Chapter 18: Naruto vs Gaara

It has been about a few weeks since the second task, as Naruto was seen training with Jiraiya. Neville was with Naruto as well training of course and the boy was mostly there trying to get fit, along with learning some good self defense. Soon training ended and the two were leaving the cabin. But that was when Naruto sensed something in the forest, "You go on ahead Neville, I'll meet you back at the common room." Neville raised an eyebrow, but he nodded and went on his way. Naruto decided to check the forest and see what was up, and he had to do it fast as the night was approaching. He entered the forest and using the lumos spell, he trekked the forest to find the disturbing element. He spent a few minutes until he found out what the commotion was. It was Gaara and what he was doing was that he was fighting a valcore. The two were tussling it out, as Gaara used his sand to trap the beast's limb. The valcore tried to pull its arm away but failed to do so, it then roared in pain as its limb was crushed under the sand's pressure. Naruto could only stare in shock as blood shot out like a fountain.

Soon the beast died, as all the valcore's blood sprayed out until there was nothing left. But that didn't stop Gaara as he was about to kill another beast, and it was a bicorn. But luckily Naruto intervened, "STOP!" Naruto yelled out. Gaara turns to see who it was before he looks back only to see that his target disappeared. Gaara was now pissed, "Uzumaki…you took away my prey, for that you will pay!" he said as he fired some sand projectiles. "Protego!" Naruto shouted as he conjured a blue shield-like spell. But Gaara wasn't having it as he rushed at Naruto and decked him. Naruto kicks him away and fires the reducto spell as a sand wall was pushed to Naruto. Soon the two fired their most offensive spells at each other, not before Gaara decided to use his jutsu. "Sand Binding Coffin!" Gaara said as his sand wrapped around the blond. Naruto struggled to escape, but it was too late as Gaara ultimately crushed him… or did he? Gaara opens the sand coffin expecting to see some blood, but to his shock the blond was not there. He turns to see Naruto preparing the rasengan, except this time he was in his version 1 jinchuriki form. He rushes at Gaara, as he screams. "AGHHH!" he yelled as he used the rasengan to blast Gaara to the trees. Gaara was blasted through the trees, but he got up as he smiled like a maniac. "Mother, are you feeling this power?! Surely you are feeling this power!" he said as a dark voice cackled.

Naruto turned back to normal as he raised an eyebrow. "Mother…what the hell are you talking about Gaara?" he asked. Just then Kurama decided to speak with Naruto, "Naruto, that isn't his mother talking… that is the One Tails talking to him, influencing the boy's every move, allow me to commune with his tailed beast." Naruto allowed Kurama to do as he asked, and Kurama managed to make contact with the One Tails. The One Tails was a giant sand tanuki, with dark blue marks all over its body. It had a jagged, concave mouth with no tongue, and yellow eyes, with the scleras being black. The One Tails smiled darkly, "Hello Kurama…it has been a while since we last met, hasn't it?" Kurama groaned, "Hello Shukaku…so not nice to see you again, what the hell have you been doing to your host?" Shukaku chuckled, "Oh I have been doing this and that, especially now that we are free from the accursed world we called home…though I still miss the rampage we cause." Kurama growled, "You stupid idiot, we aren't meant to cause rampages, we are meant to keep the world in balance and maintain the peace!" Shukaku growled back, "Peace?! Oh what a nice joke, those damn humans made us into their war machines and made us their slaves, what gives you the right to know about peace?! Father's era of peace has died ever since he passed it on to his two sons who couldn't even get along, so why should I help with peace! The way I see it, we can do whatever we want, and it's high time you accept that these humans aren't worth helping!"

Kurama was silent before he chuckled, "You're right, humans aren't worth saving and protecting…but over my years and experiences in this world along with being with this boy, I have seen what humans can do. Sure some of them remind us of what it was like back home, but Naruto has helped me see the good people can do in this world, and over the years I found Naruto to be a worthy host…and a good friend. Father gave me a new purpose, and it is to protect the boy so that he can be the one ushering in a new era of peace, and I will be with him to the end of the line." Shukaku scoffed, "I'm still going to cause mayhem as revenge to the humans, and you will not stop me, cause if you are not with me, then you are my enemy." Kurama snorted, "Yeah only someone like you deals in absolutes, I will do what I must." Shukaku scoffed, "You will try. Heh tell you what, in one week we will see who the better tailed beast is. If I win, I will wreak havoc amongst this world and destroy each and every human, and if possible go back home to wreak havoc there as well, and you cannot stop me." Kurama decided to bite back, "Don't bark if you can't bite Shukaku, if I win, you will have to stop influencing your Jinchuriki here and leave the humans alone, and I mean it stop influencing him, it's getting really weird as he keeps calling you mother." Shukaku growled, "Fine by me, soon we will see who is the better one here." But Kurama just flipped him off, as everything turned back to normal.

