Another path

Invasion

< I AM SORRY !!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE GONE FOR SO LONG ! It kinda happened like when you play Animal Crossing and you forget to go one day and the next you don't feel like playing and then you don't have the time and so on... Anyway, thanks for the 1k views, I'm so happy you guys like this ! So keep enjoying, here's the new chapter (I still don't own Naruto) >

Chaos had erupted among the villagers when a giant snake appeared from nowhere on the outskirts of the village. Konoha shinobi were attacked from everywhere by Suna and Oto shinobi, villagers were being assaulted while trying to defend their children.

At the same time, in the arena, the civilians weren't panicking, far from it. It would be hard for them to panic while being asleep, after all. All the genin succumbed to genjutsu as well, rendering the amount of people awake to no more than twenty.

The Hokage looked at his peer and noticed the glint in his eyes. Well, there was only one person that had those eyes... He felt really tired all of a sudden and it wasn't because of the genjutsu the invading shinobi casted.
After a short discussion, Orochimaru revealed himself and he and his former sensei went to the roof, only for them to be trapped in a barrier by four of Orochimaru's minions.

Away from here, Kakashi called his remaining students. Sasuke was still out but Sakura and Naru were awake and kicking so he decided to get them to help.

" - Sakura, the civilians must be evacuated. Wake up the other genin and all of you, get the civilians away from here as much as you can. The chūnin outside seem to be already evacuating them so just bring them outside to the other shinobi. Is that clear ?

- Very much, sensei.

- Naru, you and Tenten are going to the roof. Speak with the Anbu there and tell them I sent you to deal with this barrier.

- It will be done, sensei.

- Understood, Kakashi-sensei."

They wasted no time and went to the roof while Sakura was waking up Hinata after she got Shikamaru and Ino to help. On the other hand, Kakashi had started a challenge with his eternal rival to see which one of them would deal with the most opponents.

Outside the arena, the shinobi of Konoha were starting to deal some damage to the invaders as reinforcements were finally arriving. The attackers slowly lost ground to the point they were desperate for Gaara's intervention. But it never came.

Indeed, in the arena's side rooms, Gaara rested, still unconscious after his battle with Naru. Temari was actually amazed as she saw her little brother sleep for the first time in many years. Shukaku hadn't emerged and that was the strangest part of it. She wondered how that was possible when finally, Gaara came to himself.

" - Gaara ! Thank Kami-sama, you're finally awake ! I... I was...

- ... Worried ?...

- Well, yes...

- ... Thank you.

Temari's head shot up : now that was uncharacteristic of Gaara !

- ... How do you feel ?

- Strangely good. I can't hear Mother's voice though... I don't have this urge either... She probably did this.

- She ? Ah, the girl you fought, that Uzumaki Naru ?

- Yes. She's like me. She's a Jinchūriki too. But she isn't murderous. I have to question her about this.

- We can try afterwards but for now we must stay here. The invasion has started, but without you, it isn't going as planned. I don't know what's currently happening though.

- I see... She better not die."

Next to the barrier, Naru was studying its structure. She sighed and turned around.

" - I can't undo it.

- What ? Are you absolutely sure of this ?

- Yeah, it's a four point barrier, it's hard to set up and even harder to break. I don't have enough chakra to disrupt their flow and they synchronized all their chakra so that if one is incapacitated, the three others will make up for it. Also, since they're inside the barrier, attacking them is not an option. Truly a magnificent work but now is not the time for such considerations.

- So we can't break the barrier nor nullify it. There's still an option though.

- Yes, and we're going to bet on that. Kuma-san, we're going to need your strength.

- ... How so ? said Kuma with great serious.

The two girls smirked and explained their plan to the Anbu. It was risky but if it worked, it was jackpot.

On the genin's side, all the civilians in the arena had been evacuated and they joined the chūnin to help with leading everyone to the shelter in the Hokage monument. Sasuke had finally woken up and joined the other genin, sometimes glaring at Lee.

The jônin were almost done on their side too : almost no shinobi invader was able to fight any longer, both for Suna and Oto.

The whole plan was backfiring in a spectacular way, their trump card was nowhere to be found and their leader was sealed in a barrier battling with Konoha's strongest shinobi with no means of communication. They were doomed and they knew it.

" - Alright, let's get started !

Naru took out a brush and ink and painted a seal on the barrier while Tenten painted four other seals around Naru's. They got away from the barrier and Tenten activated her explosive seals.

A big crack appeared midway to each seals, right on Naru's one. Said blond activated her own seal and a web akin to a spider's attached itself to cracks and the four explosive seals. Slowly pulling, the web stretched the gash in the barrier from a pence's size to a hand's size. Kuma then grabbed the hole and started holding it in place just as Naru's seal disappeared.

- Alright, Tora-san, it's up to you now !

- I can hold it for about one minute so make it quick !

- That is more than enough !

Tora went through about twenty hand seals in one second and shouted :

- Suiton : Giant Vortex !

A waterfall shaped like a vortex immersed the inside the barrier as Kuma finally let go of the gap.

As they expected, the Sandaime, his predecessors and Orochimaru kept fighting, not minding the water as they all were great water-release users. The Yonin Shū though started to drown. Still, they refused to let go and kept the barrier in place for as long as they could but ultimately lost consciousness and the barrier was dispelled.

Orochimaru made a quick exit while the Anbu and the genin were carried away by the released water. He gestured for one of his minions to collect the sound four and they left, being chased after by Kuma and Tora.

The invaders had finally been driven out of the village and the medical teams were running around frantically. Everyone was relieved the whole ordeal was over.

However

" - ... We were too late.

- Naru, it's not your fault. You did the best you could in this situation.

- B-but... I... What's the point of this... If I can't save those I love ?

- Sometimes, you can't save them. Things like this happen. But it is better than not trying, don't you think ? Now, both you and Tenten need to rest. "

Kakashi gave a knowing look at Genma and left with the two genin.

Genma was left all alone on the roof. He sighed, sadness and grief on his face.

" - I guess you died like a true shinobi... Isn't that why you're smiling, Hokage-sama ?"