Sasuke froze completely on the spot and anger flared in his chest. "Run?" He turned to the others and realized the fear evident on their faces.

The rest of the party had reunited and were all staring wide-eyed at the fallen blond.

"I...don't know if his body will be able to survive this...too much hatred...can bring death to the kid."

"Well, do something, then!" Kiba growled out with Akamaru barking in unison.

Naruto's body lifted up its upper half into a sitting position.

"The best thing..."

Naruto's body lifted itself onto shaking legs.

"Would be..."

Naruto's body hung for a while before finally lifting its head to reveal the face of the four tails Kyuubi.

"To let him fight it himself..."

The blond lunged for Sasuke whom was still crouched only to be stopped by Kakashi's mud wall. It turned to stare at the man behind the mask and jumped after him, as well. Once again, it was instantly stopped by a flying gentle fist along with a connecting fang over fang.

"Choju giga!" Sai's beasts came flying from their scroll only to be splattered a moment later.

Shikamaru reached out with shadow possession but was unable to reach the beast's fast moving one. "Kakashi-sensei, you're the captain. How are we supposed to deal with this?"

"Just follow my lead." He threw several Kunai into a straight line, hoping to cast its shadows and make it long enough to catch Naruto's. "Sasuke, shoot your Chidori at three o' clock, now!"

The Uchiha hesitated. "Wouldn't that hurt-"

"Just do it!"

Blue electricity shot through his sword and plunged itself into the blond's shoulder. The beast let out a roar before darting forward after Sasuke and punched him to the side where he caught himself, only coming out with long scratch marks along his cheek.

"Shikamaru, now!"

Just as planned the beast had landed its shadow within range and was now struggling against shadow stitching which had been wrapped roughly around its limbs and neck. He clawed and kicked out with such strength that Shikamaru was finding it extremely hard to hold onto the Jutsu.

"Sakura!" Kakashi called.

The Kunoichi burst forward with her first and smashed into the beast, sending rubble flying to all corners of the cave. Sand hung in the air for a while before a high-pitched voice yelled out.

"N-Naruto-kun!"

Kiba squinted his eyes and was able to make out a figure behind the dust. "He's got Hinata!"

The smoke finally cleared to reveal Naruto holding the pale-eyed girl by the neck, her body hanging several feet from the ground. She struggled in his grasp which was instantly turning red and sizzling from the intense heat.

"N-Naru..."

The girl was kicking forward and smashing her fists against his arms.

"Shikamaru, do something!" Sakura yelled out.

"Believe me, I'm trying."

Then, he stopped. Naruto had stopped moving and growling all together. The atmosphere had grown completely silent.

Kiba took the chance and pulled Hinata from his grip and landed meters away from the beast where Hinata coughed out and rubbed her slightly singed skin. "Oi, Shikamaru. What did you do?"

Shikamaru only looked forward with confusion."I-i didn't do anything."

A low rumbling came in the direction of Naruto and the party turned in shock to see what he would do next, readying their hand signs.

Naruto's mouth moved slightly. "Sto...stop it..." He began speaking. "Don't you...hurt...any of them..."

"Is he..." Kakashi began.

Sakura finished. "He's trying to fight back."

Sai finally stepped forward. "It seems you are correct. He stopped on his own."

"I won't...let you...do this to...them! Gah!" Naruto fell forward and gripped at his head that was now returning to its original state. He fell to his knees until he finally fell down to his side and coughed and wheezed, his body smoked off, and his skin was covered with patches of red burns.

"Naruto!" Sasuke was the first to move to the blond's side, picking him up and setting his head down against his lap. "Naruto...you okay?"

The rest of the group headed for the two and Sakura quickly took to healing his burning skin along his face.

"S-Sasuke...you...you actually found me? I-I thought...you didn't...get the message..."

"Of course I did, dobe."

Naruto tried to chuckle and only ended up coughing blood onto his torn and tattered shirt. "Gomen..."

Sasuke looked down at his sad appearance. He pulled up his own arms and removed his shirt before replacing the one on the blond with his own plain, blue one. The Uchiha smiled down at the blond who was confused at the sudden action.

"But this-"

"I suggest you don't complain."

Sakura looked up at Kakashi. " I suggest we get him to a hospital ASAP."

Naruto turned his gaze and realized who else had also come to his rescue. "Kaka-sensei...Sakura-chan...everyone..." His blue eyes filled with tears before he forced them back in. "Arigato."

Kiba smiled. "Don't mention it, man."

Kakashi stepped forward and tapped the blond against his shoulder.

The blond suddenly froze and a chill ran up his spine as his whole body began to shake.

"Naruto." Sasuke gripped his hand. "What's wrong."

He looked around for a second. He had felt a tap on his skin and soon enough realized that it had been his sensei who did it. "N-nothing."

Sasuke pushed himself up and carried him in his arms.

Naruto gasped before he pushed his sunny head against the Uchiha's bear chest, hoping to escape the cruel pain and suffering he had gone through.

The group continued to find their way to the exit. They stayed completely silent until a groan escaped from the blond the raven held.

Sakura went over to the boy, worry in her voice. "Naruto, what's wrong?"

"Nothing...Sakura..."

She only stared at him in shock. What happened to 'chan?

Naruto looked up at the Uchiha. "Sasuke...my whole body...really hurts..."

"I know. Go to sleep, dobe."

"Sasuke...what if my heart...stops?" Those were the last words he was able to muster before his head lolled back and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Kiba frowned. "Did he just say..."

Hinata twiddled her fingers together and searched around with her Byakugan searching for another set of unwanted Chakra. "Y-yes, that's w-what he had said..."

The group quieted down and started off for Konoha at a much faster pace.

Naruto stirred in his hold and raised his tired eyelids to reveal his sad, dull blue eyes. When he looked around he realized that the gates of his home stood not a foot from view. He pushed his pupils upward and saw the scratched face of Sasuke. Exactly like his own whisker marks. "Sas-Sasuke, sorry I did that..."

"What?" He looked at the blond in his arms. "Tsk. Why the hell aren't you sleeping?"

He stood quiet when they passed the shocked guards at the gate entrance.

Sakura spoke up. "Hinata and Kiba, please go get Tsunade-sama and tell her to meet us at the hospital."