The Pantheon of Nine
By: Finn Mertenz
A/N: Hiatagi-Satori - Thank you kindly, I personally think most of the stuff I write is dogshit so I'm always happy when people say they enjoy it.
GunBlade2018 - Yes, I do plan to focus on Gaara's seal (and all 9 Seals) throughout this series. Gaara is a big part of this series, in canon he and Naruto have (in my opinion) the greatest bromance in anime history and I want to continue that here.
Tenellis - Thank you, I shall.
jtcookie96 - I personally feel like Kishimoto slept on Sakura too much (I would too) and as a result, her character suffered from under-development. (Everything after the Sasori fight.)
I love Sakura. I want her to grow and become a great Kunoichi, so I'm glad her victory could surprise you.
Please let me know what you think about the Naruto VS Gaara fight, always down for some criticism.
Ishimaru Taiki - I am greatly humbled and blessed that you would compare my story to the masterpiece known as Nanatsu no Taizai. Here is 2 more chapters as a thank you.
FallenMaelstrom18 - We have the same thoughts, I myself always wondered what would happen if Naruto had been given the Rinnegan, like after defeating Pain but before the latter died.
I swear on my life that I will publish my Shinobi world map before the Naruto VS Sasuke battle. At the moment my fanfiction page is filled with just minor stuff, like Sasuke's appearance and a view alternate-world stuff that I'm shooting around in my head.
I know what you're thinking, 'its just a map, why is it taking so long." Well, it's not just a map of the 5 Great Nations and a few smaller nations, there are 2 whole continents in Naruto and I need to properly write those.
This map will be the basis for all my Naruto fanfictions I write in the future, by that logic I can't allow a mistake.
The Land of Demons, of Claws, of Fangs, of Honey, of Swamps, of Tea and of course the Land of Neck (My Favorite Naruto Filler episode 194) are all considered canon in my perspective and need to have a place on the map.
Episode 194 of Part 1 Naruto has the one theme Naruto lacks the most... Horror.
I understand the hatred for filler but in my opinion, if the Arc is handled well and develops the plot than I don't consider it filler. With that in mind, I do hate a lot of fillers (Like the Land of Tea Arc) but I will still write them with my own design. (Unless they are retarded, of course.)
iShyboy - As a writer, I can't force anyone to read my story, so I'm forced to use cliffhangers as an excuse to get you the reader to come back. The desire to see what happens next is a strong one and hopefully, it works.
animeficfan - It truly makes me happy that you do.
Ceza A FG - Aqui tiene.
Dino aids - Jiraiya definitely understands the beauty of fat-bottomed girls.
ShadowDeathSkull - Let me know what you think about this match.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN NARUTO.
Chapter 37: Fury Of The Sand! The Laughing Beast Released.
"The next match is Gaara vs Naruto Uzumaki." Hayate coughed out before being followed by a loud chorus of Boo's and complaints that erupted from the crowd.
At this moment, parents began grabbing their children before escorting and carrying them out of the arena. This was an act of protest towards Naruto, many of the villagers were outraged that he was even allowed to become a ninja but now that Hokage had gone too far by letting him participate in the finals.
"What's going on?" Kankuro mumbled as he stared at the hundreds of citizens evacuating the 'Fire' section. After several long moments, almost the entirety of the 'Fire' section was completely deserted, leaving only a few dozen of Leaf Shinobi and fresh Genin who failed the Preliminaries.
This act greatly alarmed and confused the several thousand foreigners that filled the opposite sides to the arena. Many of these foreigners had bet money on Naruto at the last moment and refused to leave.
During this, Sasuke's eyes narrowed while he glanced towards his blond childhood friend, knowing full-well that the villagers were leaving because of him and not Gaara.
At the same time, Sakura's emerald eyes were also focusing upon Naruto while her mind drifted back to when she confronted her dad after the Preliminaries.
I've told you before! Stay away from that thing! I tried to get it removed from your team but the Hokage is blind in his affection for that creature. The voice of Sakura's father, Kizashi, echoed throughout her mind.
Do not talk to that thing. Do not go near it and never be alone with it. Do you understand?! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!? No Daughter of mine will be a friend to that freak! As Kizashi's words progressed, each of them caused a deep and depressed frown to form upon Sakura's face.
Naruto... Why does everyone hate you? Sakura asked herself.
"Geez... What a drag." Shikamaru sighed as he leaned against the railing infront of him.
"Mmm..." Hiruzen sighed as he shook his head from side-to-side in disappointment.
"How curious." Rasa spoke in a hushed tone.
"Hey! Kakashi!" Guy spoke boldly as both he and Lee entered the now barely-filled 'Fire' section of the arena. As Lee walked, he was forced to use a crutch in his left hand to help relieve strain from his legs.
"Lee!" Tenten screamed as she stood up and ran down a section of stone stairs to approach the crowd of 5 Leaf Shinobi.
