DISCLAIMER!: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! Thought you'd know by now...
(A/N): not really much to say...
So...yeah...
TO THE STORY!
. . . .
Chapter 54: Battle of Jinchuriki
. . . .
Gaara was glaring at Naruto.
But not like the two from Iwa. His glare was filled with crazed blood lust while he wore a sinister grin that sent a shiver down Naruto's spine.
"Mother will have your blood Uzumaki..."
. . . .
Naruto opted to not stand next to the psychopathic Jinchuriki and stood next to Shikamaru. The lazy boy glanced over to him and gave a slight sigh. "How's Hinata doing?" he asked in a tired tone. Naruto glanced to him then looked straight into the stands. "She's doing better...so...you seem ready for this." Naruto joked. Shikamaru groaned lightly. "Why do they have to be so troublesome about this. I mean, they could just give us a mission to complete and have us promoted from that. Not only do I have to be here, but if I just gave up both my mom and Ino will be furious. This is all so...Troublesome."
Naruto laughed at Shikamaru's out of character rant. "You know, I haven't seen you so bent out of shape about something before," Naruto said between breaths. He was able to reign in his laughter and his face became serious. "So, what's going on?" he asked in a hushed tone. Shikamaru didn't respond immediately but after a few seconds he looked over to Naruto. "I don't trust Suna...or Iwa...I don't know why but...I have a feeling."
Naruto just grunted in response. The blonde also didn't trust them. Why would Iwa decide to take part in a Chunin exams in Konoha for the first time in twelve years? And why would Suna send its Jinchuriki, a relatively unstable one at that, to another country without a whole squadron of body guards? This didn't sit right with either the Nara, or the Uzumaki.
Before they could go any deeper into their thought the proctor for the exam came into the arena. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the man. "Who are you? Where's Hayate-san?" he asked the new proctor.
The new proctor was a tall man with a bandanna and a senbon in his mouth. He looked over to Naruto and shrugged. "I dunno kid, something about a last minute mission he had to take part in? I dunno. But I am the new proctor for the exam. My name is Shiranui Genma, and my word in this arena is law. If I say stop you stop, understand?" he said in a somewhat lazy drawl. Before he could here or see any response he turned around to the audience and raised his hand to call for attention. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
"Everyone! Thank you for coming today! If you would all take your seats, the first match is about to begin. Could all participants except Sabaku no Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto vacate the arena." he called in a loud enough voice that the entire arena could hear.
. . . .
Up in the Hokage's box Hiruzen was sitting in his chair waiting for the matches to start when the door to the box opened. "Ah, Kazekage-dono, I am gland you could make it." Sarutobi greeted the ruler of Suna. The man bowed his head slightly to the Hokage. "Oh, it is my pleasure to be hear Hokage-done. I wouldn't want to miss my own sons match would I?" he asked in a slightly jovial tone.
Hiruzen only nodded and gestured for the man to take a seat. The 'Kazekage' took his seat next to Hiruzen sighed deeply. "Oh, but it is too bad the Uchiha was defeated in the preliminary round. He would have made a perfect opponent for my son." he said in a wistful tone. "I fear now he no longer has anyone to really compete against."
Hiruzen chuckled deeply. "Oh, don't worry Kazekage-dono. I believe Naruto-kun will be more than a match for Gaara. Besides, if Sasuke-kun was beaten, then wouldn't it mean that his opponent would be a better match for Gaara?" he asked in a slightly sarcastic tone. The 'Kazekage' sighed once more but relented. "I see your point Hokage-dono, but I don't think the Uzumaki will prove much of a challenge for Gaara-kun."
"We will see..."
. . . .
In the arena the other contestants left to the participants stands and Gaara and Naruto stood facing each other with Genma between them.
Up in the stands Cole and Anko sat next to Hiashi and Hannah. Hanabi and Hinata were sitting together and Hinata was gripping the armrests of her wheel chair hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. Hanabi saw the concern on her sisters face and smiled. "Don't worry Hinata-nee, Naruto-nii will beat that creep up for sure." she said happily to cheer her sister up. Hinata smiled at her and turned back to the arena. Her grip on her wheel chair never loosening.
"Please Naru-kun...don't let him win..."
"HAJIME!"
. . . .
Genma raised his hand and looked to the two boys. They both nodded and he lowered his hand. "HAJIME!" he said as he dashed out of the way.
Naruto was the first to react. He through a shuriken at the red head and ran through a sequence of hand signs. "Shuriken Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" he said as one shuriken became fifty.
Gaara didn't move, he just let his sand rise and block all of the deadly projectiles. The red head retaliated. "Suna Shuriken! (Sand Shuriken)" he said calmly as a hail of bland like sand projectiles were sent at the blonde. Naruto ran through another set of hand signs. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!" he let loose a torrent of wind that sent the blades of sand off course. Naruto was about to use another jutsu when he noticed sand getting a little too close to his legs. He jumped out of the sands way and unsealed his two black Katana's. The sand continued to follow him but this time he didn't dodge. "Fuinjutsu: Chakra Kyushu Ken! (Sealing Style: Chakra Absorbing Sword)" He said as he dug both of his blades into the sand. A seal on both swords began to glow and the sand stopped moving and fell apart.
