Hey, been a while, huh?
So, my muse has finally decided to return to me, and, well, here I am with another chapter.
thtadthtshldntb: Huh. That explains it.
geraldwhusted: Ah, thanks for that.
amavgupta0: According to the wiki, it is precisely the reincarnate's chakra. Or they can receive chakra directly from Hagoromo.
MonCappy: Sorry, but I'm probably going to go with him being Obito. I can't say I like it either, but I wouldn't say I like the idea of changing it.
JintoLin: Fuu's age is definitely part of why she can't handle too much of his power yet. Glad you think so. Unfortunately, Sakura's going to have to sit this out. At least she would be able to help, though.
StarGazer2326: Huh. Hadn't seen that. And yeah, the point I was making is that it seems to be a high-level skill that any Jinchuriki can use, so it's odd that Fuu can do it because she was a teenager when Minato was impressed the adult Killer Bee, a noted prodigy, could do it. That implies the skill should be too advanced for her to be able to use at her age.
Welp, without further ado...
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Kankuro grits his teeth. He glared at the Uchiha, who smirked as he looked down at him and his siblings.
Things had all gone to hell, but that was no surprise; what else would you expect in war?
Kankuro had his misgivings about this, just as his sister had. He wouldn't deny how he'd dreaded being in the middle of a warzone, and that wasn't getting into what he thought of Gaara's part in their plan.
How could the Kazekage think that was a good idea while their people were there?
But orders were orders; no matter how much Kankuro and his sister disagreed with their father, they had to obey.
And, no surprise, things went wrong right off the bat; Gaara had been wounded for the first time and had gone into shock.
Gaara was no use to anyone now; without him, they might lose.
Suna was declining as it was. That was the whole reason the Kazekage had agreed to this. If they failed, the backlash might be the end of their village.
He glanced back at his siblings, a hint of nervousness in his gaze. So many concerns weighed on him, not least of which was the thought that he and Temari would be so close when Gaara unleashed Shukaku. And a bit of worry for his youngest brother, much as Gaara scared the hell out of him.
He had no choice: they couldn't fail.
He flung his Crow puppet over his shoulder and slammed it into the branch he stood on. "Temari, take Gaara and go."
"Right," His older sister said before taking off.
"Guess there's no choice; I'll be your opponent," Kankuro said. Temari was smart enough to get out of dodge once Gaara woke up. He just needed to buy time until then.
Sasuke frowned and drew three shurikens. Kankuro sent threads of chakra to his puppet. It burst from its wrapping in an instant, flying towards Sasuke, who leaped backward.
Sasuke let the ninja stars fly. They cut through the air, flying past the puppet and towards its master. Kankuro leaned out of their way and unleashed a wave of needles from his puppet's mouth with a gesture as Sasuke landed and dodged to the side. He shifted his fingers as if...
The Suna genin's eyes widened as he noticed the wires beside him. He turned his head to see the stars turning back towards him. He jumped out of the way, but when he looked back at his opponent, Sasuke was gone.
Kankuro cursed, scanning for his opponent before he felt a foot drive into his back. He cried out in pain as he was driven into a tree, falling onto a branch. He half-turned and saw Sasuke approach. He quickly made a hand seal as the Sharingan user closed the distance.
More ninja stars came at him, meant to bind him to the tree, but Kankuro switched places with his puppet in time. The Crow sliced through the wires with a bladed arm before sending more needles at Sasuke.
They struck the Uchiha in the chest, only for him to burst into the smoke to reveal a log.
The Suna genin cursed in his new hiding spot. 'Where did he...?' He stiffened as his senses warned him of danger. He moved just in time to dodge an ax kick and saw Sasuke's eyes blazing red.
'Damn, those eyes must let him see chakra!' Kankuro thought. 'Then-'
He was cut off and forced to leap to another branch as an orb of air slammed into the tree limb he'd stood on, tearing a chunk out of it large enough to fall under its weight and crash down to the forest floor.
Great, he had backup. Just what they'd needed.
Sure enough, Naruto and Shikamaru landed by the Uchiha's side a moment later. "Hey, Sasuke. Thought you could use a hand." The blond said.
Kankuro had no time to think about the situation as his danger sense flared again. Two clones of Naruto appeared on either side, rushing at him. He ducked under one blow and blocked another with his forearm. Glowing chains shot forward from the real Naruto, but his puppet rescued him just in time. A hail of needles destroyed the clones, and he was able to vanish with a Body Flicker.
Naruto clicked his tongue as his chains vanished.
"I thought you'd have my back," Sasuke said with a smirk. "Took you long enough."
"Hey, you had a head start on us. What'd you expect?" Naruto replied before looking at Kankuro. He punched his fist into his palm. "Now, how about we deal with this guy and move on?"
Sasuke was silent for a moment before he replied, "I've got a better idea. How about you take over?"
"What- have you lost it?!" Naruto looked at him like he'd grown a second head as Kankuro's eyes narrowed. "After whatever the hell Gaara pulled-"
"Think about it. We take the time to deal with him; the trail could go cold." Sasuke interrupted the blond, much to his frustration. He then looked ahead. "It was my fight anyway. I've got a score to settle."
"You think this guy and his doll-" Kankuro's eye twitched as the blond pointed at him. "- could hold us here for that long? The proctor sent you after him. Even a jonin thinks he's bad news!"
"Yeah, he sent me. It's my mission." Then, the Uchiha smirked. "I'm trusting you to handle this guy. You're not going to let him slow you down. Right, Naruto?"
Naruto frowned for a second and then grinned. "All right. Just save some for me, okay?"
"No promises," The Uchiha replied before he went on his way. Kankuro made no move to stop him. He knew he couldn't deal with all three at once.
"You sure you can handle him by yourself?" Shikamaru asked.
The blond nodded. "Don't worry; I've got this. I'll catch up before you know it." Then, with a grunt, the lazy genin went off after Sasuke.
Heh, how stupid. Together, the three might stand a chance once Gaara wakes up if they could take him down before he gets going. Well, no skin off his bones. And better that he didn't have to deal with those eyes. He could hide in the leaves and take care of the loudmouth at a distance.
Naruto glared at Kankuro before making a familiar hand sign. Then, in a burst of smoke, three Narutos stood together.
That was when Kankuro's puppet came down, launching volleys of poison needles at the trio, who dodged back. The Suna genin took the chance to make himself scarce. He silently faded into the foliage and peeked out between the leaves.
He directed the puppet to fire a smoke bomb into the air. It was too far to hope for rescue, but he hoped Temari would get the message. Unfortunately, she was about to have company.
Naruto sent out chains while his clones threw kunai at the Crow, which weaved through the air around them. Then, finally, it neared one of the three, its hands shooting forward as daggers dripping with purple liquid extended from its wrists.
