll be a time to settle there with a family. No longer than week after getting an apartment he asked Sakura for a dinner there. She blushed and accepted the invitation. This had led to another date and before anyone knew the Uchiha Sasuke was going out with Haruno Sakura.

Chuckling a little at the memory Naruto made his way to his favorite training ground. He wanted to let out some steam after his little chat with Kyuubi. The subject about his feelings to Hinata was very sensitive to him and it always put him into a foul mood. When the war with Madara ended, the Jinchuuriki had time to think about what happened during his fight with Pain. True to be said, the confection from Hinata threw his world upside down. Never in his mind would he expect that any girl would love him, especially Hinata. She was after all from a prestige clan and an heiress none the less. And who he was? A Jinchuuriki for Kyuubi no Youko, still a Genin of Konohagakure no Sato, son of Yondaime Hokage and pupil of Gama-sennin Jiraiya from Densetsu no Sannin. But most people knew him as Uzumaki Naruto, an orphaned ninja, who's still hated by some of higher ups in Village Council and most Elder Councils of some more influential clans.

He couldn't reveal his heritage. He couldn't dream to get the respect of those old fools who can't see the difference between the jailer and prisoner. He couldn't answer truth fully to Hinata's feelings, no matter how much his heart bled afterward.

It wasn't that Naruto left Hinata without an answer to her confession or turned the girl down. He only talked to her privately on a small meadow. He reassured her that she's still one of his precious friends and a special person in his heart. But until Naruto will deal with his own feelings they should remain friends only. If there will be a chance for them then he'll give it a try. She smiled sadly at his words and agreed. Hinata understood it could be hard for him to know how to respond to this situation and she didn't pester him on this matter.

That was three months ago. Just a few days after defeating Uchiha Madara and Danzo.

During this time the young blond took upon himself to get to know Hinata first. He wanted to figure out his own feelings towards her. It didn't take long that he remembered her favorite food, color and other stuff. Naruto was amazed with himself  that he could recall every little detail of their conversations, how she showed so many emotions when telling him about how much her family changed thanks to him, and how beautiful she looked in the pale moonlight when they were together walking from one of their 'meetings'. He realized then why talking to her and seeing her smile gave him shivers down his spine and a warm spreading over inside his chest.

He fell in love with Hyuuga Hinata. And he couldn't tell to her or anyone else.

With the overwhelming differences in their social status, as well as with the hatred that was hanging over his head like an executer's axe, Naruto just couldn't make a relationship with Hinata. In his mind it would never work. Even if he didn't want to think like that he couldn't help it. Those were logical facts.

When Naruto finally made it to the training grounds he suddenly lost all the energy he wanted to use in the quest of calming himself. Just thinking about Hinata calmed him down like nothing else could, not even Ichiraku's free ramen. Still seeing stars on the slowly brightening sky Naruto took out an ocarina. It was the very same instrument that one of his deceased friends left him. His name was Menma.

Naruto smiled fondly at the memory of the previous owner. Then he took the instrument to his lips and started playing…

~~

'I hope Otou-san and Nii-san won't be mad at me for this early walk. Thank goodness for the secret path I discovered in the library' Hinata thought as she sneaked out of the Hyuuga compound. The path led her out near the way to the training grounds.

She couldn't sleep. The young Chuunin kunoichi woke up suddenly from a very nice and a very VERY embarrassing dream. She still had a hard blush covering her pale cheeks. Ever since Hinata started dreaming this type of dreams about him she thought that her blush is now permanent. But she couldn't help it. Hyuuga Hinata was in love with Uzumaki Naruto.

When they had their little meetings she started to have dreams about him. She had them before of course but now they took a more mature form. Hinata wasn't blind after all and like all teenagers she too had to deal with the raging hormones inside her body. The young woman couldn't deny how well build Naruto is now and how he changed over all events that took place. Also there were two or three occasions when she took a peek with her Byakugan when he wasn't looking.

Now she wanted to clear her head and cool off from the dream on a nice early morning walk to the training grounds. There were several places where she could think on how to proceed further to encourage Naruto to take the next step from their friendship to something more...

Like never before Hinata was fed up with the behavior of the Uzumaki boy. She didn't want to but maybe if he still wasn't ready to open his heart for her, then maybe it was the highest time for her to move on. What girl would wait this long and still not be sure if the one she's in love with will respond to her feelings?

