Chapter Twenty-Four - The Invasion of Konoha

Naruto looked around as the feathers fell and he felt his world change subtly. He recognized the feeling of genjutsu, something he had trained himself in as he needed to protect himself against an ability he had no natural talent in. He flared his chakra and his surroundings shuddered to reveal the true world. Attacks from Suna and Oto were aimed at everyone, civilian and shinobi alike; even those from Kumo, Kiri, Taki and Iwa were not spared.

"Hah!"

Naruto dodged a kunai stab from his left and looked to see a Suna kunoichi trying to kill him. "Begone, thot."

He encased his hand with wind chakra and stabbed her through her chest. He ripped his hand out and let the woman fall to the ground, turning to see if there were any more threats to him or his friends. They were slowly getting up but it looks like there were no other enemies that made it for their box.

"Gah, what happened," Fu groaned as she grabbed her head. "It feels as if titosaurus over there had used her meatbags to beat me over the head."

Samui glared at the girl for the nickname given but she said nothing as she was trying to assess the situation.

"Suna and Oto have decided that the Chunin Exams are the perfect time to attack our village," Naruto told everyone that woke up. "Oto is being led by Orochimaru, a missing-nin from our village with a grudge against our Hokage."

He looked up at the Kage box to see a pink cub blocking it off from the outside world. He would have been worried but he and Hiruzen were prepared for this, and Yoruichi and Zaraki will provide excellent support.

Turning back to the foreign kunoichi, he sighed. "I understand if you have no stake in this fight. I ask that if you do not wish to fight, get to somewhere safe and please do not release your Biju or else we will assume you are against us."

"Where are you going," Yugito asked as Naruto turned to leave.

"I'm going to help the village repel this assault," Naruto answered with a small frown. "There are civilians who have been caught in the crossfire and I will try to prevent them from being harmed. If you wish to help, the returning call for allies in the village is Raijin."

"The god of Thunder," Fu snorted in amusement. "Ironic that we have two Kumo-nin with us."

"Indeed," Naruto gave a short laugh before jumping into the arena ground below.

Hinata and Karui fought off three shinobi, the former used her Gentle Fist style while the latter used her tanto, and Hayate killed another two.

"Uzumaki!" Naruto looked at Hayate to see the man breathing heavily and holding his side. "I saw the Desert siblings run off with Gaara to the east. I believe they will be trying to release the Ichibi into the village by forcing a transformation."

Naruto scowled as the seal he used was temporary and would likely not hold if they forced the Ichibi to gain control of Gaara's body. "I will chase them. But first, let me call some reinforcements."

Naruto sliced open his finger and ran the blood over his tattoo. "Uzumaki Summoning Technique: Elder Beasts!"

Naruto used a boost of chakra from Kurama and poured a lot into the summon. The arena gained multiple explosions in quick succession, six in total.

Multiple roars shook the arena before some laughter could be heard.

"Alatreon!"

"Behemoth!"

"Kushala Daora!"

"Namielle!"

"Nergigante!"

"Velkhana!"

"Come forth, Beasts of the End Times!"

"Finally, some fun!"

Behemoth came running out of the smoke, crashing through the arena walls and into the rest of the village. Explosions and screams could be heard, as well as shouts of fighting.

"It's about time," a feminine voice rumbled before a horned royal dragon head slowly appeared out of the smoke. "It's been so long since we've had a fight."

Naruto grinned as Alatreon walked forward and showed the entirety of her powerful body. "Kill all of the Suna and Oto shinobi! Minor damage to the village is accepted!"

"Understood," Alatreon said as she unfurled her wings and prepared to take off into the air.

"Guardian-sama!"

Multiple shouts, male and female, resounded before multiple large winged Beasts took off into the sky. Fire of different vibrant colours illuminated the skies and some laughter or insults between each of the Elder Beasts could be heard.

Meanwhile

"This is annoying," Orochimaru said as he discarded his disguise to reveal himself to his enemies. "I was hoping for a personal battle with my former sensei, but it seems the village of the Uzumaki is still a pain to the normal people of the world. Such a shame."

"The Snake Sannin," A shouted in surprise.

"You will not be escaping here, Orochimaru," Hiruzen told his former student before revealing his combat armour underneath his Kage robes. "I was prepared for this."

"Calm down, Sarutobi-san," Yoruichi raised her hand to calm the elderly man. "Don't lose your focus or you will play into his hands."

Hiruzen swallowed and gave a stiff nod to the woman. "I thank you for fighting with me, Yoruichi-san, Kenpachi-san."