Naruto batted the attack aside with a kunai. He ducked and weaved around the puppet's unnatural movements before driving his knee into it, sending it back. The blond jumped away as he made a hand seal.
That was his chance. With a flick of his fingers, Kankuro sent needles flying from the puppet at the blond while he was still in the air. They struck true, dispersing the clone, but not before it sent a trio of whirlwinds at the puppet.
They slammed into it, cracking its wooden form as Kankuro grimaced. Another clone came down at it from behind. Two more arms burst from the puppet's form, surprising it. The clone burst into smoke, but Kankuro's eyes widened when he saw what it had done.
There was a kunai with an explosive seal lodged in his puppet's chest.
In a blast, his puppet was ripped apart. Kankuro couldn't help the yell that escaped him. He had put so much work into studying that puppet. Rebuilding it would take so long.
Naruto turned to him, ready to attack, but he'd been told the moment you were on the cusp of victory was the moment you were most vulnerable.
He made one last connection to one of the intact arms of his ruined puppet and launched a bomb at Naruto. It burst into purple smoke and enveloped the blond. He jumped out a moment later, but the damage was done. After that, he wouldn't be going anywhere.
"Heh, that was a close one. Too bad, kid. I might be out of luck without the Crow, but if you breathed that in, you're done for." No point in hiding now. It shouldn't be long...
Naruto glared at him, then grinned. And then he vanished in a burst of smoke.
Kankuro looked on in shock. "What? That was a clone, too?!" He began to look around rapidly. Where could he be?!
"Hah! Worked like a charm! You fell for it hook, line and sinker!" Naruto's voice seemed to come from around him as he kept searching.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Use your brain, why don't you? Why would I waste time with you when you've made it obvious who the real problem is?"
Kankuro's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. 'He used the smoke to cover his escape! The brat took off before we even started fighting! This one's probably just another clone, too!'
"Damn it!" Kankuro began to move to follow after them. Even without his puppet, he wasn't helpless. He could still-
"Uh uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Naruto's voice stopped him. "While you were busy with those three, I was putting up a seal around this place. Try to leave, and this whole area will go up in flames."
"You expect me to believe-!" Kankuro stopped as he remembered something. In his match with Neji, he'd tried to trap him in a square of seals...
'Shit!'
"That's right. So sit tight, 'cause you're not going anywhere."
Kankuro clenched his fists. 'Sorry, Temari. Gaara...'
Sasuke leaped from tree to tree, eyes blazing crimson as he looked ahead.
Temari must have seen Kankuro's smoke bomb. No doubt she'd realize what it meant. There was no telling what surprises she may have in store for them.
"So, what's the plan?" Shikamaru asked, drawing his attention. He glanced at the Nara before returning his gaze ahead. "Gaara was no joke to begin with, before we factor in... whatever came out of that cocoon."
Sasuke felt the other genin's gaze on him before he continued. "I noticed that during your match, you made it a point to exhaust all other options before you used that lightning jutsu. Of course, it could just be that it was your trump card, but given what you were up against... I'd guess it has some drawback, doesn't it?"
Sasuke clicked his tongue. He'd hit the nail on the head. "... It costs a lot of chakras... too much. I can only use it twice a day."
He glanced back at Shikamaru and saw he'd closed his eyes. "In other words, you've got one shot." He grits his teeth. "Damn it. And based on the air pressure from that roar, my Shadow Possession may not even work. So we'd have a better chance with Naruto between those chains of his and his sealing jutsu." He smirked. "That's what I would say. But knowing him, he's not too far behind."
Sasuke grunted. He'd thought the same. Knowing Naruto, he'd have already gotten around Kankuro. Still, he wanted to end this on his own.
It was his fight. His chance to prove how much he'd grown. How much closer he was to his goal.
He frowned as he remembered what had happened during his last test. He'd fallen, and Naruto had finished the fight.
The thought of Naruto finishing another fight Sasuke couldn't rankle. It would be another sign of just how far behind he was.
His eyes widened as he saw movement ahead. A powerful chakra, one that wasn't Temari's or Gaara's, floating in the air, infusing the air.
Forming it into blades.
"Shikamaru, watch out!" He managed to get out. Fortunately, both vanished with Body Flicker before winds raged and trees were sliced.
Naruto looked forward with determination as he shot through the trees, moving as fast as he could to catch up to his teammates.
Then his eyes widened as he felt a shift in the wind. Before he could react, he was blown off of his feet as the trees fell around them, a brief glimpse of a weasel bearing a massive scythe passing him by.
As he flew back, chains burst from his back and whipped around, brushing logs aside and severing blades of wind as he flew backward and fell to the forest floor. A single chain shot out and tore through the air until it stabbed a tree.
The blond used the chain to reel himself in. Naruto was dragged through the air by the chain before it dissipated as he neared his destination. He flipped through the air and landed on his feet.
He sighed, and then his eyes widened as he surveyed the damage. "Woah..."
There was now a massive space where there was once dense woodland. It was the size of the arena the exams had been held in. The forest floor was littered with cleanly sliced trees.
Naruto took in the destruction for a moment before he glared in the direction it started in.
And with that, he took off. 'I hope Sasuke and Shikamaru are okay.'
"Damn, that was close," Shikamaru commented as he and Sasuke stood in a tree at the edge of the devastated area. Then, he turned to the Uchiha, who stared back in Naruto's direction. "You don't think Naruto was caught in that, do you?"
Sasuke was silent for a moment, staring at the fallen trees before answering. "If he was, he probably found a way out of it. Naruto's too stubborn to let something like that take him down."
Shikamaru didn't respond. Sasuke looked at the deforested area for a bit longer before turning to him. "Temari will have either hoped this would slow us down..."
"Or she'll stash Gaara somewhere and come back to buy time," Shikamaru finished for him. The lazy Nara closed his eyes for a moment. "If it were me, I'd go with option 2. I'll go ahead." He then turned to look at Sasuke. "You take a long way around. We should know soon enough if she decides to stand her ground. If so, I'll handle her." He looked forward. "Can't say I'm eager for a rematch, but between us, you're the only one with a chance against Gaara."
Sasuke nodded and smirked confidently. "Looks like we'll finish our match after all."
It was then that they separated. Shikamaru moved along the edge of the area while Sasuke took a longer route. It wasn't long before Sasuke heard gusts of wind rattling the leaves.
With Temari out of the picture, he just needed to find Gaara.
Sasuke went around the sounds of battle and searched for his target. His crimson eyes scanned the foliage as he glanced to and fro. 'She couldn't have gotten far before she turned back. Where did she hide him?'
Sasuke got an answer only a few seconds later. The Uchiha saw a mass of crimson chakra through the trees, already more powerful than it had been in the arena and growing more potent by the second.
And yet, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the challenge ahead. 'There you are.'
Sasuke leaped up to a branch above his quarry. He couldn't help the way his eyes widened at what he beheld.
