"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Demon/Summon/inner Sakura speech
Demon/Summon thoughts
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters created by Kishimoto, but all OC's are my own creation.
lpride21: Naruto's level is that of a typical average Jounin, but he lacked speed (at least until his training with Kushina). During his fight with Neji he held back his more powerful jutsu at Hinata's request, and he also wanted to find out why Neji hated Hinata, also at the end Naruto was able to move his entire body at about the same speed as Neji's hands (which is pretty fast since you have an easier time just moving the arms and hands at fast speeds compared to the entire body).
desslok69 : Really that's the trend now? I didn't know that. Anyway I do have a reason for bringing Minato back, I can't say any more than this or I'll give away too much of the story.
Dragon and Sword Master: Sorry but I can't really answer that without giving too much away, but I will tell you that I have plans for Tayuya.
Authors note: Sorry about the long wait I was really busy during the month of November and didn't have much free time to write, then my internet went down for two weeks. It just wasn't my month.
Now on with the story
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 29: Sin's of the Father!
Deep in the Forest outside of Konoha, Kin stood on the top branch of one of the trees and fixed her gaze in the direction of the explosion that happened a few moment ago before she thought 'So the invasion has already begun?'
Kin then let out an aggravated sigh and scratched the back of her head before she thought 'Damn it what the hell am I still doing here?! That girl's comments couldn't be bothering me that much… could they?'
(Flashback- 6 A.M. on the morning of the exam)
As the morning rays of sunshine started to peak through the windows, Kin's eyes shot open when she heard the door to her room open. The moment she got out of bed Naruto, Haku, Wolf, and Hawk came through the open door and entered the room. Kin looked at the group and got a stern look on her face before she said "And to what do I owe the honor of your visit at such an early hour?"
Wolf walked up to Kin and said "Kushina-sama has come to a decision about you."
"I see." said Kin as she got a defiant look in her eyes and got into her fighting stance before she added "I guess that means you've come to kill me huh? Well I won't go down without a fight!
Wolf shook her head and brought her hand up in a stopping motion before she said "Whoa hold up there girl. Kushina-sama decided to leave your fate up to the one who captured you, ok."
"The one who… captured me?" questioned Kin as she lowered her guard slightly and got a curious look on her face before she shifted her gaze over towards Naruto.
When Naruto saw Kin look in his direction he got a smile on his face and said "That's right… she left your fate up to me Kin-san."
"And what have YOU decided?" asked Kin as she raised her guard again and waited for his answer.
Naruto brought his right hand up to his chin before he got a serious look on his face and said "Hmmm… what have I decided? Well after talking it over with Haku-chan, who's gotten to know you so well over that past month, I've decided…"
Naruto then got a big smile on his face as he said "To let you go."
Kin got a curious look on her face as she said "You're letting me go, just like that? What's the catch?"
"No catch, As I said after talking it over with Haku-chan, coupled with your actions when Orochimaru came after you, I've decided to let you go. I just hope you're able to find some happiness in your life." said Naruto as his smile got a sincere quality to it.
Kin narrowed her eyes at Naruto and gestured towards Haku as she said "Happiness? Sounds like you've been talking to that silly girl for too long. That kind of sentimentality is for fools."
"Hey.." said Naruto before Haku put her hand on his shoulder and said "Let me handle this Naruto-kun."
"But…" said Naruto as he looked over his shoulder but when he saw the look on Haku's face he nodded his head and said "I understand, I'll leave this to you."
Haku got a faint smile on her face and mouthed the word 'Thank-you' before she turned her attention to Kin and with a stern look on her face she said "You think finding happiness is foolish do you? Well let me tell you something Kin-san, I've been down the survival road before and I know that it leaves a gnawing and empty void in the back of your mind. That cold and dark feeling is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."
"SO, what's your point?" snapped an aggravated Kin as she put her hands on her hips and started to tap her left foot.
Haku closed her eyes and shook her head slightly before she opened them again and sighed "My POINT is, that once you find someone precious to you and give you life some meaning, the resulting happiness that follows fills that empty and cold void."
Kin shrugged her shoulders as she said "Humph, sounds like a load of crap to me."
"Crap huh? Well then why don't you come with us and find out for yourself?" countered Haku as she crossed her arms over her chest and gave Kin a look that just dared her to say no.
Kin eyed Haku for a moment before she said "And if I join you, what's in it for me?"
Haku's look never faltered as she said "You mean aside from having three square meals a day, a warm place to sleep at night, and the fact that you wouldn't have to worry about us knifing you in the back. The only other thing we can offer you is the chance to see what I've been talking about."
Kin got a questioning look on her face as she said "What? You think that just because you saved me from Orochimaru I'd trust you not to stab me in the back? Are you really that naïve?"
"Haku-chan's not naïve! We just figured that since we've always kept our word with you. You wouldn't be so suspicious of us." snapped Naruto as he gave Kin a harsh glare.
Kin shifted her attention to Naruto before she said "Trust doesn't come that easy kid."
Naruto got an annoyed look on his face but before he could respond Haku took a step towards Kin and said "That may be so, but wouldn't you'd rather risk that than go through the rest of your life with that cold and empty feeling?"
Kin hardened her gaze and crossed her arms over her chest before she said "Humph! You think THAT would cause me to change my mind?"
"I guess not…" mumbled Haku as she lowered her gaze to the floor.
When Naruto saw Haku's sad expression he came to a decision. He looked over at Kin and said "Well then I guess it's decided. Wolf and Hawk will escort you out of Konoha and release you in the woods before the invasion starts. Once your free you can go wherever you want."
As Naruto turned to leave Haku looked at Kin one last time before she said "Farewell then Kin-san. I wish you well on your travels, and if you should ever change your mind, and wish to see what it's like when you have someone special in your life. My offer will still stand."
(End Flashback)
Kin let out a sigh and shifted her gaze toward the sky and thought 'Does having someone precious in your life really effect you that much? It just seems that they would be a hindrance to me, but the idea of steady meals, and not having to worry about being stabbed in the back… does sound appealing.'
(Rooftop somewhere in Konoha)
'Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit! SHIT!! Of all the freaking people I have to run into why the hell did it have to be HIM?! Speaking of which… how the hell is he still alive?! I thought that jutsu he used to seal Baa-chan in me cost him his life.' thought Naruto but his thoughts where soon interrupted when he felt the cold metal of a kunai press up against is neck.
