As soon as Genma started the match, Gaara's sand seeped out of his gourd as he said, "Mother wants your blood."

"Right right. Well why don't you get to it then." said Naruto as he got into a ready stance.

Gaara stood still as Naruto waited for him to make a move.

"Well then I'll come to you.." said Naruto as he sprinted at Gaara.

Naruto lashed out with a kick that was intercepted by Gaara's sand. Naruto placed his leg back down and had to evade as Gaara's sand chased him around.

Gaara stood stoic with his arms crossed as he continued to send sand at Naruto. Naruto just kept evading the sand but it never deterred Gaara one bit as he never relented.

Naruto, having enough of dodging, decided to attack.

Gaara watched as Naruto dodged his sand once more. Gaara was prepared to send another wave until a mop of yellow hair appeared. Naruto performed a Shunshin to get close to Gaara.

"Hello." said Naruto as he planted a vicious punch to Gaara's face. Gaara's sand had no time to react as Gaara was sent a few feet back. Gaara's sand armor cracked slightly as he looked up at Naruto, who was standing in the same spot he once was.

(In the Audience)

"Go Naruto-kun" came the voice of a new arrival.

"Lee-san!" said Sakura as Lee came hobbling in on crutches.

"Hello Sakura-chan. Nice to see you." said Rock Lee as he watched Gaara slowly get up.

"Naruto-kun knows that Taijutsu won't beat him. I used 5 gates and it still wasn't enough." thought Lee.

Kakashi looked on as he thought, "Wonder what Naruto will do to get past that defense?"

(In the Kage Booth)

"That boy is pretty fast. The way he just appears, especially with his golden blonde hair, reminds you of the Yondaime doesn't it. Then he's a Jinchuriki who hails from the Senju clan. He could be a powerful asset one day" said the Kazekage as he looked at the fight.

"Orochimaru. Do you think me senile. It's quite obvious that is you. But I shall banter back and forth with you to see what you plan." thought Hiruzen as he replied to the 'Kazekage'.

"How true you are. Though I believe he has more in store for us."

Orochimaru looked at the Hokage as he said, "You're saying there's something more special to him than being the Kyubi Jinchuriki?"

Hiruzen only smiled as he returned his attention to the fight.

"Maybe. Only time will tell."

(Arena Floor)

Gaara stood up as the cracked armor on his cheek repaired itself.

"Glad to see you fix your make-up." said Naruto as he saw Gaara send another wave of sand.

"Not this again." thought Naruto as he dodged again. "Punching him a million times won't help as Rock Lee clearly proved that. I could use Kurama on him but it's rather redundant to use the same power twice. Let's just go with Plan A."

Naruto dodged the sand once more as he pulled out a scroll. Naruto opened the scroll and let it fall to the ground as he placed his hands in the ram seal.

Naruto stomped on the scroll as he thought, "Suiton: Hahonryu (Water Style: Tearing Torrent)."

From the scroll under Naruto's foot, a huge amount of water came splashing out of it as it fired off toward Gaara. Gaara's wave of sand immediately rushed to defend Gaara against Naruto's water. The water and sand clashed against each other for about a minute until Gaara's sand finally held firm.

Once the water died down, Gaara sent another wave of sand at Naruto. However, Gaara's sand had turned slightly muddy from Naruto's jutsu and was rather difficult to manipulate like normal.

"Gotcha" said Naruto as he took off at Gaara again.

Gaara saw Naruto appear again, this time with a right cross incoming. Gaara was lifted off the ground again from Naruto's punch but before he could fly away, Naruto grabbed his foot.

Naruto smiled a deadly grin as he spun Gaara around and hurled him into the sky at a rapid pace.

As Gaara was flying in midair, Naruto clapped his hands together and prepared another jutsu.

"Now time to drench that sand armor. Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Bullet Technique)" thought Naruto as he fired off a powerful ball of water toward Gaara.

Naruto's water ball smashed into Gaara as his, now heavier, sand couldn't get there in time to defend him against it.

