Naruto: The new beginning

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There were boos from the audience, but Kankuro didn't flinch. The exam, or whatever it was, didn't matter to him at all.

"Tch," Genma sighed before announcing, "Kankuro has forfeited. The winner by default is Hyuga Neji."

"The next match: Naruto Uzumaki vs Gaara."

"Sorry about this." Naruto scratched his head. Sasuke was still hurt, and a fight could break out at any moment. 

He didn't have time to explain, but he really should have given them a heads-up.

"Sakura, keep an eye on Sasuke. You two stick with Kakashi-sensei. There could be trouble soon."

At this point, even Sakura was more battle-ready. Worst case, a fight breaks out, and they'll just get out of there. Naruto gave some quick instructions and left, leaving Sasuke and Sakura looking a bit lost.

The crowd quieted down as the match was about to begin. Many had come specifically to see this battle. 

Even though Naruto, the son of the Fourth Hokage, and Gaara, the son of the Kazekage, didn't fully represent their villages, the outcome between them would be enough to influence people's opinions about the two villages' strength.

"Naruto-kun…" In the stands, Hinata clasped her hands together and silently cheered for Naruto. Her face turned red as she suddenly recalled something.

Hanabi glanced at her sister, feeling a bit exasperated. Unless Naruto was taken down by that "gourd baby," it seemed Hinata's feelings would remain hopeless.

Gaara descended the stairs, saying nothing. His killing intent was palpable, and the cruel smile on his face grew wider. 

He had learned some things about Naruto—the son of the Fourth Hokage, strong in his own right. "Mother will like his blood," Gaara thought.

Kankuro watched Gaara nervously, praying he wouldn't lose control. If Kimimaro were here, he would probably mock him—being afraid of his younger brother. "You're the most pathetic older brother," he would say.

Naruto walked down the opposite stairs slowly, conversing with Kurama as he went. "Hey, big fox, do you think Shukaku has noticed you?"

"Him? Tch, not a chance," Kurama scoffed.

"His sensory abilities can't be that bad, right?" Naruto asked, surprised that Shukaku couldn't sense Kurama at such a short distance.

"It's not his sensory skills; our sealing technique is just that advanced," Kurama replied with pride.

The Nine-Tails felt a surge of smugness. Shukaku's half-baked seal was barely holding up, while Naruto's seal was rock-solid, fully controlling him. Kurama couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic. 

Over the years, Naruto's inner world had transformed into lush mountains and grasslands, a testament to how strong their bond had grown.

Yet Kurama was conflicted. Should a tailed beast feel proud that its seal was so effective? And why did he say "our sealing technique," anyway?

Naruto, thinking little of it, asked, "Do you want to say hello to him?"

"Not now. Let him have his fun for a bit. Then I'll give him a nice surprise," Kurama said, recalling the old stories Naruto used to tell him. 

As they both entered the arena, Gaara's gaze sharpened, and the smile on his face twisted even further.

Naruto sighed, thinking, This guy looks cool but might be suffering from chronic insomnia.

After this battle, will he turn into the caring guy we see in Shippuden? Naruto wondered, or would it take something like Izanami or Kotoamatsukami to change him completely? 

But then again, those techniques don't seem like a part of Gaara's toolkit.

Seeing the two combatants take their positions, Genma raised his arm. "Begin!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the cork on Gaara's gourd shot out, hitting the ground with a thud. Sand began pouring from the gourd, seeping into the ground, preparing to create a desert-like battlefield—Gaara's home turf.

Naruto frowned, not about to let this environmental damage slide. He pulled three special kunai from his pouch and tossed them. It was his way of saying hello to this eco-terrorist.

One kunai flew directly toward Gaara, while the other two angled toward his flanks. Gaara remained unmoving as the sand automatically rose to block the middle kunai.

Naruto couldn't help but compare the feeling to fighting an Elden ring boss. He grabbed the kunai mid-air and with his left hand, threw it backwards to set a return point. His right hand formed a Rasengan and thrust it into the sand wall.

The sand exploded outward from the impact, some splashing onto Gaara's face.

Gaara was surprised by Naruto's speed. Still, he stood firm, crossing his arms while controlling the sand to surge toward Naruto.

But Naruto was already on Gaara's left side. One hand threw a kunai into the ground, while his other fist smashed into Gaara's cheek—his sand shield didn't react to the kunai and was too slow to block the punch.

Meanwhile, the kunai Naruto had thrown to Gaara's right had already flown behind him. Naruto dodged, using the kunai to pivot and swept a kick at the back of Gaara's head.

Gaara's sand reacted too late, but it came crashing down on Naruto right after.

Without hesitation, Naruto teleported back to the kunai he'd thrown earlier.

Hmm, he thought, my moves were good, but I didn't deal any real damage. I probably shouldn't have used Rasengan right away—there's no time to build another one now.

Up in the stands, Kankuro and Temari were shocked. "He's so fast! Gaara's been hurt!"

The regular audience could only see flashes of golden light. Then Gaara lowered his head, revealing cracks in his face as his sand armour crumbled to the ground.

Those who knew a little about ninjutsu were stunned, admiring Naruto's speed and technique. But the ones truly in the know were in disbelief.

"Golden hair, Flying Thunder God, Rasengan… He's the second coming of the Yellow Flash!"

The Sand Village ninjas began to realize what they were up against. If Konoha was this strong, they might remain the top village for generations.

Meanwhile, Konoha's ninjas swelled with pride. The Fourth Hokage's legacy had a worthy successor.

Orochimaru watched Naruto with interest, licking his lips. This kid could be useful… Maybe I should mark him as a candidate for later.

He glanced at the Third Hokage, whose old face was lit up with a smile. Orochimaru thought, Let's settle this for now. I'll distract him just long enough.

Gaara touched his cheek, not feeling any pain. This only excited him more. Covering his eyes with one hand, he chuckled darkly. "Heh… Heh heh… I'll kill you. I'll kill you!"

Gaara waved his arm, sending a massive wave of sand hurtling toward Naruto.

Naruto sighed, realizing he still had to deal with Gaara. He glanced at Genma. From the ref's position, I should be on the right side… Alright, this should be fine.

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