Naruto's eyes widened in fear before he slowly turned his head so he could look over his right shoulder and saw Minato standing there. He then got a look of horror on his face as he thought 'What the hell?! When did he get behind me? I didn't even see him move!'
Minato got a solemn look on his face and said "You let yourself become distracted Naruto, and that will cost you your life."
But just as Minato was about to slit Naruto's throat, his left hand started to shake and after a few moments a visible strain appeared on his face before his fingers forcibly opened, this caused the kunai to fall from his hand. As the kunai fell to the ground Minato quickly shifted his position and landed a hard side kick to Naruto's back which sent him crashing to the ground.
Once Naruto skidded to a halt, about ten feet from where he was kicked, he picked himself off the ground, and turned to face Minato. He then narrowed his eyes before he wiped some dirt from his lip and with a little venom in his voice he said "Slitting my throat and having my blood spill out isn't good enough huh?! What… need to make the little 'DEMON' suffer more before you finish him off?!! HEH! That should make you the village's hero all over again!! "
'Naruto… what did they do to you to cause this kind of reaction?' thought Minato before his eyes widened in realization and he mumbled "I see.. so not only was your family taken from you, but the villagers really did hold you in contempt. Then my worst fears have been realized…"
"What a minute!!" said Naruto as he suddenly realized what Minato was talking about. He then felt a boiling rage build inside before he narrowed his eyes and shouted "YOU MEAN YOU KNEW!!! You knew all along how I would be treated and YOU did nothing to prevent it!!"
Minato got a guilty look on his face and lowered his head slightly before he said "I suspected yes…, I knew how other Jinchuuriki were treated, but I had hoped our village would be different. I guess I was wrong."
"You GUESS you were wrong?!" growled Naruto as he clenched his teeth and balled his right hand into a fist before he thought 'That BASTARD! He…, he really did know how they were going to treat me and he did it anyway!!'
Minato felt sick to his stomach when he saw the look of anger, pain and betrayal on Naruto's face. But when he took a step towards Naruto several senbon came out of nowhere and headed straight for him. Minato hopped backwards just in time for the senbon to miss him and imbed themselves into the roof tile at his feet. Minato casually looked in the direction the senbon came from just in time to see Haku land on the rooftop.
The moment Naruto saw Haku a look of panic crossed his face before he turned to face her and shouted "Haku-chan get out of here!! HE'S out of our league!!"
"Wha…?" was all Haku was able to say before Minato suddenly appeared behind her and delivered a chop to the back of her neck which rendered her unconscious.
As Haku collapsed to the floor Minato got a sad look on his face and muttered "I have no desire to hurt you… but I cannot let you interfere."
"Haku-chan!!!" shouted Naruto as he saw Haku's unconscious body hit the ground. When Naruto saw Minato start to kneel down to get closer to her, he clenched his fists so hard that they visibly started to shake and as the Shodai's necklace, around his neck, started to glow he shouted "Don't you dare lay one more FINGER ON HER!!"
The moment Minato felt a huge chakra surge he immediately shifted his gaze to the source of the surge, Naruto. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as he saw a mixture of blue and red Chakra swirl around Naruto, before a single chakra tail emerged. Then as even more chakra sprang forth from Naruto a second chakra tail formed, quickly followed by a third, and then a fourth tail.
As the fifth tail emerged Naruto's whisker like marks started to deepen and become bolder, his eyes turned from their normal blue color to blood red while his pupils stretched and elongated into a slits, his nails grew longer and became as sharp as a blade. When the fifth tail finally finished forming the red and blue chakra, swirling around Naruto took on the form of an anthropomorphic fox.
When the transformation was complete Naruto fixed his gaze on Minato and growled "I don't care if you are the Yondaime Hokage! If you take one more step towards Haku-chan… I WILL KILL YOU!!"
'Naruto…' thought a wide eyed Minato before he got a smile on his face. He then glanced down at Haku and said "She really means a lot to you doesn't she Naruto?"
Naruto moved his fingers slightly before he narrowed his eyes and said "This is your last warning! Back away from Haku-chan or else…"
"Or else what Naruto… we both know you're not fast enough. So what do you plan to do?" asked Minato as his eyes widened in surprise when Naruto suddenly appeared in front of him and tried to nail him with a fist to the face.
Minato easily avoided the blow before he jumped away from Naruto to get some distance. He then carefully examined Naruto before he thought 'Interesting, he's so much faster than he was before, Kyuubi-sama's chakra couldn't have increased his speed that much… could it?'
It was at this moment that Minato noticed that Naruto had moved between himself and the unconscious Haku. A faint smile appeared on Minato's face and as he got into his fighting stance he said "I see… you have indeed inherited the will of fire Naruto. Now let us see the strength of that resolve."
(Chunin Exam Stadium)
Jiraiya shifted his gaze between the two grayed out bodies of the Shodai and Nidaime, who had emerged from the coffins that Orochimaru had summoned just a few moments ago. He turned his attention toward Orochimaru, who still had his gaze fixed in the direction that Kushina went, and said "Have you sunk so low that you won't even fight your own battles Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru got a snake-like smile on his face and turned his attention towards Jiraiya before he said "Still resorting to your childish taunts eh? I see you haven't changed at all… but that doesn't matter now. With those two out of the way, no one can come to your rescue! Ku! Ku! Ku! Ku!"
Jiraiya's eyes grew wide in surprise as he said "You mean that you planned for Kushina and Tsunade to go save Naruto?!"
Orochimaru's smile got even bigger and said "Ah, I see even someone as feeble minded as you can even comprehend this huh Jiraiya?"
It was at this moment that the Nidaime slowly fixed his gaze on Jiraiya and with a dead tone in his voice said "Jiraiya? You've gotten so much older than the last time we met."
Meanwhile the Shodai slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Orochimaru and with a dead tone in his voice said "So this stripling is the one who reanimated us… impressive."
The Nidaime kept his gaze on Jiraiya and with no emotion in his voice said "Then that means we must fight you… Jiraiya."
Jiraiya got a grim look on his face and shifted into his fighting stance as he said "Shodai-sama, Nidaime-sama, I am sorry for what I must do."
"Oh enough of this sentimental garbage. Why don't we get started?" said Orochimaru as he pulled out two kunai with tags attached to the hilts.
As Orochimaru drew closer the Shodai just stared straight ahead and with no emotion what so ever he said "So another war… even in this era."
Orochimaru got a smile on his face and as he jammed the kunai into the back of their heads he said "Heh, heh, heh, You know you like it."
