Naruto: Shoton of Konoha Chapter 33: The burning leaf act 2, a naruto fanfic

Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto

Co-Author and Beta: Etheral-23

"Okay, this… got a bit out of hand.

Honestly, the words 'sounds simpler on paper' are appropriate. We didn't intend the chapter to become so long but… as we kept on we realized it would be, and we couldn't decide on splitting it. We'll try to be more mindful in the future, but we know sometimes it'll happen, some chapters will be very long.

So… here it is, enjoyed an extra-long chapter."

Chapter 33: The Burning Leaf Act II

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

The walls of the village grew ever more distant as the team tasked with tracking down the Suna Jinchuuriki leapt from tree to tree. Naruto felt as though his own mind was further away as well, so deep in thought that it was instinct and reflexes alone which carried him through the trek on the trees.

He just couldn't stop thinking about the coming battle, for there was no other possible resolution to this conflict. He and Gaara would fight, and Gaara would give it his all to kill him.

Naruto, as a shinobi of Konoha, knew it was his duty to kill him before the red haired boy could harm his home.

To a shinobi, duty was clear and unquestionable, simple in a way. There was certainty in following orders. Yet all it did was bring unbelievable turmoil to his mind and pain to his heart.

He was meant to fight Gaara. Gaara, who had it even worse than him. Who had been turned into a bloodthirsty killing machine by the actions of his village. Who was a twisted reflection of what he could have become had there been no one to show him kindness.

In Gaara he saw his deepest fears and pain. Yet this sorrow he felt was for what Gaara had endured, so he cursed at the unfairness of it all. Gaara did not deserve any of this, it had been imposed on him since birth.

Naruto knew Gaara would be unrelenting in his attempts to kill him... but the Uzumaki couldn't bring himself to kill Gaara. It just felt... wrong.

Right now he couldn't care less about what was expected of him as a ninja. Such mentality was what created Gaara in the first place.

"And just what do you expect, being merciful to an enemy that wants you dead will get you brat." Kurama voiced his opinion upon listening to his host's thoughts. "Those hairless simians in his sand castle of a village wanted a weapon. They succeeded, drove him to madness but got what they wanted. Isn't that the whole point of Jinchurriki, using my kind to create living weapons?"

A growl came from the young whisker cheek blond; 'We are not weapons! I don't give a damn about that! And play the victim here, even when you were out of mom and freed from that mask guy's Sharingan you still attacked Konoha!'

"And how would you react after nearly over a century worth of forced confinement?! When Hashirama made his decision to seal me into his darling wife Mito, I became a pawn to his foolish attempts at peace! I saw my chance and I took it, I wouldn't let them seal me again!" The level of spite and hate when the fox just mentioned those names was like nothing Naruto ever heard before.

It went without saying Kurama utterly despised the Shodai and his wife.

'Why are you bringing this up anyways?' Naruto calmed himself as he leapt through the trees with everyone else.

"Simple, mercy will only grant you a quick death. This illusion of kinship among Jinchurriki you and Matatabi's host perceive is clearly not shared with Shukaku's host. Kill him boy, break him and turn him to ash before you. The mercy will be letting that child fade into the afterlife and out of this miserable world"

"It is such a relief to see you have not forgotten the lessons imparted to us" He heard Matatabi's chimed in his mind, a quick glance to his left and he saw Yugito staring at him. This was no longer a private conversation. "Do not listen to him, Naruto. While it should not be freely handed to anyone, mercy can be a powerful force. Such as forgiveness" The flaming cat spoke pointedly to Kurama.

"Don't tell me you've actually forgiven these apes for imprisoning you?" Kurama retorted with a snort.

"I was angry at first, indeed. But with nothing to do but contemplate for years your perception can broaden quite a bit. Too lost in our anger we had forgotten many valuable things, Kurama. I am thankful for my situation, had it not been so, I would have continued rampaging wantonly. Same as you"

"Hmph!" The fox did not deign to reply.

"Naruto, Yugito" The cat addressed the two young ninja. "There is no weakness in mercy. Empathy is very important, many problems in this world arise from the lack of one. However" She gently expressed, "you must understand, some people are far too gone. It is your choice to reach to Gaara, but whether your words will hold any sway... that depends entirely on him"

As the two Jinchurriki pondered with their thoughts Sakura gazed over to Kiba and Karin; "Are you two picking up anything?"

Karin kept her gaze; "At least a hundred yards ahead of us."

"Explains the faint scent," The Inuzuka grumbled with a light bark from Akamaru; "How far were trying to go out here?"

Shino adjusted his shades; "They likely needed as much room as possible to unleash the Shukaku. From what I've read on the Bijuu, it is the most unpredictable. Better to be safe than sorry if awaken it somewhere remote." He paused taking notice of his fellow Konoha Genin gawking at him; "What?"

"That is the longest I've ever heard you freaking talk man." Kiba uttered in disbelief garnering a slow nod from the other Leaf Nin.

Having the sharpest perception among them, Haku picked up the subtle hint of annoyance from the reserved Aburame he had simple turned back ahead. Focusing herself she surveyed the surrounding around them. Despite the current situation this place felt quite peaceful and serene. Though she has not voiced her opinion out loud she has rather liked her stay in Konoha.

...A part of her could not help but wonder. Had her clan and family had lived here and not Kiri, would things have been different? For a moment she remembered the time she and her parents lived happily, and then with a literal violent shift, she saw her father raised the bloody axe in his hand towards her. Haku shook away the darker thoughts, that was all in the past now.

"I don't see a monster. I see a beautiful, intelligent, and very kind heart young woman. Who is loved and cared by the people around her. Never forget that." The memory of Naruto's mother words echo in her mind.

During the previous month she had told Naruto and Kushina what had happened to her as a child. The sheer look of horror from mother and son conveyed more than words ever could. She was rather surprised when had found herself wrapped in a warm maternal hug from the redheaded woman after. She didn't utter a word, just simply held her, it had reminded Haku of the times her mother hugged her.

Haku had not even realized she had started crying till the flood gates in her heart opened…

Telling them had brought the Hyoton user a world of good letting it all out. And had grown closer to Naruto and his mother because of it.

She shifted her gaze over to the said blond Uzumaki, "Hey! The smell of blood is getting stronger!" Kiba interrupted her thoughts as they all looked on ahead.

Sure enough the sight of the Suna siblings could be seen in the far off distance.

"Gaara!" The name escaped his mouth before Naruto even realized.

The shout was loud enough to that it reached the trio, who stopped the moment they heard it.

"Shit, they found us" Temari clicked her tongue. "Quickly, we can still-"

"No..." Gaara fiercely commanded in a seething voice. "We stay"

Kankuro grunted, "Gaara come on, we need to-"

"One more word from either of you" The redhead narrowed his gaze dangerously, "And I'll fill you up with sand until you explode"

Both siblings gulped in terror, knowing full well Gaara would see his promise through. It would be the height of folly to get between him as his target.

Said targets happened to be two blonde Jinchuuriki that were at the head of the group of young shinobi. The bloodlust emanating from their brother was sickening, and it was only from years of exposure that they could stand on their feet right now.

The group of Konoha and their allies stopped various meters on various tree branches before they could reach the trio.

They stared at each other in silence for a short moment. Sakura steeled herself in the face of Gaara's rampant killing intent and spoke. "You have committed an act of war upon the village of Konohagakure and violated the treaty between our villages. You are to be held accountable for your actions"

"So we can do this the easy way or the hard way" Sasuke followed up, his eyes morphing into his incomplete Sharingan. "Your choice"

The Suna Jinchuuriki spat in disgust. "You speak as though I care about the little games our villages play. No..." He bore his gaze into Naruto. "There is only way this will play out, with your blood in my hands"

"Gaara" The Uzumaki muttered, a pained look in his eyes. "We don't have to do this. You don't have to do this"

Those words seemed to ignite great hatred in those teal eyes. "And you speak as though we have a choice"

"'We do have a choice Sabaku no Gaara." Yugito spoke beside her fellow blond earning a glare from the younger teen.

The Suna Genin gazed into the Kumo's cat-like eyes; "...Why do you feel familiar?"

"Because I am a Jinchurriki too, like Naruto." Temari's and Kankuro's eyes went wide; "And you."

Silence followed for several minutes after those words were spoken. 'Are you freaking kidding me!? Those two are like Gaara!?' Kankuro's mind raced as he gazed at the two blonds and his brother. 'This mission went complete FUBAR!'

Karin came close to her cousin's side; "Don't risk fighting us. Just surrender!"

Not paying attention to what was just said, Gaara kept his sights on Yugito; "Your eyes are like Uzumaki's. You pretend to be a human as well?"

"We are human damn it!" Naruto shot back, not controlling his temper.

Every single word that came out of his mouth only seemed to enrage the Suna Nin further. The concept of being declared human, him, whose own humanity had been discarded the moment of his birth, and had chosen to the live on the blood of others, was simply anathema to Gaara.

He had long ago decided his existence depended on carnage, such was the fate of beasts like them. But here he stood an, facing two people who were meant to be like him and yet... they weren't.

He had seen them smiling before, not the relishing grin he showed when the thought of spilling someone's blood excited him, but that damnable emotion that had been nothing but a lie to him all his life.

Joy.

They were like him and yet they could smile in joy. A joy that did not depend on death and destruction.

Like they actually believed themselves human.

Gaara hated them, he hated them so much because of it.

"The memory of your blood" The Jinchuuriki promised, "Shall be one I will treasure for the rest of my life"

There was no going back, the Konoha Nin and their allies realized. Gaara had made it clear, fighting was inevitable.

The two older Sand siblings cursed as they drew their respective weapons, neither liked their chances, they were outnumbered, even with Gaara. But their brother might as well be completely ignoring everything but the two other Jinchuuriki before him.

"You guys are outnumbered" Kiba smirked, Akamaru barking in agreement on his head. "Ain't any way out of this for you"

As if he had tempted fate, several blurs arrived through the great canopy of trees, multiple masked ninjas from Oto stood by the Sand Siblings' side. Temari and Kankuro looked surprised yet relieved, Gaara however just ignored them.

"We are here to assure your task is accomplished" One of the Sound ninja spoke. "Konoha shall burn"

Yugito gave Kiba a glare out of the corner of her eye, "You had to open your mouth"

A wince came from the bifocal wearing Uzumaki as she saw and felt the malicious glares of the Oto Nin directed towards her. "You should have never betrayed Orochimaru-sama, Karin." The leader among the Oto spoke with a chilling tone. "Our lord has 'plans' for you when we bring you back home."

Fear and terror stirred from within Karin as she trembled. She knew full well what was in store for her if they took her back. She had borne witness to the fates of those who had betrayed the snake sannin. Despair swelled till her cousin quickly stood in front of her with a fierce glare.

"Karin-chan is home, with her family! I'll turn Hebi-teme and you bastards into a crystal pin cushion if you try to touch her!" popping out from the collar in Naruto's shirt, Hien growled.

The Oto Nin only chuckled; "You're welcome to try. Orochimaru-sama has plans for you as well Uzumaki-san."

The atmosphere grew tense with both sides poised to battle. "Uzumaki and Nii are mine..." Gaara sneered with killer intent radiating off him.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Conflict still raged inside the Leaf village as Lyn and Kya took down both enemy Nin, and Kurokiba. Having joined them, Hui Zhong and Jian savored tearing through any wretched serpent that came in their direction. "You guys are having waaaaaay too much fun!" The buxom redhead declared observing the older brothers of Hien rip into a large viper snake.

"It is the duty of the Eastern Sea clan to battle with the vile serpents of Kurokiba wherever they surface!" The green dragon declared, spitting ice upon a snake's head. "For they are the sworn enemies of our clan and its comrades and so retribution shall be delivered to them for their atrocities!"

Jian crushed a snake's neck with his sharp clan, "And it's fucking fun!"

Lyn gave a look at the green and amber dragon, "Yeah, I'm gonna hang around this one" He pointed at the amber dragon. "He's more my style. You get the long winded one"

Kya merely closed her eyes and gave a disappointed shake. Before fiercely staring down at the incoming group of enemies coming for them, she spread her arms and legs, taking a stance. Chakra gathered around her arms as wind currents picked up, flowing with her as though it was an extension of her body. Her arms moved in a spinning motion, taking a step forward and thrusting her fists, launching a gale of stormy wind, knocking back everyone in its path.

A Suna ninja grunted as he slowly stood up, "Wind manipulation like that, no handsigns or anything. That's a wind affinity on par with the jōnin of our village..."

"You have a choice, shinobi of Suna" The Namikaze spoke; though her voice was soft it carried an edge to it. "Leave here now and live, or fight and face the consequences"

"Pfft, you want to offer mercy to an enemy shinobi?" Another ninja of the wind country spat.

"I am learned one of the Buddha. I do not take lives carelessly, but I will defend myself. As for you, ninjas of sound" Her sapphire eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You are allies with the snake clan that hurt the Uzumaki immensely, no mercy shall be given, and this is your karma"

The killing intent radiating from her felt like the eye of the storm, making many of the Sound shinobi gulped in terror. The fear only increased when the dragons turned their serpentine eyes towards them. Without a second thought, they turned tail and fled, bereft of their allies the ninja of the Sand soon fled as well, falling back to regroup with their comrades.

"Awwww, look at you defending the honor of my clan" The wild maned Uzumaki woman cooed. "I love you too, sweetums~"

A small hint of pink colored her mocha cheeks. "By Vishnu, why do I put with you?" The question was directed to herself as much as the redhead.

"It's loooove~" The armored Uzu purred with a cat-like grin.

Hui Zhong floated down next to the Namikaze. "Shall we pursue them?"

"Don't bother" Kya shook her head, making her blonde messy locks sway. "There are still Leaf ninja that still need our help" The Namikaze knelt on the ground placing her hand upon it. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Chakra gathered in her palm, before suddenly spreading in a large burst, coursing through the earth in a circle. The signature of several lifeforms suddenly hit her as echolocation technique spread.

She stood up and looked north, "I can sense several people fighting up ahead"

"Well" Lyn grinned, rolling her neck.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Anko huffed beside Ibiki as they along with several Konoha Shinobi and ANBU stared up at the giant three headed snake that destroyed part of the village wall, with Suna and Oto beside them. "We can't even get close to those bastards!" The Kunoichi growled with frustration.

Ibiki only grunted with his arms crossed as he glared. Beside the two a Chunin turned his gaze to the snake mistress; "Can't you do something with the snakes Mitarashi?!"

"I'm not in a summoning contract with fucking Kurokiba, asshole!" the woman declared with sharp heated glare towards the man who shrunk under her gaze. "These guys have zero relations to the Forest Clan. And Boss Khan would have ripped you in half for the insult!"

The stoic bandana wearing head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation division shifted his eyes over to Anko; "Can you summon Boss Khan?"

"Ibiki I've been ass deep fighting Suna and Oto since they began attacking. I'm too low on chakra to try it." As if the state of her attire, along with the blood, sweat, and dirt on her body needed to elaborate further on the matter. Anko had been on the front lines since this whole nonsense began.

As much as she tried to hide it, Ibiki knew she was exhausted.

One of the heads of the giant snake hissed in a sadistically playful voice. "Little ones bleed" The great snake trampled upon the fallen bodies of Konoha, Suna and Oto.

"Little ones scream" The middle head added in delight at hearing the cries of the wounded.

The final head sing songed. "Little ones burn" And spat a horse sized fireball at a house, setting it ablaze in an instant.

"How shall we kill them? Will it be slow, or will it be fast? Shall we crush them, or eat them?"

"Tear them apart" The first head gleefully said. "Limb from limb, watch the little ones squirm."

Up on the village walls, they saw how the giant summon continued to pass through their defenses as though they weren't there at all. "Well that is creepy" Kotetsu muttered.

"Wish the wolf would come here to deal with it" His partner Izumo added, looking at the center of the village where the giant beasts were fighting still. "Gods I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll even take the fox's help..."

"Well, aren't you grateful" A sarcastic voice spoke, and suddenly they were joined by naginata wielding Uzumaki and her Namikaze lover. "You prick..."

"He-ee-ey, Lyn-chan!" Anko grinned, "Glad you could join us"

Ibiki raised a brow, "You know each other?"

"Met her a couple of weeks ago at a bar" Anko grinned, "Drank her under the table"

Lyn jabbed an accusatory finger at her direction, "You only won cause I threw up!"

Kya rolled her eyes as Hui Zhong and Jian arrived after taking care of several Kurokiba. Now both dragons stare up at the enormous three-headed serpent; "We might need Kamiko-dono for that one." The green dragon uttered quietly.

The mocha Namikaze beauty turned her eyes over Ibiki; "What's the situation?"

"...At the moment it is a stalemate trying to fight that monstrosity along with Suna and Oto at its base." the scarred man grumped; "We can't find a solid opening to take them down."

Izumo groaned beside longtime partner; "If we could wipe out those Suna and Oto we could then try taking on big ugly there."

