Inheritance

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3.5

"Sasuke!" The scream tore from his throat even as he flew forwards towards them, arm cocked back, palm open. He leapt into the air, and blue energy swirled in the palm of his hand as he caught Gaara in his sights, whipping and twisted until it tightened and condensed into a vivid, whirling sphere of chakra in his hand. You better be fine, you asshole!

"Rasengan!"

The tearing vortex of chakra careened into the other Jinchuuriki, drilling into his side in a flurry of power. Contact only lasted for a second and the rasengan's energy reverberated across Gaara, exploding in a shower of light and chakra. Gaara was hurled back, skidding across the forest floor leaving a trail of discarded sand. He hit a tree with such force it splintered, toppling the oak as he came to a stop on the other side.

For a moment, Naruto stood in awe of what he had just done. Jiraiya had shown him it in action before, but it was too dangerous for either of them to really cut loose with it in training. His father's jutsu... It was incredible. He shifted his focus to Sasuke. Gaara's attack had been brutal, and the Uchiha lay sprawled out, only semi-conscious. His arm was twisted at the wrong angle, and blood seeped from his mouth and forehead.

Naruto winced. He was in bad shape, and he knew full well that Gaara would not have been put down by that attack - not even close.

"Sasuke, you stay put. I'll try and keep him clear of here until Hana can come and get you and take you away."

"Moron," Sasuke spluttered, more crimson droplets scattering as he coughed out the words. "I'm not going anywhere and you know it."

"I don't let my comrades die, so you'd best not make me a liar, bastard. I'm gonna kick his ass, and then Hana is going to fix you up so that I can kick your ass for needing to be saved by the damn dead last." Naruto bit back.

Sasuke half scoffed, half choked on blood but before Naruto had time to worry, the amount of Gaara's demonic chakra in the air skyrocketed in unison with an inhuman shriek, like a thousand nail scratching at a thousand chalkboards.

Without warning, the tree that Gaara had broken came hurtling out of the woods, thrown at such an incredible force that Naruto barely had time to leap out of it's way. Thankfully, it sailed over Sasuke's immobile form and shattered against the trees behind them, showering the Uchiha in splintered wood.

"It hurts!" Gaara's voice cut through all other noise in the clearing, demonic timbre stretching to a fever pitch. "Mother - why can they hurt me? WHY?"

Gaara staggered back into the clearing, his entire top half enveloped in bulbous sand, taking the shape of the Ichibi's body. Instinctively, Naruto stepped back, eyes wide in horror. Gaara had gone further with the Ichibi's chakra than Naruto had ever dared with the Kyuubi's, and it rolled off him in invisible waves. The awful, tainted energy seeped into everything around him - including Naruto himself, and his own Bijuu roared within him, indignant.

How dare you show your teeth to me, brother...

Naruto clutched his head, trying to force the voice that was not his away. His chest burned as the Kyuubi's chakra strained and reached for any weakness in his will, any opportunity to break free. Get out of my head, fox! How can I accept a deal when you pull shit like this! The pressure in his mind receded with such force it took Naruto's breath at those words, leaving only a placid pool of power, limitless at his very centre.

An echo of deep, cavernous laughter rang in his ears, even as one of Gaara's wrecking balls arms collided with his head, ringing him like a bell. Naruto's vision went spotty and nausea came upon him, a rowing boat caught in an ocean storm.