A.N. First of – apologies for the long wait. Second, good news – I have my mortgage. Third, better news – I have my new home...on paper only at this point (slight bummer). Finally, not so good news – Once I get the keys, there will be so much work to do, in addition to all the paperwork I have now; moving, furnishing, setting up internet, the works.
It has been emotionally draining and stressful, but I got there in the end – in celebration, how does nearly 10,000 words sound? Plus a bonus short chapter? I hope you guys like it, cuz I am wrecked right now.
I cannot say for sure when the next update will be, so accept this chapter as my apologies and thanks for being patient(ish)
I'll do the answers to review questions on the bonus chapter going up Friday.
Onwards to Glory
Naruto's palm was an inch away from Kisame' and his face showed the discomfort from the rapid heat.
Phonon Maser
The air crackled sharply. The rays of pure heat energy followed a straight path through clean through Kisame. He barely had time to gasp as a neat hole scorched through him, turning his heart into ash.
Naruto watched dispassionately as the blue Ninja slumped over.
Slowly, his eyes drifted over to the remaining Akatsuki member. Sharingan locked with a single glowing red orb.
Itachi's finger twitched; the false Uchiha blinked as he found himself in a cold embrace.
The frost puppet dwarfed Itachi. Its frame hunched over, the embrace seemed almost tender. Softly the vents opened and the temperature dropped sharply, forcing Kakashi to jerk away.
Within seconds Itachi was gone.
You are feeling quite dark this day…. I find myself enjoying this Naruto.
Naruto made a cursory inspection of his puppets. His Valkyrie was undamaged; all it required was to replace one of the weapon scrolls and to ensure the integrity of the heat exchanges and the launchers barrel. His Frost puppet however had taken more of a pounding. Several rods were still embedded in the frame along with a few minor cracks from the explosion. On closer inspection it seemed to be seeping fluid from some of the holes and cracks.
Sakura stepped closer and continued to observe.
Naruto furrowed his brow in contemplation. The damage was minor; however given the opposition it was probably best to rectify the problems now that there was time. With a quick flick and a pulse of chakra the puppet was in front of Naruto. Several clicks later and most of the locks holding it together were undone. Naruto's hair flayed around and pulled out two large hoops. More hair moved, morphing into hands that sped through seals. Both hoops glowed; Naruto tossed them over his frost puppet, the hoops expanded as the moved over the puppet and lay suspended in mid-air, one just shoulder high and the other resting around the knee area.
Given the size of the puppet Sakura noted that the hoops left a considerable radius around the puppet. The next move caused her to gasp, alerting Kakashi and Chiyo. Both looked over, the concern turning into shock and interest.
Naruto's hair maintained the seal; the rings pulsed gently and released two more on either side. The frost puppet rose off the ground and slowly shifted vertically. As the puppet hovered more of Naruto's hair grew out towards it, the thick strands pulled the locks on the puppet free and removed the torso frame revealing a complex system.
The new puppet designed favoured an endoskeleton; thick fibre bundles connected across the arms, legs and other around the puppet, serving as a type of muscle system.
"Naruto, what in Kami-"Sakura couldn't continue as she continued to look over the exposed workings of the puppet. Kakashi and Elder Chiyo were equally impressed. The sharp gaze of the Suna Elder missed nothing as she catalogued the exposed puppet. The design was far from the norm; the skeleton itself seemed to be made of metal.
Elder Chiyo stepped closer to the puppet. Her hand stretched out slightly but stopped, she turned to glance at Naruto and found his gaze locked on her, aware of her desire. He cocked his head slightly to the left and gave an accenting nod.
Her hand reached the target and ran a gentle finger down the exposed skeleton.
"Composites..." she murmured as she kept the appraisal, "No, not all composites. Alloys as well, keeping the structure strong, but light enough and durable."
She traced the fibres that passed for muscles on the puppet; she leaned in closer as the thick cords turned out to be tightly packed elastic fibres. She shook her head in amazement; the muscle cords had been placed strategically to maximise effectiveness, working in tandem with the skeleton to make the puppet both fast and strong.
This 'style' bridged the gap between puppet and human.
As she pulled her hand away she felt a residue, the feeling was akin to gel with minute grains.
"That is a type of chakra reactive gel, it cost me more than I'd like to admit to get that particular formula but it was worth it" Naruto stated as he continued to service the puppet, taking out the rods and replacing spent scrolls.
"Most chakra solutions lack viscosity, for my puppets however it is essential. It reacts positively with chakra and allows for more dynamic reactions; the connection is almost immediate and I can operate multiple puppets with no discernible drop in capability across them. Its viscous nature means I don't have to worry about losing all the fluids if the outer frame is broken or cut open."
Elder Chiyo pulsed chakra and felt the gel excite over her fingers. Very casually she rubbed her hand clean; the fingers ghosted across her clothes, capturing a small portion of the gel in tube for further analysis.
"Don't judge me child, such is the way of things" she huffed at the tell-tale glance from Naruto, the smirk he was sporting adding to her irritation.
Naruto kept the smile as he made the final checks. He ran a finger down the spin of the puppet and watched as various auxiliary seal scripts lit up. Finally he unsealed a new torso shell, the inside slick with traces of the chakra gel.
"Wow" Sakura intoned, as the last piece of the puppet clicked into place. Kakashi shook his head, silently acknowledging Naruto's skills and designs.
"We've sent the reports to Konoha,"
"-And Suna" Elder Chiyo cut in. Kakashi gave a nod in assent and carried on.
"Most likely Tsunade-Sama will send reinforcements, but we cannot afford to wait."
Naruto nodded, his frost puppet wound up its arm, muscle fibres and parts shifting or clicking into place. Sakura's chakra thrummed under the surface, gearing up for a confrontation.
Kakashi nodded in approval.
"We press on"
The retrieval team made good time, and despite his initial misgivings Kakashi had to grudgingly admit that Sasori's map had been of great help. The pathway set out for them bypassed several layers of defences, much of which would have taken more time away from them, not to mention revealed them to Akatsuki too early.
However, the closer they got to the Akatsuki base the more his instincts screamed out to him that was something about the situation was not altogether clear. And much of the unease centred on Naruto.
Kakashi recalled Naruto's theory regarding Akatsuki; how they compromised Jiraiya's spy network and their scheme to separate the Sannin from Naruto. The explanation had been well thought out, and made a lot of sense.
Too much sense; and that was the problem he was having. It was also why he was keeping more than usual attention on his blonde student. There was urgency in his movements; understandable considering the relationship between both Jinchuriki's. However there was also an undercurrent of excitement, a need for battle; it was well hidden but Kakashi was a veteran ninja with more years in service than his students had been alive, and all that experience told him that there was more at stake, more to the situation than was readily known.
"Is there something you want to ask, Kaka-Sensei?" Naruto called, bringing him out of his reverie. Kakashi took a long look at Naruto; he couldn't afford to be indecisive, but on the other hand…
"No, nothing" Kakashi sighed, keeping his thoughts quiet for now. Nothing was clear; he needed more information.
