Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto Franchise that belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto; I do not own Heaven's lost Property, High School DxD or any other Anime I borrow themes from. The only thing I claim is my OC's and original Story Plot.


Author's Note (A/N): Hey guys I'm back with another chapter. This chapter if full of surprises and interesting scenes. The invasion is in full swing and all of our characters are going off on their own missions. Unexpected characters and choices will be made in this chapter that will surprise you all. I'm super happy with the way this chapter has turned out.


Chapter 61

Monster Hunt

They were being followed… this wasn't good. Gaara wasn't in any condition to fight at the moment. He needed to get to a safe location where he could recover from his injury and rebalance himself. Mentally he was quite destabilized and unhinged from his fight with Sasuke Uchiha and now he was in no condition to properly unleash his Tailed Beast.

"Temari what do we do… if Gaara doesn't get his act together he won't be able to play his part in the invasion?" Kankurō's frantic voice could be heard through the rustling leaves as he and his sister traversed the dense forested biome surrounding the Hidden Leaf village. Hoisted on Kankurō's shoulder was his little brother Gaara, the Jinchūriki to the One Tailed Shukaku.

"I know but there's not much we can do about that right now. We need to make it to the rendezvous point and get Gaara some help… but it's taking us a while to get there since we had to take the long route around." Temari implied as she kept looking behind her as a precaution since she knew they were being pursued by Sasuke Uchiha. He was quick to jump on their tails the second they fled the stadium which was making their job in protecting their brother infinitely harder.

The siblings had troubled looks on their faces as they poured on the speed to draw distance between them and their persistent pursuer who so far was still after them despite the traps they laid in their wake. If things kept up this way, then one of them was going to have to break off and stall Sasuke to buy time. It was their only option left after running for nearly twenty minutes.

"He's getting closer Temari… let me stay behind and stop him. You've already exhausted your chakra fighting that lazy guy and your Wind Style Ninjutsu will only make his Fire Style stronger. I'd be the better choice." Kankurō suggested once they sensed the stubborn Uchiha closing the distance with them at a rapid pace. The boy was highly skilled, and that fact was only augmented by his tenacity. As things stood now, the Sand Siblings had no choice but to split up and fight now if they wanted everything to continue in their favor. If Sasuke caught up to them then it would be a chaotic mess of trying to hold the skilled Genin off and keeping the psychotic Jinchūriki both safe and in check. Seeing Sasuke again could set Gaara off into a rampage and he very well could unleash his Tailed Beast right then and there. The plan was for Gaara to transform inside the village, now that they were on the run the siblings had to meet up with a team of Sand Ninja in a staging ground far outside the village. They would escort them back into the Hidden Leaf in the second and final wave and have Gaara transform then.

At the very least that is supposed to be the plan, but Sasuke was putting a major dampener on that initiative. "Are you sure…?" The blond-haired teenager asked with concern to her brother who had a grim expression on his painted face. "I'm sure… I've got a job to do after all. You just get going and don't wait for me." Kankurō instructed as he passed Gaara over to his sister and slowed down to a stop on a thick tree branch with a solemn look on his face. He watched his sister race forward through the trees leaving him behind.

The aspiring puppeteer master turned to face the direction he and his sister was just traveling from with a serious expression on his face. His puppet that was usually wrapped up in bandages strapped to his back was down by his side leaning against the tree with his hand placed firmly on top of the large construct in a ready position.

Kankurō wouldn't have to wait for long as the black clad elite Genin soon came into view. Sasuke's longer bangs did little to hide the determined look in his eyes. He knew Gaara was up ahead and currently Kankurō stood in his way. That was something that needed to change. "I'm only going to tell you this once… move." Sasuke's demand was short and straight to the point. In all honesty, Kankurō expected nothing less from the Uchiha but that didn't mean he had to like it. Nor was he going to take it sitting down either.

"And what if I don't? What then?" Kankurō replied back with steel in his voice. The onyx colored eyes of the last loyal Uchiha was an intimidating sight to see and the puppeteer could guarantee that seeing the famed Sharingan would be even worse. Hearing this retort, the glare on Sasuke's face deepened as his semi matured Sharingan came to life in a crimson light. Kankurō couldn't help the deadpan that came to his face at this development. It would seem comical irony was striking him down right now. He wasn't really a great matchup against a Sharingan user. With their ability to slow down the optical perception of time in their brain and see chakra in different colors it would make it incredibly hard for a puppeteer to use his puppet against such a foe.

"You'll find out soon enough." These were Sasuke's last words as he leapt at the older Genin with all his might. He was getting through weather the Sand Genin would allow it or not.


Chūnin Exam Stadium

Chaos.

That would be the best word to describe the confusion and abruptness of the situation this individual found herself in. Their red hair stuck out like a sore thumb as they quietly slipped out of the stadium by reducing their chakra signature to absolute zero. It was a unique ability exclusive to her as far as she knew. This girl was Karin. The red headed girl wanted no part in the carnage taking place in the stadium she just left. Leaf, Sand, and Sound ninja were battling it out in the bleachers surrounded by unconscious civilians. Stray kunai and rag dolled bodies were dropping down onto the defenseless and unaware innocence injuring them in their slumber.

Karin didn't want to end up as an unfortunate casualty in this unwarranted attack, so she escaped the complex by taking advantage of the first opportunity given to her. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she peeked around the corner or the building. She didn't know where she could possibly go, she had no allegiance to this village and her own village of the Hidden Grass only used her as a healing battery to heal their wounded. To be more specific they forced her into it following the passing of her mother who was the previous holder of this daunting responsibility. Karin didn't want this to be the full extent of the rest of her life, it was completely unfair and unjust. The red-haired girl felt a heavy weight settle in her heart with these depressing thoughts.

This was her chance. She could slip away in the carnage of this battle and claim that she was killed in the attack. She could start her life over without having to be allied with the Hidden Grass. Making her decision Karin took her headband off and threw it to the ground. After the second exam ended her village never even came to retrieve her following the deaths of her two teammates, who didn't even care about her to begin with which put into perspective just how much her village valued her as a person.

