Declaimer: I own nothing in this fanfic, but my created characters they abilities and Jutsu and that is about all I own "Goes to corner and starts crying"
Writing: Italic: thought, Bold: Bijuu or summoning speaking.
"I will not stop, no matter what the cost, I will not stop. Even if the world should end and crumble into darkness. I will not stop walking for I do not fear the darkness because I thrive in darkness." -Unknown.
"War does not determine who is right only who is left..." - Unknown
Gaara took the fact of Lee's sudden behavior change and the fact Neji was shaking slightly, that whatever Lee drank was a bad thing. This was proven when Lee started going berserk on everything around him within seconds of drinking his "medicine". Everyone decided to give the Taijutsu user a big space, but Lee's main focus, Kimimaro, gladly accepted Lee's challenge. Looking at Neji, Gaara eyes asked reflected his question. "Lee is a great Taijutsu user, but he has a very bad problem," Neji confessed as Kidomaru was distracted by the fact that their leader was being pushed back. "He can't hold down any sort of alcohol. Lee is a natural user of the Drunken Fist style."
"So who cares about the Drunken Fist," Sakon stated with ease while his eyes trailed to the drunken ninja. "That is just a sad excuse of a Taijutsu style."
"You think that," Neji growled out. "Then try and approach him, I promise that you won't lay a single finger on him." Sakon decided to test this and charged at Lee's back. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Lee seemed to fall backwards, as if about to pass out, but just as he hit the ground; he bounced over Sakon. Sakon didn't get much warning before a several elbows and arms collided against his body. Just as Sakon recovered and tried to punch the drunken boy, Lee's legs gave out, but just as Sakon's fist sailed by Lee's head; Lee spun to life kicking Sakon into the air. Feeling his body breaking apart, Sakon realized the mistake he made. Falling back down to the earth, Sakon suddenly had a kick blast directly into the side of his head. Lee continued to spin like a top, until Kimimaro tried to stab him. Lee suddenly stopped dead and bashed the bone user away with his forearms.
"I'm trying to sleep," Lee yelled before closing his eyes, falling to the ground, and then passing out. Lying on the ground, Lee snored peacefully as both Kimimaro and everyone else tried to get a grip on what had just happened. Sakon stared at Lee as his body regenerated, but suddenly found himself unable to move. Staring around, Sakon saw he now had two shadows and realized what had just happened.
"You see the Drunken Fist style may not be the most coordinated fighting style, but what it lacks in grace, it more then makes up for in raw power," Neji looked at Sakon one last time before turning to Kidomaru. "I should know, it took both Guy-sensei and me just to calm him down."
XXX
The collision was a brutal one. The ground shook as Naruto and Sasuke clashed in mid-air. Both had the other's fist in their separate hands. Sasuke's grin was still plastered on his face, but Naruto had nothing on his face. Leaping away from each other, the two stared the other down. "Is that the true power you were talking about," Sasuke mocked as the black chakra continued to leak out of him. Deciding this was enough testing Sasuke, Naruto flared his chakra once more. Appearing behind Sasuke, Naruto thought he had surprised Sasuke by his speed, but the boy chuckled. "You are so slow." Ducking under Naruto's punch, Sasuke pulled a kunai out of his pouch and plunged it into Naruto's stomach. Jumping away, Naruto pulled the kunai out of his stomach, but thankfully it only was only stuck in the cloak.
"You shouldn't have been able to see me," Naruto mumbled as Sasuke continued to chuckle.
"With the Sharingan I can see your every move, but if it wasn't for this new power coursing through me; I wouldn't have been able to react as fast as I did," Sasuke explained as he readied himself to attack again. Going through handsigns, Sasuke fired off a giant fireball that Naruto easily avoided, but instead of going after the Uchiha; Naruto plummeted down to the river below. "Where do you think you're going?!" As Naruto expected the Uchiha jumped in after. Turning around Naruto fired off a giant sphere of wind at the traitor. Eyes widening at his awkward position, Sasuke fired off another fireball. Just as Sasuke expected, the fire overpowered the wind and grew bigger in response, but just before he could celebrate his victory, he felt wind rush by him.