The amber scaled dragon stared at the three headed serpent; "Chief spoke about this guy didn't he?" He glanced to his brother who nodded.

"Indeed, he was beside Manda when attacking Uzushio. Akuhei I think is the name."

Lyn rolled her shoulders; "If he was at Uzushio then he's mine."

"You're not fighting that alone" Kya said, giving her lover a look.

The demon hunter snorted, "Watch me" And leapt down the great wall, directly to the three headed snake.

The Konoha shinobi were left gaping, "Did she just-?" Kotetsu muttered.

"Yes" Kya grunted in growing irritation, quickly jumping down as well to aid her.

The dragons and Konoha Nin shared a quick look. "Perhaps we should assist them"

"Tch" Anko clicked her tongue. "You think?!"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Akuhei's heads were humming to themselves when they felt the weight of a flying object land upon the middle one. Two sets of eyes from the heads at the sides turned to see a red headed armored human standing on the middle one, brazenly smiling down at it and holding a naginata in her hand.

"What's this?" The left head spoke in mock curiosity.

"Hmm, the smell is familiar. Oh!" The right head smiled, "Uzumaki"

The middle head chuckled, "Long has it been since we tasted the blood of that clan"

The demon hunter tapped the end of her naginata against the snake. "So, heard you were at Uzushio when it was destroyed. That correct?"

"We were more than present"

"We ravaged it"

"We feasted on it"

"And we celebrated on the bodies of your fallen"

The words were spoken with pure cruelty. Bringing the Uzumaki to silence as she slowly took a deep breath.

"Yeah..." She nodded. "I'm gonna enjoy this"

She slammed the butt of her naginata against the snake with such force it made the middle head tremble at the impact. The two other heads lunged with their maws open, but Lyn had jumped away, leaving them to bit the empty air where she used to be. She trailed down the long neck of the middle head even as this one twisted and coil, trying to impede her movement as the heads surrounded her.

"The little gnat dares!" The right head hissed.

"Then she shall join her fallen clan!"

Lyn jumped away from the snake's body, twirling in the air as the heads lunged for her once more. With the shaft of her weapon she slammed one away, using the impulse to dodge another. The naginata spun in her hands as she slashed at the snout of the last head, making a cut against its nose, making it coil back and hiss in pain.

She landed several buildings away from the great snake, around it she saw multiple ninja of both Oto and Suna forming up. Jumping over the buildings and staring down at her.

An Oto chuckled; "Think we let you attack Akuhei-dono, Uzumaki?"

Lyn only gave the man a bored look while ignoring the leers from several enemies. "You gonna talk or fight, I am in no mood to talk with a bunch of nameless minions."

"She's a feisty one," An Oto muttered not taking his eyes off the buxom woman's body. His lack of awareness proved fatal as a sword pierced his chest from behind him. His comrades gasped at the sight of a beautiful mocha skinned woman with a chilling glare at the Oto.

She said nothing as she took out his blade from the man and took off his head in a quick spin off the balls of her heels. Slowly her eyes glared towards the rest with Anko and the others joining in.

Jian wrapped his body tightly against a Suna Nin as he bit into the man's throat. Hui Zhong aiding Anko in taking out several foes. "You know I had this handled right?" Lyn droned towards her lover.

The Namikaze only glared back; "Shut up, you're not fighting alone." By her icy tone she was done speaking on the matter for which Lyn kept her mouth shut.

"Your accursed bloodline shall end today, child of the whirlpool!" Akuhei's middle head shouted, "And finally we will-!"

Lyn dashed forward in a burst of speed, much to the surprise of both enemies and allies. Kya swore under her breath and soon joined her in the charge.

"Guess someone doesn't believe in monologues!" Anko remarked as she and her fellow Leaf ninja began their attack.

Oto and Suna Nin charged forth, meeting in the middle of the street, kunai and shuriken meeting in clashes of steel. The snake mistress launched multiple serpents out of her arm and snared an Oto Nin, commanding the serpents to throw him away after sufficiently biting his jugular. As they retreated back into her coat she jumped over a charging Suna Nin, her palms pushing herself off his back and rolling her body into a ball in midair. She dashed in between multiple enemy ninja, spinning rapidly, before delivering a devastating drop kick against a Suna Nin's face.

Ibiki was someone intimately familiar with pain; he had endured tortures which had left horrific scars, punishments that would have broken lesser men. In the midst of dodging and parrying the blows of his opponents, a few managed to land, their numbers allowed them to continue attacking him relentlessly. But those blows meant little to him; he had faced worse, far worse.

In a way he'd come to crave it, the pain. He'd come to understand it as the only way people from every nation could communicate sincerely, instead of hiding behind thinly veiled threats and empty promises. He understood the language of pain, so he would share with these people just what his feelings on them attacking his and killing his comrades were.

He dropped a smoke bomb filled, the loud burst of noise followed by the dense cloud blinded his enemy's movements and he slipped away. The more experienced Suna Nin managed to blow away the smoke even as they coughed, but that did little to remove the dense darkness that had been forming around them, in fact it only grew worse.

"What the-?!"

Too late did they realize the darkness was no longer due to the smoke, but rather because of two large solid constructs the size of a building closing in on them, trapping them as they joined. The giant iron maneki neko was wrapped in chains, and slowly sunk into the ground. Ibiki smirked; he had plenty of people to interrogate for later.

The bloodthirsty hiss of the giant snake heralded a fierce attack, the left head smashing directly against the ground, cracking it and making huge chunks of rock sprout, all in an effort to crush the armored redhead. Lyn had jumped right before the head impacted, and so she ran up its huge snake, twirling her naginata along the way, slashing and cutting at the scales, dealing as much damage as her quick strikes could allow.

The middle head opened its maw to spit pure concentrated poison at her, yet a powerful gust of wind blew it away before it could reach her. Down on the ground Kya stood there with her arms outstretched, prepared to deliver another wind gale.

Then, multiple figures jumped right over her.

"Die!"

Kya did not move; she did not even bat an eye. She merely waited as the shinobi descended upon her, they their weapons failed to meet their mark, for they were soon blown away by the blindly fast swipes of two draconic tails, one green and one amber.

"Your mate does not know how to work with others, Namikaze-san" Hui Zhong commented, staring down at more Oto Nin that gathered around them

"I know" Ironically, she was the same way. But even she could cooperate if the situation called for it.

"Bah! This is a matter of vendetta, lady Lyn is owed this. For the honor of her clan" Jian argued.

She had lived through the nightmare of witnessing her clan butchered by two shinobi villages and the Kurokiba. The memory of that night was forever scarred into her memory and haunted her in occasional nightmares.

But back then she was a defenseless child who could only runaway. Now she was a fully trained and skilled warrior who stood ready to slay one of those responsible for taking away her clan. And she would make Akuhei know fear as he died!

The middle head of the giant serpent hissed; "Burn like your clan!" It unleashed a torrent of pure fire with ill intent towards the buxom redhead who stood her ground and was soon engulfed.

"Is she nuts!?" The eternal Chunin chorused in terror. "Why is she just standing there!?" Kotetsu roared in fear.

Kya however was unbothered unlike the rest before the all bore to a sight none would ever forget. Instead of being incarcerated to flames soon began to shift and move while Lyn went through several katas. The fire flowed around her like a sprite in the most beautiful display none from Konoha had ever seen before.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" All three heads of Akuhei's bellowed in disbelief. Their shock soon became a roar of pain as Lyn sent the fire right back at the giant serpent in a huge blast.

"How did she do that?!" Anko's jaw nearly hit the ground.

Jian whistled at Kya's and his brother's side; "Now that is near perfect fire element control." The amber dragon being quite impressed.

Ibiki observed the Uzumaki woman with interest. To reach such a skill of chakra elemental control took insanely harsh training and skill. She might act like a clown, but her combat prowess made up for that behavior.

With great speed and precision, she lunched a flaming chakra slash from her naginata. It exploded upon impact with the middle head, making it turn back. The right head lunged for her, as the left head whose neck she was standing on shook violently, making her lose her footing.

Lyn was forced to jump high in the air, the muscles in her legs burning from the all the chakra she put into that jump. Looking down she saw all three heads hissing at her before reaching towards her once again. Long snakes coiling and twirling around one another as they sought to devour her whole.

She gripped her naginata tightly, delivering a strong backhanded attack with the shaft to swat away at one of the heads, the middle one she supposed, with how much the necks moved it was hard to tell. Another head came from behind her, so she thrust her palm forward and propelled herself with a blast of fire, dodging it before slashing away at one of its eyes. Akuhei's head roared in pain as it coiled away.

She continued falling; the roaring sound of the final head got her attention, blue eyes widened as her wild mane flapped widely with the wind. Bellow her, Akuhei's maw open wide, too fast and too close for her to narrow.

The sides of the jaw surrounded her completely, and bit down hard.

"Lyn!" Down below, Kya cried out in concern. Gone was her usual stoic disposition, now open fear was as clear as day.

"Shit!" Anko growled.

It was then that they saw the snake's maw had not closed completely, for both ends of Lyn's naginata kept it from doing so. The bladed edge did not pierce through the flesh, strangely. Lyn absently thought it was due to the snake fortifying the inner parts of its maw with chakra to the point it was as hard as steel. The stench of the thing's breath was horrible, she thought as she gazed down at its throat, a dark abyss where she would be consumed if she fell.

"The little pest will learn her place!" The head with its eye slashed out hissed.

"Insider our belly!"

The head which had her trapped roared out an unintelligible word, which she assumed it was 'Die!'

Lyn did not let her naginata do all the work, she pushed legs and hands against the top and bottom of the mouth, pushing with as much strength as her muscles would allow. "I am Lyn Uzumaki..." She grunted through exertions. "Daughter of Mei-Lin and Nadashi Uzumaki" Her hands began to burn, a familiar and very dear feeling to her. "Granddaughter of Tsukiko Uzumaki!"

Flames erupted from her hands, making Akuhei's eyes widen as its maw was beginning to be filled with fire.

"And through my veins flows the blood of dragons!"

It was like the blast of a furnace had suddenly gone up inside the snake's maw, making a torrent of flame trail upwards. The snake cried out in agony as it let go, leaving a very fiery Uzumaki woman literally encased in flames in midair, as though the highly heated air was slowing down her fall.

The other two heads roared in pure anger and heat, opening their mouths wide as pure raw chakra gathered inside, forming menacing spheres of power reminiscent of another certain dreaded technique.

Lyn readied herself for the incoming onslaught, already preparing the strongest barrier she got.

When suddenly blue and brown blurs dashed towards the heads. A kick carrying the strength of a hurricane let out a powerful maelstrom of pure wind, knocking it away. While a large mass of snakes emerged and coiled themselves around the other head's neck, pulling tightly.

"And she's not allowed to die today" Kya said as she landed upon the snake's body as Anko knelt by a rooftop, pulling the other head with all the strength her snakes could muster. "Or else she'll never hear the end of it from me"

Despite the pain and burns Akuhei regained his sense shaking free from the 'inferior' snakes from the Forest Clan. Anko gasped as her serpents recoiled back to her, the enraged heads of the giant serpent turned to Kya only glared back.

"Namikaze whore!" The middle head spat in fury.

"You shall scream as you burn!" The left head spoke in a wheezing hiss.

The right was too injured to speak while Kya cocked her head unafraid by the declaration. "That will not be my end." She retorted calmly before leaping away as three enormous blades made of pure fire descended above Akuhei. The giant snake had made a fatal mistake; they took their eyes off the buxom Uzumaki who had left in the air with extra help from Hien's brothers.

Concentrating her fire chakra at through her weapon, fire formed on the naginata blade. The flames grew and split on both left and right, taking shape of the blade. Making a throwing motion with her hand, the three blades of fire grew in size as they sailed downward. Akuhei felt pain for only a second as the blade pierced through serpent's three skulls killing him instantly and setting him ablaze.

Lyn landed on the ground next to Hui Zhong and Jian as Kya soon joined them. The Namikaze said nothing as she watched her lover stare at the burning serpent with satisfaction and melancholy. "For you mom and dad." Lyn uttered in a whisper. The past played in her mind as she had seen her parents fighting in the village and being violently devoured by the three headed bastard that was currently burning.

She continued watching as the pyre that was the snake's corpse. The Namikaze softly gazed at her lover's face, this one illuminated by the flame, the melancholy was as clear as day.

"Are you okay?" Kya asked in a gentle voice.

"I don't even know if this bastard killed my parents in the battle" She said, shrugging slightly. "For all I know, maybe it was Kumo or Iwa, or some other snake or something. But... this guy here, he still played a part in destroying my home. I'll take comfort in knowing I avenged all those he killed"

Revenge in the pursuit of justice was a worthy call. Few were those who did not give in to anger and hate, and let their quest for vengeance changes them. Kya was glad that Lyn was one of those people, every blow struck against the snakes was guided by more than just anger, but out of honor for the family she lost, and love for those she still had to protect. Those were the signs of someone who had moved on.

Kya wished she could be that strong.

Her hand twitched before slowly reaching out to Lyn's and interlocking their fingers, making her know she was there, comforting her.

"I love you"

The words that came from Lyn were not her usual teasing; they were pure and came from the heart.

It almost made Kya recoil back from instinct, her old defense mechanisms acting up. "I..."

"It's okay" Lyn said to her with a soft smile and a tender gaze. "I know, that's all that matters"

Once again, Kya cursed her own lack of strength.

"Sooooo" Anko's tone managed to completely ruin the mood. "Bet that was cathartic"

XxX ~ Team 7 and Team 8 ~ XxX

A fierce battle raged within deep with the forest surrounding Konoha with Team 7 and 8 with company fought Gaara, his siblings, and Oto shinobi. Naruto and Yugito went straight for their fellow Jinchurriki who angrily pursue them, leading away from the others. But the odds were still not in the favor of the Konoha/Kiri crew via the numbers thanks to the Otogakure.

But none were deterred as they fought against foes.

Hinata and Karin kept close with the Oto leader and other sound shinobi coming for them. Temari was keeping things difficult for Haku alongside Sakura. Kiba and Shino were not having fun facing the puppet user Kankuro.

Sasuke meanwhile was dealing several Oto. The Uchiha ducked and weaved from several vicious kicks and kunai strikes. His Sharingan giving him the leverage he needed to avoid the deadly blows. Though he wished this idiots looked up a bit higher, all he needed was a second and put them in a genjutsu to finish them off. Annoyingly they were showing to be rather intelligent than normal fodder keeping their gazes on his feet.

"Orochimaru-sama gave us orders to take you if you refused to join us Uchiha." An Oto spoke in the shadows.

At that Sasuke scoffed "Your sells pitch sucks. And I'm not going anywhere with you losers or your boss." He quickly blocked a hard roundhouse with a grunt.

"Hoped you would say that. Our master said as long we don't kill you, it's fine." The Oto responded again as he dashed out throwing several Kunai. "Let's see just how good you are Uchiha!"

Ugh, so much talking in fights. Why couldn't people kill each other quietly? Whatever. This was barely worth his pay grade; he needed to thin the heard so he could assist the moron and the cat girl. With that in mind, Sasuke easily jumped to another tree, deftly avoiding several projectiles sent his way, biting his thumb as he did so.

He slammed his hand upon the large branch. "Kuchiyose!"

A cloud of smoke burst into existence, making the Oto Nin ready themselves in preparation, and what followed was the roar of two large felines. With blurring speed two figures shot out from the smoke, leaving a trail on their path.

An Oto-nin screamed when suddenly bone crushing jaws found his throat, upon which his pained shouts became agonizing gurgles. A large orange and black tripped tiger bit down, tearing sinew and muscle, spraying blood everywhere.

A second tiger jumped from branch to branch, easily avoiding the multiple shuriken sent his way. It roared as it leapt down, sharp claws tearing into the chest of the nearest Sound Ninja, quickly slashing deeply, leaving a deep wound and a paralyzed enemy, before jumping to the next prey.

Sasuke looked at his summons at work satisfied, giving out a small nod of gratitude in their direction.

"Wooow! Look at them!" A hyper excitable voice sent shivers down his spine. "They're like scared mice!"

He looked down a familiar white Bengal tiger by his feet. "What. Are you doing? Here? I specifically did NOT summon you"

"Big meanie! You did summon me! Big brothers Abhay and Ajeet just tagged along with me!" Ty Lee pouted cutely.

Sasuke only face palmed as the two large tigers deadpanned as they leap over; "Ty Lee... I think the current situation is beyond you at the present moment." One of the tigers murmured dryly.

Moew "But I can fight too! I sharpened my claws and everything Abhay-nii!"

"Is she always like this?" Sasuke droned over to the amur tiger Ajeet who nodded dryly; "Wonderful..."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Genryu and Manda did not relent on one another as they kept to the skies above Konoha. Claw and bite marks littered their respected faces and necks. "I should have killed you centuries ago!" The silver scaled dragon snarled before setting loose a stream of pure fire.