The weight that was in her heart lifted following this action and taking a deep breath, the red-haired girl was going to slip away until a hand tapped her on her shoulder. Screaming in fright Karin turned around only to come face to face with Fū. The dark-skinned girl had a cheerful look on her face as she giggled at the frightened expression on Karin's face. "What are you doing?!" Karin yelled as she backed away from the cheerful girl and pulled out a kunai in defense. Fū chuckled as she held her hands up.

"Easy their sister. I'm not here to fight, I'm just trying to get away from all that mess. What are you up too?" Fū asked with a small smile on her face. She seemed unaffected by the ambient negativity in the air from the violence happening inside the building they were standing against. The small smile on her face seemed capable of shielding her from her worries.

"I'm… I don't know… I just want to get out of here. I want to start new…" Karin mumbled as the older girl stared at her with a contemplative look on her face. "Then let's go! We can go anywhere really." Fū said with her palpable air of enthusiasm suffocating Karin. "Wait what? Are you serious… what about you? Don't you have a village of your own?" Karin blurted out in surprise at Fū's happy go lucky attitude. It was extremely erratic and unpredictable for Karin to properly get a hold of. The mint green haired girl just seemed to do what she wanted with no regards to logic.

"Don't worry about it silly! I'm really lucky so I'll be alright. After we're done here you can come back with me to my village. I could always use a friend." Fū said with her cheerful attitude in full effect but Karin could detect a hint of longing in her voice. The girl was looking for a friend.

Before the two girls could continue their conversation, they saw a shadow fly over their heads. Looking up both girls see Gaara being carried by his siblings leaving out of the stadium in a hurry. Gaara was clearly injured and his siblings were escorting him which was shocking in and of itself but what followed made the situation even more interesting. Sasuke Uchiha could be seen nearly a minute and a half later following after the fleeing trio with a purpose in his step.

"That boy… he's number one." Fū stated with a peculiar look in her orange eyes that held excitement and wonder in it. Fū apparently knew Gaara's real identity if the amused expression on her face was any indication. "He has such large "chakra reserves… it's huge, but it feels so evil… sinister and unhinged…" Karin mumbled in uncertainty as her red eyes bored into Gaara's retreating form. "… but your chakra is even bigger than his, it's monstrous in comparison. But it feels so happy and calm. It's pleasant." Karin comments idly while panning her gaze towards Fū who beamed brightly at her in response. "That's because I'm lucky number seven! Number one is kind of a grumpy pants but maybe that can change… then we can be friends." Fū grinned as she watched Sasuke begin his elusive chase. "I take it you're a Sensory Type Ninja based on the way you reacted to him." Fū mentioned as she had a look of anticipation on her face.

"Yeah… I was born one… it's about all I'm really good at. I'm not a front-line battle shinobi, I'm a support type." Karin revealed as Fū shook her head in acknowledgement to this as she grabbed onto Karin's hand and started to drag her off in the direction the fleeing sand ninja were heading. "Hey wait! What are you doing?" Karin wasn't exactly sure what Fū's intentions were but heading in the direction those ninja just took off in was not in her to do list. "Come on… lets go meet number one, we'll ask him to be our friend after we help him." Fū squeals as she pulled the red head along with her without any hesitation. "Hold on! I don't want to go… this isn't our problem! We'll get hurt or worse." Karin protested as the negative energy associated with Gaara's chakra was severely off putting to the sensitive girl and Sasuke's chakra wasn't far off in that department either. He had a slightly jaded feeling to his chakra that was hiding something even more sinister. His chakra was slightly attractive to her she'll admit, but whatever that darker aspect of his internal energy is was very disconcerting.

"Don't be a chicken. It will all be fine. After we help him out and ask him to be our friend I'll take you back with me to the Hidden Waterfall Village. You can be my friend and we'll have a blast together!" Fū insisted with a cheerful smile on her beautiful face which was too much for Karin to resist as the dark-skinned kunoichi managed to drag the red head along with her.


It took them little to no time at all to eventually catch up with the tense pursuit going on in front of them. Kankurō was staring down Sasuke ready to defend himself against the last Uchiha who looked ready to step over the puppeteer in his quest to reach Gaara.

"Hi there!" Fū exclaimed as she surprised the two Genin who were on a collision course with each other. The dark-skinned girl landed between the two opposing forces and caught Sasuke's punch and Kankurō's puppets wooden hand simultaneously. She gently pushed Sasuke back a bit while throwing the death puppet back towards Kankurō with little difficulty. "Who are you?" Sasuke asked as he sized the girl who was at least 2 inches taller than him up. He wasn't sure what her intentions were but judging by her headband she was from the Hidden Waterfall Village.

"Hi! My name's Fū… I'm just here because I want to meet this guy's younger brother. He's just like me." Fū revealed as she pointed to Kankurō who had a look of shock on his face. "You're just like my brother… you've got a monster inside of you too." Kankurō mumbled in shock and fear as he took an involuntary step back. Fū frowned a bit at this as she leveled a stern gaze at the puppeteer. "It's not a monster, no matter how crazy the One Tailed might be and neither is your brother. He's simply a vessel, and a mistreated one at that." Fū insisted as she voiced her opinion on the treatment of Jinchūriki.

"We've got a job to do… and he has to play his part. You don't know what it's like to grow up living with a person who could snap and kill you at any given moment. I'm just doing my job." Kankurō exclaimed with gritted teeth as he sent a scathing glare towards the newcomer. "You treat him like a weapon… I don't know what it's like to live with a person who would kill you indiscriminately, but only because I'm the one in those shoes. I've been discriminated against my whole life and sometimes I just wish that I could lash out at all of those who hurt me… but shunning your younger brother won't help him live his life." Fū retorted as she glared back at Kankurō who positioned his puppet into a defensive prone position. His fingers were curled and ready to manipulate his remote-control weapon at a moment's notice.

"Why are you doing this?" Sasuke asked as he wearily gazed at Fū who he could tell was a very strong girl. "Just looking out for people like me… It just so happens that I'm doing you a favor. Go on ahead and get to Gaara for me." Fū said with the usual smile on her face fading away. The dark skinned Jinchūriki girl felt strongly about this subject. She's never met another Jinchūriki before, but her caretaker took the time as he was looking after her to explain that there were eight other individuals out in the world with the exact same condition as her.