The moment the kunais were embedded into their skulls, steam started to emit from the Shodai and Nidaime's bodies as color returned to their skin and life returned to them.
Jiraiya heightened his guard and narrowed his eyes as he thought 'Now that their souls have been suppressed they'll become perfect killing machines. I'll have to keep on my toes if I want to survive this.'
Mere moments after Orochimaru removed his hands from the back of their heads, the Shodai did a series of hand-seals before he said "Mokuton: Daijurin no Jutsu!!" (Wood Style: Great Forest Technique)
A large mass of wooden spikes extended from the Shodai's arm, but just before the spikes made contact Jiraiya jumped over them and then did a handspring off the spikes. The momentum of the handspring was enough to propel himself towards the Hokages. As Jiraiya drew closer he did a series of hand-seals and said "Fuuton: Daitoppa!!" (Wind style: Great Breakthrough)
The Shodai and Nidaime shielded their faces as a powerful gust of wind came out of Jiraiya's mouth. The two Hokage's were caught off guard by the sheer force of the wind and got knocked off their feet.
The moment Jiraiya touched the ground he immediately turned to face the Shodai, who was to his left, before he did another series of hand-seals and said "Katon: Endan!" (Fire style: Fireball)
As the flames engulfed the Shodai, the Nidaime got to his feet and channeled his chakra as his hands formed the proper seals before he said "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" (Water style: Water Dragon Projectile Technique)
Jiraiya immediately turned around as a blue orb of chakra formed in his right hand before he charged at the Nidaime and said "Rasengan!"
The Rasengan plowed right through the water dragon, which sent the water flying in all directions, until it came in contact with the Nidaime's armor. The moment this happened the armor cracked and started to split before the Nidaime was sent flying across the roof until he came in contact with the barrier and burst into flames.
Jiraiya looked at the two burning bodies and when they didn't move a curious look crossed his face as he thought 'Is that it? I thought Edo Tensei (Resurrection of the Impure World) could only be stopped by…'
Jiraiya's thoughts were interrupted when he saw the two Hokages stand and as their burnt and damaged flesh started to regenerate, Jiraiya shifted back into his fighting stance and got a serious look on his face as he thought 'Well looks like I was right. It seems the only way to stop them is to remove the seal tags imbedded in their heads, but the question is… just how do I do that?'
(Several Blocks Away From The Stadium)
Tsunade knocked another Oto Shinobi out of her way and continued to jump along the rooftops as she said "Damn it these guys are slowing me down!"
Just then Tsuande skidded to a halt as a man in a black cloak and wearing an ANBU mask landing right in front of her, he was quickly followed by at least eight Oto shinobi. Tsunade fixed her gaze on the one wearing the ANBU mask before she cracked her knuckles and said "Step aside or suffer the consequences."
The man wearing the ANBU mask slowly removed it and in a condescending voice said "I'm afraid I can't do that Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade's eyes widened in shock as she saw the silver hair and the round glasses on his face, she then narrowed her gaze at the man before she said "Kabuto…"
But before Tsuande could react a figure wearing a black cloak with a hood that kept the upper part of his face shrouded in shadow while a facemask covered the rest, landed in-between the two. The figure kept his gaze fixed on Kabuto as he said "Please leave this to me Tsunade-sama. Surely you've felt the use of Kyuubi-sama's chakra, and know the situation with Naruto-sama must be dire."
The moment the figure finished speaking Kushina landed beside Tsunade and took one look at the figure before she said "Where the hell have you been Shadow?! After you were released from the hospital you just disappeared!"
Shadow's gaze never left Kabuto as he said "My apologies Kushina-sama, but after my failure in the forest, I decided that some… personal training was in order."
"Personal training?" asked Kushina as she arced her right eyebrow.
Shadow nodded his head while he noted the position of all of the Oto shinobi, before he said "Hai Kushina-sama, I've been preparing myself for the moment Oto and Suna would attack. I WILL not fail you again…"
"Shadow…" said Kushina as she got a sorrowful expression on her face.
"Hey! We don't have time for this! Need I remind you who's after Naru-chan?" interrupted Tsunade as she kept her eyes of the group in front of them.
Kabuto used his middle finger to push up his glasses and as his lips curled into a smirk he said "Now, now, no need to rush them Tsunade-sama. After all they don't have long to live."
Kushina narrowed her eyes at Kabuto and said "Confident aren't we, Shadow why don't you show him just what he's up against."
"With pleasure Kushina-sama..." said Shadow as he did a series of hand-seals before he looked at Kabuto and added "I'm sure you'll remember this one Kabuto. Kage Heru Kourin no Jutsu!" (Shadow's Hell Descent)
Kabuto's eyes widened in recognition and he jumped out of the way just as a dark shadowy pool appeared at the spot where he was standing before it spread out and encompassed all eight Oto shinobi.
Before any of Kabuto's men could react black tendrils shot out of the giant pool and wrapped around the shinobi's ankles, wrists, waist, and neck. The shinobi's struggled in vain as the tendrils pulled them down into oblivion. Once the head of the last Oto shinobi sank into the darkness Shadow canceled the jutsu before he looked over his shoulder at Kushina and said "Your path is clear now. GO!"
Tsunade merely nodded her head before she took off towards Naruto's location. Kushina lingered only for a moment, before she took off after Tsunade, but just before she landed on the adjacent rooftop she looked over her shoulder at Shadow and said "Don't you dare die Shadow. We have several thing to discuss once this is over."
It was at this moment that Kabuto threw some kunai at Kushina and Tsunade before he said "I won't let you get away."
Shadow quickly responded by throwing several of his own kunai to intercept Kabuto's. After the kunai collided with each other Shadow looked over at Kabuto and said "I'm your opponent."
Kabuto brought his right hand up so that it was only six inches from the left side of his face and as a blue glow encompassed his hand he said "Well, not for much longer."
Shadow shifted into his fighting stance and hardened his gaze at Kabuto before he said "I don't think so. Orochimaru can't come to your rescue this time."
(Meanwhile at the Hokage Tower)
Sarutobi looked off in the direction he felt Kyuubi's chakra and got a solemn look on his face before he thought 'What's happening over there? First there was that huge explosion, now I sense a massive amount of Kyuubi's chakra…just who are you fighting Naruto?'
The moment Sarutobi finished his line of thought a single ANBU landed behind him. Sarutobi turned to face the ANBU and said "Report."
