As the forest grew silent after the retreat of Team Dosu, the exhausted members of Team 7 and Team 10 began to catch their breath. Just as they thought the battle was over, a sudden surge of chakra flooded the area, sending shivers down their spines.
"What now?" Ino muttered, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
The source of the chakra became clear as they turned to see Ryuga waking up. His eyes were glowing a piercing blue, and they appeared lifeless, void of any emotion. Naruto, who was just starting to regain consciousness, was shocked by the sight of his brother.
"Ryuga?" Naruto called out, concerned about Ryuga. He struggled to his feet and moved towards Ryuga, but before he could get close, he was blown away by a burst of icy chakra.
"Naruto!" Sakura screamed, rushing to his side. She turned to Ryuga, her heart pounding with fear and confusion. "What's happening to him?"
Shikamaru's eyes narrowed as he observed Ryuga's transformation. The cursed seal Orochimaru had attempted to place on him was clashing with Ryuga's own chakra, triggering a hidden mechanism within his ice chakra. This caused Ryuga to go berserk.
"We need to calm him down," Shikamaru said, already formulating a plan in his mind. "Team 10, get ready. Team 7, we need to work together on this."
Ryuga's body was now covered in ice scales, and large, shimmering ice wings had formed on his back, giving him the appearance of a dragon. He let out a roar that shook the trees, sending chills down their spines.
Sasuke, still weakened from his own battle with Orochimaru, struggled to stand. "This is bad," he muttered. "He's completely lost it."
Ryuga lunged at them with incredible speed, his ice wings giving him unparalleled mobility. Shikamaru quickly used his Shadow Imitation Technique to try and hold him in place, but Ryuga's sheer strength broke through it effortlessly.
"He's too strong," Shikamaru grunted, sweat forming on his brow. "We need to slow him down."
Sakura formed several hand seals and called out, "Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!" Spikes of earth shot up from the ground, aiming to trap Ryuga, but he dodged them with ease, his ice wings propelling him through the air.
Chōji transformed into his Partial Multi-Size Technique, trying to grab Ryuga with his enlarged hands, but Ryuga countered with a blast of icy wind, freezing Chōji's arms and forcing him to retreat.
"He's like a real dragon," Ino said in awe and fear, "We can't keep up with him!"
Naruto, regaining his footing, charged at Ryuga, summoning his Shadow Clones to surround him. "We can't give up! We have to save him!" He shouted as the clones attacked in unison.
Ryuga responded with a powerful ice blast, shattering the clones and sending Naruto flying back once again. The real Naruto barely managed to land on his feet, panting heavily. "He's too strong... But we can't let him hurt himself or anyone else!"
As Ryuga continued his rampage, he prepared to unleash another powerful attack, ice forming around his fists and wings. Just as he was about to strike, a figure appeared in front of him, effortlessly blocking his attack with a single hand.
It was Mitsuki, her expression calm and focused. "That's enough, Ryuga," she said firmly, her voice carrying an authority that cut through the chaos.
Ryuga's eyes widened as he recognized her. For a moment, the blue glow in his eyes flickered, and he seemed to regain a semblance of control. Mitsuki took advantage of this and swiftly moved behind him, striking several pressure points to disrupt his chakra flow.
Ryuga's body went limp, and he fell into Mitsuki's arms, his eyes closing as the ice scales and wings began to disappear. The forest grew quiet once more as the berserk chakra subsided.
Minato arrived just in time to see Mitsuki's intervention. He rushed over, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at his son. "Thank you," he said to Mitsuki, his voice filled with gratitude. "You've done more than you know."
Mitsuki nodded, her expression softening. "He was out of control, but he'll be fine now."
Minato carefully took Ryuga from her, cradling him gently. Naruto approached his father, worry etched on his face. "Will Ryuga be okay?"
Minato gives Naruto a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Naruto. Your mother is very skilled with sealing techniques. She'll make sure Ryuga recovers fully."
Turning to the rest of Team 7, Minato said, "You have both scrolls now. Head to the tower and complete the exam. I'll take care of Ryuga."
Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto nodded, their determination renewed. As they watched Minato carry Ryuga away, they knew they had to keep moving forward, for their sake and for Ryuga's.
As they made their way to the tower, the weight of the day's events hung heavy on their shoulders. They had faced incredible dangers and discovered new strengths within themselves and each other. The Chūnin Exams were far from over, but they were more determined than ever to see it through to the end.