Kicker

by The Swordslinger

After his defeat at the Forest of Death against Orochimaru, Naruto finds himself crippled by the snake. With his arms no longer able to use chakra and thus leaving him unable to use jutsus, what is he to do? Simple, take what he has, use his youth, and kick his way through any hardships, literally! Warning: may become longer or not. No bashing and no pairings.

2. Chapter 2

I OWN NOTHING

I'm not surprised you guys really wanted me to do this, granted when this chapter ends that may be it. I don't want to exploit this idea or run it dry. I had trouble thinking how to keep this going.

Author's note: This will have Naruto interacting and making a bigger impact on other characters, so since girls are characters – believe it or not – I will clarify that despite anything there is still no pairing here. I'm just writing this for fun, so don't ask me to make any pairing you want to see. Seriously, I've had enough with people asking me to write their favorite pairings to levels I found creepy, like simply being in denial that only their favorite pairing and no other can work, to an inch short of being a death threat creepy.

Then again, this is the internet, asking someone to be polite is like asking Capcom to stop forcing DLC in their games nowadays.

Author's note 2: I decided to give a name to Gai's kicking style which may or may not be canon since all I recall that has some details are the bloodlines. It's called the Dynamic Arts, or at least I call it that, and let's just say a certain blond is very good at them.

Recommended music for this chapter's fight scenes:

1st fight: Guilty Gear X2 OST - Momentary Life

2nd fight: Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends OST - Top Speed Star

3rd fight: One Piece Pirate Warriors OST - Gear Second

XXXXXX

While Naruto felt on top of the world as he walked to the bleachers, Orochimaru was cringing at his miscalculation. To see the boy defeat a Hyuuga of all people using only his legs… No, he shouldn't worry. Sasuke had the power of the Sharingan, a power of gods. It didn't matter what Naruto did, the snake would be victorious regardless of how much the boy trained. It didn't take a genius to see the Uzumaki's limits.

Sarutobi had a small smile, but was resisting a major grin to cover his face, "I can't believe how much he's grown in such a small amount of time…"

With the other contestants, Naruto couldn't help but flash them a cocky smirk, locking eyes with Gaara when the sand controlling shinobi passed him. The two had their eyes narrowed, Gaara's in interest and Naruto's set in a glare telling the petit redhead that he wanted to fight him with all he had. Finally Naruto rested at the rails with a smile and heard Shikamaru sigh.

"Ok, I'll bite… who the Hell are you and where's Naruto Uzumaki?" the lazy Nara managed to say without groaning.

"I've been training." Naruto replied, barely avoiding to giggle like a schoolgirl before lifting his right leg with his heel near the ceiling, "Pretty neat, huh? I knew Super Fuzzy Brow… I mean, Gai-sensei was strong, but I didn't think a good diet and training would do this. I think I may actually refrain from eating ramen now… well, I might… I..."

Shikamaru's palm had a nice introduction to his forehead, "Listen, if you keep winning treat yourself, don't try to think too much on a diet. I bet even Gai-sensei and Lee would agree you earned it after that."

Naruto's face lit up, as did Temari's as she approached him, "He's right. I must say, I am impressed to see how much you've changed." She said that, but her thoughts differed, 'We will have to keep a close eye on him. Well, time to use the good old charm mom gave me.'

The blond blushed but managed to not give in to temptation. He did give her a goofy, appreciative smile for the compliment, but he just remembered how Temari was basically the enemy given her connection to Gaara. She did have a nice body and good genes, but considering he wanted to face Gaara and put his feet on his face – or Sasuke's face if the Uchiha won – he knew going for tea after the match wouldn't happen.

Kankuro put on the same fake smile when he first tried to approach the kid at the previous part of the exams, "To think the Leaf can train their shinobi like this in such a short amount of time by using only your legs… Who knows? You may have more of a chance than anyone at becoming a Chuunin."

Naruto chuckled, "I know I will win!" he said with not a cocky or arrogant smirk, but a smile that said he knew it to be true. It was the same smile an innocent kid would have at saying such a thing, "I promised myself to never lose, no matter who or what I faced! There's no way I'm going down, not today, not now, and not ever!"

Shino stared at the blond intently, 'He's different… My bugs are buzzing at ease with such confidence. Just what did you do to become that unafraid?'

However, someone was getting impatient, as did the crowd.

"Where's the Uchiha?" asked a very rich businessman, worried that his money and time would be wasted to not see the prodigy of the Leaf.

Soon people started to get mad, and Naruto could see Gaara ready for battle. It didn't seem to show, but the small redhead with practically oozing venom with his desire to kill. Naruto for his part started to tap his toe on the floor while leaning on the railing, being as impatient as the ring-eyed boy. It didn't take a genius to know the blond really wanted to fight either of them.

"Dammit, where is he?" Naruto whispered.

Shikamaru leaned his head, "What do you mean where is he? You mean Sasuke?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. I mean, he could be with Kakashi-sensei, but I haven't seen them at all this entire month. I was too busy training with Gai-sensei to really care. It wouldn't surprise me if Kakashi-sensei decided to train him on his own, though Sasuke could still act like he can do this on his own."

The laziest shinobi nodded, he could see either of those being the case. Granted, Naruto was acting even more of a child than before, grumbling like one, "You really wanted to fight him, didn't you?"

The blond sighed, "Did you think I trained this month just to beat Neji? I'm in this to be number one. If Gaara wins by default and I get to beat him… it'll be like I trained for a half-assed victory."

Shikamaru cringed, "Hey, hey, aren't you biting more than you can chew? Perhaps you should quit while you're ahead…" he saw the boy tense, "You may have beaten Neji, but that sand freak-"

"I'm crippled, I know that!" Naruto snapped, glaring at the now retreating Nara, "I know better than anyone that I can't use clones, illusions, or shoot fire or lightning like every other shinobi can! But so do Gai-sensei and Lee, and they haven't stopped! That's why I've trained with all I have, to fight with what little it is and prove not only to everyone but to myself that I can become Hokage!"

Shino looked away but spoke up, "Naruto, you're still being unreasonable. A Kage has power beyond your imagination, to match them with just your legs is a huge disadvantage."

"Fighting is always unfair, get it over with!" the whiskered boy was really mad, "Fighting is always about fighting someone different than you whether they're weak or strong! It doesn't matter if you're scared for me or not, I've made my choice! I want to fight and win, to truly be on top for once in my life! I'm tired of life making me the dead last, the loser, so this time I want to grab victory when I still can!"