(In the Kage Booth)

"Damn that boy. Gaara's sand absorbs water making it less effective due to the added water weight. He's picking him apart..." seethed Orochimaru internally before he smirked unnoticably, "Perfect. Gaara will transform and then the invasion will start."

"Seems Naruto's doing quite well." said Hiruzen.

"Yes it does seem that way. Using water to weigh down Gaara's sand is ingenious. But it'll take more than that to stop Gaara." said Orochimaru.

"Naruto-kun better put him down now before he begins to access his Bijuu's power...Naruto might have to use his Mokuton if Gaara can transform further than him." thought Hiruzen as he eyed the match.

(In the Audience)

"Kakashi, what the hell did you feed those two genins of yours." said Asuma, team 10's sensei, as he placed a cigarette in his mouth.

He had seen Sasuke's fight too and both of them seemed unreal.

Kakashi eye-smiled as he said, "Nothing. I did nothing. I gave them a few pointers here and there but for the most part, that's all them."

Kiba snorted. "I bet he gives them steroids. I mean Sakura is a medic now right? I bet she shoves a needle in their as.." started Kiba before he was smacked by Sakura.

"Shut up Dog Boy." said Sakura as she calmed down and returned to watching Naruto.

Everyone returned to the fight as they watched Naruto perform his next attack.

Everyone gasped as even Asuma's cigarette fell from his mouth fell from his mouth.

(Back to the Fight)

As Naruto was firing off his Water Bullet, he put his hands back in the ram seal.

"Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu (Rock Clone Technique)" thought Naruto as two clones rose from the ground beside him.

The clones knew exactly what to do as they disappeared in a shunshin.

Gaara was soaking wet as he hung in the air after Naruto's jutsu.

"What makes him so strong? Is it because he's a jinchuriki?" thought Gaara as his sand was finally nearing him.

Gaara's sand was too slow as both clones made it to him first and promptly gave him a bear hug.

"This'll hurt." said Naruto as he channeled some chakra.

BOOM!

Both clones detonated causing a huge explosion in midair.

From the cloud caused by the explosion, rocks and a smoking figure came plummeting to the ground.

(Finalist Box)

Sasuke smirked as he saw Naruto's attack.

"Nice combo. But I can't forget about my part in this." thought Sasuke as he looked at Temari.

Temari and Kankuro were shocked to see Gaara get taken apart so easily by Naruto.

"Gaara!" shouted Temari. "Did he kill him?!" thought Temari frantically.

"Gaara..." thought Kankuro

"Okay..I'm glad I didn't have to face Naruto. I'd rather face you first Sasuke than get that." said Shikamaru as Sasuke scoffed internally.

"Naruto won't know he said that." thought Sasuke as he turned his attention back to the fight.

(Arena Floor)

Naruto walked over to the smoking figure laying prone in the grass. Upon reaching it he realized something was wrong.

"Replacement." said Naruto as he turned around to face the real Gaara. Gaara had left his sand armor behind and narrowly escaped the explosion.

Gaara was standing on the opposite side of the stadium with his hands in the tiger seal. Gaara had a few singe marks on his clothes but other than that was relatively fine.

"Seems he replaced himself at the last second with his sand armor. Must of been right as the clones got to him since he was still caught in that blast slightly." thought Naruto as he saw Gaara covering himself in a sand dome.

As the sand dome was closing up around Gaara, Naruto flung a kunai with a explosive note at Gaara.

BOOM!

As the smoke cleared from the kunai, Naruto noticed that it didn't accomplish anything.

Naruto then looked up to see an eyeball appear in midair.

"Seems that sand is denser than the previous sand. It won't be taken down by some water or an explosion. I'm sure he can still manipulate it like normal so there's no point in attacking straight up. That eye is probably in the sky to help him see outside of the dome. How to get past it." thought Naruto until he heard Kurama in his head.

"Naruto." after Naruto mentally nodded to acknowledge, Kurama continued, "That's the opening phase of Shukaku's Bijuu transformation. You won't get through that defense with power...But there is another way."

