*Naruto: The Dragonoid's Legacy*
*Hokage's Office - After Naruto's Match**
Naruto sat across from the Third Hokage, trying not to fidget under the old man's knowing gaze. The office was quiet except for the ticking of a clock and the occasional puff from Sarutobi's pipe.
"You fought well today, Naruto," the Hokage said warmly. "Your improvement is remarkable. Jiraiya must have put you through rigorous training."
"He did! It was super tough, but I learned a lot!" Naruto grinned, though he could feel the weight of the Hokage's scrutiny.
"The Rasengan is a complex technique. It took the Fourth Hokage three years to develop it, and even Jiraiya struggles to teach it." Sarutobi's eyes sharpened slightly. "Yet you learned it in two weeks?"
"Well... I had help from the Kyuubi's chakra for the stamina training part," Naruto said, which was partly true. His dragonoid energy reserves had made the stamina requirements trivial, but the Hokage didn't need to know that.
Sarutobi nodded slowly. "I see. And this... pressure that some of the sensory ninja reported feeling during your match? The one that wasn't quite killing intent?"
Naruto's heart skipped a beat. "I... might have gotten a little too fired up? Pervy Sage said I was mixing in some of the Kyuubi's emotions by accident."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Just not the whole truth.
The Hokage studied him for a long moment, then smiled. "You've grown, Naruto. Not just in strength, but in maturity. I'm proud of you."
The genuine warmth in those words made Naruto's chest tighten with emotion. "Thanks, Old Man. That... that means a lot."
"Now, get back to the arena. I believe there are still matches to watch." Sarutobi's expression became serious. "And Naruto? Be careful today. I have a feeling things may not go as planned."
Naruto's dragonoid senses picked up on the underlying tension in the Hokage's voice. "You think something's going to happen?"
"Just a feeling from an old man. Stay alert."
As Naruto left the office, he couldn't shake the sense of impending doom. The Hokage felt it too. Something was definitely wrong.
---
**The Arena - Competitor's Box**
Naruto returned to find Shikamaru's match against Temari in progress. But what caught his attention was Sasuke standing near the railing, his arms crossed, watching intently.
"Sasuke?" Naruto approached his teammate. "Shouldn't you be off training with Kakashi-sensei until the last minute?"
"I was," Sasuke replied without looking away from the match. His Sharingan was active, analyzing Temari's wind techniques. "We finished early. Kakashi-sensei said I should observe the competition." His eyes finally shifted to Naruto, and there was something unreadable in his expression. "I watched your match against Neji."
"Oh yeah?" Naruto grinned nervously. "What'd you think?"
"You've improved." Sasuke's tone was neutral, but Naruto's enhanced senses picked up the underlying tension. "More than I expected. That Rasengan... and your speed, your strength. In one month, you've become..."
"Become what?"
Sasuke's jaw clenched slightly. "A challenge."
The word hung in the air between them. Coming from Sasuke, it was probably the closest thing to a compliment Naruto would get.
"Well, you better bring your A-game when we fight in the finals!" Naruto said with his usual enthusiasm. "I'm not the dead-last anymore, believe it!"
"Hn." Sasuke turned back to watch the match, but a small smirk tugged at his lips. "Don't get cocky. I've improved too."
Down in the arena, Shikamaru forfeited despite having Temari caught in his Shadow Possession, claiming he was out of chakra. The crowd booed.
"What an idiot," Sasuke muttered. "He had her beat."
But Naruto understood. Shikamaru had gotten all the information he needed and saw no point in continuing. That was just like him.
Sakura bounced over to them, her eyes sparkling. "Sasuke-kun! Your match is next! Are you ready?"
"Always." Sasuke's expression became focused as he began stretching, preparing himself.
Naruto watched his teammate and felt that familiar competitive fire—but now it was amplified by his dragonoid nature. Part of him wanted to challenge Sasuke right here, right now. To test which of them was truly stronger.
*Easy,* the Kyuubi rumbled. *Save it for the finals. Besides, you'd accidentally reveal yourself if you fought him now.*
Genma's voice echoed across the arena. "Next match: Sasuke Uchiha versus Gaara of the Sand! Competitors, please come down to the arena floor!"
"Good luck, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cheered.
Sasuke began walking toward the stairs but paused next to Naruto. "Don't think I didn't notice."
"Notice what?"
"Whatever you're hiding." Sasuke's Sharingan flashed. "During your match, there were moments when your chakra looked... wrong. Distorted. Like something was interfering with it." He leaned in slightly. "I don't know what Jiraiya did to you, but I saw your eyes flash gold for a split second. So whatever secret you're keeping, just know—I'm watching."
With that, Sasuke descended to the arena, leaving Naruto with a knot of worry in his stomach.
*He noticed. Of course he did. That damn Sharingan...*
---
**The Arena Floor**
Gaara stood motionless in the center of the arena, his arms crossed, sand swirling around him ominously. His siblings watched from the stands with tense expressions, occasionally glancing at a clock.