Naruto and Gaara had an intense staredown as they glared at each other. "One week, we will see who is the better one, and mark my words Uzumaki…I will paint the school with your blood." Naruto scoffed, "We'll see about that sandboy, cause I will in no doubt beat you, and you better believe it." They kept glaring at each other before they went their separate ways. Gaara headed back to his quarters looking silent, as Viktor Krum approached him. "Gaara what is wrong?" he asked worriedly to his fellow classmate. Gaara turns to him looking extra pissed off, "Leave it or else…," he said before slamming the door. Krum raised an eyebrow, 'What the hell was that about?' he thought to himself. Now with Naruto, he entered the dorm as he saw his friends there waiting for him. They noticed that something was wrong with Naruto, "Naruto are you ok man?" Harry asked. Naruto sighed and decided to explain everything and needless to say they were shocked. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean from what you told us, Gaara is pretty strong," Hermione stated as everybody nodded. Naruto nods, "I know, but I have to face this through the end, and I don't want to kill Gaara, I just want to help him out with his problem, even if it means that bones will have to be broken and blood has to be shed, this is my fight and my fight alone." Harry puts a hand on his friend's shoulder, "We have your back mate, you got this," he said as everybody nodded. Naruto smiled and thanked them before he headed off to get some sleep.

The Next Week

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jiraiya asks as Naruto puts on his headband and does a few stretches. "Yeah I have to, this is my fight, and I have to settle this once and for all," Naruto said. Jiraiya sighed, "Careful for what you wish for, you need to survive this," he warned. Naruto nodded and proceeded to enter the arena/stadium. Everyone in the stadium was chanting either Naruto or Gaara's name as the two stared at each other from opposite sides of the stadium. Naruto was wearing his orange and black jumpsuit, ninja headband, sandals, and some anbu armor, as he had a tanto strapped on his back, while donning his red cloak. Gaara was wearing a black bodysuit with an open neck, t-shirt-like sleeves, and almost full-length leggings. He also wore a white cloth over his right shoulder and the left side of his hip. He also carries his gourd of sand behind his back.

Bagman starts to announce the match, "Welcome everyone, to the match of the century. Today we have two wizards from Hogwarts and Durmstrang as they will duel to see who the ultimate wizard is!" Everybody was cheering, as Bagman continued. "Over here at Hogwarts, their representative for this duel is the one, the only, Naruto Uzumaki!" he announced as his friends, the three houses, and Beauxbaton students were cheering for him. "Now over at Durmstrang, their representative duelist is none other than…Gaara!" he announced as the Slytherins and Durmstrang students were cheering for Gaara. "Now then, the rules here are-" Bagman was about to say when Jiraiya came and whispered something to him. Bagman nodded, "Right then, the rules here are that since both boys are equipped with powers beyond ours, they are allowed to use whatever is in their arsenal so long as they don't kill each other so let the match… begin!"

Gaara shot a projectile of sand at Naruto, and the blond had spun away, before shouting, "Stupefy!" Gaara blocks that away, "Protego!" he shouted as a blue shield was conjured. Gaara decided to yell out, "Expelliarmus!" Naruto dodged and threw some shuriken at Gaara, even though he blocked them. The two kept going at it, as they fired spell after spell, but soon the battle had to change. Naruto cut through the projectiles of sand using his tanto, as he charged up some chakra into the blade. Everybody was surprised by the blond's use of the blade, "Bloody hell, Naruto is really good at using the blade!" Ron exclaimed. Over at the stadium the battle was getting really interesting. "You're definitely strong Naruto! You have provided me with a worthy challenge!" Gaara said excitedly. "Don't thank me yet, I'm just waiting to finish this battle," Naruto stated as he rushed at Gaara. "Well let's finish this by taking your blood!" Gaara shouted as he shot a thicker wave of sand at Naruto who flipped away. "Incendio!" Naruto shouted, turning the wave of sand into a shard of glass. Then Naruto performed some hand signs, "Water style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" he shouted as a water dragon appeared and made the sand all muddy, to make sure the sand can't hurt him. Soon Naruto performs a lightning spell as a blue and white lightning hit the mud creating a silica that can trap Gaara. Gaara was having a hard time breaking out of the silica, and as he got out, it was too late as Naruto jumped at him and used his chakra infused tanto to pierce Gaara's shoulder as blood came out.

