Chapter 18 Gaara of the Sand

Arriving at a safe location in the forest, Arata said, " All right, I'm going now. When I come back, hopefully you guys still have our scroll.

Arata left.

Naruto: " Ahh I got to pee."

Sakura ran and hit his head before he could pull it out. " Idiot, what do you think you are doing in font of a lady."

-----------

Arata moving at a face pace away from their location. After 30 minutes of traveling he stopped. During this time, he hasn't found any teams yet so he sat down and meditated. He was thinking about learning how to control another element. However, he doesn't know yet what his other natural element could be in. "System, besides lightning, what other element do I have affinity with.

' Naturally you should have affinity with all five chakra natures. However, this only belonged to the rinnegan users who have the correct blood-line of the Sage of 6 Paths. Since you only possess the rinnegan and don't have the blood-line, you will only be able to control all five elements once your rinnegan is activated. Your natural body have affinity with lightning, earth, and water.'

Arata: " hmm, more than I thought haha. Let's start with learning how to do water first, since it can amplify my electric attacks if used together."

Arata sat down and concentrated as chakra formed in his hands. He thought of the water element. Water is liquid. Liquid is a smooth and calm nature unlike lightning's berserk and powerful nature. Liquid adapts to anything. If you put it in the cup, it becomes the cup. Put it in a bottle it becomes the bottle. Although water could adapt to any situation, it could be come torrent and overflow with great power demolishing anything in its path. Deep into thought, the chakra in his hand began to change into the water property. However it was that at the size of a large rock, with barely any substance. He made his finger into that of a shooting form and focused his chakra and water nature. 'pew' It suddenly shot forwards as it pierced through a tree. However, this was his limit. He needs to become more familiar with water nature properties and the best way to do that was to go into a river, so he went to find a river.

Arriving at a decent size river, he sat down facing against the water as it reached half of his body. From this way he could feel the water as it gently flowed against his body. Slowly, he can feel the water pushing his body to go along with the water. He sensed the change in flow as he switched sides. Arata, " I see."

Gaining a new sense of wisdom of the water nature, he stood up, still in the water, he used hand signs to focus his chakra better. He remembered the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza of how they used the water style: water dragon jutsu. Just as he thought of it, his hand signs moved quickly and then a water dragon rushed out of the water and into the air. Still standing and hands signs together, he directed the water dragon towards a tree which completely knocked it down. He has somewhat gained control of water nature chakra. For Arata, he wouldn't feel satisfied until he could create his own water jutsu without any water nearby. He wants to also be able to use jutsu's without using multiple hand signs to formulate chakra, but he knew that he still had ways to go until he can fully master chakra control.

He stopped training and decided to go find some opponents.

After 30 minutes of traveling he saw a lone boy with a giant gourd behind him. He had dark deep eyes and a set of red hair. This red hair was a trait of the Uzumaki clan, so Arata landed in front of him.

Standing in front of him, Arata could feel Gaara's power, and Gaara could also sense Arata's power.

Arata: " Are you an Uzumaki?"

Gaara: " Uzumaki? I don't know and I don't care."

Arata thought, " Hmm what to do, although my mother told me the characteristics of the Uzumaki clan, it is hard to tell their lineage through just this alone. I should ask my mother if she has some way to detect Uzumaki lineage, so it can sense whether or not a person is Uzumaki."

He continued to stare at Gaara and Gaara also stared at Arata waiting for his move with his arms folded across his chest. Arata gave him another deep look before saying, " Arata Senju."

Acknowledging the strength of his opponent, Gaara replied. " Gaara."

Arata: " Could you be kind and give me your scroll?"

Gaara responded with an attack. The gourd from his sand started pouring out and instantly flew to Arata. Seeing the attack, Arata, dodged and immediately threw his special kunai. As he threw it, he noticed that the sand was still following him and there was also sand that blocked his kunai. Gaara didn't even look at Arata. 'swoosh' Arata instantly appeared to where the sand and kunai was. He punched at Gaara's head but it was instantly blocked as sand has risen up and confronted the fist.

