Rebound!

"Die!" Shukaku shouted, firing several wind bullets. Naruto nimbly dodged them.

"Shuriken Wind Blade," Naruto said, then threw a shuriken. The shuriken flew toward Shukaku at astonishing speed, effortlessly severing his right arm.

The arm fell limply to the ground and began to crumble until nothing but sand remained on the ground.

"You excite me, Naruto Uzumaki!" Shukaku shouted. The sand atop his head began to move, and a figure started to emerge. Naruto narrowed his eyes and saw that it was Gaara.

Gaara formed the Tiger hand seal with both hands and said:

"Feigned Sleep Technique."

As Gaara fell asleep, Shukaku's eyes glowed yellow.

"I'm free. I'll kill you, then destroy everything!" Shukaku shouted.

"Wind Style: Spiral Bullet," Shukaku said, beginning to fire compressed wind bullets at Naruto.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu," Naruto said, unleashing a massive fire dragon toward Shukaku. Naruto swung his fan, strengthening the flames until they were nearly as large as Shukaku.

Shukaku let out an enraged roar, and the flames were scattered into nothingness.

Suddenly, black and blue chakra floated through the air and gathered around Shukaku's mouth. The chakra began to converge and compress into a sphere.

"That's a Tailed Beast Bomb. The barrier won't be able to withstand it," Nine-Tails said.

Shukaku suddenly fired it at astonishing speed.

Naruto gripped his fan and held it before him.

"Rebound!"

The Tailed Beast Bomb collided with the fan and suddenly exploded. The pressure on the fan forced Naruto to his knees, cracking the ground beneath him, but he endured it and reflected the Tailed Beast Bomb back at Shukaku.

As the smoke cleared, it revealed Shukaku completely scorched, with his right arm gone as well.

Suddenly, golden chains burst from the ground beneath Shukaku, pinning him to the earth. Shukaku was completely trapped.

Naruto formed hand seals, then clapped his hands. He slammed his right hand against the ground, and Chinese characters began flowing out from within it toward Shukaku, forming a ring around him.

"Five Elements Seal," Naruto said, and the characters began to glow. Shukaku cried out in pain as his chakra was forcibly sealed back inside.

"You can't escape," Naruto said.

Naruto reinforced the chains, as he could feel Shukaku trying to break free.

Shukaku's form began to waver, and the sand slowly started to crumble and flow back into Gaara.

A few seconds later, only a ball of sand floated in the air. It shrank by the second, and when all the sand suddenly vanished, Gaara fell to the ground, completely unconscious.

Naruto approached him and placed him into the Stasis Scroll as well.

## With Hinata ##

Hinata received Kakashi's orders and went to meet up with Zabuza. They were preparing to clear the streets and protect the civilians.

"We have orders, Zabuza," Hinata said, watching Zabuza behead a Sound ninja with the Executioner's Blade.

"What orders?" Zabuza asked.

"We're to gather, evacuate, and protect the civilians. Once they've been evacuated, we'll launch a counterattack," Hinata explained.

"Let's go," Zabuza said. Just as they were about to leave, they saw a yellow flash. Naruto's Shadow Clone appeared before them.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked in surprise. "Why are you here?"

"I'm an enhanced clone. Naruto sent me to assist and protect you."

They nodded and prepared to leave.

"Hinata, use your Byakugan to see where our help is needed," the clone said.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and cried out:

"The Ninja Academy is under attack!"

"The academy? What about the barrier?" the clone asked.

"There is no barrier. Sound and Sand ninjas are trying to force their way in, but Iruka-sensei and several chunin are desperately holding them back," Hinata explained.

The clone used Kamui to pull Zabuza, Haku, and Hinata into another dimension. Then he vanished as well.

## The Academy ##

The situation at the academy was dire. Iruka and the other teachers were doing everything they could to hold back the enemy. The chunin maintaining the barrier had been assassinated by a Sand ninja transformed into a Konoha ninja.

"Iruka, things are bad," one teacher said. He was clearly exhausted, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily.

"We can only hold out until reinforcements arrive," Iruka said. His chakra was nearly depleted as well.

"Surrender. You can't win," said the Sand ninja who was clearly their captain.

"Iruka, behind you!"

Iruka turned and saw a kunai flying toward his throat.

Iruka closed his eyes and accepted his fate. His chakra was exhausted, his body was weary, and he had few weapons left. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to come, but instead heard the sound of "Lightning Cutter."

Iruka opened his eyes and saw a lightning-covered hand piercing through the Sand ninja's chest. The ninja collapsed dead.

"N-Naruto?" Iruka stammered.

"Don't worry, Iruka-sensei. We're here," Naruto said. The space around them seemed to distort, and then Zabuza, Haku, and Hinata emerged from his eye as well.

"What the hell was that, kid?" Zabuza asked, feeling a little dizzy.

"A space-time ninjutsu similar to Flying Thunder God. You handle the enemies. I'll set up a barrier inside the academy," Naruto said. His teammates charged toward the remaining fourteen ninjas.

In less than five minutes, every enemy was dead. Hinata's Gentle Fist, Haku's senbon, and Zabuza's blade left them no chance to fight back.

"My God..." Iruka stammered as he watched Hinata effortlessly defeat the enemies. Hinata seemed to be dancing, fluidly evading every attack. Her Byakugan precisely locked onto each enemy. With a single strike, they fell dead.

"It's too dangerous to evacuate the students now. I'll set up another barrier," Naruto said, and Iruka sighed in relief.

"Zabuza, hold off the enemy. I'm going to replace the barrier," Naruto said. Zabuza nodded, and his teammates stood guard around the area. Naruto took out several blank talismans and began writing new seals.

Iruka watched Naruto's speed and skill in astonishment. Naruto's talismans were flawlessly drawn, practically works of art.

"Go inside," Naruto said. Iruka led the unconscious teachers into the academy. Naruto created a Shadow Clone and had it place the talismans outside.

The clone stuck the talismans onto the walls and shouted, "Four-Sided Barrier Seal Formation!" A yellow barrier immediately covered the entire academy.

The clone sat down cross-legged and began concentrating to strengthen the barrier.

## Elsewhere ##

Killer B saw a three-headed snake in the distance break through Konoha's walls and begin rampaging through the village. The ninjas kept unleashing ninjutsu, but it had no effect.

"Drive it out of the village!" one ninja shouted. They threw explosive kunai, but it was useless. The snake continued forward.

Just as they were about to despair, they heard someone rapping—and it was terrible.

"You're finished, fool, because I'm the mighty Killer B," B rapped as he leaped onto a rooftop and charged toward the snake.