Chapter 2: Battlefield: Pain and Understanding
Naruto began slowly walking toward his house alone to collect his thoughts. His mind racing with thoughts of what he had just done. He knew what this would mean, but he did not want Anko to experience the same hatred as he had. He started to notice stares coming from the other villagers. He just smiled, and kept walking. He was used to this kind of treatment, even though it still irked him inside.
"So, someone was fool enough to marry that demon huh?" Said a villager in a whisper. "She must be a slut."
"What did you say?!!!" Naruto exploded on the villager who said this. "Never say that again!" He was angry. Not about himself, but his wife, who had done nothing wrong.
"I didn't say anything you dumb fox!" the villager said in response.
"Never open your mouth about my wife again, you understand?" Naruto said forcefully with his eyes turning a bit red.
"Ok, ok, now let me go!" He said as Naruto releases him and begins to walk away The villager runs inside and begins to drink.
"Damn I am used to it, but I do not want Anko to experience this. She is innocent, and yet they treat her like they do me" He says a bit disturbed at how fast this had gotten around. "Apparently gossip is the national pastime around here. Whatever happened to hide and seek?" He said half jokingly. As he nears his residence, he sees a young man sitting by his house. As he drew closer to his house, he realized just who the man was and jumped into a defensive stance. He was not about to let him get the drop on him again. He did this just in time to dodge a fist of sand coming straight at him. "Welcome home, Uzumaki." Was all that was heard through the sound of the sand crashing against a brick wall.
"Damn Gaara, is that anyway to welcome someone home?" Naruto said smirking. He was ready anything the future Kazekage could do. After all, he had learned to control Kyuubeis' power, thanks to Jiraiya. He was confident that he could defend himself against Gaara.
Gaara just smirked and prepared a jutsu. "Uzumaki, today I am here to claim your head. These are orders of the Kazekage. I will not hold back."
"The Kazekage huh? Well whatever, I would expect nothing less from you Gaara, but not here. Let us go somewhere quiet. I do not wish for anyone else to get hurt." With that he teleported away, with Gaara in hot pursuit.
The battle started in an open field behind the village. Naruto made the first move by summoning five clones of himself to do battle with Gaara. They all rushed him together. However, Gaaras sand was too fast and knocked them away with ease. He then countered by sending a column of sand smashing into the real Naruto knocking him through a tree. Naruto lay face down in the soil. He had taken a pretty bad shot, but he believed that he had found a weakness in Gaaras armor. He smirked and teleported away. "Uzumaki, you coward! I will kill you!"
They arrived at the forest of death. This was the setting for the second stage of the chuunin exam. It had not changed in the least, with the exception of the trees mangled in the battle vs. sound. Naruto landed and immediately began gathering his charka. Gaara landed a few moments later and Naruto launched an attack using his charka to boost his already considerable speed. He lunched a spinning kick towards Gaaras' head, but the attack was deflected by a layer of sand. Gaara, having the edge launched a counter attack with the sand, sending Naruto flying. Gaara watched as he hit the tree and disappeared in a puff of smoke. He quickly realized that it was one of Narutos' shadow clones, and began searching for him. Naruto in the meantime had just prepared his charka, and had a plan to disable Gaaras' defense.
He rushed out and set his sights on Gaara. "Fire Style: Heat Spiral Jutsu!!" A spiral of flame exited Narutos left arm, and started to swirl around its intended target. This attack formed a large vortex of flame the consumed anything inside. Gaara laughed and broke through the flames with his sand shield. "Do you think that is all it takes to defeat me? You are a fool." He says looking up at Naruto.
Naruto just smirked and readied the end of his plan. "Water Style: Tsunami Blast Jutsu!!!" A long series of water blasts erupted from his right palm. Gaara blocked all of them with ease. "You really are a fool, aren't you?" He says laughing like a maniac. Narutos plan was a success, and he rushed in to attack Gaara directly. Naruto went for the same spinning kick his clone had done earlier. Gaara tried to raise his sand shield, but it was too slow and heavy. The attack had connected and Gaaras sand armor failed to protect him from the blow.
Gaara stood in shock at the fact that he took a hit. He looked at the sand and realized what had happened. Narutos fire attack had heated his sand to extreme levels. He had thought this was just a distraction. However clearly, this was a part of Narrates plan. Naruto had known what happens to super heated sand, when water is added, and launched his water blasts knowing Gaara would use his sand to protect himself. This allowed the water to mix with his sand and, form a cement like mixture that was extremely tiring to move.
"C'mon is that all you've got Gaara?" Naruto said still in his defensive position. This is all that was needed to send Gaaras sand flying towards Naruto. He dodged it and threw several shuriken and kunai at Gaara. Gaara used his sand shield to block them, but he missed one and it flew by and grazed his cheek. His sand armor was too heavy at this point, and it slowed him down significantly. Naruto took advantage of this and began to assault the sand with punches and kicks. Gaara countered with a sand blast that was aimed for Narutos head. However, the attack missed as Naruto dismissed his clone before it was hit.