She was brought out from her thoughts when she heard music. Soft and gentle tones were whispering to her about player's feelings. There were so many emotions in the melody but mostly there was sadness and loneliness. Also she could hear longing in this song. Hinata was touched and out of pure curiosity she went to investigate who was the player.

~~

How many years he spent on wondering if anyone would love him? How many times he wished to have someone, holding them in his arms lovingly? How much he regretted to not be able to respond to the pure feelings of the girl he truly loved?

Those questions went through his head as Naruto finished playing the song. Fresh hot tears streamed down his whiskered cheeks. He wasn't afraid to cry now. Nobody would find out he took off his mask. He only wanted to let it all out, all this pain, all his insecurity and all his sadness. It was so hard to hold it so long. Shinobi or not Naruto was still human and like every human being he had the right feel anger, sadness, joy and… love.

Finally Naruto completely broke down and wept openly. He couldn't hold it anymore. As the memories of what he felt every time he looked at his happy teammates and what he felt for Hinata, he couldn't help but ask out loud:

"Hinata-chan… what did you do to me? You invade my mind, you invade my soul and my heart! I can't even name a day when I'm not thinking about you. I can't think how many times I called your name at night, wanting to hold you close to me. My heart aches when I see you! WHY CAN'T I ADMIT IT TO YOU?! I'm such a fool and coward… I don't deserve you… but I still can't stop loving you, Hinata-chan…"

The last words were merely a whisper but still clear enough for Hinata, who was hidden between the trees. Her own eyes watered when she found out that it was Naruto that played this beautiful yet sad song. She felt like a stalker when she found him in this clearing and then watched him playing on ocarina. Then his words touched her very deeply. He was afraid. He was afraid to make a real relationship with her for a reason she didn't know about. But she was sure to not leave it like that.

Walking out of her hiding place she went straight to where Naruto was sitting. He clasped his hands over his eyes and was too busy crying at his own stupidity and fear to notice her. That was until she was right before him.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata's gentle voice rang in Naruto's ears like an explosion. Suddenly he realized that the very girl, because of whom he was now crying, was standing only two feet before him. How could he never notice her coming? And just how long was she here?

"Hinata-chan? What are you doing here?" Quickly wiping his eyes from tears, he tried to get up, putting his emotional mask on, until Naruto felt her crunch down to his eye-level and realized that she too was crying recently. Placing her small hands over his bigger ones, she looked into his eyes. Naruto had impression she could read his very soul.

"I woke up early and couldn't sleep again" Hinata said without a stutter. She still blushed a little when she was around Naruto but their little meetings were a huge confidence boost for her. It put an end to fainting and stuttering much to everyone's surprise and relief. "I wanted to take a walk and think about some things alone when I heard you playing. I wanted to know who would play so beautiful, yet so sad melody. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by doing so," she got up from the ground and bowed her head in apologize.

"Hey now," Naruto took her chin and lifted her face so he was looking at her directly and couldn't help but notice how pretty she was, even if it was now red and puffy from crying. "You did nothing wrong. There is nothing to apologize for. If you went here to think then I won't disturb you go now. Ja…"

"Wait, Naruto-kun!" Her sudden outburst took Naruto off guard. Also he couldn't break free from her grasp on his hands. "Did you mean what you said earlier? Please, answer honestly, I beg you!" His blue eyes again started to water and a crack appeared on his emotional mask.

"I… I don't know what you are talking about Hinata-chan…" trying his best to sound truthfully the blond hoped that she'll drop it like that. But he was wrong big time.

"Uzumaki Naruto! Don't play with me! I heard you clearly! Why can't you be honest with me, Naruto-kun? With me and yourself?" Hinata asked as new tears formed in her pearly eyes and fell down of her cheeks. Each sob and tear was like a painful stab into his heart. He forcefully removed her hands from his and turned his back to her, not wanting to face the girl.