Manda finally uncoiled himself from the dragon, falling to the ground with a great crash that sent tremors through the village. His body zigzagged through streets and fallen buildings, narrowly avoiding the hungry flames. "The sentiment's mutual! How long have we danced like this, how many times did we say the last fight would be our last?!"

Genryu breathed fire in a concentrated blast in a single stream down at the village, though a full powered blast would no doubt hit the snake, it would also have the unwanted consequence of burning down the village, so he had to carefully stop whenever Manda was getting to close to areas that had not been affected by the fight. The snake knew this and took it to his advantage, forcing the dragon to stop in his assault.

"Ohh what's wrong?" The serpent cooed mockingly. "Afraid to harm your little darling humans?"

Genryu growled in anger, floating down to stare at the snake face to face. "I do not need my flames to end you, just my fangs and claws"

"The dragon clan used to command so much authority. Now? You're all just shadows of what you were" Manda's snake tongue flickered in the air in amusement. "I have to wonder, is it because your enforcer is no longer around?"

"You dare!" The dragon chief snarled in outrage. "To claim we bullied our way through the clans, such hypocrisy!"

"Ohoho, I seem to have struck a nerve" Manda grinned with malicious glee, "Face it, Genryu, the dragon clan can barely keep the clans from fighting amongst themselves, and you cannot approach the humans without them wanting to hunt you down for power. Without that half-breed whore Tsukiko, you have lost the last shreds of your strength"

Those words snapped something deep within the silver scaled dragon as he unleashed an earth shattering roar. Everyone within the village paused as they covered their ears, even Yuri and Genjou winced.

"DO NOT SPEAK MY SISTER'S NAME WITH YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!" Genryu thundered with such primal wrath the skies above quivered in fear.

It had been both heartbreaking when Tsukiko had suddenly vanished during a mission decade ago. An in Genryu's mind that was the moment when everything went wrong. The destruction of Uzushio, and the near genocide of the Uzumaki Clan. The divide and animosity that grew throughout the animal clans against one another. And darker things now possibly were moving once again within the shadows just out of sight.

The balance of the scale tipped when his sister had disappeared. But Genryu could feel it; he knew his sister was not dead! And the utter gal of this cur insulting her name before him!? That would not stand!

Manda only chuckled in amusement at the sight of the enraged dragon chief.

The silver scaled dragon soared straight for the snake chief, blinded by rage Genryu had only bloodlust in his mind, an unquenchable desire to sink his teeth into the Manda's neck and taste his blood. He would have vengeance, for all the people the Kurokiba had killed, for his kin, for Uzushio.

And for daring to insult his sister.

That was exactly what Manda wanted.

The snake opened his maw and let loose a stream of poisonous goo, the attack was too fast for the dragon to dodge. Genryu's eyes widened before shutting tightly, feeling them burn as though they were on fire. He collapsed on the ground, blind and in pain as the substance hardened over his scaly eyelids.

Then, his entire body seized in agony as Manda coiled around him once more, tightening the deadly grip with each passing second. The dragon could do naught but gasp.

"Yes..." Manda hissed in sadistic pleasure. "Let your last breath escape your lips" His body coiled even tighter, making the dragon let loose a roar of pure pain. "I want to see you die!"

"NOT TODAY!" Another voice bellowed as Manda unbound himself from Genryu to avoid the thrust of enormous tanto.

Falling to the ground the dragon chief heaved, sucking as much air as he could. His eyes glance to his side at the sight of someone he had not seen in ages. And the first thought that came to his mind that he expressed; "And where the hell the have you been Bunta!?"

Sneering, the chief of the toads Gamabunta scoffed. Like the other chief animals roaming the village, Bunta was massive in size with dull rusty red skin, red markings around his mouth and eyes, a large scar over his left eye. Hanging out his mouth was his usual Kiseru pipe; lastly he wore a blue happi vest with the word 'Ebi' on the back.

Manda hissed angrily at the sight of another of his longtime rivals. Bunta however ignored him by glaring down at the fallen Dragon chief; "Jiraiya summoned me the moment the fighting started. I've been chopping up so many of that idiot's brood at the far end of the village I can make a dozen wallets!" he pointed his bloodied tanto towards the Kurokiba chief who snarled. "And where the hell have I been?! Where have you been you silver scaled blowhard!? Brooding!?"

A deep growl came from the dragon before coughing violently; the great silver dragon gave the toad chief a scathing glare. "I've been keeping our oaths. You have no idea how endless the task of protecting Gogyou-koku truly is"

"I'll grant you that the humans do make it difficult to actually care for them when they're constantly killing each other for dumb reasons" The great toad conceded. Helping the dragon 'stand', as it were, by pulling him up from one of his claws. "People like him certainly don't help" He thrust his chin at Manda, who coiled back, ready to spring into action of the two decided to attack him.

"Your forces have met their match here, Manda" The dragon chief exclaimed, watching how Yuri and Genjou battled across many snakes across the village. Giant Akimichi supported by well-coordinated shinobi formations took on the great beasts with efficiency. "The tide already is turning, and soon you shall face justice for your crimes"

The snake hated to admit it, but the dragon's words held some truth in them. He couldn't see Akuhei anymore, one of their heaviest hitters, and he had been taken out... "My crimes?" The snake snapped back in indignation. "How about the humans' crimes? You pathetic hairless-ape-apologizer. Even knowing full how much they took from the animal clans. The so called 'sages' have failed, and now we must-"

"Oh gods are you serious?" Gamabunta rubbed his eyes, "You know, for someone who hates humans so much. You sure came fast to Orochimaru's aid"

Manda growled in anger, "Our partnership is... mutually beneficial. For now at least"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night" He twirled the giant blade in his hands before taking a stance, next to him, Genryu was gathering flames on his maw once more.

The snake chief let out a deafening roar, and to his side arrived two more giant snakes. "Manda-sama, we are here to serve" They replied with great obedience.

"Slay them!" Their lord commanded, and together they charged at the great dragon and toad.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Lava had melted sections of the building that had started from the roof. The Mizukage huffed beside some of her Kiri Shinobi and Konoha ANBU. The legendary skills of the Shodai were to proving to more than stories. Annoyingly so for the buxom auburn haired woman as she had yet to land a blow on him!

Hashirama on the other hand had been decimating anyone that had gotten close to him. If not his flawless taijutsu, it was his renowned Mokuton was tearing everyone to shreds. Mei truly thanked the gods for giving her Yōton and Futton; it was the only thing that kept those blasted tree limbs at bay.

If only just...

The Shodai held his hands together creating a seal; "I am sorry for this!" Once more, sharp spear-like wooden tendrils shot forward. As must as Hashirama fought against the control Orochimaru had over his reanimated body it was useless. His heart ached every time he slain a young Shinobi that came for him. Even more so they were trying to save him and set him free.

Why did his brother create such a jutsu like this?!

Valiantly, Mei once more shot several balls of lava from her mouth to melt the wooden threats. But she could feel herself getting weaker and losing chakra. "Feels like we can't get anywhere!" A male ANBU in a raccoon mask bemoaned in irritation.

"Because we can't." A veteran Kiri Jounin retorted; "This is becoming a battle of attrition."

"How about instead of talking you idiots help me!" Mei snapped.

Hashirama's eyes widened at the invasive sensation of the seal. He knew what he was about do, so he warned the others. "Get some distance quickly!" He shouted as his hands went through several signs.

It was too late, his technique already took effect. Behind him a large towering tree emerged, the top blooming in a giant flower that was growing by the second.

"Crap!" He hissed, trying his damnedest to stop revert this technique, yet his body wouldn't obey.

Mei's eyes widened in alarm. "What is that?!"

"My Flowering Trees technique!" The First Hokage shouted alarm. From the tree's trunk, more and more trees began to spread, expanding in a circle, slowly trying to cover the roof. "It releases powerful pollen than render people unconscious! Quickly, burn it down before it spreads throughout the entire area!"

The Mizukage did not need to be told twice, she channeled a highly pressurized water stream through her mouth and spit it at blinding velocities directly at the main trunk. At its current intensity, she could use it to cut a hill top clean off.

But Hashirama's body reacted all the same, calling forth a great dome of trees in front of his Flowering Trees. Their thickness and resilience was such that they could withstand the highest end of A rank techniques. The water stream barely cut a few feet before it was stopped flat, splashing harmlessly through the sides.

"Damn it!" Hashirama swore, seeing the pollen already starting to spread in the wind...

Suddenly there was a blur of movement, a red haired man in kimono robes jumping over the three.

His waist he held a sword, its release was so fast it was barely a blur of movement that only the most experienced of shinobi could perceive.

The air around his tree... distorted, it looked like, gaining a blue hue in a perfect spherical form. Hashirama realized it was actually a type of a space-time distortion.

Suddenly, inside the sphere there was a sword slash, long enough to go from end to end of the sphere. Then another, and another, and another.

The count was lost when the slashes numbered in the dozens.

The distortion was over, and the tree fell apart in many small pieces, as though having been struck from multiple angles at one.

"Yeah!" Hashirama cheered the Mizukage and her allies sighed in relief.

The redhead landed next to the auburn haired woman. The first thing she noticed was how he carried himself, with a disposition of such steely resolve and calm, the type one saw in people who dedicated their entire lives to mastering the sword.

"Mei Terumi-dono, I presume" He spoke, his voice strong. "Saito Uzumaki, a pleasure to meet you"

"The pleasure is mine" She replied with a small bow of her head. "You did save a lot of people there"

"'Save' is subjective" He said, ever keeping a tight hold on his sword's handle. "I merely stopped that technique, but I doubt I alone can be of much use to you here against someone like Shodai"

"Hey!" The Shodai shouted towards the swordsman, "You're an Uzumaki right? Excellent! I need you to seal me right now!"

"I'm afraid I lack the skills to do it myself" He answered, raising his voice a touch. "But the one who can is rather... occupied right now with your brother"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

This had to be the first time Jiraiya every felt his age getting to him as he battled the Nidaime with several ANBU. Half of him wondered if this was due to the Edo-Tensei; or Tobirama's incredible prowess? Either way he felt utterly exhausted, it had been a long while since he had been in a fight this long.

The ANBU around him weren't doing so hot either as most was injured or dead. The anguish in the Nidaime's eyes did not go unnoticed by the Sannin. "I should never made this damnable jutsu!" The Senju snarled as he deftly parried a kunai strike from a lunging ANBU. The mask wearing woman did not see the knee quick enough as it struck her stomach and sent her flying off the roof. "You have to end this!"

"Easier said than done!" Jiraiya went on the attack again going through several hand seals and breathed out a stream of fire. This was countered, predictably by one of Tobirama's water jutsu. "You're kicking our asses."

"Tag in!" Jiraiya blinked as he felt a hand tap his shoulder and a red blur running past him. Before could even mutter a word Kushina was now engaging the reanimated Senju.

The Uzumaki launched an unrelenting barrage of kicks and punches, to which the Nidaime parried with great precision. His leg shot up in a kick, to which Kushina deflected with her arm. She hissed under the heavy blow that sent tremors through her bones. Quickly she ducked underneath a left hook, only to deliver a powerful uppercut to the Senju's chin.

She pulled out a pair of kunai and stabbed his feet before quickly unsheathing her sword and burying it through his spine. Taking advantage of the window she created, her chains began to come out from her back.

But the Nidaime merely grabbed her neck and head-butted her, hitting her forehead protector with his own faceguard. Kushina staggered, disoriented by the strike. Yet she still managed to jump back various feet away for protection until she regained her footing.

"I feel no pain; don't bother wasting time with attacks that won't incapacitate me!" His feet soon broke free of from the kunai, and pulled the sword out of his gut. "Watch out!" He threw it right at Kushina at tremendous speed.

Her eyes widened as her own blade came flying at her, only to be stopped by multiple thin strings of chakra that wrapped themselves around the handle.

"Got it!" Samenosuke called out as he walked up to his kin, pulling the sword safely towards him and handing it to Kushina. "You're welcome"

Jiraiya cleared the distance between them in a single bound and stood next to them. "Tag in?" He offered with a smirk.

"I was handling him on my own just fine..."

"No you weren't" Tobirama deadpanned from his position. And she stuck her tongue at him in response, very mature. "Young lady, can you use chakra chains?"

Kushina nodded; "What I was going to use before you wrung my bell."

"Then I suggest you two give her the opening she needs for her chains!" His body soon moved as he held up a single seal; "And quickly!" Water particles gathered around the Senju. Clumping together they soon formed an enormous serpentine body of a dragon. "MOVE!"

The trio did as ordered as the water dragon roared and came at them at blinding speeds. More of the roof was soon obliterated as the watery beast smashed into it. However before the trio could relax more dragons were formed, smaller in size but still deadly as they flew towards their targets.

"Oh shit!" Both Uzumaki's chorused as they ran around along with the Gama Sannin trying to avoid the water projectiles. "Why can't my water affinity be that good?" Kushina pouted.

"Can we focus on surviving!?" Jiraiya bellowed forming a rasengan in his hand; "Let's see how this works!" Quickly he spun on his heels as he slammed his late student's prime jutsu at the Nidaime's.

The result was as expected; the sphere of chakra expanded the more energy he poured in it. Tobirama tried to wrestle Jiraiya's hand away, but the toad sage let out a war cry as he blasted the technique off, taking the Nidaime with it. His body spiraled along with the great mass of chakra.

"Attack him before he reco-!" Jiraiya's words died in his mouth as the Nidaime was suddenly standing right in front of him, his terrified expression matching the Senju's concerned face as his hand shrouded itself into a mass of water which soon began to take a sharp edge.

Tobirama's hand pierced right through Jiraiya, only for his body to puff into smoke, a log stuck around his arm now instead.

Jiraiya rejoined the others just in time to see Kushina's chain tear multiple water dragons apart, their chakra disrupted and vanishing in the air.

The Gama Sannin huffed; "So do we have a plan B kids?"

"I thought we we're on plan W/F." Samenosuke uttered with his hands on his knees hunched forward.

"W/F?"

"We're fucked..."

A deadpan came from both Jiraiya and Kushina as they glanced at the Uzu man. Then, Tobirama was suddenly in front of them, looking as the Rasengan had done nothing to him.

"Oh this jutsu is just bullshit..." Groaned the Toad Sage at the sheer ridiculousness of the reanimation technique.

"Get ready!" The Second Hokage warned, "Because I'm about to destroy this entire building!" He leapt into the air, assisted by a solid stream of water to reach an even greater height.

"H-He's not serious is he?" Samenosuke stammered, a nervous drop of sweat falling down his cheek.

Water began to gather en masse on Tobirama's arm, expending behind him into a giant torrent of deadly liquid, spinning at incredibly high velocity, the water forming on his hand becoming a miniature whirlpool akin to a drill.

From his sensei's tales, Jiraiya immediately recognized that technique. "He's serious"

Kushina's eyes hardened, her mind quickly racing through the possibilities to device a defense. The moment she came up with one, she turned to her companions. "Follow my lead" Her chains spread through her back and formed a barrier around them. "I'll need you to keep the seal strong"

The two men shared a quick gaze before nodding in reply. They each went to a different side of the barrier and placed their hands upon the golden surface, adding their own chakra and knowledge to reinforce it as much as they could.

Tobirama could not hold himself any longer. He couldn't even stop his voice from announcing the technique, "Water Style: Hardened Water Drill!" And thrust his arm forward, launching a torrent of spiraling water that came down on them like a giant drill.

"Keep it steady!" Kushina shouted, forcing her barrier to actually change shape. Her chains moving in a twirling motion towards the top. The golden force field morphed, twisted and bending like a malleable mass. Her barriers were strong enough to stop even the most devastating techniques, but they had little offensive use.

That is not to say barriers usually had offensive use, but Kushina always liked to think outside the box. On a fixed position protecting her and the others, they would resist the Second's technique, but she doubted the rest of the building and the people around them would. So she forced her barrier to attack as a counter attack to his water drill.

This was not without risks, making the barrier shift form on the sly like that reduced its resistance greatly, if Jiraiya and Samenosuke were not helping her right now, she had no doubt it would crumble under the Nidaime's technique.

As it was, the giant golden drill impacted against the water drill. Water splashed everywhere like a violent rain, giving ground to her chains as they made their way forward. Kushina grit her teeth, the clash of their attacks putting a strain on her body. At her sides, Jiraiya and Samenosuke grunted with effort as they poured their all into making the barrier resist.

Tobirama watched with widening eyes as the golden attack cleaved through his technique, a small smile gracing his slips as he saw the light coming closer and closer to him.

The force field shrouded chains tore through his arm, tearing it to pieces.

Kushina let out a gasp, dropping the barrier and forcing her chains to quickly snare the Nidaime.

Samenosuke and Jiraiya watched with weary eyes as they slowly lowered him until he was right in front of them, it didn't look like he couldn't do anything. The special properties of the Uzumaki chains were already working their magic.

"Well, done. Student of Hiruzen and children of Uzu" Tobirama smiled proudly at them.

The three let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Now, seal me and help my brother" His voice was more of a command than a request.

