Hello everyone. I'm listening to the Raising Fighting Spirit track and playing it on repeat while writing this - it really helps for motivation, especially while writing the fight scenes.

Interesting responses as usual. Now to reply.

Jove99: I don't think there's any way Kiba will be Hokage, to be honest! Hahaha.

Nta fanfic: I'm talking about canon, not the story :)

TheOrangeStar802: That is too much? I think it's too little. I love long reviews hahaha :P

SonYukiGoku'sSister: Very satisfactory. Brilliant answer.

SkyRage: Some fantastic points being brought up here :) and I like you, too! :D

Lin: Thanks for the awesome review. What country are you moving to, and from where? Why are you moving? When are you moving? I'm not a stalker, just really curious :P

Thanks to Jove99, GreyJedi1, Nta fanfic, demonic hellfire, AFlashofSilver, TheOrangeStar802, SonYukiGoku'sSister, SkyRage, beisenman1892, Gaaraxx33, Mr. Lionheart, Lin, Guest and chancedaman333 for the reviews!

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Hinata felt beads of sweat rolling down her cheek as she tried to keep up with her clone.

The duo were dealing palmed attacks to each other, both attempting to block out the other's chakra pathway system. However, neither had succeeded.

"8 Trigrams..."

She jumped back, moving into a readied stance.

"... 32 Palms!"

Hinata charged, but her clone had the same ideas. Palms slammed against palms.

Kakashi-sensei said to exploit our own weaknesses... but what are my weaknesses...?

"Fang Over Fang!"

Hinata jumped back as two spinning masses came spiraling towards her clone and slammed into her with full force. The clone made no sound, but there was a look of extreme pain on her face.

Kiba and Akamaru jumped back, as the Hinata clone flew backwards, and disappeared.

"If you can't find your own weaknesses, you'll have to leave it to a partner to help you take care of it," Kiba grinned, jumping onto Akamaru.

"Kiba-kun," Hinata smiled. "Thank you."

"Well, we gotta go help Shino," Kiba grinned. "Hop on!"

"Welcome..."

Team Itachi raced into the hideout, to see a blonde Akatsuki ninja sitting on an unconscious Gaara. His tailed partner stood not far away, with his creepy eyes seemingly staring straight into their soul.

"It looks like they've arrived, hm," Deidara smirked.

"Watch who you're sitting on, bastard!" Naruto screamed at him.

Deidara ignored him. "Now which one of you might be the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki...? Hm..."

Itachi looked at Gaara, and noticed his stomach rising slightly. He's still breathing. Good.

A second passed, and suddenly Deidara found himself being forced to leap into the air, as a lightning spear extended towards him.

Sasuke glared coldly at the Akatsuki ninja. "As my friend said... watch who you're sitting on!"

"Hmph," Deidara dug into his bag of clay. "If you won't tell me which one of you is the Jinchuriki, I guess I'll just make every single one of you explode!"

"Deidara," Sasori warned, venom laced in his voice. "Do not try anything you will live to regret." His tail swished in the air, pointing towards his younger partner, emphasizing his words. "We need the Jinchuriki alive."

Deidara sighed. Then his gaze swept towards Itachi, and he glared.

So they don't know that Naruto is the Jinchuriki, Itachi thought, glancing at Naruto, who returned the stare and nodded in understanding. Let's keep it that way.

Sasori looked at the entire Leaf team. "Two of these shinobi are of the Uchiha clan, and none of the Uchiha are Jinchuriki. So that leaves only the other two."

Deidara snapped his fingers at Sasori's clever analysis. "Ah, yes! None of those prideful Uchiha bastards would allow-"

Sasuke growled, and jumped forward. "Chidori True Spear!"

Deidara dodged the attack again, as the spear crashed into the wall and exploded, blue lightning bolts flying everywhere.

"Impatient little snot," the former Iwa nin spat. Before Sasuke could attack again, he called forth his clay bird, and mounted it. Gaara was soon caught within it's talons, and the bird flew away. "I'll see you later, Sasori, my man!"

That fool. Why is he running away? Sasori glared harshly at Deidara's back as he exited the cave.

"Gaara!" Naruto yelled, turning and running after Deidara.

"Naruto, wait!" Sakura called, but the whiskered teen had already took off. Looking back and forth between her two Uchiha comrades and Naruto, she first dug into her pocket, pulling out something and handing it to Itachi. Next, she turned and chased after Naruto.

