I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

Gaara of the Sand

Naruto bit his thumb and slammed his hand into the ground but once again the only thing that appeared was a tadpole. Jiraiya and Minato both sighed and gave each other a knowing look.

"We could always try the other method," Jiraiya suggested.

"No," Minato stated flatly.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto shouted slamming his hand down.

This time, he summoned a massive tadpole the size of a horse with two legs on one side of its body, however, this one was dead.

"He is your son," Jiraiya pointed out referring to Minato's own difficulty in learning to summon.

"Do it," Minato finally sighed. "Just be careful about it."

Jiraiya nodded and walked over to Naruto.

"We're going to try something else, since there's only a couple days left and you still can't successfully summon," Jiraiya sighed. "It starts with lunch."

"Cool," Naruto grinned. "By the way, did I ever thank you for removing the seal Jiraiya placed on me?"

"No," Jiraiya smirked. "But don't try to butter me up. I'm buying lunch anyway."

Naruto cheered and Minato chuckled then sighed. After lunch, Jiraiya took Naruto to the top of the Hokage Monument where a massive trench, almost big enough to be a canyon, dropped into the mountain so far that Naruto couldn't see the bottom. The sides were lined with massive spikes and the Trench was easily fifty feet across.

"What do you see down there?" Jiraiya questioned pointing into the trench.

Naruto leaned forward to look and Jiraiya shoved him. Naruto tumbled in flipping and spinning through the air. After a moment, he righted himself and looked up, seeing that it was already too late to throw a kunai and teleport, plus his momentum would carry over and his landing would be fatal. Sighing, he bit his thumb and wiped the blood on his hand then held it below him.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as smoke shot out of his hand, flooding the trench below him.

Suddenly, it blew away and revealed a massive toad wearing a happi vest, a massive tanto, and holding a pipe in his mouth. The toad held it arms and legs out against the side of the trench, slowing their descent to a stop with Naruto landing on his head.

"Who are you?" the toad questioned. "Where are we?"

"We're in a massive trench in the Hokage Monument and I'm Naruto Uzumaki, son of the Forth Hokage Minato Namikaze," Naruto stated. "I summoned you."

"I know that," the toad stated. "So you're Minato's boy huh? Name's Gamabunta."

"Pleasure to meet you," Naruto greeted. "Let's get out of this trench, I think Jiraiya should be reprimanded for throwing me in here."

"Jiraiya?" Gamabunta questioned. "I owe him for cheating me."

Gamabunta suddenly lowered himself before launching himself upward and out of the pit landing beside it and looking around before Minato appeared beside Naruto.

"Hello Gamabunta," Minato greeted. "You're free to leave if you want, we were just teaching Naruto to summon."

Gamabunta nodded and shot his tongue out, sending Jiraiya flying then disappeared. Minato and Naruto landed beside Jiraiya and Naruto looked to Minato for instruction.

"Next we'll do Wind Style Jutsus," Minato stated.

"I'm out," Jiraiya smirked. "I'm Fire and Earth Type."

"It's alright," Minato smirked. "I know of a few, even though I have never successfully pulled any of them off perfectly. But I can do well enough to give you some idea of it."

Naruto nodded and they returned to their training field and Minato began showing Naruto some jutsus. Kakashi had agreed to show Naruto a few but had never actually gotten around to it. Naruto picked it up quickly, successfully mastering both Wind Style Vacuum Blade and Wind Style Air Bullets. He strugled with the Wind Sword Jutsu, however, as every time he tried to create one it damaged his hand.

"That's enough for today," Minato eventually sighed on the day before the final exam. "We'll have Kushina heal your hand when we get home. Tomorrow you have a tournament to win."

Naruto nodded and they returned to their house and found Kushina waiting. She healed his hand and gave Minato a dirty look for trying to teach him such a dangerous jutsu but Minato just shrugged and smiled.

"He should learn it," Minato stated. "Now, what's for dinner?"

Kushina sighed and made their dinner then sent both to bed. The next day would be a long one, for all of them.

Naruto stood Beside Shikamaru and looked around. Sasuke was late and his fight against Gaara was first. After some time, Minato finally announced that Sasuke's fight would be delayed to give him a chance to get there. That meant Naruto would be going first against Neji.

The others all retreated to the stands leaving only Naruto and Neji with the new proctor, Genma Shiranui standing between them.