Everything was dead silent, mostly because Naruto had no indoors voice and everyone in the stands heard him. Even a newly awakened Neji had little trouble knowing who could be that loud.

Which is why Gaara was clearly and terrifyingly audible, "Proctor." The man turned in surprise to the redhead, "If my opponent doesn't show… I want to fight that boy, Naruto Uzumaki."

One of the spectators cheered, "Yeah, let us see that Uzumaki fight them whether the Uchiha comes or not!"

Some of the Leaf shinobi were shocked as some of the foreigners and even some of the villagers started to cheer not for Sasuke showing, but to see Naruto fight:

"He can do it, can't he?! He can win with just kicks!"

"Come on, Uchiha! Come here so you can fight him!"

"Let him fight the Uchiha if he's that strong!"

"We want to see a good fight like the one before!"

"Hey Uchiha, you better get here to let us see you fight Uzumaki!"

"Or just say if you're too scared to fight him!"

"Let us see if you're as strong as Naruto makes you out to be!"

Naruto was perhaps the most stunned of everyone. The people weren't cheering for Sasuke, they were cheering for him. They wanted to see him, the dead last, fight with all his might like he had done. Everyone in the bleachers stared at the blue eyed Uzumaki, seeing him tremble with his emotions boiling. Shikamaru and Shino took a step back, knowing what would happen.

"Yeah! Come on, Sasuke! I didn't train just to lose an opportunity to kick your ass!" the hot-blooded Uzumaki yelled, throwing his fist in the air.

Sakura could only place her hand on her face, "It's like he just became an infection… But…" she pulled her face off her hands, and looked as nearly everyone called for Sasuke to arrive so Naruto could fight him or Gaara, "Naruto did train for this, to show everyone how strong he's become… I'm… actually both surprised and terrified."

Ino was less calm, "Come on, Sasuke-kun, get here quickly so Naruto-kun can get to fight you! And do your best, Naruto-kun! You deserve to kick some ass!"

Sakura stared blankly at the Yamanaka girl, "I take it back, I'm more terrified of you right now."

Due to the crowd wanting to see the boy that surpassed the limits put on him by the whims of the universe, it was decided that Gaara's fight would be put last and that the crowd would wait for the Uchiha to arrive. The matches went on as one would or wouldn't expect. Kankuro had forfeited his, and Naruto pushed Shikamaru into a fight with Temari the Nara barely won by using his wit.

So when it came for Gaara to fight again, the sleep deprived boy was eagerly waiting to see if it'd be Sasuke or Naruto's blood that'd taint his sand.

And the crowd grew bored, some of the businessmen already arguing, "What's with that Uchiha?! We paid good money for these seats and even give him extra time to see that Uzumaki kid fight him! Outrageous!"

Sarutobi sighed while the man in the Kazekage robes spoke up, "Perhaps we can give him more time… It'd be a shame to not see your prodigy fight my son."

The old monkey would have disagreed, but could tell something for certain, "That boy better arrive, because the one that won't forgive him is Naruto. He won't forgive Sasuke if after everything he did to become stronger any chance for them to fight is taken away."

The crowd grew madder, and the referee knew they would start calling for blood, "Sir." a shinobi spoke up to the Hokage, "We shouldn't keep them waiting, it'd be best if we have Naruto fight Gaara."

It was with a nod from the Hokage that Naruto and Gaara were before each other, the blond looked beyond disappointed at losing a chance to face Sasuke seriously in battle. However, something burned deep in his mind, something he told one Maito Gai. The redhead before him was someone he wanted to beat because of what he did to Lee. The one with the Kazekage hat bit back a growl of disappointment.

The proctor approached the two fighters, Naruto getting into a stance and Gaara staring intently at him, "For how strong you made that Uchiha sound, you placed yourself on a higher pedestal." He grinned wickedly, "That is why I must ask… what will happen when I break your legs?"

Naruto gave the eloquent reply of, "Then I'll bite your kneecaps off!"

"Wait a minute." The referee said, "You two will only fight if the Uchiha doesn't arrive soon."

The entire audience started to boo the man, throwing garbage and junk food at the now blank-faced proctor who could only mutter how he hated his job at that moment. Naruto let out an irritated humph, "Fine. I guess I can wait. But if he does show up, I'm not going to let him live down the fact he's tardier than Kakashi-sensei." The boy sat cross-legged with an angry squinty-eyed face.

Gaara remained where he was, arms crossed, "I guess waiting will make your blood taste better. People say hunger is the best spice."

Naruto blinked, "Did you just tell a joke? Man, you must be way more bored than I am…" Indeed the blond was bored, he just rested flat on his right side, using his right arm to keep his head up. However, the blond lifted his left hand, showing a familiar cork in it, "You can also cut the crap…" he growled at the raccoon-like boy whose sand started to flow out.

Gaara smiled in his own creepy want-to-make-blood-rain way, "You trained your legs for offense but your arms for defense… I can't really wait to fight you."

After tossing aside the cork, Naruto started to tap his fingers on the ground while the spectators grew restless.

It was then that a gust of wind revealed one black clad Sasuke standing back to back with Kakashi, the ever tardy Jounin giving the referee an apologetic look with his only eye, "I'm sorry. We're not late for Sasuke's match, are w-" and he had to dodge a can thrown at him, "Wh-What's going on?! I thought we would have time, and-"

And he didn't get to say more as the people in the stands started to shout at him, simultaneously throwing everything they could at the man and a now shocked Sasuke.

"You asshole! You're late!"

"We've waited to see this match for a long time!"

"Don't you dare act all goofy!"

"We want to see the Uzumaki boy fight soon!"

"He should be disqualified!"

"Just let us see a good fight!"

The proctor groaned and grabbed Kakashi by the back of his neck, gripping him tight enough to let him know he was mad too, "Kakashi, if it weren't because these two wanted to fight the Uchiha boy, he'd have been disqualified. We even put a time limit and I was about to start the match."

Sasuke stared at Gaara and the other person on the floor, who lazily stared at him with a grumpy look on his face, "Who are you?"

Kakashi finally noticed the odd blond boy, "That is… a very good question. How are you fighting in Sasuke's place?"

