Temari, still lying on the destroyed ground, could barely breathe. Sand soaked her clothes, and the metallic smell of blood mingled with the dust that covered the field. Her defeat by Sasuke had been swift, but what now lay before her was far beyond any battle she could comprehend.
The girl's eyes trembled, her legs refusing to respond. Her entire body seemed to sink under the weight of the presence emanating from the monster before her. The gigantic creature—the raccoon made of living sand—roared, each breath producing waves of wind and chakra that shook the forest.
Temari swallowed, her eyes watering.
"It's over..." he murmured in a shaky voice. "It's over... we're all going to die."
Li Shang stood a few meters ahead. His expression remained firm, but the muscles in his body were tense. The strong wind whipped at the cloak around him as the beast's chakra expanded like an invisible storm.
'This monster's energy is growing stronger and stronger... I must retreat.'
Even his Byakugan, which saw the energy flows with absolute clarity, could barely make out the tangle of chakra surrounding the creature. It was a living, chaotic thing, pulsing as if the entire world breathed along with it.
Sasuke, exhausted, struggled to maintain his balance. His right arm burned from within, a remnant of the Chidori used beyond its limits. His gaze, however, remained fixed on the beast, obstinate and insane—Uchiha pride refused to accept defeat.
But then, in the midst of the despair, a laugh echoed across the clearing.
"Hahahahaha!"
The sound tore through the air, unexpected and filled with impossible confidence.
Li Shang turned his face in surprise.
Naruto advanced across the battlefield, his face covered in dust, but his gaze firm. The chakra around him was like a living flame, vibrant and uncontrollable.
"Now it's time to test whether all my work has paid off!" he shouted, biting his thumb and making a rapid sequence of seals.
Li Shang's eyes widened.
'Does he... have something for this situation?'
The ground shook.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
A burst of smoke rose, covering the field in a thick, white wave. The roar of something colossal echoed from within, deep and powerful enough to rival the scream of the sand demon itself.
As the smoke began to clear, a monumental shadow revealed itself—red scales, golden eyes, and a massive scar running across its broad face.
One giant frogemerged, wielding a katana at his waist and holding a pipe between his teeth. His presence was overwhelming, the weight of the natural chakra emanating from him making even the trees bend.
'This…' Li Shang was speechless for a few moments, watching the creature that now stood before the sand monster.
"Naruto..." he muttered, almost without realizing it.
The boy stood on the frog's head, the wind whipping at his orange clothes, his face determined. The confidence radiating from him was pure, almost childlike—but there was something else. Something deep and instinctive.
Li Shang narrowed his gaze.
'This boy... really is different.'
Now, cultivating his soul with more precision and clarity, he noticed something new in Naruto. The energy emanating from the blond's body wasn't just raw chakra; it was a balanced spiritual force—intense, yet controlled.
'Even with such violent energy, he is contained... focused. His soul is changing.'
The shock made him hold his breath. Naruto had used an absurd amount of chakra in that jutsu. Even from afar, Li Shang could feel the whirlwind of energy coursing through his body—and, above all, the pulsating life force of the giant toad.
'This summon... is it a real living being, or a creation made of chakra, like clones?'
He concentrated, letting his Byakugan take in every detail. What he saw intrigued him.
Inside the frog, the energy flow wasn't artificial. It was organic, natural—the chakra flowed alongside the life force, something only living beings possessed.
'It's real... this frog has a soul of its own.'
The fight has begun.
The demonic raccoon roared and launched a torrent of sand, which was deflected by the frog's arm. The impact caused the ground to split open, rocks flying in all directions.
The toad, in response, drew its blade and sliced through the air in a single motion, creating a chakra rift that split the sand in half. The sound was deafening, and the shock shook the forest.
Li Shang watched everything, his heart racing.
'This summon is as powerful as the beast itself... but how is it possible for a boy like him to control it?'
The spiritual power he felt coming from the toad was natural, the same kind of energy he used in cultivation—pure life energy.
'Where did this beast come from?' he thought, frowning. 'If creatures like this exist in this world, then the energy that sustains nature here is dense enough to nourish beings of this level. That changes everything...'
The wind roared again. The frog and the raccoon collided, and the sound of the impact reverberated for miles.
The battle didn't last long. The clash between the demonic raccoon and the giant toad had been brief, but powerful enough to scar the clearing forever. Li Shang heard the toad speak, its deep voice vibrating through the smoke and dust.
"Naruto, wake up the boy who is unconscious on the demonic raccoon's forehead."
The call echoed, direct and matter-of-fact. Naruto, still panting, struggled to his feet and joined forces with the toad. With precise strikes—a combined attack that managed to heavily strike Gaara and force him to awaken. The beast within him convulsed, and the red-haired youth, already severely wounded by three of Sasuke's Chidori, collapsed to the side, unconscious.
Sasuke, Naruto, and Temari lay exhausted, leaning against the rubble, breathing heavily. Sakura trembled in the distance, her face pale; the sight of such destruction was too much for a young woman like her.
Li Shang wasted no time. He leaped at full speed toward Gaara's body, determined. The demonic beast's power within his body was not something Li Shang wanted to face again. As an enemy, it must be eliminated.
As his foot touched the ground beside Gaara, Naruto, still panting and with eyes burning with despair, screamed, "NO! Neji-san."
The scream rang out across the field. Naruto, even exhausted, stopped Li Shang upon realizing his intention to kill Gaara.
"Enemies must be eliminated." The voice was short, raw—a harsh truth that filled the air.
Li Shang ignored the protest and advanced, his body poised for the final blow. But the great toad spoke, his tone a mix of humor and authority:
"Hyuuga brat, if you kill the boy, the biju inside him will be killed, the situation between Konoha and Suna will be irreversible, can you make this decision?"
Surprised, Li Shang stopped. The frog continued unhurriedly, as if weighing the consequences in a cold assessment. 'So rational...' thought Li Shang, overcome with unexpected confusion. The frog's advice wounded his predatory pride.
Deciding, he took a deep breath and, in a low voice so that only those closest to him could hear, said: "Okay."
With precise movements, Li Shang held Gaara, feeling his body frail beneath his strength. The redhead coughed, his breathing ragged; the seal within him trembled like a small heart. Li Shang delivered a single blow—non-lethal, just enough to ensure he wouldn't attack—and the jinchūriki fell into a deep, motionless sleep.
Without giving time for questions, Li Shang disappeared from view, carrying the body in his arms. Surprising even the frog, which snorted with a thunderous sound of restrained disapproval and respect. Before leaving, Li Shang left these words hanging in the air, cold and resolute:
"I'll take you to Gai-sensei."
[Author's Note:This story was originally written in Portuguese, so there may be some translation errors. If you notice any, please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you for reading!]