Adrik crossed his arms in front of him as a violent gale burst forth, along with a giant puff of smoke. He made sure to keep himself anchored to the floor as he kept track of the signals nearby.
X
Naruto woke up, startled, as Sakura put a hand on his shoulder with chakra lacing her palm.
"Shit! What happened?!"
"The Sand and Sound are attacking! Come on!"
Sakura dragged Naruto to his feet as she followed Shikamaru and Shino.
"What?! Then what's-"
Naruto cut himself off as he exited the viewing booth along with the other three Leaf Genin. All around them, Leaf Ninjas were fighting off opposing ninjas from Sand and Sound, just as Sakura had said.
Jiraiya dropped in front of the four genin, stabbing a kunai into the necks of two Sound Chunin. The four had no time to register the violent but swift executions when the Sannin spoke up with a demanding presence.
"You four, no time to talk! Go after Sasuke and the three Sand Siblings! We'll clean things up here!"
The four genin nodded after a second of hesitation. Shikamaru, Shino, and Sakura headed off in the direction Shino's insects were pointing them in. Luckily, the tall teen had thought ahead and put a female insect on Sasuke for the rest of his male hive to track. Naruto, however, stayed behind while keeping track of where his on-the-spot teammates were headed. He looked at Jiraiya sternly, the man raising an eyebrow in response.
"You protect them. Protect Hinata."
Jiraiya stared for a moment before nodding back with a smirk.
"And you go fight the big bad guy for us. Jinchuriki versus Jinchuriki."
Naruto nodded with a smirk of his own before running off after his teammates. Jiraiya's smirk fell to a determined frown as he turned back to the chaos before him.
'Don't worry, Naruto. Nobody's going anywhere as long as I'm here.'
X
Adrik stood next to the Hokage on the rooftop as Orochimaru landed on the same roof further down than them. He looked around at the four purple flame walls and cursed silently. As he had thought, Orochimaru wouldn't let backup reach the Hokage so easily. Hopefully, he was enough backup.
Orochimaru frowned from behind his disguise.
"Ah. It appears your little... companion... is harder to get rid of than I first thought. But, I suppose that makes it all the more fun, right, Sensei?"
The Hokage narrowed his eyes.
"You've outdone yourself this time, my student. One plan to rule them all, hm? Could've done without the pitiful disguise."
Orochimaru chuckled as he, rather disgustingly, removed his disguise as the Fourth Kazekage.
"There never was much I could get past you, Sensei. At least, not for long."
Orochimaru smirked as he began going through hand seals. The Hokage's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the technique. He quickly took off his Hokage robes to reveal the battle armor underneath. He leaned in close to Adrik as he began going through seals of his own after biting his thumb.
"Try to break open the barrier, if you can. This will be much more difficult than I first anticipated."
Adrik nodded behind his mask before he took off towards a random corner. The Hokage slammed his hand on the ground, Orochimaru doing the same.
"Summoning Jutsu: Monkey King, Enma!"
"Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation!"
X
Naruto landed in a clearing next to Sakura and Shino as they stared down Kankuro.
"You need help with the doll guy?"
Sakura shook her head, Shino doing the same to a much lesser degree.
"No. You just focus on getting to Sasuke. I don't know what's going on, but that Gaara guy is a lot tougher than before."
Kankuro smirked, even with the fear noticeable on his face.
"Heh, you guys stand no chance against Gaara, not even as a team."
Shino stared blankly at Kankuro as the older teen unwrapped his puppet.
"Naruto, Sakura, I believe you two would provide more help elsewhere. I can take this one myself."
Naruto and Sakura glanced at Shino before nodding. They ran off without any fuss. Kankuro frowned as he controlled his puppet to try and attack the leaving genin. He looked back at Shino angrily as a few of the chakra strings connecting him to his puppet were severed. Shino held his hand out, a few insects retreating back into his sleeve.
"As I have stated, I will take you on myself."
X
Jiraiya watched with a concentrated frown as two giant snakes tore their way through several buildings. He didn't think twice before biting his thumb to draw blood and going through hand seals. Moments later, he stood atop a giant, magenta toad with horn-like eyebrows and as big as the boss, Gamabunta. The toad wore a black kimono with mesh armor beneath it. It held a pole arm in it's right hand with a shield on its back.
"Oh, Jiraiya. How can I be of service this time?"
Jiraiya pointed at the two large snakes.
"We've got some company, Gamaken. The Leaf isn't exactly accepting any snake shaped visitors at this time."
Gamaken looked at the two intruders and grinned slightly.
"Well, I may be a little clumsy, but I'll get the job done as best as I can, Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya nodded with a smile.
"They're all yours, then."