"You can't follow me if you can't see me," Naruto whispered into the boy's ear. Sasuke turned just as Naruto's fist punched him directly into his own jutsu. As the fire engulfed Sasuke, Naruto thought he saw the boy smiling through the flames. Crashing into the river the fire went out releasing steam just as Naruto landed. That was when Naruto saw it, even if it was just for a split second, Naruto saw electricity bouncing across the water, but it wasn't blue; it was black. Kurama immediately knew the danger Naruto was in.
"Kid if he has that lightning in him my cloak won't be able to protect you," Kurama warned, but Naruto just stood his ground.
"There has only been two people who were able to use that specific lightning," Naruto argued. "And Sasuke isn't even from Kumo, so what we just saw was that new chakra affecting the color of the lightning." Even as he said that, Naruto felt the surge of power when that lightning bounced on the water's surface. The steam slowly faded away, revealing Sasuke standing on the water with small burns on his body.
"That was good using my own jutsu to cloud my vision," Sasuke stated as his head tilted to the side. "But that was your only chance to end this fight."
XXX
Lee was going nuts on anything he could hit. Shouting at the top of his voice, Lee just kept saying the same thing about how all he wanted was sleep and everyone was keeping him up. "You sand using fuck," Lee shouted as he stumbled over to Gaara. "Your fucking sand keeps getting in my mouth!" Lee charged towards Gaara. Having enough dealing with the sound and Lee, Gaara's sand erupted around him before rushing over Lee. Even through Lee attempted to fight through the sand; Gaara's sand slowly restrained the boy. "I will release you once you calm down." Instead of responding, Lee was snoring in the sand. Putting the coffin of bed on the sidelines, Gaara focused his attention on Kimimaro who seemed to be all the happier to have the erratic taijutsu user put on the sidelines. "Now we continue where we left off."
"Are you sure you want to place him that close to the battlefield," Kimimaro questioned.
"It doesn't matter, I'm ending this fight now," Gaara's response was backed up by the tentacles of sand wrapping around Kimimaro's legs. Kimimaro didn't seem worried by this turn of events, but Gaara simply ignored this. Slamming his hands on ground a large amount of sand erupted around Gaara. Sending the wave at the bone user, Gaara saw the black marks on his chest spread more. Swirling the sand around Kimimaro, Gaara pressed his hands hard against the sand as it laid on the surface like a desert. "Sabaku Taiso (Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral)." The sand rippled as it began to press and crush whatever was underneath it. Despite knowing no one could have survived the pressure his sand had exerted on him, Gaara still kept his guard up. Suddenly the sand began to bulge as something began to emerge. Putting up his sand, Gaara attempted to smother Kimimaro, but had to raise a shield as a barrage of bone spikes were shot at him. The spikes stopped mere inches away from Gaara's face, but a white blur caught his attention. Turning his head, Gaara found a lone bone spike heading straight for Lee. Willing his sand, Gaara caught the spike just as it scratched Lee's face.
"I'll ask one last time; are you sure you want him that close to the battlefield," Kimimaro emerged from the sand completely different from before. His skin was darker and he had giant bone protrusions coming out of his back. His eyes were yellow with the outside being black. Not giving Gaara a time to react, Kimimaro ran full speed at him. Even through Gaara noticed he was slowly then before, that didn't stop the behemoth from running through the barriers of sand Gaara erected in front of him. Cascading sand around him, Gaara prepared for the impact, but Kimimaro was intercepted by something fast and green. Receiving a vicious spin kick to his face, Kimimaro barely flinched, but it was enough to stop his approach. Lee landed in front of Gaara, but quickly grabbed his leg.