Naruto stood up, pointing to his whiskered cheeks, "It's me, dammit!"

Kakashi's eye threatened to pop out of its socket, "Naruto?! Wait, what happened to you?! Did you actually hit puberty or-"

Naruto snapped at the man who embodied lateness, "I just knew you'd train Sasuke, so I went to train with Gai-sensei! I spent an entire month working my ass off to finally fight either him or Gaara! I just kicked Neji's ass so hard I may as well have shoe polish made to remove buttocks smell!"

The proctor, Genma, sighed, "As childish as it sounds, you two owe him one. If it weren't for how he handled that fight the entire audience wouldn't have tried to put up with waiting for Sasuke to arrive. They just want to see Naruto fight whoever wins this match."

Sasuke stared wide-eyed at the blond, sheer disbelief on his face, 'Has he really become that strong training under that taijutsu maniac? But with his arms like that, how could he have beaten that Hyuuga?'

Naruto faced Sasuke, stretching a fist to the onyx-eyed boy, "Listen well, Sasuke, I trained to surpass you with what I have. I don't care if it's my legs, my arms, my eyes, my ears, or even all my chakra that someone takes from me. I came here to show I can win this!" he pulled back his fist, "So you better not lose after all the trouble I went through! I want to know I got to be stronger than you fair and square!"

The crowd cheered for the blond boy, not even letting Sasuke get a comment before Naruto returned to the bleachers and let the match unfold. The raven haired boy had just one question in his head, 'How did he become that way? If it were true that all it took was determination and effort, everyone could get stronger. So what did he do?'

It didn't matter what he asked, there was a match that everyone was tired of waiting for.

XXXXXX

Watching Sasuke fight Gaara made the blond resist the urge to glare at Kakashi, who took only one of his students to train with him. Granted, it was to fight a psychopath, but Naruto was forced to fight a sociopath that like Gaara to Sasuke was stronger than him. Neji did train on his own in his family's style with Tenten's help, so Gai had enough time to teach him. Though he would have liked to learn how to use lightning kicks.

Jealousy? No, Naruto knew of the power in his legs, which was why he really wanted to face the Uchiha, for just like with Sasuke's Chidori, Naruto had a trick up his pants-sleeves. He had learned wind chakra and added it to his kicks, yet one would be a fool to think that an entire month of training intensely with the youthful Gai would lead to just that. It was something he was glad Neji didn't focus on.

Naruto was sure he would win because he didn't let himself fall easily in his training!

Which is why when Sand shinobi started attacking and some targeted him and Sakura, the boy's blood boiled hot enough to melt steel, "Piss off!"

Many of the invading forces gaped at the sight of an entire platoon flying back with boots imprinted on their ribcages, ensuring some broken bones and damaged organs. As they landed on the arena, Naruto noticed a certain Nara near him, snoring… He gently lifted him by the shoulders and shook him with all gentleness thrown out the window, like he were trying to make a milkshake in Shikamaru's head.

"Dammit, I'm not a ragdoll, you-" And the stare that Naruto gave him, more like a glare, stopped his train of thought.

"You're coming with us!" the blond said, dragging the Nara by the collar while he and Sakura started to follow Sasuke, "We need to stop Sasuke and that ring-eyed creep!"

"How do you even plan to…" Shikamaru started to ask before Naruto hefted him on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, before doing the same with a flushed and shocked Sakura, "…catch him?"

After he finished his sentence, Naruto got into a sprinting position, "Just point the way, Sakura!"

The girl nodded quickly after getting over the fact that he had been really working out under Gai, and did as told. Almost leaving a sonic boom behind, Naruto dashed forward with Shikamaru and Sakura having to hold on to him to avoid getting pulled back by the wind barrier he was breaking through.

Meanwhile, a certain youthful man smirked at the remaining forces while cracking his knuckles, "That's one of my disciples, and for you who have decided to take the match he risked his youth for… There shall be nor mercy!"

Never again would Sand shinobi question how ridiculous a middle-aged man in thighs was given the fact one was kicking their asses like they owed him money.

Kakashi sighed, "They didn't even want to wait for me to help guide them, but I guess I can't complain now." He said and started to engage the invading forces. He couldn't let Gai get ahead, not because the scarecrow wanted to win, but because the green clad sensei wouldn't let him live it down and would demand a rematch as soon as possible after that.

He did a quick hand-seal, sending some help to the three genins.

However, with Naruto and his group some complications did make themselves known. The blond stopped abruptly, his feet leaving a trail on the dirt of the forest as he skidded to a stop. Shikamaru and Sakura were just thankful they could breathe properly after getting pushed back by the wind barrier Naruto was trying to break. They stopped being thankful when seeing who stood in their way.

"So you're either gutsy or foolish enough that you think you have a chance to beat Gaara." Said Gaara's sister, sneering at them at the idea that she left her brothers get far ahead with the Uchiha hot on their tail, but... "I wouldn't have come this far unless I didn't actually believe there was someone like you around. It wasn't hard, though, seeing how people treat you like Gaara."

Naruto set down his fellow Leaf shinobi, "You two go on ahead… I'll take care of this chick." The other Fire Country genin were about to protest, but the blond snapped, "Just go, there's no way I'm losing to her!"

Temari nearly snorted but refrained from doing so, she was a kunoichi of high standards, "He is right. I don't care where you two run, I just can't let this kid run around after seeing what he can do."

Sakura was about to protest, but Shikamaru yanked her forward, "You heard them, if you want to help just move! Think more about the bigger picture than just one guy!"

She dashed as fast as she could, but not without calling out to the blond, "Naruto, don't lose!"

The blond grinned, "Did you forget?! I'm not losing ever again!"

NARUTO UZUMAKI VS. TEMARI OF THE SAND

THE WIND IS HOWLING… STAND OR FLY AWAY!

ROUND 1!

BEGIN!

Temari couldn't help the look on her face that said she was going to enjoy this, "We shall see how long that determination can stand when I break what little you have." Narrowing his eyes, Naruto took his stance, making her grin while she readied her fan at her side, "Let me teach you how to properly use wind!"

Done hesitating and feeling weak, Naruto lunged at the Sand kunoichi with a leg up, which the pigtailed girl stopped with her fan to measure his might. Much to her surprise, the kid's leg wasn't cut like she expected it to be. Not only had that, but she, a kunoichi with the Kazekages blood, felt pain! Temari took a step back, while her arms went numb. Had she not been at least on the level of a Jounin, her bones would've broken.