Ever since becoming aware of this startling revelation Fū has had the innate desire to meet the other few people in the world like her. Only they would truly be able to understand her on a level no one else could. So, to see that another of her kind was being mistreated so badly to the point he was being groomed and conditioned to be a weapon for his village… well it didn't sit right with the happy go lucky girl who has faced her own fair share of prejudice and discrimination. The hatred is all the same and she never knew how badly the other Jinchūriki had it until now.

"I won't let you go near him!" Kankurō disrupted as he manipulated his puppet to launch a hail of needles at Fū who didn't flinch in the fast-moving projectiles coming her way. Sasuke who had his Sharingan active saw this onslaught of steel coming his way and while he could attempt to counter this assault he thought it better to dodge and conserve his energy. Karin was of the same mindset since she wasn't much of a fighter, but she did have very fast reaction speed and decent mobility at her disposable so using her natural gifts the red head jumped away to safety leaving her new and impromptu friend to face the attack head-on.

"Wind Style: Gale Palm Jutsu!" Fū exclaimed as she generated a swirling mass of wind in the palms of her hands that she unleashed in a strong gust of wind that knocked the incoming needles far off course in a harmless manner. Sweating a little since he now knew Fū had a Wind Nature Chakra Affinity Kankurō was sure he was in for an uphill battle. He also knew he would need to quickly go all out and take down all three opponents at once. "Secret Black Move: Poison Cloud Cover!" Kankurō intoned as he sent his puppet up into the upper canopy of the trees with one goal in mind.

That goal quickly became known once a noticeable purple haze of wispy smoke started to descend from the air above them. Kankurō's puppet could be seen shooting out of the poisonous fog with a blade jutting out of its elbow. Fū narrowed her eyes at this as she understood what Kankurō was trying to do. The smoke would slowly fall to the ground leaving no room for the victim to escape. You couldn't jump up and above the trees as the fog was there and the longer you waited where you were the quicker the poisonous mist would fall on you. 'Great plan, but not good enough. I just need to disperse that cloud just enough to get some sun light in here.' Fū calculated as she formed hand signs.

A great plan… but to bad Kankurō was fighting a kunoichi with an affinity for Wind Nature Chakra. Angling her hands down and straightening her fingers out to make her hands look like knifes or if she were to karate chop someone Fū then quickly proceeded to generate a veil of Wind Nature Chakra around her hands. Throwing her hands out in a wide arc Fū generated thick and sharp crescent waves of wind in multiple burst. "Wind Style: Slicing Palm Waves Jutsu!"

While shocked Kankurō could still recognized the danger his puppet was in, so he yanked hard on the semi visible chakra strings attached to the wooden construct which pulled it out of the way of the incoming attack. While a good move Kankurō wasn't fast enough as the puppets legs were cut off from underneath it which held several weapons inside of them. The blade of wind traveled up into the air and cut the fog of poison down the middle which allowed a brief intermission of sunlight to shine down into the trees which was exactly what Fū wanted.

"Uchiha, Karin close your eyes." Fū called out in warning while in the middle of a fast chain of hand signs. Karin did as she was told while Sasuke was a little more reluctant to comply as he was more curious to see what the strange girl was up to. "Secret Technique: Scaled Powder Jutsu!" Fū unleashed a billowing cloud of what appeared to be glitter from her mouth that sparkled in the air for all to see. Kankurō and the others didn't see what the harm of this technique was until it passed through the rays of sun light seeping in from the parted poison cloud. The second that it did the glittering mass exploded in a bright flash of pure white light that blinded Kankurō who wasn't observant enough to cover his eyes. Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut in pain as his sensitive eyes caught a brief flash of this unorthodox and useful move. The dark-haired boy noted that he couldn't copy the dark-skinned girls move which led him to believe that this was some king of Jutsu unique to her.

Fū grinned in triumph as her signature Jutsu landed its mark without a hitch. She knew now was her chance to strike. Weaving several more hand signs Fū's cheeks expanded slightly as she gathered a peculiar substance within her mouth. "Secret Technique: String Shot Jutsu!" Fū launched a thick silvery white rope of insect web like string from her mouth that flew through the air unhindered until it wrapped itself around Kankurō's puppet. The sticky webbing entangled itself into the joints of the mechanical puppet grinding its mobility to a halt. With a swing of her neck Fū launched the immobile weapon into the side of a nearby tree where the webbing's adhesive properties bonded it to the great tree leaving Kankurō now without his only true weapon.

Kankurō's face was contorted in a painful grimace as he rubbed at his eyes that were burning him from the intense flash of light they just had to consume. He's never been subjected to a flashbang of such magnitude before and now he was blinded for the time being which was the worst-case scenario for the puppeteer who was not very good at close range. Most puppeteers weren't, and this fact wasn't going to help him here.

Fū who was looking to end this battle jumped from the tree branch she was on in the direction the incapacitated teenage boy was in. To his credit Kankurō heard the rustling of trees and the commotion Fū was making as she attempted to close the distance between them and knowing he had little choice but to defend himself the conventional way he pulled out a handful of kunai and timed his launch to when he knew she would be in midair and unable to dodge. "Fū watch out!" Karin shouted out as a well spring of concern for her newfound friend erupted from her heart. The girl couldn't dodge this simple and common attack and to make matters worse there was nothing in her immediate vicinity for her to substitute with. Kankurō's plan happened exactly as he wanted it to as his kunai flew through the air straight at Fū who couldn't move out the way. Kankurō was confident he would hit his mark, but he didn't account for Fū's unique and innovative way of maximizing her mobility.

The dark-skinned girl launched a string of her adhesive webbing at a nearby tree which she yanked hard on that sent her swinging out of the way of the otherwise impossible to dodge attack. "No way…" Karin whispered in shock while Sasuke's eyebrows were raised in surprise. He had to admit that Fū's maneuver was very creative and innovative.

Fū had a wide smile on her face yet again as she swung through the trees with a carefree attitude. Fū traversed the tree tops with several more string shots until she was face to face with Kankurō who she skillfully drop kicked into a nearby tree, where his back slammed painfully into the bark of the dense tree in a noticeable thud. Without a pause in her step the teenage girl entangled the Hidden Sand Genin with more of her unique silky threads that she used to bind him to the tree.