Gaara's eyes widened and Naruto smirked. "Looks like it works..." he said to himself. He continued to smirk as he dashed towards the red head. Gaara raised both arms and sent torrents of sand towards the blonde. Once the sand got close enough Naruto just stabbed his swords into it making Gaara lose control of it long enough for Naruto to get past it. Gaara growled and made a single hand sign. "Sabaku Kyu! (Sand Binding Coffin)" Sand rose up from behind Naruto and grabbed his arms and legs. Naruto's eyes went wide as he struggled to try and get out of the sand.
"Gokusa Maiso! (Prison Sand Burial)" he yelled as the sand squeezed down on Naruto crushing his arms and legs. Instead of the screams of pain Gaara was expecting, Naruto just burst into a plume of smoke. Gaara's eyes widened as he looked around to find his target, but he was nowhere to be found. The people in the stands had a similar thought as Gaara did. "WHERE DID HE GO?"
There questions were soon answered when a loud voice called out from what seemed like everywhere. "Kuchiyose: Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu! (Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer)" Naruto yelled as a massive toad appeared in the air and crushed everything beneath it, including Gaara.
Naruto stood atop the giant toad and was smiling at everyone's reactions. The entire stadium was shocked into silence. The blonde laughed and patted the toads head. "Thanks Gamahiro, I'll see ya around." he said to the toad. Gamahiro nodded. "Any time Naruto, see ya!" the toad said as he disappeared. Naruto landed on the ground and looked at the destruction he caused. The arena floor had cracks all over it and most of the trees had been knocked over. Naruto scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "Guess I over did it a b-" he started to saw but was interrupted by a sudden scream.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! BLOOD! BLOOD! MY BLOOD! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! MOTHER IT HURTS!"
Naruto's eyes widened in fear as he felt a demonic chakra fill the arena.
A massive arm of sand came out of the crater that Gaara was in and slammed against Naruto. The blonde went flying but was able to right himself and land on his feet. He coughed up a little blood and looked back to the crater in horror. Gaara stepped out with his right arm and side of his face covered in sand. The sand itself gave him a demonic look, what with its odd purple marks all over it. But it was his eyes that terrified the blonde. The only emotion they showed was the want, no, NEED to kill. The amount of killing intent leaking off of Gaara was enough to make the people in the audience shake with fear.
In the participants stands Temari was pale with worry. "Oh no, it's too early! Gaara!" she thought, terrified that her brother was giving the signal for the invasion to early. She waited anxiously for the Genjutsu to activate but when it never did her eyes widened even further. "Why hasn't that guy used the Genjutsu yet?"
. . . .
In another part of Konoha Kakashi was panting from the amount of effort he had just used to fight Kabuto. "Dammit," he said as he reached for his radio. "Hayate, Yugoa, he got away. Head back to the arena, I think they are going to go through with there plan, with or without the Genjutus." he said. The radio cracked and he received affirmatives from both of them.
"Alright, now just to repel the invasion..."
. . . .
Back in the arena all hell broke loose. Shinobi from Oto all appeared out of nowhere and started attacking the people in the stands. But what they weren't expecting was, A) for the Genjutsu to not be in effect, and B) for there to be so many Jonin in the stands.
While the Oto and Konoha forces fought in the stands, Baki and Temari jumped down into the arena. Naruto readied himself to fight off all three of them but Hayate and Genma appeared in front of him. Gaara fell to one knee taking pained breaths and breathing hard. Baki scowled and looked to Temari. "Get him out of here!" he shouted to Temari. She quickly nodded and picked up Gaara as Kankuro jumped into the arena. "Come on I'll cover you!" he said and the fled the arena. Naruto growled and started to charge after them.
"Oh no you don't, Namikaze!" a new voice said as spikes of rock shot up from the ground and forced Naruto to stop. The three Genin from Iwa and their Jonin sensei jumped into the arena to face off against Naruto. "You're not going anywhere but to hell brat!" the Jonin said. Naruto backed up till his back hit Genma and Hayates. "Well kid, looks like you get to have your first taste of war." Genma said. Hayate nodded. "*cough* Sorry Naruto. *cough* I can't help you with those four, we have more incoming!" he said as more Oto Jonin joined them in the arena.
"Well shit...what now..." Naruto said to himself trying to think a way out of this.
"Don't worry Naruto-san! We're here to help!" a new voice said as two new people landed next to Naruto.
"Lee! Neji! Alrigth! Lets get this party started!" Naruto said as he summoned Kitsune no Kiba and got ready to charge the enemy before him.
. . . .
(A/N): To be continued!
Remember to REVIEW! And as always, I'll see ya next time!