Naruto glanced backwards at the Jonin. As they locked gazes something seemed to pass between them. Moments later the feelings left.
Naruto could feel his pulse race as he picked up the faint signal of Gaara's chakra, along with several other signatures and something with a presence unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
'I will have words with you now Uzumaki Naruto'
The thought rang out so sharp, so clear Naruto almost missed a step. Very rarely did the Biju deign to speak to him, or even call to him. It made comments every once in a while, but only when Naruto drew on his chakra and if the situation amused him or suited his fancy.
Calling to him was something the Kyuubi never did; it just wasn't in the beings nature.
As Naruto focused inwards he was surprised at the turbulence in the Biju's energies. Clearly the being was agitated by something; Naruto filed that thought to the darkest parts of his mind and focused on the Biju.
As Naruto opened his eyes he was back on the vast lake of his mental world. Over the years the surroundings seemed to have grown, the clockwork trees fuller and bigger, the gears in the skies bigger and more numerous, joined by fog like clouds, ranging in colours of purest white to dark greys. The Iron Mountains bordering the edges had also grown in sizes and the molten core burned with gusto. The lake had also deepened and was the clearest of blues; the Shinigami's seals burned away around the edges.
The lake rippled and darkened; the scene changed, revealing the nine-tails in all its glory.
'You called, Kyuubi.'
Naruto kept a wary yet respectful eye on the great being. Over the years his fear of the Biju had lessened somewhat, changing over to caution and health respect for its power. And Kyuubi was something that demanded respect, much like a body demanded air or water. Surprisingly his respect had been returned, again somewhat, and the two had an informal pact between them.
Still the Kyuubi wasn't one to make overt calls, but Naruto couldn't really determine without first hearing what it had to say.
Kyuubi's bright red orbs burned with intensity as he studied Naruto.
'Something is wrong with the Ichibi's presence…the patterns are unnatural."
Naruto blinked at the statement, he made to speak but stopped at the sharp gaze from Kyuubi. Looking closer he took in the tense stance and could feel even on the edges of the seal the ripples of the Biju's energy.
"Not only the Ichibi. I can tell some of my-…the others are in similar states."
"We are making our way to Gaara, the Ichibi Jinchuriki" Naruto amended seeing the lack of acknowledgment at the Suna Nins name. Ignoring the scoff he pressed on. "From what we know a group of highly skill Ninjas are capturing Jinchuriki's and extracting the Bijus. The how's or whys we don't fully know yet. Can you tell which of the…others have been captured?"
Kyuubi's eyes blazed at the question but his words remained calm.
"It is enough for me to know, if you find out for yourself you are welcome to it. The energy is unnatural; then again everything about your species is unnatural."
Naruto didn't bat an eye at the offhand statement. Despite him and Kyuubi being on cordial terms, the Biju still could not be swayed on his views towards mortals. And Naruto hadn't really tired hard to push his views on the Biju.
"So, given the state of affairs, do you rise to the aid of the Ichibi's container? Or does your interest lie in something else…?" Kyuubi's voice trailed and his eyes gleamed wickedly.
"My mission is to find and protect Gaara. Get him away from Akatsuki and if necessary fight them to ensure his safety." Naruto stated with confidence, his gaze never leaving the mocking orbs of Kyuubi.
"It amazes me, how you can reply as such. Then again, given the nature of your kind, how can one expect life without hypocrisy?" Kyuubi noted the irritation flash over Naruto and his sneer widened. "You disapprove? How utterly human of you."
"Being human does not make me a hypocrite. And there is no crime in saving my friend, regardless of circumstance." Naruto fired out.
"And I never said there was, saving the Ichibi's host does not make you a hypocrite. Denial, either overtly or by omission, makes you a hypocrite; it is a trait built into your kind, most embrace and revel in it, but all are guilty of its fruit."
Naruto shook his head again, anger and frustration at Kyuubi's rhetoric.
"Tell yourself whatever 'truths' you wish, the fact is you are eager for this confrontation. Your heart burns with a thrill of battle, a test of not might, but of wit and cunning, skill and audacity. Not butchers, but surgeons. The capture of the Ichibi was merely the opening, allowing you to exercise your desires."
"The world knows you, as the viper you have always shown yourself to be, yet I wonder; if they all knew how you really thought, what really drives you, will they still see you as you show them? Or will they truly realise what a monster you really are?"
"Afterall, the poison of a viper is not meant for its prey. No the poison of the viper is what gives predators pause. To face one head one is the height of folly; and yet none really know how dark your venom is."
Silence reigned, save the sounds of swishing tails.
"And what is your point?" Naruto asked finally, only to receive dark chuckles in return
"Does there have to be? Simply pointing out the flawed existence of your kind is enough for me, regardless of our bargain." Seeing the outline of his jailor begin to blur Kyuubi's body pulsed with chakra. "We are not done yet"
Naruto bit back a retort and calmed, waiting for the Biju to speak.
"…Shukaku is to me, as the one called Gaara is to you." Naruto blinked in shock; this was the first time he had ever heard Kyuubi call out the name of anyone, other than him. Even more shocking was his declaration regarding the Shukaku.
"His presence is greatly distorted, I want to know why. I want to know what your kind is doing to my brethren."
Naruto gave a slow nod. Kyuubi's gaze narrowed and red chakra flowed through the lake.
Naruto inhaled sharply as volatile chakra seared through him, unblocking his blind eye and sharpening his senses.
"Naruto!" came a sharp query from Kakashi. Even the Jonin was tense as they slowed literally over the Akatsuki base. Naruto shook his head to tell he was okay and slowed his breathing.
"Kyuubi can sense Shukaku's energy, sensei the Biju's presence is in flux and falling dangerously. Gaara doesn't have much time."
Kakashi nodded and continued to analyse the surroundings.
"Sasori did us a massive favour. I counted dozens of traps, overt and concealed. We could have been bogged down, or at least alerted them and given them time to prepare." Kakashi commented as his Sharingan spun lazy circles.
"The outer perimeter is secured, and the other traps have been disabled. Now-"at that Kakashi popped his neck and his chakra flickered with intent "-all we have to do is knock."
All eyes turned to Sakura, who was sporting a wide grin.
SHANNARO!
Pain swore loudly, to the shock of everyone, and cast his gaze to the rock entrance of the cave. The solid rock seemed to ripple like water, before completely disintegrating. All eyes caught sight of Sakura, fist outstretched and chakra swirling ominously around her.
"The ceremony is almost over" Pain hissed out. A glance at the Gedo Mazo showed the eye was almost fully open, bearing the symbol for the Ichibi. The Biju energy was now trickling out of Gaara.
"Sasori, Deidara. Do everything to stall them, now!"
Sasori however was fixed on Naruto.
Then he moved.
The Gedo Mazo suddenly cut off as Sasori broke the link and grabbed Gaara's body. In one smooth motion he tossed the unconscious body towards Deidara, whilst blocking the attack from Kakashi. Keeping the momentum Sasori forced Kakashi to break the deadlock and then flew into an intercept with Naruto; the blonde cursed as he was forced to break target from the stunned Deidara as Sasori blocked his path.
