Chapter 21: A Hard Fought End
Thank you all for sticking with me as I wrote this chapter! I made it SUPER long so I can make up for this month. Reviews appreciated :)
Naruto and Itachi stood still, looking across at the one thousands puppets in the sky.
"Naruto, if I can get close enough to Sasori to look into his eyes I can use my Genjutsu on him." Itachi glanced at Naruto. "And we need to act fast, Hinata needs our help."
"Let's do it." Naruto made the shadow clone sign with his hands, summoning multiple shadow clones beside him.
"Let's play!" Sasori yelled. He shoved multiple puppets in the direction of Itachi.
"Fireball jutsu!" Itachi made the hand signs quickly and blew a large fireball at the puppets, burning them instantly. He immediately started dashing towards Sasori.
"Not so fast, Itachi." Sasori sent hundreds of poison needles Itachi's way.
Itachi's Sharingan picked up all of them, viewing all the needles from different angles around him. He quickly pulled out his kunai and kept running.
The needles stuck in the ground around him as he ran around Sasori, deflecting all of the needles that came towards him.
"Rasengan!" Naruto's shadow clones destroyed multiple puppets flying towards him.
"Dammit! I need to distract Sasori so Itachi can get close!" Naruto kept fighting off puppets as they came towards him.
Naruto's shadow clone storing up Sage Chakra nearby was ready to go, so it disappeared from existence.
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto summoned almost one hundred shadow clones with his sage Chakra.
The shadow clones started forming one giant rasengan to get Sasori's attention.
"Go Naruto!" Itachi yelled.
The shadow clones all disappeared at once, leaving the giant rasengan with Naruto. "Rasengan!" Naruto yelled as he ran towards Sasori's army.
Sasori flung almost all the puppets at once towards Naruto to stop the rasengan. Naruto pushed through the wall of puppets, destroying hundreds of them.
The puppets delayed Naruto's efforts, and Sasori jumped out of the way just in time. Naruto's rasengan hit the sand and created an enormous sandstorm temporarily.
"Damn that was close! Stupid fox." Sasori grumbled.
"Behind you..." Itachi held his kunai at Sasori's neck.
Sasori's head turned to see Itachi staring right back at him, his Sharingan activated. His bold red eyes stared into Sasori's, and he quickly fell to the ground.
All the puppets in the sky started raining down, as they were no longer being controlled by Sasori.
"You can rest easy for now Naruto." Itachi walked back over to Naruto and where the sand prison was.
"Give me a moment, I'll get the jutsu to undo the prison." Itachi with his activated Sharingan and Genjutsu took control of Sasori and used the release jutsu.
He weaved a bunch of hand symbols. "Release!"
The sand prison quickly dispersed, and Hinata was lying in the sand.
"Hinata!" Naruto ran over to her. She was unconscious for now.
"It seems a lot of her Chakra was drained from the sand prison, she'll need some rest before we can keep moving." Itachi took out something soft for Hinata to lay her head on. "For now we need to wait for Sakura and Kakashi to return."
"What do we do about Sasori?" Naruto pointed to his body lying in the floor still under the Genjutsu.
"He'll be fine, won't wake up for a few more hours." Itachi looked up into the sky peacefully.
"So we're not gonna kill that bastard for hurting Hinata?!" Naruto yelled. He was furious.
"They're ninja like us. It's pointless to kill another ninja that's defenceless. We did what we needed and freed Hinata." Itachi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "She'll be okay Naruto, just wait for Sakura to get here and use her medical skill to help out."
"I hope they're okay, they've been chasing that guy for quite a while." Naruto looked off into the distance where they disappeared to.
...
Kakashi and Sakura stood across from the two other Akatsuki members.
"So Hidan, should we end this quick or have a bit of fun with them?" Kakuzu grumbled.
"I wanna go this is boring work. Let's hurry this up." Hidan replied.
"Alright then." Kakuzu walked towards a tree and sat down. "Do your thing Hidan. I'll just get in your way."
"You want me to do this myself?! Fine! Your useless." Hidan pouted.
"Watch your attitude or I'll kill you." Kakuzu replied boldly. He relaxed under the tree and prepared to watch the fight.
"Alright let's get started then." Hidan but his thumb and put his hands together. "Curse Jutsu: Death Possession Blood!"
A circle with a star in the middle was drawn on the ground in blood. Hidan then removed the scythe from his back.
"Just a small hint: don't let me get your blood." Hidan teased as he flung the scythe towards them.
Kakashi and Sakura both jumped out of the way.
"It looks like he's doing some kind of ritual..." Sakura said.
"Just don't let him hit you with that scythe Sakura, I've read about this Akatsuki member in our documents. He uses the blood of his enemies to control them and inflict harm on themselves. It's like a Shadow Possession." Kakashi explained.
