Naruto: Mind over matter

I jump from the balcony and make an impact on the ground, my wooden mech rises and walks to the centere of the field, Ace jumps down in front and is disguised as me.

"Next match, Gaara vs Riku- Begin!"

Gaara's sand launches at me and Almighty stomps forward, its heavy steps silence the crowd and I grip my Odachi swinging it in the direction of him.

Gaara's sand blocks my blow and he starts speaking, his words rough and voice course.

"MOTHER! I gave you bad, bad blood earlier... I'm sorry. But this time, This one will be tasty"

He sends two sand clones that dash? Swarm. Swarm around me and start attacking Almighty.

Ace has made a dash backwards and is waiting for his opportunity.

I raise my Almighties Odachi and [Body shunt] away from the sand clones, closing in on Gaara I swing again.

Chuckling maniacally Gaara sends a burst of sand towards me and wraps the feet of Almighty.

I swing hard and yet again his defence blocks the blow... I need to put more weight into it.

Ace starts throwing the kunai I gave him and I release the gasses stored in Almighty, its a depressant that will slowly make him tired, I understood that he doesn't sleep but I'm pretty sure he can still slow down and be exhausted. Didn't have any better poisons anyhow.

Gaara starts to reach his sand for the holes opening in my Almighty and and the kunai inevitably being blocked by his ultimate defence.

What to do...decisions..decisions...

Got it!

I [Body Shunt] Almighty upwards, reaching for the sky and breaking the sand from my feet- Again [Body Shunt] -Again- Again!

4 feet at a time I rise! It takes half my chakra pool to reach the top of my ascent- I have a lot of chakra and [Body Shunt] on Almighty is eating through it!

Gaara below cocoon's himself into a ball of sand and I hear a blood curdling yell from inside.

Again- I am currently 20 ft above Gaara!

24-28-32-36-40!

I drop and angelic like feathers fall with me.

Is someone casting genjutsu?

40-35-30-25-20-15-10-5!

"AGAIN! [BODY SHUNT]!"

I shunt into the orb of sand and my blade splits into it! The full weight of the twelve foot Not-Puppet slams down the Odachi!

Blood flows and Gaara screams! But Gaara... Gaara does not look like himself.

My blade splitting into some kind of sand armour-beast-Raccoon thing and drawing the blood of Gaara inside.

My blade is tugged by the sand and snatched from my grasp thrown into the stadium wall behind him.

We grab onto each others hands and a war of attrition sparks!

Pushing hard but not enough I get pushed back and Almighties feet drag the dirt underneath me..

"AGAIN BASTARD! [BODY SHUNT]!"

I need to learn more jutsu...

But body shunt is simple and it works.

The bestial form buckles and falls, its lone tail swings in resistance but I push down on top of it.

Two hands wrapping the bestial claws and one knee pinning its chest.

"Gaara! What are you doing, release the one tails!"

One tails..

"MOTHER is WEAK his PUPPET HURTS!"

Wait why are the other sand siblings interrupting our fight! That's there sensei...

"Kankuro, Temari! Handle the puppet master! I have to deal with Hatake"

Ace disconnects and runs into the halls of the stadium, Temari and Kankuro give chase. There trying to stop this puppet...

"That's not a puppet! He is NOT a puppet master!" Kankuro protests..

I'm in here no? Good. Keep them distracted Ace, I have to somehow keep the...one...tail?

Wait, the favour! I have to do something or rather with a thingy majig!

Uhhh what was it... something about a gedo statue..

Fuck me why are the beasts in humans! This makes warning them so much harder..

Lets think. Lets think...think?

Alright lets channel some of my.. conscience into the sand. Breathe. Risk it. Biscuit.

Breathe! Heve! Push!

My chakra flows into the sand and I split my mind... taking my main conscience and putting it into the beast.

First Priority: Prevent the Tailed beasts from being sealed within the gedo statue. I have no idea what that is but the old man must be talking about the future. I must warn them.

My conscience seeps into Gaara's. If I dissipate in here I die forever. Ill make it a secondary priority.

All around me is a desert. I see two figures, Gaara who is lifeless on the floor. Or rather not currently in his mindscape.
The giant Raccoon in front of me, tied down my rope and massive pins...that's its seal.

"One tails!"

"..."

"I'm supposedly meant to-"

ROOOOOOAAARRRR!!

Its deafening roar silences me and it snarls.

"YOU WHO MADE A PUPPET MADE OF HASHIRAMA'S WOOD! YOU ENTER HERE! WITHIN MY REACH!?"

The ropes snap and the pins fly. He isn't sealed so well.