"Don't need to tell me twice..." Samenosuke grunted, already working on a seal with Jiraiya. The thought of fighting the God of Shinobi from the Clan Wars era was not exactly appealing to him...

Kushina looked back at the unnatural visage of the white haired Senju, and was reminded of her own father's state. How he was forced to fight against his own flesh and blood.

"Why would you design a technique like this?" She couldn't help but ask.

Tobirama sighed, "It wasn't meant to be like this. The human sacrifice aspect... it was the reason I hid it away. I could never gather enough chakra to bring back someone to fight for long. But turning every single cell of the body into chakra..."

"That's... nigh infinite energy" Kushina said horrified at the prospect of something that would not run out of power.

"Those were desperate times" He said, his voice remorseful. "I knew many who would gladly let themselves be summoned to protect Konoha, myself included. But these control parameters? I never designed such a thing"

"I guess we know who to thank for that" Jiraiya spoke with an edge to his voice.

Tobirama's red eyes closed for a moment, before giving the Uzumaki woman before him an appraising look. "You come from a strong lineage child. Daisuke is your father right? I always knew he'd grow to become an outstanding warrior"

"Oh hime is more than the Uzukage's child!" Samenosuke grinned mid-work. "She's one of Tsukiko-baachan's three grandchildren!"

At that the Nidaime blinked before he took a long gaze at the Uzu woman in question. Surveying all of her features he did indeed see the resemblance to the goddess of Fūinjutsu. Speaking of the woman; "Where is Tsukiko-sama?"

A downcast gaze came from Kushina while both Jiraiya and Samenosuke bore mournful expressions; "We don't know. She had vanished on a mission during the Second Shinobi War. It was about then when Uzushio was destroyed by Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and the Kurokiba." Kushina murmured in a quiet tone.

"WHAT!?" The normally calm Senju bellowed in pure disbelief. Unable to comprehend which revelation he just heard was more heartbreaking. "H-How..."

Jiraiya grunted as recalled those days; "Honestly, the Second War was a pile of battles that kept escalating until it became open war. I fought in that one along with Orochimaru and your grandniece Tsunade. The whole thing was a damn mess. Our forces were too thin when got word Tsukiko-sama vanished and Uzushio was soon attacked. Kushina was brought here before it all happened."

Tobirama, known for keeping a cool head even in the most dire of situations, who had went willingly to face his death with nothing but a smile and the drive to protect his village, looked crestfallen. "Your clan was always so rowdy. To be around them was usually a test to your patience... And yet I was fond of every Uzumaki I knew. Your clan and mine... we were family after all"

Kushina remained silent.

"Tsukiko-sama was an inspiration for me and my brother. This village was built on two rival clans setting aside their differences, but without the support of your clan I doubt we would have gotten so far, without her advice we'd just have been scrambling around to keep things together"

A small smile slowly formed on her lips, "Yeah, baachan was always so wise"

"That she was" The Nidaime smiled warmly with nostalgia. "Do not give up hope, child. If there is something you Uzumaki are good at, is always surprising people. There is no doubt in my mind that more of your clan is out there, waiting to return home. That out there, SHE is waiting for you"

Kushina blinked away a few tears as gave a nod; "We will find her." Though shaky, her voice held the usual Uzumaki iron will Tobirama had heard countless times.

He gave a return nod as Jiraiya and Samenosuke came over with the seal; "Live well, all of you. Rescue my brother and save the village."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

At Sasuke's side Abhay and Ajeet fight against several Oto. Ty Lee to the Uchiha's surprise proved capable despite her youth, tearing out the throat of an enemy that got too closer.

Well that was something.

Close by Hinata and Karin were back to back as they fended off against the Jounin Oto leader. The man was proving to be clever and dangerous staying out of reach from Hinata's attacks along with Karin's. "Orochimaru-Sama would be pleased if we're able to take in a Hyuuga. He has been quite fascinated with your clan."

The shy heiress fought off the cold shiver down her spine as she remained focused. "You will not have me or Karin-san as prizes for your master."

A chuckled came from the Jounin; "Who said you had a choice girl."

He pulled out a small bomb from his pouch and casually threw it. He didn't even bother aiming it right.

Karin immediately recognized the tool for what it was. "Hinata-san, close you eye-!"

But it was too late; a burst of light enveloped their vision. A white blare burning their eyes with its intensity. Hinata, who's Byakugan, was activated, let out a cry of agony as the sensation her dojutsu had only made things worse for her.

Karin had been more fortunate, her gaze was only slightly blurry and quickly recovering. "Are you okay?!"

"Can't-" Pained tears gathered at the corners of her now reddened eyes. "Can't see!"

Karin was quick to offer her arm, "Here, don't ask question, just bite my arm and-!"

Her words were cut off by a manriki chain enveloping against her body, the weights at the side making sure they snared her tightly. She fell unto her back against the large branch with a heavy thud. "Grhg!" She struggled in vain to loosen the chains.

"There we go" The Oto Nin said with satisfaction. "I bet Orochimaru-sama will reward me handsomely for taking you to him. You know what he likes to do to traitors~"

"You son of a bitch..." Karin swore. "I'd die before letting him get his hands on me"

"Don't tempt me" The jōnin warned. "Now, for you little Hyuuga" He took a menacing step towards the blinded girl, who could only face the direction of where the voice was coming from, her gaze too blurry to make out anything.

He reached forth towards her...

"Two o'clock!"

Hinata wasted no time in reacting; placing her trust in Naruto's cousin as she took a stance, dodging the direction Karin warned her about and struck. Though she couldn't see; her knowledge of anatomy still worked to delivered particularly painful nerve strikes.

"Ugh!" The jōnin backed away, holding his stomach with one arm. He glared at the chained up Uzumaki girl. "You little-!"

"Straight on, one meter!"

The young Hyuuga followed Karin's instruction flawlessly, deliver a powerful double palm strike to the man's midsection. A squeak barely escaped the Jounin's mouth as he stood froze in place. "I'm sorry." Hinata gently spoke as the man fell off from the branch and down to the ground below, dead. She had stuck the chakra points to his heart, thus ceasing it functions and killing him.

Karin only watched the man fall as her eyesight improved. "Karin-San, where are you?" The Hyuuga asked as he eyes were taking longer.

"Straight in front of you." Hinata followed Karin's voice till glancing the redhead's sandals. Kneeling down she felt the chains and quickly removed them. Once getting her arms and hands free Karin did the rest. "How are your eyes?"

Instead of answering Hinata surveyed the area around them; "Blurry..." She had recalled her father's lessons on the dangers of flares with their Doujutsu.

Getting to her feet Karin assisted Hinata to stand; "Should take a few minutes." Both girls yelped and held each other as a strong rumble shock the area. Further ahead of the two Karin saw the top half of a dozen trees being cut? And fell hard onto the ground shaking the area violently. It was then she noticed Sakura and Haku avoiding visible blades made of pure wind being sent by Temari's war fan.

"Just how-"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"-powerful is she!?" the rosette exclaimed beside the lovely hyoton user as they took cover.

"You can't hide from me ladies!" Temari declared with a smirk. "I can level this forest if I have to."

Haku huffed beside Haruno who panted lightly; "With her control of wind nature I don't think she is kidding."

The four-pigtailed girl spread her war fan once more; chakra gathered around it and was amplified through the weapon's own enhancements. She let loose a gust of cutting wind that cut multiple trees on its path, wood splintered while trunks groaned and fell in pieces, branches were torn apart as dust and pieces of bark flew through the air. Sakura and Haku braced themselves, pressing their backs to the tree, which had been just outside the blonde's range.

"You think my wind is strong now?" The eldest of the Sand Siblings boasted, "Just wait, one day I won't even need this thing anymore!" She soon grinned, "Not that you'll live to see it that is"

"Why are you doing this?!" Sakura shouted from her position, the echo throughout their section of the forest, now bereft of more trees as it was, stopping the Sand Ninja from figuring out their position. "Betraying the treaty, attacking our village! We did nothing to you!"

"You call that insulting thing a 'treaty'!?" Temari growled in reply, surveying the area in her search for the two. "It was draining our village dry! We had to make so many compromises just to stay afloat, and that greedy bastard of our daimyo wouldn't even lift a finger to help our situation, oh no! Instead, he chooses to hire you people for most of the missions that should rightfully go to us!"

"It's this what it's all about!?" Sakura replied incredulously, anger seeping through her words. "Money!?"

"It's more than just money, you tree hugging little twat!" The older girl snarled in return. "It's about making sure our village doesn't end up as an abandoned ruin! We're one of the Big Five, and we will do whatever it takes to make sure our village thrives!" It was not out of hatred of Konoha that she spoke, no; her actions were motivated by something beyond anger or resentment. She acted out of loyalty for her people, obeying the orders of her father and Kage. "If we have to bury your village for that, so be it!"

Her goading seemed to have taken the effect she wanted. As the pinkette jumped from behind a tree, a look of outrage written on her face, and charged directly at Temari, jumping over the various trees on her way.

The Sand ninja grinned to herself. Honestly, she heard pinky was as smart as she was strong, and still she ended up doing a mistake like this. With a simple swing of her war fan, she sent a gust of powerful wind straight for the young Konoha ninja.

Her grin fell the moment the gust hit, and the girl's form just shimmered in the air and vanished. It was hard to notice at first, with so many shadows from the tree line with few rays of sunlight seeping through, she had failed to notice the girl's body did not, in any moment, create a shadow while she moved through the branches.

She had been fooled by a simple clone.

Temari frantically gazed around; if pinky had sent a clone like that to distract her then it meant those two must have been planning something to take her down. She gripped her war fan tightly, quickly pondering if she should merely send a gust of wind in all directions. But if she timed it too late then she would leave herself open and-

The tree she was standing on shook.

"What the...?" She looked down, all the way down to the base, where she saw a small pink and red figure standing there. Punching the tree.

That bore repeating, she was punching the tree.

Usually a tactic like that was plain stupid-

Sakura let out a strong cry, her next punch making a huge dent on the tree's trunk, bark splintering and flying off upon contact. The tree shook once more and Temari had to steady herself with chakra on her feet as not to fall.

-but then again, most ninja didn't have strength of this level by just applying chakra to their limbs.

With one final roar, and much to Temari's utter shock, the younger rosette haired girl gave a punch that tore through the trunk of the tree, it began to fall. Leaping off and using her fan as a glide, Temari landed safely to the ground. Preparing to retaliate she growled as she noticed Haruno was gone. But her brain soon registered something amiss.

Where was the Kiri Nin?

The blond's dangerous senses screamed as she turned using her fan to block several senbon. 'All of those were aimed to paralyze me!' The level of precision… but she wouldn't let them intimidate her."That all you got Kiri?!"

"Please stop." The Yuki's voice came from all around the Suna Kunoichi. "If you stop this now-"

"I do not want to hear from someone who comes from the 'Bloody Mist' village!" Temari snapped; "Your people's sense of progress was slaughtering people with Kekkai Genkai. All for progress wasn't it?"

Hiding in the bushes and around some trees, Sakura noticed Haku stiffen up upon hearing that. "Let me guess, your clan survived by killing everyone else?" Temari taunted more. "Kill a few yourself? Bet your parents were proud."

A deep chill ran down the rosette's spine as she saw a blank look appear upon the Hyoton user's face. Though her face was expressionless, that was a deception as Sakura felt something she had never felt from Haku.

Rage...

In a blink the Kiri Kunoichi vanished beside her Konoha comrade. What happened next was forever burned into both Temari's and Sakura's mind for the rest of their lives. The Suna sharply turned and leapt away from a dozen ice senbon that came raining down. "That all you g-" Her died in her throat as Haku seemingly appeared like a ghost and slammed her fist into the Suna's gut.

Spit and blood came from Temari's mouth, how the hell did the Kiri move so fast!?

Temari mustered all the strength she could and swung her closed fan, feeling heavier than a few moments before. But the attack was too slow, and Haku easily backed away.

It was then that she saw a blue rectangular figure sticking out like a sore thumb in the middle of all the greenery. The ice mirror stood floating in mid-air as Haku slipped into it, literally merging into it as multiple ice mirrors appeared all around the Suna Nin.

All Temari could do was stare slack jawed as multiple images of the Mist ninja appeared in each mirror. Each of them slowly emerging from the ice structures, reminding Temari of a scary story she had heard long ago, about a creepy spectre that could move through reflections.

These Mist types were creepy, all of them.

"Mere ice" She grunted in defeat, her mouth still wet with her own blood. "Should not have bullshit powers like this"

"Well..." Haku began as all of her clones threw multiple senbon at the four-pigtailed girl. Temari remained frozen in place, looking very much like a pincushion before she fell down to the ground in a stiff position. "You're not wrong"

How Haku spoke towards her downed foe with pure frigid apathy was so unnerving to the pinkette who watched on. The brunette never spoke like that when as enemies in Nami, or now as a friend. Her tone was always warm, kind, gentle. Like the older sister everyone wished they had.

Thankfully that quickly returned as glanced over to where she and Sakura had hid; "You can come out Sakura-san. I rendered her unconscious."

Coming out the rosette cringed at the state of the Suna; "Bit brutal wasn't it? Did what she say bother you?"

Haku closed her eyes with a calm breathe; "...When the invasion has been stopped, I'll share with you what I told Naruto-kun and Kushina-dono."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"I really hate those damn things!" Kiba snarled beside Akamaru henged in human form. Both dodged and avoided the random but deadly strikes coming from Kankuro and his puppets.

Beside him Shino did the same; "He is keeping us at a safe distance so we don't get too close."

Kiba dryly deadpanned; "Yeah I figured that out, I'm not that dense man."

If that wasn't enough, some of those Sound ninja had joined to aid the puppeteer. Kankuro took advantage of his opponent's attention being divided and hid amongst the foliage, letting those Oto goons faces them directly while he secretly directed Karasu from safety.

Kiba dodged the blades that extended from the puppet's arms, these burying on the branch where he used to be. His nose immediately warned him about the stench of something foul, and saw how the bark around them darkened with purplish color. Poison, so heavy in quantities it was practically dripping from those blades. One hit and they'd likely be paralyzed.

"Watch out Shino!" Kiba warned; roadhouse kicking an incoming Oto Nin to the ground as Akamaru wildly mauled the face of another against a three. "The puppet has enough poison to kill a lion!"

"As expected" The heir of the Aburame clan replied, "Why? Because Suna puppeteers use every possible ninja tool into their creations" A cloud of bugs appeared from his arms, swarming two Oto Nin, who cried out as they began biting every visible part of their skin. "Keep your distance Kiba, it's unlikely that is the only weaponry at its-"

The puppet Karasu opened its maw, and fired a large bomb at their direction

"-disposal" Shino finished quietly as he gathered his insects in front of him, forming a shield. Kiba and Akamaru leapt out of the way, hiding behind the three as the bomb detonated with a fiery blast.

Kiba huffed tiredly beside his henged puppy. "You doing okay boy?" Akamaru nodded; "Good." He glanced over to his teammate; "So do we deal with these guys?"

"Getting rid of the Suna should be first. Then we deal with Oto. That puppet is too dangerous to ignore."

"Expect the Mr. Pajamas is hiding himself somewhere. I can't sniff him out with all the smells around here." Akamaru barked in a manner stated he couldn't either.

Shino adjusted his shades; "Leave that to me."

The remaining Oto Nin hung back beside the Suna puppet as they observe the explosion. None spoke as they waited for any sign of movement in the smoke and dust. From his vantage point, Kankuro observed as the battle grew still for a moment. He knew a single bomb wouldn't be enough to take out those tree huggers. No doubt they were regrouping right now, but it was only a matter of time before they slipped up. They were outnumbered, and once Gaara was done with his fight then-

The sounds of trees snapping along with the roar of something akin to a drill made of wind and claws snapped him from his thoughts.

Kankuro turned with a click of his tongue as he saw a gray whirlwind cutting a path through the canopy, going directly for him. With no choice left, he jumped out of the way, revealing his position.

The Oto ninja were momentarily distracted, enough time for a swarm of insects to assault them from below, soon covering their bodies and attacking from all directions.

Kankuro bit back a curse, his allies were no good, and that spiraling drill of devastation kept coming for him. With a tug of his fingers, Karasu moved just in time to save him from danger. He saw the whirlpool cease its motion, revering to that Inuzuka and his mutt, standing one over the other in a branch.

"No way to run now!"

The puppeteer made Karasu's arms open, from the empty inner sections of the limbs; he fired multiple projectiles akin to missiles. Kiba and Akamaru jumped out of the way, the blast and smoke covering everything for many meters.

Kankuro thought the two would try to attack from another side, but to his surprise they actually jumped through the smoke and charged directly at him. A mistake.

Karasu's limbs flew apart, compartments opening to reveal poisonous blades. They moved at tremendous speed, quickly catching up to the due mid jump. He grinned with satisfaction as their bodies were pierced with the puppet's legs and arms.

