Notes: Song recommendation / / "Uja" by Tanya Tagaq

Chapter 35
Tanuki's Bond

The war entered its second day.

Despite the guard of the Raikage and Tsunade, Naruto and Killer B managed to escape and enter the battlefield in full force. As the war dragged on, two mysterious figures stepped towards the Fourth Division, chilling Nomasaki's senses as she stood within the crowd of onlookers. Standing before the army of shinobi, the silhouettes of the undead Uchiha Madara and Mū, the Second Tsuchikage, stood glaring down at them. Darkness enveloped their eyes, evoking their menacing power towards the shinobi they saw within their sights. Two of the world's most renowned and feared shinobi awaited to lunge, resurrected by the enemy's Edō Tensei. The most fearful was Uchiha Madara, the legendary menace of Konohagakure in its founding days and the former rival of Senju Hashirama - the man he fought for the seat of First Homage. Glaring down at the puny humans below, he glared his Sharingan upon the living with an eerie and threatening glare to his gleaming red eyes. To face him would mean certain death for many.

Gritting his teeth, the elderly Tsuchikage glanced above at the adversaries as he stood beside the Kazekage. "So you've come… Uchiha Madara!"

"What's going on?!" Gaara questioned, shocked. "The masked man, he was Uchiha Madara... Isn't he?"

"W-What do you mean?" Naruto stammered.

Gesturing to the resurrected ninja above them, Gaara glared at the enemy. "Look carefully at his eyes… That's Edō Tensei."

Nomasaki nodded. "I can tell from his chakra. This man and the one we've come to know as Madara are different people." She forced herself to glare towards her enemy. Even from afar, she could sense the bare strength of the wight's frightening power. "...This one was summoned from Edō Tensei, so it's likely that this Madara has been dead for some time."

Temari turned, her green eyes full of shock and panic. "Hold on!" She barked. "We received intelligence reports that he's heading towards the jinchuriki!"

"If that's true," Ōnoki started, narrowing his gaze at the Uchiha and his predecessor. "Then… who in the world is behind that mask?!"

"It must be him, then." Gaara glared. "...Uchiha Madara."

As Nomasaki stood in the crowd of ninja poised to attack on command, the presence of Madara paralyzed her. So many kills, so much blood – the murderous intent and desire to be a god. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before in her life, dwarfing Shukaku in comparison to its darkness. While her wolf instincts were telling her to flee, she stood her ground with her fists shivering at her sides as her eyes were wide with fear. Wolves do not fear, she forced herself to remember, Wolves devour fear. But the fear swelled inside.

Turning to her comrade, Temari had taken notice. "Nomasaki, snap out of it! Remember, you're on the front lines!" Jolting from her call, Nomasaki looked to her captain, meeting her stern green eyes. "Stay focused! I know you're a sensory type, but you're forgetting you're also a wind-release user – we must be prepared for attack!"

"R-Right!"

"Ready your positions!"

Panic swelled within the troops.

Blades were drawn, hand-signs ready, and fingers trembled upon kunai as they saw the Uchiha descend and begin to run towards the platoon head-on. Voices hushed and fell silent on the winds, and shinobi sweat through their flak jackets as they saw death make its way towards them.

And then death arrived.

Swiftly and within a matter of minutes, the Uchiha jumped towards the division and decimated their numbers, using a mixture of blinding hand-to-hand combat, Sharingan, fire-release jutsu, and overall incomprehensible strength. Blood painted the sands, the glimmer of thrown weapons littered the lands and paper-bombs sounded in erratic patterns as they were deflected back to their caster. Men were split in half in a horrid crunch of blood and bone, screams clouded the dust-filled air, and the bodies of the dead mounted. From the direction of the wails of defeat and death, Nomasaki whipped her head towards the oncoming sleuth of impacts throughout the massively crowded army of shinobi. As she seen shinobi from each and every village mercilessly slaughtered by the resurrected Uchiha, her body tensed as his overwhelmingly dark chakra drew closer. In a faint glimmer of the sun, she could see the crimson tint of his Sharingan – chilling her senses as she stood poised to counter his approach.

He was close.

A sense caught her off guard.

Above, the reanimated Mū attempted to form his Particle Release. As quickly as it appeared within his open palms, it burst into nothing - failing. Keeping a close watch, Ōnoki could not help but smirk at his predecessor. "He can't use Particle Release in his divided state," He averted his attention to the platoon at his back. "Sensory types! Keep an eye on Mū-sama and his movements! We can't allow him to slip past our senses!"