"Deidara, get the Ichibi container out of here. As long as we still have him the extraction can continue." Sasori stated in monotone. Deidara cocked his head at his partner; a mocking grin grew on his features as a clay bird appeared beside him. He hopped on as it grabbed Gaara's body.
"Hmm, I got to fight one Jinchuriki and it was a blast" Deidara taunted, letting Gaara's body hover tantalisingly. "I wonder if I can go two for two. You don't mind do you, Sasori-No-Dana?"
Both Sasori and Naruto snorted.
"Fortunately for you, I know who the real threat is" Naruto retorted as he maintained a deadlock with Sasori. He raised his voice slightly and called out to his team, "Kaka-Sensei, you and Sakura get Gaara. Elder Chiyo and I have a prior engagement."
Naruto's chakra rippled and Sasori pulled back sharply; Naruto's puppet right arm lit up with seals and he slammed it hard into the floor, sending out a wave of force and chakra across the cave. Minor flashes and symbols fleeted around fading into obscurity, while the raw chakra disrupted the Akatsuki projections.
"Sensei, while you can manage Sakura hasn't had that much experience fighting puppeteers at this level. And besides, this battle has been years in the making."
Seeing the sharp and cautious look in Kakashi's eyes, he elaborated. "Sasori is currently sitting at the top of the puppet world, his name is synonymous with the father of all puppetry; there is no way I can pass this up, and neither can he."
Kakashi nodded slowly while Deidara scowled in the background. Then, to the shock of all Sasori began to chuckle.
Slowly he reached for his Akatsuki robe and with a flourish pulled it free, discarding it to the floor. Shocked gasps echoed around as it was revealed to be a puppet. The loudest being from Elder Chiyo as she recognised the face.
"Hiruko" She breathed out in shock. The feeling only increased as the large Kabuki mask that took most of its back opened, and out stepped Sasori.
"Is that Sasori?" Sakura queried, wary at the sudden oppressive atmosphere. "And who or what is Hiruko?"
"Hiruko was once a skilled and capable Ninja, a legend in his own right" Sasori answered. He raised his hand and brushed it over the surface of the puppet before continuing. "I was very impressed with him, so much so I sought to preserve the warrior spirit for all eternity. He is now one of my favourite puppets."
That drew another breath from everyone. Naruto trembled at the thought; Sasori had taken someone, a living being and turned them somehow into a puppet. It explained the disparity he was suddenly feeling from Sasori. Never had he seen the Suna Master with any of his puppets, Sasori had always shown himself and his signature was distinct to Naruto's senses.
Now though there was another signature, this one coming from the puppet. Sasori's puppet had a chakra signature; Sasori's puppet was capable of generating chakra.
Naruto was both fascinated and horrified by the technique.
"Deidara, you are still here" Somehow, even with his bland tones the statement carried immense menace and Deidara flinched as if struck. The former Rock Nin nodded and took off his clay bird. Kakashi cursed and followed in pursuit, calling Sakura to his side.
Naruto and Sasori paid little attention as they were left behind, with Chiyo alongside them.
"So, you finally completed that technique. To think you would go this far" Chiyo murmured as she gazed longingly at her grandson.
"The path to perfection comes in many guises. It is up to the beholder to choose the steps he would walk in" Sasori glanced over to his grandmother; for a brief moment his gaze seemed to soften as he spoke "It is good to see you again Obasama"
Both Puppeteers politely ignored her display of emotion.
"Elder Chiyo, would you be our observer?" Naruto called out softly, once she regained her composure. Chiyo glanced at the Konoha puppet master, panning from him to her grandson and back again. Understanding fleeted across her features and she gave a soft sigh.
"Very well."
That was all they needed.
There was no hard flare, no roar of chakra. Yet the cave seemed to come alive, it groaned as both puppet masters unleashed the full weight of their presence on each other. A clash of ideals and philosophies, a battle of truth.
Now, which truth is more correct? Is Art Eternal…or does it lie in another path?
Sasori was a blur. Hiruko was already in motion while he prepared to unleash another puppet.
Naruto however wasn't idle; swiftly he countered Hiruko with his Earth Dragon jutsu. Using it as a mobile platform, he swept passed the puppet; chakra pulsed on the side of the earth dragon and shards of rock launched rapidly at exposed puppet.
At the same time Naruto summoned a puppet, one he used against Kakashi during the bell test; the puppet seemed bigger, yet retained the smooth and heavily armoured outline, this time the one-sided hammer was replaced with an equally large and wicked looking one-sided axe, the opposite side of which had an exhaust port.
The hulking goliath of a puppet seemed lumbering as it crossed the distance to Hiruko; the rock shards bounced off it armoured shell harmlessly. Once in range it swung with a wide cleaving blow.
Sasori narrowed at the sight and his fingers flickered.
Hiruko hunched inwards. The large metal Kabuki mask on its back swung up and open, catching the axe swing. Metal screeched as both scraped across each other. The Goliath pulled back and made for another swing. Hiruko however was swifter; its palm opened and revealed a telescopic spike. The spike glowed red hot and left a trail of heat and smoke as it sped for the Goliaths side.
Naruto's finger flickered; The Goliath shifted, just barely allowing the spike to scrape across the side of its frame. The red hot spike left a scar down the side, though it never managed to penetrate through. The move however put the Goliath at a disadvantage and it's cleave hit nothing but empty air.
Both puppets broke apart and moved rapidly to reengage. Hiruko raised its left hand, showcasing the large projectile with various protrusions. With a blast the projectile launched, straight for Naruto's position. Naruto drifted passed on his Earth Dragon and focused on Sasori; however a series of smaller blasts caught his attention. The projectile had been a large canister. As it went past the protrusions were forcefully ejected and exploded, unleashing a hailstorm of senbon needles all around.
Naruto cursed and his chakra pulsed hard. His left hand came up with a sweeping motion and the world rippled. In an impossible feat, Naruto evaded the storm of iron, regardless of direction or speed, somehow finding a path in the chaos. As the metal rain tapered Naruto's hair shifted and formed hand seals. A strong wind swept around, sending the excess senbons flying off.
The whole engagement happened in less than a minute.
Meanwhile, Hiruko danced around with Goliath, chakra and synapse seemed to travel at the speed of thought. Hiruko kept darting in and out but never able to more than superficial damage. Sections of the puppet also showed signs of heavy damage from glancing blows of the Goliath's axe, but not enough to disable it permanently. Suddenly the Goliath seemed to overextend, missing its target and leaving itself wide open. Hiruko lunged in for the kill, as a victorious predator on hapless prey. The heat spike glowed brightly as it sang for the exposed opponent.
Naruto smirked.
The area around the Goliath seemed to ripple; Hiruko missed his target by less than a foot, going just past and leaving itself dangerously exposed. The Goliath then went from prey to predator; in a feat of impossible agility the large puppet spun round, ready with a massive broadside. The exhaust port on the back of the axe lit up, propelling the weapon with a blow that would shatter Hiruko.