"That felt like kicking a steel block," Lee complained hopping on one leg. Kimimaro just stared at the boy, before pulling a curved bone out of his back. Throwing it at the two, Gaara quickly poured all his sand around the two, but was surprised when the bone simply sliced through the hardened sand like it was nothing. Causing sand to come from below, Gaara managed to divert the bone away from Lee and himself.
"That was only a mere taste of my power," Kimimaro bent low as he pulled out his entire spinal column "This time I'll hit you with everything I have." Swinging the homemade whip, Gaara pushed Lee out of the way as well as covering himself in his sand. As the whip wrapped around Gaara, the suna nin could feel the whip's spike tips touch his skin slightly. Looking at Kimimaro, Gaara saw that he was already forming another weapon this time a giant spear attached to his arm. Seeing the boy pull his arm back, Gaara quickly pulled out sand from the ground, before making it take the form of a miniature Shukaku. Swinging the point of his spear towards the doll, all Gaara could do was hope that the shield would hold. The spear tip penetrated the shield and slowly began to dig its way into it, but clinching his fist tightly, Gaara began to harden the sand even more. Kimimaro narrowed his eyes as he saw cracks begin to develop along the bone spear. Much to the sound nin's surprise the spear shattered against the sand shield. Hearing this, Gaara took his chance. Making the doll explode, Gaara's sand cascaded around the bone user. Pouring more and more sand on him, Temari and Kankuro could see that he was struggling to keep Kimimaro contained, but even with all the sand crushing him, Kimimaro began to pull himself out of the sand. Slamming his hands to the ground, Gaara used the last bit of his chakra to form sand underneath Kimimaro. Slamming his hands together, Gaara pulled every drop of sand shot out of the ground and poured all over Kimimaro, before pulling him underground. Pouring even more sand into the hole, Gaara didn't stop until all anyone could see was sand. Making a fist, a shockwave ran through the ground as Gaara's exerted tremendous pressure on his opponent. Breathing a sigh, Gaara collapsed to his knees thinking the fight was over.
"You did it," Lee's excited voice rang. "Now time to help the others." Nodding his head Gaara went to stand when he heard it.
"Dance," the voice was muffled, but it echoed in Gaara's mind. Looking towards the place Kimimaro once stood, Gaara heard it one last time. "Sawarabi no Mai (Dance of the Seedling Fern)." The ground began to shake as Gaara saw his sand being pushed up from everywhere. The ground exploded as giant bone blades erupted out of the ground slicing through everything that stood in its way, but luckily Gaara had just enough chakra to levitate both him and Lee out of harms way, but that was it. Gaara knew he had to hide to regain his strength, but before he could get that far a Kimimaro's voice came from behind him. "Good bye, Suna nin." Twisting around, Gaara the tip of Kimimaro's spear enter his eyesight, but suddenly stop mere centimeters. Looking past the spear tip, Gaara saw that Kimimaro's eyes were glazed over with blood dripping from his mouth. Kimimaro had died.
"Looks like it finally happened," Ukon stated with a slight chuckle in his voice. "Out of us all, Kimimaro was the strongest, but he had one flaw; he was sick with a disease that was slowly killing him. I guess his time finally ran out, just like yours has." But just as he said this a lightning charged dog collided with him. As Ukon's body was ripped apart by the dog, everyone looked and saw two newcomers; Kakashi, but to Gaara's great surprise he saw something he couldn't believe. Wave of gold dust poured around him and Lee, stepping in front of his child.
"I know you're eager to help your new friend, Naruto, but you should've waited for me," Sakin glanced at his son's shocked face and smiled.
XXX
Dodging a fireball launched at him, Naruto was taking a more cautious approach to dealing with Sasuke. Ever since seeing a little black lightning bounce from Sasuke, Naruto didn't know what was happing. Either it was nothing to worry about or something that should be warded against. "All you've been doing is dodging me," Sasuke shouted as his eyes gleamed with a maddening happiness. "Are you that scared?!" Even though he was taking it cautiously, Naruto knew he couldn't keep running forever. Slamming his hands together, Naruto's hands soared through handseals.