Before Gaara had a chance to summon his sand, Temari halted him. "No, Gaara. You and the Tsuchikage must recover!"

A wave of boiling red flame burst forth from his released jutsu, tearing through the sands and splitting the sea of charging shinobi in two. It was a wall of pure hellfire. The shinobi who met the wall of fire turned to ash as their screams wailed while their bodies were incinerated inside out into charred corpses. Her heart stopped. The heat of the flames shot through her despite her being a safe distance away. Seeing it froze her in her stance, her violet eyes wide and her body suddenly fraught with trembling. Memories flashed before her eyes in an instant - her burning home on the mountaintop, the slain villagers, her mother's final words, Hanone's bloodied death, the emblem of the invaders – all turned to fire before her very eyes.

"Here he comes! Ready your weapons and don't look directly into his eyes! He has the Sharingan!"

The chakra of the Uchiha suddenly came whirling towards where she stood.

Snapping out of her fearful daze, she whipped her head in the chakra's direction. Her eyes were still wide and strained from her painful mental scars, frantic and pained. Screams filled the air as did the battle-cries, followed by dozens of shinobi flung into the air and a barrage of paper-bombs detonating on their casters' flak jackets. Death charged head-on. It would not be long until she would be forced to face him. Flailing at the oncoming hordes of ninja, the resurrected Uchiha tore through the wall of shinobi with eyes red with power.

Swallowing her fear of fire and death, she saw her chance.

Dashing towards him, she formed hand-signs for an earth-release attack. "You bastard!"

Seeing her attack from the corner of his glowing red eyes, he dodged in a swift and acrobatic motion, striking his fist in response. Dodging his counter by a hair, she swung under him with her feather-like agility, kicking him with her two legs at once with as much force as she could offer. She could feel her blood boil with her kekkei genkai, ready to change into the beast she was.

She would sink her jaws onto him and rip him to pieces.

She had to – now.

His Sharingan sensed it, its eerie red glow striking itself into her purple eyes. "Ah, a relic." His voice chilled her. "I'll do your clan a mercy, as an Uchiha!"

Within an instant, he evaded her strike effortlessly. Before she had the chance to transform, he grasped both of her legs and slamming his foot into her ribs. Shit. She failed to sound the curse from her lips in time. Blood coughed its way from her throat, her eyes gone wide in fear. Death was coming – it was here. Breathless from the impact, she was flung across the battlefield in a forceful path towards the harsh earth below – her body not touching the ground once.

Seeing her distress from the corner of his vision as he was being healed, Gaara's eyes widened in frustrated shock. Promptly, he rose his arm towards her, glaring in the direction of the impact. Before she could strike the ground, her body hit the soft cover of sand. Opening her eyes, she found herself surrounded by a blanket of minerals, cushioning her fall. As she was brought swiftly to Gaara's side and the medic behind him, she looked up at him, her eyes wide from her fear of the enemy's chakra and the shock of her encounter with the untouchable Uchiha Madara.

"Thank you," She murmured, pulling herself up from the sand. "Gaara-sama –,"

"What do you think you're doing?! Stay back! You know how strong this one is!" Gaara answered, his eyes locked onto the Uchiha. "You're a sensory-nin, you can't be on the front-lines. The Tsuchikage commanded you to watch the resurrected Mū-sama. Withdraw for now."

Sensing the iron to his voice, she submitted. "Yes, Gaara-sama. My... instincts pushed me." As she moved to stand, her ribs hurt. Clutching her chest with her palm, she breathed carefully as her feet solidified onto the sands under them. "This chakra..." Narrowing her eyes, she stared down the resurrected shinobi who slaughtered their men at a distance. "It's unlike anything I've ever sensed... It's so vile–!"

More wails and cries of death erupted onto the battlefield.

As the sole Uchiha ruptured through the shinobi army with his blasts of fire and relentless power, a sudden wall of wind struck him. Flung violently into the air, the decaying husk of the enemy flew several feet until striking the hard ground of sand and rock, crashing as if thunder. Standing firm in her stance with her war-fan, Temari readied herself for another attack with her jutsu.

"Don't you dare underestimate the power of shinobi!" She barked. "Bastard!"

