Gaara

**(AN: Back to first-person POV.)**

"Uchiha Sasuke wins!"

Hearing Genma's confirmation, I couldn't help but sigh. If Shira lost, this meant that I would be the only remaining participant from Sunagakure.

Including me, the only people left would be Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru...

According to the bracket, my next fight would be...

"Now, on to the semifinals! Gaara vs. Uchiha Sasuke! Both contestants please walk down to the arena!"

Hearing this, I felt my blood boil. This was what I was waiting for...

Interrupting my thoughts, an air bubble floated next to my ear and burst open. I then heard Baki's voice.

"Gaara. I shouldn't have to remind you we need to showcase the sand village's power in this tournament. Influential figures, such as Daimyō and leading businessmen, all have their eyes on this event."

"It is a shame that you are the only one left... But I know we can count on you. Fun is over, so obliterate your opponents."

I see... I had forgotten about that.

Looking up, I made eye-contact with the observing Baki. His eyes showed that this wasn't a playing matter.

*Sigh *

Nodding my head, I closed my eyes... When I opened them, I was in front of Shukaku.

His humongous figure dwarfed mine... Furthermore, his eyes were directly staring at my own.

Crossing my arms, I smiled.

"Shukaku... Let's make a deal. If you prevent me from falling under Genjutsu, I'll let you take over against the Kyūbi."

"What...?"

Shukaku stared at me with dubious eyes. Finding it funny, I continued.

"In fact... I wouldn't mind letting you take over my body from time to time."

"You... Aren't you scared that I'll consume you?"

"Not really. You remember what happened last time you tried?"

"..."

After a period of silence, Shukaku still wasn't convinced.

"What if I kill people left and right...?"

Hearing this, my face turned deadly serious.

"I must trust you... If you do that, I'll never let you out again."

At this point, we reached a standoff. Shukaku had his gaze locked on me as if he was trying to pry into my mind. Sighing, I broke the silence.

"Shukaku... I'm sorry."

Hearing this, Shukaku looked extremely confused.

"I'm sorry for what my people did to you. They captured you, locked you inside somebody, and never let you see the light of day... I understand what you felt."

"..."

"Although I didn't go through as much as you, I know what it feels like to be a bird in a cage. As you may already know, I wasn't a dumb infant... Yet I spent half of my life locked inside a stupid apartment."

"I sincerely see you as an equal. I do not see you as a monster, or a weapon. You're my friend, a fellow resident of Sunagakure. I truly see it that way."

And I wasn't lying. I resented the people that preceded me, for forcing the beasts into these sorts of conditions.

"I'll let you use my body as your own. We can't separate from each other, so this is the best I can offer... I believe this is only fair since they've locked you in a cage for far too long."

Shukaku looked at me with a complicated expression. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"That said, I'll remain in control. This IS my body... I'll let you come out now and then, when I feel like sleeping."

The Tanuki thought for a while... Before answering with an interrogative tone.

"... And you want nothing in return? Like my chakra, for example..."

"Not really... This isn't a trade. I just feel like it's the right thing to do. I want nothing in exchange."

"..."

Once again, Shukaku remained silent as he stared at me, probably trying to see if I was lying or not.

Finally, he sighed.

"You... I can feel that you're not lying. In fact, it's not the first time someone has treated me in this manner."

"Humans and beasts... There is no need to make a distinction... Is old man Bunpuku the person you're referring to?"

Hearing me say this, Shukaku frowned.

"How do you know?.."

"It's a secret... All I can tell you is that I feel the same way as the old man did. I really don't see you as a monster. I see you as an equal."

"Pff... Gihahahaha! You... My equal...? Alright, keep your secrets!"

After laughing wildly, Shukaku looked at his own reflection.

(Shukaku's POV: 'So he was right... There really were more people like him out there... Now that I think about it, this kid has never looked at me with those... Eyes...')

After a long silence, he looked back at me.

"All right, kiddo. I'll take you up on that offer."

"Really? Nice-"

"BUT! Don't think I'll lend you my power this easily. You must earn it, pipsqueak. One day, we will duke it out right here, and if you beat me, I'll let you use my power."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but rejoice. This guy had finally changed, even if only a little...!