Naruto was certain of his first victory.
Dark particulates fleeted through the air. Naruto paid them little mind however; he hadn't missed the smirk that suddenly grew on Sasori's face. His own elation shifted to caution and confusion.
The confusion turned into shock, and then grim worry.
Elder Chiyo had a hand over her mouth in shock at the sight in front of her.
"So that's what happened to him."
As she spoke the dust cloud grew in mass; the particles streamed out from Sasori's new puppet, the puppet that was a source of her shock and despair.
The outfit was different and obviously the body heavily modified. However the face was still recognisable; the jutsu, the skill he had developed over several years, that too was recognisable.
After all, the secrets of the black sand had been uncovered by one man. The man who was one of Suna's greatest leaders, the strongest of its guardians.
The Third Kazekage
Naruto's chakra pulsed, sending signals and commands to the Goliath. The fibres and muscles on the puppet strained, trying desperately to follow the instructions given.
It was an exercise in futility
Sasori was sporting a rare smile as his chakra streamed through the Third Kazekage. As the puppet floated behind him masses of black particles streamed out and over the cave. Streams of the particles swarmed around Hiruko and Goliath, the particles also formed a mass above the puppets.
Naruto snarled as he still couldn't get his Goliath to move. He glared at the black mass over the two puppets and the particles streaming around. His chakra wasn't being blocked; the black mass was exerting immense pressure on his puppet, preventing it from taking any action. Naruto's perception had picked up on the chakra and the strange pattern it flowed in. It didn't take long to notice the particles were actually metal, large enough quantities it looked like black sand. It didn't take him long to then realise what was happening.
"Magnetism" He snarled out, cursing both Sasori's puppet and his own designs. His puppets used a large amount of ore in many of its key structures. More than seventy percent of the puppet was one form of metal or another.
"I hope this is not the end Naruto" Sasori called out as the Third Kazekage shifted its stance. The left sleeve of its coat widened as multiple arms popped free. Sasori's eyes lit up in glee at the worry displayed on his opponent; his chakra pulsed and the Third Kazekage fired a barrage, with purple smoke trailing behind.
Poison
Naruto cursed loudly and his chakra rose; the air pressure shifted across the cave rapidly.
Before the smoke could reach him or spread Naruto's left arm shot out, his palm outwards. The canisters ricocheted wildly before exploding. The purple smoke trailing then stopped suddenly; the smoke seemed to pool and flatten on one side, before following the laws of gas and motion, spreading down the length on both sides and back to Sasori.
"Another barrier seal; and one I am unfamiliar with at that. It's good to see you kept something back."
Naruto didn't even bother to correct Sasori as he maintained his connections. His senses fed information to him and his mind processed multiple possibilities and options; Goliath was still not responding and open to dangerous counterattacks from Hiruko, meanwhile the Third Kazekage was spewing poison all over the cave.
He barely spared Elder Chiyo a glance, content she could take care of herself; without ventilation the poison cloud would saturate and become more troublesome as the fight went on.
His senses rang out sharply as Sasori made his move.
Hiruko broke the standoff with Goliath, content the larger puppet was restrained. It swung round and darted straight for Naruto, its heated spike bearing down on him with impunity.
Naruto chanced a quick glance at Sasori and spotted the tell-tale gleam behind the analytical mind; Sasori knew he had him, but he also knew Naruto could break away. The question was how, without losing what little advantage he had and keeping the smoke confined in Sasori's half of the cave.
Naruto cursed again and rallied his chakra. He knew he would have to be more overt, show more of his skills; he hadn't expected however for it to be so early in the game.
A smile grew on his face as his heart raced with excitement.
Sasori looked on with undisguised interest. In all the time he had been observing and cataloguing Naruto's skills and development he had come across an interesting facet of the younger Nins abilities. Ninjas were capable of incredible feats but what Naruto did defied logic, defied reason. Attacks that should have landed would miss. Projectiles shot straight and true would be off course by the time it reached him. Sure kills would be narrow escapes, or beautiful feints.
Impossible feats these were not; but the circumstances and frequencies at which they occurred could not be denied. And he aimed to uncover more about the mysterious ability.
He reduced the amount of poison gas spraying from his puppet and subtly manipulated the spread to get a better view on Naruto's position. His eyes zeroed in on the blonde puppeteer, just as Hiruko came within striking distance. Again the air seemed to ripple, it was as subtle thing, but now that he was aware of it he could spot it consistently. His eyes widened however as he noted a separate ripple around Naruto's Goliath; the ripples themselves grew in strength as did Naruto's chakra.
Sasori's fingers were already in motion when Naruto acted.
Hiruko pierced through the air as Naruto suddenly was no longer in front of it. The blonde puppeteer reappeared several feet to the left of his original position, facing Hiruko. Naruto glanced sharply to the left; the barrier seal still held the poison smoke at bay, to his immense relief, but he needed to get rid of it quickly.
At the same time, his Goliath shifted, crossing a greater distance to come within striking distance of Hiruko. The Goliaths the massive axe singing through the air for the exposed Hiruko. Again Sasori intervened; iron sand sped through the air, bypassing Naruto's barrier to his chagrin and Sasori's surprise. Most of the iron particles coalesced into a mass above both puppets, with several clouds spinning around Hiruko, providing defence and hindering the Goliath. The mass above exerted more chakra, sending out magnetic waves. The strong waves hit the Goliath, slowing its speed before it could impact Hiruko. Hiruko stepped retreated a few steps and panels opened. Hidden launchers poked free, ready to rain fire on Naruto's position.
The moment Hiruko moved however, Naruto had already gone; tell-tale signs of a now familiar ripple faded from behind Hiruko. The whisper of a blade coming free echoed in the silence; Naruto's stance shifted as his sword cut a smooth arc through the air. Iron sand rushed around him, scoring scratches and scrapes across his exposed face and ripping parts of his clothes. Naruto paid little attention to the pinpricks; a distortion, the shape of a sphere, occurred roughly around Hiruko, just as Naruto's sword reach the apex of its swing.
Ninth Judgment Blade.
The sword made contact with the distortion. As it phased through nine distinct lines trace through Hiruko; the directions were random and all seemed to curve or twist unnaturally.
A split second before the sword exited the distortion, the edge of his blade traced through the lines, cutting deep into Hiruko. Naruto flicked his sword and sheathe the blade, breathing in tandem with the action.
"Annihilation" He intoned as his sword locked into place firmly. At the sound the distortion fell apart, followed closely by Hiruko; the puppet came undone in nine separate pieces.
Naruto turned back sharply to the still unmoving Sasori. His hair waved about, responding to his will; not far behind his Goliath shifted to his left hand side, its massive axe cocked on its shoulder. Fortunately his barrier was transparent; despite the purple tones of the poison smoke he still had a clear view of his opponent.
And also again fortunately, the barrier was holding.
Sasori felt the moment his connection broke from Hiruko, moments before seeing the puppet fall apart from the sword attack. He traced the pieces and then locked his gaze on Naruto, working through what he had just seen.
