"Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or this story idea
Chapter 17 - The Invasion of Konoha
It was chaos, one minute they were waiting for the start of the second round and the next all these feathers came reigning down upon the whole area. Fuki, Naruto, and Tomaru watched as people in the stand started to fall asleep where they sat or stood. It wasn't until the feathers reached them that they felt the affects and started to become drowsy. Naruto and Fuki were quickly able to figure it out.
"Kai!" Fuki shouts dispelling the genjutsu.
"Kai!" Naruto shouts a second later.
"Kai" Neji calls out also having figured it out.
Tomaru figures out a few moments later, but not before Fuki touches him and circulates her own chakra through his system breaking the jutsu.
"I would have figured it out!" Tomaru yells.
"Quiet, we need to be careful" Fuki admonishes him.
"Why?" Tomaru asks.
Fuki just pointed at the stands. When Tomaru looked he saw the disguised Sand & Sound-nin had joined together and were ambushing unspecting, at least for a moment, Konoha-nin in the stands. That didn't last long before the Konoha ninja banded together and started to decimate the attacking ninja. However, even that didn't last but for a few moments before the Sound-nin in particular started to target the civilians that passed out and completely helpless to any attack.
"Those bastards, what do they think they're doing!" Tomaru shouted as he watched a mature women in her early to mid 30's be harrased by one of invading Sound-nin before he brutally stabbed her multiple times.
He was pleased when he saw the bastard take a kunai to his bloodied face, but just got more aggravated when he saw similar instances happening elsewhere in the stands. The Konoha-nin in the stands were doing their best, but there were a lot of civilians and they didn't have time to wake them up and see them off to safety. They were caught with their pants down and the invaders knew it and were taking advantage.
"We have to get down there and help!" Tomaru yells.
"We are, idiot, I'm looking for Hayama-sensei" Fuki tells him.
"He's to the left-center of the stands with the other rookies and sensei's" Neji breaks in.
"Competition is over, we should form up and head for our sensei's to get their orders" Naruto says.
Everyone nods and leave the booth. They all do a quick shunshin(body flicker technique) to reach the stands in the mist of all the fighting. There was no clear way to get through without fighting. Squad 4 unsealed their swords as they ran towards the genin sensei's. They only got a few steps before Naruto had to block a thrown kunai as Neji stepped up and disabled the attack with several quick juken strikes. Tomaru also had to dodge an attack that came from his left side. Fuki covered him and delivered a rib shattering chakra enhanced punch to the chunin's stomach. The result was the man flying off a few feet and knocking into the back of a sand jonin, knocking him off balance and unable to stop the kunai sliced into his heart instantly killing him. The chunin wasn't spared as a stray kunai stuck him down hitting him where his hitai-aite (forehead protector) would have been had he been wearing it.
Team 4+Neji only made it a little further before being assault by more enemy ninja. Neji continued to move forward as he engaged a Sand-nin coming towards this using his juken, he easily dispatched the enemy leaving him disabled on the steps. Naruto, also moved ahead, using his sword he slashed downard on a Sound-nin who blocked with a kunai. The Sound-nin despite having the smaller weapon was able to use his greater strength to force Naruto back.
Despite the chaos of everything around him the stale mate gave Naruto time to focus soley on his battle. His opponent was a non-descript male with dark hair and eyes. There a small almost forgetable scar from a wound that apparently had healed over. Actually there were several such marks, but Naruto was forced to focus as the man used his free hand to dig into his pockets since he wasn't wearing a pouch or tool belt to hold weapons in his disguise. Just as he was about to bring out his surprise he was the one surprised. Naruto saw his eyes widen as the pressure from the kunai dropped, a final push the weapon dropped to the ground clattering it's way down the steps as the enemy suddenly had a sword puncture his chest piercing his heart.
Tomaru gave a slight grin as he rushed by his sword already heading toward a Sand-nin two rows up. Naruto collected himself before pushing the body over and away as he avoided slipping on the blood pouring from his body. The number of enemies in the stands dwindled as the response from the ninja already located in the stands proved to be more than a match, however more enemies were coming into the stands from outside the arena. Team 4 let out a silent sigh of releif as they saw Hayama-sensei working with Team 8's sensei.
"Hayama-sensei!" Tomaru calls out loudly.
Hayama never acknowledged the teen ninja as he continued his fight with an enemy ninja. Naruto seeing this instantly vanishes and less than a second later he's behind the camouflaged enemy stabbing him in the back. Hayama also stabs him and then withdraws his weapon.
"Naruto..." Hayama responds in a bit of shock at his student suddenly showing up.
"Sensei, what are your orders?" Fuki asks the team leader.
"We need to group up, Kurenai, Asuma!" Hayama calls to his fellow team leaders.
Both immediately responded having dealt with their enemies as well.
