Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Together With You: A Gaara Story ❯ Gaara vs. Mihara! A Duel to the Death! ( Chapter 29 )

Disclaimer: Naruto = not mine.....................................................yet XD........alright........fine.......never will be.........sheesh......stupid disclaimer.............................................

 

Recap:

Shukkaku's voice resonated inside his head. His eyes widened. `He can't read your thoughts if I am clouding them,' he mentally smirked. Gaara visibly cringed. Shukkaku had prevented Mihara from reading his thoughts. `Now is your chance. Make use of the time. It isn't certain of how long I can keep this up. So get moving!' the Sand spirit raged.

 

 

Chapter 29: Gaara vs Mihara! A Duel to the Death!

 

Gaara grinned and glared at Mihara. He pressed his hands together for another jutsu and smirked. He slammed his hands into the ground and crouched. “Desert Funeral,” he said lowly. Mihara's eyes widened. He quickly leaped from the ground to a building's roof. Gaara ended the jutsu and stood, glaring at Mihara. Mihara smirked and did a jutsu of his own. He closed his eyes and wind blew the hair from his face, revealing a Sharingan eye. Gaara frowned upon seeing this. `Damn,' he cursed mentally. He heard Shukkaku snicker in the background and Gaara sent a mental glare at him, instigating him further. `Just remember, Sharingan can only copy what it sees. However, there is no record of it copying bloodline or demon moves,' Shukkaku advised him quietly. Gaara looked around quickly to see if there was anyway he could lure Mihara away from the already destroyed Konoha. He saw an exit and decided to go for it. He called upon his sand and used it as a tidal wave, riding it out of Konoha.

 

Mihara smirked. He knew what the Kazekage was up to. Nonetheless, he followed. He kept at his heels and performed jutsu on the way, spitting fireballs and water balls. Even going as far as using Hoshiganki Kisame's Water Dragon. Gaara's sand blocked all of them, however. He kept leading Mihara away from Konoha, coming to the same clearing him and Naruto had fought so long ago. He landed gracefully on a tree and sand shot up in front of him, just in time to block another fireball thrown by the persistant Sound ninja. Mihara landed on a branch not far from Gaara and smirked. “I see...how noble of you, Gaara of Suna. Leading me away from Konoha to prevent further damage.” Mihara smirked. “However...I don't advise you to turn your back on me again,” he said, hate and rage in his eyes.

 

Gaara smirked. This was going to be another challenge. Just like facing Naruto all over again. Suddenly, Mihara replicated himself. Each clone whipped out a kunai and wrapped a sutra around the handle, grinning smugly. Gaara recognized this maneuver. Naruto used it when he was partially possessed. Said red head frowned and resumed his glare, preparing to face him again. Sand shot up behind him and Gaara's eyes widened temporarily. How did he get behind him that fast when he had his eyes on him the whole time!? Gaara growled and kept his eyes on the other clones. They lunged at him and Gaara used his sand to wipe out all of the incoming clones, forcing them into trees. The original Mihara grinned and charged at him, drawing the kunai back for an attack. Gaara's sand shot out to attack him and Mihara smirked before changing positions, using the sand as a bridge from him to Gaara. He ran along it swiftly and Gaara increased his movements to capture him. Mihara nimbly dodged, making it to Gaara. He jammed the kunai in Gaara's shoulder while the sand was being used and quickly retreated, detonating it, ripping a growl and a scream from Gaara. When the smoke cleared, Gaara stood, holding a bleeding shoulder. He growled at Mihara and Mihara grinned with a tiny snicker. `So fast...' Shukkaku snickered in his head. `What is so funny?' Gaara demanded to the sand tenuki residing within him. Shukkaku mentally grinned. `You are. Not being able to keep up with this pathetic human. If this keeps up, I will possess you, Gaara,' he said, disappearing again. Gaara snarled and stood upright. Maybe Shukkaku was right. Maybe the only way to beat this guy was through possession. It was worth a shot. He pressed his hands together and breathed deep. Sand started to cover the left side of his body and his eyes shot open. The right side was still icy blue, but the left was possessed by the tenuki he so hated. Using this possession increased his speed, not to mention his agility. He charged at Mihara and swung. Mihara dodged and Gaara's sand shot up, ramming into the man's stomach roughly, knocking him into a tree. He fell to his knees and coughed at the loss of air. Gaara laned on an adjacent tree branch and turned to face him. Mihara stood and snickered. Gaara growled and lunged at him again.

