Chapter 12 - The Prize Fight
Naruto yawned as he sat in the competitors box with Temari and Gaara, after training in the Path of Harmony for a month it was slightly exhausting to use the Path of Rage but it was also the easiest way to hide his strength.
"So Temari, got any plans for after today?" Naruto asked as he stretched and cracked his joints.
"Uh well, just returning to Suna and going on with my life like normal I suppose." Temari said, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"Hmm, sounds good. I might just have to follow you home then." Naruto said with a small laugh. "After all I've taken you on dates around my village, it only seems fair to return the favor."
Temari blushed at having their walks and training referred to as dates.
"Maybe you should then." Temari said trying to save face.
"Perfect, it's a date." Naruto said as Gaara watched the two in confusion.
"Will Gaara of Suna and Shino Aburame of Konoha please return to the arena!" Yelled Genma as people in the stands returned to their seats.
"Good luck Gaara, although I doubt you'll need it." Naruto said as he laughed and settled down to watch the match.
Gaara and Shino took their time getting down to the arena, Shino was merely his normal stoic self but Gaara was taking his time to let Shukaku's chakra regenerate as much as possible before the next match, Neji's attacks from the first round had dispersed his demonic chakra into the air and had left him quite short of chakra.
Once the two genin were ready Genma began the match and desperately got out of the way as a tide of sand and bugs clashed in the middle. Both fighters were almost silent as their attacks waged war.
Shino felt slight distress from his beetles as they attempted to eat the chakra from the sand but it poisoned them instead of helped them.
"Proctor I forfeit, his chakra is poison to my insects. It would be foolish for me to continue." Shino said, Gaara felt a moment of dissatisfaction as being unable to continue fighting but he still pulled his sand back into his gourd and headed back into the competitors box as Genma proclaimed him the winner.
"Well that sucked." Naruto said with a laugh as he got up and headed down to the arena.
"Will Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha enter the arena!" Genma yelled.
"So if my annoying teammate doesn't show up soon can we get on to the fight I'm actually looking forward to? Sasuke may be a so called elite but Gaara is the only challenge here." Naruto said trying to make conversation with Genma.
"Uh yeah I guess so." Genma said as he looked to the Kage box for guidance, a moment later an ANBU appeared next to him and whispered in his ear. "If Sasuke Uchiha doesn't report to the ring in the next five minutes he will be disqualified!" Genma yelled into the audience.
"Oh god I need to punch something soon or I'm gonna go stir crazy. Slaughtering Dosu wasn't anywhere near enough fun." Naruto said causing Genma to edge away from him slightly. Naruto sighed in boredom as his fingernail formed into a claw which he began picking his teeth with.
"It appears Sasuke has…" Genma began but was cut off as Sasuke and Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves.
"We're not late are we?" Kakashi asked as he scratched the back of his head and eye smiled.
"Only just." Genma sighed as he motioned for Kakashi to leave the arena floor.
"The final fight of the second round between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha! Begin!" Genma yelled as he jumped back as far as he could.
"Hn Ready to lose dobe?" Sasuke said as he activated his sharingan.
"Oh please, you won't even touch me." Naruto scoffed as he lazily stretched his arms above his head. "For making me wait I'm gonna have fun with this."
Instead of responding Sasuke launched himself backwards while throwing five kunai from each hand, each one aiming at vital points on Naruto's body.
"Jinchuriki art : Bijuu Barrier" Naruto said calmly as he held his hand out towards the kunai and formed a barrier of demonic chakra that melted the kunai as they travelled through the air.
"What?" Sasuke yelled as he saw his kunai turn into puddles on the floor. "Whatever I'll just overpower your pathetic jutsu. Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled as he rapidly went through hand signs, Naruto just raised an eyebrow as Sasuke's fireball headed towards his barrier.
"I'm not sure what you hoped to accomplish." Naruto said calmly as the fireball collided with the barrier and was absorbed into it. "Are you done yet? I'd like to have some fun this match afterall."
Sasuke ground his teeth in annoyance before launching another fireball but this time at the ground in front of the barrier, causing smoke and dust to be thrown into the air.
Naruto rolled his eyes as Sasuke appeared out of the dust to his right and attempted a spinning kick to Naruto's side. Sasuke was shocked however when he met nothing but air.