"What is it Hayama, we're kind of busy at the moment" Kurenai reprimands.
"We need to get our squads together including Gai's and Kakashi's" Hayama says.
"Why?" Asuma questions.
"It's clear the Sand & Sound are invading. The situation here is under control for the most part, and what isn't we can't help with. We need to go into the village and deal with the enemy once and for all before they can group together and cause major damage" Hayama explains.
"That's fine, but Gai is in the infirmary and Kakashi never showed up. He's likely caught up in this mess somewhere with Sasuke" Asuma says.
"The infirmary! We have to get in there now!" Kurenai exclaims.
"Why?" Hayama asks.
"The Sand Jonin, is there with his genin!" She reminds him.
"Come to think of it, did anyone see where the third one went to. He never left the stands when his sibling was injured" Asuma comments.
"He dissappeared from the contestant waiting area as soon as the genjutsu started" Neji interrupts informing them.
"That's not good, he's likely their trump card. He must be going to start another phase of the invasion" Hayama asses.
"We have to stop him" Kurenai says.
"We need to split our groups up. One group goes to the infirmary, one group goes out into the village helping the civilians evacuate while also dealing with the enemy should they encounter them, and the last group should stay here and help defend the civilians until we can get them up and evacuated" Asuma directs.
"I will go to the Infirmary, maybe I can team up with Gai and head out into the village once we deal with things there" Hayama says.
Asuma and Kurenai only nod as the man leaves immediately with his team and the 2 genin from Gai's squad.
""What should we do?" Kurenai asks Asuma.
"I know what I said, but Hayama's right. His and Gai's team are more suited for combat right now. We should stay here and deal with the incoming enemy and wait for further orders" Asuma says.
Kurenai nods although she wanted to say her squad could handle it, but she was worried about Hinata. Looking towards the Hyuga girl, she noticed she was awake and staring as the blond boy Naruto rushed down the stands towards the infirmary with his squad.
'Something's off with her lately, but I can't focus on that now' Kurenai thinks.
"Shikamaru get up and wake everyone up" Asuma orders the lazy teen.
Shikamaru continued to lay there hoping Asuma would leave him be.
"Do it now, Shikamaru" Asuma orders in a tone that told the Nara he meant business.
"Alright, fine" The lazy teen grumbles.
'Why can't I just lay back and let the other's deal with this mess. I don't want to get involved. It's not like I can be much help anyway' He mutters to himself as he get's up and slowly wakes up his team while Kurenai dealt with hers and Sakura, something he was glad about not having to do.
"Huh, what's going on!" Sakura shouts.
"Quiet, we're under attack" Kurenai admonishes the girl.
"But where's Sasuke ... and sensei" She adds a few seconds later.
"Don't worry, he should be fine. He's with Kakashi, now focus and stay here with our teams. I'm sure Kakashi will come here when he's able to" Kurenai tells the girl.
"Hai ... Kurenai-sensei" Sakura reluctantly responds.
Meanwhile Team 4 with Neji and Tenten made it to the Arena's medical facility. They rushed in to find everything seeming normal accept ...
"I'm not seeing any Iryo-nin..." Naruto says.
"They left as soon as one of them noticed that genjutsu" Gai tells them.
"Gai-sensei" Tenten says upon seeing the man.
"Tenten, Neji what are you doing here?" Gai asks seriously.
"They came with my squad Gai, I came to back you up. The Sand is attacking the Leaf with the Sound Village and I knew the girl was sent here with her sensei and sibling" Hayama informs him.
"Huh, then we should get out there and go defend the village!" Gai cheers as he gives them his pattened good guy smile.
"But where is the sand girl and her team?" Hayama questions.
"Already on a move with a team of Iryo-nin to the secure wing of the hospital along with her sibling" Gai says.
"And the sensei?" Hayama questions.
"He left in another direction" Gai says losing the smile.
"And you just let him go!" Hayama yells at the eccentric Jonin.
"I couldn't leave Lee-kun" Gai answers truthfully.
"Sensei, where is Lee?" Tenten questions.
"Over there, he was so overcome with youthful energy and ready to fight but it was too soon so I had to knock him out" Gai states with a creepy smile.
"Gai-sensei" Tenten says lowly with shame that this man was her sensei.
Team 4 just looked at the man like he was nuts and silently sympathized with Tenten as she silently lamented her life. Hayama just nodded.
"Okay so Lee is out of the equation, which I understand from what I saw of his fight with Naruto. I didn't think he'd be mobile any time soon" Hayama iterates.
"No the doc said he'll be out at least two weeks, maybe less if he takes it easy and doesn't strain himself unneccesarily" Gai tells everyone.
"That's good and I'm sorry Gai, but we can't have you sitting on the sidelines. Can one of your genin stay with Lee while the rest of us go out and help the village?" Hayama asks.