"Is this kid supposed to be out of the hospital, Guy?" Kurenai asked, earning a brief smile from her childhood friend.
"I would not miss this match." Lee proclaimed as he slowly limped past Asuma and Kurenai before standing infront of the railing beside Kakashi.
Lee wore a simply dark blue loose-fitting Kimono with hospitial slippers, suggesting he just left. His face and neck were covered with multiple bandages while his outfit was stained with several spots of dirt.
"You're both late! You already missed Neji's match." Tenten complained as she stood behind her teammate and Sensei.
"Hmph... Tell me, how did the Rascal do? Was Kakashi's student able to crawl out of the arena?" Guy mocked in a playful tone.
"Guy... Neji wasn't even able to move once the match ended. He lost completely." Asuma spoke as streams of smoke poured out from his nose.
Hmmm... I see, you win again... Kakashi. Guy concluded as he glanced towards the back of his silver-haired friend.
"Guy... Have you noticed it too?" Kakashi asked, causing his friend to take several steps forward before standing beside him.
"Yes, there are only 8 of them covering this massive arena... Even with the Fire section empty that still isn't enough." Guy replied as his eyes glanced in between the Anbu that were disguised among the remaining crowd.
"We don't know precisely where or when the enemy will attack... So Lord Hokage is forced to distribute the Anbu around the more critical areas of the village." Kakashi explained, earning a brief nod of agreement from his friend.
"We can't let our guard down, but we also must pay attention to this next match." Guy proclaimed.
"Oh... And Kakashi, I will be judging the skills of your student... I am your eternal rival after all." As Guy spoke, he also chuckled multiple times before several seconds past by.
"Hmm...? Did you say something?" Kakashi mumbled as he finally tore his eye off his Orange book, causing Guy to faceplant against the railing in the process.
"Looks like the crowd is all together." Kiba joked as he and Hinata slowly approached the group before sitting down in the row behind them.
"Lee, want to sit down?" Tenten asked as she took a seat beside Hinata.
"No, I will stand." Lee replied, causing his teammate to sigh in response.
"For every hour that I stand with these crutches, I shall preform 200 push-ups!" As Lee spoke, Guy began to howl while shaking his head dramatically from side-to-side.
"Only 200?! Those are low numbers!" Guy argued, causing Lee to raise his bandaged right fist to his face while ignoring the pain that such an action created.
"Yes! Of course, Guy-Sensei! For every hour I waste, I will preform 500 push-ups!" Lee declared while his eyes erupted into burning flames.
"That-a-boy, Lee!" Guy replied as hurled a thumbs-up towards his student with his left hand.
Naruto is going to fight Gaara of the Sand, someone I failed to defeat... While Sasuke defeated Neji, someone I wished to defeat... Lee's thoughts raced as he stared down at his former red-haired opponent.
At this moment, Lee's grip on his crutch tightened with such strength that his previous wounds reopened, staining the bandages on his hand into a crimson red color. At the same time, his legs were trembling and shaking from the constant pressure it took to walk, still weak from his battle with Gaara.
Why... Why do I feel so... Humiliated... As Lee's train of thought progressed, his entire body began to tremble from both embarrassment and pain, a feat that went completely unnoticed by everyone except his teacher.
Lee... Guy thought as a look of concern formed on his face.
"Naruto Uzumaki, please enter the battleground." Hayate coughed out while Gaara continued to pant beside him.
"Go ahead Naruto, don't worry I'll cheer twice as loud, okay?" Sakura spoke out in pity for her teammate, one of the few times she actually felt bad for him.
"Just get going already, after you win this match it'll be me against Sakura in the next round." Sasuke remarked, causing his pink-haired teammate to panic at the thought of fighting her ideal boyfriend.
"Sure, no problem." Naruto spoke in a low and timid tone as he turned around before descending the stone staircase. During this, none of Naruto's friends noticed the deep and grim frown that covered the blonds face.
"Can't believe that kid made it this far." Kotetsu remarked as a sly smirk grew on his face.
"The same kid that laid you out like a rock?" Izumo asked, causing his friend to roll his eyes while sighing.
"I'd rather not be reminded of that." Kotetsu replied before allowing the conversation to end, unwilling to focus on such a memory.
"This match will be won by Gaara." An old tan-skinned man declared as he examined the book of Candidate statistics given out to all audience members.
The stats, missions and teammates of Naruto were all displayed upon the left page while Gaara's blank statistics covered the right. Many of Gaara's stats were completely unknown.
The man wore a long silky emerald green robe that ran down to his shoes, which were dirt-brown in color by made of extremely wealthy materials. The robe was adorned with a series of lavish Grass artwork and emblems that were a bright-yellow in color.
