Naruto Sharingan

This was what I origionally thought when I read 291:

Naruto's look said "You're next!" but Kabuto's look, I agree, was one of strange understanding and measuring Naruto up. It wasn't fear but it wasn't a smerk either. It was almost brotherly. Also, just wanted to remind people of the strange flicker in Kabuto's eye during the 2nd chunnin task when they are attacked. Very Jinchuuriki-ish .... and brought on by rage ....

But now since Chapter 293 we know Kabuto most likely isn't one because he says:

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Orochimaru: "Borrowing the power of a Jinchuuriki and that's it...?"

What did he mean by "borrowing" the power of a JINCHUURIKI? I think it can be interpreted 2 ways.

A) Orochimaru simply is just taunting Naruto about the fact all his raw power comes from Kyuubi and not himself. He saw a vision of Kyuubi on that bridge and realizes he's fighting abilities of the beast within more than the ninja who's body is being used. But then why didn't he say borrowing the power of a BIJUU?

or more likely the terms Bijuu and Jinchuuriki are used interchangablly but

B) Naruto isn't supposed to be a Jinchuriki at all. Jinchuriki's are not just Bijuu hosts but also village weapons. He was the last minute solution to Konoha's problem, not something planned out in the way Gaara was. He wasn't supposed to be a weapon but instead just supposed to be a temporary vessel to seal Kyuubi's powers away ... When Yondaime sealed him he up he let ONLY a little chakra leak in hopes to protect Naruto, and do nothing more.

But then in typical unexpected Naruto fashion, he made that fateful deal with Kyuubi to exchange chakra for rent. Since then, Kyuubi has been providing his chakra more frequently and in greater quantities than Yondaime could've expected Kyuubi would be willing to do. And Naruto has been thus borrowing a power (the Bijuu's) and physical state (that of a true Jinchuriki designed as a weapon) that rightfully shouldn't be his, for his OWN uses and toward his OWN goals, not exactly those of his village or those of Kyuubi. And this is why the seal is weakening ... he is in many ways abusing his use of that Chakra leak. And Orochimaru just realized this weakness and is mocking Naruto, that with all this extra Chakra he's willed Kyuubi to lend him, causing much harm to himself, he still hasn't done Orochimaru perminent damage.
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They go after Gaara and Naruto easily because their whereabouts are quite obviously well known. Gaara was a sitting duck as Kazekage in Suna and Naruto tends to make noise whereever he goes. The fact that both are Jinchuuriki is also well known.
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Originally Posted by Wrath:

Well, the average Jinchuuriki is much weaker than Naruto. After all, Gaara was supposed to be really strong for one and KN4 would almost certainly blow him
away. Akatsuki don't actually fight Bijuu, they fight Jinchuuriki, most of whom are apparently completely unstable and hated by everyone around them and so on. They're probably not that hard to beat. After all, Deidara, pretty much easily
assumed to be one of the weaker Akatsuki, took down an exceptionally strong Jinchuuriki.So just because Orochimaru has probably fought Jinchuuriki before (in fact I'm certain that one of the Jinchuuriki captured by Akatsuki was done so by Orochimaru) doesn't mean he should know how powerful Naruto is. I doubt any other Jinchuuriki have training from someone like Jiraiya, after all.

People assume that the stronger the Bijuu, the harder the Jinchuuriki is to obtain. But this isn't necessarily true. Yes, the stronger the Bijuu, the more potential the Jinchuuriki has to utilize those powers ... but that doesn't remotely mean a Jinchuuriki will choose to utilize them. Gaara using 90% of a 1-tail potential plus other innate skills is still probably stronger than say someone with 3-tail potential if they don't become a ninja and use only 5% of their potential.

Naruto is probably the hardest Jinchuuriki to get not because he happens to have the most powerful Bijuu in him but because he CAN tap into that power. And Naruto, even without the OBVIOUS components of Kyuubi's influence, is still not someone to be taken lightly. This isn't to say he'd have any chance by himself against the likes of Orochimaru and Akatsuki without Kyuubi, but it does mean they shouldn't underestimate him. He can be a trickster during a fight and he can do some pretty powerful Jutsu's with just his blue chakra.

Then on top of that you add the logistical situation. Firstly, Naruto has just been trained by one of the greatest Ninja alive. For years he was always with Jiraiya ... and the longer he was with him, the more skills we can assume he gained (I'd like to see them!!!!) and the more he learned how to tap into his Kyuubi powers. Yes, we now know the negative side to this training, but that doesn't negate the fact that Naruto is in a much better position against an Orochimaru level opponent with at least control over 3-tail skills than if he had no control over them at all. Without this training from Jiraiya, it would be much easier to say Orochimaru is justified in his overconfidence.

Secondly, Naruto has made very strong friends and companions .... who willingly will try to protect Naruto if the situation necessitates it. It is one thing to attack Naruto alone ... it is quite another to face him when he usually has Miss Smackity Smack (Sakura) and Mr. Mangekyou Sharingan (Kakashi) at his side. If Naruto was kidnapped by Akatsuki, they would end up with the whole of Konoha chasing them down ... a much different reaction than one for any Jinchuuriki ostrosized by their community. Orochimaru would have used poor judgment if he tried to fight (attacked Naruto physically) a raging KN, Yamato, Sai and Sakura all at the same time, even with Kabuto's help. The other teammates, if they all worked together like they were supposed to, could have caused considerible distractions, which isn't what you want when you need to focus completely on a monster aiming chakra blasts at you. This is why Orochimaru's perhaps smartest move was to anger Naruto in such a way that Naruto in typical Naruto fashion attacked first, and was thus separated from his teammates.