Truth was he knew if Gai didn't want to leave there was nothing he could do to force the man. Gai was that good and that strong, actually if he were a more ambitious man Hayama might think Gai was the strongest ninja currently in Kononha's ranks not Kakashi as most assumed.
"Your right Hayama, Tenten guard Lee, Neji let's go!" Gai orders.
"Hai Gai-sensei!" Both teens acknoweldge their orders.
Near the Center of the Village
"Halt what are you...'URGK'"
"Gaara, start your part of the plan now" orders Baki as he kept watch for any more Leaf shinobi.
"Plan, what plan is that exactly"
Baki didn't waiste a second as flung shuriken at the voice behind him.
"Woah, easy there Baki. I was just curious what you and your student were doing out here so far from the arena" Kakashi says aloofly.
"This is war Kakashi, there is no time for games. Gaara, do it now!" Baki orders.
"I don't think so" Sasuke says as he throws a kunai and rushes in to engage Gaara in combat.
"Sasuke wait" Kakashi says to the genin trying to get him to slow down and think.
Before he got half way Baki appeared before the lone Uchiha ready to cut him down only for Kakashi to interfere. Kakashi takes out a kunai and blocks Baki's letting Sasuke continue on his path.
"Sasuke, this isn't a match. This is the real deal, so don't hold back" Kakashi advises.
Sasuke doesn't even seem to acknowledge that he heard him as he rushes past Baki only to have to dodge as sand came rushing towards him.
"I'm ... so happy you showed Uchiha, show me, show me how worthy you are to die by my hands" Gaara says excitedly.
"The only one who will be defeated here is you!" Sasuke shouts.
Sasuke throws more shurken only for the sand to engulf them and then take Gaara's form becoming a sand clone. The clone then sends a bunch of sand towards Sasuke only for him to jump in the air. The clone them throws to the two shurken it held at Sasuke, which he wasted no time in sending more to deflect. Sasuke descends towards the clone using his taijutsu to destroy the clones arms and follow it up with a kick to the neck. However, instead of dispersing the clone threatends the engulf the leg, but Sasuke is quick enough to destroy it with a punch and then run towards Gaara. Gaara's sand forms in front of him again just as Sasuke launches a punch towards his face, only for Sasuke to dissapear.
Sasuke reappears behind him, shocking Gaara.
'He's fast' Gaara things surprised.
Sasuke lands a punch straight into Gaara's jaw that sends him flying down the street and away from Baki.
"GAARA!" Baki shouts.
'Damnit! This is why I needed Kankuro with me instead of performing some vigil outside of a surgical room at Konoha's main hospital. Hell, that is if the little shit isn't locked up in the secure ward of the hospital along with his sister. Now I have no one to keep him in check, not that that's necessary any more but if things go wrong there is also no one to back him up. This time Gaara, is on his own. I need to focus on dispatching Kakashi and getting out of here' Baki thinks.
"Worried about your student?" Kakashi questions.
"I'm not the one that should be worried. Your were right, this is an invasion and most of our plan relied on Gaara. Your the one that should be worried" Baki returns as he and Kakashi continue to clash.
'Sasuke' The now concerned Kakashi thinks.
Meanwhile, Sasuke catches up to a sitting Gaara that had part of his face where he hit cracked and falling off.
"So that's your Sand Armour, huh?" Sasuke comments.
He then gets into a stance and motions for Gaara to come at him.
"Come on" Sasuke says motioning again while Gaara just stares at him.
More sand seemed to pile around Gaara as he continued to sit patiently almost as if waiting.
"Well, if you won't come to me, then I'll come to you!" Sasuke shouts impatiently.
Sasuke was almost in his face when the Sand put up a temporary shield forcing Sasuke to pivot coming at Gaara from behind.
"No you ..." Gaara mutters.
Sand rushes to intercept the Uchiha, but he moves so fast it's almost like he's using a form of the shunshin no jutsu as he appears inside Gaara's guard and kicks him in the stomach launching him away only for the Sand to cushion his fall.
"What's the matter Gaara, is that all you got" Sasuke mocks.
"I'm going to tear off, all of your armour" Sasuke says making his intentions known.
He then runs at top speed towards Gaara, who's sand starts to form a ring around him.
Sasuke just runs around him kicking up dust and debri creating a cloud around them that would look impressive if there was someone around to watch them. Sasuke moves even faster as he finds away inside the ring constructed around Gaara and manages to kick him again, but then quickly grabs him not letting him launch away and then gives him a brutal knee to the gut.
Of course moving at the kind of speed he was using was draining Sasuke as he let go of Gaara and backed away before the Sand could attack him. Surprisingly both combatants were winded and taking a break.
Gaara used that break to form a hand seal and having his sand cocoun him in a ball.
Seeing his Sasuke runs to attack Gaara some more only to have to back away when the ball forms solid spikes that forces him to back off.