Watching him pat off the sands from his plated armor angered her. Arrogance. Gnashing her teeth, she prepared herself for another jutsu. Suddenly, as the air fell silent, a massive fire-release jutsu was released from his mouth – engulfing the battlefield in flames. In an instant, the water-release shinobi countered with a towering wall of water – neutralizing the flames of destruction. A fog of mist shrouded the land, the sounds of death and slaughter the only signals to Madara's whereabouts.

It were as if they were blind.

Hatching an attack strategy, Gaara turned to where his assistant stood behind him. "Nomasaki! Use your sensory abilities to find him – I'll draw him out."

"Right!" She nodded, sternly. Focusing her chakra, she closed her eyes and formed a hand-sign. Her eyes shot open towards where their enemy lurked. The Uchiha is close! "Over there!"

Once the medic-nin was finished healing the Kazekage, a burst a sand flew towards the Uchiha in a great and powerful wave.

Gaara saw him within his sights. "You'll go no further!"

Evading, Madara leapt and bounded from its advances. Gritting his teeth in contained frustration, Gaara summoned more sand to capture the foe. Despite his sand's great speed, Madara was somehow faster. Forcing him into the air with his sand and an earth-release jutsu summoned from Ōnoki, the Uchiha was caught off guard by an attack from above. Slamming onto him, Naruto thrust a massive Rasengan onto the enemy with one of his Shadow Clones. The impact broke earth and shattered the sky.

A great blue fist emerged from the strike.

Ōnoki recognized the jutsu. "That's the Susano'o! He's already awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan!"

The arm of Madara's impenetrable Susano'o swept at the shinobi who dared to challenge its master. The tides of battle turned again, the allies losing more numbers than they could fathom as earth crumbled and shattered from each strike of the monster's swords. At least one hundred shinobi have perished at the hands of Madara single-handedly.

One hundred dead, one hundred gone.

Gaara rose his arms, the sand coating the blue mass of energy in all its strength. His muscles in his arms tensed from the pressure. He's still too strong... This power is incredible. A sudden burst of energy flung heaps of charging shinobi into the skies as the blue chakra beast sprouted two new arms and with them new katanas. The sand could hardly keep it restrained, falling over the monster as if water. The sand couldn't hold it. Once Ōnoki made the sands surrounding them lighter, he pushed himself to send a powerful wave of sand to swallow the beast and its master.

Madara was pulled from under his shield, flung into the air. "Now, Naruto!"

"Rasenshuriken!"

A blink of blue light sputtered.

And the jutsu was absorbed by Madara's awakened Rinnegan.

"Wait - what's that -?!"

Looking towards the path of the Uchiha, Gaara noticed him retreat to a high stone pillar beside the resurrected Second Tsuchikage, the Uchiha crossing his arms as he looked down at the Allied Forces beneath him in an intimidatingly terrifying presence. Jolting her from behind the cover of the Kazekage, Nomasaki's body trembled as her eyes went wide with fear – something was coming for them, and fast. Suddenly, a giant mass broke through the thick cloud cover above them – a large meteor of black stone as if from nowhere but the heavens.

A wave of ominous quiet suddenly swept the battlefield.

"This thing is way out of league..." Temari marvelled, her firm expression fading to what resembled fear. "That's... impossible!"

Gaara watched in silent horror. "Is this the power of a god?"

And then the meteor plummeted.

"It's far too early to consider giving up!" Ōnoki quelled the panicking. "We must do something! No matter how small or ineffective it may be!" Without a second thought, he flew towards the approaching meteor. "This enemy must be stopped!"

"Tsuchikage-sama!"

"All of you! Get away as far as you can!" Gaara yelled, looking back at the army of ninja. "Take cover beyond the pillars!"

As their yells erupted from the breakage of the clouds, the meteor's shadow eclipsed the desert sands in a slow dirge. Summoning all his strength, he used his sand prowess to help Ōnoki repel the attack from crashing down, lifting the sands below towards the sky to soften the impact. Miraculously, it shook with a pause – relief swept upon the remaining troops from the sight. However - another rumble broke through the thick cloud cover above, revealing a second meteor. Smashing through the black orb of death in the sky, the planetary destruction ruptured through the halted meteor held by the elderly Tsuchikage – its fragments falling from the sky at an alarming plunge.

To his shock, he seen Nomasaki in the crowd as he looked behind himself. She stood defenceless and unable to run away from the disaster. Her eyes were wide with fright and her fingers trembled at her sides. She must be overwhelmed by the chakra... She's completely immobilized. "Nomasaki!"