Gaara stood hunched forward with his left hand on the branch to steady himself. His gourd was breaking down into the sand and seemed to almost melt into his body, growing out and flowing over him and transforming into something more like flesh. It had completely covered his right arm and shoulder, shaped into that massive claw from earlier. It was covered in blue, vein-like patterns that stopped short of the gourd and extended to the unchanged half of his face.
As the redhead looked up at him, his eyes filled with almost feral bloodlust, Sasuke saw that it had covered half his face. The transformed side was monstrous, bestial with an animalist ear growing out of his scalp. His right eye had changed into the black and yellow one he'd seen in the cocoon. His teeth were bared and grit tight, revealing his enlarged incisors as drool pooled on the branch below.
Sasuke's expression hardened. Well, he'd wanted a challenge. And he'd get one from the look of things and the still-growing crimson chakra flowing from Gaara.
For a moment, the two stared each other down. Then, the forest was silent aside from faint growls from Gaara. Sasuke's hand made a subtle move for his weapon pouch, and in that split second, his Sharingan warned him of impending death.
Gaara shot forward with speed Sasuke had only seen Lee and jounin exceed. The transformed genin's claw tore into Sasuke, only for his form to be replaced by a shattered tree trunk.
A trunk covered in seal tags.
The tags exploded, unleashing a surge of water that poured over the transformed boy. Gaara cried out in shock as the sand darkened.
Sasuke reappeared and launched himself at Gaara in a burst of speed, slamming his foot into the exposed half of Gaara's face. Sasuke smirked as he saw blood trickle from Gaara's mouth.
'He might be stronger now, but this transformation cost Gaara the shield and the armor!' Sasuke noted. 'He's vulnerable. If I can take him down before he finishes transforming...'
Now that he'd confirmed his suspicions, he didn't have to conserve chakra as much.
He kicked off Gaara and flipped through the air, drawing a kunai and launching it at the redhead. Gaara blocked the dagger with his arm, only to notice a seal tag that exploded into more water. Sasuke placed his hand on the tree branch and channeled lightning through his hand as the water touched down.
Gaara let out a pained grunt as the lightning coursed through his body. The Uchiha drew another kunai and shot forward, throwing it as he closed the distance. Gaara raised his left arm in time to block it but let out a cry as it dug into his arm.
Sasuke saw the phantom image of Gaara swiping his transformed right arm at him, far more sluggishly than before, courtesy of the water. He ducked just in time, smirking as he got inside Gaara's guard, another kunai at the ready.
At the last moment, his eyes warned him of danger. He kicked himself back just in time as a massive tail lashed out, tearing through the wood like it wasn't even there.
Sasuke grit his teeth as he runs through hand seals. Then he inhaled deeply. 'Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!'
The Konoha genin spat out a ball of fire that quickly expanded, large enough to consume Gaara completely. But the redhead let out a growl and swiped his arm, the air pressure blowing it apart.
Only to reveal kunai hidden behind the flames. He leaped out of the way, only for the kunai to explode at his unprotected side. Gaara cried out as the blast touched him, lightly scorching his side.
Sasuke launched himself at Gaara as he landed on his transformed hand. He drew more kunai for his next attack; then his eyes widened as he saw what Gaara would do next.
With a swipe of his tail, Gaara unleashed a barrage of pellets of compressed sand. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and let out a cry as they slammed into his stomach, arm, and shoulder, driving him back through the air.
He crashed into a tree, grunting as he fell to the branch below. He managed to fight through the pain and looked up just in time to see Gaara launch himself at him.
He barely managed to dodge with a quick substitution before Gaara tore through the branch and carved a chunk out of the tree behind him.
As the tree toppled down, everything above where Gaara struck collapsing under its weight, the redhead began to chuckle. A chuckle that soon grew to full-on laughter.
"Yes, this is what I'd hoped for!" The Suna genin said as he looked at his singed arm. "Someone who can harm me, even now. Yes, killing you will affirm my existence!"
Sasuke grimaced as he hid behind a tree, a welt forming on his arm. 'Damn it... and he keeps transforming... At this rate, I might have to use Chidori after all.' His eyes narrowed as he took stock of the situation, watching Gaara through the tree by his chakra. 'But I've only got one shot left...'
He could always buy time and wait for Naruto. Sasuke was sure that his teammate was on his way. Then, they'd have a better chance between the chains, his seals, and their collaborative jutsu.
But there was no telling how long that would be, thanks to Temari's stunt that leveled part of the forest. Gaara might have transformed into something they couldn't handle by then. 'Besides...'
Memories flashed through Sasuke's mind: waking up on the bridge and realizing that the battle was over, being powerless before Orochimaru.
And the memory of a man with the same crimson eyes he had, standing over the bodies of his parents.
Sasuke's eyes hardened with determination. 'I want to finish this myself!'
If he were going to use Chidori, he'd have to be smart about it. Sasuke would only have one shot at this.
He saw Gaara crouch forward, claw held over his chest, and readied himself. Gaara swept his arm and unleashed another barrage of sand bullets. The Uchiha leaped above them to dodge, and Gaara's grin widened. He launched himself at Sasuke, closing the distance instantly, and tore through him with his claw.
Only for him to burst into smoke, replaced by a splintered log.
Gaara growled as he landed on a branch and turned his head this way while Sasuke dropped down from above, stabbing a kunai into the bark before landing on a branch just a few yards away.
He turned his head as Sasuke landed, just in time for the flash bomb Sasuke attached to the kunai behind him to go off. Gaara let out a startled cry as he shielded his eyes.
'Now!' Sasuke ran through the hand seals and held his right hand down, grabbing at his wrist. Once again, an aura of lightning formed around his hands, the arcing bolts giving off the odd, chirp-like sounds the technique was known for.
Sounds that alerted Gaara to what he had in mind. Even blinded by the light, the redhead prepared to counterattack.
Sasuke launched himself at Gaara, who responded in kind, his massive claw swinging forward as they neared.
It wasn't enough. The Chidori carved through the sand and raked across Gaara's arm, drawing a cry of pain from him as blood trailed through the air, but it was enough resistance to keep him from hitting anything vital.
'Damn it!' Sasuke immediately turned and threw a series of kunai as he trailed through the air. Gaara's tail blocked them as the Suna genin landed and fell to his knees, clutching his arm as the sand fell away.
Once more, they exploded into a dome of churning wind before Sasuke added a fireball jutsu into the mix.
As Gaara disappeared into the conflagration, Sasuke crouched down, tense. He waited on bated breath, hoping that his defenses had been weakened enough for that to finish him.
With an almost inhuman roar, a burst of wind erupted from Gaara. It wasn't a jutsu but rather the sheer power of his chakra. It blew away the fireball consuming him, revealing that the sand had protected him.