Skilled Ninjas could make multiple attacks seem like just one; wind jutsu users were quite notorious for the feat, given the nature of that particular element. But what Naruto had just done was not a wind strike, and it definitely wasn't multiple strikes disguised to look like one.
Somehow he had struck only once; Hiruko came apart in nine places. And Sasori could roughly tell how it had been done.
"Spatial Manipulation, the holy grail of Ninjutsu" he caught a flinch, "aided by an impressive amount of precision chakra manipulation and Fuinjutsu." A much larger flinch had him smirking like a shark.
"Somehow you have learned how to manipulate the very borders of space, distorting it as to suite your needs. That is how you have been evading certain death, isn't it Naruto?"
Behind Sasori the Third Kazekage rattled as the poison smoke tapered out, no sense wasting the gas if it wasn't going beyond its borders….speaking off,
"That barrier…it also utilises the principles of special manipulation doesn't it." The more Sasori thought about it the more he felt sure; the pinched look and flash in Naruto's eyes was also telling, "With your skill in Fuinjutsu it wouldn't be difficult for you to come up with a seal recognises the four states of matter, and then restrict the free movement of one of those state; that being gas."
Naruto remain silent, however his stance had already given much of his feelings away. Then again Sasori had invested a lot of time on the blonde puppeteer, and this level of planning was what he expected, what he desired in his opponent. The barrier was impressive and perfect against most puppeteers and anyone who favoured the use of smoke or poison bombs.
Still, there were flaws, and Sasori had already spotted all of them.
"Had you had time to properly set up the seals I have a feeling the barrier would be more frightening. But this is rushed, not sloppy but definitely rushed."
Sasori stepped closer, each step sending a new wave of tension in Naruto. He brought his fingers up, ticking them down as he spoke.
"Seventeen feet. That is how far you can be from the barrier right now. Because you had to rush you used yourself as an anchor point as well, your chakra is feeding the barrier but unchecked. If you move any further the barrier will begin to slip, possibly fail."
"You have not left visual contact with the barrier. You have not allowed yourself to turn your back to it. No matter how good the seal work you still need to visually verify what needs to be barred. Doubly so as this is a rush job, you constantly have to monitor it; the whole length of it."
"Finally, you have only one barrier up, that isn't like you." Sasori stopped just a foot away from the border. "I have a feeling this is one of a set; four at minimum working in tandem. With the proper seals in place you can easily transition, blocking on multiple levels in various states; liquids, solids and gases."
"What makes you so sure?" Naruto's eyes were like flints; Sasori smiled and merely looked up, above Naruto.
Naruto followed the gaze and swore loudly.
Masses of iron sand swarmed overhead, passing through the barrier with impunity. Several had already coalesced into solid shapes and loomed ominously.
The first warning was the loss of control of his Goliath; his second warning was the increased chakra activity from Sasori to the Third Kazekage and from the puppet to the iron sand.
Making no further attempt to hide what he was doing the world visibly rippled as he bent space, just in time to counter Sasori's attack. Iron sand rained down on his position; only by bending space did he avoid the ginger sized bullets, traveling at immense speeds. Splitting his focus he sent a ripple through his Goliath, however Sasori had already anticipated the move.
Naruto blinked in shock as the moment his puppet shifted location it was set upon by Sasori's, trailed closely by a mass of iron sand. Another distortion and Goliath had shifted again, only to strain as the magnetic properties of the Iron sand took effect. Naruto snarled in frustration as he tried a third distortion. The Goliath had just enough time to bring its axe to bear, warding off a crippling blow from the Third Kazekage.
"Your distortions are easy to read. Not to mention the pattern in which you move your puppets is not as random as you would have people believe" Sasori commented as he sent more chakra and instructions out; The Third Kazekage rattled ominously and the iron sand swarmed with added menace.
Naruto eyed the sand swarm, menacing blackness moving through the air. He felt more than he saw his Goliath's struggle against the magnetic forces; he was growing more than a little irritated at that particular weakness. He cocked his neck and rolled his shoulders.
Time to up his game…again
Naruto pulled out two new scrolls. Before he could unravel it however Sasori was once again on the attack. Naruto didn't even have time to curse as he once again danced around the iron storm. His Goliath was taking an impressive beating, and Naruto knew the puppet couldn't last much longer with the pressure; also he noted with worry the more he focused on countering the attack, the weaker the barrier grew. His apprehension spiked as he noted wisps of the purple smoke slip through the barrier as it went permeable; Naruto poured chakra back into the seal the barrier shuddered and regained integrity.
His relief gave way to gasp of shock and pain; two long branching spikes of iron sand pierced clean through his body, in fixing the barrier he had let his guard down allowing Sasori to capitalise. The Goliath immediately went slack though still remained upright thanks to the magnetic forces of the iron sand. The barrier holding back the smoke trembled violently before collapsing.
Despite the obvious victory, Sasori still felt cautious. His suspicions were not in vain.
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu
Naruto reappeared close to the cave wall with Elder Chiyo in tow, far from Sasori's position and the smoke. Two shadows sped forwards on the attack; Sasori reacted, bringing the Third Kazekage to his defence. The puppet deflected the strikes, its multiple arms weaving an impassable barrier of constant attack. Sasori leaped backwards and sent out another pulse; iron sand swarmed again, clumping together to form even larger masses. With larger masses the magnetic pull increased, the Goliath physically groaned under the pressure before cracking in multiple places. The two new shadows however moved through the fields; Sasori blinked with interest at the new findings, before sending out a swarm of iron particles to further test the puppets.
One of the puppets stepped forwards. Carefully stylised vents opened and seal scripts lit up across its frame. Seconds later the heat went up in the cave, followed swiftly by an inferno. The loose pockets of iron sand swarming overhead seemingly recoiled from the heatwave, before glowing red hot at the intensity. The large mass of iron also began to glow softly from the increasing temperatures, all around the heat and flames reduced some swarming iron into molten metal pools.
As Sasori hastily pulled the iron sand back the second puppet made its move. It struck out with its weapon, a cross between a blade and a whip; the blade itself also was similar to a large pair of scissors with the whip attached to one of the handles.
The open blade sang for Sasori's neck. The former Suna Nin jinked backwards just as the weapon sniped closed, barely missing his neck. He was forced to move sideways as the whip lashed out. the attacks came relentlessly; Sasori's fingers twitched as he stepped back once again, allowing the Third Kazekage to interpose between them. His puppet stopped the attack dead with a bladed arm, at the same time more iron sand swarmed ready to crush the new puppet.
Naruto's new puppet broke the deadlock and thrust both arms out to the sides. Lighting chakra and currents arced across its frame, before surging into an electrical storm. The energy quickly found a path through the iron clouds, overrunning them with blistering speed and disrupting Sasori's control over the mass.