"You…you cut me. Cut through my sand. My armor. I see…I see blood. My blood. I'M BLEEDING! YOU MADE ME BLEED!" Gaara said as he saw, felt, and smelled the crimson liquid falling down his shoulder. Ok now shit just got intense as everybody felt it. "I'll make you pay for this. I'll make you bleed for this action!" Gaara yelled in rage. "Tch fine, let's settle this once and for all, but not here, not in front of these people!" Naruto yells as he looks at Jiraiya and Dumbledore, who nodded knowing what was about to happen. Naruto rushes at Gaara and using the body flicker jutsu, he takes Gaara with him to the forest. The two were in the forest as they fought without using any spells. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouts as multiple Naruto clones arrive in the fray. But Gaara took out a few of the clones, as some of the clones managed to avoid Gaara's sand attack. "You will have to do much better than that Uzumaki. Show me that power you used before! Show me your fury!" Gaara yelled as his body was transforming into an abomination of a man and beast.

Naruto gritted his teeth, "Ninja Art: Slicing Cyclone!" Naruto yells as he unleashes a wind attack. The two were fighting nonstop, as it was getting tiring but none of them were backing down. "Come on Uzumaki… is that the best you can do, those humans are making you weak," Gaara sneered. "Why do you believe that?" Naruto asked as he drew out his tanto. The psychotic gleam in Gaara's eyes seemed to lessen for a moment. "I used to be like you, Uzumaki. I had someone precious to me. He was my uncle Yashamaru. He loved me when my siblings, father, and village despised my very existence. My mother died giving birth to me as Shukaku was sealed inside of me during my birth. Yashamaru always looked out for me, cared for me and loved me, until one day." Gaara said as his expression darkened.

"What happened?" Naruto asked. "He tried to kill me! My father gave him a mission to kill me as my father believed that I was too much of a liability. Yashamaru attacked me in disguise and I used my sand to mortally wound him. Before he died, he told me that he never loved me. He always saw me as the monster that killed his sister. He even told me that my mother despised the village for what they had done to her and wanted me to love only myself," Gaara stated. "So then I saw the truth! In this world, the only person you should care about is yourself! Especially here now that we are in this realm, I still hold onto this belief that we should care for ourselves! Now do you see why fighting for others is pointless Uzumaki?!" Gaara said maniacally.

Naruto was silent after hearing everything. He thought to himself, maybe he really could've ended up like Gaara had his friends and mentors not been there by his side. But his mind turned back to the battle as he glared, "Let's finish this Gaara, once and for all," he said as both boys prepared to summon their beasts. Over at the stadiums the others were talking about what just happened. "Man that battle was intense, huh?" Ron asked as the others agreed. Harry nodded, "I know but-"

Before he could finish everybody felt a strong pressure as the winds howled. They soon looked up to see something shocking. It was two giant beasts as they're duking it out. That's right, Naruto summons Thorn, as he can't summon Kurama, while Gaara becomes Shukaku. "Finally I am free, once and for all!" Shukaku yelled in a psychotic glee. Naruto was speechless, how the hell is he going to fight this monster. Soon Shukaku turns to see Naruto as he darkly smiles. "So this is the brat that holds the Nine Tails? Finally I have been waiting to take you down!"

Naruto felt the hatred of both Kurama and Thorn as they were snarling at the giant oversized tanuki. "Kid! Take him down!" Kurama snarled. "How do you suggest I do that?!" Naruto yelled as he was holding onto dear life while Thorn and Shukaku clashed. "Shukaku is only in control for as long as that boy is asleep. Wake him up and Shukaku will lose control of that body!" Thorn explained.