He turned to glare at him, chuckling with a wide grin as Sasuke gritted his teeth. The sand reformed Gaara's claw and began to spread farther. It engulfed most of his torso as he turned and prepared for his next attack.
He kicked himself to the side as Gaara leaped at him, backflipping onto his hands and away while his foe slammed into the branch, the redhead's claw tearing halfway through the wood.
Gaara turned as Sasuke pushed himself into the air, revealing a pair of seal tags where his hands had been. Water burst from them with a hand seal, weighing Gaara down.
Sasuke drew two shurikens and threw them, the light catching thin wires attached to them. The wires circled and ensnared Gaara. Sasuke coursed lighting through them, and Gaara let out a pained growl through clenched teeth while it tore through his body.
Sasuke then released it and made a seal, and flame flowed along the wires, consuming Gaara.
Sasuke hoped that they would do something.
He cursed when he saw it didn't. Sand had wedged between what little of him was still exposed and the wire. Gaara fought the wires' grip and tore them away with a grunt of effort.
The transformed genin inhaled deeply, and the Sharingan wielder's instincts screamed warnings at him. Gaara roared and unleashed a wave of wind infused with sand, the grains moving with enough force to tear off flesh.
He covered his face with his arm before he burst into the smoke, revealing another log.
The real Sasuke leaped out above Gaara, his hands running through seals, but the Suna genin turned and looked at him out of the corner of his eye with a grin. Then, a swipe of his tail unleashed another wave of sand pellets.
The Uchiha heir had just enough time to raise his arms before his chest and face before they slammed into him, striking his arms, his leg, and the side of his face. He was sent flying back into a tree branch, bleeding welts forming on his skin.
"Is that all!?" Gaara roared, holding out his claw for one final charge.
It was then that glowing chains came down on Gaara from four directions, wrapping around each of his limbs as a fifth one wrapped around his waist. An orange blur burst from the foliage, charging straight at Gaara.
Naruto closed the distance instantly; his arm reared back with an orb of swirling chakra in his hand. "Rasengan!"
He slammed the attack into Gaara's chest. It tore through the sand as the Suna genin cried out in pain. Then, the orb burst, sending Gaara flying as the chains vanished.
Naruto landed on a branch and turned to him with a grin. "Looks like I got here just in time."
"I knew that wouldn't be the end of you." Despite that, Sasuke was relieved to see Naruto alright after Temari dropped part of the forest on them. But a part of him couldn't help but feel frustrated.
He couldn't finish it on his own. Again.
Naruto's grin faded as he took stock of his teammate, who rose to his feet. Behind him, his clones wrapped Gaara in chakra chains. "You alright, Sasuke?"
Sasuke covered one of the welts on his left arm and glared behind Naruto. "Don't worry about me. This isn't over yet."
Before he could respond, he heard Gaara growling behind him. Gaara had risen into a half crouch, gritting his teeth as he strained against the chains.
Naruto added his chains as the transformed genin thrashed. Even so, it wasn't enough. With a roar and a wave of crimson-hued chakra, the chains shattered.
The Uzumaki shielded his face, anchoring his feet to the branch to keep from getting blown away. When it ended, Gaara fell forward and clutched at his chest.
'Damn. The sand took too much of the hit,' Naruto observed. He took a moment to take in Gaara's transformation. The sheer power he'd unleashed and the baleful yellow on the black eye that looked back at him.
'Am I... supposed to be able to do that?'
"What... was that attack?" Gaara asked as he raised himself, the sand slowly spreading farther. It soon covered his head and torso.
The coat of sand became more animalistic, forming a muzzle full of sharp teeth. The only parts of the redhead that were still exposed were his legs.
Naruto clicked his tongue. 'This is bad... I don't think any of my seals can hold back this much chakra. I could probably weigh him down, but who knows how far this transformation will go? We'll have to take him down, but even the Rasengan couldn't get through this much sand.'
"Sasuke, you still up for a fight?"
"I'm running low on chakra, and he got my leg with that last attack, but don't count me out yet." The Uchiha replied. The blond genin nodded and tensed, knowing the clones in the foliage around them were doing the same.
Gaara glared at him with eyes that held nothing but hatred for everything in the world. But somehow, seeing that look and knowing where it came from made him more determined to win.
The transformed genin inhaled as extra mouths opened all over his body and did the same. He then unleashed a wave of wind blasts that tore through the forest, ripping apart trees in their wake.
When the dust settled, the Konoha genin were nowhere to be found.
Gaara scanned his surrounding for any sign of them. Then, a moment later, he was jarred forward as a clone appeared in a body flicker, slamming its foot into his back. He dispersed it with a quick swipe of his tail, only for three to rush at him from the front.
With a swing of his right arm, he unleashed a barrage of sand pellets. The clones were quickly torn apart in the assault.
All a distraction as another chain burst from the foliage and wrapped around his extended arm.
Three Narutos then appeared before him at once, each opening a scroll. Gaara tore through them all with a single swipe of his free claw, but the scrolls remained, the seals on them glowing.
The transformed genin's eyes widened as explosive seals poured out of them by the dozens, quickly wrapping around him. Then, they detonated in a spectacular blast that reduced the tree he stood on to burning hunks of wood.
The sand genin's claw reached out from the smoke created by the blast, hooking and reeling him onto another branch. The demonic shroud of sand around him almost looked melted, leaving light brown trails through the air as he landed on solid ground.
More glowing chains burst from the foliage and sped toward him. Again mouths opened along his body and unleashed streams of wind, ripping through trees and blowing them away.
But then he heard something above him. The transformed boy had enough time to look up to see a flaming tornado coming down on him. They merged and engulfed him, and the boy shielded his face as the branch tore open beneath him.
He dispelled the tornado with a roar and a power pulse, landing on another branch below. With a growl, Gaara leaped into the air and looked down, his eyes searching for his foes.
The real Naruto and Sasuke had retreated further into the forest, looking up at Gaara from behind a dense patch of leaves. "How many more of those do you have in you?" The blond asked the Uchiha heir.
"I think I could pull off five more as long as I don't try Chidori again."
"Didn't Kakashi-sensei say you shouldn't try that?" Naruto asked, turning to his teammate.
"Even if it's life and death?" Sasuke countered before glaring at Gaara. "That Rasengan doesn't do enough damage."
Naruto growled slightly and started to respond when one of Gaara's animalistic ears twitched in their direction.
The blond barely had enough time to shout, "Move!" as the Suna genin turned and fired a blast of wind at them.
They leaped out of the path, only for more blasts to follow, blowing them through the forest.
Naruto covered his face and torso, feeling wind and sand tearing at him as he was driven through branch after branch.
The blond finally came to a stop when he collided with a thick tree trunk, shattering back before falling to a branch. He slowly rose to his feet as blood ran down his arms and scalp, looking over to see Sasuke do the same.