She remained frozen.

Within seconds, he was before her, guarding her with an enormous shield of sand – protecting them and the rest of the division who remained. Covering them like an enormous cocoon, he braced for what was to come. She suddenly flinched. "Gaara-sama -?!"

"Don't move!" He said. "Brace yourself."

With a thunder, the impact approached.

And the voices upon the desert soon died.

The dust finally cleared with the dead winds. Utter devastation was littered across the void battlefield, a crater filled with red, black rock, and death. Sitting on his knees with his eyes closed in unconsciousness, the sand shield Gaara summoned above the division was completely destroyed. Its fragments slowly fell to the earth below in large heaps of dulled gold. Slowly, he opened his ringed-eyes as a pain shook through every muscle. Wincing as he pulled himself up from the ground, his Sand Armour crumbled away and left his face a ruin. Gathering himself, he looked around. His ringed-eyes went wide with shock of the destruction that lay before him. If the Shinobi Alliance ever existed, there was no sign of it upon the desert. As his eyes flickered towards the faintest sign of movement, he could see Nomasaki within his reach. Letting out a sand-filled cough, she struggled as she tried to lift herself while exhaustion and pain rumbled through her. Panting silently as she sat, her flak jacket was covered in scratches and dirt, while a subtle taste of iron lingered on the edge of her lips.

"Nomasaki!" Gaara spoke, facing her as he appeared closer. "Are you hurt? Are you alright?"

Feeling a brief tremble within her, she clenched her fists in the sand. "I… I will be." She replied, panting. Looking up to meet his concerned glance, she nodded. "Thank you." Suddenly, a sharp pain throbbed through her left leg. Whimpering, she grasped it tightly, looking down in a somber stare. "I… I must be able to do something more… To protect everyone…" Turning to her, Gaara remained silent as he watched her grasp on the sand become tighter as her fanged teeth clenched in fear and defeat. "I'm a jonin, a tracker-nin… but yet… I'm still so weak…"

"You're not weak." He spoke, without hesitation. Surprised, she looked up to meet his gaze, his turquoise eyes calming and full of depth. "You became a jonin for a reason, Nomasaki. You've done a lot to protect the village, going as far as to fight in this war. You're serving Sunagakure well. Remember… our enemy is Akatsuki, whose abilities are near inhuman." As he turned to examine the sight of destruction, his ringed-eyes narrowed. "The best we can do is stay strong and protect the future of shinobi." Looking back to her, he gave a stern-eyed glance of determination. "This is war… we need to work together if we want this to end."

"That's right," She said, looking down. "I came here to prove I was not just another tool... To protect the village, the ones most important to me, and…"

Her words paused.

As she felt her heart sink, her grip on the sand lightened and she reflected on the current state of affairs around them. For some reason, all fear faded and her heart began to feel full of warmth. Glancing up at him as she lifted her head from her weakened slump, a faint smile became visible on her scratched face. All of her previous fears and regrets melted away with the realization of their fate – and she accepted it wholeheartedly. Then she remembered she loved him.

"…I came here to protect you."

He froze.

Surprised, his ringed-eyes widened from her words. It was just as he thought - she was like Yashamaru after everything that happened. She was truthful about everything, and most importantly - her kindness. She may have had a curse seal upon her tongue that he could not see, but the truth she hid was spoken in plain sight upon her kind and wounded face. "Nomasaki, you -,"

Sensing his startled reaction, she chuckled to herself in self-pity. Sorrow swelling into her chest, she shut her eyes tightly in contained regret as the urge to cry in despair mounted inside her. Everything around her felt so bleak – the dead chakra on the winds proved it to her. The only presence she could feel nearby other than their chakra were the scattered faint remnants of the others who were fortunate enough to survive the enemy's attack. War truly was horrid, she thought, Just when things seem to get better... - then she remembered she no longer had regrets.

And she no longer feared death.

"I... wanted to repay my debt for what I've done to you... As your assistant and as your friend, this is all I can offer. I hope that's okay... with you."

For a moment, he stayed silent. Absorbing her heartfelt words, he looked down upon the charred sand at their feet, his ringed-eyes closed halfway as he pondered of what to say in return. With eyes tinted with sorrow for the terrible timing that was thrust upon them, his mind once more remembered the words from his late father and uncle.