'That sand is more solid than I thought' Sasuke thinks.
Sasuke wasn't to be deterred and was about to attack again when he was stopped by a loud voice.
"SASUKE!"
'Huh?" Sasuke thought hearing his name.
He looked towards where the noise came from and saw Team 4 plus half of Team Gai rushing towards him. Of course the dobe got to him first.
"I'm in the middle of a fight, get lost loser" Sasuke says dismissing Tomaru.
"We're here to back you up, teme!" Tomaru shouts at the avenger.
"Tomaru, calm down. Now Sasuke, why are you by yourself. Where is Kakashi" Gai asked seriously.
"He's over there fighting Gaara's sensei" Sasuke tells them.
"Great, Hayama I'm going to go back him up. You handle things here, Neji stay with Team 4" Gai orders before disappearing .
"Whoa, so fast" Tomaru comments as he didn't even see him leave.
"I don't need any help" Sasuke says dismissing Team 4 and Neji.
It was at that time Hayama noticed something else coming their way.
"Crap, a summons and it's trashing the village" "Normally I'd leave this to Jiraiya-sama, but he's busy helping Lord Hokage deal with The Snake" Hayama thinks out loud.
"Snake?" Tomaru questions.
"Okay listen up" Hayama says ignoring the question and genin to focus on him.
"Sasuke, are you sure you can handle him?" Hayama questions the Uchiha.
"Tsch, he's weak. I was beating him down before you showed up and he hid in that giant ball of sand" Sasuke says confident in him being victorious.
"Okay fine, I need to deal with those summons since Jiraiya-sama is busy, but you won't do it alone" Hayama says as he looked at the assembled genin.
"Naruto, Jiraiya-sama mentioned you and he were working on a plan to deal with Gaara should you face him in the Finals" Hayama asks him.
Naruto just nodded.
"Will it work?" Hayama questions him directly.
"Hai, sensei" Naruto replies seriously.
"Okay then, you and Sasuke work together and be careful. The rest of us will try to stop the summons and assist with slowing down the Invasion until the counter attack is ready" Hayama orders.
"Hai, sensei" Naruto responds.
"Alright team, let's go" Hayama says.
Hayama and Neji head in a path leading straight for the rampaging summons.
"Be careful, Naruto" Fuki says before following Hayama and Neji.
"Catchup soon Bro, after all I wouldn't want you to miss me saving the day!" Tomaru says with a grin.
"You got it, because you know a true hero always comes late to the party" Naruto jokes.
Instead of arguing like usual, Tomaru just grins and takes off leaving Naruto alone with Sasuke and a quiet Gaara, or at least a seemingly quiet Gaara. Focusing on the ball of sand, Naruto looks over at Sasuke.
"How long has he been in there?" Naruto asks.
"Long enough, just sit back and watch Uzumaki" Sasuke says.
Naruto watches as Sasuke runs at the ball of sand and launches 3 kunai at it only for them to bounce off harmlessley. The Uchiha leaps back to get some distance and then rushes at the ball of sand again only for Naruto to be surprised as it launched spikes of sand towards Sasuke that he barely manages to dodge leading to him inflickting very little damage before he was forces to retreat and try again also uncessful before he was forced to back off by the sand spikes. Only this time they kept a barage of sand coming at the Uchiha missing him each time, but forcing him to back off.
'I get it, he can't penetrate it and attack Gaara, but that's not Gaara's style I've been told. He's an attack first, second, and third kind of guy. I guess that speaks to the Uchiha's skill if he forced him into a defensive stand that said, this can't be it. What's he doing in there?' Naruto thinks.
He then noted the Uchiha had stopped attacking and was now moving far from the ball of sand and on top of a building.
'Is he building chakra?' Naruto think as he notices the Uchiha getting in a stance and doing something with his hand.
'A new technique possibly ... what's that sound?'
That's when the Uchiha dashes faster than Naruto had noted him moving before towards the ball of a sand with his hand thrust forward and chakra surrounding it like a blade. The Uchiha plunged the chakra coated hand straight through the ball of sand like a knife or a sword of lightening Naruto noted.
"Wow" Naruto says out loud impresssed by the technique.
"I want that" He thinks to himself.
His training with Jiraiya and the Cheetah's had already started him on the path of developing several jutsu outside of his affinities. His main affinities were still water and wind, but surprisingly both were equally strong with his water affinity still being slightly stronger. Lately though he noticed after he started training with his summons that he could produce lightening chakra and he wanted to develop that as well. Jiraiya himself had 4 affinities, but not lightening.
'I'll probably have to rely on the Cheeta's ... or maybe Kakashi would help me. That's got to be his jutsu, since they were training this whole month together and Sasuke's never displayed it before. If he had a jutsu of that level before he definitely would have used it' Naruto thinks
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" "BLOOODDDD!" "IT"S MY BLOOD!" Naruto hears.