After getting the plan from Kurama, Naruto clapped his hands together.

Naruto burst with bright red chakra as he took on a 1-tailed state.

"Here I come Gaara." said Naruto.

"Futon: Daitoppa (Wind Style: Great Breakthrough)" said Naruto as he channeled Kurama's chakra into the jutsu.

A mighty gust of wind ripped through the stadium toward Gaara. Picking up dust and debris along the way, obscuring the view of the fight.

Gaara's sand dome held firm against the powerful winds and didn't even looked fazed. However, Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

The people in the crowd scanned the area for Naruto but it was like he vanished without a trace. After about a minute of nothing, Gaara came sailing out of his own sand dome with a bloodied wound on his chest.

As the dome crumbled apart, Naruto could be seen standing in the dome with a Kyubi enhanced claw outstretched. It was slightly covered in blood as his chakra shroud dispersed.

"Doton: Moruragakure no Jutsu (Earth Style: Hiding like a Mole Technique), gotta love it. That dome protected you from everywhere besides down." said Naruto as the crowd looked on amazed.

"What is this warm liquid?" questioned Gaara as he touched his chest. "It's blood! My Blood!" shouted Gaara as he began to stand. As he was standing, the gourd on his back began to surround his upper body.

The gourd eventually merged completely as Gaara was covered in sand across his entire left torso. He also had a large claw of sand appear over his left arm.

"Prove my Existence Naruto!" shouted Gaara as he leapt at Naruto with his claw outstretched.

"So that's the Ichibi" said Naruto as Gaara was approaching.

(In the Audience)

"Another Jinchuriki!" shouted a civilian in the stands and people began to panic slightly.

"Oh no?! Senju-sama's out there with him." said another civilian worried about the boy.

"Don't worry, Naruto's Bijuu is stronger. He'll have no trouble against him." said a Konoha Chunin as the people around him began to calm down slightly.

"You're right...however, Naruto's only shown an one-tailed Jinchuriki state. If he can't access more that that, than Gaara will win. A full powered Bijuu is better than a One-tailed Jinchuriki." thought Guy as he eyed Kakashi. "Why is he so calm about this? His genin is in trouble."

An Anbu was standing a little behind Kakashi and Guy. This Anbu was not a real one though, he was actually Kabuto in disguise.

"That boy is transforming here. This could be trouble...but why doesn't Orochimaru-sama want me to give the signal?" thought Kabuto as he was eyeing the Kage booth waiting.

The sand siblings sensei, Baki, was thinking the same. "Gaara's transformed already, this isn't good. We need to get him to the village but I haven't seen the signal. What are we waiting for?"

(Finalist Box)

"Of course that guy's a Jinchuriki too." said Shikamaru as he watched the fight. "Troublesome..are you one as well Sasuke?" said Shikamaru. He was internally worried for Naruto but figured Naruto knew when he was in over his head.

"Like I would need that power." said Sasuke arrogantly as he continued watching the fight with his Sharingan on.

"Wonder how Naruto's gonna beat him..Rock Lee pounded him and he still got up. So what's Naruto going to do." thought Sasuke as he eyed Naruto smashing into Gaara with punches.

(Arena Floor)

After punching Gaara a few times, Naruto kicked him into the wall violently with a roundhouse. Naruto took on an uninterested look at Gaara's new tactics. Gaara came out of the cracked wall as he saw Naruto's bored look.

Gaara got angry, "Just like everyone else...Stop ignoring me!" said Gaara as his sand covered him. Gaara's entire torso, down to his knees, was covered in sand as a tail grew out of the back.

"Is that what Shukaku looks like?" asked Naruto as he watched Gaara.

"More or less...he's basically in a one-tailed state." replied Kurama.

Gaara had several mouths open up along his body as he prepared a jutsu.

"Futon: Mugen Sajin- Daitoppa (Wind Style: Infinite Sand Cloud- Great Breakthrough)" said Gaara as he let loose a sand cloud.