His hair was short and combed back underneath a prestigious brown hat that had multiple green ornaments hanging from the both ends. His face was covered by a well-groomed and trimmed brown beard. Embellished onto the front of his hat was the Kanji symbol for 'Grass'.
"You can't quite say that Lord Fuka, I am expecting something from the Uzumaki, despite his grades at the Academy." A nearby man spoke out. He had a short crop of black hair with narrow black eyes. His more prominent features were a thin black moustache, goatee, and large ears.
His outfit was extremely similar to Fuka's with the only noticeable difference being the color of his robe and the ornaments that hung from his hat, both of which were tan-brown. The emblem that adorned his hat was the Kanji symbol for 'Tea'.
These two individuals sat in the center of a reserved column inside the 'Wind' section, a column that was surrounded and guarded by multiple Grass and Leaf Shinobi.
"Hahahah... No I don't think so Lord Kuni, in the Shinobi world something... Unpredictable always happens." Fuka chuckled out before narrowing his eyes as they glanced to the left, observing 2 Grass Shinobi who nodded in approval before walking up the stairs and disappearing from sight.
Meanwhile, inside the dark stairway leading down into the battleground.
Naruto walked through a narrow and dark hallway, one of many that paved the pathway leading further down. As Naruto turned a corner, he noticed 2 shadowy figures standing on either side of a 10ft long hall, figures that were only noticed due to their chakra networks.
As Naruto attempted to walk past them, both figures took a step into the center of the hallway, blocking his path while allowing the ceiling lights to illuminate they're bodies.
Both figures were adorned in the standard attire for all Grass Jonin, both wore full body black jump-suits similar to Guy and Lee. Around they're torso was a faded yellow jacket, one of the Shinobi had it buttoned up while the other's was loose and open.
Both Shinobi wore a heavy grey scarf that was wrapped around they're shoulders multiple times until rising to they're jawline. They also both wore matching Headband bandana's, showing the symbol for the Village Hidden in the Grass carved into the front.
One Shinobi had long black hair that was spikey and tied back into a ponytail while the other had short brown hair whose bangs were combed to the sides.
"Low level tournaments like this Exam are good for betting money." The short haired Shinobi proclaimed as he glared down at the partially covered face of Naruto.
"Quite a few feudal lords come here just for that reason, right Kotsu?" The long spikey haired Shinobi asked his friend.
"You are correct, Susai... So, can you lose this match kid?" Kotsu asked Naruto, causing a period of silence to fill the air over several moments as no reply could be heard. Since Naruto's mouth was concealed by the raised collar of his tunic while his eyes were hidden by his bangs, neither of the Shinobi could notice a response of any kind.
"Hey now, atleast say something." Susai spoke, cutting into the tense silence that filled the hallway.
"Are you too scared to say anything?" Kotsu questioned while his eyes narrowed in annoyance as another period of silence followed.
"If you're not going to say anything... Might aswell finish this here." Susai proclaimed as he reached into his jacket with his right hand before pulling out a Kunai.
"Good idea, if he doesn't show up then Gaara wins by default." Kotsu explained as he pulled out his own Kunai.
"How many people have you threatened?" Naruto asked in a low tone, one that could barely be heard. Instead of answering with words, Susai bridged the 4ft gap in between him and Naruto before swinging his Kunai down in a vertically fashion, an attack that was completely deflected by some unseen force.
The power of this force was so vast that it repelled Susai's right arm entirely, forcing it high into the air. During this, Naruto's right hand shot out before clenching down upon Susai's throat and lifting him into the air slightly. As he struggled, Susai slung his right hand upward in an attempt to stab Naruto with his Kunai only for the latter to grip down tightly on his wrist, preventing his attack entirely. Naruto's grasp was so strong that the sound of joints and bones popping filled the hallway, disarming Susai in the process.
"Susai!" Kotsu screamed as he surged forward while slicing his Kunai vertically towards Naruto's right hand in an attempt to free his friend.
At this moment, Naruto abruptly jolt his head to right causing his bangs to move in the process before briefly revealing his violet ripple patterned eyes, eyes that Kotsu glanced at. The image of the Rinnegan then seared itself into Kotsu's mind, forcing him to fall on his knees mid-run.
Kotsu then faceplanted the cold floor of the hallway as his body pulsated and trembled dramatically while the image of Naruto's eyes continued to throbbed throughout his mind.
"How many people have you threatened?" Naruto once again asked as he held Susai by his throat, barely tall enough to accomplish such a feat.
"Hc-... Hc-..." Susai grunted out as he used both hands to grip Naruto's wrist while he struggled to free himself. After struggling for several moments, Susai hastily clapped his hands together into the Tiger Seal only to be abruptly thrown against the wall by Naruto, disarming the attack.
While Susai fell to the ground, his forehead impacted the stone with a heavy thud, causing his Headband bandana to fall off as he went limp atop the floor. Both Grass Shinobi were left unconscious in the hallway as the young Uzumaki turned to the left before continuing his journey to the battleground.