Now she stared at Naruto not with disdain or confidence, but acknowledgement, "I don't know much about how to use wind…" the blond admitted before lifting his right leg, "I do know I have to fight you! Even if I lose, I can't step back here and now after the promise I made to myself! It doesn't matter if I'm the last man standing, I will let you know what someone can do when they surpass their limits!"

She growled, but a hint of a smirk showed on her face, "Then let's see how far you can go." She was really starting to like the boy… too bad he was an enemy.

Wasting no time at all to try to kick the smile off the girl's face, Naruto jumped at the sandy haired lass. The difference with that jump and the one before was that Temari saw the ground crack under the smaller and younger-looking ninja's feet from the force. With gritted teeth, the more experienced wind chakra user stepped back and tried to connect a strike with her fan on the kid's side.

This time she was stopped when Naruto's armored arm swatted aside the heavy weapon without getting cut by the wind blade she unleashed. Even if the strong-willed Uzumaki's arms could not use chakra, Gai had taught Naruto how to fight, and the best way he could do so was by fighting the blond himself. Why? Because the best way to teach the Uzumaki was to make him know he could live or die in battle.

"You're nowhere near a man that hasn't looked behind and seen a regret in his youth!" Gai was really rubbing off on him.

"You've only discovered wind chakra, sweetie!" she shouted, adding in some flirting to get him confused while she fully opened her fan forward for a direct strike, aiming some good wind chakra at his eyes. The boy bit back a grunt, flipping his body to the side and kicking the fan to the side, making Temari growl, "I've been mastering it since I was younger than you!" she shouted, sending a powerful gust of wind to slice the air.

Naruto threw his body back, head first, cartwheeling away from the Sand Jounin and watching a nearby tree sporting deep, clean cuts on its trunk. Despite seeing it fall into chunks of wood, the always stubborn Uzumaki smirked, "Are you saying that because you're mad I learned it faster than you, or because you know I will kick your ass with what little I know?"

Taunting, one of Naruto's best strategies. He was a prankster at heart and knew how to get on someone's nerves or, at the very least, press button after button to get them mad. He needn't any other comment, for Temari's glare said the nicely endowed desert flower was boiling with rage… Dammit, her flirting got to him. Even if it was a little, he still had to get his head in the game, and he did so by charging again.

Quickly closing her fan, Temari managed to parry three kicks from Naruto, at the cost of being thrown in the air. With a snarl, she flipped her large weapon open to descend on a tree branch and get some distance from the blond. She was about to taunt him about how he was at a disadvantage now that she was high above him. He replied by jumping.

"Do you ever think twice in what you do?!" she snapped at him, partially because to just see him leap at her was quite the scare when the speed at which he moved from the ground to the air was the same as a blink. Swiftly and gracefully, she twirled her fan in her hands like it was a bo staff, letting it take the impacts while the vibrations of the boy's left leg vibrated the steel, numbing her hands slightly.

Once his right foot landed on the branch, he kept kicking, making the echoes of his boots smashing her fan ring louder, "I'm only thinking about how to beat you!" this time he lowered his left leg on the branch and threw his right leg from its position behind him right at the green eyed girl. Temari actually yelped when, after managing to avoid the strike, she saw the thick tree snap in half from the strike.

Unlike the trees he practiced on when he first discovered his new limitations, this one was far thicker and larger.

She finally jumped back and opened her fan fully yet again, this time biting on her thumb, "I can't believe I have to go this far… Too bad he's the enemy."

With a well-practiced wing, the sight before her became nothing but cut down trees, stumps, and large gashes on both trunks and the floor from the wind blades she unleashed. Naruto could only watch the wind approaching him, ready to slice and dice him like he were ham. At that point, his instincts would have told him to run, dig a hole to hide in, find cover, or try his luck. He had something to try, and it wasn't luck.

Temari watched the blond flexing his legs, putting his entire weight on his right leg with his left leg stretched to the side before switching positions, like he were warming up. And then she saw it, his right leg was oozing wind chakra. The amount was enough to cause the air to ripple and trembled around his limb, creating a small tornado around his ankle and foot.

"Dynamic…" the blond started, not even blinking as the cutting air was inches from his face, "BURST!"

It was a roundhouse kick, a textbook strike that could be mastered into a deadly weapon with enough dedication.

What Temari saw was how that single strike not only hit her attack at full force, but completely dispelled it! Her jaw fell, before she had to pull up her fan to cover herself. Not only had Naruto destroyed her jutsu, he had forced the wind back with his own! This time the kunoichi let out a scream when the wind lifted her up in the air, sending her flying back until she hit her back on a tree.

She gasped breathlessly, her eyes wide at the fact she had been defeated like that. Did he always have that kind of power, had he been saving it for later, or was it just a taste of what he had in store?

Whatever the case… "I… I'm beat…" she breathed out as she slid down the tree, her knees hitting the ground.

But before her face landed on the hard ground, she found herself in the boy's arms… She finally noticed she appeared to be taller than him, and that while younger looking he had very pretty, genuinely caring eyes. She also made sure to remember how strong and warm his arms felt gently holding her up like a princess, and the pleasant-to-touch feel of his muscles achieved through intense training with Gai.

"Damn it, Gai-sensei told me I shouldn't overdo it… Hey, you ok?" he asked, actually looking concerned, "I need you to tell me where your crazy brother and that creep with makeup are going! Please, I can't let them hurt Shikamaru or Sakura."

She gasped, but soon her eyelids seemed to turn into lead from the exhaustion, and when she shut her eyes Naruto knew Temari would be out for some time.

He did worry, though. He couldn't leave a girl alone in the middle of a war. What if some members of his village tried to take her in for interrogation or…

With a groan and a shake of his head, he put the girl on his back along her fan, holding the weapon at his sides, parallel to the ground with his hands gripping each end. Temari sat on it while her chin rested on his neck and her torso on his back… He gulped and tried to ignore the feeling of softness on his back while trying to make out where he was.

"Dammit, I should have asked for them to leave some marks…" he cursed his limited ability to plan ahead.

"Hey, kiddo." Naruto looked down to see… a small dog, "Kakashi sent me. I guess I shall be your guide."