His celebration quickly turned to shock, as their bodies seemed to crumble away into a type of writhing grey and black substance. No, bugs he realized. His eyes widened as he understood that those things had been bug clones, already they were enveloping his puppet's parts, the bugs moved through the crevices and joints, every possible opening where they got in between the mechanisms where gears crushed them, and soon were locked, unable to move under the mass of insects running through them.

As if that wasn't enough, they had already begun running through his invisible chakra threads. He quickly weighted his options, if he let go of Karasu now he'd be defenseless, but if those bugs reached him then it meant certain defeat.

Before he could come to a decision, two sets of legs collided with his back in a powerful dropkick. Kiba let out a howl-like cheer of victory as he and Akamaru drove the Sand Ninja to the ground.

Kankuro was hit with such force he was knocked unconscious, his puppet laid in pieces close by. "Hell yeah!" Kiba patted Shino's back as he soon joined his side with Akamaru. "A win for the badass bros of Team 8!" Akamaru barked happily returning to his canine form.

"You forgot we're here?" Sasuke quipped as he and the others gather beside them. Kiba did a double take at the sight of two adult tigers and white furred tiger cub resting on the Uchiha's head. Sasuke glared upon hearing Kiba snicker at him; "What?"

Karin ignored them as she looked in the direction her cousin and Yugi-chan lead Gaara away. She peered to her side to Hinata who rubbed her eyes; "You okay?"

"I can see again, I'll be fine." She was going to have one hell of an eye-ache tonight though. "We need to help Naruto-kun and Yugito-san."

Carrying a semi-conscious Temari, Haku shook her head; "We can't."

"What?! Why the hell not?!" Kiba shouted as Akamaru rested back on his master's head. "Our numbers should be able to kick that Gaara's ass to next week."

The amur tiger spoke up; "Your friend is correct. This Gaara is a Jinchurriki yes?" Not that Ajeet needed to ask he could smell the Bijuu from where they were.

"A Jinchurriki battle is best left with the Jinchurriki," Abhay voice his own opinion. Conflicts such as those were too dangerous for normal people.

Ty Lee whined at that; "Can't we help just a little?"

"Yeah!" Sakura agreed, her voice gaining an angry edge to it. The feeling of being... useless was just... the only thing that hurt more was the thought of her comrades getting hurt. That Naruto was giving it his all out there and that she couldn't do anything. "I refuse to stand by and do nothing!"

Abhay (Sasuke thought that was Abhay, the brothers looked too similar) let out a sardonic snarl. "Well in that case, are any of you a sealing specialist?"

He was met with a round of silent stares.

"Do you have any sort of power that can be useful against a Biju's?"

More silence.

"Do you have access to giant summons?"

Uneasy looks were exchanged.

"Or are you capable of unleashing tremendous level of power capable of leveling mountains?"

"Now you're just being unfair" Kiba retorted.

"Bottom line is" The other tiger, Ajeet (or so Sasuke guessed), followed up. "Unless we can actually provide an edge to this fight. The most we can do is distract the Suna Jinchuuriki. We have to hope they can bring him down before his Bijuu power is unleashed. It always comes down to that in Jinchuuriki battles, or so the elders tells us"

"Oh! Don't you have the Sharingan, Sasuke!?" Ty Lee bounced on her paws on top of his head. "Madara Uchiha could control Biju like that!"

He grunted in reply, that name wasn't one that his clan liked to bring up. "I'm not Madara" He said, picking her off his head and setting her on the ground.

"Then I'll have to use my deadliest technique, mom said it was devastating after all" The tiger cub said with a surprising serious air about her.

Her brothers looked less than thrilled. "Oh please, Ty Lee don't-"

She suddenly began hissing and making a rather disgusting noise with her throat, as though she was choking on something. The others watched with varying degrees of disgust as with a final wet 'WHAGHK' noise, she regurgitated out a hairball.

She nodded, looking very pleased with herself. "This will kill him"

After a moment of bewildered silence, Karin summed up their situation perfectly.

"This is not a good day"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Being a good distances away from the others, Naruto and Yugito stopped with Gaara soon ending his pursuit of them. Pure malice and hate gleamed in the Suna's eyes as his targets got ready to fight. "Have finally decided to stop running and face me?" He sneered in actual anger while sand danced around him.

"We have to fight him smart Naruto." Nii murmured under her breathe. "That sand catches us, we're dead."

"I know," The blond Uzumaki clinched his fists as he stared into Gaara's eyes. "Let's try avoiding killing him if we can."

To that statement Yugito paused; "We might not be able to, but I'll follow your lead." Their danger senses kicked in as they leapt away from the branched they stood on as torrents of sand tore through them.

"No more talking!" Gaara roared as his sand went on the attack. A wall of wand soon rose catching a dozen crystal shuriken. However he moved as large fireballs of blue and black flames came for him.

Yugito cursed as she kept on the move; "Well he is in the crazy category, not stupid." The younger unhinged teen was aware of what fire can do to sand if heated by intense flames.

"Was worth a shot." Naruto remarked near his fellow blond as he quickly created two human size dragons of crystal. Both creations roared as they flew and went straight for Gaara. However the young Uzumaki's jaw went slack as they both crystal dragons were shattered by a single swipe of sand. "What the hell is that stuff made of?!"

"Abject stupidity," Kurama quipped a flat tone retort. It had become quite clear to Naruto and Yugito who also overheard the fox, did not remotely think highly of his fellow Bijuu. Matatabi only rolled her eyes in exasperation. Gyūki would have lost his temper by now if he or his 'mentally unique' host were here.

"Actually, Shukaku's sand is a combination of multiple factors" Matatabi explained in a very teacher-like voice, all the while the two jinchuuriki jumped from tree to tree, avoiding the swaths of sand coming their way. "It's manipulated by a type of magnet release which guides the minerals that make up sand, and reinforced with earth chakra."

Naruto let out a yelp as the branch he landed on was broken by a swipe of Gaara's sand. As he fell he saw the tendrils of sand reaching towards him, so he quickly created a clone and had it grab his hands and spin him around, throwing the original with great force. Naruto winced the moment he managed to jump unto another tree as he got the memory of the clone being crushed by the sand.

"So Gaara has magnet release!?" Yugito asked her tenant as her claws elongated; turning in midair she fired arcs of blue flames which effortlessly clashed against the sand that rose to defend the red haired boy. "Same way I have your flames!?"

"Hmm, yes but it's more than that" It irked her a bit that Matatabi sounded rather calm in this moment. "The line of the Kazekage's has had magnet release. Those marks around his eyes? A sign of his bloodline limit manifesting at birth, most likely boosted by Shukaku's own magnet element"

"Well that's cool I guess!" Naruto grunted as he manifested spear made of pure crystal and threw it at Gaara. As expected, the sand deflected it, but the seals he had placed on it shined brightly and detonated right in front of Gaara.

The smoke was quickly blown away by waves of sand, revealing a very much unharmed and bloodthirsty Jinchuuriki.

"Well, shoot" The blonde Uzumaki muttered before speaking to his tenant. "Any cool power ups you could give me right now!?"

Kurama yawned, "Well I can sense emotions. But honestly-"

The Suna Jinchuuriki snarled, "I'll kill you, I'll bath in your blood!"

"-You don't need that to get a read on him"

"No duh..." The blond deadpanned before dodging several more sand tendrils. "We have to get around that damn sand!"

"I'm open to suggestions!" Yugito irritably snapped back before attempting more fire attacks. Once again to the older blond's ire the Suna Jinchurriki moved away mere seconds before being blasted. However she was caught off guard as a huge torrent of sand came for her. She had no time to escape!

Till two hands shoved her from behind harshly. Her feline eyes saw Naruto before being encased within the sand. 'NO!'

A savage maniacal grin formed on Gaara's lips. His right open hand raised, "Now die-." The sand that enveloped Naruto exploded before he could finish speaking. The force of the explosion surprised both Gaara and Yugito as they were nearly sent flying. Chakra laced on their feet kept them ground and seen the sight shown them of Naruto made the Suna smile with psychotic glee; "Finally..."

Landing on a brand Naruto crouched with visible red chakra coming off his body in the form of a one tailed fox. His cerulean blue eyes now blood crimson and slit, his whiskers now darker and more defined. His nails on his fingers and toes were now claws. The blond Uzumaki only glared heatedly with Yugito soon joining him, though warily.

'Your chakra doesn't feel like that.' The Kumo spoke to her Bijuu. So much hate and anger radiated off from that red energy. A huge contrast from Naruto's, which usually feels kind and warm

"It used to kitten, a long time ago. Kurama hasn't let go of his hate like I have. But doesn't make me better than my brother. I've done as much evil as he has." Matatabi grew quiet as both Naruto and Yugito had heard her.

Kurama only scoffed but spoke no retort.

"You finally decided to stop pretending to be human Uzumaki... And show your real self." It was disturbing how pleased Gaara sounded.

At those words Naruto frown; "I haven't stop being human Gaara!"

Kurama's energy, it was... overwhelming. And it carried with it anger, and hate, so much of it that he felt he would drown in it. So he countered with his own positive emotions. The smiles of his friends, the love of his mother, the loyalty to his village. It reminded him he was alive, and he had much to live for.

That he had so much to fight for.

Teeth gnashed in growing anger. "Why" Gaara seethed, feeling a burning fury building inside him. Such as he hadn't felt in years, "do you delude yourselves so much!?"

"Why do you!?" It was Yugito who replied, and before the widening eyes of the boys, her body became shrouded in a haze of fiery blue chakra. Her features, just like Naruto's, were becoming more savage. Animal like even.

Power filled their every beings, down to last fiber. They leapt from the trees with such strength the branches were torn off with brutal force. They became blurs of color in the air.

Gaara's eyes widened, a small gasp of shock escaping his lips. His sand moved automatically on defense before he even realized, on every direction they struck. Chakra shrouded hands in the shape of claws cut through portions of his defense, getting uncomfortably close. He tried to move to a more advantageous position, floating in a cloud of dense sand, trying to get away from any trees the two might use as leverage to get close.

But it was useless, they moved with such speed, and the strength in the leg muscles made their jumps cross the distance in the blink of an eye.

"Why do you need us to believe that!?" The Konoha shinobi demanded, as he delivered a sweeping kick that Gaara's sand only barely managed to parry.

Swaths of blue flames struck against his ever present shield, "Why do you need to believe it!?"

Because it hurt... because it always hurt.

Blood. Battle. Death. It all made it simpler; it filled that hole in his chest.

Images flashed before his eyes. People running away from him, looking at him with fear and hate. Trying to wound him, to kill him.

The most painful of all was the kind smile of his uncle.

The thing that can heal a wound in the heart... is love.

They were like mirages in the desert, they showed only lies.

He could never receive someone's love. Not from the mother who died cursing him, not from the uncle who only lied to him.

Not from the village that used him, not from a father who saw him as nothing but a weapon.

No... Nobody in this world could love monsters.

Gaara had learnt that the only person who could love him was himself, so he had sworn to love nobody but him, to live only for himself.

The world made a demon, and so he would become an asura then, a selfish demon.

But...

"HYAAAAAH!" Twin battle cries echoed through the forest, fists shrouded in chakra nearly reaching his face, just by a few short inches, before being repelled by his sand once more.

These two... they smiled, and other people smiled at them.

They, who should be demons like him, could laugh. And others could laugh with them.

The pain, the whole in his chest... it resurfaced like never before.

It was agonizing, and from it surged pure rage.

"Because..."

His sand flowed everywhere, dozens upon dozens of spears forming mid-air, raining death upon the two blonde Jinchuuriki. Naruto and Yugito dodged through them with dexterity, or blasted them to pieces with their enhanced physical might.

"Why did I turn out like this?"

Sand surged forward like a tidal wave, bringing down trees with its sheer weight and tearing through the forest with great devastation.

Teal eyes quivered with untold rage and pain, his throat nearly hurting itself with the strength of his shout, "AND YOU DIDN'T!?"

Naruto and Yugito stood side by side, on his palm glowed a crimson Rasengan, while her claws became alight with flames so hot they could melt metal.

Gaara needed to make them disappear, if he did, then the pain would stop. No more confusion, no more agony at seeing such existences that made him question his own.

He would feel their blood, and once again he'd be whole.

So he sent down tidal wave of sand upon them... and they met it head on.

The orb of chakra drilled a path straight through it, while the claws cut through with strikes too fast for inexperienced eyes to follow.

Gaara could feel his blood boiling, they... just... wouldn't... stop!

"Why won't you die!?"

He gasped when their figures appeared right before him, two pairs of resolute eyes bearing down on him.

This drive... this strength... how could they be this strong?

"HAAAAAAH!"

Two fists pierced right through the sand that came up to defend him, and collided directly with his face. The sand armor cracked and fell, and Gaara was sent flying straight to the ground at great velocity, dragging a patch of earth along the path as he crashed.

The force of their attacks and Gaara's made a decent size crater. Naruto huffed beside Yugito who wiped her brow. "Keep your chakra cloak up just in case," the older teen stated as she and the young Uzu leapt down to the ground. They stood at the craters edge and stared at the fallen Gaara who remained flat on his face.

But he was far from unconscious as they heard him snarling like a wild animal. His eyes glared up at both of them with pure hate. However, Naruto only felt pity along with Yugito at their fellow Jinchurriki. "It's over Gaara." The younger blond spoke as he crouched, feeling more comfortable in that position.

"YOU SHOW WEAKNESS BY REFUSING TO KILL ME, AND YET I CAN'T EVEN KILL YOU?!" The Suna's voice in a near crazed panic; "I WON'T CEASE TO EXIST!"

What the hell did Suna do to drive someone this far gone? Did that village really believe turning someone into a blood crazed lunatic made them an effective warrior? Not even Kumogakure did such barbaric practices on their Jinchurriki. Least as far as Yugito knew anyways. "Well, all we have to do now is take him back." The Kumo Kunoichi smirked over to her Konoha comrade.

"Maybe mom or Ero-Sennin can help him." Naruto murmured quietly as his red chakra tail swayed.

But hearing that Gaara went into a deeper panic; "NO! I WON'T BE TAKEN! NO ONE WILL END MY EXISTENCE!" His last word became a roar with an eruption of sand engulfing the Suna.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

The Oto Nin charged with a snarl, the thought of his comrades being bested by these... these fucking children sent him over the edge. They were just brats, playing at being ninja, and yet they were taking them down one by one. His knuckles popped with the strain of his grip on the sword's handle, a nodaichi as long as he was tall, and brought it down upon one of those smug brats, seeking to cut her down in half and finally wipe out that smug-

His blade fell in pieces before they even touched her.

The Sound Ninja could only stand there, holding the handle of his blade with shaky hands. The bun haired girl before him spun a dagger in her hand, one of a set of two, the other held firmly in her hand. Their handles were like those of a kunai, only longer and slightly larger, and the blades themselves were rather curbed, with one side sharp and the other blunt. The most noticeable trait was their coloration. Pitch black, yet shiny all the same, like forged out of crystallized coal.

"Neat huh?" The young weapon mistress grinned. "Ebony. One of the best metals out there. The ore was a gift from a friend's aunt"

The Oto Nin gulped.

With a blur of movement, Tenten buried her daggers into his chest, ending his life swiftly before kicking the body away.

"Ahhhhh" She sighed content, carefully wiping the blood of her new weapons. "You two are my favorite babies now"

A deadpanning response was soon heard behind her, "Your obsession with weapons is a bit disturbing. Have you thought about getting some help?" Ino spoke with a drawl. "We Yamanaka have great therapist"

"You make it sound like I have sort of fetish" Tenten droned back.

"Well... don't you?"

The bun haired girl gave a dull glare at the Yamanaka. Compared to Lee, their sensei, and even Neji; Tenten felt she was the most mentally stable among them. So what if she loved weapons, everyone has a hobby!

Maiyuri huffed out a sigh observing the last of the enemies being brought down by her group. Close by she saw Chouji and Shikamaru aiding an exhausted Iruka under the Academy tree to sit. The man fought valiantly, along with all the surviving teachers. The barrier seal had been given enough time to be completed and raised, much to everyone's relief.

That just left the remaining Oto and Kurokiba to take care of.

The princess looked upon the Academy grounds, corpses laid scattered where children were meant to play. Oto and Konoha alike. It was of no comfort to see that the fallen enemy ninja outnumbered that of their loyal people.

These brave warriors of their nation had given their lives so the non-combatants could be safe. Gladly laid down their lives so the young could live theirs.

And yet not all of them were adults.

She barely registered she had begun walking when she approached the body of a young ninja. Dark scruffy hair, his clothes did not stand out much, they were all simply and tactical. On his limp hand he held a bloody kunai, while another rested atop a deep wound on his chest. Close to him was a fallen Oto Nin... This young man had gone down fighting.

He couldn't be older than fourteen, thirteen at the least, and yet he had given his life already. He had died a soldier, loyal to his village till the end.

To ninja, it was something to show honor and respect to. He sacrificed his life as any hero of the village would.

