The Demon of Konoha

XX

Sakura was cheering loudly for her best friend and secret crush, utterly confusing her former best friend who sat next to her.

"Why are you cheering on that violent psycho?"

"Why can't I cheer for my best friend?

"Best friend?! The guy put all of us in the hospital at one point or the other and he took it out on you, me, Shikamaru, and Choji the most! He hurt us really badly." Memories flashed through Ino's mind. The pain was all she felt, but she had her parents to help her through it. They had breathed a sigh of relief when she had not been assigned to Naruto's team in case Hiruzen decided to break the Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

"We've hurt him more," Sakura said sadly.

"What do you mean Sakura?! I just said he put us in the hospital too many times to count!"

"And it's our own fault."

"How?"

"I believe it's not my place, but if you can, ask him yourself. We've already forgiven each other."

Down on the arena floor Naruto and Neji were facing each other, waiting for Genma to start the match and once the senbon sucking jonin called it Naruto sighed as Neji started his dumb little segue into the fight.

"So, you're the infamous Demon Brat of the Leaf."

"So what if I am?"

"From what I've heard, you have sent everyone in your class to the hospital at least once. Even the famous Uchiha Sasuke can only keep you in check for so long before he is exhausted. But I will tame you, you savage beast."

"Yeah, you see, girly. I just sent them to the hospital, not the grave. You know, broken bones, bruised organs, that kind of thing. But trying to shut down your own cousin's heart." Naruto gave a whistle of shock. "That's straight up murder. So in exchange, I'll try to murder you a bit, too." Naruto ended with a sadistic grin hidden under his mask.

"You are more arrogant than Hinata-sama," Neji laced the honorific with venom. "I am better than that Uchiha. I am faster, I am stronger, I am more skilled than he. Now let's fight."

"Not my fault if you die."

Neji went into his Juuken stance and waited to hopefully egg Naruto into attacking him. However, Naruto did something nobody had expected from him. He made a series of hand seals and then started moving arms and hands as if controlling something. Suddenly the trees within the arena started to shake and dust started to pick up. Naruto shouted the technique, "Fuuton: Kamikaze!"

The wind started to become faster and faster and faster. Neji didn't know what the hell was going on. Nobody had ever told him the boy was this proficient at ninjutsu. Naruto spoke again, "You're about to experience the winds of a Category Five hurricane, 250 km/h. Powerful enough to level a house in an instant."

As if on cue, the small groves on the edge of the floor were torn up and were being carried around the arena by the harsh winds. Massive amounts of dust started to pick up as well. "I hope you're faster than wind, Neji. 'Cause if not . . . Well, good luck."

Naruto moved his arms as if to guide the storm winds towards Neji. And in that moment, Neji knew he had no choice but to use it, "Hakkesho Kaiten."

Neji started spinning extremely fast, shooting out chakra to deflect debris the divine wind picked up. He was succeeding in hitting away the shredding the trees and deflecting rocks, but smaller particles managed to get through his ultimate defense and embedded themselves in his skin, even blinding him in bursts. Not only that, Naruto had changed the angle of the wind so that it went against Neji's rotational direction, slowing him down and tiring him out. The powerful wind completely shrouded the fight in dust and nobody could really see what was happening. Unbeknownst to the spectators, Neji ran out of stamina and could not keep the Kaiten going. That's when Naruto made his actual attack. From within the shrouding cloud of dust the shout of Naruto could be heard: "Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

Naruto shot out bullets of air like a minigun in Neji's general direction and when his jutsu had audibly hit its target, he walked towards his victim. Through the now settling dust between them, Naruto could see Neji with his clothes torn, scratches and blood covering his skin. Bloody holes indicated the spots where the Vacuum Spheres had found their target. Neji managed to turn to him and Naruto spoke, "You know, you shouldn't take advice from people who haven't known me. They know the me of the past, but not the me of now. And that's important for a ninja on an info gathering mission. You want the most up to date and accurate information possible, but you failed. If you resign yourself to fate, then you'll keep yourself down like a good little dog, like you're supposed to be. You know what? For being able to survive my Divine Wind, I'll give you a treat. I'll show you and everyone here why they really call me the Demon Brat of Konohagakure no Sato."

Suddenly sensor ninja in the stadium and surrounding it felt a massive spike in chakra, evil chakra, coming from the floor of the arena. The power grew and grew and could be felt by even those without sensing abilities, then even the citizens were able to feel the dark aura. Neji watched in fear as Naruto started to grow and his clothes and skin started burning off revealing vile, red chakra beneath. Naruto's physical features resembled more of a beast now and four glowing, blood red tails flicked behind him. Naruto had claws now and his legs slightly resembled those of a mammalian predator. His eyes were now white circles and his mouth was now an unnatural maw. Long ears came out of Naruto's head. He didn't resemble a human anymore, but a complete demon. And the thing roared, pushing all the dust to the side, revealing the four tailed form of the Kyuubi cloak standing over the severely injured body of Neji Hyuuga. Then the demon talked in a supernaturally deep and raspy voice, "Behold, Neji Hyuga! Behold, Konoha! Behold, all! I am the Demon Brat of Konohagakure no Sato! I am the Kyuubi no Yoko no Jinchuriki!"

The red, four-tailed demon slowly transformed back into the young, blonde, feral boy from before. Naruto looked around to once again find jonin surrounding him ready to perform jutsus or with weapons at the ready. He looked up to find Hiruzen and the entire audience in utter shock, but he smiled when a single voice rang out, "That was incredible Naruto! You beat Neji's ass like it was nothing! I told you, Tenten! Never underestimate Naruto! And I can't believe Kurama let you draw that much power."

"Oi, I have it under control, just get that prick some help," Naruto waved off the jonin. He hopped up back to the waiting area above and waved to his pink-haired friend.

"Winner: Naruto!" Genma called.