The ANBU got down on one knee and said "You were right Hokage-sama that boy, Uzumaki Naruto, is indeed in a fierce battle, and it's with a blonde haired man wearing a white cloaked… I would also like to note that Kushina-san and Tsunade-sama have been spotted headed in Uzumaki-san's direction."
As minuet as it was, Sarutobi instantly picked up on the uneasiness in the ANBU's voice about Naruto's fight and asked "What is it? What's bothering you?"
The ANBU lifted his head to look directly at Sarutobi before he said "Well it's just that, the man fighting Uzumaki Naruto reminds me of… Yondaime-sama."
"Yondaime-sama?! It couldn't be…" said Sarutobi as he shifted his gaze back in the direction of the earlier explosion and thought 'unless…, could Orochimaru really have completed THAT kinjutsu?'
It was at this very moment that Ibiki landed on the rooftop and said "Hokage-sama they've broken through the west and east gates and have entered the village."
Sarutobi fixed his gaze on Ibiki and said "And what of the villagers? Have they been evacuated to the shelters?"
Ibiki nodded his head in an affirmative gesture as he said "Hai, we have successfully evacuated the villagers, but the hospital and the academy are still occupied. I've placed them under heavy guard until everyone can be safely moved to the shelters."
"Good, than I think it's time we launch our counter attack. Ibiki, inform the troops to keep the enemy away from the hospital and the academy as they drive them back into the forces that are helping us outside the gate." ordered Sarutobi before he pointed at the still kneeling ANBU and said "And you, go and gather your squad. Bring them back here so we can go assist Naruto in his fight against the blonde haired man. If it is indeed Yondaime-sama, than we need to stop him before he is forced to destroy the very village he gave his life for almost fifteen years ago."
"Forced?" questioned the ANBU as he got to his feet.
"Yes…" said Sarutobi as he looked over at the ANBU before he added "If I'm right, then right now his soul is being suppressed by the very jutsu that was used to bring him back. Now get going you two! If we delay any longer the village could very well be destroyed!"
Both Ibiki and the ANBU bowed their heads before they took off to complete their assigned tasks. Once those two were out of sight Sarutobi looked off in the direction that Naruto was in before he sighed "Just hang in there Naruto, help will be there soon."
(Meanwhile on one of the streets in Konoha)
A Suna Jounin scanned the deserted street and when he didn't see any sigh of life he turned to his two chunin companions and said "What's going on here? After we broke through their outer wall we haven't run into any significant resistance… it's almost like this entire village is deserted."
"That can't be true! This is Konoha after all, it's supposed to be the greatest of the five shinobi nations They wouldn't just abandon this place without a fight, they have to be here somewhere." replied the chunin that was to the jounin's left.
The Suna Jounin turned to face his companion and said "Agreed, they're here somewhere. So stay on your guard, they could attack us from anywhere."
Just then a shuriken embedded itself in the forehead of the chunin that was standing off on the jounin's right side. As the lifeless body fell to the ground the remaining shinobi turned there attention in the direction of the projectile and saw a woman with shaggy wild hair standing next to a black and white husky with an eye patch over it right eye.
Tsume kept her eyes on her opponents as she said "Are you ready Kuromaru?"
"Ready." growled Kuromaru as he bared his teeth and charged in. Before the Suna chunin could even react Kuromaru knocked the chunin over and had his fangs clamped down on the man's jugular.
When the Jounin commander move to strike Tsume appeared in front of him and slashed at him with her razor sharp claws. As her claws ripped into his flesh, Tsume noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that another enemy shinobi had entered the area and went to attack her partner on his blind side.
But before Tsume could even react a kunai suddenly embedded itself into the attacking shinobi's left temple. While the lifeless body fell to the ground Tsume's gaze quickly turned in the direction that the kunai came from and saw Wolf standing on a rooftop off to her left.
Wolf simply looked down at Tsume before she brought her right hand up to her forehead, and did a two finger salute. She then did a back flip off the roof and disappeared behind the building.
Tsume got a curious look on her face as she wondered why the Kumori shinobi would bother to help her, when a sudden gust of wind blew in her direction and she caught a faint scent in the air, Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the rooftop in disbelief before she muttered "It can't be…"
(Hokage Monument)
Hayate and a black haired female ANBU stood atop the Sandaime's head and surveyed the village under siege. Hayate then turned to the ANBU and said "(Cough, cough) Are you sure you want to do this Yuugao-chan? If any of the 'Ne' see through that henge…"
"I can't just sit back while Kushina-sama and the others are fighting. Besides someone's got to watch your back Hayate-kun, wouldn't want a repeat of what happened last time. Would we?" replied Yuugao as she put her right hand on her hip.
Hayate got a faint smile on his face and shook his head slightly before he said "Alright, alright, you made your point (cough, cough). So let's go and rendezvous with Wolf at the main gate. I do need to stick to the plan after all."
"That's fine, I think it's time we showed Orochimaru that we won't let him have his way." said Yuugao before both she and Hayate jumped of the Hokage Monument and headed off towards the main gate.
(With Naruto)
Minato stepped out of the way of Naruto's punch before he pushed Naruto's wrist out of the way. He then rotated his body and delivered a spinning heel kick to Naruto's shoulder blades with his right foot.
But as Naruto fell to the ground one of his chakra tails lashed out. Minato managed to get out of the way of the tail when suddenly another tail lashed out at a higher rate of speed. Minato's eyes widened in surprise before he jerked his head back which caused the tail to only graze his cheek.
As the scratch regenerated itself, Minato backpedaled several feet to get some distance before he thought 'That last tail attack was a lot faster that the first one almost as if… Ah I remember now, Kyuubi-sama still has some control over her chakra outside of the seal. So Kyuubi-sama must have helped him launch that last attack.'
Minato got small smile on his face and said "Not bad Naruto, but if you truly want to protect the little lady over there, you're going to have to do better than that."
"I-I'm not done yet!" growled Naruto as his claws dug into the roof tile while he balled his hands into fists before he slowly got to his feet. He then pulled out his kodachi and added "Because of you, because of YOU so much was taken from me! I won't let you take Haku-chan as well!!"
"Naruto…" muttered Minato as a look of resignation crossed his face before he looked at Naruto and solemnly said "Very well, if you truly want to protect her than you have only one option."
"And what's that?" snarled Naruto as he tightened his grip on his Kodachi and eyed Minato suspiciously.
Minato used his right index finger and tapped his forehead before he said "Embedded in my skull is a seal tag that not only keeps my chakra inside this body but it also forces me to obey Orochimaru's commands. Destroy it and you'll defeat me."