'Huh, what the ... ' Naruto then remembered back to the Chunin Exams and what that Kabuto person had said about the Sand genin 'this really is the first time he's been hurt in a mission ... well Kabuto said they were mostly C-ranks ... then again every time I go on C-rank mission something happen and it turns out way more dangerous than it should be ...' Naruto thinks before focusing back on what was going on and noticed the Uchiha seemed to be in trouble, but before Naruto could act the Uchiha used the jutsu same jutsu again and escaped also bringing out a giant arm made of sand that had claws and protrusions like barbs meant to hook prey on.
"What is that" Naruto says out loud this time
Only for a growl and incomprehensible sound to come from inside the ball, that didn't sound human. After that the sand ball audibly cracked and disolved revealing an injured Gaara. It looked like Sasuke got him, but not bad enough to put the stubborn psycho out.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouts getting the Uchiha's attention.
"Are you okay?" Naruto asks.
The Uchiha just nodded.
"Stay out of this Uzumaki, this is my fight" The Uchiha warns.
"Then hurry up, he's hurt and alone. However, if we wait he might recover and make things bad for us" Naruto warns back.
"Tsch, I know already. Shut up and watch" Sasuke reiterates.
"We're so alike Uchiha..." Gaara manages to drawl out.
He's breathing hard, and clutching his head more than the area where he was stabbed.
"except, I don't have friends as you have but they're not what makes you strong. It's your purpose that does it. In that way we're alike... youuuu hhhave purpose, but mine is the stronger purpose for only by destroying you and all you represent can I even prove that I exist! Only by killing you can I know what life is!" Gaara yells belaboredly.
Of course his proclamation shocks both Naruto and Sasuke, although to Naruto it seemed like Sasuke was less affected by it than he was.
"YOU...YOU ARE MINE!" The sand jinchuriki bellows as he falls down to his knees clutching his head.
"ARHHHHHHHH... You are my ... You are my prey ... YOU ARE MY PREY!" The clearly insane sand-nin screamed.
"What the hell is going on, what's he doing?" Sasuke wonders aloud.
"I think he's transforming" Naruto answers.
They watched as more sand started to flow from out of the goard still on his back and mix with Gaara's sand armour. Gaara was shouting and thrashing about as sand started to fill the air around the troubled youth.
"Transforming?" Sasuke questions.
"I can't explain, but let's just say he has another source of chakra inside of him. A more potent, dangerous source of chakra that allows him to change his appearance into something terrifying..." Naruto says trailing off at the end as he watches Gaara.
"M-Y PR-EY ... Y-OU ARE M-Y PREY"
"We have to stop this, before he finishes transforming" Naruto tells Sasuke
Naruto moves to attack Gaara when he see's a pair of shuriken coming towards him. He backs off and looks towards Sasuke who had clearly just thrown the shuriken.
"I said this is my fight. If you continue to interfere, Gaara won't be the only one who will have to deal with me" Sasuke says cooly.
"This isn't the ...
Whatever else Naruto was about to say was aborted as Gaara came screaming madly at them.
"LET ME FEEL IT!" Gaara screams as his half transformed body extended and delivered a devestating blow that destroyed part of a building Naruto and Sasuke had been in front of.
"Sasuke!" Naruto calls out.
"I'm fine!" Sasuke yells angrily.
Naruto wanted to fight with the Uchiha, but decided against it.
'He'll only lose focus if I get involved. I'll let him face Gaara on his own for now, but if he comes close to finishing his transformation I will step in' Naruto thinks.
"I'm only saying this once Uchiha. I'll back off for now, but if he attacks me or it looks like your about to die. I'm stepping in. I don't know what else you and Kakashi were working on the whole month, but finish this and do it soon" Naruto says before he dissapears or appears to dissappear to Sasuke.
Sasuke doesn't even have time to respond as he has to dodge another attempt only to be nailed in the gut only the sand went straight through him.
'A basic clone ... huh, it probably won't work again' Naruto thinks
The real Sasuke came from behind another building throwing a barrage of kunai and shuriken. They were absorbed into Gaara's large sand covered transformed arm.
"You want them back, HERE!" Gaara shouts.
The projectiles were sent back at two or three times the speed they were originally thrown at and this time they were on fire as they shred through Sasuke, but once again it was just a basic clone as they went straight through and into a building that caught on fire from the flaming projectiles.
'Guess I was wrong' Naruto admits.
"Come out Uchiha, why are you hiding from me. Come face me!" Gaara snarls.
"Why me?" "Why are you coming after me" Sasuke asks from his hiding. spot.
"I WON'T LET YOU ESCAPE!"
"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY!"
"YOU HEAR ME UCHIHA, SASUKE!" Gaara yells .