"Heh... Always so hard to deal with. I'll let you know now, don't come crying to me once I beat your a.s.s."

"You? Beat me? Dream on, conceited squirt. Now bully that Uchiha and give me a good show! I don't like those red eyes..."

"On it... Just watch."

Smiling, I left the mental realm and flickered into the arena. In front of me, Sasuke still had his Sharingan active as he looked at me.

I can't believe I made so much progress with Shukaku... If everything goes well, I'll eventually befriend him...

He will take a while to change. What I just told him will probably have to sit on his mind for a while, since trauma is not so easily removed.

I feel like I've accomplished a lot today. Smiling, I fearlessly stared right into Sasuke's red pupils... His expression was somber.

"Gaara of the Desert... I've been waiting for this..."

Crossing my arms, I let out a large yawn.

"Yeah... Me too. Let me see what the Uchiha clan can do."

"Begin!"

Once Genma drew some distance, I let Sasuke attack first.

The young Uchiha dashed towards me, ready to fight.

With my arms still crossed, I watched as my sand shield blocked every single attack he threw at me.

Although he was faster than Lee, my sand had no trouble keeping up. I wasn't at a level where Taijutsu of this caliber would affect me.

After a while of aimlessly kicking and punching, Sasuke's expression turned bitter as he backflipped away.

"Is that all you've got?"

I looked at him with provoking eyes.

"Tch..."

Cl.i.c.k.i.n.g his tongue, Sasuke jumped and landed on the wall behind him. He then performed familiar hand signs and grabbed his left arm with his right hand.

"I'll show you what I've got...!"

*Chirp*Chirp*Chirp*Chirp*

Wild electricity started covering his left hand, producing loud, bird-like noises. With a serious expression, he looked at me right in the eye.

"Take this!"

Sasuke ran towards me at blinding speed, narrowly getting through my shield of sand.

"Chidori!"

With a loud shout, Sasuke's hand pierced through my stomach and came out from the other end.

Smiling, he tried to yank out his arm... But soon realized that he couldn't.

"What...?!"

Suddenly, my body started deforming... And turned into dark-colored sand that started coating Sasuke's entire body, starting from his arm.

Behind him, my body materialized out of the sand. I looked at him with a vicious smile. Upon seeing me, his expression became shocked.

"When...?"

Ignoring him, I covered his body with even more iron sand and started lifting him into the air. His body started wriggling around, so I increased the pressure.

"Ngh! Release me!"

"It's no use... Just be quiet."

"Sasuke! Don't let that no-brow defeat you! I know you can do it!"

Suddenly, Naruto's voice resounded through the arena. Sasuke looked up, and his expression changed.

"Heh... That pathetic loser's right!"

(Sasuke's POV: 'I can't lose here... Not until I kill that man!")

Black markings started spreading across Sasuke's body, covering it entirely.

"Grrrrraaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

With a loud Scream, streams of electricity started coming out of the dark sand-coffin.

With a loud bang and continuous chirping noises, my sand exploded, freeing Sasuke from my grasp.

His hand was covered in electricity as his eyes glowed a deep red.

"Heh! The Uchiha brat got you there!"

Shukaku's amused voice resounded in my head, reminding me of what had just happened... Seriously...

Why did he only speak when I did something wrong?

"He got lucky. I'll wrap this up now... Watch."

Not waiting for Sasuke to retaliate, I formed two dense balls of Iron sand and sent them into the air.

Each had an opposing magnetic field.

"Jinton: Tessha Sekai-hō!" (Magnet-Style: Iron Sand World-Method!)

Folding my hands and interlocking my fingers, I made both spheres merge together.

The now single sphere distorted, taking on the shape of a dark skull.

It opened its mouth and iron sand scattered across the area. Its patterns were random, creating a sphere of what looked like deadly branches of iron sand.

Sasuke tried his best to dodge but was impaled in both of his legs and shoulder.

The iron sand spikes perforated his flesh, leaving bloody holes in his body and locking him in place.

"It's over."

"Ngh...!"

Suddenly, Sasuke's curse mark flared up, releasing an enormous amount of purple chakra around him.

"GRAAAAH!"

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(AN: There are currently THREE advanced chapters available!

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