As the electrical storm grew, Naruto turned back to his collapsed barrier. It had held for longer than he had expected, but now the poisonous smoke was slowly spilling its way through the cave. He spotted elder Chiyo slowing her breathing before attempting to fit an apparatus to her face. Naruto cursed himself for forgetting something so basic but for the moment it was irrelevant, getting rid of the poison was.
His hair shifted again, moving into handseals; immediately a wind picked up in the cave, moving in a series of circles that grew tighter with every spin. The wind picked up the smoke until much of it was packed in a high speed ball of air. Then came the hard part.
Naruto stretched out his left hand, palm open and facing downwards. His chakra rose once again, putting pressure on the atmosphere. Hints and ghosts echoed around the cave, catching even Sasori's attention. Slowly Naruto turned his hand upwards; his palm closing slightly, his index and middle fingers struggling to remain upright. As this happened, seal scripts etched their way into reality, around his palm and slowly growing more visible in the air. The scripts coalesced around the spinning ball of wind and smoke, taking on a character all recognised as Fire.
Uzumaki Fuinjutsu: Way of The Flame – Prominence.
The pressure seemed to triple as Naruto's hands and fingers made the final leg of the journey upwards. With the two fingers upright chakra flashed and the large seal burned its way into reality for a split second; no matter the position in the cave, all could make out the giant symbols that made up fire.
Sasori looked down in amazement as the floor glowed white hot. An eruption of flame lit up cave; the winds sputtered as the fires gorged itself and grew even more. The poison smoke stool little chance against the heat, burning away till nothing was left.
The inferno raging in the cave was matched only by the blaze in Naruto's eyes. This was the fight he had longed for. This was the test he had sought out.
And he still had more cards to play.
White Noise…..
That was all Sasori could hear. It was all he could see. Over the last few years he had being experience things, feelings he had long assumed were gone or at least buried so far deep they would never again witness the light of day. And now, here with this fight, this battle, those feelings surged, riding waves of raw emotion to the surface. His mind was a storm and he could not hold back the currents.
No, not a storm…..
A fire…., an all-consuming passion.
Sasori cocked his head at the realisation; suddenly he smiled. The feature looked completely out of place on the red haired puppeteer, causing both his opponent and his grandmother to tense.
Sasori didn't care for the reaction. At that point he realised the truth;
He didn't care about plans; plans to take on the Jinchuriki, plans on how to best disable his opponent. He didn't care about schemes, battle strategies.
He didn't care about the future; he didn't care about eternity.
True Art is Eternal….
No, that didn't matter. All that mattered was the moment. The single moment….no, he was no Deidara.
All that mattered was the series of moments; every second of every minute of the present, the here and now. That was all that mattered; it was the truth of his world, of his desires.
A chuckle escaped his lips, transcending into a long and clear laugh. He could sense the shock and wariness in his opponent (Naruto), his rival. He could sense the wonder and longing in Elder Chiyo (Obasama). A small part of him wondered if his laugh was truly that disconcerting, polarising.
No…it is the simplicity of joy. The expression of his thoughts. For one such as him, to give a laugh so….ordinary.
Sasori only laughed harder.
His eyes opened and he locked gazes with Naruto. Giving one more haunting smile the dam finally broke.
With one step forwards, the cave was filled with Sasori's presence.
Kakashi hissed in irritation as he was once again forced to swerve away from the exploding clay creatures. Overhead Deidara cackled, however Kakashi could discern the underlying frustration and unease in the Akatsuki Nin.
He could tell, because he felt the same way as well.
More clay figures leapt at him. Before he could counter several clumps of earth shot upwards; the earth clumps seemed to open and swallow several of the clay pieces, closing up on them while carrying on into the air. Kakashi dispatched of the rest, overhead he could make out the sound of breaking rock; the results of the clay exploding.
"Thanks Sakura"
The pink haired Chunin nodded and turned her attention back to their airborne opponent. She sped through handseals and a column of earth rose from underneath her. Speeding through more seals the column juddered as sharpened pieces of rock grew out of the sides and fired upon Deidara. The Akatsuki Nin cackled in delight as he swerved and weaved around the incoming projectiles; Sakura however remained relentless, increasing the rate of fire and the area of coverage.
"Kaka-Sensei" Kakashi barley started at the whisper behind him; somehow he had missed the earth clone forming, but as it was his student it wasn't fatal. "I don't know how long he will play games, so whatever you are doing make it fast."
Kakashi nodded as the earth clone dissolved. He couldn't dally around, not with Gaara's life hanging in the balance. He centred himself and focused his chakra; his Sharingan spun rapidly, waiting for an opening.
Elder Chiyo could feel the tears flow freely down her cheeks. She had hoped to encounter her wayward grandson. She wanted to see what he had become in his exile. When she had first glimpsed him she couldn't deny the love she still held for him; no more than she could deny the monster he had become. It was his eyes that made her grief so bittersweet. Alert yet dead, aware yet unseeing.
Not Anymore….
More tears poured out as she saw a fire in those orbs. For the first time in years she saw life. Life was splayed all across his eyes, over his face and every inch of his form.
His chakra; a powerful force seemed to heave with life.
Beautiful….
Her gaze travelled to her one-time student. Uzumaki Naruto had been a source of conflict to her. His brazen forays into the realms belonging to Suna had infuriated as much as impressed her in his successes. Even now the puppet brigade, as a result of the Konoha Nins' efforts, was being overhauled; new life and fresh ideas were being born. Old methods were challenged and improved; the stagnation that she feared would forever remain was being scoured out.
Suna's puppetry seemed to live again.
She smiled softly to herself. It seemed so strange; that those who dealt with death, with lifeless dolls at their command, would worry so much about life. But that was the truth about puppetry; it was giving life to the lifeless, form to the formless. It was invoking your will, and giving shape to ones determinations.
Sasori knew that, and Naruto knew it too.
Naruto kept a wary yet eager eye on Sasori. He had felt the minute the dam broke; like a switch, turning dark into light. This was Akasuna-No-Sasori; one of the greatest, if not the greatest, puppet masters to have ever walked the Elemental Lands.
And Naruto was loving every bit of their encounter.
Naruto's own chakra roared to the surface, countering the weight of Sasori's. In the background he could feel Kyuubi's chakra churning, eager to rush forwards. This time though Naruto resisted.
As with Elder Chiyo, this was more than just a battle. He needed to face Sasori, with his own skills, his own merits, and not on the backs of others.
Kyuubi's chakra churned, but to Naruto's surprise it retreated and remained passive in the background. Naruto smiled as gave a mental acknowledgement, and then he squared up against Sasori.
Sasori took another step forwards. Then he took another, and another. With each step Naruto remained calm, unmoving and unshaken. Overhead the black sand moved in lazy circles. Naruto's puppets remained on standby, heat and lightning emanating from the respective frame.
Sasori paused mid-step, no more than eight feet away. He cocked his head again and blinked slowly. His eyes swept over the puppets, past Naruto's waiting form, and all around the room, before returning to its starting point.
Again Sasori's face grew into a smile; this one wider than the last and more disconcerting.
"Clever boy." The Suna puppeteer's voice held a rapture that was as heartening as it was frightening. "You really do have an impressive array of skills, but your mind is the most amazing of all."
