Akuma's POV:
"You… this..."
"Sasuke, you take it easy and leave everything to Naruto Uzumaki and Akuma!"
"Trust us Sasuke. We know what we do" I said and looked at Naruto who nodded.
"Aright everybody! Let's go!" Naru ordered and all our clones jumped and started to attack Gaara.
Naruto's clones were at the very front since they were much more than mine. Mine, on the other hand, stayed behind giving them support and be ready to protect them if anything happened. It was something we never did in battle but had discussed it once over ramen. Well, nothing made better practise than actual combat in which the lives of your friends and comrades are at high stake. All the Narutos threw shuriken at Gaara while mine threw kunai. Because of my exceptional marking and throwing skills, none of Naruto's clones were hit and instead the kunai passed them by inches.
"Go Narutos!" I ordered and my clones step back, leaving it to Naruto's to do the job.
Around ten of the clones grabbed Gaara and threw him high in the air and with every kick, Gaara was sent higher and higher, while with every kick they say "U-zu-ma-ki" Then, around the double amount of the clones appeared and started to punch Gaara.
"Naruto!" they all shouted as they gave the final blow at Gaara, who landed on the hard ground and made the earth to shake and dust to rise everywhere.
"Now!" I shouted and my cones started to catch as many clones as they could, hoping to catch the real one.
However, the one and only Naruto happened to land on me but I managed to keep my balance and not fall from the branch I was standing. My eyes widened as when the dust cleared, we came face to face with a giant Shukaku. Before any of us could move, a powerful wind made all our clones to disappear and suddenly sand attacked Naruto. It started to cover him in a cocoon while taking him away from me.
"Naru!" I shouted as I grabbed fans and started to slice the sand but it was much thicker and it kept regeneration, making all my tries fruitless. However, that didn't mean I would stop. Hell no, I wouldn't let my best friend to be taken from me.
"Akuma… get out of here"
"I am not going to let you Naru!" I shouted while ignoring the tears that were escaping my eyes and continued slicing sharper.
Suddenly, sand appeared behind me and grabbed me from my neck. I could feel the air leaving my lungs and my vision to blur while I was lifted above the ground. My hands started to scrap it with the help of my fans but like before, I barely did it any damage. I was close in fainting, perhaps dying if the pressure on my neck increased more.
"No!" I heard someone shout and I noticed two kunai flying and cutting the sand that was choking me. it weakened it enough for me to deliver the final attack and be free before landing barely on a nearby tree branch.
"Naru!" I shout as he was the thrower and had used his last bit of power to save me.
I tried to run for him but the sand punched me at my stomach and sent me flying. A trunk cut my trip short as I fall face first at the hard branch. I tried to stand up but the exhaustion of using my chakra had started to affect me.
Not now!, I shouted in my mind as I tried to stand up.
My hands were shaking as they were holding my weight but just barely. I lifted my head, wanting to glare at Gaara while being unaware of the change in them, my pupil once again resembling a feline slit. Yet, instead, the anger in me was replaced by some happiness while a smile appeared on my face. Why? Because Naruto was free and was on top of Chief Toad. They started to argue as it was expected but finally chief toad agreed to fight alongside Naruto because the tiny frog from before was his son. Then, Chief grabbed his katana and attacked Shukaku.
The said Bijuu blocked his attack and managed to make chief to lose the grip on the sword, which was pinned on the ground. Chief landed a few feet away from him but raised dust, pieces of earth and trees at the process. A piece of the tree trunk was coming toward me and I closed my eyes which were now back to normal while waiting for the impact that never came. Instead, I felt someone pushing me out of the way and then, I felt like falling. I noticed that Sasuke had pushed me out of the way but he was too weak to grab from somewhere else and we were now falling towards the ground. I gathered all the power I had left and managed to grab a branch with my right hand.
With my left hand, I grabbed Sasuke from his shirt and tried my best to hold him. I bit my own lip as I could feel my powers abandoning me. My vision started once again to blur. Not, now. Please not now!, I begged on my mind and I could feel a small part of power still inside of me. I pushed myself to the limits and managed to pull both of us up.
"Are... you... okay... Sasuke ...?", I asked between pants as we both laid on our backs, trying to catch our breaths.
"Yeah *pant*," he said and I managed to stand up.
I stood on a sitting position and it was then when I noticed that it was the same branch where Sakura had been. Then, I heard Naruto telling Chief Toad about where Sakura was and to stay away from there, meaning that we were safe for now, at least.
"You are fun. This is fun Uzumaki Naruto! Thanks from keeping me entertained so far. Now, I will show you the true power of the san demon"
"That medium shows signs of insomnia, from being posses by Shukaku. Look at the bags under his eyes… Those possessed by the Badger demon, Shukaku, become such that they can't even get a night of decent sleep, it's because of terror" Chief Toad explained and my eyes widened as the same information, well most of it, was at the book I had started reading a few days ago. "If they sleep, their personality is eaten away by Shukaku, bit by bit until they disappear. Because the medium suffers from lack of sleep, their personality tends to be unstable. Nevertheless, you know… while the medium is awake, Shukaku's real powers are suppressed. However, if the medium falls asleep on his own then"
"Spell of fake sleep" Gaara's voice echoed and I turned to look at him, only to see that he closed his eyes and literally fall 'asleep'.
Oh no, this is bad. This is very bad, I thought.
"Hahaha! I am finally out!" Shukaku's real voice was heard and my eyes widen as I recognized the voice from my fight at the preliminaries.
It was you. You were the one who spoke into my mind and called me weak. The one was Kurama and the other was you. How was I able to hear you? I said to my mind as realization hit me.
"And here is someone I want to kill, right now!" he continued and rubbed his stomach.
Then, it leaned a little in front before sending sand balls at Naruto and Chief Toad. Chief jumped in the air to avoid them and at the same time, in front, heading right for Shukaku. The said bijuu sent sand balls again but Chief stopped them by sending his own water balls. The wet sand fell like rain and covered almost all the place. Thank Kami, Sakura, Sasuke and I and were safe under the leaves of the tree. However, while Chief managed to stop all the balls, one that he missed struck him right at the stomach.
"Yes! I did it! I killed him, I killed him" Shukaku started singing and cheering.
I do not know if I should fear him or facepalm at his stupidity and childish behaviour, I said to my mind as I looked at the scene in front of me.
'I suggest you do the second kit because definitely he is not to be taken seriously' a very familiar voice echoed in my mind.
What … Kurama? Is that you? Why did you answer? Why don't you answer now? How did you… oh forget it, I said to my mind, as it was obvious that he would not speak to me again. I mentally left out a sigh and turned my attention back at the battle. Shukaku's mood suddenly dropped as the dust cleared and a standing Chief Toad was glaring at him.
"That hurt! You pumped so much chakra into that ball you threw at me" Chief complained/cursed. "For now, rough up that medium kid, so the spell will break. We will get close to that badger and stop him at his tracks. We will do it when his guard is down, so kid! Use the transformation jutsu and transform me into something with claws and fangs, so I can stop him. I am no good at transforming so you will do it for me. Do not worry; I will lend you some of my chakra since you have wasted most of it to summon me" Chief said and Naruto started to freak out.
I wonder what you will transform chief, Naruto. Something with claws and fangs huh? I wonder what animal will come into your mind; I thought and could not wait to see.
"Here we go!" Chief said and charged at Shukaku.