In response, Naruto slammed his palms on the ground.

"Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Style: Mud Wall)" said Naruto as a huge wall rose from the ground. The wall completely blocked the sand storm.

"It's a shame." said Naruto from behind Gaara.

Gaara received a powerful elbow to the back followed by a knee to the ribs. Naruto then smashed him in the head with an overhead kick.

That kick sent Gaara to the ground as Naruto grabbed his tail and flung him back into the wall. The same spot Gaara had hit earlier.

"You had a defense that only the fastest could bypass and the strongest could breach, and you trade it for this? That's pitiful. Raw power only beats finesse in extreme quantities and you don't have enough of it." said Naruto.

Gaara looked at Naruto in pain. "Why is he so strong? I haven't even touched him once? What makes him so strong?!" said Gaara as his anger started to rise.

"You won't erase my existence!" shouted Gaara as he began to channel more of Shukaku's chakra. Naruto noticed the chakra spike and realized what Gaara was planning. Naruto clasped his hand in the snake seal as he channeled his chakra. The walls of the Stadium and the grounds began to crack slightly at Naruto's chakra output.

Kurama knew Gaara was trying to go full Bijuu mode and it seemed Naruto did as well. When Kurama saw Naruto place his hands in the snake seal, he looked shocked. "Naruto..are you about to..."

"Yes Kurama. If he transforms, he could hurt the civilians. It has to be done now before he gets to difficult to put down." said Naruto as Kurama agreed.

(In the Kage booth)

"Gaara's transforming. Splendid, maybe he'll kill that boy so I can be rid of him." thought Orochimaru until he felt and saw Naruto's chakra. "His chakra is so potent...and at that age. I don't even feel the Kyubi, it's all him...and the feeling of his chakra. Don't tell me?!"

Hiruzen smiled slightly as he felt Orochimaru's inner turmoil.

"Naruto-kun is about to shock the world." thought Hiruzen.

(Arena Floor)

Gaara was preparing to unleash Shukaku until huge branches sprang up from the ground and wrapped around him, restraining his arms and legs. Gaara looked shocked as the branches moved him off the wall into a circle. The circle was being created by emerging wooden pillars with spikes pointed at him.

Gaara felt his chakra stop building and was wondering what was going on as he struggled against the wooden binds. As Gaara was trying to break free, he noticed Naruto standing in front of him. Gaara looked up to see Naruto placing a palm on his forehead.

"I can not let you harm the people in the stands." said Naruto with a serious glare.

"Kakuan Nitten Shishu (Tenth Edict of Enlightenment)" said Naruto as Gaara began to scream.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Gaara began to revert back to normal.

"I was once told that true power comes from wanting to protect those precious to you. This village is precious to me and as such I'll protect it no matter what." said Naruto as the sand around Gaara moved back into the gourd it was before.

Gaara stopped screaming as he fell unconscious.

It had taken a full minute of suppressing the Ichibi but Naruto still smiled slightly, with a bit of sweat on his face.

"It's over." said Naruto.

Genma had loss the ever-present senbon in his mouth when he saw Naruto suppress a tailed beast.

"What the hell is this kid." thought Genma.

(In the audience)

The crowd was still quiet over watching what Naruto just did.

"You've got to be kidding me?! What the hell can Naruto not do?" questioned Kiba as everyone gaped at Naruto's display.

Sakura found her voice as she said, "Naruto...has the same ability as the first Hokage. The..The..The..."

"Mokuton" said Asuma, who dropped his second cigarette today due to Naruto.

At that announcement, Ino looked up as she realized something.

"That's why Naruto loves coming to our shop...he's connected to nature. That's why the flowers always looked better when he was around." thought Ino.

"How could this be possible..." said a stunned Kurenai, team 8's sensei.

Guy looked toward Kakashi as he spoke, "That's why you were never worried, you knew he could do that."

Kakashi only eye-smiled in response. "Though he does paint a huge target on himself...but he had to stop Gaara from hurting the citizens so it's justified." thought Kakashi proud of his student.