He turned back just in time to see Gaara coming down on him and kicked back off the tree, running through hand seals as he flew through the air.
Gaara looked up and inhaled, only for a sizzling sound to reach him. He looked down to see a seal tag beneath him just before it exploded into a pillar of flame before the blond used Gale Palm to add fuel to the fire.
With Gaara's form hidden by the fire as the tree began to burn, Naruto quickly summoned four Shadow Clones before sending out Chakra Chains to wrap around the transformed redhead.
The clones were prepared for a Rasengan barrage, and Naruto could only hope it would do some real damage. But, just as they raised their arms to attack, a new sound filled the air.
A sound like rapidly beating wings.
'There!' Fuu thought, a determined look in her eyes as she neared the battlefield.
She ducked down before flying up at an angle to where the glowing chains ended. Fuu had a brief instant to take in Gaara's transformed state before she passed him, driving her fist into the rough sand of his jaw. She then turned in mid-air and ran through hand seals.
'Hidden art: Burning Spray!' Chakra was kneaded into a dangerous chemical mixture in her stomach while more coated her stomach and throat. It erupted from her mouth a moment later, bursting out with explosive force and steaming as it came in contact with the air.
It doused Gaara's sand, clear and oily as sand sloughed off, giving Gaara's transformed state a melted look.
And after a few seconds, he began to scream.
As Gaara cried in pain and thrashed about, Naruto's clones made their move. They shot forward, each yelling in the effort as they slammed glowing orbs into the Suna genin.
Gaara was silenced as they dug into his sand-covered body before they exploded and launched him out of sight while the burning tree fell, embers scattering through the air.
'Thanks for the help with that Jutsu, Chomei,' Fuu thought to the Biju sealed within her, smiling as she observed her handiwork.
'Don't mention it; lending a wing was the least I could do,' Chomei's voice echoed from within her mind. 'But don't let yourself get distracted; it'll take more than that to take him down.'
"Fuu!?" The Naruto she assumed was the real one called out, looking at her in shock. "What are you doing here!? Wait, you can fly!?"
"Yep! It's awesome, right!?" Fuu asked with a wide smile. She loved flying; the views she saw were amazing. The looks Shibuki would give her if he found out she spread her wings just for fun, not so much.
She flew over to him and landed on the branch he was on. "I wasn't about to let you guys fight him alone." Her gaze hardened as she looked in the direction Gaara had disappeared in. "Trust me; I know how dangerous he is."
Naruto looked at her with a frown, but before he could say anything, Sasuke spoke up. "Is this what you were hiding when we fought."
"Uh... yes!" Fuu said quickly. "It's my... uh..." her mind raced for an explanation.
"Kekkei-Genkai," came Chomei's words.
"Kekkei-Genkai," Fuu parroted. "I was supposed to keep it a secret, so don't tell anyone, okay?"
Naruto and Sasuke seemed skeptical, but Gaara's roars drew their minds back to the battle.
"Sasuke," Naruto began, glaring at the sound. "Without pushing it, how many fireballs do you have left in you?"
"... One or two," The Uchiha replied with gritted teeth.
"Fuu, listen," Naruto said, getting her attention. "If you see me use Divine Down Current, that whirlwind jutsu, could you throw your powder technique into the mix?"
The mint-haired girl nodded with a serious look. "Can do."
"Get back!" Sasuke called out.
The three genin scattered, following the Uchiha's lead and ducking behind the trees as a wind blast came from Gaara's direction. Fuu could see sand flowing along the branches and broken bits of trees flying through the air as the attack passed.
'Shukaku infuses sand in all of his wind attacks. It can tear flesh from bone, so don't get caught in it!' Chomei warned.
'Got it. Thanks for the warning,' Fuu sent her thoughts to him.
As the attack let up, Naruto landed beside her. He reached into his pouch and pulled out some seals. "Can you mix these into one of those web clones?"
Fuu blinked, then smiled and nodded as she saw what he was thinking. Naruto was good at coming up with stuff on the fly. "Good idea," she said as she took them. The sound of tearing branches interrupted any further talk as Naruto turned back.
"Looks like he went after Sasuke. Let's go!" He then took off as Fuu ran through hand seals.
'Web Clone Jutsu!' The Taki kunoichi thrust her hands forward, and silk-like threads burst from her hands. The seal tags were taken along as they formed into her rough shape, then shifted into a perfect copy of her.
The three then scattered, taking off in different directions as Fuu headed straight for the sounds of battle. She arrived just in time to see Sasuke jump to a higher branch to avoid an attack from Gaara.
The enemy Jinchuriki drove his right claw into the branch where Sasuke had been a moment earlier before crouching down, panting as he covered his chest.
Looks like they did some damage.
The transformed boy turned to her, unleashing a barrage of sand pellets her way, but she nimbly weaved through the air around them. She then ducked down as he breathed out a stream of air that sliced right through the trees, bringing dozens down around her.
Fuu flew outside the danger zone before flying at Gaara, cuffing him in the face again before flipping and bringing her leg down in an ax kick.
Gaara caught the blow with his arm, her foot sinking into the sand. He gave a nasty grin before his claw tore into her... only for her to burst into webs.
"What?" Gaara growled as he was covered in webs. Then, the seals mixed into them began to glow, covering him with glowing symbols and constricting him. "What is...?!"
Naruto then ran through hand seals. "Wind Style: Divine Wind!" Five tornadoes formed around him and flew toward Gaara.
Seeing what he had in mind, Fuu flew up and made a seal before clapping her hands and inhaling deeply. 'Hidden Art: Scale Powder!'
The mint-haired Jinchuriki breathed out as much powder as she could. It was immediately sucked into the tornadoes, forming a massive, glittering silver whirlwind around Gaara.
Then Sasuke added his attack into the mix, a small fireball to conserve charka.
The results were spectacular.
The tornado erupted into a massive explosion. Fuu had to shield her face as she pulled back from the blast. A glance down showed her the two boys had also leaped back to a safer distance.
Before, they were well over a dozen ruined, burning trees; the tops splintered into numerous sharp remnants and charred. There was no sign of Gaara as they scanned their surroundings.
'Beneath you!' Chomei warned her, just in time for her to look down to see dozens of wide wind blasts coming her way.
She could dodge five of them, but the final one caught her and sent her flying into the air with a cry. It dispersed, leaving her to fall as blood trailed down her lip. Halfway down, she righted herself and flew back to the battlefield.
She arrived in time to see chains coming at Gaara from all sides, quickly ensnaring him. The Suna ninja had seen better days. His sand shroud no longer looked like a miniature Shukaku: it looked half melted, and his tail was missing.
Fuu came down on Gaara's immobile form and again used the jutsu she'd made for him. A stream of boiling chemicals burst from her mouth and rained down on the boy, causing him to cry in pain.
Naruto then formed another orb of chakra in his hand and shot forward as it ended. "Rasengan!"