"Futon: Hishoukazetama (Wind style: Soaring Wind Bullets)." Four separate orbs of wind appeared around Naruto's body, before firing straight at Sasuke. With his sharingan, Sasuke easily dodged the orbs, but didn't expect them to explode behind him; pelting his body with smaller bullets of wind. Biting back a howl of pain, Sasuke saw Naruto jumping at him with a spinning orb of chakra in his hand. Raising his hand level with his face, Naruto shoved his arm forward shouting out the jutsu's name. "Rasengan!" Seeing the chakra level behind the attack, Sasuke pumped a large amount of his lightning chakra in his arm, before shoving it at the orb. The grinding sound released from the collision was deafening, but Naruto pushed one last time and was rewarding by seeing Sasuke's grimace in pain. Taking the opportunity, Naruto decked Sasuke in the face sending the boy down to the water, but just in free-fall, Naruto grabbed Sasuke by his leg and pulled him directly into his waiting Rasengan. Burrowing the sphere into his stomach, Sasuke let out an inaudible scream before being pin wheeled into the water. Landing on the water, Naruto let out a small sigh seeing Sasuke's body floating on the surface. Reaching down to pick Sasuke up and go home, Naruto found his arm in the grip of Sasuke's.
"That was pathetic," Sasuke mumbled with a crooked smile. Holding up his arm, Naruto saw the same black lightning arch up its length. "Die." Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke plunged his arm directly at Naruto's chest.
XXX
Forming a cloud of his gold dust above the resurrected shinobi, Sakin warned everyone to move. Running far from their opponents, Sakin release a barrage of spears of gold dust at them. Even has they tried to run, the cloud simply followed after them, until they were all pinned and shredded to bits. Swinging his hands down, the cloud solidified before falling and crushing everyone underneath. Slapping his hands together, Sakin collapsed the mess of gold into three separate coffins of gold. "And problem solved," Sakin said with a smug look as he increased the pressure of the gold on his prisoners. "Now all we need is Jiraiya to fix it to where they are released from the Edo Tensei." Kakashi nodded his head at the Kazkage, before turning to the others.
"Hold on where in the world is Naruto," Kakashi asked, just then a black streak of lightning soared in the skyline.
"He went after Sasuke," Shikamaru stated.
"Okay, we are going to help," Kakashi said in a authoritative voice. Then he heard a scuffle behind him. Turning around, Kakashi found that Sakin was restraining Gaara legs from moving.
"Release me!"
"No," Sakin answered with sympathy in his voice. "You are almost out of chakra and if something did happen to your friend Naruto, and then you will end up going into you Tailed Beast form. That is something that I cannot allow to happen."
"So what it's not you ever showed any sort of kindness to me," Gaara retorted with anger in his eyes. "Why should you care if I transform into Shukaku?"
"Because if you do that you will most likely hurt Naruto and your own siblings in the crossfire," Sakin explained in a fatherly manner, but that simply got a scoff from his son. Shaking his head, Sakin looked at Temari and Kankuro. "You both are to make sure, Gaara remains here. If I see him anywhere close to where that lightning was…" Sakin just let the sentence trail off from there and allowed they're own imaginations to take hold. Every since Sakin's confession of his involvement of Gaara's life being bad, the man tried everything to make amends. Temari knew her father was trying, but her brothers were still not ready to accept his apology, especially Gaara. Kankuro just rolled his eyes at his dad, while Gaara continued to glare a hole in him.
"So know you threaten your own family with you power as our kage," Gaara shouted back. "You haven't changed one-." Gaara stopped when the gold dust released his legs.