Naruto narrowed his eyes in suspicion and shifted into his fighting stance as he said "FINE!! Than I'll just have to rip it out of you!"
"It won't be that easy Naruto, you have yet to lay a hand on me and I'm not able to just stand by while you 'rip it out'. Don't forget no matter how much I hate it, I've still been ordered to take care of you." said Minato as he noticed Naruto's body tense slightly at his last comment.
Naruto tightened up his guard and said "Bring it."
It was at this moment that Kyuubi decided it was time, so she looked down at the image reflected in the water that was in front of her cage and said "Kit! Listen very carefully, I want you to channel my chakra the way I told you and pour it into 'Kyuubi's Claw'. Then just before you strike manipulate my chakra like we've been practicing."
'What?!' thought a confused Naruto as he kept his gaze on Minato.
"DON'T QUESTION ME JUST DO IT!!" shouted Kyuubi as she slammed her right hand up against the cage.
Minato got a curious look on his face when he saw a sudden pulse of Kyuubi's charkra completely engulf Naruto's kodachi, then after the pulse faded Naruto charged Minato. When Minato saw this he got a disappointed look on his face and as he throw several of his tri pronged kunai he sighed "I thought I told you that a direct attack won't work on me."
Naruto didn't answer he just kept heading straight for Minato, but when the kunai made contact with Naruto's flesh he suddenly went up in a puff of smoke and when the smoke cleared it revealed that a large log had taken Naruto's place.
Minato quickly turned around and saw that Naruto had jumped into the air and was making a downward strike with his kodachi. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Kyuubi's chakra completely engulf the kodachi and appear to extend the blade to about six feet in length.
'What?! No way!' thought Minato before he got a serious look on his face when he saw Kyuubi's chakra start to swirl, like a raging storm, within the confines it had created and as Naruto's strike drew closer he mentally added 'Oh… THAT can't be good.'
Minato quickly jumped out of the way of the attack, and when the tip of Naruto's blade made contact with the roof tile the pent up chakra exploded in a massive fire storm that was hot enough to bend and warp metal. It completely encompassed anything within a five foot radius of the point of impact.
As the fire started to melt the roof tile Minato got a concerned look on his face and shouted "NARUTO!" 'Damn it! Why the hell did he use such a suicidal technique?'
When the silhouetted form of Naruto slowly stood up in the middle of the fire storm Minato got a look of shock and relief before he slapped his forehead and thought 'Of course! How could I be so stupid? Kyuubi-sama's chakra must be protecting him from the fire.'
The silhouetted form of Naruto lifted his kodachi up and slashed at the fire, thus canceling the jutsu. When the fire subsided Minato got a good look at the Kyuubified kodachi and noticed that even though you could still see the original kodachi Kyuubi's chakra had extended out past the blade to make its length a good six feet. Also the chakra had extended down in front of the hilt to form some kind of protective guard. Then when Minato's eyes settled on the hilt of the kodachi he noticed that a chakra tail had form at the very end and was flinging about wildly.
After Minato examined the blade his eyes widened in surprise as he thought 'So the legends ARE true. That metal really does exist! But where the hell did Naruto find enough of it to make a kodachi?'
Naruto looked down at the kodachi and got a fox-like smile on his face as he thought 'SWEET! Oh… Baa-chan, you're definitely going to have to explain this one later.'
Behind her cell bars Kyuubi got a smug look on her face and said "I'm glad you like it Kit. That technique you just used is a specialty of mine, it's called Kitsunebi no jutsu, (Foxfire technique) and I'll tell you about my chakra's effects on 'Kyuubi's Claw' later."
However Naruto didn't hear a word as he glared at Minato and said "But first…"
Minato got a smile on his face and with a hint of pride in his voice said "You keep surprising me Naruto. To think that not only did you find that material but you've already figured out how to use it… impressive. If you keep this up you may force me to take more… drastic action."
"I don't care what you use! I'll protect Haku-chan with my life!" snarled Naruto as he shifted into his fighting stance.
Minato shook his head as he sighed "Naruto, you seem to have forgotten…"
Then in a blink of an eye Minato threw a tri-pronged kunai that whizzed past Naruto's right ear, then there was a sudden flash of yellow and he appeared behind Naruto with that same tri-pronged kunai pressed up against Naruto's throat. Minato then got a serious tone in his voice and said "… You're my target."
Naruto's eyes widened in fear but when he felt the kunai start to shake, a fierce determination appeared in his eyes and he quickly knocked the kunai away from his throat. He then rotated on the ball of his foot and slashed at Minato.
Minato stepped back so the Kyuubified kodachi harmlessly passed by his face, but the kodachi did manage to slice the tip off the tri-pronged kunai that Minato had in his left hand. As the metal tip hit the ground Minato looked at the handle and noticed the melted edges before he felt an uncontrollable impulse. He then got a sad look on his face and said "I'm sorry Naruto, but it seems I can't let you use Kyuubi-sama's chakra anymore. So I'm going to have to force it back into the seal."
"HEH! We'll see about that." growled Naruto as he did an upward diagonal slash with his blade.
Minato twisted his body so that the blade passed harmlessly to his side before he disappeared in a yellow flash. The next thing Naruto knew Minato was off to his right with a piece of paper in his hand. Before Naruto could even react Minato place the sealing tag on his forehead.
As Kyuubi's chakra was forcibly returned to the seal Naruto collapsed to his knees while his kodachi returned to its normal state, and when all of Kyuubi's chakra was within the seal Naruto got a tired look on his face before he collapsed to the ground.
Minato looked at the face down Naruto and in a sad tone of voice said "It's over."
But just as he was about to move closer to Naruto his eyes widened in shock when he heard "N-Not yet…"
"Impossible." muttered Minato while he stared at Naruto, who slowly got to his feet, before he thought 'His body should be completely exhausted after using so much of Kyuubi-sama's chakra. So how the hell does he have the energy to stand?'
"I-I'm… I'm not done yet." huffed Naruto as he stumbled backward a couple of steps before he regained his balance.
Naruto then straightened his back so that he stood up straight and took a deep breath before he looked Minato straight in the eyes and said "It'll take more than sealing Baa-chan's chakra to take me down!"
"That's good to hear Nartuo-kun." said Kushina as she suddenly appeared directly behind Minato.
