Naruto Hikikaeru

The two jutsus clashed against each other, before sending each other flying high up into the air. Naruto's jutsu began cutting into the black sphere of chakra fired by Shukaku from below, cutting the chakra in half before both jutsus exploded. The resulting explosion shook the nearby area sending out a massive shock wave.

The forest shook and the trees bent over from the pressure from the explosion. Naruto was sent flying by the impact of the explosion and was hurtling toward the ground.

Kakashi strained to look up while experiencing the pressure from the blast's shock wave. He witnessed as the sky darkened around where the blast happened completely blocking out the light of the evening sun.

Temari was lying flat on the ground, covering her head with her hands and using her body to shield Kankuro's unconscious body. Her hands shook as she knew that with the current level of battle happening, that if one attack were to stray over, she'd die without even knowing what happened.

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Gamabunta had rushed over and caught Naruto before he landed onto the ground.

"What now brat!?" Gamabunta shouted after catching Naruto.

"No time to waste! Rush toward Gaara and Shukaku!" Naruto replied.

Naruto crossed his fingers and created two shadow clones then he threw the two clones toward Shukaku. The clones held out their hands and created two massive Rasengans in their hands.

The two clones thrust theirs arms, aiming the giant spiraling spheres toward Shukaku.

"GET OUT OF HERE!!" Shukaku shouted as he swatted his arm toward the clones.

One clone was knock away before dispersing, however, the other clone maneuvered out of the way and thrust his Rasengan onto Shukaku's arm. The Rasengan hit Shukaku's arm and began destroying it, blowing the arm off of Shukaku.

"Now's our chance!" Naruto shouted.

Gamabunta launched himself forward with Naruto on top. Gamabunta landed onto Shukaku's body and stabbed his blade into Shukaku's body, pinning him down onto the ground.

"Now brat!" Gamabunta shouted.

Naruto jumped off and rushed toward Gaara's form.

Sand began rising up from Shukaku's face in order to stop Naruto. Naruto crossed his hands and created a clone to take his place, he grabbed the clone's shoulder and sent himself up above the sand, leaving his clone to take the blow. Then Naruto created two more clones that threw him toward Gaara before getting impaled by more sand.

"Wake! Up!" Naruto yelled as he punched Gaara straight in the face.

Gaara's head flew back as his body got launched out of the sand, his eyes opening up wide in shock from the blow.

"NOOOOOOOoooooo...." Shukaku began shouting before slowly losing consciousness. The sand forming the body of Shukaku then began to crumble around and falling to the ground while Naruto and Gaara fell toward the ground as well.

Gamabunta grinned as he sat down onto the ground. This brat is something else, to be able to destroy a jutsu like that and still have enough chakra to continue fighting.

"Heh, this has been one tough fight brat! I expect compensation for this later!" Gamabunta said before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and creating a blast of wind along with the reverse summon.

The wind blew the sand away and changed the course of Naruto's and Gaara's trajectory. Naruto reacted quickly and landed on the top of a tree on his feet. While Gaara was too exhausted to react quickly enough and landed on his back on top of another tree before he could stabilize himself.

Gaara slowly got to his feet, gasping for air as he struggled to stay upright, he glared at Naruto as if trying to kill him with his gaze. Naruto stared back at Gaara as thoughts swirled through his mind, he remembered the first time the encountered each other during the invasion of the Sand on the Leaf. He wondered if he could reason with Gaara the same way.

"How?!" Gaara breathed out.

"How are you so much stronger than I?!" Gaara shouted at Naruto.

Naruto was quiet for a moment before he answered. "Because I have something precious to me that I must protect!"

Gaara's eyes widened as Naruto's words reminded him of Yashamaru and what he had said to him.

"Growing up, I was just like you, hated by the village and everyone around me. But because I refused to give up, I was able to make irreplaceable friends." Naruto continued.

"After making those friends, life didn't seem as bad as before, and they helped me get through the hardest moments."

"That's why I'm strong, because of my d.e.s.i.r.e to protect those that are precious to me!" Naruto finished.

Gaara stared at Naruto quietly.

"Gaara, I don't want to keep fighting you, because I know what you're going through. But I am more than willing to keep fighting if I have to." Naruto suddenly spoke as he lifted his hand up.

A huge mass of chakra appeared on top of Naruto's palm and formed into a swirling sphere. Proving Naruto's point of continuing the fight if he had to.

Gaara's eyes widened at the scene as he finally knew that there was no hope of him defeating Naruto, let alone killing him. He slumped over as the will to fight and kill left him, exhaustion taking hold. Then he leaned forward and began falling toward the ground. Naruto released the jutsu, dissipating it as he rushed over to catch Gaara.

Gaara landed onto Naruto's back and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Why didn't you let me fall?" Gaara asked quietly.

"Because I want to become your friend!" Naruto grinned in response as he turned his head to look at Gaara.

Gaara was quiet for a moment as he took in Naruto's words.

"Do…. Do you think I could be as strong as you if I had something precious to protect?" Gaara asked.

"Absolutely!" Naruto answered without hesitation.

Gaara stared at Naruto intently, trying to find any hint of deception in Naruto's blue eyes. But all he saw was honesty and complete belief in his own words. All of Gaara's life, people had deceived him and tried to kill him, this was the first time he met someone who looked at him, and saw not the monster inside, but the person.