"It's time you went to sleep." Fū said as she placed her hand against the cocoon of webs trapping the young man. "Secret Technique: Leech Life Jutsu." The silky silver sheened webs wrapped around Kankurō's body turned a sickly lime green color that immediately started to suck Kankurō's chakra reserves dry in a rapid succession. The boy groaned in pain and discomfort before his head fell limp. He didn't have that much chakra to begin with and using a puppet is a strenuous task in and of itself, even if he didn't participate in his match from earlier.

Kankurō was unconscious from chakra exhaustion.

The chakra that Fū exhausted in her fight seeped back into her as she stole Kankurō's chakra from out of his body. The amount she took from him was just about enough to replenish her reserves which didn't take that noticeable of a dip to begin with since she was a Jinchūriki.

"Well that takes care of that… maybe next time you see your brother you'll treat him better." Fū said in a subdued tone of voice. She didn't know she'd be affected so badly by the treatment of her fellow kinsmen, but now that she's gotten a taste of this prejudice she could honestly say to herself that she hated it. She was a ditzy and carefree girl by nature, but she was very sharp and cunning as well as highly intelligent when the situation called for it. If she wasn't, she wouldn't have survived as long as she has. Fū could see the fear in the back of Kankurō's eyes as he spoke of his younger brother. He was terrified of his own little brother. Traumatized by a life of terror and uncertainty because his brother was turned into a human weapon. It was very sad to see and Fū hoped that Kankurō would come around to eventually view his brother as his family after the red head somehow gets some help.

Fū didn't know how Gaara would get the help he'd need, and she was equally uncertain of how she could possibly help but the happy go lucky girl knew she had to at least do something to say that she at least tried. But trying wasn't good enough for Fū. If she could… she would find a way to help.

"Fū are you okay?" Karin asked as she landed next to the slightly older girl who smiled at the red head and slung her arm around the 12-year-old girl's shoulder. "I'm just fine Karin… I just had to teach this guy a quick lesson. Maybe after this is all over he'll treat his younger brother better. None of them deserve to live this way but their lives won't change as long as those around them aren't willing to work for it." Fū explained as she looked to her right and saw Sasuke land on the branch next to her.

"I don't know what your intentions are, but I suppose I could say thank you for the help… what do you plan on doing now?" The Uchiha thanked in a subdued manner. He wasn't used to thanking people but after months of developing his newfound friendship with Naruto he's been slowly regaining that humanity he lost in his childhood. Saying thank you and being polite were concepts that were slowly coming back to him in full.

"I want to meet Gaara and ask him to be my friend… and perhaps do something to help him through the tough time he's in. That's all…" Fū explained simply to Sasuke who had a brief flicker of confusion cross his eyes. "Tough time… what do you mean?" Sasuke asked as he wasn't aware of Gaara's backstory. Naruto never got a chance to talk to his teammates about his encounter with Gaara in Rock Lee's room. Only he knew that not everything was black and white with the homicidal Jinchūriki.

"He's being used as a weapon… I can tell just by how this whole set up is. If I had to guess he was groomed to be a human weapon for his village to use. That's why his siblings are so afraid of him. The Hidden Sand want to use him to destroy your village. He's a lot stronger and dangerous than you may realize. But you see it's not his fault. He was born this way and now he's being used by those around him. Gaara is not exactly the enemy you think he is." Fū pleaded her case in a passion filled voice that actually moved Sasuke to consider the strange girls words. This wasn't something he would normally even consider but something about what Fū was saying was getting to him.

"Sasuke… I know you barely know me as it is, but do you think you can help us, this really means a lot to Fū for some reason and I'd like to help her in anyway that I can. She's now helping me so it's only right I return the favor." Karin spoke up as Sasuke looked to the red head he met back at the Forest of Death's battle tower. She introduced herself to everyone there and seemed to have some kind of connection to Naruto which his teammate later explained was because he saved her life. She then repaid that kindness by helping Team 8 pass. As far as Sasuke was concerned, Karin was okay in his books.

The last loyal Uchiha sighed in exasperation before he shook his head in agreement.

"Ok. I'll help you… but I'm still going to take down Gaara. If Naruto were here I'm sure he'd agree." Sasuke answered as he shrugged his shoulders a bit in a nonchalant attitude. Weather they came with him or not made no difference in Sasuke's eyes, he was still going to catch up with Gaara and beat him.

"Well it just so happens that Naruto is on his way. I can sense him two miles out behind us and closing. He has a squad of your friends with him. I believe it's Sakura, Shino, Shikamaru, and three other individual I don't know about. They also have an animal with them so they're probably tracking us by smell." Karin observed as she could sense their chakra signatures traversing the thick forest of the Land of Fire heading straight for them. "You can sense them that far out there?" Sasuke asked in curiosity. "I'm a Sensory Type Ninja." The red head responded simply.

Karin would have said more if she didn't suddenly tense up in surprise. "What is it?" Fū asked in concern once she noticed Karin's facial expression change. "They're being chased!" Karin exclaimed as Sasuke tensed a bit in slight concern for his teammates. "I count nine enemy ninjas following them and they're all Jōnin level. Six Special Jōnin, two regular Jōnin, and the last is an Elite Jōnin and he's hanging back further away from his squad." Karin explained as Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger. His teammates were in trouble and now he was conflicted on what he should do.

Should he go back to warn them and rendezvous with his team or should he go ahead, and hope Naruto can handle the situation. It was a very hard decision to make and one he couldn't make on such short notice. "I'll send him a message warning him of the danger. We should get ahead and stop Gaara before he goes any further. Karin can you tell were he's going?" Fū stated as she walked over to the trunk of the tree they were standing on. "Yes, he's heading straight for a large group of Jōnin and Chūnin 3 miles away from here. Judging by how far away it is from the Leaf I would assume that is were their main base is. Far enough away from the Leaf to be detected easily, but close enough that they could launch their invasion and not have to travel very far." Karin estimated with a frown on her face.

