(Welcome back readers.)
Every spectator in the arena fell asleep, due to the Jutsu that was casted, all except for the Jonin, Chunin, Naruto, Sakura, Ino, and Hun, "What's going on Kakashi sensei?" Ino asked.
"We're at war Ino." Kakashi answered.
"Wait a minute, I don't see Gaara or Sasuke in the arena." Naruto spotted the arena was empty.
"What?" Ino gasps as they see both challengers are gone.
"You don't think they?" Sakura hated to even consider it.
"Yes, Gaara fled with his siblings, and Sasuke went after them." Kakashi explained the situation.
"I got to go after him!" Naruto stood up.
"I'm coming with." Ino added.
"Me to!" Sakura finished.
"Hold on you guys will need help in tracking them down." Kakashi said forming some hand signs, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he called slamming his palm down and in a puff of smoke appeared a small brown dog wearing a blue cloak with a Henohenomoheji hiragana face on it.
"Hey!" the dog said.
"That's a talking dog!" Ino and Sakura gasped.
"Pakkun take these three and find Sasuke." Kakashi ordered.
"You got it, Kakashi." Pakkun said sniffing out Sasuke's scent.
Naruto turned to Hun, "Hun take the Foot ninjas and help the others defend Konoha."
"Yes Master." Hun understood as he headed off.
"Ok you all be careful out there and make sure Sasuke isn't harmed." Kakashi explained.
"Don't worry," Naruto replied, "Come on guys!" Naruto took off followed by Ino and Sakura.
They were being led by Pakkun who was sniffing Sasuke out through the forest in the village, "Can't be too far ahead now." Naruto explained as he followed Pakkun.
"Yes we should be nearing them soon." Ino added.
"Have any of you figured out what we're going to so once we catch them?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, I'm going to go at it with Gaara if Sasuke cannot. I want you two to be prepared against Temari and Kankuro if they decide to protect him." Naruto instructed.
"They're up ahead!" Pakkun called as they hurried it up.
When they arrived, they saw Gaara standing on a tree branch looking like the side of his face was that of a monster along with his right arm turned into a claw and a tail sticking out from behind, while Sasuke was lying on the ground weakened, "Sasuke!" Sakura called.
"Your friend was a warm up." Gaara replied cold as usual.
"Ino, you and Sakura see to Sasuke I got to deal with this guy!" Naruto said taking a stand and drew the Tengu sword.
So Ino and Sakura led Sasuke to a nearby tree to laid him down, while Kankuro and Temari stood back not wanting to get past Gaara and his half demonic form, "Let's fight Shredder!" Gaara beckoned him.
"You asked for it!" Naruto warned him as he sent a shockwave from his sword towards the Sand ninja.
However Gaara used his claw to attack Naruto, but the Shredder ninja managed to avoid the attack and used his gauntlet to pierce the sand claw. Naruto kept trying again and again, until Gaara's upper body was being consumed by sand transforming him into what looked like a human Raccoon Dog, "Be careful Naruto, he's letting Shukaku's influence on him out more and more." Kyubi warned him.
"Suna Shuriken!" Shukaku Gaara called sending huge Shuriken made of sand right at Naruto.
"That's not going to work on me!" Naruto shouted as he swung his sword forward releasing another shockwave when collided with Gaara's sand shuriken reduced them to mere sand fragments.
Shukaku Gaara sent forth two sand claws. Naruto dodged them but realized they weren't aimed for him, instead they went for Sakura and Ino. Ino jumped away but Sakura was too slow to dodge and was pinned to the tree, "Guys, I can't move!" Sakura called, but soon she started losing consciousness.
"Hang on, Sakura!" Naruto rushed back only to be blocked by a sand wall.
"You're not going anywhere!" Shukaku Gaara exclaimed.
"Naruto-kun!" Ino called standing above him drawing her sword out of its sheath, "You deal with him, I'll help Sakura!"
Naruto nodded his head and looked back to Gaara, "Your doom is at hand worm!" he says as fires another shockwave of energy at Gaara.
Gaara continued to shake off the feeling and attacked Naruto with more Suna shurikens, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called summoning hundreds of himself, "Shredder's attack!" he ordered and all the Shredder clones went at it with Shukaku Gaara.
The Sand ninja took most of the attacks which resulted in some of the sand on his body crumbling, "He managed to weaken the sand on me, this one's clever, but still I shall not be defeated!" Gaara cried as he sent sand everywhere causing all of Naruto's clones to be dispelled and that sand was then piling back onto Gaara giving him a new form.
