Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Legacy of the Messiah
Chapter21: Rescue Mission Part 2
Wind Country: Northern Caves
Sasori came in from the side with his two spinning blades rotating as he drew near. Naruto reacted instinctively and jumped over the attack only to get caught in the shoulder by the tail end of the cable that came at him next. He winced from the pain it caused but shrugged it off and took a look at his shoulder. It was green and he knew instantly what that meant.
"You're attacks are poisoned," Naruto stated.
"Of course!" Sasori bellowed with a haunting look and pointed the tubes coming out of his hands at the blond.
Naruto ducked down under a patch of upturned earth as flames erupted from the tubes and blanketed over the area. The blond cursed as used a kunai to open the wound in his shoulder up so it can let the poison out. Kyuubi's chakra was always slowed down whenever he was poisoned but thankfully the foul chakra was capable of destroying almost any poison in existence. The more deadly the poison the longer it would take to destroy it and quite frankly he just didn't have the time to wait for Kyuubi to destroy this particular poison.
Naruto stood up and dashed out of cover, Sasori's flamethrowers trying to catch him as he did. The blond jumped a moment later as high as he could go and formed several hand-seals before taking a deep breath. Sasori's eyes widened as a massive blast of wind exploded from the blonde's mouth.
"Futon: Renkudan!"
The already destroyed cave was blown away by the explosion of wind; nearby trees collapsed also and what was left would make a nice little lake in the future. Sasori's motionless and destroyed puppet form in the cluster of rubble. After a moment of silence Naruto sighed and turned to leave when he felt a shift the in air behind him. Turning back swiftly he saw that Sasori's body was rebuilding itself and was soon capable of fighting again.
"What does it take to kill you?!" Naruto shouted.
Sasori gave him a crazed look, "didn't I say that there was art in eternal beauty?" He pulled out a scroll a moment later and opened it. "Aka Higi: Hyakki no Sōen," Naruto could only watch as one hundred puppets appeared above them. Sasori put his right hand to his face and shook his head, "I once destroyed an entire country with these...to think you've pushed me this far".
Naruto quickly formed a hand-seal and his form exploded in chakra. "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," exactly one hundred shadow clones appeared all over the destroyed cave. "Numbers mean nothing to me!" Naruto shouted at the puppeteer.
Sasori looked around with a crazed look on his face, "so many clones...once this is over I'll add your body to my collection...the number of clones you can call on a whim will be very helpful for me".
"I'm going to beat your wooden ass into the ground!" Naruto shouted as he and his clones shot forward. 'I know Ero-Sennin didn't want me to use this jutsu but I just can't think of any other way to make this guy stay down'.
"You can try!" Sasori shot back as his puppets charged.
The clones and the puppets clashed as Naruto made his way through the battlefield. His clones intercepted the attacks that the puppets sent at him as he drew closer to his intended target. Two puppets came in front of him to block his path and he threw a single kunai through the rapidly closing gap towards Sasori.
Once it was through the kunai exploded in smoke and transformed into the real Naruto, "Henge no Jutsu". He formed a hand-seal and a pair of clones appeared, running at his side.
'When did he pull off a Henge?' Sasori asked in surprise as Naruto came at him. 'What is that jutsu?' he asked in thought when he heard a bell-like screech vibrate through the air and a white shuriken-like object appear in the blonde's hand.
"Futon: Rasenshuriken!" Naruto called out as he drove the jutsu into the puppeteer's chest.
There was a moment of silence before a deafening boom echoed through the area as Sasori was blown back and encased in a sphere of wind and power. The wind slashed and shredded his form before finally exploding with a massive blast of wind. The puppets all fell to the ground lifeless and the remaining clones went to work in destroy what was left of them with explosive notes while the real Naruto kept his gaze on the still standing Akatsuki agent.
"Damn...I never expected you to use such a jutsu...I can feel it...my body is falling apart," Sasori rasped out.
"That's what you get when your body into a puppet...and for the record. My jutsu isn't finished; if it was you would already be nothing but dust right now," Naruto told him.
Sasori let a smirk form on his face fractured, "your something else Kyuubi Jinchuuriki...I will soon die. Before that, I'll do something pointless for you...a...reward for defeating me...you know Orochimaru don't you?"
Naruto nodded unsure of where he was going with it, "yes I'm planning on killing him".
