I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Threat
Ryuu watched the sand raging around them. They had all finished filling their water less than thirty seconds before the sandstorm that had appeared out of nowhere hit them, Yomo burrowing into Ryuu's flak just before it did. They had been standing in a group stretching no more than three yards across, and yet Ryuu, who had been near the middle, could barely see the sides. He had reacted to the storm first, using a basic yet less known barrier that formed a dome ten meters across from the user and kept out inclement weather, like sandstorms.
"This sandstorm's awful," Ameno said. "Weren't they supposed to be watching for this kind of thing?"
"How did they miss it?" Koji asked.
"Maybe someone had a barrier up blocking their senses," Ryuu said.
"Yeah but you would think we'd have seen it coming," Lee said.
"We were a little busy with that fight," Neji said. "But one the way here, you're right, it would have been hard to miss a storm this big."
"There's always the possibility of it being someone's jutsu," Shiro said.
"He's right," Ryuu said. "Ameno, which way's the tower?"
"I don't know," Ameno said. "There's no way to tell in this storm."
Just then, Fu's head snapped around, her eyes narrowing.
"What is it?" Ryuu asked.
"Someone's in trouble," Fu said.
"Go," Ryuu said. "Carefully."
Fu nodded, taking of instantly and Ryuu turned, walking after her, the others following, if only to avoid the sandstorm. Finally, they stopped as they reached a massive wall of sand.
Ryuu sighed, activating his Sharingan and kneeling. "Earth Style, Mobile Core!"
The ground dropped below them, lowering them a hundred feet, out of the sandstorm. Ryuu let his barrier fade and extended his wings, flying out of the pit, then over the sand wall, finding Fu and Gaara talking, Matsuri and her team in the middle of being healed by Fu through the use of her webbing. Ryuu landed beside Fu and Gaara turned to him.
"Hello again, Ryuu," Gaara said.
"Good to see you," Ryuu said.
"So you finally learned to fly?" Gaara asked. "Good for you."
"Thanks," Ryuu smiled.
Just then, Matsuri began to stir and Ryuu glanced at her. When he turned back to Gaara, Gaara was gone. He sighed, turning to Matsuri and the others as they stood.
"Are you guys alright?" Fu asked.
"Yes," Matsuri nodded. "Thanks to you."
"Do you have both of your scrolls?" Fu asked.
"No, we only have the heaven scroll," Matsuri said.
Fu looked to Ryuu and he sighed, smiling and nodded. Fu smiled as well, holding out their Earth Scroll. "Here, you can have our Earth Scroll. We can get another one easily."
"Really?" Matsuri's female teammate gasped. "Thank you! You're a life saver!"
"Wait Yukata," Matsuri said, standing. "We can't accept that. Lord Gaara has taught us to break down barriers, those we set for ourselves and those that others set for us, with our own strength. If we accepted that scroll, we wouldn't be able to honestly claim that we fulfilled the conditions of the second exam. Thank you for the offer, and thank you for saving our lives, but we have to get one with our own strength, and using our own power."
"Right," Fu nodded. "Got it."
She put the scroll away and Ryuu sighed, sitting down heavily against the sand wall. Fu knelt next to him worriedly, but he simply smiled.
"Still tired and sore from the poison," Ryuu said. "I'll be alright."
Fu nodded, sitting beside him, leaning on his shoulder.
"Poison?" Matsuri asked. "Do you need treatment?"
Ryuu chuckled, holding his hand up. "No no. Ameno already took care of the poison. The damage is all that's bothering me. And my own Medical Ninjutsu is slowly tending to that."
"All on it's own?" Matsuri asked.
"Sort of," Ryuu smiled. "After being held prisoner so long, it became sort of like...a muscle reflex, I guess. I just kind of do it without having to think about it."
Matsuri nodded. They sat in silence for a while, the sandstorm weakening. Then, finally, it faded altogether. Ryuu sighed, Matsuri and her team turning and running up Gaara's sand wall, then heading toward the tower again. Ryuu sighed, slowly pushing himself up, Fu helping him up. As he regained his feet, Gaara stepped into view from off to the side.
"Matsuri thinks awful highly of you Gaara," Ryuu smiled. "Don't let her down."
"I won't," Gaara said. "You two should regroup with your other teammate. The second round will be continuing soon."
Ryuu nodded and began to walk back toward the others with Fu. Before they got far, Gaara flew overhead on a cloud of sand. Ryuu smirked, shaking his head.
"I wonder how far Tayuya is," Ryuu said.
"She'll probably meet us halfway," Fu smiled, trying to ignore the fact that Ryuu was starting to breathe harder from not resting and that they were barely walking with any sort of speed now.
"I'm about to drop, aren't I?" Ryuu asked, sighing. "I hope there aren't any semifinals this time."
"At least you have no broken ribs," Fu said.
Ryuu chuckled. "True. That sucked."
Fu nodded, smiling before suddenly freezing, entire body going rigid before she turned. "Gaara's in trouble!"
"Let's go!" Ryuu growled.