Meanwhile, inside the battleground for the arena.
"Come on! Bring up the next match already!" Several dozen groups of audience members screamed out as they became annoyed at the length of time it was taking. During this, Hayate found it difficult to ignore the loud and continuous panting that Gaara was preforming.
"This is ridiculous... I took a day off to watch these Exams and we can't even finish the first round." A middle-aged Leaf Chunin complained as he sat in one of the partially empty columns inside the 'Fire' section.
"Don't disappoint me!" A group of foreigners from the Land of Hot Springs yelled.
After several moments, Naruto finally entered the battleground before slowly approaching Hayate and the still panting Gaara. This action silenced the crowd as they realized the battle was about to begin.
"I hope Naruto is careful... Last time Gaara fought..." Sakura mumbled as she thought back to the battle that almost killed Lee.
"Naruto will be fine, just worry about our match." Sasuke declared, causing Sakura to sigh with depression as she downcast her face, clearing upset at the idea.
"Fighters... To the center please." Hayate pleaded, causing both Candidates to take multiple steps forward until they were only 5ft away from one another. During this, Gaara began to smile from ear-to-ear in a sadistic fashion while he continued to pant loudly.
"Begi-" Before Hayate could even finish speaking, the cork on Gaara's gourd already popped off before landing atop the ground. At the same time, several streams of sand instantly surged out from the gourd, forming a cloud in the air above Gaara.
At this moment, a shocking pain erupted from the Seal on Gaara's forehead, forcing his sand to fall atop the ground while he clenched his face with both hands in an attempt to numb the pain.
"Don't get so mad at me..." Gaara pleaded as he grunted with pain, an act that greatly confused the crowd. During this, Hayate took several steps backwards as he acknowledged that the battle had begun.
"He's right there... I see him, mother... You'll taste his blood soon." As Gaara spoke, his twisted eyes gazed out from in between his fingers.
I've never seen Gaara become like this before a battle... Naruto is really getting to him. Kankuro noticed as his trembling hands continued to grasp the railing infront of him.
Suddenly, the Seal on Gaara's forehead once again throbbed with overwhelming pain. This pain caused Gaara to fall on his knees while his fingernails dug into his scalp.
After several moments of grunting and groaning, Gaara crossed his arms infront of his chest as he slowly stood up, revealing his now emotionless face.
"Come" Gaara ordered as a circle of sand began to collect and mold together around his feet.
Those eyes... I've seen those eyes before, eyes filled with hatred and loneliness... The same eyes I used to have... He's a monster, just like me. Naruto thought as his memory faded back his life before Iruka.
Naruto hated almost everyday of his childhood. The memory of brushing his teeth before staring into the reflection of his empty blue eyes was a thought that always seared it's presence into the blonds mind, it was why he grew his bangs out to cover them.
I remember how I hated them, I hated all of them... Because they hated me, and because I couldn't understand why... I wondered why they even kept me around. As Naruto's train of thought progressed, his violet eyes narrowed from underneath his bangs.
It wasn't my fault, I didn't ask to be born this way... But everyone acted like I did, and that just made it worse... But then. After finishing his thoughts, Naruto's mind was instantly filled with the smiling face of Iruka.
Hey Naruto, lets go take a Ramen break... With extra Pork and Eggs? The voice of Iruka echoed inside the blonds mind.
Nice job Naruto, I think you'll really starting to get the hang of this. Kakashi's voice spoke out, congratulating Naruto on the first time he caught a cat during a D-rank mission.
Hey Naruto, me and Choji were gonna go grab a bite to eat at that Ramen place you love so much... Want to tag along? Shikamaru asked, one of the few children that ever offered Naruto anything.
Naruto, did you change the TV channel? I can't stand all the cartoon stuff you watch, the news is better. Sasuke complained during one of the many times Naruto stayed over at his house.
A few people came along who paid attention to me... They genuinely cared for me, and that made it better... It was alright then, even though I have this monster inside me, even though everyone else acted like I didn't exist... Because it meant that I wasn't alone anymore. Naruto thought as the image of his friends floated through his mind.
For the first time in my entire life I was happy... Really, really happy... They made me see how good life could be, they made me glad to be alive... As his thought's progress, a faint smile formed upon Naruto's face as he continued to think about his friends.
But when I think back to my life before them... It's scary... Nothing but pain and darkness... Are you what I am... What I would have become If I stayed there... All alone? As Naruto's thoughts wondered, both his hands began to clench tightly by his sides.
"Well... Are you going to move?" Gaara asked as mounds of sand continued to build up in a circle all around his feet.
At this moment, a strong gust wind blew in from the south, causing multiple Leaf's to fall from the nearby treebranches before plummeting atop the battleground floor.