Meanwhile prior to what was happening with Naruto, in the village citizens were being evacuated to safer locations as Sound and Sand ninja were causing chaos. But fighting back against them was some of the Anbu, Jonin, along with Kushina, Hun, and the Foot Ninja. Kushina was using Foot clan combat moves against some Sound Ninjas trying to jump her, "Never mess with the Hot Blooded Habanero!" she called out.
Hun who had just finished knocking some Suna ninja out, looked at Kushina as she called out about herself, "So the rumors about her being a tough tomboy were true." Hun said until his head shot up and he looked at a pile of rubble thinking he saw something move but soon dismissed the idea as he joined the Foot Ninja who were going at it with a vast number of Sound Ninja.
Soon the Foot Ninja defeated the Sound Ninja, as Kushina regrouped with Hun, "This area has been secured Mistress Kushina." A Foot Ninja told her.
"Good let's head back and help the other Jonin!" Kushina orders until the land starts to shake.
"Earthquake?" Hun asked until they look out into the forest area and see in the distance a giant raccoon dog, "Oh crud." He replied.
While back with Naruto he looks up seeing before him a 100ft tall Shukaku, "This is not good." Naruto says a little freaked.
"Oh no, Kankuro we gotta get out of here!" Temari ordered taking off.
"Hai!" Kankuro cried making a run for it as well.
Naruto stood his ground staring up at the giant creature, "Now Shredder," Gaara's voice came from the giant Shukaku, "I shall show you true power!" he shouts sending a stream of sand that surrounds Naruto.
Meanwhile Sasuke had woken up, seeing Sakura still pinned to the tree, while Ino was slowly being able to break the sand, but still wasn't doing much effort, "Ino, Sakura!" he cried and tried to break Sakura out but to no avail. He looked back and sees Naruto being surrounded by sand, "Naruto get out of there!" he screamed but Naruto had been encased in a sphere of sand.
"Naruto-kun!" Ino cried.
Inside the sphere of sand, Naruto took some blood from his lip and formed hand signs, "I gotta make this one count!"
While outside, Gaara was ready for the finishing move, "Sabaku Sousou!"
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto's voice came from inside the sand and in a large poof of smoke appeared Gamabunta.
Sasuke and Ino looked up in shock seeing Naruto on the toads head, "Naruto, how can you?" Sasuke asked himself
Naruto looks up, "Now the real fight can begin!" Naruto declared.
"Huh?" the Toad looks up, "Naruto, what's going on?"
"See for yourself." Naruto said pointing ahead.
"Hmm?" Bunta looked ahead seeing Shukaku, "Shukaku the sand spirit?"
"Gamabunta I call upon your assistance and help me protect Konoha from this monstrosity. Will you fight at my side?" Naruto asked.
Gamabunta smirked, "Well what the hell?" He answered drawing his dagger, "If I can take on Kyubi and come back alive then Shukaku shouldn't be a bother," He stuck his dagger into the earth and hopped in a charging fashion for the Sand demon, "Hang on Naruto!"
"I am!" Naruto screamed while holding on for his life.
Gamabunta hopped up, and brought his dagger down on Shukaku as the demon struggled to push his claw forward, but Bunta managed to cut his right claw and arm off and it dissolved into sand, "How do you like that?" Bunta calls as he glides through the air and lands on the opposite side of Shukaku, "There goes his arm." Gamabunta joked.
"By the way chief, I know this is asking much, but if we don't end this fight soon my friends will be killed." Naruto added.
"Well then I'll do what I can to end this, but it won't be easy." Bunta warned him.
"I know." Naruto understood.
Suddenly emerging from Shukaku's forehead, was Gaara's upper half, "Not bad Shredder, but now I shall show you the real power of the sand!" he formed a hand sign.
"What's going on now?" Naruto gasped.
"That vessel is going to unleash Shukaku's power by forcing himself to fall asleep." Gamabunta explained.
"Tanukineiri no Jutsu!" Gaara muttered as his eyes closed and he fell limp.
"Oh no." Naruto gasped as the eyes in the Shukaku grew yellow.
"WHOO-HOO! I'm finally out!" Shukaku screamed. He looked ahead seeing Bunta, "I hope you're ready to die!"