"The rules are the same as the Preliminaries," Genma stated. "Try not to maim each other too badly."

"You're going to lose," Neji stated after Genma had left the ring. "I am destined to be second to the Main Branch and you are destined to lose to me. You have had the easy life and even with that jutsu of yours, you are destined to fail."

"Don't give me that destiny crap!" Naruto spat. "I'm going to kick your ass without my Teleportation Jutsu! I'm going to destroy you!"

"Because you feel you are better than me?" Neji questioned.

"Because you deserve it after you tried to kill Hinata," Naruto stated. "She's your family. And a fellow Leaf Village Shinobi. the last thing you should do is try to kill her!"

"If you think you stand a chance, why haven't you attacked yet?" Neji questioned.

Naruto grinned and began making hand seals.

"Wind Style, Air Bullets!" Naruto said before exhaling dozens of barely visible spheres of chakra-laced air at Neji.

Neji activated his Byakugan in order to see the jutsu just in time for three to hit him in his shoulders and left leg. All three tore through his body but Naruto had made them only gazing shots so they only left scratches. Neji still flew back, bouncing and sliding over the ground before pushing himself up and groaning.

"You should be thankful I didn't aim at you," Naruto stated. "I could have killed you."

"You're strong," Neji sneered. "I didn't expect you to know such a powerful jutsu."

"Oh please," Naruto scoffed pulling out a kunai and creating a Vacuum Blade on it. "I now so many more than that."

Neji charged and Naruto fired several more Air Bullets without the hand signs. Neji dodged these and Naruto swung at him with his Vacuum Blade. Neji dodged it and Naruto grinned and created a clone who formed a Wind Sword and grinned at Neji, even while blood ran down its arm.

"That jutsu is...you wouldn't dare," Neji growled.

"Try me," Naruto grinned letting his Vacuum Blade disappear and putting the kunai away.

"You wouldn't," Neji sneered. "Coward."

Naruto grinned as his clone pulled its arm back to throw the Wind Sword.

"Stop!" A voice that Naruto instantly recognized shouted just as the clone began to throw the jutsu.

The clone spun, sending the jutsu into the wall instead then disappeared and Naruto looked up into the stands where Hinata was breathing a sigh of relief.

"Don't kill him!" Hinata shouted. "You're not him."

Naruto stared At her for a moment then back at Neji. Neji saw that his irises had turned red with slit pupils but he was inning now.

"Congratulations," Naruto sneered. "You'll survive this fight."

Then, Naruto sent a massive wave of clones at him. Neji suddenly began spinning and destroying the clones. He only stopped when his hand hit a Rasengan. The explosion sent him flying into a wall and badly burned his arm but Neji still pushed himself up.

"Withdraw," Naruto commanded. "The next one will be at full power."

"F...fuck you," Neji panted.

Naruto grinned and threw a kunai at Neji. Neji threw himself out of the way and out of range of Naruto, should he teleport to the kunai. When he stood, a Naruto suddenly exploded out of the ground smashing his fist into Neji's jaw and sending him sailing into the air. When he was at the top of his arc, Naruto leapt up to him and smashed both fists into his stomach, sending him crashing back down to the ground. Neji coughed up blood but still pushed himself up.

"You just don't quit do you?" Naruto questioned.

"Never," Neji stated shaking his head. "Not against you. You I'll kill."

"How?" Naruto questioned, his eyes returning to normal. "You haven't touched me once this fight."

"You are more powerful than any genin in this exam, except perhaps Gaara," Neji stated.

"I lied when I said you were destined for failure. You are destined to succeed at everything. Everything, except protecting those you love. My father died when I was very young. The Main Branch's head, Hinata's father Hiashi Hyuga, forced my father, his brother, to trade places with him during an assassination attempt, resulting in my father' sedat hand Hiashi becoming clan head, when my father was originally meant to be the heir. I was cheated out of my place as the air of the clan by both destiny and Hiashi. I am meant to always be a servant to the Main Branch. However, I will be taking revenge on them just as soon as I finish with you."

"And what, pray tell, am I destined for?" Naruto questioned. "Where does my destiny lead me?"

"To an early grave as an arrogant bastard controlled by his emotions," Neji grinned.

"Right alongside myself."

Naruto grinned and shrugged then created three clones, sending them at Neji. Neji charged at the clones, wiping them out. Quickly then ducking under Naruto's Rasengan.