"I don't know how it happened... But you're struck there, all alone in that bottomless pit of darkness and pain... That's why you have no one, Gaara, because you fight only for yourself." Naruto explained, only for his words to have no effect on his opponent.
"I already told you... The only reason I exist is to wipe out every other existence than my own, your death will prove my life is real." Gaara spoke before several streams of sand shot out towards Naruto, cascading the ground underneath them with a dark shadow.
This sand completely surrounded and consumed Naruto before being overwhelmed by some unseen force, breaking the sand apart and pushing it all several feet backwards. This action created multiple circles of sand that lay atop the ground all around Naruto, who didn't even physically react to the attack at all.
"Do you think that makes you stronger? Do you think it's a weakness to have friends... To be happy?" Naruto asked.
"Friends...? Think only of yourself... Love only yourself, that is what it means to be the strongest. Come, show me your pathetic strength of friendship so I may grind it into dust." Gaara ordered, creating a brief period of silence that filled the air.
After several moments of hesitation, Naruto slowly raised his hands to the Headband tied around his neck before tracing his fingertips across the cold metal surface that had the symbol for Konoha engraved upon it.
Naruto then reached behind his neck before grabbing and untying the fabric of his Headband, allowing him to raise to object up across his face. Naruto positioned the Headband infront of his eyes before pressing it upwards, pushing his bangs out of his face while forcing his hair to take on a spikey-appearance in the front.
This action revealed Naruto's violet ripple patterned eyes, eyes that shocked the crowd and many of the watching Shinobi. During this, Naruto tied his Headband tightly upon his forehead, causing the fabric to stretch and contort in the process.
Naruto, I hope you know what you're doing. Kakashi pleaded as he snapped his book shut before preparing himself to watch the battle. At the same time, Kakashi was forced to ignore the numerous questions that Asuma, Kurenai and Guy all began asking him about Naruto's eyes.
"Don't you think Naruto is going alittle too far, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, confused that Naruto would preform such an act infront the thousands of people watching. Instead of responding with words Sasuke merely narrowed his black eyes while staring at Naruto.
Naruto... What are you thinking, doing something like that, here of all places. Sasuke thought.
"My... How interesting." Rasa whispered, causing Hiruzen's eyes to narrow while inhaling a fresh hit of leaf from his pipe.
"Very well." Naruto answered his opponent while reach behind his back with his right hand. This action revealed the addition of a 2nd satchel on Naruto's outfit, both of which were tied to the back of his waist.
As Naruto retracted his hand, he revealed four 3-pronged Kunai held in between his fingers, Kunai that had several scribbles engraved upon the hilts. Before the nearby citizens could even notice the Kunai, Naruto had already thrown them into the air while raising his left hand to his chest.
Naruto's left hand then weaved through the half Ox, Dog, Dragon, Rat, Dog, Boar, Snake and Tiger Seals, preforming one-handed Seals, an accomplishment that shocked all those who hadn't previously seen him preform it.
"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu." Naruto spoke, causing the previous 4 Kunai to multiple and morph into 32 Kunai. This jutsu caused the numerous weapons to create a thin blanket of shadows as they plummeted to the ground yet somehow didn't harm or cut either of the Candidates.
"That's the 3rd Hokage's technique." An unknown Leaf Chunin in the 'Fire' section pointed out, impressed that a Naruto could preform an A-rank jutsu.
"Don't compare that creature to the great Lord 3rd Hokage." A nearby Leaf Jonin complained, causing the Chunin to bow his head in respect.
Suddenly, the sand surrounding Naruto shot out into multiple jagged spikes in an attempt to impale the blond only for him to vanish in a bright flash at the last moment. This action caused Naruto to reappear atop the mudwall Sakura created earlier, standing beside a Kunai.
This display of jutsu forced Asuma's mouth to fall open, causing his burning cigarette to fall loose before smashing into the ground. Once the Cigarette hit the floor its burning cherry erupted into dozens of embers that stained and scorched the stone.
He's fast... Faster than Lee's normal speed. Guy's thought's raced as he studied Naruto's feet, too cautious to stare directly into the blonds violet eyes.
"Th-... That's the 4th Hokage's..." Izumo's sentence trailed off, unable to form the proper thoughts to finish it.
"I-Impossible..." Kotetsu stuttered as his saucer-like eyes bulged with shock.
During this, both Genma and RaidÅ glanced towards one another, each of them knowing that Naruto had just preformed a technique that ordinarily required 3 separate Jonin to accomplish. At the same time, Rasa's eyes squinted and narrowed with interest.
The sand spikes from earlier then contorted and morphed into 4 separate Gaara sand clones, clones that all began to slowly limp and approach the distant Uzumaki, each of them struggling to move.
After several moments of staggering to move, each of the clones began to leap and climb up the mudwall before lashing out at Naruto, intent on harming the blond. This forced Naruto to side-flip to the left, avoiding one of the horizontal sand strikes aimed towards his ankles by a Gaara clone.