Instead of waiting for the Uchiha to show himself Gaara goes on the attack. Using his transformed arm he attacks several near by building, decimating one into rubble as he stood among the reckage his eye gleaming with maddness as he was litterally foaming at the mouth as he went to attack another building.
"FACE ME UCHIHA!" Gaara calls out in madness and rage.
"HAHAHAHAH, WHAT'S WRONG UCHIHA! YOUR NOT AFRAID OF ME ARE YOU!" Gaara calls out as he continues his rampage.
Naruto is shocked by what he's witnessing.
'His speed, power, everything has gone through the roof and this is only a partial transformation if what Jiraiya told me was true' Naruto thinks in shock and awe.
"YES THAT'S IT! YOU FEAR ME UCHIHA! YOU LIVE IN FEAR EVERY DAY I'M ALIVE!" Gaara screams.
"WHAT'S WRONG UCHIHA! IS THIS ALL YOU HAVE! ARE YOU REALLY SO AFRAID OF ME! IS ALL YOUR HATRED AND SENSE OF PURPOSE DWINDLED DOWN TO THIS. ABJECT FEAR! IS THIS THE EXISTENCE YOU LIVE NOW! THAT OF A COWARD! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME! SHOW ME THAT I'M WRONG! PROVE THAT YOUR EXISTENCE IS STRONGER THAN MINE! YOU'LL NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU FIGHT ME! YOU'LL NEVER FEEL IT!" Gaara screams out.
"ATTACK ME!"
That's when Naruto see's Sasuke standing up ontop of a building some distance from the mad jinchuriki.
'It's that jutsu again' Naruto thinks seeing and hearing the jutsu.
"GOOOD, NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUN UCHIHA, SASUKE!" Gaara screams out in joy and pure madness.
Naruto watches as both fighters launch themselves at the other, Sasuke with his arm extended jutsu excitedly blazing as it it makes contract with Gaara's transformed arm only for Sasuke's jutsu to slice clean through the transformed appendange. Gaara falls into a heap, but it only last a second.
"HAHAHAHA!" "HAHAHAHAHA!" "HAHAHAHAHA!" Gaara screams as he stands seemingly unaffected his arm looking like it wasn't just filleted like a fish or rack of meat.
"NOW IT'S CLEAR TO ME EXACTLY WHY I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!" Gaara says.
"This pain" He says clutching at a wound where the sword hit.
"WHAT A THRILL IT WILL BE TO CRUSH SUCH AN OPPENENT CAPABLE OF WOUNDING ME SO BADLY!"
"SUCH A VICTORY WILL TRULY LET ME FEEL WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALIVE!"
"There is more ... so much MORE!" Gaara roars.
Naruto and Sasuke watch as more sand pours forth from the guard, this time giving the insane homocidal ninja a tail with sharped barbed protusions along it like the claws on the transformed hand.
'Shit, he's getting stronger. He's allowing it, to posses him more and more the longer this drags out. I should intervene, fuck the Uchiha. He can't handle this any longer' Naruto thinks.
Then watches as the maniac launches himself at rapid speed towards the Uchiha using his transformed limb. Sasuke barely manages to dodge when the mad jinchuriki catapaults himself again. The Uchiha launches a fire jutsu that hits point blank, but does no damage to the insane jinchuriki. However, before Gaara could land what was sure to be a devestating blow...
"Suiton: Mizudeppō - Water Release: Water Gun"
A bullet of water seemingly from nowhere came and hit Gaara blasting him through a window and away from the downed writhing Uchiha. It was then Naruto flashed in front of Sasuke.
"Sasuke, are you okay?" Naruto answers concerned.
Sasuke couldn't even give a proper response. It was clear he was out and unable to continue fighting.
"You must be out of chakra. That jutsu you used was insane. I'm guessing Hatake-san taught it to you. I admit, I'm a little jealous seeing such a powerful technique, but it's probably meant as finishing technique and not one meant for prolonged battles. Anyway rest up and let me take care of the rest" Naruto says.
"I... don't...need...your help" Sasuke manages to get out.
"I get it, you want to fight all on your own and prove how strong you are. Your just unlucky we found you, because I don't think my sensei or yours will like it if I tell then I let you die when I could have helped you. You know that whole 'will of fire' thing. So shut up and try to recupperate while I handle Gaara" Naruto tells him.
"Like ... you can ... lo.." Sasuke started only to be shut up by an insane howl.
"AWOOOHHHH!"
Gaara came crashing back through the window with his claw and tail removing from existence just leaving a huge hole in side of the brick covered dwelling. He came barrelling through the air his intent clear. He wanted to murder Sasuke, so much so he didn't even register that Naruto was standing slightly infront of Sasuke until he flashed from his position to right underneath Gaara and launched him with a kick up in the air. Naruto landed back in front of Sasuke, who managed to recover enough to stand.