"While a spinning kick might pack a bigger punch it's never wise to turn your back on your opponent." Naruto said from where he stood next to Sasuke. Naruto grinned revealing his sharpened teeth before lashing out with a clawed hand. Sasuke narrowly dodged the slash by ducking under it and attempting a leg sweep that Naruto jumped over. While Naruto was in the air, Sasuke lashed out with another spinning kick aimed at Naruto's midsection.
Naruto seeing the kick coming activated his chakra cloak, still using the path of Rage, and propelled himself backwards with the arms of his cloak.
"That was close, maybe it's time I stop playing around and give all I've got." Naruto said as three tails grew out of the cloak behind him.
"Jinchuriki art: Clawed Pursuit." Naruto said as countless chakra claws erupted from his chakra cloak and began chasing Sasuke around the arena as he desperately dodged the lethal attacks that Naruto was hoping would land.
Sasuke's sharingan was spinning wildly as he attempted to find a way to beat the chakra arms, until he suddenly saw it. Whilst controlling the arms Naruto had seemingly left himself wide open.
Sasuke pulled four kunai and threw them at Naruto whilst dodging the hands. Naruto watched the kunai coming with fascination, they weren't aimed at him but rather to miss him and knowing that the Sharingan made Sasuke's aim almost perfect that meant they were a setup for something else. He was unsure as to what until he saw the wires that led back to Sasuke's hands, internally shrugging Naruto let the attack play out.
When the kunai had passed Naruto they suddenly swung around until the wires were wrapped firmly around his torso, Sasuke didn't think to question the fact that the wires had seemingly passed through his chakra cloak unharmed.
"I've got you now!" Sasuke yelled in triumph as the hands seemed to be unable to stretch any further. "Katon : Dragon Flame Jutsu"
Flames in the shape of dragon heads raced down the wires until colliding with Naruto, there was an explosion that obscured Naruto in his entirety but Sasuke was confident of his success when he saw the chakra arms dissolve into thin air.
Everything was silent when the smoke cleared and revealed only scorched earth. A clapping sound echoed around the arena as Naruto was revealed standing high up on the walls of the arena.
"Good job Sasuke you killed my clone. I thought you were done for, I really did." Naruto laughed as he threw away what looked like a chip packet. "Oh well I've had a bit of a snack so I guess the clone was worth it."
Sasuke was horrified, if that had only been a clone then what would the real Naruto be like to fight.
"Ready or not here I come."Naruto taunted as the three tailed cloak exploded to life around him. Sasuke lowered into his fighting stance as his Sharingan warned him that Naruto was preparing to dash at him. Sasuke blinked and suddenly Naruto was in front of him, his fist buried in his stomach. For a split second the arena seemed to be frozen in time, Sasuke almost wrapped around Naruto's fist while a trail of red chakra hung in the air like a trail behind Naruto.
Reality seemed to snap back into place as Sasuke was sent flying into the wall of the arena, leaving a cater in the wall. Naruto looked down at his hand and clicked his teeth in annoyance when he saw one of his claws was chipped, a small burst of demonic chakra later and it was fixed.
Sasuke coughed up blood as he pulled himself from the wall, Genma who had been about to call the fight in Naruto's favor stepped back as Sasuke glared at him. Sasuke's sharingan which had previously contained two tomoe in each eye now had three.
"I'm not gonna lose to someone as pathetic as you! I'm an Uchiha, an elite ninja! Some clanless loser like you could never beat me!" Sasuke roared as he charged forward again.
"Jinchuriki art : Three tailed impalement" Naruto said as his tails shot forward and stabbed through Sasuke's shoulders while the third wrapped around his throat and lifted him up into the air. Again Genma prepared to end the match but Sasuke managed to bring his hand together even though his shoulders appeared to be badly damaged.
"Chidori!" He screamed as he managed to swing a lightning covered fist through the chakra tails causing the ends to be severed and evaporate.
Naruto hissed in pain as his tails retracted.
"You just don't know when to die, do you Sasuke? Maybe I'll have to finish what your brother started!" Naruto snarled as a fourth tail appeared behind him.
"Naruto, your letting the rage get to you!"Kurama yelled to Naruto through his mind whilst thinking that the plan to use the path of Rage may not have been the best idea.
"Time for the real fun" Naruto said as he vanished in a burst of speed and appeared behind Sasuke and delivered a devastating punch to Sasuke's back. Sasuke rocketed forward but his momentum was halted soon after by Naruto's forearm slamming into his throat.
Sasuke choked in pain as he fell to the ground clutching at his bruised throat.