 

Mihara used a fire style jutsu Gaara recognized. Uchiha's giant fireball. He growled and quickly evaded the attack. He leaped off a trunk and dashed toward Mihara, slamming his fist into Mihara's head, knocking him into branches on the way down to the ground. Said man's body rammed into the ground at unbelievable speed, knocking the wind from him again. He coughed up blood and smirked. He wove more hand signs and looked directly at Gaara. Mind switching, Ino's move. Shukkaku prevented Gaara's mind from switching into the man's body and Mihara snarled in defeat. It was no use. Gaara came up on Mihara swiftly and Mihara delivered a well aimed kick to Gaara's stomach without warning, knocking him backward. He planted his feet on the ground and snarled, skidding to a halt. He stood and him and Mihara locked eyes.

 

 

Meanwhile...

Shiruki sped through Konoha, searching for Naruto and Sasuke. “Naru-kun! Sasuke-kun!” she growled loudly, trying to locate them. She caught scent of them, thanks to Nikkaku's strong and sensitive nose. She made a sharp right into an alleyway. “Damn it!!” she growled. She kicked down the alley wall and saw Sasuke and Naruto on the other side. She blinked in amazement and laughed lightly. “Well...that was easy,” she said, walking through the mess and to Naruto and Sasuke. She saw that they were exhausted and she quickly rushed to their sides. “What happened?” she asked, scanning the area for enemies, namely, the apprentice. No one in sight. She turned her sights back to Naruto and Sasuke.

 

Naruto was first to answer. He was physically exhausted. His breath came in ragged breaths. He had seriously taken a beating. Stubborn ninja didn't know when to quit. Shiruki mentally smirked. “The apprentice...he's somewhere close. We've fought tons of likenesses and still...not one of them are the apprentice. He's using a Shadow Clone jutsu...I'm sure of it.” Naruto tried to regain his breath.

 

Sasuke panted as well, beaten and battered. He looked exhausted too and his chakra was low. He had just used Chidori. He met his limit. Shiruki noticed him holding his wrist, trying to force out another Chidori. She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and Shiruki shook her head in response. “Don't force yourself,” she said quietly, looking around. No one around. It was too quiet. Like the eye of a storm. Safe for now, until the second wave hit. And hit it did. Kunai shot out from all around them and Shiruki's sand shot up to block them all in a likeness to Gaara's ultimate defense. Seeing that the danger was gone, she slumped to her knee and panted. Nikkaku, though powerful, was still reaching her limit. Not to mention, Shiruki was physically exhausted as well. She had expended too much energy. She had no choice. She had to tap into more of Nikkaku's powers. She pressed her hands together and started to form a Rasengan ball of chakra. This would deplete more of her chakra to almost half. She sighed as it was finally in her hand. Now, to find the realy apprentice. There were many around them. She closed her eyes and growled. None of them were the real one. She looked to Naruto before eying the clones before them. Donned in black Anbu wardrobe, each with masks. “Naruto,” she said lowly. Naruto looked at her, catching his breath after a while. “Can you still use your Shadow Clone?” she asked.

 

Naruto stood and sighed. “I'll try. What do you have in mind?” he asked quietly. Sasuke came up to them after a while of resting. Naruto saw that he was injured. He was spent. Naruto still hadn't used up Kyuubi's chakra. He was still safe.

 

Shiruki smirked. “All of these are clones. It's not clear where the real one is. I think...if we take care of all these clones, it might draw the apprentice out into the open.” She looked at Naruto with a grin. “What do you think? Ya up to a challenge?” she smirked. Naruto grinned back and pressed his hands together, performing the Shadow Clone jutsu. Hundreds of Naruto's poofed before them, all holding kunai. Shiruki followed his example and produced hundreds of replicas of herself as well. Sasuke stood there, watching. He looked at his hand. He couldn't force out another Chidori. If he did, the curse mark would consume him and he might lose his life. He frowned at the possibility. “Alright...ready, Naru-chan?” Shiruki smirked, preparing to dash off. The Rasengan went back into her body, saving the chakra. The army of Naruto's nodded, as did the army of Shiruki. “Go!” she yelled, their clones charging out into the middle of the landscape, preparing for an all out clone war.

 

 

With Gaara and Mihara

Gaara had to result in another level of possession. Shukkaku's tail was not visible, along with the left arm. He prayed it would not have to result in another Naruto incident. He couldn't handle it at the moment. He couldn't afford to have another devastating battle like that. Shiruki and the others needed him for the apprentice. He couldn't afford to be useless now. Mihara held his wrist, grinning madly. Gaara watched him with interest. `Chidori!' he snarled mentally to himself.