"That won't stop him" Sasuke comments. T
"Wasn't meant to" Naruto says looking at the Uchiha as he holds the snake hand seal.
"BOOOM!"
Sasuke's attention was immediately diverted upward as he watched a bloodied Gaara fly through the air with smoke trailing from a big black cloud hovering above them. Sasuke immediately looked at Naruto practically demanding answers.
"Kibaku Fuda - Exploding Tag" Naruto says simply.
"How, I saw you ... well I saw when you hit him ... I think ... it was just a kick..." The Uchiha says.
"Explanations ...never, let's go we have to make sure he can't get up from that" Naruto responds.
Naruto immediately flashes off the roof top once again surprising Sasuke.
"How is he so fast, even my Sharingan can't track him or his moves" Sasuke thinks only to see Naruto is already five roof tops away leaning over a downed Gaara.
Naruto doesn't wait for Sasuke to catch up as he flashes over to where Gaara lands and immediately slaps a several sealing tags on him.
The affect of the damage done to him by the exploding tag and the seal tags completely knocked Gaara out. The seal tags were also had several added seals that had a couple of secret funtions. The main one being in controlling and subduing the Ichibi inside of Gaara, forcing it to sleep and for it's chakra to go dormant. However, Naruto didn't get long to study the affects and make sure they were working properly before he was forced to jump away from the body as several shuriken and kunai impacted the hard concrete slab of the roof he was on.
Using swift release, Naruto then flashed back to be by Sasuke when seven or eight Sound-nin appeared surrounding Gaara.
"Naruto" Sasuke says sounding concerned.
Naruto looked to see a ninth one had snuck up behind the Uchiha and now had a kunai pressed against his jugular.
"What do you want?" Naruto asks as he tries to analyze the situation.
"You've ruined Lord Orochimaru's plan, we're here to fix that" The leader of their group says.
"Yuu, wake the brat up. After all he's an important part to Lord Orochimaru's plan" He orders.
"I wouldn't do that" Naruto teases.
Sure enough as soon as Yuu goes to pull the tag off he gets a severe shock knocking him out immediately if not killing him.
"YUUU!" Screamed the leader in anger.
"What did you do!" The man yelled at Naruto.
"The only ones capable of removing those seal tags from Gaara are me and Lord Jiraiya" Naruto reveals.
"The Toad Sage?" Questioned one of the Oto-nin.
"He was the one who taught me, and devised this strategy for dealing with the little maniac" Naruto says..
"Then you fix it, now or ..."
"Or what, you can't harm Sasuke, we both know your master would kill you if you do. I don't know why he wants the Uchiha, but I know if your here it's because he wants him for some reason" Naruto says.
"Tsch, good for you brat. How about we beat you until you beg us to let you help us and fix what you did" The leader says with an evil sneer.
"Jinton: Mueishō - Swift Release: Shadowless flight" Naruto intones not even needed the handseal.
He was behind the Oto-nin holding Sasuke hostage before he could blink. He grabbed a hold of his kneck and jumped up and slammed him backwards into the concrete of the roof, snapping the Oto-nin's neck. He was pelted with shuriken and kunai, but the body of the man he was holding blocked them giving him enough time to use swift release and appear on the roof right infront of the Oto-nin and the still knocked out Gaara. Naruto seemingly instantly to the Oto-nin flashed the handseals Ox, Snake, and Ram.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu - Hiding in Mist Technique" Naruto says
Naruto used enough chakra to completely engulf the rooftop in chakra laced mist obscuring him from site. That didn't stop the Oto-nin from chucking a bunch of weapons at where they just saw him.
"Atsushi, did you get him..."
"Atsushi ..."
"Daichi, are you near Atsushi?"
"Rikuto, do you see Daichi or Atsushi"
"No, what about you Nobu"
"I can't see a thing in this mist and our usual techniques won't work in this mist"
"We should use a wind technique and blow the mist away"
"Do any of you know a wind technique?"
"No"
"Like Lord Orochimaru would allow us to learn any real techniques"
"Don't talk about Lord Orochimaru like that, he's just selective about the things he wants us to know so we can focus better on our jobs"
"Your really using your last moments alive arguing about what techniques you didn't learn?" Naruto asks
"Shut up, brat. undo this technique and we'll show you why you shouldn't mess with Oto's elite squad of trackers" One boasts.
"Okay" Naruto says simply.
And just like that the fog lifted and they were able to see clearly again. However when the one called Nobu, a man of 5'10 height with black hair and a decent amount of muscle for his age being the ripe old age of 46, looked around him he noticed ... it was just him on the roof, not even Gaara was visible as he visually searched for the unconcious youth. He then scanned for his team, but no luck there all he found where splotches of blood. The enemy was also hidden, the sounds of fighting still traveled to his ears, but it all seemed so far away just then.