"We will fight all the enemies of Prince-sama," Zaraki announced to the man and rested the blade of his Zanpakuto on his shoulder. "The snake over here will be light work to handle."

He then looked at A and his guards. "You do not need to fight this battle, Raikage-dono. You may stay out of this, I just ask you not to interfere."

A seemed ready to fight but a few words from his female guard had him stop and nod his head.

"It's unfair to have four against one," Orochimaru told them with a tinge of disappointment playing in his voice, silently glad the Raikage will stay out of the fight. "And all I brought was my students to make this little barrier for a private fight-!"

An explosion rocked the stadium and another smaller one burst from the wall near them. They all looked over to see a bipedal monstrosity rampaging through the streets, killing any shinobi wearing tan or grey uniforms. Also, it seemed property damage was the least of the beast's concerns but by the looks of the Uzumaki swirl tattooed over the left bicep of the creature they can tell who had summoned them.

"Behemoth," Yoruichi chuckled as she realised who it was and looked up when she heard wings flapping. "It also seems he summoned most of the Elder Beasts into this fight."

Orochimaru scowled as multiple flying beasts scoured the village in search of his invading army. So it wasn't just one type of summons but multiple varieties that have never been seen around the world. He really will kill Aizen for not sharing all of this information with him. "I see that I was the only one who had any intention of playing fair, so allow me to even the field!"

He went through hand seals before calling out, "Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation!"

Hiruzen looked horrified while Yoruichi and Zaraki were interested. This is the ability that had been developed by Tobirama Senju, the man that refused to aid them in the Second War, before being labelled a failed technique and a kinjutsu. It was amusing that a dangerous missing-nin had been able to find the technique that should have been locked away so no one but the Hokage could access it. And it was now being used against them.

"It is too bad I cannot summon the Fourth Hokage due to him being in the Shinigami's stomach," Orochimaru chuckled mirthfully. "But I had a good second idea since a bastard had told me your village will interfere."

The first two coffins rose from the ground with the labels "First" and "Second" on the front. Hiruzen knew this to be the coffins of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, the most powerful of their time that could only be matched by very few. However, a third coffin began to rise but this one he did not recognize.

"Tch, you're a bastard," Yoruichi growled and tensed a few times.

"You recognize this one," Orochimaru grinned wickedly. "The last Prince of the Uzumaki. Ashina Uzumaki! The elder brother of three, the brother-in-law of Hashirama Senju, and the Master of a Thousand Arms!"

The coffin doors opened and the three men stepped out to allow the coffins to disappear back into the ground.

"What's going on," Tobirama asked as his eyes looked around without moving.

"Brother, is that you?"

"Oh, Sage, not you two," Ashina sighed before his eyes caught sight of Yoruichi, Zaraki and Yachiru. "You three wear the Reaper uniforms! Who are you?"

"A-Ashina-sama," Yoruichi bowed her head quickly. "We are the next generation of Uzushio! We follow your grandson, Naruto Uzumaki, and have rebuilt our destroyed home. You have been summoned by Orochimaru with Tobirama's kinjutsu."

"The Impure World Reincarnation?!" Ashina now glared at the white-haired man next to him. "I told you to stop trying to copy our techniques! Look what you've done!"

"I labelled it forbidden," Tobirama excused himself with a glare back.

"Yes, because you in Konoha have such great records for loyalty! Look at Madara, what happened to him, huh? What happened to my village, you traitorous bastard!"

"Calm down, Ashina-san," Hashirama gave a disarming smile but everyone could tell the man was scared. "Mito has always warned you about your blood pressure."

"I'm dead, you buffoon, what do I care for my blood pressure!" Ashina then gained enough control of his body to turn back and look at the Snake Sannin. "You better keep a good grip on your control because the moment you lose it will be the last, brat!"

"Don't threaten me," Orochimaru scowled and channelled more chakra into the hand seal. "I command you to kill them!"

Hashirama and Tobirama dashed forward without a second thought while Ashina stood in place for a few moments longer before following them.

Naruto

Naruto dashed between two Suna-nin, pressing his palm into the ground quickly with a half ox hand seal and left a small seal between the two enemy's feet. The ground softened and the two men began sinking into the ground. They clawed for anything to help them but it was fruitless as the ground swallowed them entirely.

Good sinkhole seal.

Thanks. Naruto grinned as he rushed after the chakra that he sensed as Gaara's. Our main focus is the main weapon of the enemies. While the Elders take on the main invasion force, we are going to make sure they don't get a Biju reinforcement.

If you need to, transform into me and I will fight him. We can't risk a full transformation with you conscious or you will go into a blood rage.