"I understand… Then we need to stop him before he gets to that base." Fū said as she had a frown marring her face as well. She didn't plan on getting mixed up in a full on potential war but when it became known to her that Gaara was just like her it spurred her into action. Fū was a stubborn girl by nature and once she set her mind to something she never gives up on it. Helping out her kind was something she couldn't simply ignore. Intervening in a war she has no part in could get her and her village in serious trouble if she were discovered but this was a task she had to do.

"Ninja Art: Wave Transmission Jutsu." Fū whispered as a ripple like wave of distorted air pulsed off of the tree she laid her hand against. It sounded like howling wind as it passed by Karin and Sasuke's ears, but they didn't pay much attention to that fact. "It's done… I sent him a message and it should be reaching him soon. He's number nine and if he's anything like what we all saw during his match then he should know what to do. So, let's get moving." Fū said wit a cheerful smile blooming to life back on her face. She held confidence in Naruto's ability to lead his team to victory and if necessary face that threat. She's wanted to meet him for a long time now ever since she first made eye contact with him back in the Written Exams room. She just never got the chance. Fū could sense the absolutely monstrous amounts of chakra within Naruto's body and she could even tell that it was mixed. She just didn't know with what.

"Right…" Sasuke mumbled as he took one last look at the direction his teammates were coming from. He hoped they would be okay.


Hidden Leaf Village

Twenty down.

Shoko was on a role right now. Enemy ninja were falling to Shoko's blade one by one. Our favorite purple haired kunoichi had a dark murderous look in her eyes as she cut into two Sound Chūnin at once. There screams didn't even reach her ears as she cut the head off of a third Sound Chūnin who tried to sneak up on her. Shoko held no light in her eyes as she killed any who came near her indiscriminately and without mercy. It was to the point that she's barely used a single Jutsu since leaving Kakashi and the others at the Stadium. She's just been cutting people apart at speeds that the enemy just couldn't perceive.

Many of these critical kills came from Shoko intercepting enemy ninja who were trying to ambush the Genin and low ranking Chūnin who were escorting the many civilians in the village to the safety shelters. Shoko would cut through the invaders before either they or the unsuspecting Genin and civilians on the streets below would sense, let alone see what was happening. Shoko saw the massive brown Three Headed Summoned Snake crushing houses and city blocks underneath its massive frame in the outskirts of the village. If it traveled further into the land and made it to the dense city scape in the center of the village then the fallout would be catastrophic.

Shoko was determined to not let such a thing happen. She would cut the snake down to size long before it could get to the denser areas of the village. Luckily right now it was in the country side of the village were the fertile farmland was located. Many of the major clans owned property in this section of the village such as the Yamanaka Clan who have massive flower gardens growing for their shop to use in its various sales which included medicinal herbs that were donated and sold to the hospital and other private companies to use.

The Aburame and Akimichi Clans also owned property in these areas as well and it goes without saying that they make the most of their allotted space. Shoko knew that damage was kept to a minimum thanks to the current location of the snake and she planned to keep things that way.

"Shoko! Wait up!" A familiar voice calls out which manages to snap the powerful woman out of her killing spree. "Anko?" Shoko blinked as she saw her fellow purple haired best friend land on the roof besides her. She was accompanied by a few Jōnin and Chūnin with her in a squad and they were heading in the direction of the stadium were a large sinister looking dark purple colored barrier could be seen from miles away creating a rectangular prison on top of the coliseums main roof. Shoko knew that the Hokage was trapped with this powerful barrier and Orochimaru was the one behind all of this.

"What are you doing out here? What's that giant barrier around the stadium?" Anko asked as adrenaline was pumping through her veins by the gallons. Blood was on Anko's signature trench coat and it was fresh. The woman had fresh blood on a kunai in her hand as well which clearly indicated to Shoko that her best friend just got done dispatching several enemy ninjas judging by the amount of blood splattered on the tan trench coat and how it was splattered in various patterns all over the fabric. The rest of Anko's impromptu makeshift squad also had scratches and bruises littered across their bodies. This group has been busy.

Shoko quickly explained the situation as she understood it to Anko who had a deathly grim look on her face as she looked between the giant snake in the distance and the Chūnin Exam's stadium on the other side of the village. Her worst fears were coming to pass, and she felt powerless to stop it.

"Where's Naruto in all of this? Is he safe?" Anko asked in concern as she tried to catch her breath. This was a lot for her to take in and it was starting to overwhelm her emotionally. "He's fine but he has a mission to do now. He's tracking down the One Tailed Jinchūriki, Gaara I believe is his name. It would appear that the Hidden Sand wanted to have Gaara unleash Shukaku right here in the middle of the village in one clean and unexpected swoop. Hundreds would have been killed instantly just from the release of such a creature." Shoko explained as she put the pieces together in her mind quickly once she saw Temari and Kankurō carry Gaara away. To be honest the thought of a Tailed Beast being unleashed right in the middle of the village struck a very dangerous and sensitive nerve within her soul. It hit to close to home for the emotional woman and she didn't like what this scenario implies. It was all to familiar.

"That's dangerous! He could get himself killed!" Anko shouted as it looked like she was about to go on an emotional filled rant that Shoko's no doubt had in her mind ever since watching him run off. The senior woman was quick to calm Anko down and placate her nerves with soothing words. "It will be ok. He has Aria with him and the girls. He's going to be going all out and if he can stop Gaara before he unleashes his Tailed Beast then he can most definitely come out on top. If worst comes to pass and Shukaku is unleashed I will personally battle it and put it in its place, and I'll do that as soon as I'm done handling this snake." Shoko said soothingly as she towered over Anko with her superior height and placed a comforting hand down on the shorter and younger woman's shoulders.

"Everything will work out I promise." Shoko said sweetly as she watched some of the tension leave Anko's body. "I'm going to swing by the stadium first and see if the area is secured. Once that's done I'm going after the little squirt and the others. I'm not leaving him out there all alone with an unstable monster." Anko said with a determination bubbling up from deep within her. Her eyes were a little misted over in emotion as she thought about what could be befalling her surrogate family in all of this chaos and confusion. The snake summoning Special Jōnin knew that Shoko wanted to be by Naruto's side right now, but she had a duty to do. The village needed someone powerful enough to protect it and with the Hokage himself trapped within a strong barrier fighting off the mastermind of this whole invasion that responsibly unfortunately fell to Shoko. Dino and Danzō were no where to be seen right now so the call to arms fell to Shoko and the senior Elite Jōnin of the village to step up to the plate in the absence of their revered and beloved leader.