Fu grabbed him, extending her wings and taking off, flying after Gaara rapidly. After a minute, they found him, a glowing purple chain with red Tailed Beast Chakra surging along it sticking into his abdomen, then reaching from there to a bald man with a scar reaching from the right side of his nose across his face to his left ear, no shirt, the chain extending from the skin on his right shoulder, a black robe with white pants, a bracelet of beads on each wrist, and a lute in his hands that he was strumming at. Fu set Ryuu down beside Gaara and turned to him just as a green mass began to grow out of his abdomen. Fu reached for the chain, but Gaara caught her hand.
"Don't touch it," Gaara said, fighting to hold Shukaku's chakra back. "It'll...drain your chakra too."
Ryuu formed a Wind Rapier and slashed the chain, only for the jutsu to shatter against the chain. He shook his head, forming a Chidori but Gaara caught his hand.
"Don't waist...your energy," Gaara said.
Just then, Ryuu heard the rhythm of the man's strumming change and turned. A glowing tendril of dark energy was flying toward them, heading for Fu. He shoved her out of the way as the chakra transformed into a chain and shot past. Fu leapt into the air, extending her wings, only for the chain to suddenly whip around, driving itself into the small of her back, Fu screaming in pain as it did and crashing to the ground.
Fu!" Ryuu shouted, dropping beside her and gritting his teeth, grabbing the chain.
Electricity began to course through him instantly as he began to try to pull the chain free, only for it to pull tight between Fu and the bald man. Then, Ryuu flew backward, thrown by the jutsu and crashing down hard.
"Fu...no," he tried to stand but his legs gave out.
Fu screamed again as the chain gave a particularly nasty jerk before forming the Seal of Confrontation. "Ninja Art, Cocoon!" She extended her wings, chakra flowing out of them and then around herself and Gaara before forming into a green cocoon, webbing attaching it to the ground.
Ryuu stared at the chains, seeing they had all but halted, though Tailed Beast chakra was still flowing through them slowly. At the very least, Fu had bought them time. He pushed himself up, panting and holding his abdomen, which throbbed agonizingly. He began to walk forward, barely staying on his feet. Just as his legs gave out, Neji caught him, Lee and Tenten appearing on either side of him, Matsuri running toward them.
"Neji, Lee, Tenten," Ryuu said. "Good. See the guy with the lute? He's trying to steal Fu and Gaara's Tailed Beasts. Stop him."
Lee nodded, sprinting at the man as Neji set Ryuu on the ground. Ryuu groaned, clutching at his sides.
"Are you okay?" Tenten asked.
"No," Ryuu said. "The pain's getting worse the more I try to move."
Neji nodded as Tayuya arrived.
"Who's that guy?" Tayuya asked.
"Long story short, he's trying to kill Gaara and Fu," Neji said. "Go with Lee and Tenten and try to distract him by attacking him from behind. Matsuri, you too."
They nodded and ran off and Ryuu forced himself up, Neji taking his arm over his shoulder and running to the cocoon. As they reached it, Ryuu drew his tanto, channeling chakra through the blade and cutting the cocoon open. Neji helped him through and Ryuu collapsed again, Fu dropping instantly, trying to use Medical Ninjutsu to help him with the pain.
"Neji, use Gentle Fist to shut down the chakra point the chains attached to," Ryuu said.
"Right," Neji nodded, activating his Gentle Fist. "Lord Gaara, I'll start with you."
Gaara nodded, turning toward him. Neji stepped forward, jabbing at Gaara's chakra point, only for the Tailed Beast Chakra to block his strike and shove him back.
"What happened?" Gaara asked.
"I think the Tailed Beast Chakra is so dense that it's blocking me," Neji said.
"Try again," Ryuu said, pushing himself up.
Neji nodded and tried again, succeeding this time, the Tailed Beast chakra stopping. He turned to Fu, who turned away, and Neji stopped the flow of her Tailed Beast chakra as well. Suddenly, both chains broke free, retracting from the cocoon. Fu sighed, leaning against Ryuu, who wrapped an arm around her, and sighed. She raised a hand, reabsorbing the cocoon before they all looked to the man, seeing the chains flailing around in the air. Then, the chains turned into black seal script, two more appearing behind the man. The man was inside of a barrier, but after a moment, the chains wrapped around it, squeezing until the barrier exploded. Then, the chains wrapped around the man, binding him, making him fall down the rock he was seated up, screaming in pain.
"May I ask you a favor, Neji?" Gaara asked. "Pease spare him."
"Of course," Neji nodded, walking forward.
A few moments and dozens of jabs later, the strings of seal script broke and faded, freeing the man. However, the damage was done and the man was crashing.
"We can't save him," Neji said. "Get him to a medical team!"
"Right," Tenten nodded, she and Tayuya picking him up.
"I thank you, Neji," Gaara said. "I never thought you'd rescue me."
"So are both of you alright now?" Lee asked.
"Yes," Fu smiled, one hand resting on Ryuu's forearms as he held her from behind, face tucked into her shoulder. "We're fine thanks to all of you."
"Lord Gaara!" Matsuri shouted, running over. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"Yes, I'm fine," Gaara smiled.
"You all did very well," Neji said, Gaara nodding in agreement.
"Thank you all," Fu smiled, then turned in Ryuu's arms, kissing him before resting her head on his shoulder.
After a few more minutes, Gaara left and Fu extended her wings, flying Ryuu and Tayuya to the tower finally.
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