Minato's eyes widened in shock as he heard a voice he never thought he'd hear again, and then before he could recover from his shock Kushina delivered a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him skidding along the rooftop. Minato quickly rolled his body and then used chakra in his hands and feet to stop his momentum, but the moment he came to a halt he looked up and saw Tsunade coming in for an attack. He quickly rolled out of the way just as Tsunade's heel made contact with the roof tile, which completely destroyed that section of the roof and left a giant hole in its place.
As Minato came out of his roll he looked at the red-haired beauty that was already by Naruto's side and muttered "Kushina-chan?! You're alive!!"
Kushina moved in front of Naruto, while Tsunade took the seal tag off his forehead and then proceeded to check Naruto for any serious injuries. Kushina got a sad look on her face and said "Minato-kun…I never thought I'd see you again."
Minato stood up and shifted his gaze from Kushina to Tsunade and then back to Kushina before he got a confused look on his face and said "What's going on? Naruto said Tsunade-sama was his kaa-san, so I assumed something had happened to you, but here you are. So why does Naruto call Tsunade-sama kaa-san and not you?"
"After what he did… he doesn't deserve that answer!" shouted Naruto as Tsunade put her hands on his shoulders to restrain him.
Kushina looked over her shoulder at Naruto and with a confused look on her face said "What… he did?"
Naruto lowered his head so some of his hair came down in front of his eyes as he said "That bastard knew… HE KNEW!!"
When Tsuande saw the hurt and pained look in Naruto's eyes she got a concerned look on her face and asked "Knew? Knew what?"
Naruto lifted his head and glared at Minato as he shouted "He knew what would happen after he sealed Baa-chan, and he did nothing to prevent it!!! At least Kushina-chan was lied to and believed I was dead, but that BASTARD condemned me! Because of him my childhood was a living HELL, filled with nothing but loneliness and hate!"
Tsunade tightened her grip on Naruto's shoulder as she narrowed her eyes at Minato and said "Is that true? Did you really leave Naru-chan to rot in the village with no family or friends?"
"Minato-kun?" questioned Kushina as she turned around just in time to see Minato visibly flinch at Tsunade's words and as a look of deep sadness and regret crossed his face she thought 'So it is true… you really did know and did nothing to stop it. Why? Why would you do such a thing? …What a minute he's showing… emotion? What's going on? I thought Orochimaru's jutsu suppressed the soul and made them complete killing machines? That look just now, it's almost as if he were actually… alive.'
When Tsunade saw Minato's reaction her right eyebrow twitched in anger and as she stomped over toward Minato she shouted "What kind of father were you?!! Do you realize what they did to him! If it hadn't been for myself and Kyuubi he would have died a long time ago!!!"
Kushina put her hand out in front of Tsunade to stop her advance before she leveled her gaze at Minato and said "What's the deal Minato-kun? Why aren't you a killing machine just following orders? If I didn't know any better I'd swear you were actually alive."
"I wish I knew Kushina-chan. All I can say is that if must be my link with the Shinagami that gives me the strength to resist Orochimaru's control." said Minato who was more than happy to get off the subject of his failings.
Kushina got a curious look on her face as she said "Your link with the Shinagami?"
Minato nodded his head as he tried to explain; "That's the only way I can describe it. Even now I can feel his presence… I guess he didn't want to let me go with out a leash."
"And yet you still attacked Naru-chan…" snapped Tsunade as she clenched her fists in anger.
"Yes, I can fight Orochimaru's orders but they're like a constant voice in the back of my head continually telling me to kill." said Minato before he shifted into his fighting stance and added "I've also been ordered to keep others from interfering even if it means their lives. Forgive me…"
Kushina got into her own fighting stance and with a serious look on her face she said "Naruto-kun, I want you to take Haku-san and get out of here, while we hold off Minato-kun."
"No! He hurt Haku-chan and I'm not going to let him get away with that!" shouted Naruto as he picked up his kodachi.
Kushina kept her gaze fixed on Minato and with a harsh tone in her voice said "Don't be a fool! Even with Kyuubi-sama's chakra Minato-kun was still faster than you! If you fought him now he'd surely finish you off."
Naruto gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his kodachi before he said "Damn it!! Why do I have to be so useless when it really matters?"
Suddenly Naruto felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked to his left to see Tsunade's gental smile before she said "You're not useless Naru-chan. Just let us handle this ok. Besides you've got more important things to do right now remember?"
"More important things?" questioned Naruto as he got a confused look on his face.
Tsunade let her smile get a little bigger as she said "Yeah didn't you say you wanted to save Gaara from his fate?"
"Yeah but…" said Naruto as he sheathed his kodachi and looked over at Haku, who had started to stir.
Tsunade got a firm tone in her voice and said "No buts, we don't have time to argue. Just go and complete your mission and leave the rest to us. Now go!"
When Naruto saw the look in Tsunade's eyes he let out a sigh and said "Alright Kaa-san, I'll go take care of Gaara. Just… be careful ok."
"Hey! You're talking to one of the legendary Sannin here, so I'll be just fine." said Tsunade before she turned and started to walk towards Kushina.
As Naruto made his way towards the stirring Haku, Tsunade walked up so that she stood beside Kushina and once she was by her side Tsunade got a firm tone in her voice before she said "Kushina when this is over, WE need to talk."
"Tsunade-sama?" asked Kushina as she quickly glanced at her with a questioning look in her eyes before she returned her gaze to Minato, who remained motionless while he kept his attention fixed on the group.
Meanwhile Naruto had just reached Haku and as he started to pick her up, her eyes fluttered open and in a dazed tone of voice she said "N-Naruto-kun…"
Naruto got a gentle smile on his face and as he put her arm around his neck he gently said "Don't worry Haku-chan, now that Kaa-san and Kushina are here everything is going to be just fine."
Haku slowly turned her head in the direction of Tsunade and Kushina, and the moment her eyes fell upon the face of the man they were facing down her head cleared a little before she thought 'That face… where have I seen that face before?'
Her eyes slowly moved from the man's face to the Hokage Monument that was off to their right and when her eyes settled on the last face on the monument a shocked look appeared on her face as the fog that clouded her mind completely cleared and she said "Naruto-kun is that…"
Naruto lowered his head, so that his eyes were shrouded in shadow, and with a little venom in his voice he said "Yeah… that MAN is the Yondaime Hokage… my father."
"How?" asked Haku as a million question suddenly popped in her head but they disappeared just as quickly when she saw the pained look on Naruto's face. She then got a concerned look on her face and whispered "Naruto-kun…"
Before either of them could say anything else Kushina said "I hate to interrupt you two but we don't have time for this. You need to get going now before Minato-kun decides to attack."