"Eight trigrams, two palms, four palms, eight palms, sixteen palms, thirty two palms," Neji counted off, hitting Naruto the number of times he said and always on a different chakra point. "Sixty four palms!"

The final hit sent Naruto flying and he landed in a heap against on of the trees scattered around the arena. Neji smirked but after a moment, Naruto pushed himself up and tried to create a Rasengan, without success.

"Don't bother," Neji sneered. "I've hit enough chakra points that you won't be using chakra again for several hours."

"That's what you think," Naruto sneered as Kurama healed him. "See, unlike you, I'm not normal. I've got a curse that won't let me fail. If it wasn't for my parents, I would be a complete outcast, never having been taught to fight, never having been taught a single jutsu, not having a single friend. I'd be the same as Gaara is. Did you know I was rejected at first? When I was young, no one knew who I was so everyone hated me. My parents loved me but aside from that I had no one. No friends, no other relatives. I was an outcast. Had you known me then, you would have said it was my destiny. But you know what? I changed. So don't give me that destiny crap. I will never allow anyone other than me to control me. And I will never let you outdo me."

"You are the son of the-" Neji began but stopped when Naruto launched dozens of Air Bullets at him again.

He dodged them all but just as he landed, a second clone exploded out of the ground, this time hitting him in the stomach with a weak Rasengan. The Rasengan left Neji disoriented and Neji simply lay there, dazed.

"The winner is Naruto," Genma shouted.

Neji was carried off the field and Naruto returned to the others. Next was Shino and Kankuro but Kankuro withdrew before the fight began. After him came Temari and Shikamaru. However, Naruto was distracted by Hinata walking over.

"Are you okay?" Hinata questioned.

"I'm fine," Naruto smiled. "Sorry I tried to kill him."

"It's alright," Hinata smiled. "You didn't."

"I wanted to though," Naruto said, eyes downcast. "And I would have if not for you. Thank you."

"What happened when your eyes turned red?" Hinata questioned.

"It's...a very long story," Naruto sighed. "Nothing you need to worry about though. I'm fine."

"Okay," Hinata smiled then looked past him. "Gaara's staring at you."

Naruto turned and looked at him and saw that she was right. He was staring at Naruto and grinning. Suddenly Naruto felt the seal holding Kurama throb painfully as Kurama tried to get his attention.

"I'll be back in a minute," Naruto said distractedly, walking to the stairwell. Once there, He closed his eyes and allowed Kurama to pull him into his mind.

"Finally," Kurama growled. "Listen and listen carefully. That kid, his Ultimate Defense, the sand that protects him, you won't be able to get through it easily, even with your jutsus. You'll never be able to beat him. However, I'm more worried about his control of the sand. He is not the first. The trait is common among the Jinchuriki of the One-tails, Shukaku. If I'm right, you cannot best him without my help."

"We'll see," Naruto stated. "I'll let you know if I need your help."

"Be careful," Kurama growled. "I don't fancy dying."

Naruto returned to the real world and returned to the others just as Shikamaru caught Temari. He took a moment to explain how he caught her then raised their hands.

"That's it, I give up," Shikamaru called.

Everyone fell silent then started shouting.

"What?" Temari asked. "What did you say?"

"I used up all my chakra on that Shadow Possession Jutsu," Shikamaru said. "I'm good for about another ten seconds, that's it. Bummer, and here I'd already planned out the next two hundred moves in my head. But my chakra is running low. Anyway if I was to win this thing, it would just mean more work."

"Then, the winner is Temari," Genma called. "And Sasuke still isn't here for his fight so-"

"The Fourth Hokage would like to extend his time for another ten minutes," an ANBU whispered appearing beside him.

Genma sighed and nodded then shouted, "There will be a ten minute break before the next fight."

Naruto rolled his eyes but smiled and leaned on the railing.

"They're waiting for Sasuke right?" Hinata questioned.

"Yes," Naruto nodded. "They all really want to see him fight. In all honesty, I really don't. I don't think he can win."

"Why?" Hinata questioned.

"From what I've heard about Gaara, Sasuke's going to have his ass handed to him," Naruto stated.

"Maybe he'll do well," Hinata said. "You don't know for sure."

Naruto nodded and was silent. When the ten minutes was over, Genma sighed as Gaara walked down to the field.

"As Sasuke is not here, I have no choice but to-" He was cut off by a swirl of leaves as Kakashi and Sasuke appeared on the field.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto and held up a kunai he had stolen from Naruto and Naruto grinned and teleported to him.