(In the Kage Booth)

Orochimaru looked shocked at what Naruto just did.

"He has the Mokuton?! That's what the monkey was saying about him having something more special than the Kyubi. He can literally tame it...that boy is too powerful. I'll have to kill him." thought Orochimaru as he couldn't hide his shock.

Orochimaru calmed down slightly, "with Gaara out of the picture now, a big part of my invasion is ruined...it doesn't matter. I came here to kill Sarutobi-sensei and that's what I'll do. The invasion is still on"

Orochimaru signalled to Kabuto when to start the invasion as Hiruzen spoke to him.

"Seems the 'Will of Fire' Hashirama-sama preached about really inherited itself in Naruto." said Hiruzen amused at Orochimaru's shock.

Orochimaru seethed internally at Hiruzen's diction. "Indeed it does. But revealing that power makes him a huge target." said Orochimaru as Hiruzen nodded.

"True. But I have faith that Naruto can handle it." said Hiruzen still smiling.

"You've grown up so much Naruto-kun."

(Arena Floor)

Gaara lay motionless at Naruto's feet as the wood from Naruto's jutsu moved back into the ground.

"Uh Genma-san?" said Naruto as he waved at the proctor.

"Oh right...Shousa Naruto Senju!" proclaimed Genma loudly.

The crowd finally seemed to get over their silence as cheers erupted loudly.

Naruto smiled and waved at the crowd as he walked back up to the finalist box.

(Finalist Box)

Naruto arrived back in the finalist box as he saw everyone staring at him.

"You're kidding right?" said Sasuke.

"What do you mean Sasuke?" replied an amused Naruto.

"Forget it...I don't believe that happened so it didn't happen. I need to get ready for my match anyway, I don't have time to wonder about your Kekkai Genkai." said Sasuke trying to downplay Naruto's new power.

While Naruto was rubbing it in Sasuke's face, Kankuro spoke to Temari.

"Temari...Just forfeit your match. The plan is ruined with Gaara being incapacitated. There's no reason to continue."

Genma had just announced Sasuke and Temari's fight as Temari agreed with Kankuro.

"You're right. There's no need to go against the Uchiha. I'll just quit." said Temari before she heard Sasuke talk.

"Are you about to quit or something fan girl?" said Sasuke with emphasis on the fan girl part. "You probably are just like you're confused sister did."

Temari and Kankuro both looked ready to dish out divine punishment at Sasuke's remarks.

Seeing that he hadn't gotten her to commit completely, Sasuke pushed the envelope further.

Sasuked smirked as he said, "Figures as much. I mean I'd quit to if I was facing a man. Girls are weaker than boys anyway. And then you're from a crappy village like Suna. Weak Girl and Crappy Village. You'd have no chance against an elite nin.."

"I'm kicking his ass!" said Temari cutting off Sasuke as she blew him out of the finalist box.

Kankuro nodded his head until he saw Naruto smiling at him.

"What are you smiling at?" asked Kankuro.

"Well, your sister just fell for it. I have suspicions about things and Sasuke's gonna help me get the answers. And who better than your sister to answer them." said Naruto as Kankuro looked stunned.

They had just fallen for a trap. Kankuro wanted to tell Temari but a chop to the back of the neck rendered him unconscious.

"Goodnight." said Naruto as he placed his hand back in his pocket and looked down at the fight.

(Arena Floor)

After being blown out of the finalist box, Sasuke back flipped in midair and landed on the ground gracefully. Temari rode her fan down as she still looked heated.

Genma walked up as he asked, "Both fighters ready?"

A nod from Sasuke and a slam of her fan from Temari later, Genma started the match.

"Match 6 of the Chunin Exam Finals...Hajime!"

Temari wasted no time as she swung her fan at Sasuke again.

Sasuke got struck by the wind as he flew back and hit the stadium wall. However upon impact, he reverted into a log.

"Where the hell did he get that log? He torched the whole forest earlier?" thought Temari wondering how logs are always around.