It slammed into Gaara's chest, and his cries intensified. They'd broken through!
The orb burst and sent Gaara flying. He crashed into a branch and fell onto his butt. He shakily tried to rise but only fell forward as his sand slashed off his form.
One of his arms became visible for the first time since she arrived.
Naruto immediately took this chance to wrap him in chains again.
Fuu smiled as she landed on a nearby branch, thinking it was over.
"There's no way..." Gaara began weakly as he looked up and gave them a baleful glare, his voice growing in strength. "No way I'm going to lose to people like you!"
And then the sand exploded in volume, expanding so rapidly they were forced back to keep from being caught.
When it ended, they all looked up to see a massive raccoon dog made of sand covered in blue vein-like patterns, with pale yellow eyes looking down at them.
'Shukaku... in the form at least,' Chomei observed grimly, and Fuu swallowed hard.
Hinata's eyes widened as a Suna ninja charged at her, his arm over his chest with two fingers extended. The wind blade at his fingertips was clear as day to her Byakugan.
He was too fast. A jonin, he had to be. She could think of only one way out.
The blade sliced cleanly through her, only for her to burst into smoke, replaced by a log.
The Suna jonin turned in her direction. He must have sensed where she'd gone. But that was fine; she knew she couldn't win against him.
She charged out from behind an air conditioner and threw chakra needles at another Suna ninja fighting a jonin from her family's Branch House. They hit his leg, striking pressure points that paralyzed the limb.
It put him off balance enough for her cousin to get a palm strike to his heart. He quickly pushed his fallen foe out of the way and unleashed an Eight Trigrams: Empty Palm attack at the jounin that had just closed the distance between himself and Hinata.
"You're fight's with me now," He said.
The Suna jonin just chuckled as two more leaped up to the roof.
Her cousin narrowed his eyes and charged. The three enemy ninja ran to meet him, two drawing kunai, thinking him easy prey.
He ducked down when they were in range and slipped around the first jounin. He dodged a swipe from the second and dipped into his guard.
Another palm strike to the heart, another enemy down.
He then dodged a blow from the other new arrival as the first jounin turned to face him.
It was then that Hinata spied an enemy arriving on a lower roof and lying in wait.
His chakra was weaker than his allies. Probably a chunin waiting for an opening.
Hinata lobbed an explosive kunai at his hiding spot, and he leaped out to avoid the explosion. Hinata closed the distance as he landed and ran through hand seals.
He breathed a compressed air stream, and she kicked herself to the side and above to avoid it. He drew shuriken and threw them at her as she fell towards him.
At this range, avoiding or blocking would have been impossible had it not been for her new jutsu.
Her arms blurred as the net of Protection of the Eight Trigrams formed, neatly blocking the throwing stars. He leaped back, but two blades of blue light sliced into his arms.
As he reeled in shock, she shot forward and mirrored her cousin. One palm strike, and it was over.
And not for the first time, Hinata felt bile in her throat.
That hadn't been her first kill. That had been earlier today. They were conditioned for this, but taking a life was different.
Still, she forced it down with a deep, shuddering breath and thoughts of her sister, her friends, and her village.
Okay, you okay?" She heard the other Hyuuga ask.
She turned to see her cousin had finished off his opponents. His name was Akio Hyuuga, and he was around her father's age. He had short, spiky brown hair and wore Konoha's standard ninja attire.
He was looking at her with slight concern. Hinata was glad for the reminder that the relationship between their houses wasn't as bad as Neji's case. "Y- yes. I can keep going."
Akio nodded. "It looks like we've finished up here. I can see some Suna ninjas heading to the compound, but they should be no match for your father."
"Right." As long as he wasn't overwhelmed with numbers, the compound and Hanabi should be safe.
They had evacuated most of the civilians, and Hinata and her clan's jonin were covering for one of the last groups. The Byakugan was ideal for locating any stragglers.
Billowing black clouds rose into the sky at various points. Suna and Oto ninja had gotten far into the village, maybe even to the academy.
They were doing their part, but the enemy was starting to come in numbers. Fortunately for them, Jiraiya of the Sannin was in the village. For the first time in years, from what the adults said.
Or maybe not just 'fortunate' given the timing.
He wiped out scores of the enemy, and his toad pinned down the giant snakes. She could see the summons fighting in the distance. Many homes and buildings had been destroyed in their clash, but the people should be safe.
It shouldn't be long before Konoha's counterattack.
"Let's move-" Then his breath caught in his throat, and he jerked his head, staring wide-eyed out of the village.
Whatever it was was outside of her Byakugan, but whatever it was had him frozen. She turned and...
Her eyes widened, and her jaw went slack. She could barely make out a massive sandy-brown figure in the distance. It was definitely out of her range, but she could still see its chakra while looking at it.
Its chakra was enormous! And still growing by the second! If it kept growing stronger at this rate, it would have enough power to destroy the village outright before long!
And rather than the blue she was used to, its charka was a crimson color she'd never seen before.
What... what was that?
"That's... did Suna bring their Jinchuriki!?"
Jinchuriki? What was that? Hinata turned to her cousin, then back to the ominous figure in the distance.
Asuma grit his teeth as he stumbled forward, placing a hand on a tree to steady himself, Kurenai at his side with her arm slung over his shoulder.
When they caught up to the Oto ninja, they fought a few of Naruto's clones. Unfortunately, the last one was dispersed just as they joined the fight. But, with his speed and a genjutsu from Kurenai, the battle hadn't lasted long.
But, things took a turn. The last Oto Jonin used some soundwave jutsu to screw with their equilibrium. It hadn't saved him, but it had kept them from following through with their mission.
Now they were moving through the forest at a snail's pace, hoping they'd recover in time to help.
"Do you think the kids are alright?" Kurenai asked.
Asuma closed his eyes, worried about Shikamaru. "They managed to get this lot off their trail, and you saw how they stack up to the Suna team. They should be able to handle most of what's up ahead."
Kurenai nodded. "You're right. They should be fine as long as..."
And that was when what had to be Suna's Biju manifested in the distance.
Asuma glared grimly, concern about Shikamaru and the other genin growing as images from that night flashed before his eyes. He felt Kurenai tense and tighten her grip on him.
"That doesn't happen." He finished for her.
Kakashi ducked under a slash from an Oto jonin, driving his fist into his chest. He bent forward, leaving himself open to a jab to the throat.
He grabbed the jonin behind the head and switched places with him, jabbing a kunai into his heart from behind as he passed before kicking the body into another jonin.
In one smooth motion, the Copy Ninja drew shuriken and threw them, two lodged into the head of the jonin he'd just sent reeling with the body of his comrade.
He didn't even need his Sharingan, which was good. He needed to conserve chakra. There was no telling how long this would drag on.
He was worried about his students, but at least Sakura was safe. Gai would make sure of that.