"Love is... the unconditional care and devotion you feel for the precious ones around you..."

It was at that moment that he knew.

She cared for him as much as he did for her. Warmed, he closed his eyes in understanding as he came to grips with what he was blind to over the last few years. There was nothing more he wanted than to be close to her, to be with her – to love her. And from Hanone's words in that cave, he knew she felt the same. As he sat before her under the dust covered skies of death, he edged closer in the sand, catching her attention and curiosity. Sensing his seriousness in his protective gaze, she felt strangely at ease. Unable to ask what he wanted to say, she remained in silent bewilderment.

"I know this isn't the time or place for this… but," He began. "I may never have the chance to tell you if this war doesn't end how we planned."

His words catching her attention, she looked up to him. Meeting his deep and protective gaze as he locked eyes with her, it felt as if time came to a standstill. The more he looked at her stunned expression, the more he could feel the heaviness of the weight rise up to his throat. The seriousness in his eyes fading into a pleading sorrow, he gazed upon her with his fractured expression etched with a slight frown.

"Nomasaki, you're precious to me. That's why I'm protecting you… I want to protect you. Not because you're my assistant, but for our bond. I… care about you."

Her heart sank.

Her lilac eyes widening, she could feel her chest become light as if some large weight was finally lifted – fluttering from the baring of his soul. Looking down at her lap in her timid nature, she gently smiled to herself as she contained her growing sorrow that desperately wanted to cry out into the air. Her mother, Hanone, her hope – all but gone along with the majority of her comrades in the division to where she was assigned. Bringing herself to look him in the eyes once more, her heart sank at the thought of their last meeting. When he saw her bruises that painted her cheek.

"Gaara," She spoke, almost whisper-like. "I can't express enough how grateful I am to you… for everything. I…–,"

Before she could finish, she could feel his strong arms wrap around her.

Holding her tight against his body, his eyes were closed tightly – refusing to accept the current fate they faced. His embrace was as tight as it was protective, causing her to initially think it was his sands that held her. Surprised by his actions, she held him close, burying her face into the padding of his worn flak jacket. He was so warm, so strong, and so kind, she thought to herself – just as she imagined. As her eyes glistened with her rising sadness, she could feel the lump return in her throat. Warmly, she smiled to herself, trying with all her might to prevent her tears from escaping.

"I can't tell you how long I wanted to tell you… and now…" Silently, sobs began to escape, cutting through her soft voice. "It feels… too late…"

Feeling her sorrow from her trembling words, he kept his eyes closed shut as he held her close. Not once has he ever felt the need to hold anyone – but with her, he made an exception. They were in dire times. It near surprised himself as he could not bear the thought to let her go. She could be lost forever if he did. As their arms around each other slowly parted, her hands trailed to the belts of the purple shield upon his flak jacket, shaking lightly with her eyes wide and head hung low. Still traumatized from the horror she witnessed and the chakra she felt in the air, she struggled to bring herself to grips with their current reality. He could sense her distress from the mere sight of her quivering golden head, her body shaking before him as muffled breaths escaped her lips.

"I'm going to do everything I can in my power as Kazekage to stop this war. I promise."

Not meeting his gaze, she nodded. Shuddering, she forced herself not to think of the possibilities of war that further awaited them. Her head lowered, the trauma was still fresh in her memory. Red eyes stared back at her in her mind, and the memory of fire. To her, all hope had seemed truly lost - if the chakra she sensed was any indication. Nodding once more, she remained silent as she held in her tears.

"Are you both alright?"

Turning towards the voice, they seen Temari stepping towards them. She was soon by their side, clutching her wounded elbow as she was covered in scratches and dirt. Luckily, she was also safe from the meteor. The fact that she could stand spoke it all. Nodding at her, Nomasaki made eye contact with her. "Temari-senpai!"

"And you?" Gaara asked.

"Yes, but…" Temari replied, turning back to the dust-filled aftermath behind. "I can't say the same for the rest of the division."

"Nomasaki, can you sense any shinobi?" Gaara asked her, turning to her. "What are our numbers?"

Jolting her slightly, she snapped out of her fear-ridden daze. "I-I'll try."

Standing on her feet, she formed a single hand-sign and closed her eyes. Breathing with a shaken air, she took in every presence that lingered around her, focusing every fibre of her senses. An emptiness plagued her. When her eyes opened, she could feel the chakras of the few survivors – but her gaze indicated an unfortunate outcome. She turned to them in unspoken silence, sorrow tinting her glance.