"Sorry if we kept you waiting," Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head. "But, um, how late are we? I mean, it's not like Sasuke's...well...disqualified or anything...right?"

"Like master like pupil," the proctor said. "Even down to your lousy sense of time."

"Well, what about it?" Kakashi asked.

"You know you were so late that we extended the deadline for you, twice in fact," the proctor said. "It's lucky for you we did because you just made it. No, he's not disqualified."

"Oh," Kakashi said. "That's a relief. You had me worried there for a minute. So we're okay."

"Sasuke, be careful," Naruto warned, voice urgent. "I think he may be a Jinchuriki."

"A..." Sasuke trailed off but nodded glancing at Gaara. "I'll be careful. And Naruto, I think Orochimaru may be here somewhere."

Naruto nodded and took his kunai, making sure to reflect the sun at his father a few times to warn him that there was a threat then threw it up to the railing beside Hinata and teleported to it. He pulled it out of the railing and looked up at his father who nodded then looked back at Gaara.

"Alright," the proctor said. "The rules for this match are the same as in the preliminaries. The match continues until one of you dies or admits defeat. However, I can stop the match, but that's solely my decision."

Gaara laughed a bit and Naruto could guess why.

That's what you think buddy, Naruto said. I'd like to see you try.

The proctor raised his hand then swung it down and said, "Begin!"

With that, he jumped out of the arena just as sand began to stream out of Gaara's gourd. Sasuke jumped back so that he would have time to react to any attacks. After a moment, Gaara gasped and pressed a hand to his head groaning.

"Please," Gaara said. "I beg you! Don't get so mad at me."

He smiled and began to quiver. Then he looked back up at Sasuke.

"Mother," Gaara said.

Sasuke stared at Gaara in confusion as sand continued to stream out of the gourd and form a cloud over Gaara.

"Earlier I..." Gaara said. "I know. I made you taste such awful blood. I'm so sorry. But this time...I'm sure that it will taste so very good."

Gaara suddenly doubled over gasping again and the sand fell to the ground around him. His breathing became ragged and he continued to gasp for breath for a few moments before leaning forward and dangling his arms.

Then he straightened up enough to look at Sasuke and said, "Come on."

The sand began to rise around him and rub against itself while swirling producing a loud roar. Sasuke and Gaara stared at each other for a moment waiting for the other to move.

"Here goes," Sasuke said pulling out two Shuriken and throwing them.

The sand moved in front of it and blocked the Shuriken and a sand clone formed holding the Shuriken. Sasuke began to run forward but the sand clone leaned back and his torso exploded into a wall of sand shooting at Sasuke. Sasuke jumped over the blast just as it crashed down where he had been a moment before. The clone looked up at him and threw the Shuriken and Sasuke threw two more to block the first.

As Sasuke landed, he kicked the clone's hands off then landed on his hand and spun away from the clone long enough to land on his feet and spun backhanding the clone's throat. His hand stuck halfway through, however, and the sand began to close around his wrist. He tried to pull it out but it wouldn't budge so instead he smashed the clone's head with his other hand, destroying it. The sand from the clone exploded in every direction and Sasuke started forward again as the sand to either side began to rise again. He threw a punch forward and the sand moved to block his fist but Sasuke grinned then spun and vanished, reappearing a moment later behind Gaara.

Gaara turned toward him as memories of fighting Lee flashed through his head. Sasuke smashed his fist into Gaara's cheek before he could turn all the way around and Gaara's sand armor cracked as he flew away from Sasuke, the sand following. Both smashed back down and Gaara stood.

"So that's your sand armor huh?" Sasuke asked. "Come on."

The audience stared in wrapped silence and Gaara and Sasuke.

"Come on!" Sasuke repeated. "Well if you won't, I will."

Sasuke charged at Gaara who stumbled back a step then crouched raising the sand to defend himself. When Sasuke reached the sand, he blurred around behind Gaara. Gaara sent the sand at him but Sasuke spun out of the way and charged again. When he reached Gaara, he kicked him and sent him flying.

"What's the matter Gaara?" Sasuke asked. "Is that all you've got?"

Gaara stood with the sand forming up around him and his eyes closed.

"I'm going to tear off all of your armor," Sasuke said dashing forward again.

