Konoha Crush Plan 11

"Asleep? Wait, asleep!" Naruto looked at the goat pattern on the Talisman, then at Gaara, sealed behind layers of protection. An idea struck him!

"Boss!" He snapped his head up and shouted to Gamabunta. "You mean we just have to wake him up, right? I've got a way! Boss, protect my body. I can go wake him up myself!"

Gamabunta had no idea what Naruto was planning, but he chose to trust him. His enormous tongue curled around Naruto's body and drew it carefully into his mouth for protection.

Meanwhile, Naruto gripped the faintly glowing Sheep Talisman, focused his entire mind, and shouted:

"Soul Departure!"

In an instant, Naruto's soul drifted out of his protected body like a wisp of smoke, taking on a translucent, pale-blue form!

Weightless and swift as the wind, Naruto's spirit turned into a streak of light. Without hesitation, he passed straight through every layer of sand Shukaku had put up. He slipped into the sand sphere protecting Gaara and plunged into the depths of his dream!

"What?!" Shukaku couldn't see souls, but he felt an unfamiliar surge of Chakra breach his defenses. Furious and alarmed, he roared, "Bastard! What did you do to my Jinchuriki?!"

Gamabunta had no interest in explaining. He began circling Shukaku, trying to buy Naruto time to wake Gaara.

Elsewhere, inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, colliding waves of Chakra nearly tore the air apart.

Surrounded by five powerful enemies, Hiruzen Sarutobi displayed astonishing skill and tactical judgment.

His four solid Shadow Clones weren't merely holding the enemy back. Each put the exquisite Ninjutsu Hiruzen had mastered over his lifetime to full use:

One Shadow Clone wielded an Adamantine Staff with the ferocity of a dragon, meeting Hashirama Senju's monstrous strength blow for blow. Staff and wooden fists collided with heavy