Sasori's smirk widened slightly, "splendid...I have a spy in Otokagure no Sato...one of Orochimaru's personal henchmen...I was supposed to meet him at the Tenchi Bridge in ten days at noon...it looks like I won't be able too..."
"Why are you telling me this?" Naruto asked him.
"Because it's something pointless," Sasori answered before his body shattered into dust and drifted off a moment later.
Naruto clenched his fist and stood in place for twenty seconds before a column of light erupted from the destroyed container which once held Sasori's only human component: his heart. An object hovered in place for a moment before flying at high speeds directly into Naruto's hands, causing him to skid back a little.
The blond shook himself a moment later and looked down at the object in his hands. It was a brown crystal necklace which gave him the feeling of a slow moving wind around him.
The Prophecy draws near...three of six...sage...
"What is this?" Naruto asked looking around and then back at the necklace in his hands.
...You are...Destiny...Child of Prophecy...last hope...
'Just who are you?' Naruto asked the voice.
...No longer needed...moon...Biju...
After a few minutes of silence it was clear that Naruto wasn't going to get any answers and put the necklace around his neck just like he did with the other two he had gotten. He turned away a moment later and took off into the trees in the direction of Suna knowing that his team-mates were no doubt in that general direction.
Wind Country: Northern Forest
Yugito and Tayuya had been pursuing the airborne Akatsuki member for the better part of fifteen minutes now and could still hear the distinctive sound of explosions coming from behind them where they knew was fighting this man's partner. Above them Deidara flew atop his clay-dragon and sneered back at them as he banked higher into the air above the small valley.
"Tayuya get ready," Yugito told her as she ignited her arm in flames.
"Your move bitch," the redhead responded with a grin.
"Katon: Dai Kaizuki!"
Deidara's eyes widened in surprise as a long blade of fire extended out towards him. He tried to manoeuvre around it but was unable to dodge in time and it sliced clean through his arm causing him to gasp in pain.
'That bitch; she just took off my right arm,' Deidara growled in thought before sensed a presence behind him. He turned swiftly to see Tayuya descending towards him with her fist cover in lightning, 'damn it.'
"Chidori!" the redhead called out as Deidara jumped away. Tayuya cut right through the clay-dragon and the two ninja dropped down into the trees below.
"Are you okay Tayuya," Yugito asked as she appeared at her side.
"Just fucking great," the redhead responded.
"You two brats are pissing me off," Deidara growled at them.
"We'll kick your ass bastard," Tayuya shot back.
"You kill innocent people and think you can get away with it? Don't even think that for a second," Yugito told him.
"If by innocent people you mean you Jinchuuriki let me tell you something; we've captured two of them already not including that red-haired brat of a Kazekage and in both cases they were disgusting creatures who hated everything and were hated themselves. No one lifted a finger to help them or defend them; people were actually glad to see them go," Deidara said with a grin. "All monsters don't deserve to live...just like you".
Tayuya looked over at Yugito and saw the stone expression on her face. The redhead turned back to their opponent and shouted in anger, "who are you to decide who should live and who should die? Seems to me that you're the only monster here bastard!"
"Tayuya stop," Yugito told her before she could rush forward. The blond kunoichi looked over at the Akatsuki agent again and said simply, "if anyone doesn't deserve to live here it's you".
Deidara scoffed at her, "whatever you say demon".
"You're too careless," Yugito commented with a smile that belonged on a predator.
Deidara turned swiftly as he felt a figure drop in from behind him; it was another Yugito with her arm covered in flames. "Kaizuki!" she exclaimed as she sliced her jutsu through the Akatsuki member's other arm and severed it from his body.
"You bitch!" Deidara roared and made to kicked her.
"Chidori," Tayuya whispered as her lightning covered fist tore through the man's back in a spray of blood.
"N-no-" Deidara rasped out as Tayuya removed her hand. He fell to the ground a moment later...
...He didn't get up...
"That was too easy," Tayuya said simply.
"I know...he must have run out of clay when he fought Kazekage-sama," Yugito mused remembering what they were told about the man while in Suna.
She checked the man's pulse just to make certain he was dead...
...There was none...
"What do we do now?" Tayuya asked her.
"We meet up with Yamato and the others," a voice said from behind them. They turned quickly before relaxing when they saw it was an exhausted Naruto, "are you two alright?"