Naruto nodded his head as he looked at Tsunade and not Kushina, before he shifted his gaze to Haku and said "Are you able to move under your own power Haku-chan?"
"Yeah my head's clear now and aside from a slight headache I feel fine." said Haku as Naruto released his grip on her arm
As the two of them turned to leave Naruto turned back and looked at Tsunade before he said "Kaa-san, I don't know if he was telling the truth or not, but he said that the only way to defeat him was to remove the seal tag that is embedded in his skull."
Tsunade let her smile return before she nodded his head in appreciation and said "Thanks Naru-chan that should come in handy later."
Naruto let his gaze linger on Tsunade and Kushina for a moment before he turned to leave, and that's when Minato suddenly moved toward him and as he closed in he pulled out a kunai before he said "I'm sorry Naruto, but I can't let you leave."
But when Minato was only a few feet from Naruto his eyes widened in surprise as Kushina appeared in front of Naruto and blocked the strike. As the two kunai continued to press against each other Kushina looked over her shoulder so that Naruto was in her field of view before she shouted "Go!!"
Naruto merely nodded his head before both he and Haku jumped off the roof and headed off into the village. Once Naruto was safely out of sight Kushina got a series look on her face and said "Know this Minato-kun… It doesn't matter who it is. I won't let anyone take my son away from me again!"
This comment cause Minato to hesitate for only a moment but that was all Tsunade needed. She appeared beside Minato in an instant and delivered a right cross with all of her strength, but Minato was able to pull his head back at the last moment so that the punch only grazed his cheek.
That grazing however had enough force behind it to send Minato flying completely through the building, that was on the opposite side of the street before he crashed into the ground below. When Minato got to his feet, he looked up at Kushina and Tsunade through the hole in the building, before he got a sad look on his face and whispered "Forgive me…"
Minato then used his great speed to cover the distance between them in an instant before he delivered a massive uppercut to Kushina's gut. He then twisted his body and landed a spinning heel-kick to the side of Tsunade's head, which knocked her to the ground, before he turned back to Kushina and went for a spinning back-fist to her temple.
But just before the hit made contact Kushina vanished. She then reappeared directly behind Minato and said "I'm not as slow as I use to be Minato-kun."
Kushina then slashed with her kunai, however Minato was able to duck at the last moment so that the kunai only cut the tips of his spiky blonde hair. The moment Minato finished his downward momentum his eyes widened in surprise as he saw Tsunade's foot come into his field of view. He immediately jerked his head back and channeled chakra into his feet, so that Tsuande's foot missed his face as he pushed himself off the ground. He then went into a back-flip over Kushina and landed about five feet behind her.
Minato shifted into his fighting stance and got a smile on his face before he said "That's good to hear Kushina-chan. That means Naruto stands a chance."
(With Naruto)
As Naruto and Haku raced along the rooftops of Konoha, Haku looked over at Naruto and saw that he had a far off look on his face. While Haku wondered what was going on her thoughts were interrupted when Naruto muttered "That bastard… why did I have to find out about this now."
When Haku heard this it concerned her a great deal so she said "Naruto-kun is everything ok? What did you find out that's troubling you so much?"
Naruto blinked a couple of times before he looked over at Haku and with a reassuring smile on his face he said "Huh? Oh it's nothing Haku-chan don't worry about it. Besides we have more important things to do than worry about the past."
"The past?" asked Haku but before Naruto had a chance to answer several kunai shot out from the street below.
As they dodged the kunai Naruto managed to get a look at the street and saw a large group of Suna shinobi. He got an annoyed look on his face and thought 'Damn it! This looks like some kind of staging area! I must really be out of it not to notice it before now.'
When Naruto and Haku landed safely on one of the rooftops they found themselves surrounded by no less than three squads of Suna jounin. As Naruto and Haku went back to back, Naruto looked from left to right and then scanned the street below before he thought 'Shit this doesn't look good. We're seriously outnumbered here and it looks like most of the shinobi are jounin in rank. With Haku still a little woozy from that blow to her head and my chakra reserves low I don't think we can take all of them. Damn it! How are we going to get out of this one?'
Just as Naruto finished that thought one of the Suna shinobi charged forward, but before he could even react a blur appeared out of nowhere and sliced right through the attacking shinobi. As the shinobi's lifeless body fell to the ground the one responsible for his death kept his back to Naruto and said "Stand down Uzumaki-san. I'll handle this."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he recognized that voice immediately. He then pointed a finger at the man before he said "It's you! You're that guy from the Namikaze vault!"
"Call me Kugutsu…" said Kugutsu as he pulled out another kunai so that he was holding one in each hand. He then flipped the kunai so the blade end was facing the ground before he added "… Now stay where you are while this rabble is cleared out."
When the Suna shinobi heard this one of them said "That guys crazy, he's just one man. What can he possibly do all by himself?"
Kugutsu got a small smirk on his face before he said "Whoever said I was alone?"
Just then the Suna shinobi surrounding Naruto and the others felt the ground rumble before they heard the shouts of their comrades on the street below. When some of the men turned to look they saw that their comrade had been trapped in a prison made out of wood, and that's when one of them said "What the hell?! Where did that come from?"
It was at this moment that Kugutsu sprang into action and before any of the shinobi could react he had already slit the throats of two of them. Naruto watched on in amazement as Kugutsu cut through the rest of the Suna shinobi like they were mere genin. As the last of the Suna shinobi, that had surrounded them, fell to the ground an ANBU landed on the rooftop and said "Kugutsu-sempai, all remaining targets have been neutralized."
"Good work Yamato. Now that this area is clear we can move on to the next." said Kugutsu before he turned to face Naruto and Haku. Once both were in his line of sight he got a commanding tone in his voice and said "Listen you two, we can't have foreign shinobi getting involved in a Konoha matter. So I want you two to head towards the Hokage Tower. Our defenses are strong there so you should be safe until this is all over."
"If you think I'm just going to run and hide you're gravely mistake! …Look, whether you like it or not WE are involved. I have a mission to complete and I intend to complete it!" said Naruto as looked Kugutsu right in the eyes.
Kugutsu got a curious look on his face and said "Mission? If you're planning anything against…"
"Please! If I was going to do anything against this village I would have done it by now." interrupted Naruto as he got a fierce determination in his eyes before he added "I'm going after Gaara, and if my hunch is right I'm the only one who can stop him."