Then, he froze, looking into the forest as an enormous sandy brown figure rose in the distance.
'Damn it. I hope Naruto and Sasuke are alright...' He glared. 'Even at this distance, a Biju could destroy Konoha. I'll have to hope those kids, Asuma and Kurenai can handle this. I don't think anyone can make it there in time...'
Inside Konoha's shelter, Karin sat on the floor with her back to the wall, her eyes wide as she hugged herself.
There was a jonin nearby, watching over her. They hadn't been completely done with her evaluation yet, but they were close enough that they felt comfortable bringing her here, albeit with a guard.
She could feel the battle going on outside. Unfortunately, her senses weren't accurate enough to get a good idea of what was going on besides the fact that people were dying, but it brought back terrible memories.
It was her home village all over again.
And in the distance, she could feel it; an enormous chakra signature as cold as ice. The only other one as cold is the one currently fighting the Hokage. Those three were so much stronger than others that they stood out to her like beacons.
But there were others she could identify because of how few there were in that area.
Her cousin Naruto, Sasuke, and another chakra, one that was huge and warm like the blond's, were fighting the massive, freezing presence that almost drowned theirs out.
Naruto... she couldn't say she knew him that well, but she wanted to. She'd forever be grateful for his help. She owed him and Konoha more than she could ever hope to repay, and she hoped that one day, they could be family.
And Sasuke... she felt gratitude towards him too... and...
That other chakra signature... from what she felt, they had to be around their age. All fighting to protect the village against... whatever that was.
'Please... please be safe...'
Naruto stared up at the Biju towering over him, eyes wide and mouth hung open. But, unfortunately, Fuu and Sasuke didn't fare much better.
'So... this is the Biju sealed inside of him,' Naruto thought, his mind racing.
If only he'd mastered these chains, he could hold it down!
'Shukaku. The weakest of us, but more than powerful enough to destroy your village, boy,' Kyuubi's voice echoed from within. 'That said, he hasn't fully manifested yet. Those pale eyes mean Gaara can't invoke his full power without letting him take control.'
Naruto took a breath. He probably couldn't destroy Konoha yet, but they were running out of time! So what were they going to do? Damn it, he should have just used the fox's power and supercharged his Rasengan at the start!
Now what? Using the fox's power wouldn't help now. Summoning? He knew some of the summonses were big from what Jiraiya and Gamakichi told him, but would they be able to handle this?
"To think you would push me this far," Gaara's voice echoed from the beast of sand before them. He then held out one claw at them.
Naruto's eyes widened, and he saw sand crawling up their legs. Trying to pull his feet loose did nothing as they continued to raise their bodies.
"Guess I have no choice," Fuu said, drawing his attention. He looked at her, perplexed, as she looked at him pleadingly. "Try not to think differently about me, okay?"
The sand was halfway up their bodies now. "Wha-?"
Before he could continue, an explosion of chakra briefly blocked his vision and blew the sand away.
Crimson chakra.
He felt something grab and pull him so fast that everything around him blurred. He was then put down on a branch.
When he looked up, he saw Fuu on all fours before him and Sasuke, now a fair distance away from Shukaku, and could only stare blankly at what he saw.
The girl was covered in crimson chakra that formed a strange, animalistic horned shroud around her body. One long tail extended from the back, with two wings growing from the shroud's hips alongside it, her other wings nowhere to be seen.
Her fingers had grown into claws, her canines had extended into fangs, and her eyes had become solid orange orbs, no whites to be seen.
She looked at him and his teammate worriedly as she sat in front of them before turning to look at Shukaku.
Oh...
That was why.
He could never figure out why someone as outgoing and friendly as Fuu would be shunned by the rest of her village. What could have happened that could have caused her to be treated... well, like him?
It was because she's a Jinchuriki too.
'Chomei...' He heard the fox rumble from within. 'Heh, so the naive beetle's host was here too...'
"What?" He heard Gaara's voice from his Biju, probably as surprised as he was.
Fuu then flew towards Gaara. Tendrils of sand reached for her, but the mint-haired girl spun so quickly that she became like a crimson cyclone, tearing through the sand before ripping into Shukaku's body. She drilled holes through the massive form as she burst out and dove back in.
Naruto snapped out of his stupor and rose to his feet. There was no way he was letting her fight alone!
Besides, she must be worried about how he thought about her.
"That chakra..." Sasuke observed, staring in disbelief as Gaara tried to swat Fuu like a gnat, but she proved too fast for him to catch. "What kind of battle is this?"
Naruto couldn't blame him. There wasn't much he could do at this point. The same would go for him if it weren't for the jutsu Jiraiya taught him.
Sasuke then turned to him. "Naruto?"
The blond brought his hand to his mouth and bit into his thumb hard to draw blood. "Sasuke, get somewhere safe, ok?"
"What?" Sasuke responded. "And what are you-?"
He was cut off as Naruto called upon all the chakra he could. No doubt he could see it with his Sharingan. The blond ran through hand seals before slamming his palm onto the branch. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Naruto felt himself rise into the air as a massive smoke obscured all. It was so fast that his footing was a bit shaky. Then, it stopped, and he found himself about even height with Shukaku's head. Looking down, all he saw was red, leathery, warty skin.
"What is this?" A booming yell came from beneath him. "Where am I?"
"Whoa..." Naruto breathed out as he was struck by just what he'd summoned. Then he jumped onto the toad's nose to look into its eyes.
"Hey, uh, sorry, I don't know your name," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "Listen, Konoha's under attack! Everyone's fighting, and we have to beat that guy," he pointed at Shukaku, "or else he'll blow up the whole village! Can you lend me a hand?"
It was hard to tell, but it didn't look like the toad believed him. "You're telling me a brat like you managed to call me out?" He asked, then he looked over. "Well, well, Shukaku... first time I get summoned in years, and this is what I have to deal with?"
Naruto grit his teeth, looking at him in desperation. They didn't have time for this! "Yeah, can you lend us a hand?"
"... Not happening, kid."
"HUH!?" The Uzumaki gaped at him.
"I've never met you, and you expect me to fight something like him for you? I don't even know if you're worthy..." Then the toad's expression changed. His eyes narrowed as he seemed to evaluate Naruto. "Hang on, are you the kid Gamakichi was talking about?"
"Wha-? You know Gamakichi?" Naruto asked.
"So, the brat didn't mention me?" The toad asked before breathing a deep sigh, the gust of wind rustling the leaves below. "I suppose he was having too much fun. You are his first summoner. I can't leave my son's new friend to deal with this alone. Never mind my pride; he'd never let me hear the end of it."
The blond blinked. "Wait, Gamakichi's your son!?"
"Thanks for repeating what I said, kid," The toad said. "Name's Gamabunta. I'll help you with this, but I expect to talk before you call me again, right?"