Ah... I get it. Separation. Well played, Deidara.

"I suppose it's just us and you," Itachi had a passive expression on his face. "Sasori of the Red Sand, was it?"

Sasori's tail waved dangerously in the air. "The great Itachi Uchiha knows my name. I am flattered."

Sasuke looked at Itachi. "What do we do now?"

"We take this opportunity to lessen the Akatsuki's forces," Itachi said simply. "In other words, kill him."

Sasori chuckled. "But can you?"

"Damn right I can," Sasuke replied. "Sharingan!"

Itachi contemplated using the Mangekyo, but decided against it. His black pupils shifted into their Sharingan form.

"I don't like to keep people waiting," Sasori said evilly. "So I'll finish this quickly."

Deidara looked back. Behind him, on the ground, was the blonde ninja, and his pink-haired companion.

"Now which one of you is the Jinchuriki, hm...?" He asked himself. The mouth on his right palm open, spitting out a few clay spiders. Deidara dropped them, watchcing as they descended upon the two Konoha nin. "Katsu!"

To the bomber's surprise, the two had shielded themselves with an earth dome surrounding them.

So one of them uses the Earth Style, he observed, as the earth dome crumbled, and the duo continued chasing after him.

"Earth Style: Hand of Stone!"

Sakura made six hand seals, and slammed her palm on the ground. From the earth emerged two hands, shaped from stone, flying into the air towards Deidara.

"You can't catch me, hm," Deidara taunted, tossing a few of his clay explosives at one of the hands. It exploded and dissolved into mud. "So don't even-"

The last hand flung something at him - a three-pronged kunai, before dissolving into mud itself.

Immediately, Naruto appeared in front of him, throwing a punch.

Deidara couldn't react quickly enough, and was punched off his ride.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Three of his clones appeared beside him.

"Get Gaara," Naruto ordered. "I'll be-"

"Oh no, you won't be doing anything..."

Looking down, Naruto gasped to see Deidara descending to the ground from the clay bird's talons, grabbing Gaara tightly in his left hand. His right hand made a seal.

"Katsu!"

Swiftly, Naruto threw his Hiraishin Kunai towards Deidara, as the bird exploded along with his Shadow Clones.

Now appearing in front of Deidara again, Naruto aimed another punch. His fellow blonde dodged it this time, and twisted in mid-air to land safely on his feet. Naruto did the same.

"Earth Style: Falling Earth Spears!"

With Gaara now on his back, Deidara dodged the spears of mud.

Sakura rushed into view, now deciding to let her fists do the talking.

Deidara thrust his hand forward, and a flock of clay birds flew towards the pinkette. "Katsu!"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled.

"Chaaaa!"

Deidara leaped away again, as the tree beside him began to fall. It crashed onto the ground, revealing Sakura behind it, having used the Substitution Jutsu. Her fist was outstretched.

So this brat has the chakra-enhanced strength of the Fifth Hokage, he thought, then turned his head to face Naruto, who was now walking up to him, eyes filled with rage. And this one... uses the Fourth Hokage's Hiraishin.

A spiralling blue sphere now in his hand, Naruto lunged for Deidara. "Take this! Rasengan!"

Deidara jumped over him, careful not to let the Kazekage slip off his back. Naruto's Rasengan slammed into a large grey stone, completely demolishing it.

He set Gaara down, and Naruto raced to get his friend back.

"Not so fast, hm." Deidara stepped in front of Gaara.

Naruto glared at him. To his infuriation, Deidara smirked in reply.

That damn Kisame never revealed the gender of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki to anyone except Leader, but with the intel I have... The mouth on both his palms coughed out some shaped clay. The brat who uses the Hiraishin... he should be the Kyuubi. Alright...

Two clay birds appeared in front of him, and he jumped onto one.

"Don't run! We're not finished with you yet," Naruto hissed at him.

Ignoring Naruto, Deidara's bird grabbed Gaara with it's talons once again. The Kyuubi container rushed towards the bird, but his hand merely brushed against it's skin before it flew away.

The remaining bird flew towards Sakura.

Naruto charged. "Get away from her!" He kicked the bird away, but as soon as his foot connected with the winged creature, it exploded.

"My, my, you're not a very bright Jinchuriki, are you, hm?" Deidara laughed, now in the air above them on his clay creation.