The toad, Gamaken, nodded as he leapt towards his serpentine opponents with his spiked pole arm at the ready. Jiraiya hopped off of the toad's head to go help elsewhere. There was more than enough work to do today.
X
Adrik glanced back in the Hokage's direction, something he could only tell because of his senses as an overgrown forest had suddenly appeared a few moments after he ran off. He looked ahead as he came across one of the four fake Sand Jonin that had been guarding the disguised Orochimaru.
"God fuckin' damnit, of course I get put in charge of this shitty barrier work! Couldn't have ol' bonehead doin' it 'cause he might get a bad cough! Fuckin' useless piece of shit can't even hold down a damn seal for a couple of minutes! Better yet, that dipshit and his brother could do half this bullshit work on their own! Why am I even fuckin' here?!"
Adrik stared blankly at the red haired girl who wore a skull cap. Tied around her waste was the same purple rope-like belt Orochimaru wore with a flute held between the rope and her right hip.
"You, uh..."
The girl turned to him angrily.
"Shut the fuck up and go die! I'm not in the fuckin' mood for this shit!"
Adrik raised an eyebrow behind his mask as the girl turned away, tapping her foot. She glanced back at him, having to do a double take before finally realizing what was going on.
"Hah, so you think you're gettin' out of here, huh, Shithead?! C'mon, try it, I really wanna see someone get burnt the fuck up right now!"
Adrik stared for a few more seconds before shaking his head. The girl turned away with a disappointed scowl.
"Then quit wastin' my time! Go back to fuckin' yourself or whatever the hell you were doin', I don't care!"
Adrik took a step closer to the barrier, making the girl look over at him.
"Change your mind or somethin'? Good, I was gettin' bored! Go ahead and get turned to fuckin' ash! I have all damn day!"
Adrik stepped up to the barrier. He tapped the purple flames a few times experimentally, nodding to himself. The girl looked at him with slight surprise before it turned to full on shock as the teen in front of her covered his entire form in a layer of ash and walked into the barrier, completely unharmed. She stepped back before flinching, remembering that whatever rules were currently being broken by the teen still applied to her. A shiver ran up her spine as Killing Intent began rolling off of the teen in waves.
"How do I deactivate the barrier?"
The girl laughed as she grabbed her flute.
"Fuck you, that's how!"
She blew into the flute and was surprised when no note was played. She blew into it again and grew worried. She kept trying and trying to play some notes to no avail. Adrik pointed at the flute.
"I figured that would come into play somehow. Genjutsu, if I had to guess. Sound based."
The girl looked back at the teen with slight fear in her eyes.
"What the fuck did you do?!"
Adrik shrugged. The girl was slightly more freaked out as she had no way to tell what was going on with the teen. The only thing she could see about him was that his feet were bare, if that even meant anything, as he was completely covered everywhere else. She pulled out a kunai as he stepped closer, making her take a small step back.
"Back the fuck up, Shithead! I'm not fuckin' playin' around here!"
Adrik paused and tilted his head slightly.
"What's your name?"
The girl looked back at him in surprise.
"The fuck do you think this is, a therapy session?! I ain't tellin' you shit!"
Adrik took another step forward. The girl grew confused when she instinctively tried to step back, only to realize she couldn't. She looked down and grew slightly more fearful as she saw her feet were tied down to the ground by a rope made of ash. She tried to slash at the teen with her kunai only for him to take a step back just out of her reach. She tried to reach further, but her balance was thrown off. When she tried to compensate by leaning back, her eyes widened as she began falling back directly towards the wall of purple flames.
Adrik flicked his wrist and a rope of black ash shot out to catch the girl, keeping her from being disintegrated by the barrier. She stared back at the teen wide eyed as she realized she might've died just then.
Adrik waved his hand without lifting it and the bindings around the girl's ankles vanished.
"Now, unless you want to be fried by that barrier, you will tell me how to bust it open."
The girl stared at him fearfully as she knew trying to attack would just result in the same thing happening as just moments prior. Seeing as she had nowhere to go, being trapped by the barrier, she nodded hesitantly.
"Some fuckin' seal on the ground in the corner over here. Same with the other corners. Just rip it and it comes apart."
Adrik nodded and walked over to the small piece of paper he saw on the ground behind the girl. He covered his hands in ash as he picked it up, ripping it apart easily. The wall slowly began to recede somewhat. The girl yanked her hand out of the ash rope and stepped away. Adrik turned back to her with an eyebrow raised behind his mask.
"I don't remember giving you permission to leave."
The girl froze and gulped. The Killing Intent had grown stronger, even being enough to make most jonin reconsider their actions.
"I already betrayed that fuckin' snake freak by tellin' you how to take down the barrier! He's gonna fuckin' kill me if I stay here!"
Adrik nodded.
"And the Leaf Ninja will kill you if you try to leave."