 

Mihara formed a chirping ball of lightning like chakra in the palm of his left hand. He ducked low and swung his arm around, charging madly at Gaara. He recoiled his hand and prepared to thrust his chakra into Gaara like Sasuke had before. Gaara tried to dodge, but Mihara's added speed was too much. The Chidori snagged his left shoulder and Gaara snarled, striking Mihara with his tail. Mihara's motionless body flew through trunks and branches until Gaara reappeared behind him and delivered a spine-breaking kick to his lower back. He heard a snap and an agonized scream from the man before him. Mihara lay on the ground lifelessly and Gaara tried to regain himself. He caught his balance on a branch and snarled at Mihara. The broken man tried to move, only to have Gaara's foot slam into his back again. Mihara coughed up more blood. He glared up at Gaara over his shoulder and grinned. He grabbed ahold of Gaara's ankle and held on tight. The same jutsu Shisuke used on Shiruki to sap her chakra. Gaara snarled and planted his foot into Mihara's face, kicking him off and away. Mihara hit the tree and tried desperately to get up. He just smirked as he reached a sitting position. He bit his thumb and did a summoning jutsu, resulting in a giant bear emerging. Gaara stared up at it. He was forced to bring out Shukkaku once again. He growled and put his hands together, allowing for a full possession. Shukkaku emerged and faced the bear. Gaara appeared on Shukkaku's forehead and glared at Mihara. It was bad that he had to resort to such things. Relying on Shukkaku. This was not good for either of them, nor for anyone in the proximity. Shoving aside his regrets, Gaara stared at the bear before him and Shukkaku. In order for the full Shukkaku to emerge, however, he had to perform the “Play Possum” jutsu. He would try to avoid this at all costs. Mihara grinned as he relaxed against the giant bear's snout. “Ready, Oromaru?” Mihara asked the giant bear beneath him. The bear nodded and smirked, flexing it's claws. Mihara nodded. “Good. Then...when you are ready,” he said, leaning back, relaxing and trying to get his chakra back, as well as his energy.

 

 

With Shiruki and the others

Shiruki and Naruto charged at the “Anbu” clones, eliminating them one-by-one. Some Shiruki's were knocked out and some Naruto's picked up the slack. It came down to three apprentice clones and Shiruki caught a hint of where the original was. She looked to her right and didn't seen anything. She growled and forced her attention back to the task at hand, eliminating the apprentice duplicates. Naruto took care of the clone aimed at Shiruki and she snapped from her daze. “You alright?” Naruto asked as she stood back up. She nodded. She turned to the last remaining clone and Naruto charged at him. On the way, a fireball stopped him, eliminating the clone. Shiruki froze. Kunai and shuriken flew at her from the front and she used her sand to stop it and suck it in. Her back, however was left open to an attack. As Naruto fought off the last clone, Shiruki screamed in pain. She growled and held her shoulder. Naruto turned to face her and saw this, running to her side immediately. “Shiruki-“

 

“Guys!” Sasuke called from amidst all the chaos. They turned to him and saw him pointing east. They turned their faces to look and saw Shukkaku and a giant bear.

 

Shiruki's eyes widened. “Gaara,” she whispered. She shook her head in disbelief and felt an overwhelming anger. Naruto rested his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, tearing away from Shukkaku's form and staring at the cerulean pools of the blond that held her. “Gaara must be in trouble, Naruto,” she said seriously. She looked anxiously back at Shukkaku.

 

Naruto sighed heavily. He stood back up and turned to face the doppleganger apprentice. “Shiruki,” Naruto called seriously, keeping his eyes on the clone. Shiruki looked at Naruto once again. “I want you to take Sasuke and go to Gaara.” Shiruki was about to protest so Naruto intervened again. “Just do it. I won't allow my comrades to die.” Naruto looked at Shiruki and saw hesitation and reluctance. He flashed her a signature grin and thumbs up. She smiled and nodded. “Don't worry. I'll be right there,” he smiled. Shiruki nodded and gathered Sasuke up in her arms, leaning him against her with his arm draped around her shoulder. She looked at him and back at Naruto with concern. Naruto met her gaze and smiled. He gave her another thumbs up and she smiled again.

 

She leaped off and sighed as she ran to Gaara. She increased her pace and looked at Sasuke occasionally. Sasuke broke the sickening silence after a while. “It's just like when he faced Naruto,” he said impassively. Shiruki looked at him curiously. He continued, seeing that he had her attention. “Shukkaku emerged...all the way. And he faced that toad...” he explained. He shook his head. “The apprentice...he's not back there with Naruto,” he said impassively again. Shiruki glared at him. He averted his glance to in front of them and sighed. “I didn't sense his chakra at all. Sure there were clones...but...”

