The Battle of the Jinchuriki

After a few seconds of silence, an uproar of discussion erupted among the spectators.

Some were speculating about Naruto's relationship with the Fourth Hokage, but most—especially the Daimyo—were more interested in the fact that "someone else had learned the Flying Thunder God Technique."

"That's truly astonishing, Lord Hokage."

In the stands, the Fourth Kazekage said to the Third Hokage, "I never imagined someone who inherited the Fourth Hokage's technique would appear—and be so young!"

"Haha..."

The Third Hokage gave a dry laugh. "Naruto is still young. Even though he inherited the Fourth Hokage's technique, he still has a long way to go before he can match him."

The Fourth Kazekage smiled but said nothing, turning his attention back to the arena.

Gaara had also seen Naruto's entrance, but he paid it no mind. All he could think about now was one question.

He strode up to Naruto, ignoring the referee beside them, and asked, "Uzumaki Naruto, is there a monster inside you too?"

"A monster?"

Naruto looked at Gaara and quickly understood what he meant. His brows furrowed slightly. "I am a Jinchuriki, but I don't think Tailed Beasts are monsters."

"Why?"

Gaara stared hard at Naruto. "They're so hideous, and they have the power to destroy everything so easily. Why don't you think they're monsters?!"

"Whether a Tailed Beast's appearance is beautiful or ugly depends on each person's taste. You think they look awful, but I think they look pretty cool."

Naruto answered patiently. "As for their power, weren't they sealed by us humans with Sealing Jutsu? That means humans are stronger than Tailed Beasts. By your standard, the people who sealed them should be the ones called monsters."

"..."

Gaara thought Naruto made a good point and found himself at a loss for words.

"Sunagakure actually sent out a Jinchuriki..."

The referee had listened to Naruto and Gaara's entire exchange. Worried that the people from Sunagakure might cause trouble, he still didn't forget his duty and announced loudly, "The match begins!"

"Though I don't know what else you wanted to say, let's have our match first."

Naruto smiled. "Afterward, you can ask me anything you want. I'll answer as best I can."

"Fine."

Gaara calmed down as the sand around him gradually increased.

Naruto threw a kunai, but before it could reach Gaara, the sand blocked it.

"Hmm?"

Naruto studied the sand surrounding Gaara. "That sand protecting you isn't your technique."

Gaara stood motionless. "Shield of Sand is the power of the monster inside me... Shukaku."

"No, that's not right."

Naruto stated firmly, "Shukaku can control sand, but he's sealed inside you. His chakra wouldn't leak out so freely. Besides, you don't seem to get along very well with Shukaku. Why would he use his own power to protect you?"

It was simple enough. Gaara was stunned for only a moment before immediately asking Shukaku inside him to confirm. "Shukaku, is the sand protecting me with the Shield of Sand your power?"

"Hahaha!"

Shukaku laughed and cursed at him. "You idiot! I'd love nothing more than for someone to beat you half to death. Then I could get out and stretch my legs. Why would I use sand to protect you?!"

Gaara: "It wasn't you? Then what exactly is the Shield of Sand..."

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Naruto's voice exploded directly in Gaara's mind. "You're getting distracted in the middle of a fight with me? Have I not put enough pressure on you?"

Gaara's consciousness left the Sealing Space. He saw Naruto's fist punch through the Shield of Sand and controlled the sand to shove himself backward before the blow could land.

"This is the first and last warning."

Naruto said irritably, "If you get distracted again, I'll slam a Rasengan right into your face!"

"Sorry..."

Gaara apologized honestly. "From now on, I'll give it everything I've got."

With that, Gaara's expression turned serious. He raised both hands, palms up, and spent a large amount of chakra. The gourd on his back turned into sand and wrapped around him. The ground began to shake, and sand started emerging bit by bit. "Quicksand Waterfall Flow."

The sand bursting from the ground suddenly surged like a fountain, becoming a "wave of sand" that rolled toward Naruto.

The referee had no choice but to leave the ground too, jumping onto the wall surrounding the arena. "As expected of a Jinchuriki from Sunagakure. A technique powerful enough to change the terrain, and he used it so casually."

"That's more like it!"

Naruto created two Shadow Clones, and the three of them formed Hand Seals together. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Three enormous whirlwinds collided head-on with the wave of sand, continuously sweeping sand into the air. The arena seemed to turn into a desert as wind and sand swirled together and dust filled the air. Visibility was terrible.

"(curse)!"

The referee on the wall continued climbing higher, doing his best to steady himself and avoid being swept away by the wind and sand. "I forgot we have a Jinchuriki on our side too!"

"Wind Release, huh..."

Gaara brought his hands together and formed a simple seal. "Sand Shower!"

The sand particles caught up in the strong wind gathered into tiny spheres and rose above Naruto. Then they rained down on him in a rapid, unrelenting barrage.

"Not a bad technique, but it's too slow."

Naruto and his two Shadow Clones used their sensory abilities to pinpoint Gaara's location and the incoming Sand Shower. One hand tossed a kunai while the other formed a Rasengan. Just before the attack struck, he vanished from the spot.

Gaara had no special sensory abilities. He only saw a kunai fly out of the sandstorm ahead. Knowing the Shield of Sand would defend him automatically, he didn't dodge. Instead, he followed the kunai's path with his eyes and adjusted the Sand Shower to concentrate its attacks.

But the next moment, three Narutos teleported to the kunai he had thrown. They grabbed it and thrust their Rasengan forward.

"So fast! Body Flicker... No, a Space-Time Ninjutsu! That's what he used when he entered the arena!"

Gaara thought as fast as he could, his eyes fixed on the Rasengan. "Such powerful chakra. The Shield of Sand and Armor of Sand probably can't stop it. I can't let it hit me!"

His hands swiftly shifted through a series of seals.

Under the combined grinding force of the three Rasengan, the Shield of Sand lasted only one second before it was completely shattered. In less than half a second, the three Rasengan struck Gaara—but he turned into sand and scattered.

Sand Body Flicker.

Gaara's real body appeared beside a pile of sand behind the three Narutos. The sand then enveloped him, turning into a sealed sphere with no gaps.

At the same time, the sand beneath the three Narutos began creeping up their legs and winding around them. Sand that had emerged from the ground nearby also surged in from every direction, covering the area—Sand Binding Coffin!

"I see. As long as there's sand to serve as a medium, he can perform most techniques directly. No wonder he spent so much chakra turning the arena into a desert."

Naruto looked around and realized he wouldn't have time to escape, even by throwing a kunai. So he dispelled his Shadow Clones, taking back some of their chakra. "But with such a wide area, I just need to break through at one point."

He pressed his palms together and quickly formed a Rasengan larger than normal. He continued pouring chakra into it while desperately compressing it...