Soundtrack of this chapter: (11) ✔️Transformers 3 - It's our fight (The Score - Soundtrack) - YouTube
My hands cramped together and trembled. All the tiredness had evaporated and made way for inner tension. I had to get back to the others immediately, but at the same time I shouldn't be discovered by the possible opponents.
I quickly created several shadow clones and prepared a few of my arrows. In case I had to fight from a distance, that would certainly come in handy. Then I tied a few letter bombs to the kunai. Carefully, I stowed all that in the bag and kept one of the kunai in my hand.
Afterwards I made myself and the clones completely invisible, including the suppression of the chakra. So my enemies would not notice me so quickly. I hung the bow around me and finally set off.
Like a squirrel I climbed through the trees. From up there I had a much better overview. Even more, I had built a few traps on the ground so that we would hear our opponents.
„I won't say it again. Where is your scroll? My brother is getting really uncomfortable otherwise."
Firmly, my fingers tangled in the branch as I heard the voices of our opponents. No. Anything but this team. I had been warned twice not to run into them. Our night camp was a mess. Weapons and supplies were scattered on the ground. Everywhere covered by sand and I did not need to guess, I knew immediately who was responsible for it.
With his puppet strings, Kankuro had Hinata on the ropes, while Temari had Kiba pinned to the ground. Shino had been the most uncomfortable. Gaara's sand had wrapped around his arms and legs, holding him in place.
While I didn't know exactly what the redhead could do with it, on the other hand, I didn't really want to know. The only important thing now was to get my friends out of this situation...alive.
Silently I sent the invisible shadow clones towards my teammates. However, they were to remain hidden until I gave them a sign.
Shino growled in pain as the sand wrapped itself a little tighter around his legs. My anger increased steadily. Why wouldn't he leave him alone? They didn't have the role, I did. But for now, it was important that the three of them were distracted so that the shadow doubles could take care of my team in peace.
First, I stopped the suppression of my chakra. Immediately, Kankuros head shot up. He knew I was close by. But the brown-haired man did not say a word.
„What is it Kankuro?" asked Temari, foot and fan still on Kiba's back.
„Someone is watching us. And I already have an idea who it might be," Gaara snarled, looking me straight in the eye.
He really shouldn't have found me that quickly, but good.
In one lightning-quick movement, I had thrown the shuriken, which whizzed a hair's breadth past Temari's cheek and drilled itself into the nearest tree. Startled, she jumped back and let go of Kiba, who immediately tried to crawl away. But he seemed to be very weak.
Gaara's sand sprang forward and tried to grab him. But my clone was quicker, grabbing the Inuzuka and putting him out of reach for the time being. Gaara's gaze had become all the more deadly. He could not see me yet, but now he knew my position. In no time at all I jumped aside when he attacked me with the sand. Skilfully I dodged the quite well-directed attacks. In the run I brought my bow in position, put one of the arrows in the string, braced myself with full strength from one of the branches and jumped.
Like in slow motion, I flew over Gaara, who now only seemed confused, and shot the arrow with the letter bomb at him. But just before it reached him, it crashed into a wall of sand. A shattering bang echoed through the forest. Arriving on the other branch, I realized that this protective wall was beginning to crumble a little but was already in the process of reforming.
I could not let that happen. If he had built up his ultimate defence again, then he would become even more cautious, and it would be so much more difficult for me to attack him. Now I had to concentrate. Because what I would do next, I had done only once with Genma in training. It had only worked to a certain extent.
He knew from which direction I would come; he had turned in just this way. The arms folded and with impenetrable look he stood there and waited for my attack.
Temari and Kankuro were standing at the edge of the clearing, watching the battle that was about to unfold. Hinata was still hanging on Kankuros chakra strings, which made me immensely angry. Shino was nowhere to be seen. Possibly he had managed to free himself from the sandy clasp.
Now it was time. I felt the chakra flowing through my body, coursing through my legs and feet, giving me strength and making me speed up. At breakneck speed, I ran toward Gaara. Like a tunnel, the sand formed around me and at the very end stood the Suna-Nin.
Now it came down to this. Who was faster? Me or Gaara's sand? But the end still seemed too far away. In a moment he would have me. Of necessity I fished a letter bomb out of my pocket, threw it behind me and jumped after it exploded. I dissolved my invisibility jutsu as soon as I was outside. I couldn't use too much chakra.
Breathing heavily, I looked around the clearing and realized that my team was right behind me. New strength flowed through me. Now I was no longer alone, the others would be able to help me.
„We have to get out of here," Kiba whispered in my ear and I nodded slightly.
Yes definitely. Because we truly would not win this fight.
Out of the corner of my eye, I realized that my teammate was holding the one almost invisible wire rope in his hand. Unnoticed, I tracked it with my eyes. Yes, that could definitely work.
Threateningly Gaara's sand built up in front of us. Ominous and frightening. I guessed what would come now and was right. At inhuman speed, the golden-brown element raced toward us.
Kiba let out a startled scream, while Hinata and Shino seemed frozen in terror. Now I had no choice. I had to use this jutsu or we would all be dead.
Reaching out my hand in front of me, I felt the chakra flowing rapidly through my veins, my heart pumping like crazy, and my tension driving me half crazy. An invisible, impenetrable shield began to spread around us.
With clenched teeth, I stood there, fighting off this immense power of Gaara. But I would not give up. We could all pass this test. In my mind, I saw the faces of those who had believed in me, trained me, and suffered with me.
„No matter how much strength you use. First you have to defeat me before you get too close to my team," I pressed out strained.
Gradually my strength faded, and a single drop of sweat trickled down my forehead. Kami. How much sand did this guy have? There could never be that much in that sand pumpkin.
And then it stopped. Just like that. I looked straight up.
Temari and Kankuro seemed to be more than surprised and the latter also a little relieved that I had been able to ward off the sandstorm from before. But they were not alone. Also, I had not counted on being able to hold out this shield so long.
But that had cost me a lot, as I now noticed. In addition, there was the lack of sleep from the nights before. Only with effort I managed to stay awake and looked Gaara bravely in the eyes.
„Why are you so hell-bent on protecting your team?"
Confused, I looked up. The redhead glared steadfastly at me, but something else had crept into his eyes. Anger and ... curiosity?
„Because a team should always stand together, regardless of whether you like the others or not. We all have a goal here and we can only achieve it together. But it's also important to build relationships between members. At least that is my opinion. And from something like that, friendship can develop later, which may last through the rest of your life. Dangerous situations weld together and create a trust among each other, because everyone has to rely on each other," I explained exhaustedly.
„No. Our teamwork works better when everyone is responsible for s-," Kankuro said, but I interrupted him.
„Then it has nothing to do with teamwork. And if one of you gets into a bad situation? Then you'll have to help together, too, right?", I asked demandingly and Gaara's eyes narrowed to slits.
„That won't happen," his voice cut the air.
I shrugged my shoulders.
„If you say so. But I'll tell you this, Gaara. One day you'll realize how valuable a team or people who stand by you can be, even if you're not able to do that now."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kiba nod imperceptibly at me and knew it was time. Everything was happening in a fraction of a second. The smoke and gas bombs, which were hidden in the ground all went off at once.
I grabbed the weakening Hinata by the arm and pulled her along with me.
And so, we escaped incredibly close to the team from Sunagakure.