Sasori took another step; this time he went sideways.
"I must confess I am surprised I didn't see it sooner; then again this is what I hoped from my battle with and against you."
Sasori kept moving; Naruto kept spinning, keeping his gaze locked firmly on his opponent.
"No, this surpasses my initial hopes; when I made this challenge I had hoped to see, not once did I ever expect to learn. Thanks to you, I can have both."
Sasori looked around the cave again, paying close attention to the walls.
"Your skills in puppetry are exceptional; it makes it easy for people to forget that, like your teammate, it is not your first certification." Sasori turned back to Naruto, his gaze piercing, "Afterall, Suna only recently released the minor data on puppet ranking to Konoha. You were not certified in that field, but you were certified with mastery in Genjutsu, followed shortly by Fuinjustu."
"People often see you utilise your sealing, with an ease attributed to your namesake; but genjutsu is where the viper makes its nest."
"So you say, yet I haven't once used genjutsu in this fight" Naruto bit back a wince as soon as the words left his mouth; Sasori chuckled given an air of disappointment.
"We both know genjutsu is more than chakra and illusions. The true art is more than smoke and mirrors; it is a state of mind, a way of life, and one that you embody so much so your subconscious actions are governed by it."
Sasori kept moving, making a circle around the blonde puppeteer. Suddenly he closed in; too quick for the alert ninja. Naruto however felt the intent a split moment before it began and the world rippled around him. Sasori stopped just short, as Naruto shifted a few feet away, his blade drawn and his Goliath close.
"We have already established that ability is space-time manipulation, much like your barrier. And like your barrier, every technique as a weakness that need to be worked around or exploited." Sasori seemed to coil like a snake, ready to strike.
"In this case it is range and boundary, more the latter than the former. The boundary applies uniformity in your mind, bringing a sense of finite in infinity.
Sasori stretched his arm out and swung wide, releasing a wave of chakra. The chakra sped off in all directions, until it crashed along the cave walls.
"Right now, the boundary walls are the very cave itself" Sasori flourished as the cave lit up in script, "-and the seals you use to supplement the technique."
"Hiding in plain sight; your first wave of chakra applied the seals over the walls, burning it into the stone. Between your puppets, your jutsu and your presence, it is no wonder the seals are overlooked; battlefield applications of genjutsu at its finest."
Elder Chiyo turned to look at the seals littering the cave, the script was extensive and for the life of her she couldn't figure out how Naruto had done it. Still, she needed to revise her estimation of Uzumaki Naruto.
He could prove to remain a powerful ally to Suna…or a dangerous adversary.
Naruto could only feel dread as Sasori unravelled his abilities. Surprise was a big part of his combat style, but that had now been stripped off him. Still he wasn't out of the fight yet.
Sasori seemed to have sensed the renewed determination; and gave an approving nod.
"Why don't we take this to the next level; first though, how about some fresh air…?"
Naruto's eyes widened while Sasori smiled maniacally. Above them the iron sand rushed around in a frenzy and coalesced into a single large mass. The effect was near instantaneous; loose bits of weapons rattled and literally flew to the large floating magnet. The pressure increased and Naruto drew his puppets close. The large mass of iron sand seemed to shiver and took on two opposing magnetic forces.
Iron Sand: World Method
Naruto gasped in trepidation as the sphere bulged outwards, forming multiple layers of branching spikes. Ripples appeared all over the cave as he and his puppets shifted from spot to spot. He gasped out again, this time in pain as he lost control of his jutsu. His hair lashed out, shearing deep into the iron spikes as he dodged out of their path. Naruto glanced around and bit back a grimace; all over the cave the iron spikes had broken through the cave walls, inadvertently weakening Naruto's boundary and disabling his jutsu.
"I wonder if you can keep up, if we up the pressure" Sasori intoned as his chakra spiked again. The iron spikes doubled in rate and speed, seconds later the base caved in, turning into rubble.
Sasori remained alert, knowing his opponent was not yet out of the fight. A flicker of movement caught his attention and he was on the move!
Phonon Maser
A ray of pure heat washed over his previous position; Sasori landed lightly and was about to engage when a shadow fell over him. He looked up in surprise to an Earth Dragon bearing down on him. Again he dodged, letting the jutsu crash into the ground. The Earth Dragon flowed into the ground like it was water and quickly rose again; its maw open and a flames roared outwards. Sasori hissed as he evaded and flicked his fingers; the Third Kazekage moved to intercept, his iron sand formed several rows of blades and sliced through the Earth Dragon, breaking hold of the jutsu.
Just as he made to straighten however Sasori lost control of the Third Kazekage. He turned to look and found Naruto's lightning puppet; form its fingers surged lighting chakra, running a current through the Third Kazekage, keeping it bound. Next moment the Goliath appeared and wrapped itself around the Third Kazekage, just as Naruto appeared, his chakra already pulsing.
Prominence.
Fire rose from the earth, consuming both puppets until nothing but ash was left.
"And now," Naruto disappeared and reappeared in an instance in front of Sasori; his hair secured the former Suna Nin while his blade sung for his exposed neck, "You fall."
Time seemed to slow as the blade inched ever closer; Then Sasori smirked.
His Akatsuki robes ripped apart as sharp white spikes shot out through them.
"No Naruto, we press on for a little more."
The white spikes ripped through his hair bindings, forcing Naruto to pull back to avoid impalement. Some of the spikes left deep scratches across his body but nothing too serious. Naruto left tracks as he slowed to a stop; he looked back at Sasori to make sense of what had happened.
"Bone?" he blurted out in surprise. His heart thudded in his chest and he grabbed his false arm in a grip so tight his fingers bled.
In his mind he could feel as the limb was torn off years ago. The pain as he was completely outmatched and the terror that he was soon to die.
The white bones retreated slightly and what was left of the Akatsuki robes fell to the floor. From their Naruto could make out the full view of Sasori; a long bony segmented tail whipped about behind him. Bone spikes sprouted over his knees and large scything blades over his forearms. Sharp talons grew over his fingers and toes, finally large mantis like claws extended from its back over his shoulders.
"It has been a while since I've been forced to use myself. And I have never used this version until now." Sasori commented casually as he looked over his hands, flexing the fingers and claws. "Still I have grown rather fond of this body, I am eager to see how well it works."
Sasori then reached behind for a scroll.
"You and I prize quality when it comes to our craft." As he spoke the scroll unravelled, spilling its contents into the skies. Naruto's eyes tracked each and every one with astonishment. "But I have to say that quantity can be a quality all on its own."
"Behold my greatest performance"
Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets
Floating overhead was a sea of red cloaks; each one of them was a star of individual chakra signatures. One hundred puppets, one hundred former live ninjas.
Naruto assessed the situation rapidly; he didn't have as many puppets, and he was actually beginning to feel the drain in his chakra. He needed to get Sasori thoroughly engaged in the battle and then deal a decisive blow. But to do that, he needed to summon his puppets…all of them.
