Naruto Senju Shippuden

Chapter 5

The Gaara rescue team was back on the trail of the Akatsuki. The distraction of Itachi was still plaguing their minds. Someone so powerful that they could make a jonin look and act like someone else with their Kekkei Genkai intact was someone you did not usually want to fight. Chiyo had sent a message informing Suna of Yuura's betrayal as soon as they figured out what had happened. "How far until we reach the hideout?" Naruto asks. "Just a bit further," Kakashi answers. Naruto speeds up some more. There was no time to waste, especially as Chiyo confirmed that the Akatuski sending out a distraction like that one could only mean that they had begun their extraction of the Ichibi from his body.

"Looks like we finally reached it," Naruto says as he touches down near a small river with a torii guarding a boulder with a slip of paper that read "forbidden". The rest of his team was not far behind him. "We should wait for Guy's team here. If they sent a distraction to us, they likely sent one to them as well," Kakashi says. "We don't have time! We should smash our way through and save Gaara!" Naruto raves. "And what are you going to do about the seal keeping it closed!?" Kakashi asks loudly, getting tired of Naruto's constant, blatant disregard for his orders. "I have trained in fuuinjutsu with Jiraiya during our training trip! I can deal with it if I get a closer look!" Naruto argues. "Listen to your teacher, boy," Chiyo says. "I say we wait..." Sakura says. "We don't know how many of them are inside nor their strength," Sakura adds. "Fine! But I bet I can take on all those inside!" Naruto says as he sits down in a lotus position and meditates.

Naruto's chakra was spreading through the entire area. He touched something. He wasn't sure what it was. It was all around him. In the trees and the rocks, it even flowed through the river below. Naruto snaps back to reality when Sakura shakes him. "Are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asks. She had a concerned expression on her face. "Yeah... Why?" Naruto asks. "Your chakra presense dissapeared for a second," She asks, concerned. "That's weird I held a consitstnat flow of chakra through out the whole thing..." Naruto muses and places a hand underneath his chin to deepen his thought.

"Team Guy is here!" Kakashi says to gain their attention. Naruto snaps out of his musings and stands up. It had taken another half day for them to reach the bank. Naruto stands up and walks over to the rest of his team and Team Guy. "Yo! It's been a long time Naruto-kun!" Lee greets enthusiastically. Naruto looks over at his friend. "It has hasn't it..." Naruto says with a sad smile. "Let's get this over with so we can have a proper reunion..." He says as he walks up to the seal. Lee was taken aback by Naruto's distant greeting. "Is there something wrong, Kakashi-sensei?" Lee asks the blonde's team leader. "No. He is just focused on saving Gaara," Kakashi explains.

Naruto stands in front of the huge boulder blocking his path. He sighs and pulls out a piece of paper, a brush and some chakra conducting ink. "Do you need any help?" Tenten comes forward. She had some experience in Fuuinjutsu and knew it was finicky at the best of times. "Thank you, Tenten. But this one is easy... Just need to feed the chakra in a loop like this, and voila! One barrier destroyer extraordinaire..." Naruto says as he looks at his creation. It wasn't his best work, but it would have to do. He spreads the paper on the big piece on the boulder. "Kekkai Fuuinjutsu: Kai!" Naruto screams as he claps his hands and transfers chakra into the seal. The paper Naruto wrote on lights up for a second, and then nothing happens. "Did you make a mistake?" Kakashi asks. "Wait just a second..." Naruto says as he holds up a finger.

Four blasts could be seen in the middle of the forests at different locations. Then, the big piece of paper on the boulder begins to fall apart. "Sakura, if you may..." Naruto says as he moves aside from the boulder. She nods dumbfoundedly. The rest of the people there look confused at Naruto. 'Naruto really was a monster these days...' Sakura thinks before she regains her focus. She charges in and smashes the boulder with every ounce of her strength. The rock crumbles just like the barrier that protected it. Naruto jumps in front of the group. "Let's show these Akastuki guys that you don't mess with Konoha or Suna!" Naruto screams. "Yeah!" The collective response came from the younger people. 'You really are a good leader Naruto...' Kakashi sighs.