To Maiyuri, it was a senseless waste. Her fingers trailed over the soft locks of his hair before gently reaching for his other hand, and placing it upon his chest, joining the other.

He had been just a kid...

Her lip trembled as she bit down the choked sob that threatened to escape.

They were all kids. What kind of world was this, where they allowed their children, who had their entire lives before them, to fight in wars and make the sacrifices that adults should be making for them?

But nobody saw anything wrong with this. It was all tradition they said, this was expected of them.

At times, Maiyuri thought that perhaps she was in the wrong. Who was she to dictate how these people lived, how the shinobi way should be?

But kneeling before the lifeless body of this child, amidst the multiple bodies of their fallen brave, all Maiyuri saw was pointless death and suffering. Honoring dead heroes was a poor compensation for the lives lost. Upholding tradition was a poor excuse for throwing children into this kind of life.

A large hand rested upon her shoulder, and Maiyuri turned her head startled. She had been too lost in thought to notice her dear companion standing next to her, hunching over as to touch her shoulder.

The horse's eyes looked at her with understanding and compassion. "There is nothing you could have done"

She blinked the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes away. "No... There is much I can still do"

Ushiwakamaru let out a long breath, standing up to full height in his centaur form, looking back at the entrance. "The jōnin are coming back"

Indeed, she saw the group of older higher ranked ninja returning, led by Hatake at the head. "Hime-sama" He said with a respectful tone, bowing at the waist.

Maiyuri stood up, fighting back the turmoil she had previously felt. "Report"

"HQ is free of invaders. But we discovered unsettling news" Kakashi announced with troubled voice, making the princess and the ninja look at him with apprehension. Was there something that would actually make this situation even worse? "According to the information obtained by Jiraiya-sama and his agents, the Kazekage was found dead"

Well, the silver haired Jounin had meant to tell her sooner back in the arena but everything was just too hectic. Shock was fixed on both the Kiri and Kumo Nin, "Holy shit." Omoi surprisingly spoke up the sentiment of everyone just hearing this revelation.

"Wh-What?!" Maiyuri quickly steeled her shock. "How?"

"Unknown, Jiraiya's agents only discovered Rasa's corpse in the sands a good distance from Sunagakure." Kakashi spoke while his uncovered eye surveyed everyone around them. He was relieved seeing all the Genin alive.

"Orochimaru has been manipulating Suna. For a long while most likely." Karui deduced as she ran her hand through her hair; "That is fuck up."

However Maiyuri was not listening as she felt rage surging through her veins; "All that vile traitor does is destroy and corrupt lives!" She roared with pure fury.

"Compose yourself" Her faithful companion spoke in his deep voice, crossing large arms across his armored chest. "You must think more clearly"

His words rang true; this whole situation... no kind of training or education could have ever prepared her for dealing with so much death and chaos everywhere. She was letting her emotions get the better of her, when she needed to keep a calm head.

She took a deep breath, remembering the lessons the monks taught her, and turned to Kakashi once more. "What else?"

"The battle at the arena continues. All we can do is let Hokage-sama and the others handle the situation there" They had to put their trust in their leader, "While the snake chief remains he is battling the dragon and toad chiefs. Few snakes remain on the village and they're being engaged, but a powerful one has joined the largest force of Suna and Oto nin near the village gates" The Hatake explained, "They have fortified themselves there, currently our forces are regrouping for one final push to drive them out"

"I see" The princess closed her eyes, weighting their options. They could try and assist the Hokage and his allies in the fight against Orochimaru, but... "How pressing is the situation at the village gates?"

"For all we know they could be making preparations to summon more reinforcements" Yamato took over, "And that snake there seems to be one of their elites. We haven't made any breakthrough"

Maiyuri pondered for a moment, "Then we march to the entrance. I trust Hiruzen-dono and the others to handle things in the arena. So pushing out what remains of the enemy should be our priority" She walked over to Ushiwakamaru and mounted him.

"Hime-sama" Iruka grunted as he took a step forward. "Let me jo-"

"No" She cut him off before he could finish. "You're in no shape. Stay here and receive medical attention" She said as she gave him a respectful look. "You have done enough, chunin-san. Let us handle things"

It obviously did not sit well with the Umino, but he could not ignore the princess' command. So he bowed and complied.

"Let's move!" She commanded.

And so they marched, Maiyuri rode atop her friend through the streets, while the shinobi jumped from roof to roof. It was a harsh sight, to see so many buildings wrecked or on fire. They had never witnessed this level of devastation before; this was their first introduction to war. Actual war.

"The village" Ino muttered mournfully.

"They're just buildings" Asuma spoke, his voice resolute and carrying an edge to it. "They can be rebuilt"

The heart of Konoha was its people, the Hokage often said, and now Ino was taking those words to heart. "Yes" She spoke with confidence. Now was the time to drive out the scum who dared harming their village.

As they approached the sector near the village gates, they noted there was a tall strong barrier that went all the way from the ground to the village walls around the gates. Behind the barrier they saw their enemies setting up a forward base, tending their wounded and making preparations for more summonings.

But what caught their attention the most was the ten story black snake, a rough-scaled bush viper with tremendously spiky and thick scales, a perfect armor. Many shinobi from Konoha were attacking it from all sides, firing blasts of elemental power and as many explosives as they could.

But the snake laughed at their attempts, "Interesting tactic, puny ones! I didn't know you humans fought with tickles!" The snake let out a savage swipe of his tail, carrying so much strength it sent a gale of typhoon like winds that sent the shinobi flying through the air, toppling houses on its path.

Samui blinked a few times witnessing the sheer power from the serpent single tail swipe. "That is problematic." Ino gulped down the fear she felt but her eyes remained wide.

Soujiro's eyes took in every inch of the enormous snake. Trying to analyze how to beat it. All he could come up with was to be fast and precise. Shikamaru's mind was running through a dozen scenarios and none of them were without possible casualties. He glanced over to his longtime friend; "How big can your body expansion get to Chouji?"

"Not enough to deal with that!"

Karui only looked as wary as Omoi, Kouhei, and Chojuro at the huge viper who laughed cruelly slaughtering any who came close. "How the fuck do we kill that thing?!" The ebony redhead questioned loudly.

Maiyuri only glared at the beast with a steely glare. These fiends have done enough to her people!

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"Is this all Konohagakure can muster!? Uzushio put up a better fight!" The viper's laugh boomed slamming it tail down, smashing a dozen Leaf and Water ninja not fast enough to escape.

Ahhh, once this place was purged of these pests it'll make for a great nest. Manda's deal with Orochimaru was unpopular with the clan, but they had to admit sometimes it turned up quite... profitable.

"ENOUGH!"

The viper's slit eyes caught sight of a human fledgling, still in her teen years, barely scrapping into adulthood by the looks of it. Soft rose colored hair with soft green eyes. Dressed in white a short kimono with a block obi around the waist, along with a black scarf that billowed with the wind. If glares could kill, the viper would have been pierced by a thousand blades by now.

She walked towards the viper, unafraid.

"You will not kill anyone else today"

"Oyaaah?" The viper let out an amused sound, "And who is this pest that dares tell me what I can and cannot do?"

"Hime-sama!" One of the humans called for her in concern. "Get back here!"

The viper's eyes widened in recognition. "Ohhhh! A royal pest I see!" His large head leaned forward with interest. "Does it anger you, 'your highness'" He spoke the title with mockery, "to see so many of your loyal subjects helplessly dying like this?"

She did not answer, she merely kept advancing.

"Oh I can see it in your gaze. The anger, the hate" He hissed with satisfaction, "Yes... we Kurokiba live for hate"

The princess still said nothing.

"My, so silent in the face of danger!" The viper laughed in delight. "Bravery like this is rare among your kind, so let me reward you" Reptile eyes widened with sadistic joy, "With a glorious death!"

He darted forward with a blurring speed, its long body uncoiling as he moved in a straight line.

"Maiyuri-sama!" Kakashi called out once more, along with the other jōnin who quickly raced to protect her.

"Hmph! Do you have so little faith in your princess!?" Ushiwakamaru called out, folding his large arms in front of his chest. The horse looked too unperturbed by the thought of his master facing that thing alone.

Neji grunted, "Aren't you meant to protect her!?"

"Only from actual threats"

The princess slowly closed her eyes and joined her hands together.

The viper was mere meters before her, standing up to full height as to completely dwarf the human princess, making his shadow loom over her. He wanted to make sure she understood she was an insect before him.

Too drunk on bloodlust, the viper ignored the fiery red chakra gathering around her.

"Take with you my name so you will remember it for all eternity!" The viper bellowed just before he dived down to devour the princess in one single gulp. "For I am-!"

The viper was bisected in a single slash.

A great ethereal blade passed through his body as though it cutting through nothing but air. Flesh and sinew was cut clearly, before being swiftly incinerated by the flames coming from the giant blade, leaving nothing but a cleaved skeleton.

The jōnin stopped right in their tracks, staring awestruck at the display of power.

Neji's eyes widened in disbelief, "What... is this?" His Byakugan it perceived... an amazing amount of spiritual power radiating from her.

Samui's cold facade was broken into a million pieces, leaving her to stare with open shock. "No way..."

The blast of spiritual fire was sent forth in a torrent of destruction, reducing everything in its path to mere ashes. It impacted over the Oto-Suna barrier, the flames spreading over it as it clashed. Cracks began forming all over it, spreading like twisted spider-webs.

And with the sound of breaking glass mixed with twisting metal, the barrier broke down. Sand and Sound ninja alike cried out with alarm at the display of pure power that utterly destroyed their first and second line of defense.

"What is that!?"

Their cause for alarm was the technique that had performed such a feat with ease. A demonic looking entity manifesting behind the princess, bluish skinned and shrouded in ethereal flames, holding on his hands a great red blade. A great red mandala hovered upon its back. Its face was the epitome of savagery, but guided by a sense of righteousness, sworn to unleash its wrath open the enemies of dharma. The shinobi of Konoha looked upon this divine figure with awe.

"Holy" Tenten began.

"Shit" Ino finished for her.

The asura-like entity... it was being manifested by the princess. She had conjured up such a being to deliver such outstanding power.

Though no less impressed, the Ino-Shika-Cho's teacher smirked with recognition. "Well I'll be... Raigō, the Welcoming Approach, and mastered at that" He looked at the princess with a sense of pride, knowing full well where she had learnt that technique. "Heh, you really did grow up a lot, hime-sama"

Though it was not the noble Kanon that he and Chiriku could summon, this was the Wisdom King Fudō Myō-ō, the dharmapala Acala. Defender of dharma, the wrathful god that destroyed evil and fought the enemies of the Buddha.

And just like it appeared, the manifestation vanished in a swath of ethereal red flames. The princess took a deep breath and lowered her arms, her steely gaze trailed upon their enemies. Many of them flinched and stepped back, and while their hearts grew heavy with fear, those of her loyal allies were elated with courage.

"Shinobi of Suna!" She called out, her voice echoing through the area. "Your Kage is dead!"

Cries of outrage and shock rang out.

"No!"

"Impossible!"

"How could Rasa-sama fall!?"

The princess took a step forward, "And he has been dead since before this invasion started!"

The cries fell silent, replaced by horrified shock.

"He has been slain!" Her arm shot up in accusation, "By the people you allied yourselves with!"

Suna turned to Oto with suspicion and outrage, "Is this true?!"

"Of course not!" Many tried to defend themselves. "Those are nothing but lies!"

"You now have a choice!" Maiyuri heard the footsteps of many shinobi joining her at her side, Ushiwakamaru valiantly standing next to her as Konoha and Kiri joined as one. "Leave now and return to your village, or die by our hands! But know that one way or another, judgement will come!"

She took out her blade, the act alone causing many of their enemies to flinch. The shinobi of Kiri and Konoha gazed upon them like hungry wolves stalking a wounded prey...

"To hell with this!" The ninja of the Sand turned tail and left through the gates, seeking to escape the furies of the former allies they had betrayed.

Oto now stood alone, quivering in their boots as they found themselves at the mercy of wronged shinobi eager for revenge.

"Konoha!" The princess raised her blade high, "Let us drive back this scum!"

They charged with a valiant war cry and descended upon their enemies with righteous ferocity. The last thing many of them saw was the flash of the princess' blade.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Utter sheer disbelief glowed on Manda's expression upon witnessing the sight of Fudō Myō-ō being summoned by a mere human girl! However anger quickly surged through him as saw countless corpses of his brood, by that insufferable fox and wolf, Bunta, or those filthy mongrel humans. A snarl escaped his maw seeing the two snake that came to aid him were torn apart by both Genryu and Bunta.

'Those simians should have brought out that loathsome lunatic of a Bijuu. What I get for bargaining with humans. Orochimaru will answer for this slight!' Manda sneered towards the dragon and toad chief; "I will kill you both another time!" And with those words the great serpent vanished in a burst of smoke.

"COWARD!" The ground shook from Genryu's enraged roar as he tail slammed onto the ground.

A scoff came from the chief toad as he whipped off his tanto with a few swings and sheathed it. "Once a coward, always a coward." Gamabunta huffed and blew out some smoke. Been a long time since he had a workout like this.

"WOO! Now this was a good day!" Both dragon and toad shifted to see Yuri and Genjou stroll towards them; "What's up you old farts!" That earned the vixen a dry glare; "What? I'm not wrong."

"Appears Manda has fled, as usual." The wolf chief rolled his eyes at his vulpine comrade's antics. "Been a long time Genryu, Gamabunta."

A grunt came from the toad; "Glad to see you didn't lose your manners while hanging around this vixen."

"Coming from an old drunkard I don't feel that insulted." Yuri murmured with a cheeky tone

"WHAT YOU CALL ME?! YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A PELT OUT OF YOU RUNT!"

Genryu only let out grumble with a wary sigh. Yeah this felt like old times for the silver scaled dragon.

XxX ~ moments prior ~ XxX

Orochimaru only chuckled as he dodged several strikes from his former Sensei's staff; "My you gotten a step slow haven't you?"

The Sandaime said nothing as he continued his assault. He spun Enma with great dexterity over his head; the staff grew several feet in length as it moved to strike in a sweeping motion. Orochimaru smirked as he contorted his body, doing some very snake like movements to duck underneath the attack.

Hiruzen reached into his pouch and threw several kunai at him. The snake sannin with just two handsigns covered his chakra into wind and blew a gust strong enough that stopped them in their tracks, it was then he saw the paper bombs strapped to them burning.

He jumped away, shielding his face from the blast. His instincts screamed danger and Orochimaru saw Hiruzen jumping through the smoke, Enma's staff form having grown at least twice its width. With a cry, the Sandaime slammed down his staff, but Orochimaru was faster and managed to literally slide away, his lower body merging into a snake like tail, the staff cracked the roof with its pressure.

But Hiruzen wasn't done, his staff slimmed down almost instantly, used it to propel itself towards his former student. He launched a series of kicks towards Orochimaru, he despite being pushed back by the sudden attack managed to block them with swift defensive movements, shielding himself from the strikes with his forearms. Hiruzen spun in midair, twirling his staff and sending and upper strike with connected with Orochimaru's chin, sending the snake flying back.

With a roll the traitorous sannin quickly had gotten to his feet. Despite his bravado the former Konoha Nin no longer felt his control over Daisuke and Tobirama. Along with that took notice how the tide had begun to shift within the village. Konoha and Kiri were now pushing back against the invaders and gaining ground.

They were losing.

"Are you still searching for immortality?"

Brought out of his thoughts Orochimaru cocked his head to his former teacher; "You already know the answer to that sensei. Oh I should show you how far I have come."

Reaching to his face, Sarutobi's and Enma's single eye on the staff widen as Orochimaru ripped off the skin. Both felt their blood running cold as now the visage of a child staring back at them.

A soft chuckle soon became crazed laughter; "Oh the look on you faces! Hahahaha!"

"You complete it," Hiruzen said whispered in dreaded.

Hiruzen tightened his fist. He should have taken out Orochimaru a long time ago, when he first saw the horrible things he had done to those poor children. He cursed his heart for still seeing, partly, Orochimaru as that talented little boy he had taken in as a student long ago...

"Hiruzen, drop whatever feelings that might linger in your heart for this boy. He is far too gone to be brought back. And now with this perversion of life, his soul is no longer human. But a corrupted and tainted demon." Enma addressed his old friend/comrade sternly.

"Immortality is ever closer to my grasp" The child's lips twisted into a demented smile before Orochimaru ripped the skin off once more, revealing his true face. "But it is still not enough..."

Resignation grew in Hiruzen's eyes; "And it will never be enough."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

A huff came from Saito as he and Mei observed Kiri and Konoha forces being hilariously outclassed and decimated by the reanimated Shodai. "This is a rather humbling experience. Don't you agree Mei-dono?"

The auburn haired kage lightly chuckled; "One thing I can say about this village is that it's never dull." She cocked a brow of Kushina and Jiraiya with Samenosuke had leaped over beside her and Saito. "Welcome... Think we can try to take turns? See who gets their backside handed to them worse?"

