Normal speech
Thought
Nine-tails/Other big voices
InnerSakura
A/N:
Disclaimer
I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. This is merely for my, and hopefully everyone else's, enjoyment. Thank you!
Recap:
Orochimaru: (Laughs)… Well, as the main pillar, I'll break you in half and cause the house of the Leaf… to crumble!
3rd: Hmph! Even if you were to kill me, the beam won't break!! I'm the man who inherited the "Will of the Leaf", the will of the 1st and 2nd… I am the 3rd Hokage!!! No matter how much you target the Leaf Village… THERE WILL BE A NEW HOKAGE WHO'LL INHERT MY WILL AND BECOME THE PILLAR TO PROTECT THE HOUSE OF THE LEAF!! Orochimaru, I'll show you a special jutsu that not even you know about…! "ENCHANTMENT SPELL: DEAD DEMON IMPRISONMENT"!!
The clones fanned out to find their targets and grabbed a hold of them. As they did, the Death-god behind the 3rd prepared himself and reached into the soul being offered to him. In doing so, his arm reached through the Shadow Clones' bodies and retrieved the souls of the 1st and 2nd, nullifying the darkness of the genjutsu.
1st: Sorry… Sarutobi…
2nd: We've… caused you a lot of trouble…
3rd: Please forgive me… 1st! 2nd!
Their souls were completely ripped from their bodies and sealed within the Sarutobi clones. All that was left was a seal similar to the one that appears on Naruto's stomach. The bodies used for the Hokages were revealed to be that of the Sound genin that took part in the Chunin Exams…
Tears began to well up in the 3rd's eyes as the clones dispersed. He knew that if he wanted the madness that is Orochimaru to be stopped, he would have to go that extra mile and go through with it…
3rd: …This jutsu… in exchange for this jutsu to work… you hand over your soul to death… It's a sealing jutsu you pay for… with your life. There was no need to avoid your attack… I'll die anyway! Once the sealing is complete… my soul and yours… will be consumed simultaneously… It's the jutsu of the hero… who once upon a time, saved this village… With this jutsu… I'll take you with me!!
Orochimaru: …You mean… this was the jutsu that sealed… the Ninetails!?
3rd: Yes… I'll drag your soul out of your body soon… and seal you as well!
Orochimaru: DON'T… DON'T BE FOOLISH YOU OLD FART…!! I'M NOT GOING TO GO QUIETLY!! Hurry up and die… *motioning his sword*
He managed to get his sword to force itself further into the 3rd's body, loosening the grip on his soul…
3rd: … We've come this far… could it be… I've lost the ability to pull out his soul? This old body of mine…
Orochimaru: … It seems that he doesn't have enough strength left… If you were 10 years younger… then you'd be able to kill me… heh heh heh…
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Kankuro had told Temari to continue on with Gaara. He would be Sasuke's opponent. After their departure, a voice cried out that his opponent wasn't Sasuke…
Shino: I'll be your opponent!
Without any complaint, Sasuke was off…
Kankuro: Hehehe… You guys have no idea! I don't think you guys have experienced… "true terror"!!
Shino: And so you… are going to be the one to show me that sort of "terror"?
Kankuro: No… if you defeat me and catch up with Gaara, you'll experience it then…
He unwrapped his puppet and prepared to attack. Shino did the same as his bugs began to crawl all over him.
Kankuro: Hmph…! Bring it on!
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Gaara was beginning to stir so Temari stopped to check on him…
Sasuke: *lands on a tree branch* …Although I don't know the motives of your village… I will stop you! Also… I want to see your true face…
Gaara: You, that is strong… you, that have companions… you, that has an ambition… you, that is like me… once I kill you… I will be the one to have destroyed all of that… Only then, can I survive…! Only then can I feel… Alive!!
Gaara hunched over in pain as he began to transform. Sand began to pour from his gourd and cover the right side of his face and arm. Once he regained himself, he beckoned for Sasuke to try his luck…
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Kankuro's puppet, Crow, lifted its arm and fired a bomb that exploded on contact. It wasn't a destructive explosion, but one that created a shroud of smoke… of poison.