Naruto's eyes locked onto Gaara from the stands, and he felt that pull again—the dragonoid part of him recognizing a worthy opponent, someone strong, someone dangerous. His fingers twitched with the urge to jump down there himself.
*That one is unstable,* the Kyuubi warned. *The Shukaku is barely contained. If this match goes badly...*
*I know. I can feel it. He's in pain.*
*Of course he's in pain. He's a Jinchuuriki who's never known anything but hatred and fear. Sound familiar?*
Naruto's fists clenched as he watched Sasuke take his position across from Gaara. Something about this felt wrong. The tension in the air was too thick. The Sand siblings kept looking around nervously. And that fake Kazekage's chakra in the Hokage's booth made his skin crawl.
"BEGIN!" Genma called out.
Immediately, Gaara's sand erupted toward Sasuke in a wave of crushing force. But Sasuke moved—his body flickered with incredible speed as he dodged the sand tendrils with ease.
"Whoa! Sasuke-kun is so fast!" Sakura cheered beside Naruto.
"Too fast," Naruto muttered, his enhanced senses analyzing every movement. "He's faster than when we fought at the Valley of the End in my memories... no wait, that hasn't happened yet." He shook his head. "Something's enhancing him."
Sasuke continued to dodge with supernatural speed, weaving through Gaara's attacks. Then his hand began crackling with visible lightning chakra. Blue-white electricity danced across his arm, chirping like a thousand birds.
"That's...!" Might Guy stood up in the Jonin stands, his eyes wide. "Kakashi, you taught him the Chidori?!"
"He mastered it faster than I expected," Kakashi said quietly, his visible eye fixed on his student with a mixture of pride and concern.
Naruto watched in awe as Sasuke charged forward, the Chidori screaming in his hand. The attack was powerful—even Naruto's dragonoid instincts recognized it as dangerous.
*Could that hurt me?* he wondered. *Probably not. But it's still impressive for a Genin.*
Sasuke's Chidori-enhanced hand thrust forward, piercing through Gaara's sand shield—breaking through his supposedly absolute defense and drawing blood.
For a moment, everything stopped.
Then Gaara screamed—a sound of pure anguish and rage that made the entire arena shudder.
"BLOOD! MY BLOOD!" Gaara clutched his wounded shoulder, his eyes wild with madness. "MOTHER WANTS YOUR BLOOD!"
The sand around him exploded outward with such force that Sasuke was blown back. Naruto leaned forward, his body tense, as he watched Gaara begin to transform—his arm enlarging, becoming monstrous, covered in sand and something else. A tail sprouted from his back.
"He's transforming!" Naruto gasped. "The Tailed Beast—he's losing control!"
Suddenly, white feathers began falling from the sky.
"Genjutsu!" Kakashi shouted, but his warning came too late for most of the civilian audience. All around the arena, people slumped over, asleep.
Naruto felt the genjutsu try to take hold, but his dragonoid nature rejected it instantly. The foreign chakra trying to invade his mind was burned away by his innate resistance. Around him, most of the Genin and all of the Jonin remained awake, those with proper training breaking the technique.
Sakura beside him swayed and started to fall. Naruto caught her, gently laying her down. "Sleep tight, Sakura-chan."
Then the screaming started.
Explosions erupted throughout the village. Smoke rose from multiple locations. And from the forest beyond the arena walls, a massive three-headed snake burst forth, crushing buildings beneath its bulk.
"INVASION!" someone shouted.
Sound and Sand ninja threw off their disguises and began attacking Konoha forces. The Chunin Exams had become a battlefield.
In the Hokage's booth, Orochimaru finally revealed himself, shedding the Kazekage disguise as his four bodyguards activated a barrier around himself and the Third Hokage.
"Sensei," Orochimaru's voice was filled with malicious glee. "It's been too long."
"Orochimaru..." Sarutobi's voice was heavy with sorrow and determination. "So it was you."
"HOKAGE-SAMA!" ANBU tried to reach him but were repelled by the barrier.
"Do not interfere!" Sarutobi commanded. "Protect the villagers! This is my fight!"
Down in the arena, Gaara—now half-transformed into Shukaku—was rampaging. Sasuke tried to form another Chidori but stumbled, clearly exhausted from using the technique.
Kankuro and Temari landed beside their brother.
"We're retreating! Grab him!" Kankuro ordered.
They seized the transforming Gaara and began fleeing toward the forest.
"Wait!" Sasuke called out, trying to pursue, but his legs gave out. The Chidori had drained too much chakra.
Kakashi appeared beside him in a swirl of leaves. "Sasuke! Are you alright?"
"I can still fight—"
"No. You're exhausted." Kakashi's eye narrowed as he watched the Sand siblings escape. He turned to the stands. "Sakura! Naruto!"
Naruto was already moving, leaving the sleeping Sakura in Hinata's care. "I'm here, sensei!"
"Pursue the Sand siblings! Don't let them get away, but don't engage alone!" Kakashi commanded. "I have to help with the village defense!"
"Got it!"