This was another part of Naruto's plan. He had learned from Anko that it takes twice as much energy to swing and miss than to make contact. He was using his clones and his speed to decimate Gaaras sand, and to wear him out. This would not take long due to Gaaras use of the sand armor. He had to expend charka to maintain it, and the weight of the sand increased the amount of charka needed ten fold. Naruto had figured out Gaaras true weakness.
Gaara was clearly exhausted and could barely keep up with Naruto, who was clearly winning the match. Gaaras charka was at bare minimum and he could barely move. After about five minutes, Naruto decided to end this match. He rushed up close using his charka speed boost to further accelerate. He used this momentum as a force, and focused his charka in his hands. They were glowing brightly as if wanting to scare their target. Naruto performed a jutsu while running, and when he was close, he unleashed his attack!
"Thunder style: Heavenly Dragon Fang!!!" his hands thrusted forward in an attempt to pierce his opponents body, however the sand had came up to block it. Ultimately, this is what Naruto wanted. He twisted his hand into another jutsu. "Thunder Style: Heavenly Dragon Fang: Rage of Dragons!!!" Suddenly all the charka Naruto had expended had returned to him, and he released it in a concentrated blast. This blast had broken through Gaaras sand armor, and thrown him into a tree. He fell to the ground unconscious. Naruto had fallen to a knee from the sheer amount of charka used for his last attack. "I told you before, I will be the strongest. I will be Hokage!" Naruto said rising to his feet. He sensed another presence and turned to see Anko staring in horror at what had happened.
She ran to Naruto, and hugged him tight crying into his shirt. She was worried sick, and she could not just act as if nothing had happened. She was tired of acting as if nothing mattered to her. She pulled herself together and began to kiss him. She spoke so softly that it was almost inaudible. "Naruto-kun, Please don't die on me. Don't leave me alone again." Naruto saw how upset she was and realized that if he had screwed up he would be dead right now. She must have seen everything. He held her tight and spoke softly to his new wife. "Anko-chan, I could never leave you alone again. I love you, and would forgive myself if I hurt you." He held her tight but finally collapsing from charka exhaustion.
Anko just held him the humming a song from her childhood. "Orochimaru I have finally found my heart, this is something you can never take away from me. I love Naruto, and will fight beside him. When the time comes, we will face you together." She continued to hum the song, and to her surprise, Naruto seemed to smile. She was happy that he was alive, but she realized that his luck could not hold out forever. She made a pact with the sleeping Naruto to protect him, as he has protected her. She waited for him to awake. Naruto awoke with his head on her lap. He kissed her forehead lightly, which woke her up. She smiled at him. "Good morning love." She said with a smile so bright the sun would be jealous. Naruto responded by hugging her and smiling. "Let's go home my darling wife." He placed his hand out to her. She smiled and took his hand, and upon standing up, she wrapped her arm around his, and snuggled close to her wonderful husband. "Ok, but I want to beat up a pervert on the way, ok?" Naruto smiled. "Ok love anything for you." They both walked towards their home, and their new life together.
In the shadows a young women was watching them with keen interest. "So Naruto-kun has married that women. She must have tricked him! I will wake him from his dream!" The young women said before disappearing.
Authors notes: Hi all, I am extremely happy with the response to this fanfic. So much so that I decided to speed up Chapter 2 just for you!
I had fun with this one. I wanted to get Gaara in here somewhere, and I figured once the main story gets started it would have been excessively late.
So, I had to add a bit of a mystery to the end, even though I think it is obvious who the young women are.
So, this was my first battle scene, and yes, I know I broke tradition with English jutsu names. I am truly sorry, but I do not have the Japanese translated names. If anybody wants to send me the translations, feel free to do so and I will change it. I want to remain somewhat true to the Japanese version, but I do not get a lot of it where I live so I improvise.
I kind of like how the battle played out, but you are the ones that matter. I would love your opinion on this if you have any ideas.
I just want to thank everyone who reviewed Chapter 1, you all are the reason I decided to write Chapter 2. Things will only get better as I gain confidence, so if you want to see the next installment let me know! I read every review I get.
I will work on the main concern of Chapter 1. I will slow the pace down a bit, but I will keep it flowing. No stalling if I can help it.
I will also be introducing some new characters. Will they be enemies, or allies, or both. The only way to find out is to tell me you want me to continue.
In other news, I love Fan art of the characters. If you send it, I will post it in my profile.
In the end, this work is as much yours, as it is mine. After all, without you I would have no reason to write.
I will also be starting a new project soon. I do not know what to go with though so if you want to submit and idea I will listen.
Author Status
Current Mood: Author (You authors know what I am talking about.)
Current Music: Tomorrow (Theme from Full Metal Panic! I love this show to death),
Current Food: Beef Ramen (Ramen: The authors' choice, and winner of the prestigious Uzumaki award in the art of food!)
Current time: 1:23am (Work in t-minus: 8 Hours 37 Minutes)
Current Charka Level: 45
Current Rank: Anbu Captain (By now I have lost my mind. If found please leave a message and I will get back to you.)
Current Anime: Naruto (Japanese Naruto vs. Gaara! Yay, Ideas)