Shino quickly retreated from the area of the cloud of poison and noticed that his opponent was nowhere to be found. The same could not be said for his puppet, however. It appeared behind him and in one swift swing of its blades…
Chaos!
At the last possible second, the puppet's attack came to a halt...
Kankuro: Damn! Can't move… He's using his insects to jam "The Crow's" joints…
Bugs were scattered everywhere and all over "The Crow". Shino had managed to slip under the branch and had his bugs follow the strings of chakra leading from the puppet to its puppeteer…
Kankuro: The insects… they're crawling up the chakra strings to get to me… *oh yeah face* …That's right… they feed on chakra! If this goes on, my position will be revealed…
Kankuro quickly released his jutsu to avoid being discovered, causing his puppet to fall inactive. Trying to figure out another way of finding his opponent's location, Shino dropped his guard. This was a mistake on his part as "The Crow" sprang back to life and attacked with its head… only its head…
It was inches away from him when it stopped and began to plummet to the earth. Kankuro couldn't understand what had happened. That is, until he looked at his hands…
They were covered in bugs and so too soon was his entire body. Trying to flee the bugs, he jumped out of his hiding spot but still couldn't shake himself free.
Shino: The ones attacking from your chakra strings were only a diversion… *huffing & puffing* …While you tried to get rid of those… *huffing & puffing* …you didn't realize there was one on your back… I've been controlling them, directing them towards you. At the time I attacked you before, I missed on purpose… I used that moment to place an insect on you. Because it was a female, the others had no trouble in locating you…
Shino began to collapse due to the effects of the poison. It seemed like he wouldn't be catching up to Sasuke any time soon… if at all.
Sasuke recognized the eye staring at him from before. It was the exact same one that gave him the chills.
The sand continued to envelop Gaara a little more, covering his entire arm and a little more of his face as well. He didn't waste any time in attacking Sasuke after that. He leapt from his perch and smashed the branch he once stood on. Sasuke got away and hid on the other side of a tree…
Gaara: What's wrong!? Are you afraid of me…?! Sasuke Uchiha!! AFRAID OF MY EXISTENCE…!! DON'T FORGET… YOU ARE MY PREY!! HAS YOUR FEAR OVERTAKEN YOUR HATRED, THE KILLING URGE? IS YOUR REASON FOR EXISTENCE THAT SMALL? IF YOU DESIRE AN ANSWER… COME AND GET ME!!!
Sasuke made his way from behind the tree and activated his sharingan. He then started his Chidori and…
Sasuke: It was intentional… only I was left alive… but for what reason!? No… I know why… He let me live so that he doesn't have to feel sorry about killing the entire clan… My brother Itachi chose me to be the avenger… The sole reason for my existence… is to hunt him down, and destroy him!!
With the same thought in mind, the two leapt into the air and… Sasuke ripped his way through. The two landed as Gaara screamed in agony of part of his arm falling off. Those screams soon turned to sadistic laughter as he seemed to be enjoying himself…
Gaara: I see…! So that's what it was…! The reason why I'm so excited… I just got the answer… It's this pain… DEFEATING A MAN STRONG ENOUGH TO HURT ME AND UTTERLY DESTROYING HIM… THAT'S WHAT GIVES ME AN EVEN GREATER SENSE OF EXISTENCE!!
Temari was shocked to see that, not only once but twice, Sasuke managed to really hurt Gaara. Things were getting a little heavy for her…
Gaara: HAHAHA! MORE! I WANT MORE!
The bottom of his gourd bursted and more sand began to pour out. This time, it formed a large tail on Gaara's body. He wrapped his right arm and tail around two tree limbs and flung himself at Sasuke…
Gaara was moving so fast that Sasuke could barely get out of the way in time. While he was in the air, Gaara caught himself, changed direction, and prepared to do it again…
Sasuke: Dodging his attacks would be impossible if I wasn't reading his movements. I would have been long gone if I didn't have these eyes… But… since the tournament, that last one was the second… "Chidori" is no longer an option…
Sasuke changed his offense from lightning to fire as he used a "Fire Style: Blazing Fireball Jutsu"!! In the air, Gaara had no way of dodging this attack, but… he used his right arm to shield himself from the flames…
Gaara: DIE! *bursting from the flames*
Sasuke: Seems like fire's useless against his sand… I knew it… "Chidori" is the only way after all…
Sasuke shielded himself as best he could, but it wasn't good enough. Gaara collided with him and sent him crashing into a tree. The only chance Sasuke had of defeating Gaara was the Chidori, but he could only use it two times in one day.