"DIE HUMAN, DIE AND BLEED FOR ME!!!"

his huge claws reach for the sky and drop, slamming down onto me- crap.

---

Pov: Ace

I rush into the halls of the stadium and stop near the end of the hallway.

Kankuro and Temari right behind me, I start to levitate putting my hands behind my back and posing, I look badass... I hope.

They send wind blasts and a puppet. But within this hallway.. within 10 feet of me and with my levitation. Hitting me is a joke.

The wind blasts me yes, but deals no significant damage, I am not flesh and bone, I am wood.

*Fwoosh* *Slash* *Swish*

Its a silent battle where they attempt to hit me but fail.

Temari gets close- Taijutsu and I am getting cornered.

3 more sand ninja enter the hallway.

But Shikamaru's shadow creeps into the dark hallway from behind me and immobilizes Temari.. Again.

I flash a smirk and her eyebrow twitches in annoyance.

I see Ino, sakura, shino and Kiba enter the battle in the hallway, they stand next to me and declare some words. I don't read the lips, I have to focus on dodging the oncoming kunai.

---

Pov: Almighty

I'm holding down the beast while I enter to speak within the sand.

For some reason he cant break free of my hold and I think I know why.

Wood release was made to use this vessel and I am constantly filling it with my chakra and mind, I am capable of keeping the woods properties in my puppet form due to the chakra invigorating it, but... its not actual wood release. I can only resist not suppress.

There is now 3 young sand ninja trying to pull me off.

I protest by using [Body Shunt] and digging the beast further into the ground.

I have 8% left in this vessel.. Not enough.

Sasuke and around 30 Naruto's rush the sand ninja and a fight ensues.

--

Pov: Shikamaru Nara

What a drag... I'm currently at the end of the hallway draining chakra to keep Temari held down.

Two sand ninja are stopping Ino and Kiba from dealing any blows to her.

Kankuro, his puppet and another sand ninja are trying to pin down Ace- Yes I know that's Ace I'm not an idiot.

Sakura is throwing kunai at pivotal points in combat, making sure the enemy ninja cant get close to me or Ace.

Troublesome...

"Shino! Are you done up there!"

He and a few leaf shinobi are keeping the ninja busy in the viewing platform. Some tried to ambush Ace and they are currently preoccupied.

"No! Why!? Because they are relentless!"

Hmm?

I put my/Temari's hands into my thinking pose.

As Riku says.. Decisions...Decisions...

I release the shadow jutsu and run into the hallway, I jump at Ace and Henge, I don't change my appearance or his, I need the smoke though.

Ace quickly understands and drops to the floor and we jump backwards and run to the end of the hallway, then we split in two directions.

They won't know who is who because I 'henged' and the smoke let us shuffle.

Temari free, swings her fan and creates a path for them to run after us.

They split, Kankuro and Temari after Ace and the sand after me.

You see, Temari and Kankuro know I'm smart and that I wouldn't actually henge, it is quite obvious, but they have to split themselves anyway because there is a chance.

"Kiba, Ino, Sakura! Help me take out these guys!"

They turn to me and we fight the 3 sand chunin.

It doesn't matter what happens now, it didn't matter who chased who. We are buying time for Naruto, Sasuke and Riku after all... not trying to save Ace.

---

Pov: Naruto Uzumaki! Dattebayo!

I sprint at the people hurting Riku's new puppet, I want to go help Riku... but this is much more important! Shikamaru promised me he would help save him after all!

Me and the bastard are kicking the ass of these guys and I just knocked one down!

Two left to go! Sasuke uses Bushy brows moves and demolishes one more.

One left! We apply pressure to the guy and I pounce on him tackling him to the ground.

Sasuke kicks him in the head and he goes out cold.

Alright onto-

*fwhhhooom* *crash*

ROOOOOOAAAARRR!!!

Big Wood man flies and falls 10 feet from me! The deafening roar silences a lot of battles around us and I turn to see the sand smash into the walls of the round Arena and start racing along the edges.

I cant see Gaara but the sand starts picking up speed and power, a giant sand head emerges from the end of the sand wall and-

ROAAAAAARRRRR!!!

and picks up speed again! A tornado of sand picks up around us, Almighty stands to his feet and watches alongside us as the sand envelopes the walls and reaches high.

The rushing sand disperses as the beast lunges from it, we all dodge but the not-puppet cant move in time and is swallowed by the sand, the sand collects and stands up, huge and cast a shadow over the stadium.

"Kekekeheeheheheheheheh!"

The beast laughs.

Looking around people are being taken to safety by any spare Konoha shinobi.

Its not enough time...

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