Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto; just Shara!
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to XXBlackfireXX; thanks for reviewing, Alerting and Favoriting! Also to Lunylulu and artemis; thanks for your spazzy reviews. XD Also to SomeOtherPerson; thanks for reviewing, Alerting and Favoriting!
Wanderer of the Sand
Chapter XXXVI
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The bird and its master retreated over the woods. We pounced from branch to branch below in pursuit.
"Wait up!" Kakashi ordered Naruto abruptly. The loudmouth ignored him. So the Jonin leapt forward, grabbing his overzealous student and making him stop.
I joined them in nonmovement, confused and impatient. "Why are we stopping?!" I demanded.
Kakashi started moving again as we followed; he had just been trying to slow Naruto down. "Now listen up, you two," the grey-haired man said in a low voice. "There are two ways to defeat an opponent like this. One-you draw him into short range, then attack. Or two-you overpower him with your own long-range attacks."
"Now, in this situation you must have either someone who specializes in long-range jutsu or a brain like Shikamaru. Otherwise, victory is impossible." "Get to the point!" Naruto snapped. "Which are you?!"
"Well," drawled Kakashi, "I guess I'm a Jonin who specializes in long-range jutsu and has a brain like Shikamaru."
"Then we have what we need!" Naruto yelled impatiently. "Calm down," he was reprimanded. "It's not that easy. He's giving us no openings. This is a man who entered the Sand and defeated Gaara by himself. Above all, he is a member of the Akatsuki. Therefore, our only option is to create an opening. Now let me tell you the plan…"
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"It's still not ready?! Come on, Kakashi-sensei!"
"I told you, calm down. And besides it's-there. Ready. Let's go!"
His Sharingan had changed.
He used it to create the amazingly realistic illusion that all of time and space was warping; something invisible closing on Deidara. The pinnacle was supposed to be Kakashi using the illusion to crush Deidara, but the blond man sensed what was happening at the last possible second. He dove sideways, his arm crushed off.
The illusion broke as blood spurted. Kakashi tried to refocus, but the target was now swerving everywhere.
This was Naruto's cue. He made a Shadow Clone, and both boy and clone attacked Deidara in midair with a spiral jutsu.
The Akatsuki member's distraction cost him; although the attack didn't hit him as he dodged, his clay bird was roughly split in half. I bolted, catching the half that held Gaara (and almost collapsing at the weight of it) and laying it carefully on a tree branch.
Deidara landed on another branch nearby, catching his breath.
Realizing that attack was not imminent, I started tearing at the clay in a frenzy. Naruto sent his Shadow Clone to help out as he and Kakashi also caught their breath on a third branch.
An idea hit me. "Back up," I warned the clone, who obliged. I made the necessary hand signs.
Twelve Fists-Mastered State!
Tripled strength. This had better work. My chakra was all but gone.
I reared back and punched the brittle clay with every ounce of power I could muster up.
It only occurred to me after the fact that I could have hit Gaara. Thankfully, I didn't.
Not that it really mattered anymore.
His corpse was in a sitting position inside the clay, eyes still closed. My stomach did another uncomfortable lurch. Oh God…
Naruto's face fell. I heard his real self say in a deadly calm tone, "I will get you."
"I'll fight you again soon," the wounded explosives-expert replied agreeably.
"Yes. You've let your guard down," Kakashi remarked.
No need to tell us twice!
Another Naruto clone attacked from behind the blond man; I attacked from the front.
Deidara fell, but two furious young ninja were far from finished with him. Still more clones grabbed each of the man's limbs and held him to the ground.
The real Naruto and I closed in, putting the force of our fall and all of our fury into the kicks we delivered.
Pow!!
And we were not done.
Both of us were in a mad frenzy, kicking and punching like toddlers in a fight, but with considerably more power. Even in our exhausted state, we had silently resolved to give that man hell.
Bambambambambambam!!
The blood of Gaara's murderer was flying everywhere, covering the ground, covering us, but we couldn't care less. It didn't register. He had ended the life of someone dear to us. Our only desire was to cause him agony.
But even in that position, I knew enough to back the heck off when Naruto loaded up his Rasengan and pounded into the man with it. Jeez, loudmouth, are you trying to put a hole through my head?!
But go figure.
Lying in Deidara's place was a clay substitution.
To Be Continued….