Kugutsu crossed his arms over his chest as he got a confused look on his face as he said "Gaara? Isn't that one of the Suna genin taking the chunin exam? What makes you think that only you can deal with him?"
Naruto locked eyes with Kugutsu as he said "Because HE'S… like me, and if he releases it…"
"I see…" said Kugutsu as he brought his right hand up to his chin and thought about it for a moment and when he saw the look in Naruto's eyes he came to a decision. He got a small smile on his face before he said "Those eyes… they remind me of someone I knew in my youth, and god help anyone who got in his way. So… I'll leave Gaara to you, while we handle the more important matters of the invasion."
Naruto shook his head in annoyance before he said "Whatever, let's go Haku-chan.."
As Naruto and Haku headed off into the village Yamato came up beside Kugutsu and said "Are you sure it's such a good idea to send them off like that on their own?"
Kugutsu kept his gaze focused in the direction that Naruto went as he said "That boy… he reminds me of Yondaime-sama. Anyway even if this Gaara really is like him, he's just a genin, so I'm sure they'll be just fine. Now let's get going we still have our own job to do."
Yamato nodded his head in agreement before both men headed out.
Meanwhile not to far off Naruto and Haku finally reached their destination. When they landed on a nearby rooftop, with a little shack on top and a railing that went around the edge of the building, Haku looked down on to the street below and was shocked to see a giant ball of sand. She looked over at Naruto and asked "What is that?"
Naruto got a serious look on his face before he said "It's Gaara."
"About time you got here. I was starting to think you wouldn't show." said a voice from behind the pair.
Both Naruto and Haku immediately turned around only to see Yugito with her back pressed up against a wall and a big smile on her face. Yugito then did a slight wave with her right hand as she said "Yo!"
Before Naruto could say anything Yugito pushed herself off the wall and as she walked over to them she said "While I was waiting on you two I did a little recon."
Yugito then pointed to the lone figure standing by the sand ball before she said "That girl with the blonde hair is the only guard. I guess they don't have enough manpower to allocate the proper number of guards."
"I don't know about that. It could be that she was the only one brave enough to be there when he finishes doing whatever it is he doing." interrupted Naruto as he leaned on the railing and continued to stare at the ball of sand.
Yugito shrugged her shoulders before she said "It doesn't really matter anyway. With the three of us here we can easily overpower her and then destroy that ball before he finishes."
"Yugito I have a favor to ask…" said Naruto as he pushed off the railing and while he kept his back to her he added "…Not far from here you'll find Kushina and my Kaa-san fighting against the Yondaime Hokage. I'd like you to go and help them out anyway you can. Surely with your Bijuu you'll be able to help."
Yugito got a curious look on her face and asked "What do you mean 'with your bijuu'? Surely you can't be thinking…"
Naruto turned around to face her before he said "Your bijuu is Nibi the two tailed cat demon right? I've heard of legends that say the two tailed cat can manipulate the dead and since HE'S already dead I just thought…"
"Those are just myths! I'll admit that I don't know the full extent of her powers but I can tell you that for as long as she's be within me she's never used such a power. Nor has she even mentioned it. Besides your talking about the Yon-freaking-daime Hokage here, I doubt my power would be of any use against him!." interrupted Yugito as she pointed a finger at Naruto to emphasize her point.
Naruto got a dejected look on his face and said "I guess you're right, I had just hoped that it would give Kaa-san and Kushina an advantage in their fight. Without it…"
When Yugito saw the look on his face she rubbed the back of her head and let out a sigh before she said "Look I'll go and see what I can do alright? But I make no promises if it looks too dangerous I out of there got it?"
A small smile appeared on his face as he bowed his head in a respectful manner before he said "Thank's Yugito I owe you one."
"Damn straight you do! I don't go risking my neck for just anyone you know. So I plan to collect on that debt later." said Yugito as she got a smile on her face before she jumped off the roof and headed off in the direction Naruto and Haku came from.
Once Yugito left Naruto turned to Haku and said "Well Haku-chan shall we begin?"
(Down on the Street Below)
Temari crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot in aggravation as she thought 'Where are you Kankuro? Those shinobi up on the roof won't wait forever and Gaara still hasn't finished his transformation yet. So if you don't get here soon I could be in serious trouble.'
She then looked over her shoulder at the giant ball of sand before a shiver ran down her spine and she thought 'But once Gaara releases it, there'll be nothing that can stop him.'
The moment Temari finished those thoughts, Naruto and Haku landed on the dusty street right in front of her. Temari shifted into a defensive position and brought her right hand up the her battle fan as she said "I won't allow you to go any further!"
"Do you really think you can take both of us?" asked Naruto as he tilted his head slightly to the right and got a curious look on his face.
Temari focused her gaze on Naruto and eyed him suspiciously as she said "Confident aren't we. Is that why you didn't launch a sneak attack?"
"Not really, I don't have any desire to fight you. I only came here so I could save Gaara before he was too far gone, but if you get in my way..." said Naruto as he got into his fighting stance and placed his right hand on the hilt of his kodachi.
Temari's guard dropped slightly as she got a confused look on her face and said "Save Gaara? What are you…"
Her words were interrupted however when everyone felt the ground shake. Everyone turned their attention to the giant ball of sand as cracks started to appear along the surface.
Naruto narrowed his eyes as he saw the cracks on the ball before he thought 'That can't be good… does this mean we arrived too late? Has Gaara already finished whatever it is he was planning to do?'
Meanwhile Temari got a look of terror on her face and stoke several steps backwards as she thought 'I-It's finally happened… the perfect possession.'
Just then the sand ball exploded and a giant column of sand shot straight up into the air. The sand then grew ever bigger as two arms shot out of the column quickly followed by a single tail out the back. Then the column widened and started to take on the shape of a body and once the body was finished a head shaped like that of a raccoon emerged from the shoulders.
The giant creature then tilted his head back and laughed "WHA-HAHA-HAHA-HAA!! I'm finally free baby!!"
The creature then did a quick scan of his surroundings before he said "YEA-AH!! Oh, straight out of the gate, and I already see an entire village I wanna slaughter!!"
When Naruto heard this he got a concerned look on his face before he looked up at the towering creature and thought 'Oh Shit!'
Next Chapter: Shukaku unleashed: Naruto vs. Gaara!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author notes2: Well I hope you liked this latest installment and I hope to see you all for the next update. Until then later.
