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Inner Demons - Part 2

Zaraki had to give the kid credit, not many people could stand back up after taking one of his punches like that, he still that defiant tenacity in his eyes; he was going to enjoy crushing it. He watched in amusement as Naruto tried to stand, his legs shaking under the strain, he almost laughed. Naruto raised his sword above his head, he screamed in effort as he swung it down striking the ground in front of him, as he fired a wave of orange chakra at Zaraki. The wave sliced through the air, leaving a trail along the ground as it travelled. Zaraki calmly sidestepped at the last moment, the energy wave striking a tree behind him. Zaraki flinched in surprise as the tree trunk exploded behind him. He looked at the decimated tree, the remnants cracking audibly as the remaining tree trunk gave way under the weight, crashing to the ground. Zaraki looked at Naruto, breathless and exhausted, if that attack had hit him it would have ended badly.

"Guess I can't underestimate you, I'm going to crush you with my full strength!" Zaraki declared, forming a hand sign and began to focus his chakra.

"Bring it!"

Focusing his wind chakra to the base of his feet, Zaraki unleashed one of his most devastating techniques. He launched himself forward, the wind chakra on the balls of his feet allowing him to skim across the ground at high speed, Naruto didn't have a hope of dodging the blow in his current condition, he barely had time to brace himself as Zaraki delivered the blow to his stomach, the force lifted him clean off the ground, only to be quickly followed by round house kick that sent him, not only crashing into a tree truck, but crashing right through it. The tree toppled, causing the ground to shake from the impact, Naruto rolled to a stop on the ground.

Zaraki watched from a distance and couldn't believe when Naruto started moving, he attempted to stand up again. Zaraki continued to watch, allowing Naruto all the time he needed to get to his feet. He had dropped his sword during the last attack so now was unarmed. Once Naruto had staggered to his feet, he glared at Zaraki, his body all but broken but his spirit far from it.

"Give up! You can't win!"

"D... don't... tell... m... me... what... I... can't... do!"

Zaraki had to hand it to him, he had guts, but those guts were going to get him killed. Zaraki surged forward using wind chakra, Naruto braced himself for the blow but was surprised when Zaraki suddenly disappeared, he used his speed to dash sideways and up behind Naruto, his body already in motion as he delivered a devastating round house kick to Naruto's head. Naruto was once again sent air born, his head ringing with the force of the blow and waited for the inevitable impact with the ground that was to follow, but before the ground came Zaraki sent him skyward with another devastating punch to his stomach, and leaping into the air after him delivered an axe kick which sent him hurtling back down towards the ground.

Naruto blearily opened his eyes, he had lost consciousness for a few seconds, he felt like every bone in his body had been broken. He could see Zaraki's massive frame, unmistakeable despite his blurred vision, walking towards him. He had lost, so completely, he never stood a chance. He had let everyone down, now Inari, Tsunami... no! He couldn't let it end like this! Drawing on every once of energy he could muster he pulled himself to his hands and knees, ignoring the searing pain shooting through his body as he began to crawl towards Zaraki.

Zaraki stopped dead in his tracks as Naruto began to move again, he watched in disbelief as Naruto clutched onto his legs and used them to try and stand. Once Naruto was half way standing he looked up at Zaraki, the look of defiance still there, Zaraki felt his blood boil. With a backhanded swipe he sent Naruto flying back to the ground, only to be enraged further when he continued to move, once again climbing to his hands and knees and crawling forward. Zaraki watched as Naruto found his sword, wrapping his fingers round the hilt and pulling it to him. His body was racked with pain, he could feel that numerous bones were broken throughout his body, he could barely breath.

"Why do you keep fighting!?" Zaraki roared.

"Be-cause... I won't abandon my friends!" Naruto stuttered, the effort of speaking unbelievably painful.

'Naruto... all you need to do... is call for help...' He heard Kisuke's voice echo in his head, the same words Kisuke had spoken to him the other night.

