Chapter 224: Rokushiki

The crew looked at the four would be assassins. There was just something about them that seemed stronger.

With Kalifa's fight she used a spiked covered whip, she tried hit Sakura with it however Sakura dodged

"Excuse me." Said Sakura to Iceberg, "Is okay if I use you bed as weapon?"

"What?" asked Iceberg.

"I need an answer!" said Sakura.

Iceberg thought she was crazy, "Fine…" he mumbled.

"Like that is going to work." Said Kalifa.

Sakura lifted up the bed with one hand, and used it to whack Kalifa.

Meanwhile with Naruto-Chan who continued his own search.

"Refuge in audacity… bet she wasn't expecting that…" said Kyubi.

"What?" asked Naruto-Chan.

"Never mind." Said Kyubi.

Back in Icebergs mansion, Kalifa managed to get up.

"How were you able to do that!" she yelled.

Sakura walked up to her and flicked her in the head sending her flying.

Kalifa knew she had to get serious.

She got up and grabbed her whipped and tried to hit Sakura. However Sakura grabbed it.

"Are you crazy?" asked Kalifa.

"It doesn't hurt that bad." Said Sakura pulling whip, thankfully Kalifa let go.

Kalifa looked at Sakura then at Gaara.

She honestly didn't knew which was worse, fighting Sakura or waiting for Gaara.

Why did the girl she was fighting just had to be super strong.

However Sakura was the lucky one. She had the advantage of being insanely strong and able to use unexpected attacks.

Zoro was having a difficult time however.

Zoro fight with Kaku. The two were in a stalemate, which Kaku blocking with a putty knife (which was the tool from that fight with Luffy and Naruto).

"Aren't you going to question whether or not I was doing my job as a shipwright?" asked Kaku.

"No." muttered Zoro, "Another member of the crew doubled checked."

"I see…" muttered Kaku.

The two exchanged blows, but they were each blocking each other.

However Kaku did that weird finger poke against Zoro.

The poke was so crippling that Zoro went down like that.

Sasuke was also having a difficult time, as Blueno dodged like it was nothing.

"I can't get a single hit on off him." Thought Sasuke.

That was when his neck started burning and he clutched his neck.

"Oh great it's the cursed seal." He thought.

But he ignored the pain and started fighting once again. Hoping that it wouldn't go out of control.

Luffy on the other, well Lucci merely help him by the face like it was nothing.

"Zoro… Sasuke…" said Gaara, "Stand down…"

He looked at Luffy and used his sand to pry him away from Lucci.

"Hey!" yelled Luffy.

"You want to be treated like a five year old?" asked Gaara.

"You didn't have to put it that way." Said Luffy.

Gaara looked at Sakura who held Kalifa's arm behind her back.

"Sakura… let her go…" said Gaara.

Sakura gritted her teeth and let her go.

Gaara looked at the four as Kalifa got up (looking incredibly grumpy).

"Tell me what are those abilities you were using?" asked Gaara.

Lucci decided to just indulge him, "If you must know, the four of us training in order to gain abilities beyond a normal human…"

"That explains the dodging and finger poke of death." Said Gaara.

"We would prefer you won't call it that" muttered Kalifa, "It's called Shigan."

Gaara ignored her however…

"There are 6 of them." Explained Lucci, "But we can't let you know the full extent of our powers. It's on a need to know basis."

"I see…" said Gaara glaring at them, "I'll let you have one hit. I won't make a move."

Lucci narrowed his eyes at Gaara. He realized he was hiding something.

Lucci ran towards Gaara with the Shigan, however his finger was trapped in the sand before it could hit.

"The sand moves on its own volition, I have no control over it when it comes to defending me." Said Gaara.

Gaara however used the sand to throw him back.

"Lucci we need to finish this up." Said Kalifa, "The device is about to explode."

He looked at Gaara, who simply glared at him.

"Why don't I show you something that simply will draw to an end." Said Lucci.

"A devil fruit?" asked Gaara.

"That's right." Answered Lucci.

That was when his body began to grow and grow fur. Yellow fur with spots.

"You turn into a cat." Said Gaara.

"A leopard." Corrected Lucci who was now half leopard, half man.

"SO you want me to transform as well?" asked Gaara.

"Be careful Gaara, those with carnivore Devil Fruits are much more blood thirsty…" said Chopper.

However Gaara just ignored him.

Gaara turned his Iceberg, "I'm sorry for your house is going to get destroyed anyways…"

He moved his sand to create shields around the crew.

Luffy who was in the same shield as Nami, Sakura and Zoro (Sakura had started treating Zoro's wound).

"I can't believe it!" yelled Luffy, "Why is Gaara fighting that guy!"

Nami whacked him in the head.

"You know that if Gaara goes full strength he's unbelievably powerful!"

Gaara outside of the shield gathered so much sand all around him.

That was when Gaara turned into a giant version of the Ichibi, destroying Iceberg's mansion.

The shipwrights saw the giant raccoon dog and had no idea how to react. After all it was a giant raccoon dog made of sand. How else were the going to react.

Well the only sane reaction would be to run away, however they didn't want to leave.

With Naruto-Chan he had somehow felt the destruction.

"What was that?" asked Naruto-Chan.

"Don't worry, Gaara's just going easy…" said Kyubi.

"With that amount of power?" thought Naruto-Chan.

"I have the feeling that whoever they were facing is stronger than normal…" said Kyubi.

Gaara looked around and saw they had fled.

It was probably a wise idea. He shrank back down and managed to being all the shields together and release them. None of them were unharmed. But mostly confused about what just happened.

"What was that!" yelled Nami.

"Me making them flee." Said Gaara.

"Why!" yelled Nami.

"Because, the fight was pointless as soon as Robin fled." He said.

"He has a point." Sighed Sasuke.

"Wait… what about the explosives?" asked Isaribi.

"You will want to duck…" said Gaara.

"What?" asked Luffy.

KABOOM!

Thankfully Gaara once again used his sand to shield them.

However the four members of the CP9 saw this explosion.

"A Jinchuriki…" said Lucci.

"Gaara and Naruto…" said Kaku, "Both of them are a threat…"

"However… you could leave them to us…" said a voice.

They turned to looked at the mysterious group who were watching Naruto earlier.

"How about we make a deal…" said the one who was clearly the leader, "We help you and you'll help us gain what we need…"

"What is it?" asked Lucci.

"The Jinchuriki… both of them…" said the leader.

"Who are you?" asked Kalifa.

"We are not a pirate crew… just a group with their own goals…" said the leader, "We are called the Akatsuki…"

And so the CP9 and Akatsuki formulated their alliance… but who knew what that would mean for the future…

Next Time: Iceberg tells them something Robin told him... good news, she didn't betray them after all, bad news: It has nothing to with Aokiji... well mostly... she was blackmailed... Meanwhile Naruto and Sanji meet up not only that but they know where Robin is going... where? Find out next time!