This caused Naruto to land atop his left flat palm as 2 sand clones closed in on either side of him, forcing the blond to swing both legs through the air in a counter-clockwise fashion before he pushed himself off the ground.
This action beheaded both of the sand clones before they dissolved and crumbled into a 2 separate mounds of sand. During this, Naruto landed on his feet just in time to notice one of the Gaara clones explode into sand, sand that surged and dashed towards him.
Naruto quickly extended his left hand outward, an action that blocked and stopped the approaching sand with some unseen force. At the same time, the last Gaara clone clapped his hands together into the Rat Seal, forcing the mudwall Naruto stood on to dissolve into grains of sand.
This process also caused the Gaara clone to crumble and dissolve before merging with the sand from the mudwall, doubling the amount of sand. This forced Naruto to backflip at the last moment before twisting and contorting through the air in multiple different angles until he landed atop the ground.
As Naruto stood up, multiple streams and waves of sand began surging towards the blond while blocking off all means of escape. These manipulations of sand then swarmed over Naruto, concealing his entire body from view.
During this, Gaara uncrossed his arms before extending both hands towards Naruto while he began to smile in a twisted fashion. Gaara then clenched both hands tightly, forcing the sand that engulfed Naruto to squeeze and grinding together.
However, instead of blood splattering across the nearby ground it was nothing but air, suggesting Gaara's sand had missed entirely. After several moments of silence, Gaara's eyes noticed and narrowed upon Naruto who now stood over 20ft away, standing beside a 3-pronged Kunai.
"Is that all you've got? I hope you haven't finished entertaining me." Gaara spoke in a cold and emotionless tone. After he finished speaking , Gaara stared directly into Naruto's violet eyes, an action that would normally paralyze an ordinary ninja but not him.
Instead of Hypnotizing the Sand Shinobi, Naruto's eyes caused an intense-feeling of pain to once again erupt from Gaara's seal. This pain was so great that Gaara began to drag his fingernails across his forehead while groaning.
"What kind of training did you make him go through." Guy asked his childhood friend as he continued to examine the battle unfolding infront of him.
"Mmm... Just the basics, I can't really remember." Kakashi mumbled in a low tone.
"Hmph, the basics." Guy repeated as a wide smile grew upon his face, always happy to exchange words with his eternal rival.
Suddenly, Gaara fell to his knees while his previous groans of pain evolved into screams, an action and sound that horrified the majority of the audience. During this, a sad and empathetic Naruto began slowly walking towards his opponent.
"DIE!" Gaara screamed while slamming both hands atop the ground infront of him. This force all of the ground in a 15ft wide radius around Gaara to abruptly crumble into sand, grabbing onto Hayate's ankles while Naruto once again disappear in a bright flash.
Hayate was then dragged down into the sand, an action that greatly alarmed the Leaf ninja would were watching but they were forbidden from intervening in a match. Many of the Leaf Shinobi watching were close and deep friends to Hayate, a fact that only increased the tension.
Once Hayate was waist deep in the sand, he felt his entire body become gripped by some unseen force. This force yanked and pulled Hayate free before he drifted over 20ft across the arena, revealing Naruto's new location.
Once Naruto grabbed the back of Hayate's flak jacket with his left hand, he then raised his right hand to his chest while several streams of sand began surging towards him. Naruto knew that the power of his eyes had a delay while at the same time he was unable to properly master the Flying Thunder God technique, preventing him from teleporting other people or things.
This realization forced Naruto's right hand to weave through the half Tiger, Snake, Rat, Snake and once again Tiger Seals. During this, Naruto inhaled a vast amount of air, forcing his back to arch slightly while his cheeks puffed out.
"Water Style: Water Wall Jutsu." Naruto spoke before a condensed stream of water erupt out from his mouth. This water shot forward, eroding the approaching sand before it began to swirl and spin around both Leaf Shinobi.
The amount of chakra-filled water continued to shoot out from Naruto's mouth, causing the protective wall of water to grow over 10ft in height while it completely nullified the remaining sand. During this, Hayate fell to his knees while coughing harshly beside Naruto.
No way...! To cast and create such a powerful Water Style jutsu... where there is no water! An ox-masked Anbu panicked internally as he studied the match from a hidden section in the crowd.
You are indeed a worthy rival, Naruto. Lee concluded as his left hand once again began clenching down upon the handle of his crutch, staining his bandages with even more blood.
"What a drag, if I have to fight Naruto next round I'm just going to forfeit." Shikamaru sighed while Shino quietly observed the match.
Once the water wall dissolved, Naruto noticed Gaara was still on his knees with his hands buried atop the ground while he groaned in pain. During this, the black pupils of Naruto's eyes abruptly shrunk before enlarging, allowing his vision to shift into the chakra-world.