"Uzumaki Naruto…..." Gaara whispered softly as he continued to stare at Naruto as he let down his guard.

"Hm?" Naruto glanced back toward Gaara after hearing him call out his name, but seeing Gaara make no attempt to say anything he looked straight ahead as he continued on his way to meet with Kakashi and the others.

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Kakashi sat down onto the ground as the scene from before replayed within his head. The massive swirling mass of chakra that Naruto had created and threw toward the black sphere of chakra that the Sand Spirit had shot from his mouth.

He felt grateful that the two jutsus launched each other into the air before exploding. The blast would have destroyed everything around them, and Kakashi knew that none of them were far enough away to be able to escape that blast without injury.

He glanced over to Temari who was still trying to recover from the shock she experienced from witnessing such a battle.

Suddenly the two of them heard the sound of footsteps nearby and immediately looked over, only to see Naruto appear while carrying Gaara on his back.

Seeing that Naruto was okay caused Kakashi to breath a sigh of relief, he didn't know what to expect after seeing a blast like that.

"Yo!" Naruto called out as soon as he saw Kakashi and the others.

"Gaara!" Temari shouted when she saw Gaara on Naruto's back.

Naruto walked over and set Gaara down in front of Temari who rushed over to Gaara's side. Then she looked up at Naruto in terror as she saw that Naruto was completely fine even after fighting Gaara.

Naruto looked at Temari for a moment before turning around and walking away.

Seeing this, Temari was confused for a second before she reached for her kunai.

"Temari..." Gaara called out.

As soon as she heard her name, Temari froze, then she looked down at Gaara.

"Temari, don't.... We lost." Gaara answered.

Temari stared in shock at Gaara, she never expected Gaara of all people to openly admit defeat like this.

"But Gaara..." Temari tried to argue.

"Temari, we lost, it's time we stopped fighting, it wouldn't work anyways." Gaara replied.

Temari then lowered her arm as deep down, she knew Gaara was right. After everything she saw, she didn't believe there was any hope of her defeating Naruto. But she still felt that she had to at least try.

Gaara then turned to look at Naruto who was walking away.

"Uzumaki Naruto…." Gaara called out.

Naruto stopped walking and turned to face Gaara.

"Will we ever meet again?" Gaara asked.

Naruto thought for a moment before answering. "Someday, we will!"

Gaara nodded and looked away.

"Temari, it's time for us to go." Gaara said.

Temari nodded her head and slowly lifted Gaara up onto his feet.

"WAIT!" A voice shouted.

Everyone looked over, only to see Baki covered in wounds and breathing hard as he struggled to make his way over.

"This isn't over!" Baki said as he raised his hand up.

"I think you should stop, you've all been beaten, and you're clearly in no shape to continue fighting." Kakashi said as he glanced over at Baki.

"Besides, take a good look around you."

Baki blinked as he stared at Kakashi before listening and looking at the scene before his eyes. Then he was caught by surprise at what he saw, Kankuro was unconscious, Temari seemed unharmed but she clearly had no more fighting spirit, and Gaara was covered in injuries as well. Realization dawned on him as he finally figured out what was happening.

Baki lowered his arm and then made his way toward Kankuro and lifted him up.

"Thank you for not killing any of my students." Baki said before he started walking away, followed by Temari and Gaara.

Naruto and Kakashi stared at their figures until they disappeared. Then, Kakashi stood up and walked toward Naruto.

"Naruto.... You did well!" Kakashi smiled.

Naruto grinned back in response to Kakashi's words.

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As Gaara and the others slowly walked through the forest, Gaara was quiet as he thought about everything. Then, he suddenly spoke up.

"Temari, Baki... I'm sorry for everything." Gaara said.

Both Temari and Baki stared at Gaara in surprise.

"What do you mean Gaara?" Temari asked in shock.

"I'm sorry for how I've treated you and Kankuro, even though you two are my siblings." Gaara replied.

"Are you okay Gaara?" Temari asked.

"After fighting with Uzumaki Naruto, I've realized that I've been walking down the wrong path, but I want to change. Maybe if I walk down the same path as him, I'll be able to understand him better. One day, I want to tell him thank you." Gaara answered.

Temari and Baki stared at Gaara in complete surprise, not expecting this kind of thing to happen.

"I need to apologize to Kankuro when he wakes up as well." Gaara said as he looked at Kankuro who was knocked out on Baki's back.

Baki and Temari were silent as they continued walking in silence with Gaara.

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Naruto was looking toward the sky while in thought, shortly after seeing Gaara and the others leave, his clone had returned with Lee and Sakura in tow. Then, together with Sakura, Kakashi began treating the injuries sustained by Sasuke and Lee.

I need to get stronger! Naruto thought, then he looked down at his gut where the seal was. I think it's time I confronted Kurama. But I need to go to that island and face the trials again. Naruto clenched his fist tightly, but where the hell is that damn Pervy-Sage?!! Naruto screamed inwardly to himself.

-End of Chapter 47-

Author's Notes: Hey guys, here's Chapter 47, hope you all enjoy it. This concludes the fight between Naruto and Gaara, and now we are going to start getting into the next event. Hope you all are looking forward to it! Peace!