"We're fine; the guy was pretty much out of chakra and weapons to throw at us. I think we can thank Kazekage-sama for that," Yugito told him.
"Yeah the fucker went down in only a few moves," Tayuya agreed.
"...Akatsuki have three of the Biju in their possession now including the Ichibi," Yugito informed him.
Naruto sighed and nodded, "let's get out of here".
He sealed away the body and the three took off into the trees once again...
Wind Country: Plain
The three arrived on the grassy open plain where they came across the sight of an alive Gaara surrounded by dozens of Suna nins including Temari and a now healed Kankuro along with Yamato and what looked like an unconscious Chiyo. The group saw them approach and they made their way to the center where Gaara stood giving his respects to Chiyo.
"Gaara?" Naruto asked upon reaching the former Ichibi Jinchuuriki.
"I am alive Uzumaki...Chiyo-Obachan saved me," Gaara answered his unasked question.
"What...happened?" he asked the Kazekage.
"...She gave her life for mine," Gaara replied as he gazed upon the woman who died to bring him back. "She gave me a message to give to you...she said that the world will always belong to the younger generation". Naruto didn't know what to say to that, "...we must return to Suna...everyone move out".
Gaara turned and started away but he fell forward since his legs were still adjusting to his control again. Naruto and Kankuro grabbed his arms and helped him walk. The rest of the group followed close behind as they set off towards the direction of Suna...
Wind Country: Suna / Main Entrance
Upon their return to Suna the Kazekage was taken to the hospital and Yugito attended to him since she was the most skilled medic there. Even without the Ichibi sealed within him, Gaara still had some lingering abilities that the demon had. Most notably were his ability to control sand and quick recovery rate.
Two days after they returned to Suna Gaara was allowed to leave the hospital and return to his duties as Kazekage. The villagers celebrated his return and of course Team Naruto was forced to attend at Gaara's request. Finally on the third day it was time for the team to leave for Konoha after receiving recall orders via messenger hawk.
"Well I guess this is where we part ways huh?" Naruto asked the young Kazekage.
"...Thank you for everything you've done for me Uzumaki-san," Gaara said, holding out his hand.
Naruto took it, "it's Namikaze now actually; Tayuya is an Uzumaki".
A flash of surprise crossed Gaara's face but he nodded after a moment, "I see...do be careful on your journey".
"Hey, it's me," Naruto said indignantly.
"That's why I worry," Gaara grunted. "Akatsuki now has three of the Biju...they will come after you and Nii-san soon".
"We'll be ready," Naruto told him.
"I hope you are," Gaara nodded and took a step back.
"Come on let's go; I want to be back in Konoha in three days," Naruto said to his team and turned away.
"Hey wait for me!" Tayuya called as she took off after him.
"Kazekage-sama," Yugito bowed before following.
"If you find out anything about Akatsuki please send a message to the Hokage, Kazekage," Yamato said and soon followed after them.
"What do we do now Gaara?" Temari asked her brother.
"...We prepare," Gaara said as he turned and entered the village.
Author's Notes:
Is anyone else feeling the Clone Wars kinda thing coming from the Naruto-Sasori fight? You know shadow clones and puppets; clone troopers and droids. I know someone's going to mention it so I think I should explain myself; this arc and the next one need to happen in a similar way to canon though there will be serious changes when you compare the two. Before anyone asks the answer is yes, I am putting Sai in the story. After that I think you will find what I do to be very surprising.
As for Deidara, yes I realise I killed him off without a proper fight but in all honesty it was simply his time to go. I mean he had to have used up all of his clay again Gaara and even if he didn't, he still wouldn't have had the strength left to fight against a Jinchuuriki and a Rinnegan user. I mean do you really think he could have survived a fight against Naruto during the Gaara Retrieval Arc when Naruto released two tails? Do you honestly think Deidara would have survived a battle on that scale while in the shape he was in?
Translation
Rikudō-Sennin = Sage of Six Paths
Futon: Renkudan = Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet
Aka Higi: Hyakki no Sōen = Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets
Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu = Multiple Shadow Clone Technique
Henge no Jutsu = Transformation Technique
Futon: Rasenshuriken = Wind Release: Spiralling Shuriken
Katon: Dai Kaizuki = Fire Release: Big Fire Blade
Chidori = Thousand Birds
Kaizuki = Fire Blade
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