Kakashi pulled out a few kunai and threw them Hidan's way. He blocked them with his scythe.
Sakura started running the opposite way to get behind Hidan.
"Oh no you don't!" Hidan swung the scythe towards Sakura, she leapt to the ground and dodged it.
With Hidan's back turned Kakashi went in for the kill.
"Chidori!" Kakashi ran full speed at Hidan and aimed right in the centre of his back.
Hidan turned his head just as Kakashi plunged his arm through his chest.
Sakura watched Kakashi deliver a deadly blow on the Akatsuki member.
"Hm. You could of done that a bit better Hidan." Kakuzu looked over at him.
"Well how about some help!?" Hidan yelled back.
"H-how is he still alive..?" Kakashi pulled his arm away from Hidan and backed away. There was clearly a hole through his back and blood everywhere.
"I'd expect more from an S-Rank ninja." Kakuzu stood up and walked over to Hidan.
"Help me out here! I don't like all this blood." Hidan stood on his little circle he drew earlier.
"Alright alright hold still." Kakuzu used a string like substance from his finger and stitched up Hidan's back and chest.
"Oh I'm immortal by the way." Hidan laughed.
Kakuzu finished stitching Hidan up. "Ahh, that's better." Hidan stretched. "Oh and you, girl."
Sakura stared at Hidan in shock.
"I got something!" Hidan Help up the scythe with a small amount of blood on it.
"Oh no!" Kakashi was wide eyed. He had to do something quick.
Hidan licked the blood off the scythe. "Time for the real battle to begin!" Hidan made a few hand signs and stood still inside his circle.
Kakashi watched as Sakura was forcefully brought up from the ground and on her feet again. He was in complete control of her.
"Kakuzu, make sure that guy doesn't interfere." Hidan smiled.
Kakuzu walked over to Kakashi and put an arm around his shoulder. "Let's watch the show." Kakuzu laughed. Kakashi just stood there still.
"Help Kakashi sensei!" Sakura yelled. She tried to fight the control but it was too strong.
"Looks like he's too scared to do anything." Hidan replied.
Just as he said that, Kakashi turned into a small log of wood that fell to the ground.
"A substitution?!" Kakuzu frantically looked around to find him.
Kakashi sat atop a tree branch in the shadows nearby, nobody could see him.
"If I could force Hidan out of that ritual circle, I could free Sakura from the jutsu." He whispered o himself.
"Kamui!" Kakashi activated his Sharingan.
Suddenly, the ground underneath Hidan's feet crumbled and disappeared, making him fall to the ground. Sakura was released from the jutsu.
Kakashi quickly leaped down from the tree and went beside Sakura.
"I'm here Sakura, don't worry." Kakashi stared back at Kakuzu with his Sharingan. Hidan got up on his feet again.
"Thank you Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura said great fully.
"It looks like they know your trick Hidan. It's best not to make a fool of yourself again." Kakuzu looked over at Hidan.
"Ugh shut up." Hidan complained.
"Just get one with it already." Kakuzu was prepared to fight.
"Sakura, just some information on that other Akatsuki member. The threads he used to sew up Hidan are all in his body. He can use them to project his body and use them as weapons, so be careful." Kakashi took out another kunai and so did Sakura.
Hidan threw his scythe their way again, Kakashi and Sakura kept to the side and dodged it this time.
Kakuzu dashed towards Kakashi with a kunai in hand.
"Sakura! Take care of Hidan, be careful!" Kakashi stopped Kakuzu right in front of him with their kunai's clashing together.
Sakura ran towards Hidan.
Hidan grabbed his scythe and started swiping at Sakura like a kunai. With her strength she kicked the scythe out of his hands momentarily.
"Hyah!" Sakura punched Hidan full force in the chest, sending him flying back hundreds of yards in the distance.
"Sakura double team Kakuzu while you can!" Kakashi and Kakuzu we're fighting in hand to hand combat. Kakuzu had exceptional Taijutsu skills and was really fast, Kakashi almost not stopping his every hit.
Sakura ran over to the two.
Sakura threw a punch at Kakuzu which he blocked with his forearm. Kakashi slashed his other arm with a kunai, cutting it.
With a powerful back kick Kakuzu sent Sakura to the ground.
"Chidori!" Kakashi plunged his arm straight through the chest of Kakuzu.
Kakuzu fell to the ground.
"Good job Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura stood up.
"Grr..." Kakuzu stood back up. "You have to hit me harder than that to kill me..." Kakuzu grumbled.
Suddenly, five masks appeared on Kakuzu's chest, one of which was shattered where Kakashi hit him before.
"Hyah!" Sakura took a punch at Kakuzu's head from behind at full force.