"No, right now I'm not talking to you as your kage, I'm talking to you as my children," Sakin stated with a sad smile. "Just listen to what I said before you decide to follow after us." With that Kakashi and Sakin left the scene, and allowed the others to rest as a medic team arrived shortly after to tend to them. Ignoring the medics, Gaara mind was still processing the words his father left him, and trying to decide whether to follow or not.
XXX
Arriving to the battle, Kakashi and Sakin saw a very disturbing sight. Naruto right shoulder had arm sized hole through it, with Sasuke standing above him; black lightning coursing through his entire body. "This is a surprise, my old teacher and the Kazekage have come to taste my power as well," Sasuke smirked as he watched Naruto's blood pour out of his wound. The thing that surprised Kakashi the most was the fact, Naruto was cloaked in Kyubi's chakra. Naruto growled at Sasuke, as he attempted to grab him with his one good arm, but the Uchiha simply sidestepped the attempt, laughing at him. "You are pathetic with my Sharingan, this curse mark, and now this black lightning; you can't touch me!" Naruto grabbed his arm, but looked at Kakashi with a stern look.
"He's mine," Naruto stated firmly before turning back to Sasuke. Kakashi was about to move and so was Sakin, but stopped when a spike in Kyubi's chakra happened. The water around Naruto rippled as the hole in his arm healed instantly.
"I'm giving you more of my power," Kurama explained in worry as he stared at a questioning Naruto. "But you must beat him quickly, you and I may be friends now, but there is only so much your body can take and I can heal." Naruto nodded his head before returning back to the battle. Looking down at his hand, Naruto thought he was on fire for a second, but stopped when he notice the flames didn't burn. Looking his new body over, Naruto saw his entire being was incased in this new yellow fire-like chakra.
"It doesn't matter how much you change your form," Sasuke stated getting Naruto's attention again. "You are simply an ant before an Uchi-." In a burst of yellow light, Naruto's fist was in Sasuke's eyesight. Being decked by the fist, Sasuke was sent flying across the water, but when he regained his stance, Naruto appeared above him in a flash of light holding a Rasengan.
"What was that about me being an ant," Naruto stated, before shoving the Rasengan down, causing the entire water around them to explode up in a column. Kakashi and Sakin couldn't believe what they were seeing. Kakashi because of the remembrance to his sensei jutsu, but Sakin couldn't believe the speed and ferocity of Naruto's attacks. As the water settled, Naruto's blazing form emerged out of the water. Sasuke's body emerged second, but he was barely able to stand. One eye was closed and his shirt was completely blown leaving behind a gash on his back. "I held back on purpose, next time, I won't be so gracious. Come back to Konoha willingly or be dragged back."
"How," Sasuke thought as he stared at Naruto's blazing chakra form. "I'm an Uchiha, the elite of the elite. I'm the only one who can avenge my clan and bring back our honor!" Sasuke let out a scream as he was consumed in the purple chakra, but Naruto wasn't even fazed by the repulsive nature of it. The purple chakra receded back into Sasuke, who had gone through yet another transformation. His hair had become long reaching down his back and his skin became darker. He also had a pair of hand looking appendages on his back, that Naruto question their use, but he knew never to take everything he saw for granted. Everything and anything could hurt or kill him, which was something his brother's taught when they began training him. "I will end you!" Sasuke roared as black electricity erupted all around him. Naruto was about to respond, but found his right arm shaking violently. Looking down, Naruto saw the chakra around his arm slowly being peeled back, but then return to normal.
"Your body is beginning to fail," Kurama warned. "You need to end this fight and end it now." Nodding his head, Naruto created another rasengan, but this time it had four mini blades spinning with it.
"Futon: Rasengan," Naruto announced staring directly into Sasuke's eyes. "This has become boring. How about we end this, one last attack and we don't hold back." Sasuke's gleamed at the sound of no holding back. Lightning arched all over Sasuke's arm, ignoring the smell of blood as his arm was torn from the chakra level he was exerting. Kakashi and Sakin knew better then try and interrupt this fight, but just then a snapping twig caught their attention. Kakashi turned to check who it was, but Sakin just smiled.