 

“That's enough, Sasuke,” she growled. She sped up and made it to a tree a couple of feet away from Shukkaku and Oromaru. She set Sasuke down there for now. “Stay here,” she snarled before leaping off again, not waiting for his response. The apprentice had no interest in him so he should be safe. She sped through the forest and came upon Shukkaku and Oromaru. She looked around for the highest tree. She found it and ran up it to get to Gaara. She climbed it swiftly and leaped off of it to get onto Shukkaku's body. She ran up Shukkaku's leg and made it to the torso within seconds. She continued upward to the arm, then finally, the head. She leaped on the head and ran to Gaara's side. She grabbed his shoulder and glared at Mihara who was smirking. Gaara looked bewildered. She smirked. “Miss me?” she teased.

 

Gaara turned his glare back to Mihara and Oromaru. “You shouldn't be here. Once I release Shukkaku, you-“

 

Shiruki scoffed. “Gaara, shut it. You will not release Shukkaku,” she commanded. Gaara looked at her inquisitively. Who was she to command him? She glared at him. “You know what that does to you. Don't you dare,” she growled angrily. She pressed her hands together after biting her thumb. She summoned Nikkaku the neko demon. She leaped off of Shukkaku and onto Nikkaku. The fur was black with red eyes and red streaks throughout the body. Her whole look was threatening. Shiruki landed gracefully on Nikkaku's forehead and grinned at Mihara. “Nikkaku...show time,” she grinned. The neko beneath her hissed and reared up, charging at Oromaru.

 

Gaara stood motionless on Shukkaku. What nerve she had. Ordering him around and then doing what she told him not to do. This didn't sit well with the Kazekage. He pressed his hands together. “Play possum jutsu,” he said lowly before slumping against Shukkaku, bringing the raccoon dog to life completely. Shukkaku grinned and snarled. “Free!” he laughed. He saw Oromaru and grinned at Nikkaku who was currently attacking Oromaru. “Move it, girl!” Shukkaku barked as he sucked in breath. “Air bullets!” he yelled, emitting multiple air bullets towards Oromaru and Nikkaku's unretreating form.

 

Nikkaku saw the bullets and quickly leaped above them, leaving Oromaru in the way of the bullets. She hissed at Shukkaku. “Oi! Bastard! What the hell?! You could have killed me!” she hissed louder. Shukkaku grinned and pretended not to hear her. She growled until Shiruki caught her attention. She fell on her knees on Nikkaku's forehead and Nikkaku growled again. “Get up, girl! I need you to weave those hand signs!” she hissed.

 

Shiruki stayed on her knees. It was then that Nikkaku realized that she had been hit in the chest by a kunai. She growled and hissed at Oromaru's master. She leaped at them and snarled. She opened her eyes wide and felt Shiruki's chakra drain. “Shiruki! Wake up!” she growled. Mid-leap, she disappeared, leaving Shiruki to free fall, unconscious.

 

Shukkaku saw this and used sand to catch her. He caught her gently and sighed heavily. He set her aside and saw Sasuke. He set her by him and rolled his eyes before returning to the fight between himself and Oromaru. The giant bear smirked. “Shukkaku has gone soft,” he mocked.

 

Shukkaku growled and scoffed at the remark. “No. If that girl dies, my carrier will be pissed and never let me out again...” he growled, knowing that was not the true reason for saving her. She was Nikkaku's carrier. If she died, Nikkaku disappeared until she could find another suitor. He didn't want that. He glared at Oromaru. “Sand shuriken!” he growled as sand shuriken shot out at the bear. He nimbly dodged them and landed on all fours feet away from Shukkaku. He grinned and Shukkaku sucked in a breath. He spewed out sand towards Oromaru and it hit. Oromaru flew backwards on the ground and Shukkaku stopped after a while, seeing the damage sufficient enough. Oromaru struggled to get up and Shukkaku grinned. “Now...what was that about being weak?” he threw back.

 

Oromaru growled. “Rain of fire!” he snarled as he tilted his head upwards and shot out fireballs bigger than Sasuke's grand fireball. They rained down on Shukkaku and he extinguished them with his sand, preventing the forest from catching fire. He smirked. Oromaru snarled.