"Jinchuriki art : Four Tailed Torture!" Naruto yelled as his tails wrapped around Sasuke's limbs and began pulling. Sasuke screamed in pain as the wounds on his shoulders was stretch out causing his skin to tear and bleed even more than it already was.
"Naruto enough!" Yelled Kakashi as he appeared alongside several other Jonin of the village. Naruto snorted in derision.
"As if any of you could stop me." Naruto said as his cloak disappeared and dropped Sasuke to the ground, his limbs all dislocated and useless.
"The winner is Naruto Uzumaki." Genma said slightly fearfully.
"What no applause!" Naruto yelled and flared his killing intent causing a light spattering of applause to ring through the audience. "Better."
"We will begin the final fight after a short recess of twenty minutes." Genma said to Naruto who merely nodded and body flickered to the competitors box where any members of his graduating class avoided him like the plague. Naruto growled at them and sat next to Gaara and Temari.
"Not a fan of the Uchiha then." Gaara said after a second of awkward silence causing Naruto to snort slightly and laugh.
"I guess you could say that." Naruto said which caused Temari to release tension she didn't know she had been holding, reminding herself that while Naruto could be truly frightening on the battlefield he was completely different when around friends.
-Meanwhile in the Kage Box-
"What an interesting turn of events, eh Hokage-Dono?" The Kazekage said to his counterpart.
"How so Kazekage-Dono?" Hiruzen replied.
"Well, the Uchiha is such a promising shinobi. I was almost certain that he would be the one to fight my son in the finals." The Kazekage said.
"I'm afraid Sasuke is a bit of a spoiled child, he believes himself to be quite powerful but when faced with a Jinchuriki he is sorely outmatched." Hiruzen said evenly.
"Well at least this final match should prove entertaining at the very least. A clash of the Bijuu." The Kazekage gestured to one of his guards and whispered something to him. The guard nodded and left the box.
-Arena floor-
"The final match of the chunin selection exams begins now, Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha and Gaara of Suna please report to the battle ground!" Genma yelled as the two boys appeared next to him in perfectly timed body flickers.
"Shall we give it our all then Naruto?" Gaara questioned.
"I don't see why not." Naruto responded. Gaara removed the cork from his gourd while Naruto was suddenly covered with an orange cloak of chakra that formed an actual cloak on his shoulders. His intricate seal appeared on his stomach as well as black lines stretched down from between his shoulders and down to the backs of his hands where his spiral tattoos were actually spinning with nine lines, creating a whirlpool effect.
'That power, it's so oppressive.' Genma thought as he stepped back slightly. "The Final fight! Begin!"
Genma body flickered up to the wall of the arena to get out of harm's way and it was a good thing he did too, because the second he was gone a wave of sand launched forward and slammed into where Naruto had been standing but Naruto was already gone.
"That was dirty Gaara." Naruto commented as he appeared back in his original position, making the sand on the ground to be sent flying away from the wave of air that followed in his wake.
"Jinchuriki art: Endless Sandstorm." Gaara said stoically as his sand exploded outwards blanketing the field in sand. Naruto growled in slight annoyance but wasn't overly hampered by the sand, his cloak prevented it from touching him and he could sense where Shukaku's chakra was originating from so he took off to where Gaara was waiting with a spear of pure sand.
Naruto had to duck as the spear lanced out of the sandstorm attempting to take off his head before it dissolved into the sandstorm. Naruto was prepared to dash forward again but a spear launched out of the sand from behind him that he swatted out of the air but again it dissolved.
Taking a second to tune his senses to finding Gaara he smiled.
"I see what you're doing now. Making pockets of sand packed full of chakra to simulate your presence whilst you hide your own chakra. Clever but now that I've caught on, I'll rely on other methods of finding you." Naruto said as he channeled demonic chakra to his ears to try and filter out the sound of the sand flying around him. After a moment he began hearing the quiet breathing of Gaara from his right hand side.
"Jinchuriki art : Bijuu Blast" Naruto whispered as he started building a small bijuudama in his hand, the glowing orb of chakra grew to about the size of Naruto's head before shrinking down to a small orb that he clapped his hands over. Pointing his hands towards where he could hear Gaara he fired the beam of condensed demonic chakra.
The sandstorm suddenly stopped as all the sand was pulled back to Gaara.
As the sand finished returning an explosion rocked the arena. A dome of red chakra exploding out from around Gaara's position but when it cleared a perfect orb of sand was in Gaara's position completely protecting him from the blast.