"Are you even willing to put Orochimaru off to the side to follow your heart on this?" Shoko asked as she watched Anko instinctively place a hand on top of her dormant Curse Seal. The woman grimaced in discomfort from unpleasant memories, but that haze was quickly lifted from her mind and replaced with raw determination as she gazed into Shoko's eyes and saw the woman silently wrestling with the same demons as her. To put aside your own selfish and justified wants and goals to do what was right and follow your heart and sense of duty. It was the crux of all great Shinobi who eventually come to this crossroads within their lives. The decision that they eventually make always ends up shaping them as individuals for the rest of their lives and determines either their downfalls or rise to greatness.

"Yeah… even that bastard Orochimaru… I can put him on the back burner for a just a little while. Just long enough to make sure the brat and the mini brats are okay." Anko said with a cheesy and emotional grin. She was shelving a lot of her emotional baggage to the side to make this mature decision. It was a lot to ask of anybody, especially for someone like Anko who has undergone her own fair share of pain and traumatic suffering at the hands of the Snake Sannin.

"Okay… I won't be too far behind. Once I secure the village I'll be right behind you and we'll put an end to the threat of the Jinchūriki and Orochimaru and his Ninja. Once this is over I'm sure the Hidden Sand will surrender once they realize that the real Fourth Kazekage, Rasa was most likely murdered and replaced by Orochimaru himself. We can do this." Shoko encouraged with a small smile on her face which Anko easily returned as she gave her close friend a warm hug of gratitude.

"My squad and I just finished mopping up an entire platoon of enemy shinobi. There were even a few super naturals in the mix which isn't good. I lost three of our Jōnin back there and five of our Chūnin in exchange for their group being wiped out." Anko warned as she pulled away from the hug a bit to convey this message. Hearing this unsettling news Shoko's grip on her beautiful sword tightened in response to this. "I understand… but don't worry, they'll be no match for me. I'll root them all out." Shoko said as her voice deepened with a promise of carnage and violence dripping from every word she spoke. A pleasurable shiver went up Anko's spine at hearing this as a purr escaped the flirty woman's lips.

"Be careful… and here, for good luck." Anko prayed as she leaned up and caught Shoko's lips with her own in a quick peck that caught the powerhouse woman by complete surprise. The rest of Anko's squad was just as shocked by this bold move on Anko's part but the grin on her face blocked her mind from noticing any of those incredulous looks. "Anko… why would you do that out here? I didn't think we were public like that?" Shoko said with a demur and bashful blush on her face. She was under the impression that her and Anko's on and off complicated relationship was more of a private affair between the two genuine friends that sometimes just simply crossed the line of friendship with each other on mutual agreements. But apparently that wasn't the case today.

"Oh, who cares about semantics like that. I'm just doing that because judging by that tone you just used and the look that was creeping up in yours eyes just now, you're planning on cutting lose. I just wish that I can stick around to see it." Anko explained with a purr as she pulled away from the older woman and joined back up with her battered and worn out squad. "I plan too. I'll do all I can to put a stop to this invasion… and if a few heads have to roll and some blood needs to be shed in order for that to happen then so be it." Shoko said as she eased up on the mental cap that she has on her immeasurable chakra reserves that are most definitely and indisputably Kage level in capacity. Her power rippled out of her in waves which could be felt half way across the village easily by even those who weren't Sensory Type's like Karin. The giant brown three headed Snake perked up in noticeable surprise as it turned to give Shoko it's full attention.

Several platoons of enemy shinobi of both the Sand and Sound could be seen grouped up with the giant summon in a show of force. They looked every bit the part of what an invading army should be, and Shoko was standing ready to appose them.

"Good luck." Anko said with a small thumb up and a surprisingly gentle smile that was quickly and violently ripped off of her face in a hurry to make space for a giant grin in response to Shoko's own parting words. "Thanks, they'll need it."


Two Blocks Away

Balalaika was a happy woman right now. The carnage, the chaos, the killing. It was music to her ears and seeing Shoko cutting through her enemies left and right was the icing on the cake for her. 'Her son has it… that fire in his eyes. The spirit of a warrior. The only question is… are you rediscovering yours Shoko. Are you becoming the woman you once were again?' Balalaika thought to herself with a purr of sensual approval once she saw Shoko unleash her potent Chakra for all to feel.

'It would seem that you are… to bad Karasuba wasn't here to see this. She'd lose her mind in joy.' Balalaika chuckled quietly to herself as she felt Shoko's potent chakra wash over her in waves. "Stroke that fire Shoko… make it bloom the same way hers did. Don't let it go out again because at the end of the day only I'm allowed to crush that so-called Will of Fire of yours." Balalaika purred as she shivered in pleasurable approval. The woman had to put an effort into restraining her inhuman chakra reserves so that Shoko wouldn't sense her and become distracted. She wanted to see what her old rivals friend could do again after all of these years.

The Kingpin of the Hidden Stone took a puff from her cigar that was in her mouth and looked behind her in amusement to see the mangled and crushed corpses of nearly three dozen Hidden Sand, Sound, and Leaf Shinobi alike who were all consumed by large boulders and stones that were constricting around their bodies like caskets. Blood was everywhere but none managed to reach the blond-haired woman who was sitting on the edge of a buildings roof.

"Entertain me my puppets."


Naruto's Team / Land of Fire's Emerald Forest

They were making good time, at least they hoped they were. They've been running for nearly 30 minutes now and they still have yet to catch up with their teammate. They just hoped everything was fine with him by the time they got there.

"Guys! Sasuke has come to a stop and he's with someone." Pakkun informed with his gruff voice as the pug sniffed the air ahead. "Who?" It was a simple response from Naruto and he was expecting a simple answer from the pug. He was worried that Sasuke would get in over his head dealing with Gaara. If Gaara lost control, then even Naruto wasn't so sure what he could possibly do to stop a rampaging Jinchūriki. He only hoped he'd make it in time to help his teammate.