Gaara: Is this all your existence means to you? Let me make it clear for you then… You are weak!!! You're too soft because your hatred isn't strong enough… The power of hate, is the power to kill… the power to kill, is the power of vengeance. You know what this means…? Your hatred is weaker than mine!!
Sasuke: Shut up!!
Gaara: Do you know what that means…? It means… YOU'RE WEAKER THAN ME!!!
Sasuke raised his head and started another Chidori. He charged and seeing this, so did Gaara. Before he could reach him however, Sasuke couldn't hold the technique. In this moment, death was assured…
Blood splattered and the two landed on opposite sides. Sasuke's body began to violently shake as blood dripped from his mouth and a fresh wound on his right chest. Gaara was pleased, but not for long since Sasuke wasn't the only one to take damage.
The sand on Gaara's arm fell off and blood ran from a wound on it. Sasuke turned to him revealing his newly reactivated curse mark. He then collapsed as Gaara groaned as his transformation progressed further. Sand was now covering his left arm. Seeing his now helpless victim laid out, Gaara attacked…
This was it…! Sasuke couldn't move his body and had no hope of saving himself. When all seemed bleak, Naruto showed up out of nowhere and turned Gaara back with a kick to the face.
Sakura: Sasuke!!
She quickly rushed to his aid as he laid there. To her horror, she saw that his curse mark was covering his body…
Sakura: Th-This is… He must've gone out of control like the last time!
Naruto: Sa-… Sakura… Do you know… who or what the hell that thing is!? *pointing at the thing he just kicked*
Pakkun: Although his form is altered, that's the one called Gaara…
Sakura: He's the one… that attacked Sasuke…
Naruto: This… is that guy…? His chakra is different like… like my second chakra…! Does this mean…?
Before Naruto stood an unusual sight, a strange and menacing creature. Gaara was now snarling at the interrupters of his good time…
Sakura: We have to somehow get Sasuke away from here and back to the village as soon as possible…!!
Gaara: … You…! You're the ones I failed to kill that time… and you…! You're the first one that hurt me…! This time… I won't fail in killing you and securing my existence!!
Naruto: … Sakura… take Sasuke and get out of here… while you still can…
Sakura: What are you talking about Naruto?
He turned to answer her but as he did, Gaara darted by him for Sasuke. Sakura acted quickly and pulled out a kunai, ready to defend Sasuke's helpless body. Gaara made quick work of her by pinning her to the tree. Now, no one would get in his way of destroying Sasuke…
Naruto swooped in and grabbed Sasuke and retreated to safety. Gaara started to feel worse and worse by the minute. He looked up at Naruto with his menacing eyes…
Naruto: Those eyes again…
Gaara: What's the matter…?
Sakura: … Na… Naruto… save… save… Sas…
Gaara: What do they mean to you?
Naruto: They're… They're my friends! Leave them alone or else!
Gaara: Or else, what…?
Naruto: I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!!
Gaara increased the pressure he was using to hold Sakura in place, causing her to scream. He was trying to goad him into attacking like he claimed…
This attempt was successful as Naruto charged in and received a tail whip from Gaara. He then landed right in front of Sasuke…
Sasuke: …He… He isn't acting like himself… Did something happen between these two?
Naruto: I don't have time to fool around like this… If he keeps it up, he'll crush Sakura…! I've got no other choice… Even though it'll probably completely drain me, I have to summon "Boss Toad" Gamabunta!!
Naruto bit his thumb and did the proper hand seals, but instead of summoning the "Boss Toad" he summoned a little frog by the name of Gamikichi. At this, everyone sweat-dropped…
Gamikichi: What the…!? It's only a kid! You're gonna have to give me snacks if you want me to play with you!!
