The Konoha Crush [2]

As the trio of Sand Siblings took flight, carrying Gaara, Sasuke, Genma Shiranui, and the Sand Ninja found themselves the last ones standing in the arena.

"Sasuke...." Shiranui beckoned, "Apologies, but the Chunin Exam concludes here." He remarked.

Sasuke seemed a tad ruffled by the statement.

"You've already hit the Chunin Level, serve the Leaf if you're a Leaf Shinobi!" Shiranui persisted.

"So, in simpler terms, I'm meant to tackle that punk Gaara, correct?" Sasuke retorted.

"Don't chase too far....Beyond this point, it's not just an exam. It's the real deal!"

"But what I gotta do.... remains unchanged!" Sasuke shot back as he dashed off to tail the Sand siblings. Shiranui deflected the Sand Ninja's kunai attack aimed at Sasuke, who managed to bolt out of the stadium.

The Sand Ninja shrugged and turned his gaze back to Shiranui.

From the stands, Kakashi and Naruto watched on, "Where's Sasuke-kun headed?" Sakura inquired.

"Looks like he's tailing Gaara..." Naruto replied, peering in the direction Sasuke had dashed off.

"Perhaps you should be more concerned about yourselves..." One of the Sound Ninjas commented.

"Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru, go after Sasuke.... that's your mission." Kakashi commanded.

"Do you really think it's wise to dispatch me from here at this moment?" Naruto remarked with a distinct glint of seriousness in his eyes.

As one of the Sand Ninja charged towards Naruto, a mischievous smirk played on his lips. "Rasengan..." Naruto casually remarked.

In a single swift movement, the Sound Ninja was sent flying, crashing into one of the pillars of the stadium stands.

"Sakura and Shikamaru, assist the villagers and try to help the other ninjas here..." Naruto spoke with a serious tone.

"What about you, Naruto?" Sakura questioned.

"I'll follow Sasuke, or rather, teleport to him..." Naruto replied, glancing at Kakashi. "Sensei, I'll go as you said, but I'll be back before you know it..." Naruto added.

"Do you think you can take on Gaara without any backup?" Gai inquired.

"Well, yes. I believe Sasuke is capable enough to handle Gaara, but I'm going there to follow Kakashi-sensei's instructions." Naruto commented confidently.

"Alright, I'll be on my way then..." Naruto said as he vanished from the spot...

Gai and Kakashi exchanged glances, knowing they had no time to rest. They were about to embark on a war.

Suddenly, Naruto appeared beside Sasuke, who was still trailing the Sand siblings. Sasuke was taken aback by Naruto's sudden arrival and almost lost his balance while jumping from a tree. But Naruto swiftly caught him and helped him regain his footing.

"So, care to explain why you're here, Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, I had that seal on you, so I was just testing if it's still working or not. And let's not waste time with idle chatter. Weren't you following them? We don't have time to stand around... Let's go." Naruto said, continuing to move forward. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, but then decided to follow.

As they followed Naruto, he explained to Sasuke what was happening, the attack on Konoha, and the urgency to finish the fight quickly and return to the village for backup. Sasuke nodded in understanding.

The sand siblings realized that they were still being followed. "Temari, you take Gaara and keep moving to a safe place. I'll try to stop them, and then I'll join both of you," Kankuro said decisively. Temari wanted to object, but Kankuro didn't give her any time.

"Just go," Kankuro added, urging Temari to continue running and jumping from tree to tree with Gaara in her arms.

Kankuro came to a halt as Naruto and Sasuke reached the spot. "Well, you're here. I see you got backup. But I won't let you pass," Kankuro spoke, but before he could finish, Naruto teleported in front of him with Rasengan in hand. In a matter of seconds, Naruto struck Kankuro's stomach with the Rasengan, sending him flying.

Kankuro was sent crashing into a tree and fell to the ground, unconscious. Naruto teleported beside him. "Sorry, we don't have time for talk right now. Next time, I promise I'll give you a chance to speak," Naruto said before teleporting back beside Sasuke.

"Let's go, Sasuke," Naruto said, continuing to move forward. Sasuke followed him.

"He's always one step ahead of me, always surpassing me in everything. I need to become stronger," Sasuke thought, clenching his fist.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Sasuke asked Naruto.

"Obviously! Who do you think I am? I can sense their chakras, and they're very close. So stay alert," Naruto replied with a smirk.

"Leave Gaara to me," Sasuke said.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, not hearing him clearly.

"I said, leave Gaara to me. I was the one fighting against him," Sasuke said determinedly.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. But if you take too long, I'll step in, because you shouldn't forget that this is not just about you or me. This is about our village," Naruto commented.

Sasuke simply smiled a little and nodded.

After some time, Naruto and Sasuke caught up with the other two sand siblings. Naruto swiftly threw a kunai in front of them, narrowly missing Temari.

Gaara pushed Temari aside and glared at Naruto and Sasuke. "I'll kill you!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage.

"Sasuke, are you sure you can take him on?" Naruto asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"More than sure," Sasuke replied confidently, launching his attack by throwing a barrage of kunai at Gaara.

Temari attempted to come to Gaara's aid, but Naruto intercepted her. "You're not going anywhere, babe," Naruto teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

She tried to attack Naruto, but he effortlessly caught her arms. "Well, I don't condone violence against females, but I can make exceptions for traitors," Naruto said, his tone turning more serious.

"You..." Temari pushed Naruto backwards, summoning her fan and unleashing a powerful gust of wind towards him. Naruto stood his ground, the wind passing harmlessly by him.

"Seems like you're a fan of wind style, huh? Let me show you how to really use it," Naruto said with a playful smile.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" he exclaimed, releasing a powerful gust of wind from his mouth.

Temari was sent flying, crashing into a tree before falling to the ground. Naruto smirked, satisfied with his display of power.

As Naruto watched Temari lying on the ground, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. "I guess I went overboard with it..." he thought to himself.

He quickly rushed over to Temari's side, his expression filled with concern. "Hey, are you okay? I didn't mean to hurt you that badly," Naruto said, his voice filled with genuine worry.

Temari stood up and before she could speak , they heard a roaring sound, they both looked at the direction of it.

"No, This is bad , It is not supposed to happen now...." Temari commented.

[Author's Note: Hey there, you incredible bunch of readers! So, the chapter was a bit on the shorter side, huh? Well, sometimes life's like that – a little less of what you want, a little more of what you need. But don't you worry, I've got plenty more where that came from. You know what they say about patience, right? Good things come to those who wait.

As for those Powerstones, keep 'em coming! Each one you drop is like a high-five straight to my writer's soul. They're not just votes, you know. They're like your way of saying, "Hey, I'm here, I'm reading, and I'm loving it!" And trust me, that means the world to me.

Don't forget to tuck this story into your library. Treat it like that favorite book you can't help but revisit, the one that gives you a sense of adventure each time you crack it open. That's what I'm aiming for here!

Remember, your support is like the fuel to my creative engine. It keeps me going, keeps me writing, and keeps this story alive. So, let's keep that engine running, shall we?

Stay tuned, because there's a whole lot more excitement coming your way. Just like the thrill of a roller coaster ride, the best is yet to come. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride!]