"I think it might be one of the Hidden Sand Genin, they look like they're going to fight… wait, hold on! Two other signatures are moving in on them at a high rate of speed." Pakkun exclaimed as he sniffed the air at a furious pace. "Two more?!" Shikamaru questioned in both surprised and curiosity. If two more unknown individuals were closing in on Sasuke and they were far closer to him then that spelled trouble. "Any chance they're friendly?" Naruto asked as he stretched out his senses to try and detect what their scout dog was sensing.

"I don't know about them being friendly, but they also concern me. One of them has a massive chakra reserve that is comparable to your own Naruto, and the other is… wait that can't possibly be right…" Pakkun explained before he trailed off in confusion as he sniffed the air once more. "What is it Pakkun?" Naruto asked in concern as the others looked to the dog in curiosity as well. "This can't possibly be right… this other individual is very similar to you Naruto as well. She has a chakra signature very similar to your own." Pakkun explained as he sewed in an undertone of uncertainty in his tone of voice. It would seem the pug had thoughts and theories swirling around in his mind about whatever was bothering him, but judging by his personality and demeanor the little pug would never really want to share.

'Someone similar to me… two people at that but the second one sounds familiar. The only person that comes to mind off the top of my head is Karin. Is it her? Why would she be way out here?' Naruto questioned within his own mind at the possibility of the red headed girl being way out here in the middle of a battle.

"It looks like a fight is going on and that strong chakra signature is fighting off the Hidden Sand Shinobi. It's not looking good in the sand boy's favor." Pakkun updated as he jumped through the tree tops at a fast pace. The seven-man group of Genin plus a witch and two kids were keeping pace with the tiny dog and they were blazing a trail through the trees at a blistering pace. They understood the importance of this impromptu mission and the severity of the consequences if they were to fail.

"We need to get there fast and back Sasuke up. Who knows what's going to happen." Shikamaru stated as Naruto nodded in agreement. "If this person fighting against the enemy is also a threat then what would you have me do master?" Aria inquired in concern as she kept pace with the four shinobi easily while keeping a vigilant eye out for any danger. She wouldn't let anything happen to her family or Naruto's friends.

"We'll take them out together Aria. It will be fast and swift. I already know you can handle me in emergency situations, so this person should be even easier." Naruto spoke as he made direct reverence to the Land of Wave's incident in which he unleashed the Nine Tails Chakra and went on a rampage. It was Aria out of everyone there who stepped up to the plate and for the most part single handedly subdued him and brought him back under control. It was on that day that he learned Aria was growing very powerful and she was quite fearless to do what she did. Her devotion to him and the family was truly awe inspiring.

"Guys! It would seem like that battle is over, the strong chakra signature took out the Sand Genin in no time flat. Sasuke is still okay in all this." Pakkun updated as he grumbled a bit at how fast that skirmish transpired. It really was no contest in Pakkun's mind.

"Already!?" Sakura exclaimed incredulously as that notion couldn't possibly be right. That battle didn't last long at all. Nothing short of a few minutes at most. That was extremely fast. "Indeed. I sensed the brief usage of ninjutsu, but it was quick and sparse." Pakkun informed as he narrowed his eyes once his sensitive ears picked up on a peculiar sound wave passing by his ears. "Hold on guys stop!" Pakkun shouted as he came to an abrupt stop in the trees forcing the rest of the group to grind to a halt.

"What is it Pakkun?" Naruto questioned as he got into a defensive position along with the others. "I just picked up on a coded message passed along through some kind of sound based transmission technique and it was coming from those unknown individuals with Sasuke." The little tracker dog informed which didn't help ease the tension within the group. If anything, it only made it worse. After being encouraged by the others to share what he found Pakkun informed the group of what the message entailed.

"They are on our side and is only interested in stopping Gaara. So, it is Karin and she's with that green haired girl I saw back in the written exams. To think she'd be so strong…" Naruto mumbled in morbid curiosity as he now had an unknown sensation and notion of meeting Fū. He felt like he had some form of connection with her now, and that didn't even begin to describe the feeling he got about Karin. She felt extremely familiar to Naruto and he doesn't know why. He felt a strong connection to the red head that he just couldn't understand.

"That's the least of our worries though. We've got an even bigger problem on our hands." Shikamaru pointed out as he casted a wary gaze back in the direction they were coming from. They were being followed… the irony didn't escape their notice but now wasn't the time to be laughing. This was a serious situation that they were going to need to solve and fast.

"We're being pursued by an enemy squad. What should we do. A diversion using Shadow Clones won't slow them down for long and we all cant stop to face them in a head on battle. That would take to long if all of them are Jōnin." Naruto theorized as he turned to the rest of his group for consultation. They needed a solution and they needed it right now.

"We don't have time to set a trap, that wouldn't really slow down a group of Jōnin." Sakura put in as she had a frown on her face. Her heart was racing even more than before now that the revelation that they themselves were being chased has come out. Sakura would be lying to herself if she were to say she was ready to face a full team of Jōnin. She was still a Genin and not a particularly powerful one at that. She wasn't at the top of her generation when it comes to overall skill as opposed to her two teammates and other classmates like Hinata and Neji and that fact would be a detriment if the enemy actually caught up with them.

"I know, but we need to do something and fast. Shikamaru what to you think we should do?" Naruto agreed as he turned to his genius tactician of a friend for his advice, but the lazy black-haired boy had a grim look on his face. "I'm not going to sugar coat this. One of us has to stay behind and be a distraction… and I think that should be." Shikamaru advised as he turned to his friend and looked him directly in his eyes.

"Shikamaru that's dangerous! You'll be killed!" Sakura exclaimed as the others quickly voiced their opinions on this matter as well. "Big brother, if you go I'll go." Chaos interjected with her dopey smile on her face that was actually hiding the slight undertone of worry in the young girl's eyes. Chaos looked up to Shikamaru like a brother and she wasn't going to let him go alone.