Naruto: What the… hell?! I didn't summon you…
Gamikichi: Yeah, well… it sure doesn't look that way, now does it?
Naruto: Unless you can help me save Sakura, I don't have the time to play with you!
Gamikichi: *looks over at the pink haired kunoichi* …Sorry, can't help ya there pal!
Naruto: That's what I thought…! Just stay out of the way while I deal with this guy…
Naruto turned to see that Gaara's transformation had progressed once again. This time, sand was over his entire upper body. It gave him the appearance of a demonic raccoon.
Gaara: The girl won't be released from the sand unless you beat me. Not only that, it'll get tighter and tighter as time passes, eventually killing her! Now you have no choice but to fight!
Gaara pulled his arm away but Sakura was still pinned to the tree. Naruto now only had four choices: desert his friends completely, only saving his own life; run and get help, leaving his friends at Gaara's mercy but he'd get there a lot faster without the extra baggage; run and get help, bringing Sasuke along; or stay and fight. There was a problem with the first three choices however. If he saved only himself, his friends would undoubtedly die and he would never be able to live with himself. If he ran to get help, whether he took Sasuke with him or not, Gaara would either chase them down and kill them or Sakura could be dead by the time help arrived. There really was no other choice…
Naruto prepared himself as Gaara hurled Sand Shurikens at him. He quickly grabbed Gamikichi and tried to jump out of the way. However, there were too many and he was pelted with quite a few.
Gamikichi: Boy you're weak…
Naruto: Shut up… I don't want to hear that coming from you! *mumbles* Ya useless…
Gamikichi: Do you know what this guy is?
Naruto looked at Gaara and into his eyes, his sad eyes. They reminded him of himself when he had no one to really care about or to care about him. Back when the villagers would, without hesitation, say and do things that would hurt him. He didn't understand why then, but now… it was as clear as day. Naruto then realized that they weren't that different aside from him no longer being alone…
Naruto: If I were still all alone, I'd probably be… just like you… For this, I can sympathize… I don't know what happened to him exactly… but he's been suffering from loneliness… Not knowing what it's like to be relieved… He can only trust himself… continuing to fight in that hell… even to this day…
Gaara: What's wrong… are you afraid of me? To fight for yourself or to fight for others…? Just love yourself! Fight only for your sake! That is what it means to be the strongest!! Fight me!! Show me your powers like when you defeated that Hyuuga and I'll CRUSH IT!!
Naruto lowered his head…
Gaara: Well…? Come on! If you don't, I'll kill this girl!
Naruto lifted his head and jumped into action. He created a bunch of Shadow Clones and in one deep breath, Gaara blew them all away.
Gaara: I won't kill you now… Instead, I'll play with you a little longer to see when you'll finally give up on your comrades and run off to save yourself, not that I would let you get away anyway…
Naruto picked himself up but was met with a flurry of Sand Shurikens that blasted him into the tree. Once again Naruto stood up and was knocked right back over. Again and again and again this happened, but… Naruto just wouldn't stay down.
Gaara: *peeved* …Damnit, he's…
Naruto: What is it…? What is this feeling? What is this feeling… raging inside of me? For some reason… I don't want to lose, especially to him… even if I die!!
Naruto got back to his feet again and Temari was stunned at how someone could stand their ground against Gaara.
Gaara: The look in his eye has changed…!
Naruto's eyes had indeed changed, not just the intensity, but the color as well. They were now golden and Naruto began to undergo a transformation of his own. Horns began to sprout from his head and his tail thickened…
Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai and a couple of explosive tags. He wrapped the tags around the handle of the kunai…
Naruto: I'm gonna give it my best shot! "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU"!!
Naruto created four clones and attacked…
Narutos: HERE WE GO!! BRAND NEW ADVANCED TAIJUTSU TECHNIQUE!! "NARUTO UZUMAKI'S CLONE BODY SLAM"!!