"Here we go!" Shukaku yelled as he slammed a fist at Naruto. Luckily Naruto managed to get away as he jumped in the air and summoned a dragon. The dragon that was also summoned into the battle was none other than Quetzalcoatl. "What is your command, Naruto?" Quetzalcoatl asked as the dragon soared, carrying his summoner. "Quetzalcoatl, I need you to get me close to Shukaku. I have a plan to stop the beast," Naruto stated as he began to explain the plan. Quetzalcoatl nodded, "You know you are really reckless, right? I like this plan, let's do this!" the dragon stated as it flew to the giant tanuki. Thorn also helped out by biting Shukaku's tail, as it yelped in pain. "Jump Naruto!" The dragon ordered as Naruto nodded and proceeded to do as told. He landed on the tailed beast and using his enhanced speed, he ran to the top of Shukaku's head. "Hey! Get off of me!" he yelled as he slammed at Naruto. Naruto avoided the obstacles, as he managed to reach the head and punch Gaara. "Wake up!" Naruto yelled as he put all his power behind the punch. However, that didn't work as a sand dome surrounded Gaara and blocked the attack.

But luckily, that was all… part of Naruto's plan. He jumps in the air, "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yells as more clones appear. But that wasn't it, as Naruto had a little trump card he needed to use. 'This better work,' he thought to himself as he performed the ultimate technique of the Uzumaki clan. "Ninja Art: Adamantine Sealing Chains!" Naruto yells and he finally summons the adamantine chains out of his back as it trapped Shukaku. "What the hell is this?!" Shukaku screamed as he tried to break free. Inside Naruto's mindscape, Kurama smirked, 'So he finally mastered that jutsu, go Naruto, finish this once and for all.' The clones on the ground along with Thorn pulled on the chains as they wanted to bind Shukaku. Shukaku growled and tried to break free, but he couldn't break free. Quetzalcoatl fired his most powerful attack electrocuting Shukaku. "Now's my chance!" Naruto said as he jumped up. "Carpe Retractum!" he conjured as he was pulled to the beast. He flies at the sleeping Gaara, "Wake up!" he yells as he slammed his head at Gaara. Gaara wakes up to stare up into Naruto's face with a look of disbelief.

"NOOOO! I was just starting to have some fun!" Shukaku yelled as his consciousness left the sand and the sand body began to disintegrate. Both Naruto and Gaara were on the ground, looking down for the count, as everything settled. Naruto looks around and sees that everything is alright aside from the forest being sort of damaged. 'Thank god it wasn't the school or else that would be a lot of property damage,' he thought as he stared at Gaara, who was down for the count. "Kill me," Gaara said tiredly. "What?! Naruto exclaimed in shock, as he tried to crawl to Gaara. "You have beaten me. My existence is over if I can't defeat you. Kill me, as my life is no longer of any importance," Gaara said. Naruto was silent, until he sighed, "I'm not going to kill you Gaara," shocking the boy. "Why won't you kill me?!" Gaara asked in shock, almost yelling. "Because if I do that, then I'm proving to those bastards that I am a demon reborn, despite us being away from that hellhole of a realm that was our home! Besides, no one's life is of no importance as long as they have things precious to them!" Naruto yelled.

"But why? Why won't you kill me?" Gaara asked in confusion. "Because you and I are not so different Gaara. I went through the exact same things you went through in life," Naruto explained as he remembered his childhood when he was treated as the pariah of the village. "I could've become like you. Alone, angry at the world, bloodthirsty and willing to cause pain to those that scorned me. But I found the ones I considered precious. The ones that helped kept the darkness away from me and accepted me for who I am, and I found my worth and found my purpose with them," Naruto said as he thinks about his friends here at Hogwarts as they were the ones to have accepted him. "Gaara…find the ones that are the most precious to you, and then you may find true strength and your own purpose," Naruto stated. Gaara looked at Naruto and saw the strength he carried.

'That's why he's strong? He fights for others. Is that true strength?' Gaara thought as Naruto got up and offered him a hand, despite the injuries he had. Gaara takes the hand, and Naruto picks him up. "Gaara!" someone yelled as the two turned to see that it was Viktor Krum and some of his fellow classmates.

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned to see that it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione checking up on him, as Hermione came to his side and hugged him. Gaara watches this moment as he thinks to himself. He turns to his friends, "Krum…guys…I'm sorry," he said softly. Krum and his classmates were shocked, but nonetheless they still gave him a group hug as they were worried for him. Soon they left, leaving Naruto with his friends. Naruto fell to his knees in exhaustion, but luckily his friends helped him up. "Don't worry Naruto, you have done enough, we'll handle it from here," Harry said as they were carrying Naruto back to the castle. But luckily the Quetzalcoatl offered them a ride and the four flew back to the castle.

Note: Hey guys the battle is over and man did I enjoy writing this chapter. Oh and yeah Gaara is going to be a future ally in future volumes, now that the rivalry was settled. Anyways hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and feel free to review