"No Chaos, stay with Naruto. I can do this on my own. Besides, you can't be too far away from each other when fighting." Shikamaru cut in as he placed a hand on the young girl's head with the tiniest smile brushing up on his face. Naruto frowned at this as he thought up a solution. "If you're going to do this then take Aria with you. You're at full strength right now and you'll be able to hold them down with your Shadow Possession Jutsu for a lot longer, but passed that point you won't be able to do much. Aria can cover for you easily and help out." Naruto suggested as the teal themed witch turned to her master in surprise. "Are you sure master?" Aria prodded as she had a look of longing in her teal colored eyes but the tender look in Naruto's eyes stopped her from continuing.

"It's ok Aria… we'll be fine, and we'll have a chance to fight. But right now, I need you to help Shikamaru in this. If all goes according to plan… you'll be back in no time to help us all out with Gaara. Your Psychic powers will be a huge help in subduing him and holding him down." Naruto explained as he patted the overprotective witch on her hat covered head. He saw that the older girl still had the tiniest seeds of doubt in her eyes, but she forced it down and gave him a nod of understanding and acceptance.

"I understand master. We'll be back before you know it." Aria said with a small smile as her witch hat lit up in illumination by her power. Shikamaru gave a nod to the team as well before he signaled for them to continue on. Soon the group was moving again but without Aria and Shikamaru with them. The unlikely pair had determined looks in their eyes… and with as much motivation as Shikamaru's face could ever properly produce.

'Good luck guys.' Shikamaru thought as he awoke his chakra within. He was ready. 'Be careful master, just wait for me.' Aria thought as the ancient symbols and runes on her hat continued to shimmer with a luminescent light as her psychic powers were humming beneath the surface of her skull. Aria's been practicing since the incident with Gaara over a month prior. She wanted to get stronger to make sure something like that would never happen again.

'Good luck guys… keep each other safe.' Naruto thought in parallel to his two friends as he didn't dare look back. He knew they would be fine. They were the type of fighters who used their brain more than their brawn and in Aria's case that fact was as literal as it gets being a supernatural psychic whose psionic abilities are generated and born in her brain. They would fight smarter and not harder, that was the key to beating a superior force and admittedly when push came to shove Aria did have some brawn in reserve to her brain. She was very powerful and that would make all the difference in this skirmish.

They would be fine. Their fight while seemingly overwhelming on paper, in real life would end up being simple.

Gaara's fight on the other hand would be anything but simple and the unexpected and as of now unknown aftermath will leave Naruto's life and the world at large forever changed for the future.


Jutsu Library

1.) Wind Style: Gale Palm Jutsu - A simple technique whereby when the user clasps their hands together, wind is compressed and transformed into a powerful gale. This technique, when used as an isolated attack, has the power to easily knock over a human. Though the true value comes from using it together with projectile weapons like shuriken or kunai. Their speed, power, and ability to wound or even kill are all increased several times.

2.) Secret Black Move: Poison Cloud Cover - A wide area of effect technique that Kankuro uses that allows him to spray a large cloud of poison gas into the air using his puppet as the launcher.

3.) Wind Style: Slicing Palm Waves Jutsu - The user waves his hand and creates multiple blades of wind that can be thrown at the opponent. It is a relatively strong technique that requires a strong Wind Affinity along with excellent chakra control.

4.) Secret Technique: Scaled Powder Jutsu - The user exhales a large quantity of fine powder from their mouth, which due to its luminous quality, shines so brightly that it can temporarily blind multiple targets within its area of effect. This momentary handicap can be utilized either by the user or their allies to attack the opposition whilst their vision is still impaired. This technique can be effectively countered if the target's eyes are protected for the duration of the technique, or otherwise possess sensory abilities to compensate for the loss of sight.

5.) Secret Technique: String Shot Jutsu - A highly versatile technique that Fū can use being the Jinchūriki to Chōmei. Fū produces a thick bundle of silky chakra threads from her either her mouth or in-between her fingers that she can use for a limitless variety of tasks. She can swing from trees and bind targets with the silky threads that can harden to be just as tough as steel. The sticky nature of the threads also means that anything that comes in contact with the threads will become immobilized and stuck to the material until Fū releases her target. The silk due to its chakra enhanced and laced formation has a slight resistance to the average Fire Style Ninjutsu.

6.) Secret Technique: Leech Life Jutsu - A variation of Fū's basic silky chakra threads. When Fū uses this technique, her threads glow a sickly lime green that will drain the chakra and stamina of any who becomes entangled within the webs. The chakra is transferred back to Fū which allows her to replenish her chakra reserves and even heals her wounds without having to rely on her Tailed Beast's automatic healing factor.

7.) Ninja Art: Wave Transmission Jutsu - With this technique, the user is capable of creating a wave, by touching a solid substance, like a wall, that lets them communicate with their allies. When in use, the wave seems to create a howling wind-like sound.


Author's Note (A/N): There it is guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the many surprises it brought. The sand siblings are being pursued by Sasuke who is hot on their trail. Karin and Fū are in this again and they have a prominent role in this chapter. Karin has abandoned the Hidden Grass Village in a moment of inner debate with Fū coming in right after to offer her a hand of friendship. Fū has revealed that she has a large amount of knowledge on Jinchūriki and her ability to sense them. She understands Gaara's situation which makes her an interesting wildcard in the grand scheme of things and her first set of actions were to fight Kankuro and beat him easily as a means to prove a point. An unlikely team is formed between the three which no one could have predicted.

Shoko is plowing through enemy ninja left and right with a murderous aura around her showing off just how powerful of a shinobi she is. Anko gives her the update to what is happening around the village with Shoko doing the same in return. THis leads to some character development and a special moment between the two women. Balalaika is also shown enjoying the show so to speak and her interest doesn't bode well for anyone in her path.

Finally, Naruto and the others are warned of the fact they are being pursued by their enemies so it's decided that Shikamaru and Aria will stay behind. What will happen in the future that will change the future? Only time will tell.


Next Chapter: Chapter 62 (The Third Hokage's Battle)


That's the end of Chapter 61 I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it.

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Please leave a review explaining what you liked, didn't like, and any positive criticism that can help me in improve in the future. Every review helps me in the long run. Thank you and stay safe everyone.


Published: 12/10/2017