"You want to know why? You really want to know?!" Not waiting for an answer Naruto continued. "It would never work between us. You are an Heiress of Hyuuga clan, a princess practically. And who am I? A nobody!" Naruto shouted the last part and still refused to look at her. "There still are some in this village that hate me with passion. No matter what I do, how much I work, how many times I risk my life to protect them, it's not enough… it never is enough…" he turned around to finally face her. Tears streaked down his face falling on the grass. "Just how can you love a guy like me? That dream will never come true-umph!" his speech was cut short by a pair of warm and soft lips on his own.

Hinata didn't want to listen anymore. She now knew what bothered the boy she loved. But she wouldn't allow him cast away this newfound love. She wanted to support him, cheer for him and be there for him. And no one, not even Naruto himself, will stop her from even trying.

To stop him from going farther she gathered all her courage on this one bold step. Kissing him like this was her dream. It even made her blush harder than anything before when he responded to the kiss. Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her closer. Hinata herself threw her arms around his neck. There was no outside world. For now the two held each other not acknowledging what was around them.

As the need for air grew both broke the kiss panting. Naruto watched a flushed face of the girl before him. She was the most beautiful being he had ever laid his eyes on. To him Hyuuga Hinata is an angel, a living goddess walking on earth. He would never understand why she chose him but he knew one thing: now that they were both here, together, kissing like there is no tomorrow, he sure as Hell won't let this go! He'll love her, cheer for her and be at her side whenever she'll need him! That is a promise!

Hinata was sure that all blood from her body was now rushing to her face and permanently changing the shade of her pale cheeks on more crimson. Her first kiss was amazing! It was more than she could ever imagine. And she did it with Uzumaki Naruto, her crush from childhood, then one of her best friends and now maybe they'll be something more? Oh, she hoped that now her longtime dream will come true. But first she had to make sure that all this emotional turmoil her love went through was now a past.

"Naruto-kun? How are you feeling?" Hinata asked with a worried expression on her face. He went through so much in his life that it's not so surprising he reached his crashing point. The young kunoichi wanted to make sure he was alright.

Smiling lovingly and wiping some last tears from his blue eyes Naruto looked at Hinata with his deep blue eyes which only made her blush some more. "Yeah, I'm alright Hinata-chan. It just was too much to handle recently that I had to blow some steam... but I'm really glad that you are here. I know that it's not exactly like you would want it but... I have to say this!" Taking a deep breath the blond let go of her waist but now he held her small hands in his, making the poor girl blush even more and spreading a warm feeling over her chest. Squeezing them lightly he smiled as she responded to his action by squeezing him back. "Hinata-chan, you are the most beautiful, gentle and kind girl I have ever met. If I wasn't so much of a baka I would have noticed this long time ago. But until you confessed to me I never thought I would see you in this light. And then I couldn't respond to your feelings properly because I didn't understand my own. After some time when we were hanging out together I came to this conclusion."

Squeezing her hands a little more Naruto leaned his face over her and had his lips directly at her ear. Hinata was blushing madly at this point and on verge of fainting on him but she would cling to her consciousness. But her efforts were strained even more when she heard him whisper huskily, his warm breath tickling her sensitive skin.

"I love you Hinata-chan. Will you make me an honor and be my girlfriend?" THERE! He asked her the very question he was trouble for the last few months. Now all that was left was her answer.

It took little time, like three seconds, before Hinata's mind went overload. From all the tension and sexual desire left from her dream, the hotness on her neck from his warm breath, her first kiss with the love of her life and finally Naruto's question of being his girlfriend. It was all too much for her and Hinata did what she thought she overcame... she fainted.

Naruto caught her before she hit the ground and gently laid the lavender-eyed kunoichi under a tree and sat beside her. Noticing her shiver from the cold air of the early morning Naruto took off his jacket and covered her with it. Hinata snuggled suddenly to him and sighed content.

"Naruto-kun... I love you..." she murmured in her sleep.

Smiling gently the Uzumaki boy put an arm over her shoulders and she snuggled to his warmth some more. Looking at the brightening sky one thought went over his mind before sleep started to take over.

'This feels... good...' Hinata stirred a little in her sleep causing him to look at her. Still smiling he kissed the top of her head which brought a happy sigh from the girl's rosy lips. 'I could get used to it. With that last thought he drifted off to sleep himself.

~~

Unaware to both sleeping shinobi there was one person who watched the whole scene. Making himself undetected the person walked away from both teens. After some rustling the only evidence of someone else's presence were a few crows' feathers.