Naruto didn't answer as he wanted to handle this on his own. He needed to prove something to the redhead, and he won't be able to do that if he just gives Kurama control. If anything, it will contradict what he has been trying to show the boy.

"Stop running."

Naruto landed in the field that the three had stopped in. Kankuro whipped around and summoned his puppet, Crow, to guard them. Temari moved in front of her brother who began to quiver in fear when he saw the blonde arrive.

"We won't let you touch our brother!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at Temari when she finished shouting. "I'm not a pervert, plus your brother is too unstable to be attractive." He waved his hand in dismissal. "Nah, I'm here to prevent you from releasing the Ichibi."

"Temari, take Gaara and run!" Kankuro shouted as he commanded Crow to engage Naruto with its poisoned daggers. "I'll hold him off!"

Naruto sidestepped the puppet and clicked his teeth in annoyance. He cast a seal with his foot before jumping away from the puppet once more. "Grand Scheme Array."

The familiar seal sprung to life, an ominously familiar barrier entrapping the four of them in the area. For Temari and Kankuro, they were surprised to see the barrier that sprung up in the second exam now appeared.

"Wait, y-you are the one who made this in the exam," Temari stuttered as she stepped back while looking around with wide eyes.

"I even fought Orochimaru in it," Naruto chuckled before pressing his hand against the chassis of Crow. "Uzumaki Chakra Art: Complete Combustion."

Kankuro's eyes widened when Crow exploded in a fiery explosion that destroyed his chakra lines. He shielded his eyes from the light and cowered to lower the amount of his body exposed.

"Now," Naruto dusted his hands as he approached the three slowly. "I believe I have to handle the situation that is your little brother."

"N-no!"

Gaara watched as his sister stood between him and the scary blonde. He felt confusion at why she would risk her life for him despite all the times he threatened her. He would have expected her to want him dead like their father.

"Out of my way, Temari." Naruto tensed for a second before relaxing again. "I will not spare you if you continue to be an enemy to me and the village. If you let me handle your brother, then you and Kankuro may be granted leniency when this is all over."

Naruto's eyes turned red from blue and an orange chakra wisped off of him like a bloody mist. "I will not tell you again. Stand down!"

Temari shook as the deep voice that sounded so much worse than her brother when he fell into the Biju's control boomed around the clearing like a crack of thunder. She shook her head and prepared her backup fans for a fight. "I re-refuse."

Naruto just stared at the defiant girl. "Then die."

Naruto disappeared from sight but appeared again with his arm stretched back in an angle, his arm and hand coated in a red smoking chakra. Just as he thrust his arm forward, there was a shout and the blonde girl was thrown to the side.

"No!"

Naruto's hand pierced through Kankuro's chest, a sizzling sound coming from Kankuro's body as the red chakra boiled the boy's skin and insides. Naruto was just as surprised as Temari and Kankuro as he stared at the horrified eyes of the makeup-wearing boy. He gasped a few times as he tried to speak but his eyes glossed over and when Naruto pulled out his arm the boy slumped into the ground.

"Kankuro!" Temari was at her brother's side as she flipped him over onto his back. "Kankuro! Come on, breathe!"

As the blonde woman tried getting her brother's focus, Naruto and Gaara just watched with differing expressions. Gaara shook in fear and horror but Naruto watched in sadness.

"He truly is a brother that cared for his family." Naruto said even as Temari wailed and Gaara felt a new feeling enter his chest. "You are lucky to have a family that loves you, Gaara."

Gaara looked up into the remorseful face of the stronger Jinchuuriki. He felt anger in his chest as he stared at the blonde. It was anger that he usually felt, but a distress for someone other than himself. He never felt this for his siblings or father before. "You-"

"I gave a chance to live. Isn't it you who said you will live for yourself? You will dedicate your kills to prove your own existence?" Naruto now looked at the redhead and motioned his hand over Kankuro's body. "Congratulations, another death for you to exist. Rejoice, I went through with what you threatened him with when we first met. You're welcome."

"You bastard!"

Naruto leaned back to avoid the fist that was meant for his jaw, and he grabbed her by her neck with his arm not coated in roiling red chakra. She gasped and gripped the offending arm even as she was lifted off of the ground.

"Do you even care for them, Gaara?" Naruto traced a nail on his finger along her jaw, leaving a thin red line to bleed from the cut. "Maybe I should save you from their burden. I can do it easily, you know. Takes just one stab-"

"Let Temari go!"

Naruto dodged the poor attempt from the redhead to hit him. He still carried Temari but he made sure not to kill her as he dodged the desperate strikes from the Ichibi Jinchuuriki. "Come on, Gaara, is this your power? Are you truly nothing without your Biju?"