"What's wrong?" Temari asked. "Do you sense anything?"

"There are survivors, but… we've lost many."

"Tsuchikage-sama!"

Turning towards the direction of the yell, the three Suna shinobi seen the old man surrounded by the remaining members of the division. His garb was tattered and face was bloodied and near unrecognizable. Within moments, they were there at Ōnoki's side with Naruto close by. "He's alive, but he's badly injured." An Iwagakure ninja told them, as they attempted to heal his wounds with their medical ninjutsu. Out cold, the old man lay unresponsive and covered in blood, his mouth gaped open in his unconscious state.

Suddenly, Nomasaki's senses shook through her, whipping her head towards the direction of the rumbling strength that approached. "Something big is coming…!" She stammered, her eyes wide with fear, promptly alerting Gaara and Naruto. "Another attack!"

"It's them!" The Iwa ninja shouted. "At four o'clock!"

Violently, a large mass of trees and vines were headed directly towards them, ripping apart the earth with ferocious force as it approached closer - Deep Forest Emergence: the First Hokage's jutsu. As they looked ahead beyond the sweeping trees, they could see the silhouette of Madara standing directly before them. Without a moment to spare, Naruto formed the hand-sign for his Shadow Clone jutsu. Suddenly, hundreds of clones wielding Rasengans headed directly for Madara's attack to counter its force.

"Giant Rasengan Barrage Line!"

Within moments, Naruto's assault successfully ended the enemy's attack – halting the growth of the encroaching forest. Exhausted and panting, he fell to his knees. Damn it… I used up all of the chakra the nine-tails gave me all at once! He thought to himself, frustratedly.

Surprising the young shinobi, the elderly Tsuchikage slowly lifted himself up off the ground – ready to face the enemy once more. "Naruto, enough." He said. sternly. "I'll take over from here!"

"Tsuchikage-sama!" Temari stammered. "You're in the same–!"

"I finally have a chance at reclaiming myself! I'll fight him!"

"That's crazy! You're in no shape to do it!"

Shadows descended.

The decaying husks of Madara and the Second Tsuchikage leapt towards them, with a particle-release attack ready to strike from the enemy's forces. Within the blink of an eye before the jutsu could release, the Fifth Hokage and Fourth Raikage appeared – knocking Madara and the Second Tsuchikage away from the division with their powerful physical counters. Moments later, the Fifth Mizukage joined them – appearing within a cloud of smoke from the use of the Flying Thunder God, along with help from the two Konoha ninja. Standing together, all Five Kage were assembled on the battlefield – ready to put an end to Madara once and for all.

"Gaara!" Temari shouted.

"Temari, you and Nomasaki have to get out of here!" He ordered. "Join the rest of the alliance and we'll regroup when we're finished."

"Right!" She nodded.

As he glanced towards Nomasaki, he could sense the fear she hid behind her strange coloured eyes. The kunoichi was still visibly shaken by the amount of chakra around them, and now the Five Kage added more to the mix. He could see the fright and caution painted all over her face. "Nomasaki, stick close with Temari. Help her with the remaining wind-release shinobi. Use your sensory abilities to find the rest of the alliance."

Trying to hide her fear, she nodded. "Understood." Turning to Temari, she swallowed her emotions, holding onto strength. "Temari-senpai?"

"You don't have to call me that! We're the same rank, now!" Temari shouted. Focused on the task at hand, her emerald eyes signifying urgency. Giving a nod and ignoring the pain in her arm, she readied herself. "Ready when you are, Nomasaki!"

"Right!"

Holding on to courage, Nomasaki's eyes held a determined glance. As she could feel Gaara's glance lingering onto her as she stood behind him, her fangs began to grow in size within her mouth. Closing her eyes, her face became similar to that of a wolf-like humanoid while her nose resembled that of a canine. Opening her eyes, they were slit like a predator. Turning her body away from the Five Kage, hoping the young Kazekage would not see her ghastly appearance.

"Temari, follow me quickly!"

Within an instant, she felt her muscles contract, pain tingling across her body from her recent wounds. Snarling, she transformed into her wolf form, her white fur swaying with the winds. Within moments, the wolf with the feral lilac eyes leapt from the battlefield, leading Temari and the survivors away from the Five Kage.

On their way to join the remaining Allied Forces.