"I'm coming too," Sasuke struggled to stand.
"Sasuke, you can barely—"
"I said I'm coming!" The cursed mark on Sasuke's neck began to spread, black patterns creeping across his skin. His chakra surged with dark energy. "I can still fight."
Kakashi's visible eye widened with concern, but there was no time. "Fine. But Naruto, keep an eye on him!"
"On it!"
As they prepared to move out, Shikamaru appeared with Kiba, Choji, Neji, Lee, and Shino.
"We're coming too," Shikamaru said. "This is our village. We fight."
Naruto nodded, grateful for the backup. His mind raced as they took off toward the forest. Behind them, he could sense the Hokage's chakra flaring in battle with Orochimaru. The old man's life force was strong, but Orochimaru was a monster. And all around them, Konoha was burning.
*I could stop this,* a voice whispered in his mind—Milim's voice, or maybe his own dragonoid instincts. *I could unleash my power and end the invasion in minutes. Destroy the enemies. Save everyone.*
*But then they'd know what you are,* the Kyuubi countered. *They'd fear you. Hunt you.*
*So what?! People are dying!*
They burst into the forest, following the trail of destruction Gaara had left. Around them, battles raged as Konoha ninja fought off invaders.
Naruto saw a group of Sound ninja cornering a squad of wounded Chunin. His body moved on instinct.
"**Shadow Clone Jutsu!**"
Fifty Narutos appeared and decimated the Sound ninja in seconds—moving with speed and strength far beyond what he'd shown in the arena. The rescued Chunin stared in shock.
"Naruto..." Neji's Byakugan was active, watching closely. "Your chakra... what is—"
"No time!" Naruto dismissed the clones and kept running. "We have to catch up to them!"
But Neji had seen something. In that brief moment when Naruto had used his clones, the Byakugan had caught a glimpse of the energy flowing through him—not just chakra, but something else. Something that looked like condensed masses around his shoulder blades and temples, pulsing with suppressed power.
Sasuke ran beside Naruto, the cursed mark still active, his breathing labored. "What... happened to you... during that training?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb." Sasuke's Sharingan was active, studying Naruto even while running. "You're holding back. Even now. I can tell. So what are you really?"
Before Naruto could answer, they burst into a clearing and found their targets.
Gaara stood in the center, his transformation now complete into a miniature version of Shukaku—a massive tanuki made of sand with cursed seals covering its body. Kankuro and Temari stood to the side, looking terrified of their own brother.
"**BLOOD! I'LL CRUSH YOU ALL!**" Shukaku's voice boomed from Gaara's transformed body.
"Scatter!" Shikamaru commanded. "Don't let it hit you!"
The massive sand claw came crashing down. The group scattered in different directions, but Sasuke—exhausted and running on the cursed mark's power—was too slow.
The claw descended toward him.
And Naruto **moved**.
He didn't think. Didn't plan. His body just reacted.
One moment he was twenty feet away. The next, he was in front of Sasuke, his hand raised, catching the massive sand claw with one arm.
**BOOM!**
The impact created a crater beneath Naruto's feet, but he didn't budge. His arm, wreathed in pink-and-gold energy that he could no longer fully suppress, held back tons of sand and cursed chakra.
Everyone stared in shock.
"N-Naruto?" Sasuke's eyes were wide with disbelief.
Naruto's eyes had shifted—no longer blue, but glowing gold with pink slitted pupils. Small translucent horns were beginning to emerge from his temples. His hair whipped around him as raw power radiated from his body.
"Naruto... what..." Shikamaru's voice was barely a whisper.
Neji's Byakugan was going haywire, trying to process what he was seeing. "Impossible... that energy... it's not chakra... what ARE you?!"
"Sorry everyone," Naruto said, his voice carrying an edge of Milim's cheerful battle-lust. "I tried to keep it hidden. But I can't let my friends get hurt!"
With a surge of strength, he **pushed**, sending the massive sand construct stumbling backward.
Pink-and-gold energy erupted around him like flames. The very air seemed to vibrate with power.
"Time to get serious! **WAHAHA!**"
From his back, magnificent dragon wings exploded into existence, spreading wide and glorious. They were translucent pink with golden accents, crackling with energy that made the cursed chakra around Sasuke look like a candle compared to the sun.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Kiba shouted.
"Naruto-kun..." Lee's eyes were wide with wonder. "What youthful transformation is this?!"
The Dragonoid had been unleashed.
And the forest would never be the same.
---
**To Be Continued...**
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*Author's Note: THE SECRET IS OUT! Naruto's revealed his transformation to his friends, but can he control it? And what happens when he faces off against a Tailed Beast in his dragonoid form?*
*Next chapter: Dragonoid vs. Tailed Beast! The battle that will shake the foundations of Konoha!*
*Thank you all so much for the incredible support! Keep those comments and reviews coming—they fuel my writing!*
*What do you think will happen next? Let me know in the comments!*
*Don't forget to add to your library and share with friends! Chapter 7 coming very soon!*