However, his speed greatly astonished Gaara. Gaara didn't even see Arata's movements. If it wasn't for his sand that naturally blocked and shielded him from damage, then he would've been hit for sure. Taking his opponent more seriously, Gaara started to direct the sand at a faster pace by using his hand. Gaara: " Sand coffin."

A large among of sand came at Arata from the ground imprisoning him. However before he could be captured and crushed, Arata had thrown out his special kunai in which he teleported to.

Arata: " 'whistle' that was close." However, if it was only this much, then Gaara was simply a bad match up. The reason is simple, Sand no matter how small or strange in nature, was a part of earth, meaning his lightning chakra nature is stronger and is able to break through his defenses.

Moving and circling around Gaara, he threw out several kunai's as well as a few special kunai's. Gaara still trying to figure out the logic of Arata's fast movements, he continued to block the kunai while attack Arata with his sand.

Arata: " If this is the only source of your strength, then you cannot beat me."

Gaara: " Hmph."

Instantly Arata disappeared and reappeared in front of Gaara. He coated himself with electricity as he punched forwards. The sand attempted to block the punch, but it only slowed it down as the punch continued. However, this was all it needed as a sand formed just an inch for his face making a sharp end, if Arata continued his punch then his arm would be pierced through.

Arata saw that pointed sand spear and instantly disappeared and reappeared behind Gaara. Thankfully, Gaara didn't even think about tossing the kunai's away, as he just stopped them in its place, leaving them close to Gaara. 'swoosh' Arata appeared behind Gaara and landed a punch at Gaara. This time, the sand barely made it and wasn't strong enough to block this high speed punch. The punch landed on Gaara and sent him flying into the air and landed on the ground.

'ptoo' Gaara spit out blood. Gaara: " You will die for that hit."

Arata: " So serious. haha."

Gaara: " That was the last time you will ever land a hit."

Arata: " If I can land one hit, then naturally, I can do another one."

Gaara: " Hmph."

Arata instantly focused his chakra on his foot as he used the body movement flicker, disappearing from his place and appearing in front of Gaara. Gaara already expected his speed so he was prepared as he went all out sending a large amount of sand to block him. But then again, with extreme speed plus the lightning cloak, it was only a moment before Arata broke through, but what waited from him was large sand spikes.

Arata: " hmph"

Arata slashed forwards with his hand as a lighting slash came flying out, it broke the sand spikes instantly and attacked Gaara. Gaara was cut this time with the lighting slash as his body felt the electric attack.

Gaara: " Aargh. Go and die."

Although Gaara's attack was a lot faster now, it was frantic and disordered. This gave Arata the chance to attack Gaara. He sent out another punch and just as he was about to grab the scroll from Gaara, a large wind pressure came forward and ninja stars came at from behind.

Arata disappeared from his place and landed a distance away. " 'phew ' a surprise attack?'

A female blonde ninja and another ninja with a hidden sand village logo was marked on their headband. They looked at Gaara and saw that he was injured. They were surprised and speechless at Gaara's wounds as it was their first time seeing Gaara.

???: " Gaara... are you okay?"

Gaara: " Shut up, Temari! I'm kill him."

Temari looked at Gaara's furious expression. She just couldn't believe her eyes. Gaara, with his sand, he has a near invincible defense as it guards him. Temari and her other teammate look at the opponent that Gaara was facing. He must be pretty strong as he was fighting Gaara one on one but have no injuries while Gaara is bleeding and injured.

Arata: " heh, reinforcements huh. Do you think that they will be able to keep up with me?"

The three were immediately put in defensive mode as they heard his words.

Arata: " Too bad I can't stay any longer, my teammates are pretty strong but, I have a bad feeling, so I'm gonna head back. See you later Gaara."

Gaara: " 'tch' Like I would let you leave."

Gaara immediately send out his sand at a fast speed trying to get to Arata before he could run away. However, Arata just saw the sand and smiled. Then as the sand reached him, he disappeared from his location.

The three were immediately speechless. That speed, they didn't even know where he disappeared to. If Arata were to use that speed against them, then they wouldn't even know what to do before they were attacked.

Temari: " Gaara... who was that?

Gaara: "... Arata Senju."

Temari: " Senju!??? No wonder."