This action allowed Naruto to better see the function for Gaara's seal, a seal that was completely overwhelmed and almost shattered entirely, a seal that was filled with brown chakra. Suddenly, the gourd on Gaara's back abruptly shattered into hundreds of pieces while crumbs of sand began falling from his downcast face.
"Why... Why won't you die!? Gaara demanded to know while he dragged his fingernails across the sand infront of his still downcast face. Pain then once again erupted from Gaara's seal, causing him to grip his forehead as his screamed in agony.
As Gaara screamed, his mind drifted back to last time he ever cried, something he hadn't done since he was 6 years old. During this, Gaara's entire body began to crack and splinter in multiple locations as he trembled in pain.
Why... Why, Yashamaru... Why did you do it, tell me why... I don't understand. Gaara's tear-stained younger self spoke inside his mind, causing the seal on his forehead to throb with even more pain.
Love is... The hearts desire to serve someone precious to you... To watch over them and to care for them, like my sister did for you. After all, you're special me Gaara, I hold you very dear to my heart. The voice of Yashamaru echoed inside Gaara's mind.
Yashamaru, if I'm precious to you... Then how could you? Gaara's younger self once again spoke out as the buried memory of love began to stir inside him.
It was an order... I was ordered to kill you, Gaara... by the lord Kazekage, your father... The day will come when you're too dangerous to keep alive. The blood-stained memory of Yashamaru replied.
Y-you had to obey my father, you didn't have any choice. Gaara thought back to the excuse he tried to make, even though tears were streaming from his young eyes.
You're wrong, I had a choice... And I wanted to kill you... Because, deep in my heart... I hate you Gaara, I've always hated you. This memory caused multiple veins inside Gaara's head to rupture, forcing him to scream and howl in agony, filling the arena with his pain.
My sister died bringing you into this world, it was her choice to have you, she chose to be made a human sacrifice. With my sisters dying breath she cursed this village because she gave us you, Gaara. As these memories progressed, Gaara began dragging his fingernails across his downcast face.
Your name is... The one your mother gave you. Your name is Gaara, a demon that loves only yourself because you must love no one else, care for no one except yourself, fight only for yourself, this is the dying gift your mother left you. During this, Gaara was panting rapidly, almost unable to control his gasps for air.
But do not mistake the intent of this gift... It was not a gift of affection, there was no maternal love for a creature like you. All of her undying rage for this village led to you, her curse upon the sand... Her hate lives on in you. These memories caused Gaara's teeth to grit and grind together as he continued to groan in agony.
You were never loved Gaara - never... Now, please die. The bloody memory of Yashamaru pleaded as he unzipped his flak jacket, revealing several dozen explosive tags on his body that erupted into flames and smoke.
This memory caused Gaara to fall face-first atop the arena floor while his entire body went limp, suggesting the mental pain was so vast that it knocked him unconscious. This action greatly confused the crowd, many of which were still horrified at the previous screams of agony and pain.
During this, Naruto's violet eyes examined Gaara's brown chakra network, a network that was being entirely overwhelmed by chakra seeping out from the seal on his forehead. Hayate then took several steps forward to check Gaara's pulse before Naruto abruptly blocked his path.
"Hmhmhmhmh... Heheheh... Hahahah... HAHAHAH, NOT BAD NARUTO UZUMAKI!" Gaara screamed while his head rose and tilted in a 260* fashion, an act that break any normal persons neck.
This action revealed Gaara's eyes, eyes that were normal morphed into a strange shape and color. The sclerae of his eyes were black with yellow irises while each of the pupils took on the shape of a black four-pointed star with four black dots around it.
The broken and splintered cracks in Gaara's skin revealed a glowing brown surface underneath, the surface was covered in multiple dark blue seal markings, markings Naruto couldn't identify. At the same time, a faint but tangible aura of brown chakra began swirling around Gaara's body.
"Yo, yo... Kurama, come on out Kurama!" Gaara ordered as his head tilted and cracked even further, greatly disturbing the citizen audience members.
This order created a critical amount of agony inside Naruto's stomach, forcing the blond to fall on his left knee while both hands pressed against his seal. During this, Naruto's black pupils almost tripled in size and radius, pushing the ripple pattern of his eyes back slightly.
This chasm of unending pain was so vast that Naruto found himself almost completely paralyzed. At the same time, Gaara began to laugh hysterically, filling the battleground with his sadistic chuckle.
U-... Here he comes. Hayate panicked as he began taking several steps backwards, finally understanding what Gaara was.
As Gaara launched himself across the ground like a rabid Raccoon, every section of earth that he touched instantly dissolved and crumbled into sand. During this, more sections of Gaara's skin continued to crack before falling off his body, revealing even more of the bright brown surface below.