"Hang tight Naruto, I'm gonna jump!" Bunta called getting ready to leap.
Shukaku took a deep breath and unleashed a blast of air, only for Bunta to jump up and launch bullets of water. On the ground, Sasuke and Ino who were trying to get Sakura freed were shocked at what was going on, "What kind of battle is this turning into?" Sasuke gasped.
"I don't know, but this is getting dangerous." Ino said watching through her helmet.
Bunta was hopping around the area releasing more water blasts at Shukaku who was countering with his air blasts, "Chief you gotta find a way to get close to him so I can wake up Gaara, to undo his Jutsu!" Naruto called.
"Well if you want me to try and get him still we're going to have to use the Konbi Henge no Jutsu (Combination Transformation Technique)so I can get something to grip him." Gamabunta called.
"I got just the thing!" Naruto replied as he formed the hand sign, "Henge!" he shouted and poof, Bunta had became a giant version of the Shredder.
The morphed Bunta ran forward, avoiding more of Shukaku's attacks, and grabbed hold of Shukaku and morphed back, "It's all yours kid!"
Naruto ran off Bunta and onto Shukaku, running up to where Gaara was. Sand was coming from him keeping him from reaching Gaara, but the Blonde ninja unleashed shockwaves from his sword causing the sand to back off. Finally Naruto reached the sand Jinchuriki and threw his right arm back, "Wake up you!" Naruto shouted as he slugged Gaara in the face causing him to groan.
"No I just got out!" Shukaku whined as he vanishes back into Gaara.
Gaara's eyes open, "You disrupted the Jutsu!" he shouted until he sees Naruto glowing with Kyubi's chakra around him.
"And this one's for you!" Naruto screamed as he delivered another slug at Gaara's head.
The impact caused the Shukaku to crumble into sand and Gaara and Naruto fell to the earth with Gaara crashing, but Naruto landed on top of a tree and jumped down from branch to branch until he reached the ground. Gaara lied on the ground covered in bruises, cuts, and some of his blood, 'How could I have lost?' he thought until he turned to see Naruto approaching him looking ready to finish him, "No, stay away!" Gaara panicked in fright.
Naruto then stopped a few feet away from him, "You know Gaara, you and I are a lot alike," Naruto began, "You're not the only one who know what it's like to be hated, treated harshly, wishing you could just die. But I never accepted what others thought about me, because I found friends, mentors, and lovers. Their love and kindness fueled me, and kept me going for so many years."
'Love, is this what makes him stronger than myself?' Gaara pondered.
"Because you've never had stuff like that to begin with, I can only give you a word of advice," Naruto continued, "Find someone worth fighting for and just maybe you'll find a purpose in life instead of killing," He approached Gaara more and stuck his hand out, "To start it off, I would like you to be my friend."
"A friend?" Gaara asks and for the first time a tear of happiness fell out of his eye, "I'd like that Shredder." He said taking his had and was helped to his feet.
Naruto removed his helmet revealing his face, "You can just call me Naruto." Naruto replied and Gaara smiled.
"Very well, Naruto."
Landing behind the two was Sasuke and Ino who re-sheathed her sword, "Naruto the sand is gone Sakura should be ok." Sasuke explained.
"That's good to hear." Naruto sighed until Kankuro and Temari land behind Gaara ready to fight until Gaara holds out his arms.
"No, Kankuro, Temari, it's over now. Let's go." Gaara ordered and the two gasped not only from hearing those words but seeing him completely beaten up.
The two collected their brother and headed off, Naruto then turned to Sasuke and Ino, "How're you two holding up?" Naruto asked.
"I'll live." Ino replied removing her helmet.
"I'll be fine." Sasuke replied.
"That's good." Naruto smiled before his eyes closed and he fell forward until Ino hurried and caught him.
"Naruto-kun?" Ino gasped.
"He should be fine, Ino," Sasuke said, "Come on we better get back."
Ino nodded as she collected Naruto's Shredder helmet supported Naruto up and helped him along back to the village. When they made it to the village it looked totally demolished from all the fighting and destruction caused by the Sound and Suna ninja,
"Our home." Naruto gasped.
"It's in ruins." Ino gasped.
"Naruto!" A female voice cried and they saw Kushina, Zabuza, Haku, and Hun hurrying over.
Kushina enveloped her son in a hug, while avoiding getting cut by the blades on his armor, "Oh my baby, oh I thought I lost you again!"