Adrik turned to look at the barrier, now having enough space between the walls to fit a person if they were careful enough. He thought over his options as the girl cautiously stepped towards the opening in the barrier.
"Orochimaru..."
The girl turned back to face the teen.
"Do you... really not enjoy working for him?"
The girl stared at him like he had just asked the dumbest question possible.
"Hell fuckin' no, I don't! You'd actually have to be some sort of retarded psycho to wanna work for that freak! I just worked for him so I could get by!"
Adrik nodded as he turned away from the barrier. He silently took off his cloak, handing it to the girl.
"Then, unless you wanna die here, take this and hide yourself in one of the training grounds as far from here as possible. When all of this is over, you head back to the village and turn yourself in peacefully. If you actually mean what you say, you will cooperate with the people who interrogate you."
The girl stared at him wide eyed as she silently took the cloak. Before she put it on, she asked a question.
"Why the hell would you do this? You know I'm your enemy, right, Shithead?"
Adrik shrugged.
"You're a lot less of an enemy when you hate the people we do."
The girl stared at him for a moment longer before nodding to herself and putting the cloak on. Before she left and Adrik headed back towards where he could sense the Hokage fighting, she spoke.
"It's Tayuya."
Adrik turned back questioningly.
"You asked earlier. My name is Tayuya."
Adrik nodded after a second before running off into the forest, the making of which still confused him to no end. The only time he had heard of such an ability was when the Hokage taught him about the First Hokage.
X
Shikamaru was confused as Temari hadn't tried to attack him, merely holding a defensive stance after Naruto and Sakura had run off, seemingly lost in thought. He, the Sand Genin, and likely everyone else nearby had felt the power spike earlier. It seemed that Gaara's siblings were equally as fearful of him getting out of control as he and the other nearby Leaf Genin were.
"Not gonna attack me?"
Temari blinked before shaking her head anxiously.
"We're in the forest. I wouldn't even get a chance."
Shikamaru nodded as he put his hands in his pockets and walked over to the Sand Kunoichi.
"Then, I want some answers."
Temari narrowed her eyes as she sweated nervously from the murderous aura coming from deeper into the forest.
"I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject, but your brother is a Jinchuriki, right?"
Temari nodded hesitantly, seeing no reason to deny it as he already knew.
"Why is he so unstable?"
Temari looked down as she lowered her battle fan, no longer seeing a point in fighting.
"I... It's a lot to tell."
Shikamaru shrugged.
"I was just wondering. It's not like I'm the interrogative type, either."
Temari put her battle fan on her back as she sat down on the tree branch she and Shikamaru were standing on, sitting against the tree trunk as she stared off into the distance towards where she sensed her youngest brother.
"It was when we were kids. My father, the Fourth Kazekage, had the One-Tailed Tanuki, Shukaku, sealed into Gaara a few weeks before he was supposed to be born. From the stress, he was born prematurely, but still came out relatively healthy. But my mother suffered the consequences of my father's hunger for power, dying only moments after finally getting to hold Gaara in her arms."
Shikamaru nodded along as he sat down on the tree branch, his legs crossed.
"But the seal that was used on him was weak. It was specifically designed to let Shukaku roam free once Gaara falls asleep. On top of that, the Beast has regular access to a mental link between it and my brother, which it uses to terrorize him every second of every day, influencing his actions."
Shikamaru nodded again.
"So that's what the whole 'I need to feed my sand the blood of the innocent' thing is about? It keeps the Tailed Beast from trying to get out too often?"
Temari shook her head.
"No. Shukaku is unable to escape as long as my brother is awake. They both know this. The Beast treats it like some sort of twisted joke, acting like it's some sort of mother figure for Gaara. It keeps him awake at all times. That's why he has those dark rings around his eyes. But..."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow as he waited for Temari to continue.
"It wasn't always like this. When we were younger, Gaara was more... normal, I guess. His sand has always protected him but it would lash out a lot and hurt people he interacted with. He wasn't one for interaction since he didn't want to hurt anyone. But he would keep hurting people time after time."
Shikamaru's eyebrows furrowed as Temari continued, her eyes growing slightly watery.
"My father would send assassins after Gaara every week or so. He said it was to test him, to make sure he was growing up to be the 'strong weapon I know he will become'. One day, our uncle, our mother's brother, was sent out as one of the assassins. I don't know what he said to Gaara, but after that, my brother became a ruthless killer with his only emotion being that psychotic glee he got from killing people."
Shikamaru nodded as he stayed quiet. Temari wiped her eyes, determined to not let any tears fall. Shikamaru looked off into the distance where he sensed a fight going down.
"Well, you should get ready. Team Seven is facing him now. Whatever happens next is up to them and them alone."