A snorted laugh came from the Uzu woman. She was really starting to like this lady.

"I have a seal ready, we took down the Nidaime; now let's get our Shodai some rest eh?" Jiraiya stuck his thumb over towards Hashirama who easily caught a female ANBU's surprise attack and threw her their way.

Kushina caught her via a golden chain which was taken noticeably the late Senju; "Young lady, would you be as kind as to use those on me please!?" He asked with desperation in his voice

"A little eager for it huh Shodai-sama?" Kushina couldn't help but smirk teasingly. "I wonder if you like Uzumaki woman using their chains on you."

At those words, Hashirama paled and horror etched on his face. "Oh gods, Mito actually told you?!"

What followed were the most uncomfortable five silent seconds in the history of ever.

"...You forget you heard that" The First Hokage commanded.

"I can't..!" Kushina was nearly sobbing, now unable to get out the image of Mito-baachan being into... stuff, out of her mind. Saito and Samenosuke were not doing well either as both were both slightly green.

Mei dryly glared at Jiraiya who was writing furiously on a notebook. "I heard you were pervert, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt... Not anymore."

"I have to correct you young lady," Jiraiya retorted quite seriously. "I am not a pervert... I am a SUPER PERVERT!" His voice echoed throughout the area.

Again what followed was a very uncomfortable silence for five seconds.

Hashirama's shoulders slumped as an aura of depression loomed over him; "I see the weirdos have gotten worse in the village."

"Look who's talking! I don't want to hear it from you dattebane!" Kushina screeched.

"Just seal me already!"

"Fine, fine, geez!" Her chains shot forward, only to be deflected by thick trees which emerged from the roof.

"I feel like I should remind you that my body won't make it easy if I can see you attack me!"

"Give me a break; it's been a long day!" The Uzumaki woman angrily responded. She channeled her wind chakra through her chains; these began spinning while wrapped under a sharp coat of turbulent winds. They dug through the trees like drills and headed right for the Hokage.

But Hashirama saw it coming, so his body jumped, evading the chains. He leaped through the trees he had summoned, going straight for the group. They tensed but did not move.

"What are doing?! Move!" If they didn't move he'd hurt them!

When he was just a mere feet away from them, his body froze. A seal shined right underneath his feet, and threads of pure chakra wrapped themselves around him. Kushina wasted no time and reinforced the effect by wrapping her chains around him. The first Hokage looked down at the seal; they must have set it up when his view had been blocked by the trees. He smiled widely at them. "Clever kids!"

A round of large collective sigh came from everyone; "Finally," an ANBU in an eagle mask slouched forward.

An ANBU bowed respectfully to the Shodai; "You can rest now Shodai-sama. We will handle Orochimaru." She winced slightly, holding her side.

Hashirama nodded as he turned his gaze to Kushina; "What about my brother and Daisuke?"

"...sealed," she uttered quietly.

"I am glad. Take care of yourselves and this village, that is all I ask," the first Hokage smiled.

Jiraiya placed the seal tag on Hashirama, causing his entire body to be shrouded on papers as Kushina released her chains. Though still not released, the first Hokage of Konoha was at last in a state where he couldn't not be controlled nor be made to harm anyone.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Whatever would have happened between the elderly shinobi and his former student next was stopped as they felt an enormous amount of chakra at the gate of the village! For once in a very long time Orochimaru felt shock. As he and Sandaime saw the dharmapala Acala appear.

"H-How?" The snake Sannin's words were barely a whisper.

'Chiriku and the Fire monks would be proud Hime-Sama.' Hiruzen grinned. Enma only gazed in amazement, to think someone could summon the great Fudō Myō-ō!

So enraptured by the sight Orochimaru barely felt his control over Hashirama had now vanished. But what regained his senses was Manda vanishing from the field. "Well that was awesome!" A frown marred the Sannin's face as he looked back to his sensei.

Beside the elderly kage stood a smirking Kushina, Saito, Samenosuke, the Mizukage, and Jiraiya. Along with them was a dozen Kiri and Konoha Nin with several ANBU. "The Shodai, Nidaime, and our uncle have been freed from you." The steely tone of Saito spoke with an edge as he pointed his sword towards the Leaf traitor; "Your karma has come to make you answer for your crimes."

"It's over, Orochimaru. Suna is gone, your remaining forces are being cut down, and even Manda has left you," Hiruzen spoke coldly. Knowing of the Suna's actions via Inoichi's mental communication.

Golden slit orbs only narrowed, this entire operation had been a spectacular mess. He thought he had planned accordingly to the new developments of Kushina, Kiri and the Mizukage, and those other Uzu along with the Namikaze.

And his so called 'ally' in this had done a poor job in providing him the necessary support and intelligence. Danzo had proven himself to be very unreliable during the entire assault. At least he could take comfort in knowing a viper nestled in Konoha, right underneath their noses, and they had no idea.

Yet that fact could not quell the rage he was feeling. The thought of being defeated by these ingrates... Orochimaru knew he had to bide his time and prepare. The Uzumaki boy would perhaps be beyond his reach, but he'd find another way to find the secrets behind his Shoton techniques and how the bloodline came to be.

But Sasuke... Yes, there was still the chance of claiming him.

Kushina patted and rubbed Hiruzen's shoulder; "You okay Jiji?" Several gapping looks that came from the Mizukage and others. Did this woman really just address the famed 'God of shinobi' an old man?!

Not remotely offended the elderly man huffed in exhaustion "I am getting too old for this..."

"If you'd keep up with your training you wouldn't be" Came Enma's disapproving voice from his staff form.

"Oh I'm sorry" Hiruzen snappily retorted. "But did you forget that, unlike beasts, humans don't get to live for hundreds of years with barely aging?"

"We can, a bit" Samenosuke raised his hand, earning a few glares, mainly from the Hokage. "Sorry..."

The snake sannin couldn't help but sigh at the display. "You lot look like a bunch of clowns when you argue..." Orochimaru humorlessly drawled.

The Uzumaki matron gave the sannin a dark glare, "You know, I should thank you in a way. I got closure I never knew I needed… unfortunately for you, my gratitude is currently overshadowed by this smoldering rage!" Kushina seethed gripping her sword. "You go after my son; you violate the dead by summoning my father, and the Shodai and Nidaime. You attacked Konoha, your former home!"

"If you're trying to bring the notion that I should feel ashamed of my actions this day, you would be disappointed my dear." Orochimaru retorted blankly. "Whatever feelings I once had for this place faded long ago."

That point was gravely clear to Hiruzen by the sheer devastation throughout the village. For his most promising and traitorous student, redemption was beyond him now. "This-"

His words died in his mouth as he and everyone else froze as a crushing tsunami of pure maniacal killer intent washed over the village. Powerful and overwhelming, the four heads of the animal chiefs sharply turned towards the forest. At the village's gate Maiyuri and the others paled, at Jounin HQ Shikaku felt a chill course through his entire being along with Inoichi at his side.

Tayuya and Kidōmaru froze along with their ANBU opponents at the sheer level of maliciousness coming in the direction of the forest. A bead of sweat rolled off Kushina face, she knew this feeling. She had lived with it since she was a little girl. "Naruto…"

First to regain their senses was Orochimaru, who merely glanced to his remaining Sound Four. They nodded obediently and vanished along with him while everyone was preoccupied. While he might not get to watch his old village be turned to ruin, he knew it was assured with Shukaku's awakening.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

The utterly delighted cry that came from Gaara did not sound like him at all. If not because they had seen the Jinchuuriki shroud himself with layers upon layers of sand, taking on the form of his tenant, they would have doubt that was Gaara at all.

He was always bloodthirsty, but his actions were often methodical, controlled. But he kept losing his cool the more they fought, and now there was no restraint left in him.

A giant claw made of sand swung in a great arm, bringing down dozens of trees on its path. Naruto jumped over the falling devastating, trying to avoid the incoming attack. He created two clones and sent them forth, their Biju chakra enhanced attacks severing the large arm, yet this one merely reformed into a mass of spikes that pierced them immediately.

Yugito was running on all fours, her speed making her into a blur. She deftly dodged a barrage of great sand shruiken sent her as she closed in to Gaara's back. She raised a great ethereal claw and slashed down, yet Gaara's defense only wavered slightly.

Gaara's tail snapped like a whip, sending her flying away. She dug in, her hands and chakra clawed hands to stop her movement, and when she looked up Naruto leapt over Gaara, a crimson Rasengan ready in his hands.

"Yes, yes, that's it, more!" Came Gaara's maniacal cries as Naruto thrusted his attack forth. Yet it was of no use, as shield of sand formed between them, much more durable than any other Gaara had displayed before. His empowered state boosted all parameters, speed, strength, and defense. He had become a living engine of destruction, as well as a nigh impenetrable fortress.

Naruto let out a shout as he kept on his attack, but a tendril of sand formed around the shield and smacked him across the face. His Rasengan fizzled out, and he was sent flying. Only for a large sand claw to extend itself and grab him

"HHHHHRG!" With a grunt of force, the claw slammed the blond Uzumaki directly on the ground, making rocks sprout all around it as the earth was deformed.

"Naruto!" Yugito cried out in concern, leaping to his rescue. She made her entire body spin around as her chakra tail delivered a cutting swath of fire, blasting the sand away, and revealing the red shrouded jinchuuriki. "Are you okay?"

"...No" He groaned out in pain, giving her a very annoyed glare.

"Right, stupid question"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"Holy crap guys are you feeling that!?" Kiba exclaimed in disbelief. They were at a relatively safe distance, yet the struggles of the battle could be seen even from there. Trees falling apart, patches of land being ripped open. And most of all the sheer level of chakra on display.

"At this point I can even taste it..." Karin muttered as a nervous bead of sweat trail down her cheek.

Sakura gulped down, feeling her throat becoming dry. "Is... Is this how a fight between jinchuuriki supposed to be?"

"It's insane" Sasuke grunted. Ty Lee shivered beside her brothers at the insane level of malicious chakra flaring in the distance.

"Heh..." A weak laugh caught their attention, and they saw Temari, from her place in the ground next to the still unconscious form of her brother Kankuro, giving them a cocky grin. "Gaara... Gaara will take those two down"

"You're awake?" Haku replied in actual surprise. She should barely be conscious considering the nerve points she hit with her senbon.

"T-There's no way... My brother will let those two idiots kill him" She grunted with strain, yet her voice remained determined.

"There you go again" Sakura said with a frown, "Underestimating people"

Temari's body twitched, fighting against the shutdown nerves, forcing herself to move, she'd even crawl if she had to.

"Moving is ill-advised. Why?" Shino spoke, "Because it's pointless, you cannot do anything in your state"

"I'm... I'm not" The words came out fierce, desperate even. "Letting them... harm Gaara!"

"...You're kidding me" Karin gave her an incredulous look. "You're concerned for your brother?"

"Of course I am!" She cried out, a twitchy arm reached forward on the ground before her, the others made no attempt to stop her. "E-Even if he is like this... he'll always be... my little brother!" Her nails dug into the earth as she dragged herself forward. Logic long eroded; there was only her adrenaline and emotions dictating her actions. "So I'm... I'm going to-!"

A new senbon to her neck send her back to unconsciousness once again.

Haku looked on impassively, her arm outstretched. It slowly fell down as her eyes softened. "Your loyalty to your family is to be praised"

"...Fuck" Kiba said as he looked at the shinobi from Suna, pretty much summing up what everyone was feeling.

Beyond their notice, further away from them, sat Kuroreimei on a tree. Her hime cut hair swaying slightly with the wind along the robes of her kimono. Her red eyes gazed intently at the fight before her.

There fought someone of important interest to her, a potential heir of Rama's Will, and his opponent was someone claimed by despair, someone born in similar circumstances to him, burdened with the same heavy load their entire lives.

Her hand clenched into a fist.

'Is it mercy what you will show?' She wondered, 'Will you truly extend your hand to him in sympathy and kindness, seeing him as a victim who suffered so much? ...Or will the bodies of your fallen comrades, the sight of your village under siege, be all that appears before your gaze and struck him down in rightful vengeance?'

She needed an answer, she needed to witness this.

Those who bear Rama's Will are often at the center of it all, their actions influencing the world around them.

Long ago, the great king had given her kind mercy... and now more than ever, did her people need it again.

'Please, show me' She begged to the gods, to great Shiva in heaven. 'Show me humans are still capable of mercy and kindness'

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Gaara grinned down at the two in a surreal maniacal manner. It looked doubly terrifying with his face turning into a mask of Shukaku's face. "Not enough! I want more!"

"I have an idea." Yugito glanced to Naruto as he stood beside her. "And you're not going to like it." The Kumo Kunoichi lifted a brow as the Uzumaki leaded in to her and began to whisper.

Growing impatient for his kill the Suna Jinchurriki shot several sand shuriken down towards the two. Both quickly broke apart as in a quick dash with the blond Kunoichi calling the redhead out.

'This is insane' Yugito thought to herself as she stood watched Gaara charge at them. Channeling chakra through her legs, Yugito once more assaulted him from all sides.

Gaara let out a growled as he channeled waves of sand on all directions, sending various blasts homing after her in torrents. Yugito merely dodged, she let out a trail of blue fire over the sand as she circled around, partially obscuring his view.

As she kept that cat and mouse game, she thought. 'Hope this works, Naruto'

The Kyuubi jinchuuriki in question was grinning widely as he surfed through the sand on a flat surface of crystal he had made, Gaara was distracted and his view partially blocked, but the Suna-nin managed to catch a glimpse of his opponent riding his waves of sand.

"What?" With a swipe of his long limbs, he moved sand, and the flames, away. His eyes widened when he saw Naruto charging at him, surfing on his sand of all things. "Gaaaah!" With a thrust of his hand, he sent various waves of sand at him, which Naruto took with ease.

He twirled around and dodged, riding an oncoming wave like it was made of water. He propelled himself by firing a quick wind blast from his hand and tunneled underneath another. Gaara growled in irritation at Naruto's obviously mocking grin, so focused he was on the blonde that he did not notice the Kumo Nin attacking him from behind. He gasped and stumbled forward as a knee pressed itself against his bulbous back.

Naruto took his chance and dived forward, he jumped and twirled in the air before landing and lodging the crystal surface right above Gaara's back, embedding it as deep as he could.

With a roar of pure rage, Gaara sent a burst of sand in all directions, sending his opponents flying away. Naruto and Yugito skidded across the sand in opposite directions. "Is this all you've got?!"

Naruto's response was to smirk and raise a pair of fingers.

The hum of chakra alerted the sand jinchuuriki, he sharply turned his head as much as he could to see the crystal still embedded deep on his back. Before he could even command his sand body to remove it, it shined with seals and exploded in a great flash of light. The blast rose for meters into the air, sending sand flying in all directions, tearing Gaara's sand hide with sheer firepower.

Finally as the blast slowly subsided, two blonds sighed as both huffed in pure exhaustion. Their chakra cloaks had begun to vanish; "That was... The dumbest fucking idea I have ever heard of," Yugito rested her palms on her knees. "And you are without a doubt the craziest son of bitch I have ever met," And that says something, and she knows Killer Bee-sensei!

Naruto plopped himself down on the branch, sitting cross-legged. "If it works then fuck sanity," the Uzumaki breaths heavily. "Hey Gaara!" He called down to his fellow jinchuuriki, who slowly rose through the smoke. His whole transformation had fallen to pieces, and the sand armor was crackling and falling from his body. "You calmed down yet!?"

His response was to send an enraged glare at them. He snarled and took a step forward, only to stumble as his knees gave away and fell over them. He shouted and raged as he crawled, trying to reach them. He needs to make them bleed…

"Yeah, why start now?" Naruto sighed to himself while Yugito shook her head. The two jumped down and slowly walked towards him. "Give it up Gaara, you lost"

Rage shined in Gaara's sea foam green orbs; "I am not done yet! I won't be killed by the likes of either of you! My existence won't fade!" He screamed in almost a horse tone.

Yugito only looked at her fallen fellow Jinchurriki mournfully as Naruto spoke; "We don't want to kill you Gaara. We want to help you, to show you, you don't have to be like that."

Those words only made the Suna Nin growl with pure hate; "Then... Then why did I turn out like this… WHEN YOU TWO DID NOT?!" Both blonds leap back as Gaara's sand surged back to life.

Ever since he was little, all he knew was hate. The world hated him, the closest 'kindness' he had experienced were just lies. Anger driven to strike him down. The entire world wanted nothing more than for him to disappear.

And why wouldn't it? He was a monster; the world had no need for his ilk. Devoid of any joy, he had found purpose in the death of others, inflicting the pain others had brought upon him. That deep void in his heart had been filled at last, not with the 'love' his bastard uncle had lied to him with, but with the blood of those who hated and denied him. It was the only thing that could bring him joy… but he always needed more and more.