"Where are you brat! Fight me!" He called out.
He never got a response. Naruto had taken out his team in under a minute, killing each one with a swift throat slash, which made them unable to call out or fight as he transported them away from the roof one by one until it was just the last guy.
"Jinton: Mueishō - Swift Release: Shadowless Fight" Naruto calls out for effect.
It takes less than second for him to reappear back on the roof and right in front of Nobu as he uses a kunai to slash his throat. Nobu's blood joins that of his team's as they commingled on Naruto's clothes. Sure in his victory over the Sound-nin Naruto flashes back to where he had Gaara and Sasuke hidden.
"Hey Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asks.
"Why didn't you let me fight! I could have taken them all out by myself!" Sasuke yells.
Sasuke storms over to Naruto grabbing his collar as he tries push Naruto against a wall only for Naruto to flash out of his grasp and appear near Gaara.
"Well it's good to see you appear to have gotten a second wind and are able to move. We have to get back to our squads leaders" Naruto responds.
"How did you do that?" Sasuke questions him.
"Didn't Hatake-san tell you, your not the only one with a kekkei genkai" Naruto tells him.
Of course Sasuke was shocked. Kakashi never told him and he had asked the man several times about the blond he barely remembered even sharing a room with let alone a class. He doesn't remember there being anyone in our class that had abilities outside of the clan heirs and he should have known if there was someone else...
"We don't have time for you to pout and cry about something that doesn't even matter to you. We have to get moving" Naruto barks.
He lifts the unconcious Gaara up placing his left leg between the unconcious teen's, grabs his left hand, squats down, wraps his right arm around Gaara's right knee, and then rises up himself making sure to keep Gaara in a comfortable position so that he could still run as fast as possible. Thinking on it Naruto makes note he might want to add this to his training incase he ever found himself in a similar position again.
'I bet I can use shadow clones to make it more realistic even' Naruto thinks before refocusing.
"Hey why are you doing that, just leave him here. He'll only slow us down" Sasuke says.
"Gaara here is a prisoner of war, he's SUNA's secret weapon so taking him with us and making sure he stays out of the fight is key. I figure the village is about to start fighting back any second now" Naruto says as he looks up to the sky.
Just above them flew a hawk. It gave out a series of calls as it soared above the village. The village's response was ready to kick in.
"I'm heading towards my sensei, you can come along or find your sensei" Naruto tells Sasuke.
"I might as well tag along, make sure you don't do something stupid and the red head gets away" Sasuke replies nonchalantly.
Even he had to reluctantly admit it was times like these were Sakura came in handy, because Naruto didn't even look at him being cool and strong like that he just took off towards the gate and that group of huge animal summons. Sasuke soon followed as they ran they encountered a little resistance in the form of sound and sand Jōnin that got ahead of the summons, but hadn't ventured to far into the village confused about the lack of response they were getting after they crashed the gate.
However, they were not alone as ANBU started picking off the stranglers one by one.
"Let's give them a hand" Naruto says.
Instead of using his Jinton (Swift Release) Naruto used a standard shunshin to get behind a Sound Jōnin and shove a kunai in his back. Sasuke not one to be shown up uses a fireball jutsu with hidden shuriken and kunai interspersed to nail another one as they attempting to attack Naruto. They managed to bypass that bit of action as the ANBU continued to clean up on their through the village picking off the invaders. When they got closer to the gate and the summons, the summons vanished. That's when they saw Naruto's team plus a bunch of other Konoha shinobi running fast towards the arena.
"Hayama-sensei, what's going on" Naruto asks as he and Sasuke catch up to Team 4.
"We have to hurry Naruto, something bad has happened" was all Hayama would say.
Naruto hung back to ask Tomaru and Fuki but they wouldn't answer him either. It didn't long for them to make it to the arena even some of the clean up teams tasked with rooting out the invaders were heading to the arena. As they now walked into the arena like fans filling in to see an event Naruto could see the other Konoha shinobi all with their heads hung low and visibly upset.
It was clear someone important died during the invasion, but just who wasn't clear until Naruto was able to get a look at the middle of the arena. For there in the middle with a group of ANBU, Jiraiya, and Sarutobi Asuma surrounding him lay the Sandiame Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
And that's a wrap. Took a few years, a number of rewrites and lost versions but I'm looking forward to get back into this story. My pairing idea for this one is up and smoke. Over the many rewrites and lost versions I've come to realize I don't want to go with that pairing any longer nor do I want to do the Temari thing after all so it's back to square one on that front. Anyway sorry for the impossibly long wait, I can't make it up to you or give you back the loss time and I'm probably still going to be slow updating, but for what it's worth I appreciate all those that hung in their. Sorry it wasn't better.
Until next time dear reader :-)