XXXXXX

Shikamaru and Shino had done more than a decent job at keeping Kankuro down. A quick mixture of bugs and using their shadows to get closer to the puppeteer shinobi made it an easy win, especially considering he was fighting ninjas specialized in capturing target and getting information. They did the latter by means Anko herself would love to replicate for far darker uses, and with far more sinister methods.

Hearing Naruto arrive was a relief, but also a surprise seeing who he carried, "T-Temari?! How?!" Kankuro got out, nearly spitting.

Naruto gently laid down the kunoichi before facing his fellow Leaf shinobi, "Take care of her and her brother, I'll go… where's Sakura?" he just noted she was missing.

"She's gone after Sasuke while I dealt with this creep. I'm lucky Shino was right behind me." The ponytailed Nara informed his ally, "It's a little further. Are you sure you're ready to fight that pint-sized creep?"

Shino added his two cents, "It is your call now. We may be able to help, but we also have to take care of these two."

Naruto smiled, "You two got this far after things got out of hand, let me reach a little farther. If I fail I'll just have to find a way to get back up and keep fighting."

Letting out a tired sigh, Shikamaru addressed the stoic brunet, "You'll have to watch over them, though, I'm at my limit."

"Of course." Shino nodded, "In any case, we shall take care of our prisoners while you go on ahead. I wish you the best of luck."

Naruto returned the nod, "Just don't let anything bad happen to you or them."

Kankuro finally spoke up, "You don't even have a chance." He glared at the blond, "You've seen what Gaara did to that Lee guy. What do you think will happen to you when Gaara goes all out? He'll tear your legs off and force you to dry how his sand sucks off the blood."

Naruto put his hands in his pockets, receiving the glare with one of his own, "Did you forget what I said? I'm not going to lose. Gai-sensei didn't teach me just to fight Neji, he did what he claims all teachers should do. He taught me so I could surpass my limits. Right here, right now, Gaara is a limit I will surpass!"

Kankuro snapped, "Are you even listening to himself?! Gaara's not only a limit, he's a barrier, you can't just say you will be stronger than someone like him just because you trained hard!"

Naruto had a massive shit-eating grin, "I told you, didn't I?" he asked while lifting his pants a little, Kankuro's eyes widening at the insane amount of scars Naruto's legs sported. From kicking boulders to running up waterfalls, and the seemingly endless days of training, he hadn't come out unharmed, "I just didn't train… I surpassed my limits."

And true to his words, Kankuro could see a ridiculous amount of muscle on the kid's legs from fighting Gai. They were still lean, flexible, like his arms. However, he'd be a fool to say there wasn't more to it than that.

"Who… What are you…?" Kankuro got out.

Naruto pumped a fist up, "I'm a guy that'll leave his mark in history, that's who I am!"

"As dramatic as you want to be…" the small dog started, drawing everyone's attention to it, "I can smell blood…"

In an instant, Naruto grabbed the dog and started to run off at insane speeds, leaving an afterimage where he once stood. His current companion, Pakkun, started to scream bloody murder while trying to hold on to his yellow haired mode of transportation. The other males could only watch the way the blond disappeared to blankly, feeling like they shouldn't be surprised.

Temari for her part wiggled a bit in her sleep, mumbling softly to herself without anyone listening, "Mmm… hold me… more…" There was a pleasant smile on her face.

The blond for his part arrived to a rather unpleasant sight. Gaara had turned into some monstrosity with large, thick arms made of sand, Sakura was constricted by some of it against a tree, and Sasuke was beyond exhausted. Not only that, the mark left on him by Orochimaru was showing, making Naruto worry.

"D-Damn it… I can't lose… I can't let him… hurt…" the dark haired boy panted in pain, putting a hand on his marked shoulder as he tried to move forward.

He felt Naruto's hand on his shoulder, and turned to see the blond with a confident smile, "You got this far… let me take it from here."

"Wait, he's too strong for you to do it alone!" Sasuke got out.

The blond turned to him with that smile still there, and a more serious look on his face, "Then you take over if I fall! Right now you can't save Sakura like that, so let me give it my all until I pass out!"

NARUTO UZUMAKI VS. GAARA OF THE SAND

NO BETS! PERSIST OR PERISH!

ROUND 1!

BEGIN!

Gaara's already distorted grin widened, bloodlust and madness mixing in his deformed face's eyes, "You… You're the one… whose blood mother wants most!"

Naruto got into his stance, "Try and take it, Momma's Boy!"

The fight started with Gaara throwing the first attack, trying to put Naruto in a cocoon of sand. But Naruto wasn't even there, he was hovering above Gaara with a leg up and the rest of his body curled into a ball for balance. The sand controlling Jinchuuriki gasped and brought his arms up, hoping to stop the kick. What he saw left him horrified when Naruto's wind infused leg cut right through!

"Gah!" The petit redhead got out when the whiskered kick specialist's heel met his shoulder, drawing some blood. Gaara was at least smart enough to get some distance after that, "First that Uchiha… now you! I will drain every drop of your blood and bathe my sand with it!" he wasn't sensible enough to not let his anger control him.

"Dynamic…" Naruto didn't respond with words, he responded with actions.

Naruto had once again appeared right in front of Gaara, not even leaving a second to go to waste for the redhead to catch his breath. He was up and personal with both knees bent into his chest, his feet aimed at Gaara. The ring-eyed Jinchuuriki, knowing Naruto could use wind to get through his defenses, tried to capture the nine-tailed fox's whiskered container by the legs and break them.

"Scream for me!" Gaara hollered, his grin growing even wider and more demented.

Naruto obliged, "STRIKE!"

When Gaara's sand managed to wrap itself around his fellow tailed beast carrier's legs, he could only widen his eyes even more when his sand was blasted back. It wasn't just going through his sand, Naruto's legs were so strong they blew every single grain back, like a shotgun blast! And this time, Gaara was hit yet again not by wind, but by pure and simple brute force!

The raw power behind the other boy's feet cracked the sand armor the psychotic redhead took pride on. Gaara felt his stomach rise to his throat, his mouth wide open to let out a mouthful of spit and whatever air he had in his lungs. His back crashed into a tree, which was tilted down because of the force, the sheer impact forcing its roots out. Naruto simply landed on another branch and took his stance yet again.

Sasuke was more than stunned, "This is insane… how far did he push himself to get that strong?" just seeing it made him feel weak on the knees.