"You came," Sakin looked back and saw his son, Gaara looking back at him. "Before you see what is happening did you think about what I said."
"Yes, and no matter what I won't let Shukaku take control over me," Gaara said firmly. Smiling at his son's conviction, Sakin let his son observe the end of his friend's fight.
"I'm about to prove the superiority of the Uchiha Clan," Sasuke laughed has his wings, began to propel him upward. Naruto didn't need to saw anything; all he did was get ready for the attack. Sasuke dived towards Naruto with the intent to kill the Uzumaki, but just he swung his black lightning infused arm at him, Naruto brought his wind infused Rasengan up to intercept. The collision was something that terrified everyone. Every inch of water around the two was being pushed back, but from the faces it was clear who was winning. Naruto's face was calm and composed, but Sasuke's was that of pure rage. Releasing his jutsu, Naruto sidestepped Sasuke as he soared past him, but once he got down to where Naruto's leg was, Sasuke found himself being propelled into the side of the cliff. Being forced to make a crater into the cliff face with his own body, Sasuke tired to get out, but Naruto reappeared in front putting both of his feet into Sasuke's chest sending him further into the cliff side. Smiling at his success, Naruto's new chakra form simply dissolved causing the boy to fall forward, but was stopped by a wave of gold dust.
"Come here, kid," Sakin called out as his dust carried the boy over to where he and his son stood. "There is someone who is worried about his friend." Laying the boy on the ground, Sakin turned to see Kakashi retrieving Sasuke. The boy was surprisingly still in one piece, but was completely out.
"Hey, Gaara I see you beat that bone guy," Naruto's voice was raspy, but he still gave his friend a good smile. Gaara looked out of place in this situation, he really didn't know a lot about being concerned for another person. "I see your father is here." That was when Gaara's eyes hardened.
"He's not my father," Gaara stated, but Naruto caught Sakin flinch slightly at that. "He even tried to keep me from helping you."
"He was concerned for you," Naruto stated. "If I was sitting down there bleeding to death and you saw it, what would you have done?" Gaara opened his mouth, but no words came out, instead he looked thoughtful. "For us Jinchuriki losing control of our emotions is dangerous, giving into anger and rage is a bad idea. I know, because it has happened to me twice. He wasn't trying to keep you from helping me; he just didn't want you to see me hurt or dead. In his own way, he was trying to protect you." Gaara looked up and saw Sakin staring at Naruto, before looking at his son. Kakashi arrived just as Naruto's eyes began to droop. "Are we going home?"
"Yes."
"Good, wake me when we get there." With that Naruto fell asleep with a smile on his face. Gaara eyes widened thinking something had happened to Naruto.
"He's just tired, after a good night sleep and some medical attention to make sure he is okay, and he will be fine," Sakin reassured as he lifted Naruto and Gaara up. Surprised, Gaara looked at his father. "You look a little out of it as well. Take a nap and we will be back in Konoha in no time."
"I still don't trust you," Gaara stated coldly, but his father still smiled at him.
"I know, but I'll continue to try until I die," Sakin stated as his son fell asleep on his own separate dust cloud and passed out. Unknown to them, a man with a vinous flytrap on his neck emerged out of the ground.
"Did you get the need chakra," he asked his white side.
"Of course, with this we can finally find Orochimaru and deal with him," the white half chuckled as a clone of him emerged out of the tree line, but soon morphed into a perfect Sasuke clone.
"Good work, Zetsu," Zetsu looked up as a man with an orange mask and a single eye-hole appeared. "Now let's go and see where that snake is hiding."
"Sure thing, Tobi," Zetsu said as he sent his clone out, towards the rice country and hopefully to Orochimaru.
I'm once again sorry for the long wait, but as I said I have a job now and have to focus a little but more on that. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you all later.