Gaara x Sakura

~19~

Hashirama skidded to a halt. "Bee can't use his jutsu if Obito has your friend trapped."

Gaara glanced at the long-haired male. "Fu and Roshi have gotten sucked into his vortex, too. How do we get them out?"

"Obito has to let them out," Hashirama explained. He paused, gaze flickering to Madara. "Is there another way?"

Madara remained silent. After a few moments, a nonchalant expression crossed his features. "I can disarm Obito and he will release the others once his chakra gets too depleted to hold them there."

Sakura glared at Madara. "Then why did we get Hashirama and you let us get torn to shreds?!"

Hashirama let out a huff, but it wasn't of frustration. "This doesn't surprise me. Now that I think about it, you can control the Tailed Beasts. You could have fixed this whole thing!"

Madara shrugged.

"This situation is below my need for involvement."

With that, he launched toward Obito, who readied himself for the attack. The others stood back and watched the intense battle. Obito tried to use Kamui, but even when he did, Madara knocked him off his feet, sending him catapulting through the bushes with only the trees to slow him down. Madara didn't give Obito time to get his wits about him before attacking again.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Sakura, who had just finished healing Naruto watched in awe as a giant wall of fire engulfed the forest. The magnificent scorching heat almost burned her skin even from hundreds of feet away. She studied Madara as he continued the attack.

"He's powerful," she murmured. Her attention returned to Naruto when she heard him groan. He jumped up, putting a hand to his head with a pained expression. Sakura gave him a relieved smile. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"What happened?" Naruto surveyed his surroundings and saw Madara fighting Obito with his younger brother struggling to keep up. "Madara is fighting?! I can't believe it!"

Naruto got to shaky feet. "I'm gonna help them!"

"Hold it!" Sakura yelled. Naruto looked at her with surprise written on his face. "Do you see anyone else jumping in to help him?! If you jump in, you'll just get in his way!"

"But..."

"No buts," she snapped. "I may have healed you, but you still don't have your full strength back."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine, but can ya at least tell me what happened? All I remember is we saw Obito and then everything else is blank."

"The Nine Tails," she whispered. "By the time I came out here, you were already in the Nine-Tails cloak and you couldn't control yourself. It was like the Nine-Tails had taken over."

Cerulean orbs flashed. "Obito must have done something to Kurama with his Sharingan for that to happen! Me and Kurama are friends!"

Naruto sat down and closed his eyes. "I'm gonna talk to him."

Naruto slowed his breathing and relaxed. When he opened his eyes, he stood before Kurama. The gigantic orange fox was lying on his stomach arms circling around Naruto. His crimson orbs locked on him and the deep rumble that always emitted from him reached Naruto's keen ears.

"Obito turned me against you with the Sharingan," Kurama explained. "That disgusting fool. He will pay."

"I knew you wouldn't take over without someone making you. Madara is fighting him right now without any help from anyone."