Gaara growled as he got up, using his two enormous sand arms to get back on his feet. When he did, he let out a roar of pure fury, "W-What makes this so different from when I faced that guy?! Answer me, Naruto Uzumaki! How are you hurting me?!"

Naruto glared at the desert boy, lifting his right knee, "I kicked you."

Gaara snapped, "Stop mocking me!" he screamed, summoning several sand spikes to skewer the blond with.

"And…" the blond continued, his eyes growing serious, "I know too well what it means to lose, I have always felt like a loser. I never had anyone in my whole life as I grew up, but do you see me complaining?! It's not a matter of what you had before you lose it! It's a matter of how you use what you have, no matter what it is, and push yourself forward!"

Sasuke could only observe in awe as Naruto's right leg shot forward in a blur of movement, getting as many of the sandy projectiles and breaking them. His left leg followed soon after as he shifted his stance to get others, swiftly kicking without lowering his foot on the ground. It didn't matter at what angle or how many came at him, Naruto's legs were fast enough to get every single spike.

Growing tired, Gaara summoned all the sand around him and lifted his hand, a cocoon the side of a house covering the tree Naruto was in, and swiftly closing in, "Die a thousand deaths!" Gaara shouted, his eyes vibrating out of sheer insanity while he heard the sound of branches breaking under the pressure.

The Uchiha expected to hear his teammate's screams of agony, and he did hear him scream, "Dynamic… BURST!"

Gaara's jaw nearly hit the floor when a large portion of his sand was blasted back, and from the hole a certain blond jumped out, looking winded but still alive. Naruto fell down to one knee on the branch he landed, breathing deeply but keeping a cheeky grin. This time, Gaara didn't try to form coherent sentences with whatever control he had, he just let out a scream of blood curdling hatred.

"Argh… GRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

The blond winced when sand started to swarm all around Gaara, flying towards the redhead, 'Damn it, I can't keep going on like this. Neji, Temari, and now this freak… I've gone full force like this from the start.' The whiskered kicker ground his teeth as the sand became an immense dune, and balled his hands into fists, 'No… I can still keep going, this is another limit I have to surpass. I still have th-'

Naruto's mind went blank when before him emerged a gigantic sand raccoon with pure malice in its eyes. The fox's carrier cursed in his head while the creature just seemed to grow more and more. And on its forehead, fused into the sand like a red haired pimple, was Gaara. Whatever control Naruto thought he had was most likely gone, so he expected the worst.

And the worst came when the raccoon roared in laughter after, you guessed it, being set free of the unstable seal holding it back, "Gyahahahaha! I'm back, baby!" it cheered before narrowing its eyes at the blond, "And you… I'm not just going to crush you, I'm going to make you scream in pain until your heart pops out of your mouth! Kyahahahaha!"

Naruto growled, "So you're like that nine-tailed bastard living inside me for free." He got into his stance, narrowing his eyes at the large monster, "Fine then, this'll teach me how strong I am compared to one of you!"

Sasuke shouted at him, "Naruto, don't! We can't possibly win against such a monster! We have to retreat!"

"Then Sakura will die!" Naruto retorted before glaring at the raccoon, "I don't want to lose to this oversized plushy! Even less if it means I have to watch someone die again! I won't let what happened to Zabuza and Haku repeat here!"

"Stop babbling!" the raccoon shouted, raising its gigantic paw to crush the blond underneath it. And then, it saw Naruto jump at it, "Kyahaha! Idiot, you can't best me midair with strength alone!"

"Wanna bet?!" Naruto yelled back, readying his right leg, "Dynamic Burst!"

The two limbs made contact, with Naruto's wind chakra preventing him from sinking into the sand. The towering Tanuki had to bite back a gasp when his arm hit a force equal to the one he used, cancelling both strikes. He wasn't mad, he was furious! A single human had matched his strength?! As if being the laughing stock of the fox wasn't enough!

"I told you, it won't work!" the raccoon shouted, throwing his other hand at the blond.

Naruto tried to ready his other leg, but had some trouble, he needed to catch his breath, "D-Damn it… I can't-"

Sasuke's arm fell limply to his sides at what he saw. Shikamaru and Shino gaped at the sight after recently arriving with a captured Temari and Kankuro, said now conscious blonde girl and her brother equally shocked at what they saw. Naruto for his part could only curse mentally as his body was slammed so hard on the ground he left a hole in its shape, while a bigger hole in the shape of the raccoon's palm surrounded it.

"Shit! How do we even beat this thing?!" Sasuke asked, grabbing his left arm, "If only I had enough strength for another… but that damn sand…"

"Naruto!" Shikamaru cried, trying to reach the blond only to be stopped by Shino.

"Wait, it'd be suicide to get in that monster's sight!" the stoic Aburame said, but the way he trembled said he was doing his best to keep himself in line.

Kankuro and Temari could only silently see their little brother fully unleashed as the monster their village saw him as.

However, someone had some words, "Not… yet…" Naruto groaned, forcing himself to his feet with a bleeding forehead and his mouth wide open to get some air to his lungs, "I've still… got one last trick to show you…" he said as he took his headband off his right biceps.

Shukaku stared at him with a smile and a condescending laugh, "Bwahahaha… you're a riot, kid! But sure, go ahead! I want to have fun!"

Naruto jumped to the nearest tree, and once on a branch he threw his headband up, "Sorry, everyone… I wanted to keep this hidden until I fought at the final round…" he undid his vest and let it fall, showing that underneath it he had an orange muscle shirt. He threw his arms back, letting the vest slide down.

A sense of déjà vu hit the tailed beast when the vest fell down and hit the floor… causing it to shatter and shoot large spikes of dirt up! Naruto's vest was covered in weights like Rock Lee used!

"W-What?!" the Tanuki asked in disbelief, "How?!"

Naruto caught his headband, putting it on his waist like a belt, the metal plate acting as a buckle, "I asked Gai-sensei to go all out when training me me…" he rolled his shoulders to get the stiffness out, "Sadly, using that vest tires me out pretty quickly since I haven't trained as long as Lee. But now you won't be able to catch me…" he smirked, "This time I can really go all out!"

NARUTO UZUMAKI VS. SHUKAKU THE ONE-TAILED RACCOON

STAND UP OR FALL DEAD!

ROUND 1!