The sand around Gaara rose in a circle and Sasuke began to run around Gaara in a blur beginning to make a funnel. Then he flipped over the sand and ran at Gaara. He kicked him in the face then grabbed the front of his shirt and smashed his knee into his stomach then jumped back. Gaara fell to his hands and knees and began panting. No one made a sound. Not even the wind was still blowing.

Finally, after a while of simply staring at each other, Gaara put his hands together clasping his fingers with his pointer fingers extended upward and pressed together. The Sand began to rise then formed a dome around him.

Sasuke sprinted forward and threw a punch at the dome. The moment his fist was withing a foot of the dome, the side erupted with spikes. He stood there for a moment in surprise. His fist had made contact and he had avoided most of the spikes but the side of the dome had been so hard it had made his hand bleed.

After a moment he jumped back and the spikes sank back into the dome. Sasuke stared at it as blood dripped from his bloody knuckles.

Suddenly sand began to swirl over the dome and formed an eye ball that Naruto assumed was so Gaara could see. Then Gaara began to chant again but this one was different, mainly because Kurama began to get agitated when he heard him.

Sasuke sprinted forward again and threw three kunai into the sphere then leapt over it and began to run at it from the other side. The spikes shot out at him and he avoided them then smashed his hand into the dome. The spikes retracted and he jumped back as they began to extend again. He tried to run at the dome again but the spikes began shooting out faster and he had to cartwheel sideways to avoid them. He jumped into the air and smashed his foot into the top with no effect and jumped off just before the spikes shot out. Sasuke looked more carefully at the dome and saw a single spot where the sand had come together that was slightly weaker than the rest of the dome.

Sasuke bent his knees slightly and raised his hand in front of his face then unclasped part of a strap on his left arm. Then he jumped back and up the wall of the arena. He stopped about at the top and made several hand signs. Then he grasped his left wrist and held his hand so that the palm was about an inch away from the wall. As he focused his chakra, a ball of lightning began to form in his hand.

When his Chidori was finished, he took off sprinting down the wall holding the inside of his elbow. As he neared the dome, the spikes shot out but Sasuke evaded them and slammed his Chidori into the dome. The Chidori blasted straight through the dome then into Gaara's left shoulder. Suddenly a splitting scream rang out of the dome.

"AAAHHH!" Gaara shrieked. "BLOOOD! IT'S MY BLOOOD!"

Sasuke tried to pull his hand out but it wouldn't budge. He quickly formed another Chidori and Gaara screamed again. Then Sasuke ripped his hand free and a grotesque, sand-colored, spiked hand was dragged out with it until it couldn't stretch anymore and let go. Sasuke fell to his knee clutching his arm and the hand began to retract into the hole in the dome.

Naruto stared in shock and a small degree of panic crept over him as Kurama recognized the arm.

Sasuke stared at the hole waiting for something to happen. A deep growl emanated from inside the dome and Sasuke could see something inside writhing around. Then an eye moved into view. The eye was completely black where it should be white and the pupil was in the shape of a four-point star with a yellow iris around it. The moment the eye focused on Sasuke, a horrible roar rang out from the creature. Then cracks began to spread from the hole until they covered half of it. Then it fell away into dust. As it did, it revealed Gaara as he was but with a wound in his shoulder. There was no sign of whatever Sasuke had seen. He was breathing heavily and looked a bit scared. He clutched his wound and blood seeped out over his hand.

Just then, white feathers began to fall and everyone began to fall asleep. Naruto felt his eyes get heavy but Naruto realized what was happening and released himself from the Genjutsu. Several other shinobi did the same and a moment later, the balcony where the Minato and the Kazekage had been sitting exploded. Then, several other explosions rang out around the village while Gaara and his teammates fled and the Kazekage and Minato both jumped to the roof of their building and four Sound Ninja erected a building around them. Naruto released Hinata from the the genjutsu just as Sakura took off after Sasuke. Naruto left chasing after her, and praying that his father could hold Orochimaru off until he returned.

When he caught up with Sasuke and Sakura, Sasuke was barely conscious with the seal spread across half his body and Sakura was pinned to a tree by Gaara's mutated left hand. The arm was the same as what had followed Sasuke out of the sphere and was fused to the gourd on Gaara's back. The gourd also had a tail extended from the bottom and his right eye was black with a yellow iris and a star-shaped pupil with four dots around it.

"Let her go," Naruto ordered.