Shimmers appeared around him; His scorched and lightning puppets were joined by ten others.
"Twelve puppets vs one hundred" Sasori chuckled as he shook his head. "How do you hope to win?"
"No, not twelve puppets" Naruto crouched and his hair shimmered with chakra strings. His blade slid free from its sheath, "Thirteen warriors."
"Ahh. Very well then. Thirteen warriors, vs a hundred and one!"
If anything the battle between Sasori and Naruto seemed to move even faster. Both masters threw themselves into the combat without reserve, determined to make their opponent submit. The puppets were a frenzy of melee.
Sasori's puppets were swarm, various weapons lashing out everywhere. Naruto's puppets though few were bit to be tougher, fight harder and last longer.
In the air his Valkyrie blitzed around in tight loops, its launchers spitting out elemental jutsus with unrelenting force. Supporting the flyer were his two bird type puppets
On the ground the slower but extremely tough frost puppet swung its great sword in swooping arcs. An area of cold constantly surrounded the puppet, freezing everything that came close and limiting their manoeuvrability.
Scorch however was the complete opposite. An aura of fire and heat surrounded the puppet, making it dangerous to approach; everything that came close either caught fire or turned to ash. The puppet itself was a whirlwind of motion, leaving behind a trail of flames and burnt out shells.
Whenever the auras of the scorch and frost puppet came into proximity anything caught in the middle was subject to violent changes in atmosphere and pressure.
His Lightning puppet was living up to its name. It too was constantly in motion, blitzing through the battlefield with static trailing in its wake. The scissor blade tore through puppets like paper, with the whip darting out and crippling more. The static and lightning that constantly surrounded it disrupted signals and made fine motor controls difficult.
His beast like puppet; the Warmonger he used against Kakashi had replaced its tuning fork weapons with saw like blades. The blades themselves constantly vibrated; as they made contact with Sasori's puppets they passed through with minimal resistance. What made the Warmonger deadly however, was its ability to pass through Naruto's other puppets aura's without effect; it like his Valkyrie was designed to switch between multiple elements, adding versatility to its savagery.
On the fringes of the battlefield were his Stalker and Banshee puppets. Their design was not meant for direct confrontation however they were useful for dropping bombs and laying traps.
The final set was his three wolf puppets; with the launchers and bladed claws and teeth they ran interference on all levels, disrupting puppet flow or mauling everything in reach.
Naruto himself wasn't idle. His body seemed to run on autopilot as his dance around the battle. His hair lashed out in offence, curled up in defence, sent out dozens of messages via chakra to his individual puppets. He was deep into his sensory capabilities; reading and predicting the flow of the battlefield, seeing the movements and positions of everything in his mind's eye and executing accordingly.
His head seemed to move in a lazy arc as a bone blade swept passed. His body responded; his hair forming sharp blades, only to be deflected by hardened bone shields.
Sasori too was physically engaged in the battle; while he wasn't as used to physically fighting alongside his puppets as Naruto was, it hadn't taken him long to adapt. Hundreds of finger bones littered the walls and floors; projectiles from Sasori, only matched by the senbon-like hairs stuck deep into stone. The air was thick with chakra, both sides completely immersed, fighting on multiple levels.
Still, the sheer weight of numbers was beginning to take its toll. Naruto had lost his Lightning and bird type puppets. Two of the wolves were gone, with the last one well on its way. The others had damage running through them. Still the bulk of Sasori's puppets littered the battlefield.
Naruto himself hadn't come out unscathed. Deep wounds and scratched littered his body, while his resistance to poisons was helping it didn't help much with the slight delirium. Sasori too was showing signs of strain and fatigue.
"I couldn't have asked for a better rival" Naruto blinked blearily, just managing to evade a stab. Sasori stumbled away, spinning round in time to deflect the return strike, both Ninjas stumbled; Naruto crashed into the floor while Sasori fell to a knee. Their puppets still fought, but the battle seemed to be winding down.
Naruto gasped for breath as he tried to focus. Blood pooled below him from his various wounds.
"You have fought well Naruto. Take pride in that." Sasori said as he rose back to his feet.
"I am not done" Naruto panted each word. His hand made contact with his blood and his chakra pulsed.
Fuinjutsu: Spatial Lock
Seal lit up in his blood, spreading all over the battle area.
"Elder Chiyo! Move it now!" Naruto shouted just as his seal took hold. Sasori instinctively made to move but found himself unable. A boundary marker appeared around him.
"You can't escape." Naruto's grin looked macabre with blood colouring his teeth and chin. His eyes flashed alert. "This seal holds you in place by bending space. It doesn't last long, but its long enough for this"
At that Naruto brought his palms together in a thunderous clap.
Uzumaki Fuinjutsu: Way of Cold – Niflheim
Sasori's eyes widened in fear everything seem to slow and stop. A chill grew in the air, followed swiftly by layers of frost and ice.
"Using chakra and fuinjutsu I can uniformly reduce the natural molecular vibrations in any given area and thus lower the temperature."
As Naruto spoke the cold carried on, covering all the exposed puppets and materials around in layers of ice and frost. The spatial lock gave out, but Sasori still found it difficult to move; his puppets stuck in the air dropped down, smashing into the ground with much of them breaking apart, only to be frozen over once again.
"And now for the finish" Naruto's hair formed handseals. The heavens lit up with arcs of lightning. "I'm sure you can guess what's about to happen, Sasori?"
The lightning flashed even harder through the darkened skies. Sasori renewed his struggles, desperate to break free. Being frozen made him a sitting duck, and from the amount of chakra he sensed, there would be no chance of survival.
"Lightning Release: Thoron!"
At the command a massive bolt of lightning tore from the skies downwards. The world lit up for a brief moment, before giving way to a thunderous explosion.
Elder Chiyo slowly opened her eyes, squinting from the glare. She straightened up and noted in surprise the barrier that had defended her. As it failed she took in the aftermath, gaping in shock.
Kami-Sama!
Steam hissed all around. Superheated rocks glowed brightly; parallel to the ground had been a lake, the wall boundary had caved letting some of the water through.
Chiyo stepped downwards gingerly, unable to believe the level of damage. She then spotted a figure in the steam. As she stepped closer she got a better look.
"Uzumaki!" she hastily moved and caught the falling figure. Her eyes widened at the level of abuse his body had taken. His pulse was erratic and his breathing shallow. Her hand glowed with medical chakra and he flinched, before relaxing into its embrace.
"I'm sorry for being selfish Elder Chiyo" Naruto coughed out, delirious. Chiyo merely shook her head as she kept on.
"I could not have asked for a better send off. Thank you Uzumaki Naruto, I am proud to have witnessed this fight."
No more than I was to partake of it, Chiyo-Basama…
Her eyes widened in shock at the voice. In her arms Naruto was out cold; she turned back into the steam, and there he stood.
Akasuna no Sasori, was still alive.
A.N Well, one down - the bonus chapter will be posted on Friday. i'll also cover the review points from chapter 7 then as well.
Again apologies for the very long wait and happy reads.
