The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 33

Satomi P.O.V.

Soft pants fall out of Naruto's lips from beside me, the continuous battles beginning to take their toll on him. He's used up so much chakra, I feel guilty for asking for his help.

But I need it desperately.

A crawling sensation slithers up my leg, making me glance down in curiosity. I gasp when I see tendrils of sand wrapping around me and Naruto.

"Naruto-kun! The sand!" I warn attempting to break free, however, the sand doesn't budge from me. Naruto growls, trying to shake the sand off as well, but to no avail. Thinking on my feet, I body flicker to where the sand isn't touching the branch, whipping towards Naruto soon after. He had no way of getting out of the sand, so if I didn't stop it...

Naruto would die.

"Hang on, Naruto-kun! I can think of something!" I panic, desperately clawing at the sand inching its way up his body. No matter how fast I claw, though, it still manages to cover him more and more, until it's halfway up his body.

"No, no, no, no, no... I won't let you die like this, Naruto-kun! Just hang on!" I screech, tears beginning to flood my eyes as I realize just how hopeless this situation is. Nothing I had in my arsenal would help him... but there has to be something.

Naruto, getting an idea, pushes me back a step and wipes the blood off of his chin, a smirk on his face.

"Don't worry, Satomi-chan. I can get out of this myself. Hold on tight! Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he cries, releasing a huge wave of chakra. I scream in surprise as I'm lifted into the air, a new terrain beneath my feet. The sand had fallen to the ground forgotten as Naruto's jutsu takes effect.

"Chief Toad! Would you mind helping us out?" Naruto asks. I look down, noticing that we are on the head of a giant summoning toad. My eyes widen as I glance back up at Naruto, who was smiling confidently. When the hell did he learn to summon something of this size...?

"No way! I'm not getting tangled up in a battle with someone as troublesome as Shukaku the Sand Spirit!" the toad hisses, turning his head to the side stubbornly. So Shukaku was the spirit's name...

"Why not?! I thought you said that I was your henchman!" Naruto pleads, slamming his hand on the top of the toad's head. The toad grunts in annoyance, narrowing its eyes dangerously.

"We never even sat and had sake over an agreement!" the toad rebuts, causing Naruto to deflate. Looks like we were out of luck...

"Hey, Pops!" a tiny toad says, hopping onto Naruto's head. I blink at the predicament, pointing at the small toad, and then the large one in confusion. They are father and son...?

"Gamakichi, what are you doing here?!" Chief Toad demands. Gamakichi scratches the back of his head sheepishly, his eyes closed in embarrassment.

"I was bored so I decided to see what was up. Anyways, Pops, that big freak over there was making fun of me, and the blonde kid and his friend came to my rescue! I'm telling you, there is more to these kids than meets the eye..." Gamakichi says, attempting to get his father to help us.

"Oh? Is that so... well then I guess I'll accept you as my henchman. Hold on tight!" Chief Toad says, darting forward with his katana outstretched. I shriek and hold onto his head for dear life, Naruto and Gamakichi doing the same, as the Chief Toad slices through Shukaku's right arm with ease.

"How do you like that?" he states confidently, his katana crashing to the ground and whipping wind around everywhere. Shukaku, or Gaara, rather, groans in pain, not being able to focus on one thing.