"Tell me how bright is this! Rasengan!"

The Akatsuki nin gasped as something painful slammed into his back. "H-How?"

Behind him, Naruto had a victorious smile present on his face. He glanced at the seal he'd planted on the bird, when his hand had briefly made contact with it's clay skin.

Jumping down onto the bird's talons, Naruto extracted Gaara from it, and descended.

He landed on the ground, and Sakura walked up, her face lighting up at the sight of Gaara.

From within the bushes, Deidara peeked at the three, his hand clutching the new spiraled wound on his back.

"Hehehe... as I said... you aren't a very bright Jinchuriki... are you... hm?"

Naruto frowned as Gaara's skin hardened and turned white. It almost felt like clay.

"Katsu!"

Suddenly understanding, Naruto acted on instinct. He pushed Sakura away as hard as he could.

The Clay Clone exploded in his face.

Itachi looked at the vials Sakura had handed to him. The antidotes.

There were nine of them.

"So essentially, we have nine lives," Sasuke whispered to his brother, looking down at the vials in his hand. "Well, I know someone else who has nine lives, and I think he can help us."

Biting his thumb, Sasuke spread the blood drawn onto his right hand. He did various hand seals, and slammed his palm down on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A white, gigantic cat appeared, towering over Sasori.

"Nekomata..." Itachi muttered. "Alright." He pocketed the nine vials, and did a hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

Two clones appeared either side of him, and they brandished their swords. The trio of Itachis charged at Sasori.

"Nekomata! I need your help," Sasuke looked up at his summon.

"I can see that," the demon cat meowed, as he shrunk to Sasuke's height. "Who's our opponent this time?"

"Sasori of the Red Sand. Heard of him?"

"Not really, no..."

Sasori's tail stabbed into one Itachi, and it dispersed.

The original Itachi jumped back, as Sasori attacked the remaining clone. This one exploded, throwing him back.

"Instead of talking to your cat, maybe you can help me out here."

"Oh, right. Sorry." Sasuke ran up. "Let's go, Nekomata!"

"You got it," the demon cat nodded, and shrunk himself into the size of an ant.

Regaining his composure, Sasori waited for his enemies to attack. "Two Uchihas and a size-shifting cat. Seems pretty easy," he mumbled to himself sarcastically. "They should have at least sent someone to help me out here..."

Nekomata appeared behind Sasori, having snuck past the tailed man when he'd shrank.

"Well, I did say I could handle them alone..." Sasori turned his head slightly.

The dangerous metal tail flew towards Nekomata, but with a growl, the demon cat dodged the tail and landed a heavy scratch on it.

Itachi grinned as the tip of the tail came off.

"Awesome job, Nekomata!" Sasuke shouted in delight.

Sasori jumped into the air, and his mask came down. Opening his mouth, posionous projectiles were fired at Nekomata and Itachi.

"Yikes!" The cat shrank into the size of an ant once again.

"Brother!" Sasuke yelled, running up to Itachi. "Lightning Style: Lightning Barrier!"

He punched the ground, and a barrier was erected, defending the Uchiha brothers from the rain of projectiles.

Sasori landed a distance away. Nekomata appeared in front of him again, with his claw ready to strike the former Suna nin's face, but Sasori opened his mouth, firing his projectiles again.

Nekomata yelped, and shrank.

Sasuke jumped into the fray, getting close enough and then raising his arm. "Chidori Sharp Spear!"

Sasori dodged the chakra weapon, and Itachi appeared beside him in an instant, swinging his katana dangerously. Undeterred, Sasori's tail defended him, clashing with Itachi's sword.

Sasuke frowned. The tip of the tail had regrown by itself.

As Sasori's tail kept Itachi at bay, the Akatsuki nin turned his head slightly, firing his tiresome poisonous projectiles once again.

"Chidori Blade!"

His chakra-powered weapon appeared in his hand, and Sasuke went to work, slashing off any projectile coming his way. Unfortunately, one managed to hit him in the knee.

"Crap."

"Naruto!"

The smoke from the explosion cleared, and Naruto knelt there on one knee, his top tattered, torn and bloodied.

"Naruto!" Sakura repeated her comrade's name, running over. "I-I'm sorry, you tried to protect me and-"

"It's fine," Naruto smiled, but the smile quickly vanished as he groaned in pain.