Gaara pulled and his hand broke off then reformed as the chunk pinning Sakura began to slowly harden, crushing her.

"It will continue to harden until you defeat me," Gaara stated. "I recognize you. You're that boy again. The one with the brother inside."

"Brother?" Naruto questioned before grinning. "Alright, let's see which brother chose better."

Gaara growled and Naruto crouched, placing his hand down and allowing seals to shoot out from under his hand. Just as they reached Gaara, Naruto leapt into the air over Gaara's hand and landed to his left, spreading more seals before leaping directly over Gaara when the seals reached him and Gaara's hand crashed into the tree where he had been. Naruto landed placing more seals and watched as the hand whipped around Gaara, shooting toward him. After a moment, Naruto leapt to a branch directly opposite his starting point and placed more seals, , this time reaching the other three sets. Just then, Gaara's hand flashed toward him. He teleported to a seal across from him at the last second and Gaara growled in frustration.

"You're fast," Gaara commented. "It's annoying."

"Try this," Naruto grinned creating six clones.

Gaara smashed the branch where they were and they all teleported to a different seal.

Naruto was directly behind Gaara and watched as four of his clones attacked, two with Air Bullets and two with Wind Swords. At the last second, Gaara jumped, the attacks all passing under him and killing the clone opposite the one that sent the attack and the last two clones fell toward Gaara from above with Rasengans. He held his arm over his head, blocking the attack but the explosions reduced his arm to dust. After a moment, it reformed and he leapt at Naruto. as he neared Naruto, a wall of Naruto clones crashed into Gaara in midair from below and sent him flying into the air. Then they all sent hundreds of Air Bullets at him. Gaara blocked the attack with his Arm and Tail and both fell away as dust. Then, Naruto appeared over him and slammed a Rasengan into his back, sending him crashing down into the ground, forming a massive crater and leveling the section of forest Naruto had marked. Naruto landed safely on his clones and spread seals over their new battlefield. Sakura and Sasuke were just outside the blast zone, luckily, so they now had a clear view of the battle.

Naruto surrounded the crater with hundreds of clones just as the dust settled and revealed Gaara, now covered completely in sand with the exception of his feet and the scar forming the kanji for love on his forehead. Naruto's clones leapt into the air starting from the back row, forming a massive dome over Gaara. Every clone threw a Wind Sword and Gaara merely stood there as the jutsus tore through his body. When the dust settled, his body was falling away but he was unscathed.

"My turn," Gaara sneered as his body reformed.

Then, the sand at his feet exploded into a massive column of sand and destroyed all of the clones. The smoke from their destruction filled the area, stretching high into the air. Then, when it cleared, there was a massive creature, similar in appearance to a tanuki but made out of sand standing in the center. Naruto stared in shock at the creature, knowing even without Kurama's affirmation that it was Shukaku. After a moment, Naruto's vision was suddenly blocked by sand and he instantly reached up and bit his thumb to make it bleed then formed several hand seals before the sand covered him.

Then, the sand exploded off followed by smoke. When it cleared, Naruto was standing on top of Gamabunta's head.

"Kid, please tell me you didn't summon me to fight Shukaku," Gamabunta sighed.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized. "I figured I'd be useless."

"No doubt," Gamabunta nodded. "Me fighting him is a suicidal pursuit."

He drew his tanto and leapt forward, driving it into Shukaku's shoulder before Shukaku threw him over his shoulder, removing his right arm in the process. Gamabunta landed on his feet, his tanto landing a distance away and Shukaku's arm landing behind him and falling away as sand.

Shukaku turned toward them, growling as Gaara rose from his forehead, lower body buried in sand.

"Shukaku's not in control yet," Gamabunta realized. "If Gaara falls asleep, it will be. He's acting as a medium."

Naruto nodded as Shukaku's arm reformed second before Gaara fell forward. Shukaku's eyes went from a dull tan to glowing bright yellow as Shukaku took control.

"Finally," Shukaku sneered, his voice higher pitched than Naruto expected. "Now, then, Wind Style, Drilling Air Bullet!"

He inhaled, his stomach expanding then slammed his left arm into it, firing a massive ball of wind laced with chakra and sand. It was similar to the jutsu Naruto used except much, much larger in scale and power. Gamabunta leapt over it and made a hand seal.

"Water Style, Liquid Bullets!" Gamabunta said before spitting out two blasts of water.