"Shut up! Give me my sister! Give me back my brother! Die!"

Naruto's eyes softened sympathetically. "I believe that for those who are your most precious, who you are willing to die for, you will be at your most strongest. I guess…your siblings aren't that precious to you."

Crack!

Gaara stopped in his tracks as he watched Temari's body tense and kick a few times before falling limp in the blonde's hand. He continued to watch even as his sister was tossed to the side, falling to the ground and rolling until she stopped on her back.

Naruto wiped his hands together as he watched the girl land and come to a halt. "You're welcome, Gaara. Now you won't have to deal with that dead weight."

"Grah!"

Naruto was sent backwards due to a large wave of sand slamming into him. He didn't even get to stop rolling before the sand grabbed him and flung him into a tree.

"You bastard! You killed them!"

Naruto grit his teeth as the sand wrapped around him and the tree. He looked down to see the sand swirling around Gaara like a small violent sandstorm. The boy had red puffy eyes and tears stream down his face in anger.

"Tsk, you're ungrateful," Naruto sent a large pulse of chakra to disperse the sand and free him. "I did this for you, brother! Why are you angry?"

"They were my family! They loved me no matter what! They acknowledged me even when no one else did! I didn't have to kill to prove to them I was alive!"

Naruto listened to the boys shouts. "Then why did you hate them when we first met?"

"Because," he hiccuped and fell to his knees. He gripped the dirt as he shook with sobs. "Because I thought they were like everyone else. I thought they hated me too but were too afraid."

"And you were upset when they died," Naruto spoke softly and smiled as the boy nodded his head furiously.

"You took the only people who loved me away."

"No," Naruto sighed as he ended his partial transformation and glanced at the two bodies in the clearing. "They're not dead."

Naruto crouched down even though Gaara looked at him quizzically and he brushed his hand over part of the Grand Scheme Array seal with a pulse of chakra. "Grand Scheme Array: Ouroboros. End."

A flash of chakra pulsed through the area like a gust of wind, causing the seal barrier to shatter into millions of pieces that disappeared in the sky. Kankuro and Temari sat up immediately, gasping and clawing at the ground in a frenzy.

"G-Gaara!"

Temari stumbled over her knees as she tried reaching her brother. As Kankuro made his way even slower, by the time he got to his knees Temari had already wrapped her arms around her youngest brother with tears running down her face.

Gaara is crying now too, burying his face in his sister's embrace. This feeling is new as his sand always protected him from physical touch, but he readily accepted this new warm feeling.

"I'm fine too," Kankuro groaned but a small smile was on his face as he brought both of his younger siblings into a hug.

"Good to see you better," Naruto clapped his hands excitedly. "Wasn't sure if this was gonna work. It sure was a gamble with your unstable mentality, Gaara."

The three Desert siblings turned to the blonde with annoyed or questioning stares.

"What do you mean, you blonde prick," Temari bit out as she pulled her brother closer.

"You were in a deathlike existence due to my seal," Naruto told them, earning shudders from the two. "You could hear and see but not feel anything going on until I decided to end the seal. If I wanted to, I could have made your death permanent. But this was all a gamble to make Gaara realise that he is loved and that he does not need to kill or listen to his Biju to be seen as a person."

"Wait," Kankuro now waved his hands around. "Time out, so this was all just to scare him into seeing us as his family? What if he didn't and he went on a rampage?"

Naruto chuckled and waved his hand. "Let's not focus on what could have been. Let's be glad that it worked, and Gaara is now fine! Maybe."

Naruto rested his chin on his fist as he stared at the seal on the redhead's forehead. "I should fix his seal to allow him better control over what he hears or feels from the Ichibi. Might fix his sleep, too."

Konoha

Kakashi dodged a kunai thrown by one of the Suna-nin before killing their partner. Asuma killed the last one from behind, running his daggers through the back of their head.

"Is it just me or are there fewer of these bastards," Asuma asked the white-haired man.

"Oh, that's because they're focused on Naruto's summons," Kakashi thumbed over where a constant explosion can be felt. "I believe fifteen minutes ago, Orochimaru's snake summons were killed and consumed by the big bastard."

Boom!

"Stop running, cowards!"

"Someone help!"

Kakashi sweat dropped as he watched Behemoth run down the street and stomp on an Oto-nin. He grabbed another and threw them into a building. Asuma, however, had wide eyes and took a step back in fear.

"T-this is the big one you mentioned?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, this one is just the one who has been running around the village killing anyone with a Suna and Oto headband."