"I'll heal you... just-"

Naruto stopped her, and got back up on his feet, albeit with difficulty. "That won't be necessary, Sakura-chan. If I waste anymore time..."

"... You'll get killed!" A voice finished.

From underneath the earth, a hand rose, grabbing Sakura's leg and preventing her from moving. Soon, the hand hardened, turning into white clay. Naruto gasped. "No!"

Deidara walked out from the bushes, grinning madly.

If looks could kill, the blonde Akatsuki would be dead a thousand times over. Naruto had directed a rage-filled glare at Deidara, whose triumphant smirk only intensified his anger.

"Now, come over here and allow me to capture you... or I'll make sure your girlfriend goes out with a bang."

Eyes widening, Naruto's shock quickly turned into rage. "You... you bastard... I'll..."

"You won't be doing anything, hm."

"Naruto, no!"

Naruto turned back. Sakura had a pleading look on her face.

"Don't let him..."

Closing his eyes, Naruto looked back at Deidara. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. If your life is on the line..."

"Ah..." Deidara smiled at his own victory. "That's a good Jinchuriki. Come over here, now."

"R-Release Sakura-chan before I-!"

"You aren't in a position to negotiate, hm!" Deidara raised his hands to form a seal. "Now I just have to say one word... one word... and your poor little girlfriend explodes! Hahahaha!"

"No! Wait!"

Deidara's mad laughter stopped. "Unless, of course, you come over here..."

Sakura struggled in vain. The hand seemed to be stuck to her skin. "Naruto!" She shrieked again.

Ignoring her cries, Naruto raised his hands in defeat, a pained expression on his face. "Fine... you... you've got me... I just want her to be safe."

He walked over, his head hung in shame. Sakura tried to move, to stop Naruto, to stop the Akatsuki bastard, but she couldn't.

The clay hand held her in place, and she couldn't use her chakra-enhanced strength to demolish it - or her leg would be crushed as well.

As soon as Naruto got closer, Deidara threw three clay figurines onto the ground.

Three of his explosive spiders appeared, and they latched onto Naruto, their souless eyes keeping watch on his every move.

"You make one move, and-"

"You can't," Naruto glared at his evil opponent. "The Akatsuki needs me alive."

"Oh, you won't die... but I'll make sure you feel extreme pain, hm!" Deidara jumped onto his clay bird. The clay creature opened it's mouth, to reveal Gaara inside. The Gaara on it's talons had been a Clay Clone, as Naruto had painfully discovered.

Deidara offered a hand to Naruto, but he refused to take it, instead jumping onto the bird himself.

"Naruto! No!"

The moment Sakura cried out, the three clay spiders latched onto Naruto's back were flung away.

Deidara turned. "What?!"

On Naruto's back was two tails. The spiky-haired Chunin was now covered in a red-orange chakra cloak.

However, his eyes remained in their normal color of blue.

With a monstrous roar, Naruto made a lunge for Deidara, and tackled him back.

Deidara winced. Touching the cloak made his skin feel extremely hot.

Producing a scroll from his back, Naruto summoned a sword. It was beautifully designed, it's color matching the color of Naruto's chakra cloak.

Soon, the sword was glowing red, infused with Naruto's chakra.

"Fool! You've made a big mistake, hm..." Deidara placed his hands in a seal. "Kat-"

An elegant slash of a sword later, his left wrist had been disconnected from the rest of his arm, and his hand fell off the clay bird into the forest below. Deidara gasped.

Roaring again, Naruto slashed once more, and his right wrist was the next to be severed.

Deidara backed away.

"I don't think you can make anything explode without your hands, can you...?"

"You... you little..."

He only feigned capture to get close to me so he could do... do this!

It was Naruto's turn to smirk, as he dropped his sword.

"A ninja... must see through deception!"

Yelling, the cloaked Jinchuriki got on all fours, and jumped at Deidara, his arms outstretched.

I was planning for the written battle to be really, really good, so the way I wrote it kinda disappointed me a little, but I'm happy that I'm able to dish a new chapter out. I hope everyone enjoyed it.

In the next chapter, the battle between Naruto & Sakura vs Deidara concludes, but the fight between the Uchiha brothers and Sasori is only just beginning! Meanwhile, Team Kakashi defeats their clones and heads to back up Team Itachi.

Catch you readers next time.

Question of the Day: Based on what you've just read, do you think Naruto can fully control the power of the Kyuubi now?

Leave your interesting responses in the reviews.