BEGIN!

"Dynamic…" Naruto started, getting into a crouched position while he accumulated wind chakra to his legs, "FEATHER!"

He jumped, but it wasn't like he did so, it was more like he just flew straight into the sky! In a split second the boy was five stories above the raccoon's head with a single leap.

However, "Moron, you're an easy target midair! Haven't you realized that already?!" the raccoon roared, swatting one hand at the blond.

And Naruto knew what he meant, "Dynamic Feather…" he had his head aimed straight at the raccoon, and bent both knees to his chest, "DANCE!"

To kick logic out of the way, Naruto had trained hard, harder than he ever had not only to become stronger and surpass his limits, but to make the Dynamic Arts his. That is why when he extended his legs, with his feet coated in wind chakra, he jumped in the air!

Shukaku was baffled when the boy zipped past his strike and right at his head where Gaara was, leaving behind a gust of air in the shape of a feather where his foot had been, "What the Hell?!" the Tanuki roared and tried to grab Naruto, only for the blond to immediately change directions with another kick to the air, and return to his target with a third kick.

"Dynamic…" Naruto readied his right foot, the wind surrounding it becoming a miniature tornado around his chin.

"Like I'd let you win so easily!" Shukaku roared, sand shooting from his body in solid spikes to turn the kid into a human Swiss cheese.

"BURST!" this time not only did the spikes get blown into dispersing dust, but every shinobi present and the giant sand monster gaped when said raccoon stepped back with a chunk of its shoulder missing!

"How?!" Shukaku grunted, trying to reform his shoulder with all the sand it could summon to close the hole.

Naruto was in front of it, lightly bouncing in the air with the balls of his feet, like he were doing a warm-up. But one could see that his feet oozed wind chakra, which he used to kick the air beneath his feet. Beneath his soles 'feathers' made of wind fluttered before disappearing. And the boy's face wasn't even an angry or cocky one, he was dead serious.

"Your sand, Neji's Byakugan, they're all barriers, limits…" Naruto said to the enormous monster, "I trained not to break those limits and leave it at that, I wanted to surpass you! That is why Gai-sensei trained me in the Dynamic Arts, so not only could I go beyond the limit they had, but to make them my own! Don't you dare mock those that work hard, we are too stubborn to give up!"

"Let's see you handle this!" Shukaku hollered, inflating its gut.

Shukaku let loose a massive air bubble with the speed of a cannonball and far more destructive power. Using his jumping ability, Naruto zipped out of its way, though not without seeing trees fly off by the force. He landed on top of a tree to quickly catch his breath, mentally cursing at the fact he had just taken off his vest, not miraculously recovered his energy.

"D-Damn it… I can't get hit by it, but…" the blond looked at his teammates, all tired from their respective fights or lacking the means to fight the monster, not to mention Sakura had already gone limp.

"So that's how it is…" Temari said, "I noticed he wasn't going all out with me. He is right, wearing that vest tired him out, but he also didn't hold back from the start."

Shikamaru clenched his jaw, "That idiot… he just pushed himself too much. He won't be able to keep going."

"No, you're wrong." Shino said.

Kankuro stared at him like the Aburame had grown a second head, "Are you blind? He's at his limit, he may as well have been bluffing from the start."

Shino shook his head, "I believe in what Naruto said, about training to surpass his limits. If I know him well, he'll give everything he has in this next strike, and if that doesn't work, he'll give even more in the next."

"You're making this too easy!" Shukaku cackled, "Now scream for me!"

The raccoon swept his arm, trying to get the blond yet again. "Screw it!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping high into the air yet again, "It doesn't matter what happens to me so long as I take you down!"

In a show of either bravery or stupidity, Naruto jumped at the arm and ran over it, surprising the raccoon. Shukaku growled, "Get off, you damn insect!" he summoned sand spikes to try to skewer the blond or at least stop him. If he did, he could properly sink and crush the boy in his sand body. However, Naruto's legs were still infused with wind chakra, making it hard for the sand to get a hold of him.

When he found his first obstacle, Naruto's thought was to charge through, by jumping right at it with a flying kick. Towering and powerful as he could be, Shukaku knew that if the fox's carrier reached Gaara and woke him up, it'd be over for him. He raised his other arm and tried to smash the boy like he were actually a bug. And despite the sand slowing him down, Naruto didn't stop.

"Dynamic Feather!" Naruto soared into the air, spinning his body to have his feet aimed at the leg about to crush him, "MORNING BIRD!"

Everyone, even the towering demon, felt like a tiny bit inside of them died at such a name. Then again, the boy had been trained by Gai, and it showed when his feet, cutting the air like talons, landed on the raccoon's palm and sent it flying back. Shukaku gasped before Naruto jumped midair, flying right at him and Gaara.

And then, the raccoon smirked, "You're too easy to read!" he cackled, inflating his stomach, "All you do is charge forward!"

"It's all I need!" Naruto said, jumping straight at the redhead on the raccoon's head.

"Try and escape this!" Shukaku roared as he leaned his head back, before spitting another large air bubble.

Without stopping his charge, Naruto positioned his body and brought up his right leg, stretching his left leg backwards in an airborne split. "I won't need to!" he turned his legs to spin his body, making his legs spin too. Wind chakra gathered around his feet, creating a whirlwind around him, a circle of air getting cut from the speed, the motion, and his chakra. And the more he spun, the faster he became.

"This is it!" Shino exclaimed, "This is what Naruto must have wanted to put everything into!"

How right he was. "Dynamic… RUSH!"

The genin present gaped at what they saw, Naruto had turned his body into a buzz saw, cutting the air as he sailed right at Gaara in a spinning motion. Soon the kid's feet made contact with the condensed air cannonball, but didn't stop spinning!

"What?!" Shukaku gasped as not only did Naruto not fly back, but he broke straight through his attack!

Shikamaru trembled for a bit, "By constantly spinning like that, he gives consecutive strikes to anything in his path… Only he could come up with something that ridiculous and dangerous."

Shukaku was having none of it, "You won't make a fool of me!" he shouted, trying to once again swat aside the blond, only that this time his hand came off! "I-Impossible!" the tailed beast roared, watching in fear as the blond kept going right at Gaara.

"Wake!" Naruto was right in front of the redhead, still spinning, "Up!"