"Kisuke... help me!" Naruto pleaded, he would do anything to keep fighting, to protect his friends. A burst of energy shot through Naruto, he knew this feeling, it was the Kyuubi's chakra. The blade of his sword began to burn brightly in the orange chakra and then it spread to Naruto's hand, arm, shoulder and neck and continued to spread until it covered his entire body. He became cloaked in the chakra, three transparent tails of chakra waved behind him, his teeth and nails lengthening into fangs and claws, his pupils become slits but retained their intense blueness, visible even through the orange cloak. He could feel his wounds healing. "Now, the real fight begins!"

Zaraki looked on at Naruto's surprising transformation, he wasn't sure if it was an illusion or if that cloak actually was physically real, he watched as Naruto made it back to his feet and glare at him with that look of defiance. He focused his chakra at his feet again and charged headlong at Naruto, his fist pulled back to strike his defiant opponent down, only to hit nothing but air. He saw Naruto in the corner of his eye, but couldn't dodge in time, he turned to block only to take the full force of Naruto's attack to his gut.

"RASANGAN!" Using the Demon Fox Cloak to focus his chakra into his right hand, he didn't need a shadow clone to form the rasangan, the swirling orb of chakra being driven into him made Zaraki grunt in pain and propelled him backwards through the air. Zaraki managed to remain standing, sliding to a stop before falling to one knee and clutching his stomach in pain. His stone skin had absorbed most of the blow, his shirt was ripped to shreds his stone skin armour falling away piece by piece to the ground as crumbled away. He couldn't take another blow like that.

Forming several hand-signs Zaraki focused his chakra, he intended on ending this fight now. "Earth Style: Stone Tomb Jutsu!" Slamming his hands into the earth four pillars of earth sprung up around Naruto before slamming together, trapping Naruto between them. Zaraki stared at the tomb of stone for several long moments, no one had ever survived after being trapped within this jutsu, the fight was over. He took a moment to recognise the strength and determination of his opponent, for the first time in many years, he had found someone who had made his heart race with excitement. A crack resounded from the stone tomb dragging Zaraki from his moment of reflection.

"It can't be!" Part of the stone tomb shattered and out shot an arm of orange chakra, the arm extended the distance in a flash and the clawed hand grasped at Zaraki's throat. "What the hell are you!?" Zaraki formed several hand-signs. "Lightning Style: Thunderous Palm!" Lightning crackled from Zaraki's hands, thrusting his hands through the chakra arm, he severed it, the remaining chakra arm retreated back within the stone tomb and seconds later the tomb shattered and Naruto leapt into the air. Zaraki wasted little time, using his wind chakra on his feet to boost his speed he charged at Naruto, ramming into him before he landed. They tumbled over each other before crashing into the ground. Naruto pushed away and landed on his feet, readying himself as Zaraki stood.

'Naruto, the fox cloak only has limited chakra... once it's gone...' Kisuke's voice echoed through Naruto's head. He got the message, he needed to end this sooner rather than later, without the cloak he didn't stand a chance.

"It's time to end this!" Naruto yelled, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly and sprinting toward Zaraki. Seeing Naruto's charge he readied himself, lightning chakra flickering across his finger tips. Naruto charged Zaraki and thrust the tip of his chakra coated blade at his heart, Zaraki sidestepped the thrust.

"Lightning Style: Thunderous Palm!" With a well timed blow Zaraki thrust his palm into the side of Naruto's face, sending him crashing through several trees. Zaraki stood waiting, he knew that that blow wasn't enough to finish it. From the debris of trees shot an orange wave of chakra, Zaraki dodged it, the wave striking and destroyed several trees. During this momentary distraction Naruto burst forth from the debris and barrelled into Zaraki's massive frame. The large ninja took Naruto's charge, which forced him to stumble backwards, angered he thrust his lightning charged palm at Naruto once again but was too slow, Naruto leapt over his head and swung his blade upwards. Zaraki spun round in time to block the blow by crossing his arms, but he was once again stumbled backwards from the force. He scowled as he tried to ignore the stinging pain in his arms, his stone skin crumbling away,

"YOU CAN'T BEAT ME!" Zaraki bellowed defiantly, his anger growing.

"Don't tell me what I can't do!" Naruto grinned before once again launching himself at Zaraki. His confidence soaring, Naruto levelled his blade to pierce Zaraki's heart, he would end this fight and save everyone!