 

If distanced attacks wouldn't work, there was no choice left. They had to fight one-on-one, face-to-face. Shukkaku charged at Oromaru and dug his reinforced claws into the bear's torso. Oromaru snarled in pain and swiped at Shukkaku. Shukkaku nimbly dodged and charged at him again. He flung more sand shuriken at him and spit air bullets in a combination. Oromaru, dodging the sand shuriken, did not avoid the air bullets. The bullets impacted him with an explosion. Oromaru flew backward onto his back and grunted. Mihara coaxed him to get up swiftly. “Damn it, Oro. Get up! We can't afford for you to lay on your ass!” he growled, glaring at the incoming Shukkaku with an unconscious Gaara. “I have to wake him up...” he said quietly so only Oromaru heard. “Can you get close enough so I can jump off and wake up the Kazekage?” he asked the bear beneath him.

 

Oromaru growled as he tried desperately to get up. He struggled, but barely dodged Shukkaku's next attack. Shukkaku's claws collided with the dirt and Oromaru leaped backward. “I'll try...you better hurry though...I don't know how much longer I can last,” he growled, awaiting Shukkaku's next attack. Sure enough, as if on cue, Shukkaku charged at him, claws bared. Oromaru growled as he braced himself to catch Shukkaku's wrists. Sure enough, he did. “Go, brat!” Oromaru barked.

 

Mihara nodded and leaped from the bear to the racoon dog. He dashed to the sleeping Gaara and delivered a forceful punch to the boy's cheek, knocking both Gaara and himself off of Shukkaku. Oromaru grinned before disappearing in a poof. His work was done. Gaara was brought back to consciousness. Shukkaku disappeared as well as both men fell to the ground. Gaara caught himself on a branch, Mihara in front of him on another branch. “Heh. I see that you have reached your limit, Gaara,” Mihara said through pants.

 

Gaara didn't respond. He had indeed reached his limits. Just when he fought Naruto. He growled at the mere thought of losing a battle. He couldn't lose to this Sand ninja. If he did, all his actions were to be in vain. “It seems, you have too,” he said lowly.

 

Mihara grinned. “Agreed. Then...it seems we have to rely on stamina then.” Gaara nodded in acceptance of that idea. In order to settle this, they had to do it via fist fight. Their kunai were lost, their shuriken distributed randomly nowhere around them, and their chakra nearly drained from the summoning jutsu they performed. Both men were relying merely on their stubbornness. Both refused to lose to the other. Mihara sighed. “Let's go, yeah?” he grinned. Gaara took a defensive stance. This was not going to be easy. Mihara dashed at said red head and threw a right hook at Gaara's cheek. Gaara blocked it, only to be skidding backwards into the trunk of the tree. Seeing this, the young Kazekage leaped off the branch and onto the ground in a leveled out field, barren of any geographical deformities.

 

Gaara looked at the man before him. His thoughts drifted to Shiruki momentarily, giving him the strength he needed, and the resolve he needed, to hurry up and end this pointless battle. He had to get to Shiruki. He didn't trust Sasuke with her. Even though the apprentice was still out there, something didn't sit well with the Uchiha. Gaara, not waiting for Mihara to charge, ran at him instead. A change in plan. No matter what, he had to end this quickly. He delivered a forceful blow to Mihara's stomach, throwing the wind from him. Mihara coughed at the sudden loss of air and Gaara took the opportunity to attack again. He grabbed Mihara by the hair and slammed his face into his upbrought knee. Mihara stumbled backwards with blood leaking from his nose. Gaara continued his onslaught of the Sound ninja and followed up with a kick to the ribs, a punch to the jaw, and another smash of his face into Gaara's knee. Mihara slumped onto his knees, coughing up blood and spitting it from his mouth. He glared at Gaara, his face broken and bloody. Gaara just glared back, ready to attack again. He quickly sent a kick to Mihara's chin, thrusting the beaten man upwards. Gaara then appeared above him, delivering a skull-shattering axe kick to his head, slamming him back into the ground. Once Mihara hit the ground, Gaara hovered above him with a kunai he found dug into a tree not far from here. The kunai was pressed to his neck. “Last chance. Tell me who the apprentice is,” Gaara growled. Mihara smirked and resigned. He had been defeated. And no matter what, he would die. His lips moved in the form of a name. Gaara's eyes widened and he was frozen with shock and betrayal.

 

 

TBC...

 

 

A/N: don't kill me for leaving it like that!!! >_< I hada do it T^T anyways...............sorry for the belated update T_T was really REALLY busy. You wouldn't believe me if I told you! Oi vey...anyways......next chapter should be up relatively soon.......R&R