X
Naruto jumped back to avoid another swipe from Gaara. The entire right side of him had become covered in sand, changing shape to look like some sort of twisted demon. A single bushy tail sprouted from his lower back. He stopped and stared at the three Leaf Genin in front of him, trying to decide which he would kill first.
"Naruto, Sasuke, any ideas?"
The two teens shrugged.
"My Wind jutsu might be able to blow the sand back. There ain't much water I can get so Water jutsu won't do much."
Sasuke nodded.
"My Lightning attacks seem to be effective enough. I haven't tried any Fire jutsu, but they probably work well, if I had to guess. What about you, Sakura?"
Sakura shook her head.
"My Earth jutsu are mostly defensive and I'm still trying to get some of my chakra back from my fight with Choji. Punching the sand isn't exactly a great idea, either."
Sasuke nodded.
"I'll be the main focus. Naruto, make some clones with enough chakra to use a bunch of Wind jutsu to keep the sand off of me. Sakura, try to keep Naruto and his clones from getting hit."
Naruto and Sakura nodded as Sasuke readied his lightning covered tanto. His body was slowly covered by black, flame-like markings that extended from the seal of his neck. The dark haired teen's teammates decided to ask later as the Cursed Seal seemed to be under control for now.
Sasuke rushed forward with newfound speed. Gaara blocked the strike with his sand covered arm, grunting in pain as the sand was electrocuted and crystalized. Sasuke broke out of Gaara's grasp and dropped low. The Sand Genin's right arm broke before more sand came up to reform it. Gaara brought his other hand up, sending sand towards Sasuke from the ground, which the dark haired teen avoided by jumping into the air.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Bullets!"
Sasuke formed a one handed seal with his left hand before spitting out three bullets made of lightning that sped down towards Gaara. The Sand Genin brought up his right arm, catching the lightning bullets with his sand before bringing his left hand up, making two sand tendrils shoot up after Sasuke.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Before the sand tendrils reached their target, a violent blast of wind blew the sand away. Gaara looked back down at Naruto and his nine Shadow Clones and scowled. He shot out a wave of sand, trying to encompass all of the clones along with the original.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
A large wall of mud formed between the clones and the sand wave before hardening into stone. The Sand impacted with the wall, causing the ground to shake from the force. Gaara raised his hand up, lifting the sand until it was above the Mud Wall. He yelled out in pain, however, as his tail was severed by a slash from Sasuke's tanto.
Gaara grit his teeth as he turned around quickly, swiping at Sasuke. The extent of the damage, however, was a few drops of blood appearing from a small cut across Sasuke's left cheek.
X
Adrik saw before he landed as the Hokage was kicked away, his summon, Enma, following right after, detransforming from his adamantium staff form. Adrik ran over to help the Hokage to his feet, the old man breathing hard.
"Ah, I am glad your little pet made it back in time to witness your downfall, Sensei."
The Hokage stood up, along with Enma and Adrik, staring down Orochimaru and the two zombie-like shinobi that we're summoned.
"Lord Hokage, what are we dealing with?"
The old man huffed as he responded.
"My former student here has no respect for the dead. He summoned both Lord First and Lord Second back to life."
Adrik looked at the Hokage in surprise.
"Wait, you mean-"
"-Yes. We are fighting the revived forms of the first two Hokage. Did you manage to get the barrier down?"
Adrik nodded as he turned back to Orochimaru and the revived Hokage. The pale man frowned as he overheard his opponents.
"Ah, that is a shame. It wouldn't do to have anyone interrupt our fight."
Orochimaru smirked and the Hokage, Adrik, and Enma sensed his chakra flare. They narrowed their eyes as four chakra signals responded. From the other three corners of the barrier, four chakra signals began to change, become much more malicious feeling and growing by a decent bit.
"That should do it. I'll let my guards have at it while we continue our battle."
The Hokage narrowed his eyes further as he tapped Adrik on the shoulder, making the teen look over. The old man whispered as Orochimaru prepared his revived summons to attack again.
"Your daggers should help. They drain chakra. If you can stab one into each of the Reanimations, it should sap their chakra, leaving them unable to move. They are only chakra at this point. It should give you time to take the control tags off of them."
Adrik nodded and drew his daggers. Enma wordlessly transformed back into his staff form, the Hokage catching him and readying his weapon.
The Reanimated First Hokage clapped his hands together, making two spear-like tree roots rise from the ground and shoot towards his opponents. At the same time, the Reanimated Second Hokage made a one handed seal, making two lashing water tendrils form in the air before speeding towards his enemies.
Adrik lowered himself to the ground as he ran forward, his weights having been unsealed to let him move faster. The Hokage rushed forward alongside the chunin who was running faster than some jonin. They both brought their weapons up as they jumped over the attacks, swinging them down as they engaged in combat once more.