Forest clearing was wrecked. Trees were snapped like twigs and ground was covered in unfamiliar sand.
Sasuke Uchiha knelt on a thick branch panting heavily. His body was covered in black flame markings of Curse Mark. Pain was agonizing. He had used Chidori twice already reaching his limit.
Across from him stood a monster.
Gaara's right side had completely transformed. A grotesque arm made of sand and purple veins hung from his shoulder and a thick tail lashed behind him destroying vegetation. His face was half human half demon yellow eye crazed with bloodlust.
"Is that all?" Gaara rasped his voice distorted. "Uchiha... you are weak. Your hatred is weak."
"Shut up!" Sasuke tried to summon chakra but Curse Mark seized his body. He collapsed paralyzed by pain.
"Die."
Gaara raised his monstrous claw lunging forward to crush Uchiha.
BAM!
A blur of orange slammed into Gaara's side.
"Get away from him!"
Naruto Uzumaki had arrived delivering a flying kick. Force of impact sent Gaara skidding back into a tree trunk. Sakura Haruno landed beside Sasuke holding a kunai defensively.
"Sasuke kun!" Sakura cried seeing his condition. "Are you okay?"
"Naruto... Sakura..." Sasuke grit teeth. "Run! You can't beat him! He is a monster!"
Gaara recovered quickly. He looked at new arrivals with disinterest.
"More prey" Gaara licked his lips. "But I want Uchiha first."
He ignored Naruto leaping towards Sasuke again.
Sakura stepped in front trembling but determined to protect her crush.
"No!" Sakura shouted.
Gaara didn't even blink. His sand tail whipped out faster than eye could follow.
Whack.
Sand struck Sakura pinning her against a massive oak tree. Sand tightened around her squeezing air from her lungs.
"Sakura chan!" Naruto screamed.
"Don't interfere" Gaara tightened grip. Sakura gasped face turning blue. "Or I will crush her."
Naruto froze. Fear gripped his heart. He looked at Gaara's monstrous form and saw death.
"I... I can't move..." Naruto thought panic rising. "He is too strong."
"Die Uchiha."
Gaara turned back to Sasuke raising his claw for finishing blow.
Zop.
A soft sound cut through tension.
A figure in a purple raincoat appeared standing directly on top of Sasuke's prone body.
"Yo" Uehara Naraku looked down at Sasuke. "You look terrible. Did you trip?"
"Uehara!" Sasuke gasped. "Get out of here! He will kill you!"
"Will he?" Uehara looked up at Gaara.
Gaara stopped mid swing. He recognized Rain ninja.
"You..." Gaara's killing intent spiked to max. "You are one I wanted most. You insulted me. You mocked my existence."
"I mocked your fashion sense" Uehara corrected. "There is a difference."
"Sand Burial!"
Gaara didn't hesitate. He unleashed everything. He didn't use a simple claw; he gathered all sand in clearing creating a massive tidal wave. It was a technique meant to level armies.
"Grand Sand Mausoleum!"
Thousands of tons of sand crashed down on Uehara and Sasuke. It was inescapable. A mountain of crushing weight.
"Uehara!" Naruto screamed covering his eyes.
Sand impacted. Earth shook violently. A massive dust cloud rose covering entire clearing.
"Dead" Gaara breathed heavily. "Crushed into paste. Now only I remain."
Dust began to settle.
But something was shining.
A brilliant golden light pierced through dust.
"What?" Gaara narrowed his beast eye.
As dust cleared a sight defied logic.
In center of sand mountain there was a hollow space. Sasuke was safe curled up on ground. Standing over him was Uehara Naraku.
But Uehara wasn't moving.
He had turned into a solid golden statue.
His skin his clothes his raincoat... everything was made of pure indestructible gold. He stood frozen in a pose of casual arrogance arms crossed.
Sand pressed against him with force of a hydraulic press but golden statue didn't crack. It didn't bend. It was absolute invulnerability.
[Item Active: Zhonya's Hourglass.]
[Stasis: 1.5 seconds remaining.]
"What is that?!" Temari who had just arrived watched from trees in horror. "Gaara's sand can crush steel! Why isn't he breaking?"
"He turned himself into gold?" Kankuro gaped.
Two seconds passed.
Golden sheen faded. Uehara's skin returned to normal. Purple raincoat fluttered again.
"Ding" Uehara said miming a microwave timer.
He looked at Gaara who was staring in disbelief.
"Is that it?" Uehara dusted off his shoulder. "I thought you said you were going to crush me. That felt like a gentle massage."
"Impossible..." Gaara stepped back. "My sand... it is absolute!"
"Nothing is absolute" Uehara gripped Void Staff in his inventory. "Except maybe taxes. And death."
He activated Sorcerer's Shoes and Rylai's Crystal Scepter.
"Now it is my turn."
Uehara disappeared.
He reappeared right in front of Gaara inside guard of sand.
"Pick a Card."
A Blue Card appeared in his hand glowing with intense magical power amplified by Void Staff.
Smack.
Uehara slapped Gaara across face with card.
It wasn't a cut. It was a heavy magical impact.
Void Staff ignored 40 percent of Gaara's sand armor resistance. Blue Card dealt massive damage.
CRACK.
Gaara's sand armor shattered completely. Force of blow sent him spinning through air crashing into tree where Sakura was pinned.
Impact loosened sand holding Sakura. She fell to ground coughing.
"Sakura!" Naruto rushed over catching her.
Gaara lay in dirt his face mask broken revealing bleeding skin underneath.
"Pain..." Gaara touched his cheek seeing blood. "My blood... again..."
He looked up at Uehara. Fear began to replace rage.
"Who... what are you?"
"I am a pay to win player" Uehara walked forward shuffling his deck. "And you are just a free trial boss."
He raised a Gold Card.
"Time to sleep little raccoon. System wants your loot."
But before he could throw it Gaara screamed. It was a sound that tore at throat.
"Mother! Save me!"
Chakra exploded. Sand expanded uncontrollably. Gaara's body began to bloat transforming fully into Shukaku One Tailed Beast.
"Finally" Uehara grinned lowering his card. "Second Phase."
...
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction.
I wanted to let you know that I'll be releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!