Gaara quickly reacted, grabbing three of the Narutos. One of those free grabbed the other and tossed him at Gaara using the other three for leverage. As he soared at him, Gaara attempted another counter but missed as Naruto created another clone and bounced off of him…
He bounced to the side and created another clone and kept this up all around as he picked up speed. Before he knew it, Gaara couldn't tell which the real one was or where he was…
Naruto: SPIRALING STAR!!!
Suddenly, Naruto, covered in white chakra, crashed into the back of Gaara nearly knocking him off the branch. He managed to keep from falling and swung his tail at Naruto. Naruto countered by swinging his thick lizard-like tail as well and knocked Gaara's away…
With an opening, Naruto made his move…
Naruto: TAKE THIS…!! "HIDDEN LEAF ANCIENT TAIJUTSU SUPREME TECHNIQUE…!! 1000 YEARS OF PAIN"!!!
Naruto shoved his kunai up the tail of Gaara, but nothing happened. No reaction whatsoever, except sweat-drops all around from those watching. With a swing of his mighty tail, Gaara batted Naruto away…
Naruto: ……… Boom…
The explosive tag he had placed on the kunai went off. As Naruto soared through the air, Sasuke caught him before he crashed head first into a tree.
Pakkun: That was a nice display… and that Sasuke, shielding him even though his body is like that…
Temari: … Ga…… Gaara…
Gamikichi: Is… Is it over?
The dust from the explosion began to clear revealing that Gaara was still alive, although… he didn't look all that great. The sand covering his body was falling off…
Gaara: Ugh… Who'd have thought… he'd go after the weak point hidden by my tail…?
Sasuke: Finally decided to get back to your normal self, eh? Even after all that, you only managed a couple of blows… Shape up will ya… I can't save you this time like I did in the Wave Country… you dimwit…
Naruto: … That's good… 'cause I don't want you getting in my way… I was gonna use my "Pulsing Wave" technique if my plan didn't work, but now…
Gaara: I knew he was strong but I figured that I was stronger still… Seems that I underestimated him too much… I'll kill him right away when I get back to normal…
Sasuke: … Hey… Naruto……You have to save Sakura… no matter what… I know you can do it… Once you've got her get away from her as quick as possible. If it's just for a while, I think I can hold him off… *clinches his fists* … Never again… I already lost everything once before… I don't ever want to watch those precious to me die in front of my eyes again…!
Sasuke stood up and took a couple of steps, only to collapse again…
Naruto: Those precious to me…… I get it… Because he was like me… Because he lived feeling the same kind of loneliness and sadness I did… I thought he was strong 'cause he survived that solitude, fighting only for himself… but I was wrong… His strength isn't real… Strength doesn't come from fighting alone… Real strength is not what you have when fighting for only yourself… When you have something special that you want to protect… only then can you become truly strong!!
Sasuke: Na… ruto…?
Naruto got up and stepped in front of Sasuke…
Naruto: Sasuke… I'll leave Sakura to you……
Naruto began to build and focus his chakra. It was so much and so incredible that it nearly knocked Sasuke off the branch…
Sasuke: What the…?! I don't believe the amount of chakra he's putting out! Is this… really Naruto?
Naruto: I'LL PROTECT THEM NO MATTER WHAT!!
The entire forest filled with smoke and when it cleared… there were red haired, red eyed Narutos covering every inch of the area, over a thousand in all. Temari and Sasuke's jaws dropped at the site…
Narutos: HEY, GAARA…!!
Gaara began to worry since his regeneration wasn't complete yet and in one motion… all the Narutos waved their monkey tails and lifted their hornless heads in sync and said…
Narutos: PREPARE TO BE ANNIHILATED!!
Gamikichi: I guess he's pretty good, this guy…!
Gaara: Wha… What's this…? The number of clones!?
Temari: Wh… What is this?!
Pakkun: This… This is incredible…!
Sasuke: … You… This… This can't be Naruto…
End of chapter...
Shino wins his fight, but at what price? Naruto and company finally catch up to Sasuke but are unsuccessful at escaping...
Naruto's fight with Gaara takes a sudden shift...
Next chapter: Naruto goes all out!