Temari dodged as several shuriken and kunai flew past her. She turned around to see Sasuke standing there still smirking.

"You arrogant piece of shit!" shouted Temari as she sent another gust at Sasuke.

Sasuke looked amused at the wind.

"Fire beats Wind." said Sasuke as he held the tiger seal.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique)" said Sasuke as he blew out a huge fireball at Temari.

Sasuke's fire seemed to gobble up Temari's wind as it continued on toward her.

"Oh my.." said Temari as all she could do was hide behind her fan.

The fire blasted Temari as she stood behind her slightly melting fan.

Eventually the fire died down and Temari could be seen behind her decimated fan. The fan was burnt in a few places and was too hot to the touch. It was utterly useless to her now.

As she was fretting over her fan, Temari had to move her head to the right to dodge Sasuke's jab.

"Gotcha." said Sasuke as his jab turned into a hand that grabbed the back of Temari's head and brought them face to face.

"Shit...I looked into his eyes." thought Temari as she found herself pinned down with stakes.

"Welcome..." said Sasuke as he materialized in front of Temari. "Now you're going to tell me about your plan to attack Konoha."

Temari's eyes bulged out as she heard what Sasuke just said. It all made sense..."That's why he egged me on to fight. So he could find out about the invasion."

"So you are planning an invasion." said Sasuke as Temari looked shocked. "Yes I can hear your thoughts and I can also tell if you're lying, so let's just get on with this. When's the invasion starting?"

Sasuke couldn't really hear Temari's thoughts or tell if she's lying but Temari didn't know that.

Temari was content with keeping quiet until she felt the stakes dig deeper into her body.

Temari screamed slightly as Sasuke said, "Please talk, they'll only go deeper if you don't."

The stakes went a little deeper as Temari finally cracked, "The invasion starts when the people began to go to sleep, that's the signal." said Temari.

"Good, that's all I wanted. Now rest." said Sasuke as Temari fell unconscious.

Sasuke had been staring at Temari for 3 minutes until she eventually fell asleep and he let her fall face-first in the dirt.

"Too easy." said Sasuke as he began to walk away.

"Shousa, Sauske Uchiha." said Genma as the medics took Temari away.

"She was out of chakra from her first match and was facing a fire-user. She should have just quit...but I wonder, what was up with that Genjutsu?" thought Genma as he heard the crowd cheering at Sasuke's quick victory.

(Finalist Box)

Sasuke walked in the finalist box as he nodded at Naruto.

"You were right..It is an invasion." said Sasuke as Shikamaru listened in.

"Figured as much. Villages' don't send a Jinchuriki to another village unless something's going down. Plus Shino said he spotted several groups of Suna Ninjas and Oto Ninjas on his way in. We have to tell Kakashi-sensei" said Naruto as he and Sasuke left to the audience.

"Troublesome." said Shikamaru, overhearing the conversation and knowing he'd have to fight in the Invasion if it did indeed happen.

(In the Audience)

Since there was a 30 minute intermission before the finals, everyone was waiting patiently for the Senju vs. Uchiha finale.

Sakura and Kakashi were overjoyed at the two other members of Team 7. It's pretty hard to make it to the finals.

They were cut from their thoughts as Sasuke and Naruto arrived.

"Kakashi-sensei. There's an invasion planned." said Naruto.

Before Kakashi could respond, an explosion rocked the Kage Booth. As everyone's attention was focused on the booth, white feathers began to fall in front of their faces.

"Genjutsu" thought Naruto before he dispelled it. Upon releasing it, he noticed that there were several Suna ninja surrounding him and the rest of Team 7.

"Damn, I was too late." thought Naruto.

"Hey Sasuke, just in case we don't make it out of this alive. I just wanna say, I would have totally kicked your ass in that final match." said Naruto as he prepared to fight.

"Hn." said Sasuke before he smirked, "Bet I defeat more."

"You're on!" said Naruto as he and Sasuke charged into the group of ninjas around them.

The Invasion of Konoha had begun.