Now Naruto grinned, raising a fist in triumph. "You got it, boss toad! Name's Naruto Uzumaki!" He punched his fist at Gaara, "Now, let's get this guy!"
"I see he's already got problems. Probably not enough," Gamabunta observed, noting Fuu still flying around Gaara and drilling in and out of the sand. "Alright, hang on!"
'Way to go, Naruto!' Fuu thought as she glanced at the massive toad before turning her attention back to Gaara.
'Talk about a lucky break,' Chomei commented, 'Keep pushing him, Fuu. If I'm right, he'll have to reveal his real body to go further. You've only got about three minutes left in this form; make them count!'
'Right!' Fuu continued her assault, attacking the head while he was distracted.
The holes she dug into Shukaku's form closed up quickly. But that was to be expected. Chomei said due to Shukaku's body being made of sand, Gaara's body was the only vulnerable spot. So that's what she was aiming for.
She tore out the back of its head. No luck.
Then, Gamabunta leaped forward, closing the distance in the blink of an eye, and cut off Shukaku's arm. As he passed, he turned and made hand seals before firing massive blasts of water at Shukaku, tearing huge chunks off its torso and sending it reeling.
Gaara's laughter echoed from Shukaku. "Yes, excellent! This is more than I could have imagined." He then halfway rose out of Shukaku's forehead. "As a reward, let me show you the sand demon's true power!"
'Now!' She flew at him. Not fast enough. Halfway through, she saw Gaara's head droop, his eyes closed.
Then, Shukaku's pale yellow eyes took on a golden shade. A new voice echoed from him, deep and manic.
"YES, I'M FINALLY FREE!" His eye turned to Fuu, and he breathed out a wave of wind that blew her away, crashing through dozens of trees. Her chakra shroud protected her from most of the damage, but it took a moment to pick herself up.
"AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE I GET TO KILL!"
The tanned Jinchuriki raised herself, glaring at the Biju with one solid orange eye, the other clenched shut. "You weren't kidding about him..." She said aloud.
Chomei sighed. 'Shukaku lost it long ago. We need to stop him here. You don't have much time left, but keep low. Wait for an opening, then strike at Gaara.'
'My thoughts exactly.'
'One more thing; don't touch those blue markings on him.' Chomei warned. 'When Gaara was in control, they were just for show, but Shukaku can place a cursed seal on anyone who touches them.'
'Got it.' Fuu flew off, keeping below the treeline and waiting for her chance.
"FUU!" Naruto yelled as she got blown away.
"Relax, that shroud of chakra will keep her safe," Gamabunta said, tensing and getting ready to leap. "Focus on the enemy."
"NOW, WHERE'D THAT LITTLE FLY GO?" Shukaku asked before turning to Gamabunta. "OH WELL, GUESS I'LL JUST START WITH YOU!"
"This guy's nuts," Naruto thought aloud,
'Still acting like a loud drunkard, I see...' The fox noted, sounding mildly annoyed. 'Boy, if you want to save your village, you'd best wake the sand brat up before Shukaku decides to get serious.'
Naruto grits his teeth. That did sound like a good idea, but... He looked back. "Gamabunta, can you get in close so I can get on his head?"
"Aiming to wake the brat up, huh?" The toad guessed.
Shukaku began his attack, inhaling so deeply that his stomach swelled. He then pounded his stomach and sent out massive wind blasts.
Gamabunta put his powerful legs to use, hopping from spot to spot to dodge the assault. "A good plan, but easier said than done! I can't exactly grab onto him, and if you don't take him out immediately, you'll be surrounded by sand."
"I can handle that!" Naruto replied. He could blow the sand away with the Kyuubi's power if it came to it. But they needed to wake Gaara up now!
Gamabunta then leaped into the air to dodge another blast of air, turning in mid-air and making hand seals. Finally, the toad countered Shukaku's wind bullets with water blasts of his own. The clash sent water high into the air. It fell like rain, as the eye could see.
And it was then that Fuu made her move.
'This is it!' Fuu thought as Shukaku's head turned skyward. She shot out from the treeline beneath the Biju and made a beeline for his head as he aimed at the toad.
'Hurry, you're almost out of time!' Chomei warned.
"WHA-!?" Shukaku cried as he noticed them. Too late; Fuu was too close for him to counter. Sand rose to defend Gaara's unconscious body but failed against Fuu's chakra shroud.
The mint-haired girl rammed a chakra-clad claw into Gaara's stomach, causing him to cough up blood as his eye shot open.
And then the chakra shroud faded.
'Damn it; I'm out of time!' She brought her bare fist up, but more sand rose to defend Gaara, forcing her back.
"AH, YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING! GIVE ME A BREAK; I JUST GOT HERE!" Shukaku cried before the Biju's eyes shifted back to pale yellow.
Gaara coughed and glared at Fuu as the shield of sand around him fell. "You-!"
He pointed a palm at her, and sand began to rise over her feet. Fuu grimaced as her mind raced, looking for a way out.
"Get me close, now!" Naruto yelled, realizing the danger Fuu was in.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" He closed the distance between them instantly, ramming into the sand beast.
Gaara was surrounded by sand. He needed to end this in one move.
And for that, he'd need more power.
He closed his eyes, calling upon the wellspring of power from the Kyuubi while making a cross-shaped hand seal.
Gaara growled as Shukaku's body shook as the toad rammed into him. Then, chains wrapped around the whole Biju, and Fuu's eyes widened.
Naruto's chains were glowing red.
Her mind blanked out as she and Gaara turned as Naruto and a single clone jumped into the air.
An aura of crimson chakra surrounded the blond. His hands turned into claws, his teeth fanged, and his vibrant blue eyes were crimson and slit like a fox's.
Fuu gaped in disbelief.
That was...
"Naruto, you're..." Before she could say anything else, a red chain wrapped around her torso and yanked her out of the sand.
As his clone pulled Fuu to safety, it grabbed Naruto with both arms and prepared to throw him. All the while, Naruto formed a Rasengan in his hand.
This one was twice the size of the earlier ones, dyed purple with a red glow by the Kyuubi's power.
As Gaara raised an expanding wall of sand in front of him, the clone threw Naruto.
He flew too fast for the tendrils of sand to reach him. And this time, when his Rasengan slammed into Gaara's sand, it tore right through it.
The sand scattered to reveal Gaara trying to retreat into Shukaku's form. Too slowly. The orb slammed into his chest, and he cried out as cracks spread across his form: he'd conjured the armor of sand in a last bid to save himself.
It was no use.
The power of the Rasengan was so great that wind erupted from the point of impact. For a few seconds, they were locked there as Gaara screamed.
Then the Rasengan exploded, and Gaara was sent flying through Shukaku's body and into the forest below, tearing away a huge chunk of its neck and head.
And then Shukaku's body collapsed, breaking into sand and vanishing into the forest below.
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Please review.