Shukaku fired three Drilling Air Bullets and the third exploded against Gamabunta. Gamabunta landed on his feet and groaned.

"I can teleport us both to a seal If you can get him onto it," Naruto stated.

"No," Gamabunta sighed. "You have to wake that kid up or this fight is over. Shukaku's not even at full power yet and he's already stronger than me."

"I have an idea," Naruto finally said. "If you can get one of my clones to him, the clone will mark him and I will teleport to it and wake him up."

Gamabunta nodded and Naruto created dozens of clones. This time, when Shukaku fired his jutsu, he launched Naruto clones too. When Shukaku countered, Gamabunta leapt over the jutsus and landed behind Shukaku, wrapping his arms around him. Naruto took a step forward as the last of his clones was eliminated, inches from marking Shukaku. Just as Naruto was about to jump, Shukaku raised his arms with enough force to launch Gamabunta and Naruto backward.

"Damn," Naruto growled.

"I can't keep a grip on him," Gamabunta growled. "We'll have to do a collaboration transformation. Something with teeth and claws."

"I know just the thing," Naruto grinned making the ram hand seal. "Let's go. Transform!"

Gamabunta leapt forward and was covered in smoke. Then, Kurama flew out of the cloud of smoke, roaring in rage. Shukaku launched several blasts at Kurama but he sped sideways then leapt at him. Shukaku blasted him and he flipped over backward before dashing forward again. This time he leapt over the blast and latched onto Shukaku, his fangs and claws digging into his body. Then, he turned back into Gamabunta and Naruto. Naruto instantly leapt off of Gamabunta and smashed his fist into Gaara's face.

"That's just great," Shukaku complained. "Give me a break, I just got here!"

Then, Gaara's eyes opened and Shukaku's returned to their dull tan color. Shukaku threw Gamabunta off and he disappeared, having run out of time. Naruto sprinted toward Gaara, seriously wishing he had thought to tag him when he punched him. Just as he tried to punch him, sand shot up and wrapped around Naruto. Naruto growled in frustration but didn't have the energy to break free.

"Chakra!" Naruto shouted.

Kurama gave him a bit and Naruto threw his head forward, smashing his forehead into Gaara's. Both simply stayed there for a moment before cracks spread around Gaara. then, Shukaku's whole body fell into dust. Naruto and Gaara both landed on the top of a tree beside the area Gaara had cleared and then sat up looking at each other.

"You don't understand me, you never will," Gaara growled.

"You were rejected by everyone," Naruto stated knowingly. "You never had a single friend and your own family hated you. You were afraid to sleep for fear of Shukaku breaking free. You hated your family for putting a monster inside of you. How am I doing?"

"How..." Gaara began.

"I have the Nine-tails sealed inside of me, remember?" Naruto questioned looking sideways to see the sand falling off of Sakura, who Sasuke caught. "When I was young, the only people that cared for me, were my mother and father. I had no friends, part of me hated my parents for sealing a monster inside me, and I hated myself for being a monster. The difference is, I moved on. If all truth, you had it a lot worse, and I get that. But I am the closest thing to understanding you'll find. I lived something like you did. But I moved on. I didn't let my hate fester. Eventually I met people that accepted me. I found people that I care about, people I love. And no matter what you do, I will always defend them. Even if it means my life."

"You would give you life for them?" Gaara questioned. "You will never understand. Only by fighting for yourself and only for yourself will you find true strength."

Just then, Gamabunta's tanto, which was still sticking in the ground, exploded into a cloud of smoke and Naruto and Gaara leapt at each other. When they reached each other, Naruto smashed his fist into the side of Gaara's face and sent him flying. They both fell through the trees, crashing down and simply laying there. After about a minute, Naruto managed to roll over and began dragging himself forward with on arm as his other was numb.

"How can you...still keep going?" Gaara panted.

"Because...I'm not...fighting...for myself," Naruto panted.

Just then, Temari and Kankuro appeared in front of him to protect him from Naruto.

"Stay back!" Temari commanded but Naruto ignored him.

"No," Gaara spoke up. "That's it. I've had enough. We're leaving."

Temari and Kankuro both stared at him in shock before nodding and they picked him up and all left. Naruto finally passed out.

Meanwhile at the Chunin Exams arena, Orochimaru and his Sound Ninja were retreating. The ANBU all rushed into the trees created by the reincarnated First Hokage during the fight and began searching for Minato. They found him.

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