"I'm ok mom, really I'm fine." Naruto said as he hugged his worried mother back.
Hun approached, "Master, are you injured?"
"Don't worry Hun, I'm gonna be just fine," Naruto replied. "But what's the status report on the village?"
"Yeah, what happened?" Ino asked.
Kushina sighed, "I'm afraid the invasion took a turn for the worse, and the Sound and Suna ninja attacked endlessly."
"What about everyone else, are they ok?" Sasuke asked.
"Everyone's fine, well except…" Kushina trailed off not knowing how to explain it.
"What?" Naruto demanded.
"Master, Sandaime-sama has died." Hun sighed.
The genin of squad seven, were in deep shock from hearing that sad news. And the next morning was a cloudy and dismal day for everyone. Sarutobi and some of the Chunin and Jonin lost their lives in the fight. At the Namikaze mansion, Naruto dawned a black robe and slipped into his sandals and walked over seeing Kushina, Hun, and his Foot Ninja slipping into black robes as well, "Let's go." Naruto ordered as they headed outside.
As they walked through the village they came across Ino and Sasuke in their own robes as well and joined them along the way. On top of the Administration building roof ninja and villagers alike wearing black robes presented themselves in front of Koharu and Homura who were in front of a table with pictures of certain ninjas who were the ones who died, and Sarutobi's picture in the center.
"We're gathered here today to pay our respects to those who've sacrificed themselves in battle." Homura began, as everyone was given a white rose to place on the table, soon Naruto placed his followed by Hun and the Foot ninja.
Naruto watched in sadness at what just happened and the possible thought of something like this would eventually happen again no matter what the situation and by others, 'Jiji, I was hoping you'd live a little longer so you could see me start my own village one day, but I guess you won't be able to see it up close after all. Well at least you'll rest in peace now. And don't worry if I find Orochimaru again, I'll make him pay for what he did to you and our village.' He promised in his thoughts.
When the ceremony was over everyone was heading home. Naruto was walking with Ino, the Foot clan, Hun, Zabuza, Haku, and Kushina, "Well guys we just survived our first ninja war." Naruto explained.
"Yes, that was scary." Ino said.
"I've seen scarier Ino, this was merely a walk in the park." Zabuza said from all his years as a ninja.
"Yes we've seen far worse than this, during our travels." Haku added assuring Zabuza's words were true.
"But don't worry, we're all going to keep getting stronger so that next time we'll guarantee nobody dies." Naruto added.
"Minato felt the same way after his first ninja war." Kushina replied.
Hun looked distressed and turned to Naruto, "Master Shredder, it was my responsibility as your right-hand man to make sure no one was harmed, I have failed you."
"Hun!" Naruto ordered, "You did what you could, not everyone can be expected to do the impossible."
"But Master." Hun insisted.
Naruto sighed putting a hand on his shoulder, "It is all right, what matters the most is that we're still here."
Hun agreed and was glad that Naruto forgave him, "I promise you Master, next time I will not mess up."
Naruto smiled, "I know you won't, Hun," He turns to his Foot Ninja, "And same said for all of you, next time we will fight together."
The Foot ninja nod their heads, and suddenly a voice called, "Naruto!" They all turn to see Neji approaching them.
"Neji?" Naruto asks as the Hyuga boy bowed his head.
"I want to apologize for my behavior and my words of belittlement. I was angry and filled with rage. But now I know the truth, fate and destiny do not determine anyone's future, only we do," He began. "So I'm going to forge a new path. I won't live by fate and such anymore, and I have you to thank for that."
"No problem man." Naruto smiled and the two shook hands.
"And what's more I wish to make a request of you." Neji added.
"A request?" Naruto asked.
"Yes. I wish to join the Foot Clan and learn from my past mistakes. That is if you'll have me." Neji said with hope.
Naruto started, "Well I already did promise Hinata a position in the foot clan," He began making Neji look down, until Naruto smirked, "But you can never have too many Hyuga's now can you? So you're in."
Neji smiled and bowed his head, "I look forward to fighting along you, Shredder."
Naruto smiled knowing he just made another friend.
"Congratulations Naruto, at this rate your Foot Ninja army will have more than enough to be a complete ninja platoon." Zabuza said.
"Yes," Naruto said looking up at the sky, "Jiji, I shall make you proud by carrying out my mission to make Konoha a safe place. The Shredder will not let you down!"
(And that's the chapter.)