Temari and Kankuro winced when the blond Jinchuuriki's heel smacked on their brother's head. Though Naruto was kind enough to cut the chakra supply to his leg for that last strike.

Shukaku could only scream while he returned to his seal, fear and anger all over his face.

Gaara woke up slowly, to see Naruto beaming at him, victory all over the blue eyed genin's face.

XXXXXX

And that's my rap!

I hope you enjoyed the ridiculousness of this chapter. I may stop this story here and leave it like that since, like I said, I don't want to run this idea dry and it wasn't easy to get this going. At least I find myself satisfied with this, I think I did pretty well for the most part. If you don't like it, be kind enough to leave a suggestion on how to improve it.

Also, yes, I took inspiration from One Piece for some of the Dynamic Arts.

Now comes something to spice things up, for me at least. This will have some crossover themed omakes at the end using the concept of Naruto having to use only kicks to fight. Yes, I'm afraid to say I'm more comfortable working with odd crossovers.

I had fun writing these, so if you do too that'll be a nice bonus.

XXXXXX

(Teen Titans)

"How did I get here?!"

Naruto was baffled, one moment he had been fighting Sasuke and doing a good job at planting his feet on the Uchiha's face, and the next he was in a big and odd city. What kind of city had such tall buildings with only windows and concrete walls? None of them had nicely decorated roofs or even a lick of life to them. Then again, people wore even weirder clothing he never thought he'd see.

"Oh, what do we have here? Aren't you cute?" said a girl with pale gray skin, a slim and thin but quite cute body adorned with pink hair. Her pink cat-like eyes did draw his attention, almost as much as the fact she had styled her bubblegum colored hair into a pair of large horns, and she had an outfit best fit for a witch of some Goth comic.

Beside her were a bald boy that barely reached the blond teen's knee, clad in a green jumpsuit with goggles on his forehead and a steel backpack. Behind the two was a large teen with a wild mane of brown hair, a sleeveless black outfit, a goatee, and a towering body made entirely of muscle.

Naruto blushed, though. A girl called him cute? Him? Either it was his lucky day or…

The larger teen grinned, "Too bad you're in the way." He said, grabbing a lamp post, ripping it effortlessly off the street to try to smash Naruto in the face. Our whisker-faced hero merely replied by casually throwing his leg to the side, splitting the thick metal in half. The enormous teen before him stared at the clean cut on his half, while the other rolled behind Naruto.

With his guard now up, the blond smirked at the three before him, "Well, I just needed to stretch my legs."

(Avatar: the Last Airbender)

"ORA! Ora, ora, ora, ora!"

The shout of a single boy in the middle of a village alerted three young ladies around his age. Their leader had her hair done in a bone with a flame-shaped piece, sharp golden eyes, and quite a blooming body in a set of armor with a Chinese design to it. By her side was a brunette with her hair in a braid wearing a pink outfit walking on her hands, and a stoic girl with her hair done in buns with knives in her hands.

They saw a platoon of men in red armor with a fire motif flying back while a yellow haired youth kicked them down, panting a bit, "Dammit, it had to be fire…" he resisted the urge to groan and got into a stance, bouncing on the balls of his feet, "Guess it'll have to be the old way."

"Well, well, well, aren't you confident?" the more regal of the girls said, walking confidently to him while flanked by the other two.

Naruto deadpanned, "Ok, what's your gimmick?"

The girl raised a delicate eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"Three stunning girls are talking to me after I beat these bad guys, that's already too good to be true, and you're dressed like them." He said simply, "Though I'm hoping you're not with them considering they wanted to burn this village to find some avatar… whatever that is."

The girl smiled, "I am Azula. These are Ty Lee and Mai, and you are in luck. I do like a compliment, so I'll simply put you in a cell… after having some fun." Her hands were engulfed in blue flames while the brunette got into a stance that gave our whiskered hero flashbacks to his fight with Neji, and the stern looking girl simply readied her knives with a cold glare.

Naruto shuddered, 'Ugh, I'm getting a real bad Anko-vibe from this chick.'

(Street Fighter)

Walking the busy streets of a big city without panicking was hard given Naruto's situation.

"Come on, think, how do I get back home?" he asked himself out loud while walking down a bridge.

At that moment he heard the sound of fighting and looked around to find a girl surrounded by thugs. Before he could help her she had already started to beat them to a pulp. She had a mop of short brown hair, a sailor school uniform, and a white headband. What was stunning, besides her curvaceous legs and cute tomboyish appearance, was that she didn't break a sweat to take down ten guys.

"Well, that was a good work out." She said, taking a deep breath before noticing Naruto. The boy stepped back in surprise when she smirked, "What is it? Up for round 2?"

"Listen, I just want to get home… Umm…"

"Name's Sakura, Sakura Kasugano."

"Wait! Sakura, really?" he took the information in slowly, "Huh, small world…"

"That being said…" she tapped her fists together, which were covered by red fighting gloves, "You look strong. Want to fight?"

Naruto looked at her, feeling an urge to grin back, "Sure, I guess I can kill some time." he got into his stance, "Don't expect me to lose, Sakura-chan."

"Already this friendly? Heh, I like you… Ok, go for it. Wouldn't ask for it to be any other way."

(RWBY)

"The Hell?"

Naruto was confused when a man with a fine suit and bowler hat asked that. Said man had a cane, and his orange hair done in a way that covered his left eye. Beside him was a dark-skinned, green haired girl with a couple of sickles in her hand, and a gray haired lad who took a stance like the whiskered boy's. Naruto just knew things had to be bad given several people with white masks were there too.

The girl continued, "That isn't going to cut it." she told a man in a black suit with red hair, a mask like the others, and a katana sheathed in his left hand.

The masked redhead spoke up, "That's all you're getting until we get our part. We had a deal and-"

And Naruto had to be stupid enough to kick a nearby can down the balcony he was hiding on, getting all eyes on him. He gave everyone a nervous smile, and in turn everyone aimed their weapons at the blue eyed Jinchuuriki. Guess it was time to use the good old fashioned charm.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to see-" and he had to end his sentence there when the gray haired boy tried to kick him. Naruto surprised him by stopping the strike with his shin.

"Not bad, Mercury, you're equal to a little kid." The girl said with a smirk, twirling her weapons in her hands.

Naruto readied his legs, "This is going to be a long day, isn't it?"

XXXXXX

Swordslinger out!