"It looks more like he's trying to destroy the village with them!"

Behemoth heard the shouting and turned to look at them, his molten eyes staring at them as he breathed heavily with a grin on his snout. He slowly began taking steps in their direction, heavy footsteps causing the ground to tremor as he got closer.

"You must be Kakashi." Behemoth spoke with a deep and amused tone. "My name is Behemoth. This section is secure but you should head to your monument. Snort, a large group of invaders were making their way there."

Kakashi nodded his head and bowed. "I appreciate the warning, Behemoth-san."

"Die, monster!"

A hail of shuriken and kunai bounced or lodged into the Ancient Beast's skin from a few dozen shinobi that had regrouped.

Behemoth grinned even more before turning around and took off in a sprint through the street and through a building some of the attackers were on. Panicked shouts were heard by the two Konoha Jonin as they watched the trail of smoke that indicated where the summon was headed.

Meanwhile

"I'm sorry!"

Yoruichi backed off to avoid the wood attack from Hashirama, growling even as the man shouted his apology. "Why couldn't he summon you without a voice! I'm getting tired of your apologies!"

"I'm sorry!"

Yoruichi spun around another wooden beam aimed for her body. "Zaraki, cut out his tongue already!"

"But Ashina-sama is fun to fight!"

Zaraki cackled maddeningly as he dodged the adamantine chains from the elderly Prince, his Reiatsu preventing some of the attacks from causing any real damage. He batted away a few more chains, grinning as he tried to get close to the older and more experienced man that led the Uzumaki for sixty-seven years before the massacre.

"Come on, boy!" Ashina sent a few more chains to attack the Visored as a few more moved him away again. "You hold the title Kenpachi! Prove you are worthy of it instead of Unohana-san!"

"Why am I fighting the child?"

"Because Boney and Lumpy want to play with you!"

Yachiru giggled as her two Shikai tried attacking the man but he was as agile as the element he commanded. Even then, he was unable to harm the girl as she had caused her second form to take over. A skeletal armour covered her left arm and the top part of her head, angry black markings around her mask's eyes making her look like a cat.

"I hate you Uzumaki Visored!"

"Quit complaining just because you're weak!"

Tobirama growled at the shout from Ashina.

"Come on you two, stop fighting- sorry!"

"Zaraki! I swear to the Sage that if you do not kill this Senju bastard I will tell Prince-sama that you were playing around again!"

Zaraki stopped fighting to grumble as he used his sword to swat away more of the chains. "Fine."

Zaraki grabbed his eyepatch and ripped it off. Immediately, the area seemed to tremble with the sudden release of pressure contained by the patch. To Hashirama and Tobirama it felt as if facing off against the tailed beasts once more. For Ashina, it was like the time when he was choosing his generation of Reaper captains and lieutenants. When he felt Saito kill the entire Dakogi clan.

Both Orochimaru and Hiruzen stopped when they felt the pressure slam down on them, turning to see what was happening near them. It is very rare to feel a power like this as many of the modern shinobi are not on the same level as the older generations. This man brought them back to a time where monsters like this were one in a hundred.

"I am sorry, Ashina-sama, but I must end this fight. Prince-sama would be upset if I failed him." Zaraki's grin widened as he raised his zanpakuto. "Thank you for the battle."

That's the invasion chapter! Hope y'all liked it :)

Zaraki used the eyepatch to restrict his power as he can't fully control it just yet. Unlike in Bleach where he uses it to weaken himself.

Also, fun fact for those who noticed the interactions between Ashina and the Senju brothers. The Uzumaki perfected many millennia of Fuinjutsu and Tobirama's Impure World Reincarnation is a ripoff of a completed Uzumaki seal. What they used it for or developed it for is food for thought.

Also, I got a string of guest reviews. I don't know if it's the same person or multiple but there is one particular one left about the fourth chapter. This one will not show up in the review feed because it was completely unnecessary how it was worded. There is no need to end with calling names. You know who you are if you read up to this. So go jump on the wooden handle of a mop and leave me alone :D

ecoBlade: We get Behemoth instead xD Rajah and son? Do you mean Aizen and Gin? If so, their interactions are professional not exactly friends so their interactions reflect that.

HereForSmutLemon: Lee is strong but his desire to be "youthful" put him at a disadvantage and a sane opponent would not allow that like Gaara in canon. I appreciate you liking the story so far :D

iamshinydragonmist: Thank you friend :)

PraetorXyn: Danzo will be handled but there is a use to Root.

777torn777: No the reason Naruto is like this will be explained at the end of the next chapter. Also, thank you I hope you enjoyed yours :D