The level of chakra radiating from Gaara was so intense that the battleground floor was rupturing and cracking in several areas. This action also caused multiple sections of earth to shift, raising Naruto into the air on a rock as Hayate fell down into a fissure.
At this moment, the chakra engulfing Gaara extended out from his lower back before morphing and shifting into a bright brown tail. At the same time, Gaara's red hair crumbled into sand, revealing 2 brown Raccoon-like ears that protruded off the top of his head.
The sea of sand surrounding Gaara then ascended and rose over 15ft, resembling a Tsunami of sand that rushed towards Naruto, who was barely able to recover from the pain inside his stomach. This wave of sand was so vast that it tore the rock Naruto stood upon out of the earth, disturbing the blonds balance and causing him to stumble.
2 skinless brown chakra arms then shot out from the sand Tsunami before stretching over 10ft in an attempt to grab Naruto. These arms resonated and flowed with chakra, chakra that had completely overwhelmed Gaara's network.
As these chakra hands dashed out, one reached for Naruto's face while the other surged towards his stomach. Naruto then crouched down, allowing one chakra hand to soar over him while he used the back of his left hand to deflect the 2nd attack.
Suddenly, a 3rd chakra hand erupted out from the shifting Tsunami before slamming against the boulder underneath Naruto. This attack spilt the boulder in half, causing Naruto and several dozen pieces of rock to fall down in the shifting sea of sand.
As Naruto fell, he slammed both of his palm hands together while funneling a significant amount of chakra into his violet eyes, causing his black pupils to shrink in the process. During this, multiple sand hands rose up before reaching out towards Naruto.
Before the sand even touched Naruto, an overwhelming and unseen force jolted out from the blond on all angles. This force deflected and overcame everything in a 10ft radius, causing multiple rocks and grains of sand to fly over the fissure Hayate was concealed in.
Outside of this unseen force, a massive sea of sand swirled and circled around the area, held at bay only by the power of Naruto's jutsu. After holding the almost endless amount of sand back for several moments, Naruto was forced to cancel the jutsu once he realized there was a time limit to keep it active.
Once this jutsu was undone, a brown chakra hand instantly erupted out from the now approaching sea of sand before grasping down upon Naruto's face. Naruto then attempted to push the chakra hand away only for 2 more to shot towards him before grabbing each of his wrists.
All 3 of these hands then hurled Naruto backwards, causing the blond the twist, flip and slide across the ground for over 30ft. During this, Naruto crashed against one of the mudwalls Sakura had created before breaking it in half as he continued to fly back.
At the last moment, Naruto collided against a bundled up section of forest, filling the arena with the sound of wood snapping as 2 trees fell down in the distance.
"HAHAHAH! HAHAHAH!" Gaara screamed as his body erupted out from the sand.
All of Gaara's skin, cloths and hair were completely dissolved. This left Gaara with 2 Raccoon-like ears and 1 Raccoon-like tail, all of which were solid brown with multiple dark blue seals sprawled across them and his body.
This action horrified Kankuro once he realized what was happening, Gaara was no longer fighting - there was only Shukaku of the sand.
"I hear little hearts beating... Yes... Beating faster now, soon the beating will stop... HAHAHAHAH!" Shukaku joked, causing children to hide in the arms of their parents.
While Shukaku's twisted laugh echoed across the arena, the figure of Naruto slowly walked out from the distance treeline. Once Naruto left the shadows, it was revealed that a large treebranch had impaled itself through his left shoulder.
Naruto was so focused on Shukaku that he didn't even shrug while he pulled the treebranch loose before throwing it to the ground. During this, steam began to pour out from Naruto's wound as it healed almost instantly.
This stained Naruto's left arm with 3 streams of blood that had previously been dripping from the wound. This entire process left the audience speechless, many of them unable to believe what they were seeing.
"Humans will be dissected, villages overgrown... Mothers will kill daughters as Shinobi weep in terror!... And then, everything you love will die - HAHAHAH!" As Shukaku spoke, many children in the crowd began to cry.
"Wh-what kind of a battle is this turning into?" Sakura stuttered.
Naruto, why do you seem so... Calm? What are you thinking right now? Sasuke asked himself.
"What a drag." Shikamaru sighed.
"N-no way... That kid is taking on the 1-tails!" Izumo exclaimed, barely able to believe his own words.
"Naruto's youth is shining like a sun." Guy pointed out with a straight face.
Naruto... Are you really that far ahead of me, Naruto? Lee asked himself, barely able to withstand the amount of humiliation in his heart.
Hundreds of elite and average ninja sat in the audience and many of which were shocked to see a 12 year old battle a tailed beast. At the same time, the masked face of Rasa began to grin from ear-to-ear, clearly happy with what he was seeing.
During this, Shukaku's demonic laugh continued to echo across the arena, terrifying hundreds of audience members, none of which knew that the battle had only just begun.