"Well that was a close one." Gaara said as the dome collapsed around him.
"Closer than you think." Naruto said as he opened his left hand and fired a smaller blast that rocketed towards Gaara far faster than the first attack. His sand sprung into action to stop jutsu but the blast still sent Gaara reeling back a few feet.
"I see what you mean." Gaara said as his sand formed into a spear again, this time imbued with the power of Shukaku. "Now then, are you ready?"
Naruto smirked before causing the orange chakra surrounding his arms to condense into long blade like appendages. The two Jinchuriki dashed forward colliding in the middle, each swinging with all their power and speed. Every swipe of Gaara's spear or Naruto's blade arms sent shockwaves that rocked the entire arena.
Cracks were beginning to form in the ground around them as the pure power of the attacks decimated the landscape. The stone spires that replaced the trees were now merely rubble and the walls of the arena looked almost ready to succumb to the almost earthquake level force that was being output by the battling Jinchuriki.
With an almost perfect timing both Jinchuriki disengaged and jumped back before running through hand seals.
"Jinchuriki art : Burning Miasma" Naruto yelled as his cloak began giving off steam that melted the stone debris that now littered the arena.
"Jinchuriki art : Encroaching Sands" Gaara yelled as his sand raced forward, crushing debris on his side of the field into more sand which rose up to join the rest.
The two jutsu clashed in the middle, the oppressive force of tons of sand against a corrosive mist. Both battling for control of the other until Gaara's chakra began to falter. That moment of weakness allowed Naruto's miasma to overpower Gaara's sand and blast forward to clear the battleground between them.
Gaara looked back at the sand he had left, not much if he was honest with himself. He knew this was a losing fight going into it and knew that although Naruto said he would give his all, he had yet to use a technique that required more than one tail to use.
Gaara considered forfeiting until he saw people beginning to fall asleep in the stands.
"The invasion has begun." He said ominously. "Time to make this convincing."
Naruto nodded and the two began running through hand seals again finishing at the same time.
"Path of Harmony : Awaken!" The two boys yelled and were both encased in cocoons of sand and chakra respectively.
As they were doing this fighting had broken out in the stands, Sand and Sound ninja were attacking and the Konoha ninja were doing all they could to keep them back.
To the mounting horror of the defending ninja the orb of sand that had encased Gaara exploded open and the towering form of the one-tailed Tanuki appeared from within.
But then the orb of chakra around Naruto exploded creating a pillar of light that stretched up into the heavens and from within came a glowing orange version of the nine-tailed Fox. The people of Konoha weren't sure if that was a good thing or a very bad thing.
The two goliaths of chakra clashed as if their fight in the arena had never ended. Naruto and Kurama tackled Gaara and Shukaku knocking back the form of the Tanuki through the wall of the arena and into the village proper. To the casual observer the two were simply fighting but to those in the know (Naruto and the sand siblings) the two bijuu were actually following a pre-planned route through Konoha that was designed to destroy the businesses and houses of the people most responsible for Naruto's childhood woes.
Temari upon seeing her brother and Naruto transformed raced to the infirmary where Baki and Kankurou were waiting for her.
"Time to get out of here." Baki said.
"What I thought we were going to take part in the invasion?" Temari asked confused.
"It turns out that Orochimaru lied to us and killed the Kazekage, I just received a messenger hawk informing me that the Kazekage's body was found in the dessert littered with snake bites. I've sent out an order to our ninja to retreat immediately so we are going to go rendezvous with Gaara and Naruto once they power down and get out of here." Baki explained, Temari nodded and followed her brother and sensei out into the city. Internally she mourned the death of her father but for now she was a ninja in the field and would suppress all emotion until she was in the safety of her village and she could mourn in any way she saw fit.
Following the path of destruction to Naruto and Gaara was simple enough, dodging the countless Konoha ninja that were rushing about in defense of their village was not as easy however. By the time they had avoided all the ninja and made it to Naruto and Gaara they had finished their little dance and had returned to their normal forms although Naruto was supporting Gaara.
"Hey there Temari-chan, your brother appears to be about to pass out." Naruto said with a sharp toothed smile.
A/N Uh so yeah, new chapter… My muse seems to have struck me as of late so this is the result.
Thanks Trigger2332 out!
P.S. I feel like my little outro is a little immature but I can't really be bothered changing it, it's mostly habit now…