So why? Why, why, why, why, why?! Could those two just smile every day at any nonsense that went their way?! Why were they whole while he was empty?! Why could they express so much happiness when the hole in him just kept growing bigger, regardless of how much blood he shed to fill it?!

Why were they humans to whom other people could smile and laugh with while he was the monster the world wanted dead?

He hated them... He hated them so much.

So if he killed them, perhaps then he could finally prove them wrong. Yes... maybe it was their blood that would finally fill the void for good.

Something inside him snapped, and Gaara began laughing.

He was the monster hated by the world, so he would reveal his true self to all.

Gaara held up his hands in a ram seal, and from that single gesture a wave of dread fell down on Naruto and Yugito.

"Feigning Sleep Technique!"

The sand soon erupted skywards soon taking shape and form. A gigantic bulbous body, highly reminiscent of the monstrous form Gaara had taken, manifested. Dark marks appeared all over its sandy surface. The being was so great it rose far beyond the tree line.

Both Naruto and Yugito looked in sheer horror as an awaken Shukaku let out a shrilling roar. "I'M OUT BABY!" The monster-size sand Tanuki laughed manically.

Sakura looked wide eyed at the giant sand tanuki which rose over the tree line. "So uh... that can't be good"

Karin could only shudder at the sheer magnitude and enraged chakra which emanated from... from that thing. While the bijuu inside Naruto was a primal force of hatred and anger, the Shukaku felt like insanity and carnage incarnate.

"So hey..." Yugito gulps. "Please tell me you have something?"

"Luckily, I do" Oh thank the gods and his mother for signing the dragon contract. He had never summoned a big one so far, but hey, first time for anything.

The great tanuki roared. "I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU ALL!" Rearing his arm back, he brought it down upon them with great force.

"Move!" They barely got out of the way when the arm came down. But they were still caught in the shock wave which managed to send them flying away.

The ground trembled and the earth split, making large chunks of earth and stone rise from the fractured ground, creating small hills and blowing clouds of dust and sand. The vibrations of the impact went far beyond their location, making the earth shudder.

Shukaku sharply surveyed the area after his punch; "I can smell you Kurama and you too Matatabi! Come out so I can kill you already!"

Naruto and Yugito hid behind the trees; "Anytime you're ready," the Kumo Kunoichi whispered. She blinked as she saw Naruto bit his thumbs; "I don't think another summon is gonna cut it…" Right now the blond Uzumaki was mentally praying.

'Anyone listening out there! Please give me some help here!' he goes through the hand seals; "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

The great One Tail was surprised to see a large plume of smoke come out from between the woods. Trees fell down, toppled over by the new massive body that made it present.

A long serpentine figure moved from within the smoke, only a dark silhouette could be seen from within. The smoke slowly cleared out, revealing patches of bronze. A long reptilian snout emerged from the smoke, bronze in color like the rest of its body. The dragon rumbled as it raised its head to reveal a long pair of horns of two azure eyes, and Naruto, who stood at the top of the head. Beside him, Yugito let out a breath she did not realize she was holding.

"Hmph!" The great beast exhaled smoke through the nostrils. "The Ichibi no Shukaku" The dragon spoke in a clearly female voice. "I never thought I'd be summoned to face you"

Naruto giggled as he felt something sneaking inside his clothes, Hien emerged from his collar to look down at the giant dragon and wave with his small claw. "Hi princess Kamiko"

"Hein," Her azure eyes shifted up seeing Kushina's son and the little ruby dragon in question, with another human also on her head. "You are Naruto," she got a nod from the Uzumaki; "I am Kamiko, Genryu's daughter."

Shukaku looked wide eyed before laughing; "That silver scaled bastard actually had a brat!?"

"What in the name of Ryujin-sama are you doing out here Hein?" Kamiko scolded lightly.

"I wanted to help Naruto, Konoha is in danger!"

She sets her eyes on the bijuu before her. "If he is here than I have no doubt about it" The she-dragon regally raised her head and spoke in a commanding tone. "You have one chance to withdraw, Shukaku of the Sand, I will not make you the same generous offer again"

"Bwahahahaha!" That actually got the tanuki to laugh. "Awww man, you're killing me with that!" He grinned savagely. "I'm gonna turn this whole village into a smoking crater!"

"Hmph, no wonder the animal clans despise your kind, bijuu" She said the last word in an accusing tone.

"So" Naruto prompted, looking down at the dragon. "Think you can help me with him?"

"I shall aid you child," relief washed over Naruto, Yugito, and Hein hearing that. "But I also need you and the host Nibi no Nekomata to do something."

Yugito looked at the bronze dragon in surprise; "You know I'm carrying Nibi?"

"I can smell her scent coming off you, human. Now look at the top of Shukaku's head." Both did as she asked and saw the tiny form of Gaara, from the waist up slumped over asleep; "While Shukaku's host remains sleeping, it leaves the Bijuu to roam free. You have to wake that boy so Shukaku becomes dormant again."

"HA! Like hell I'm going back there after I just got out!" the sand Tanuki snarled; "Let's see if you can actually have the stones like your old man!"

"Yugi-chan!" Naruto shouted out. "We'll keep him busy, you try reaching Gaara!"

"Count on it!" Yugito tried channeling more chakra from Matatabi, and immediately regretted it as her body doubled over with pain, her tenketsu burn with the strain. "Ggh! Shit..!" She swore as she held unto her stomach.

"You used too much of my chakra" Matatabi warned her. "For now, you won't be able to channel the same amount you did before"

Painfully standing back up, Yugito as she held her stomach with one hand; "It will have to do." She gave a concerned Naruto a wink before leaping off Kamiko's head. "GO GET''EM!"

"Let's go!" Naruto cheered with a brave smile and thrust of his fist. "Kamiko-chan!"

'Kamiko-chan?' The dragoness briefly wondered at the informal attitude the boy took with her. Paying it no mind, she roared and soared straight towards the sand tanuki.

Shukaku cackled maniacally as he swiped on his arms at her, Kamiko managed to dodge the strike, to which she countered by going right for his throat. But Shukaku's body was composed of sand, her fangs just sunk into the substance without doing any real damage. Shukaku grabbed her serpentine body with hands, spreading sand over her form and entrapping her.

Kamiko trashed and roared, trying to break free, but the Ichibi's sand possessed a strong hold to it as is solidified around her body. Twisting her long neck, she took a deep breath, smoke puffed out from her nostrils as heat rose through her lungs and throat. She let out a great raging storm of flames over his arm.

The arm charred and turned into a solid burning glass, Shukaku screamed when the dragon shook herself free, her movements were strong enough to tear the limb off. It falls to the ground with a crush and crumbled away. By the time it regenerated, the dragon was already moving around him.

"RAAAAH!" Shukaku defended himself by growing sharp spikes of sand all over his back and shoulders, stopping the dragon from trying to capture him in a hold with her body.

"Tch!" Kamiko grimaced. "I can't get us much closer, child. I'll have to attack from a distance"

"That's fine" Naruto said "Just keep him busy"

"No problem" Channeling fire once more, she breathed down her wrath upon the bijuu.

Shukaku quickly formed a great dome of Sand around him, which managed to resist the flames. The sand solidified and charred, but Shukaku pushed it at the front of his shield, supported by the rest of his sand, making a good defense against the torrents of fire.

Kamiko maneuvered through the air, continuing to rain down fire upon the bijuu. Shukaku merely raised his shield to meet the flames accordingly. As they soared, Naruto managed to spot Yugito climbing up the Ichibi's body.

'When I get back home' the Nibi jinchuuriki grunted as she walked over the bulbous sand body, 'I'm taking a vacation'

"Huh?" The One Tail felt something climbing up his body. Looking down, he saw that annoying cat runt going straight for his head. "Oh, no you don't!"

The Ichibi forced the sand in his shield to explode outwards, sending giant chunks of stone and solidified stone through the air at the dragon. Kamiko dodged as much as she could, but her mobility was hampered the moment one of the rocks hit her body, followed by another one, then another.

She fell to the ground when Shukaku's arms extended, latching onto her tail and slamming her down. They watched in horror as Shukaku turned his head down at Yugito and took a deep breath, channeling wind and chakra through his mouth.

"He's gonna kill her!" Naruto cried out. Thinking quickly, he channeled Kurama's chakra and formed a Rasengan, pouring as much power as he could into it. The outer layer of the technique took a strong vermillion color. But... "Damn it, I can't get there in time!"

"Get in my mouth!" Kamiko shouted. "I'll spit you!"

"...What?!"

"Just do it!"

The Uzumaki winced with a disgusted look, but did as he was told. He nearly regretted it he felt the moisture of her maw, along with the foul smell. "Ugh, what did you eat?!"

"See you in hell Matatabi! But don't worry, I'll soon send Kurama there too in pieces!" Shukaku cackled as he breathed in more air for his attack.

Kamiko reared back taking a breath before launching the blonde jinchuuriki from her mouth. Naruto traveled at such high speed that he felt the air would peal the skin from his flesh. Yet he endured, keeping his blazing Rasengan steady as he neared his target.

"SHUI RASENGAN!"

The blond Uzumaki roared as he hit his signature jutsu right at Shukaku's face. Torrents of sand and chakra spiraled in potent waves all around the young ninja as his attack buried deeper into the Bijuu's cheek

Shukaku's mouth turned to the side enough so that his wind blast was fired off away from its original trajectory. Yugito held tightly unto his sandy body as the wind teared through the trees in the forest like a typhoon, leaving a clean patch of earth on its path.

Naruto's Rasengan soon ran out of power, and the blonde Uzumaki found himself falling. "Hien! Wake him up!" He told the dragon on his shirt as he kept falling before managing to latch unto Shukaku's body.

"Yes!" The small young red dragon said as he flew at the top of the Bijuu's head, soon finding himself right in front of Gaara's sleeping. "I have to wake him up... Ohhhh what can I do?" He desperately searched for an answer. When no ideas came to mind, he decided to trust what his instincts told him to do in most situations.

"NOM!" He reached forward and bit Gaara in the nose.

The redhead's eyes snapped open as he let out a blood-curling cry of pain.

Shukaku's body soon froze as he let out shrill; "BUT I JUST WOKE UP DAMN IT!" Soon his body became normal sand as it fell down to the ground like water. Gaara, Naruto, and Yugito soon fell as well as they all landed into the sand in large splashes. Hein flew downwards to his summoner.

Kamiko slowly rose; 'So this is the strength of Kushina's child...'

Yes... She could see the strength her father had spoken to her about. It was there, still very young, but possessed a great spirit that would temper it with the years, taking him to heights the boy himself wasn't aware he could reach. She smiled, knowing the spirit of Uzu was alive and well.

She moved closer to blonde. "Do you require my aid further?"

Naruto slowly rose up from the sand and shook his head. "Nah, it's okay. We'll take it from here" He looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile of gratitude. "Thank you"

"It was my honor" Her duty fulfilled, she return back to their land in a plume of smoke.

The jinchuuriki of the Nine Tails sighed; he shared a look with Yugito who smiled at him, giving him a thumbs up. They turned towards Gaara, who was breathing heavily and held a hand to his bleeding nose.

Naruto slowly approached him.

Gaara's eyes darted towards him in panic. "N-No! Stay away from me!" Never before had his voice been filled with so much fear. He didn't understand it very well, this fear in his heart, but he didn't fear Naruto for what he could do to him physically. He couldn't quite put it into words.

Kuroreimei stood up from the branch; this was the moment she had been waiting for. To see if her instincts were right about this boy.

"Being alone..." Naruto began his tone full of sympathy and understanding. "It's hell. To have the world look at you and make you feel you don't matter, that you're a cursed thing that shouldn't even exist" His gaze dropped, painful memories flooding back to his mind. "The way they look at you, with those eyes filled with so much hate..."

"STAY AWAY!" Yugito could see tears in Gaara's eyes. How so afraid he was.

Naruto kept walking as he spoke; "And it hurts, it hurts so much you want to scream at them. You want to hurt them back for hurting you so much" He soon sat cross-legged in front of his fellow Jinchurriki as he looked to the ground, Hein now resting on his shoulder. "You keep asking yourself, 'What did I do wrong?'... For a long while I hated everyone, this village, but all that changed... Thanks to one person showing me kindness."

The imagines of pain were replaced by Hiruzen's wizened smiling visage, Iruka-sensei's scarred face. More faces kept appearing; Kakashi, Sakura, Haku, Sasuke, Hinata, Yugito, his mother, so many more wonderful friends, all of them were smiling at him.

"I held on to it, striving to be better so I could keep those precious people close to me. Before I knew it, more and more people became my friends, they made things so much better... They gave my life meaning" He reached forward to touch Gaara's hand.

"D-Don't touch-!" He gasped as he felt the blonde's fingers intertwining with his. They were... so warm.

"Because of that..." Blue eyes met green. "I won't let you fall down that darkness, not when I know what it's like to be in that hell" He tightened his grip on Gaara's hand, as if pulling him out from a dark abyss.

Gaara found himself welcoming this feeling, this... light that seemed to emanate from Naruto, and he was slowly being pulled towards it. He felt something that made his heart throb, it was... joy, pain, sadness, relief and... hope all mixed into one. It hurt so much that tears fell down his eyes, but he held unto that feeling, because it made the hole in him smaller.

"So I promise you, you too can get out of that darkness" Naruto remembered his grandfather's words. He stood here, placing everything he believes in on the line, regardless of how horrible things were. Though not for him, but for Gaara, as he understood the turmoil his fellow jinchuuriki was going through.

So he smiled at him, it was such a wonderful gesture that made Gaara cry all the more at the sheer beauty of it... He couldn't remember the last time someone had smiled at him like that.

"So I'll be your friend..." The Uzumaki couldn't stop the tears streaming down his cheeks as he smiled brightly at Gaara, closing his eyes and showing all his teeth. "Gaara!"

Kuroreimei's mouth trembled as she let out shallow gasps of breath. That smile...

XxX ~ a long time ago ~ XxX

She remembered a great city, a place of harmony and peace. Though those days were threatened, the whole world was being thrown upside down; terror was in everyone's hearts.

She had been but a child, too small to understand, but enough to know something bad was happening. Her parents were afraid, her elders were afraid, and so she too, young and eyes full of wonder for the world as she was, was afraid of what might happen.

And then he came, shining like the sun, a man whose power was only rivaled by valorous his spirit. Vibrant red hair flowing with the wind, red eyes closed while he showed her all his teeth in a wide beaming smile full of kindness.

"Hey, don't worry" His voice was warmth like a gently breeze. It carried a strength and wisdom that not even the most wise elders of the clan, nor their strongest warriors, could ever hope to match "Everything will be fine, I promise"

And she had believed him.

XxX ~ present ~ XxX

Kuro held a hand to her mouth, shocked at the spirit this boy displayed. That kindness and compassion one can have, even for one's enemies... There was no doubt about it anymore, Naruto had inherited it.

She gathered herself and turned to leave, she had found her answer at last...

Gaara could only look at him with wide eyes, Naruto's compassion was... a wonderful feeling he could not describe. It was as if... he was touching gold by holding his hand.

"Friends..." With that, his eyes closed. Feeling more at peace that he had in years.

Naruto watched as Gaara slowly turned himself over to look up at the sky. He no longer saw anger nor hate in the Suna Nin's eyes as he gazed quietly. Sighing, Naruto fell back lying on the sand as Hein now flew around him, trying to fan him a large leaf he had found; "This was one hell of a day," he muttered as he saw the form of Yugito standing over him grinning. "Sup..."

"Sup," she giggled as she soon sat down beside him, gods she was tired, and Naruto didn't look any better either. "Well we get the joy of hospital rest." She heard Naruto groan loudly at that; "Not a fan either eh? Bee-Sensei and I are the same."

"Think I'm gonna sleep for a week after today..."

"I hear you"

"Naruto!" The shouts of his friends made him turn his gaze; they ran towards him, concern and relief written all over their faces.

Sakura immediately knelt next to him, looking over his injuries. "Are you okay?"

Hinata soon joined the rosette. "Y-You had us all so worried"

Haku said nothing as she looked over Naruto and Yugito. Karin only felt relief in her heart whipping away a stray tear.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the redhead jinchuuriki before looking at his teammate. "What about him?"

"It's cool" He grinned widely. "We sorted things out"

Gaara said nothing, he only closed his eyes.

The rookies from Konoha couldn't help but sigh at that. "Only you, Naruto" The pinkette said, voice full of pride and affection.

"I-It's not surprising" Hinata blushed as she gave a shy smile. "You always bring out the best in people, Naruto-kun"

The blonde Uzumaki rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Who me? Naaaaaw"

The mood was suddenly broken when a red blur passed by and grabbed Naruto. Kushina had appeared out of nowhere and was now hugging her son tightly. "Oh thank the gods you're okay" She showered his head with kisses, much to his mortification.

"Mooooom! Not in front of everyone..."

All the while, Gaara merely looked up to the sky impassively. For the first time in so long, there was no curling cries for blood on his mind. Only gentle calm, and the rustle of leaves on the wind.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

C-ya soon!