Kakuzu blocked it effortlessly with his forearm, not even moving. His strength matched that of Lady Tsunade.
Kakuzu kept back and started some hand signs.
"Fireball jutsu!" Kakuzu blew a big fireball in the direction of Kakashi, hitting him directly.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled.
Kakashi's body poofed into a wooden log, using his substitution again.
Kakuzu moved quickly and flung his arm out at Sakura with the thread like material in his body. Sakura was knocked back hard against a tree. Kakuzu walked over to her.
Kakashi timed his jump from a nearby tree and plunged a kunai into Kakuzu's chest, shattering another mask. He grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her away as quickly as he could.
Sakura stood up dazed by the hit.
"Sakura, stay back on guard for a minute. Be alert for Hidan." Kakashi said as he ran towards Kakuzu.
Kakuzu launched one of his arms towards Kakashi, he jumped out of the way in time.
A mask burst out of Kakuzu's chest, a red mask. The threads in Kakuzu's body moulded a body like shape around the mask making it a separate being.
From the red mask, fireballs started launching out at a fast speed. Kakashi started running out of the way.
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Kakashi summoned two shadow clones.
Kakuzu came at the real Kakashi fast, delivering a punch to his chest. Kakashi blocked the second one with two of his arms, absorbing all of the force.
Meanwhile a shadow clone ran at the masked figure, it got hit with a fireball and disappeared.
One ran up behind quickly. "Chidori!" It plunged its dust straight through the mask shattering it.
Suddenly, without throwing another punch, Kakuzu leapt back atop a branch.
Kakashi's shadow clone disappeared from existence.
Hidan came walking out of the shadows behind Kakuzu.
"Man, that punch was hard." He walked out slowly.
"Hidan, retreat for now." Kakuzu growled.
"What? Why! I'm here now! You know how much walking I did?" Hidan seemed confused.
"They broke 3 of my masks already, it'll be only a matter of time before they break the other two. Let's retreat for now." Kakuzu narrowed his eyes at Kakashi.
Sakura walked up beside Kakashi.
"We'll meet again." Kakuzu said quickly as he disappeared in a flash.
"Well I can't fight both of you, so I guess I'll follow him." Hidan groaned. "Nice fight!" Hidan started laughing as he walked away.
"S-should we follow them?" Sakura questioned.
"No... leave them." Kakashi was panting. "It's good they left, I'm almost out of Chakra from using Chidori too many times, plus that Kamui."
"Should we head back to Naruto and the others?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, let's head back in a few, give me a moment." Kakashi sat down to rest up for a brief moment.
...
"It's been quite a while since we were separated." Itachi wondered how Kakashi and Sakura were holding up.
"I'm sure they're okay, it's Kakashi-sensei after all." Naruto was sitting beside Hinata until she would wake up.
In the distance Itachi saw the white clay bird.
"Deidara's back." Itachi stood still guarding the two behind him.
In a few moments Deidara landed his bird close to Sasori.
"Jeez Sasori, what happened?" He looked around at the broken puppets on the battle field, and at Sasori's still body. "Did you kill him?"
"He's only under a Genjutsu." Itachi replied. "He'll be awake in a few hours. In the meantime I suggest you get your friend and go. If you don't I'll be forced to kill you."
Deidara chuckled.
"Alright, lets go Sasori." He picked up Sasori's body and laid it on the back of his big clay bird.
"I'll be back for the Nine Tails, watch out." Deidara stared at Naruto.
With that, Deidara and Sasori flew off again, leaving the three ninja to finally rest easy.
"Now it's only a matter of time before Kakashi and Sakura get back, I hope." Itachi stared off into the distance.
...
Around 30 minutes later, Kakashi and Sakura joined the other three back safe and sound.
Kakashi filled everyone in on the fight they had with the other two Akatsuki members. Sakura went to go tend to Hinata's injuries as she was still unconscious.
The four ninja decided to pitch up their sleeping tents for the night as they waited for Hinata to awake.
Hinata finally woke up when the desert got dark. Everyone was asleep besides Naruto, who still sat beside her in case anything happened.
"Hinata! You're awake!" Naruto hugged her tightly as she sat up.
"W-what happened? Are they gone?" Hinata mumbled rubbing her eyes.
"The Akatsuki members fled, we're all okay. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura made it back and they're all resting." Naruto explained. "I'm so happy your okay, I was worried."
"T-thank you Naruto..." Hinata blushed.
"You should get some more rest, Sakura said your Chakra was depleted pretty bad." Naruto told her.
"A-alright." Hinata stood up wobbly.
"Goodnight Naruto... I love you." She smiled and blushed again.
"I love you too Hinata, goodnight." Naruto smiled back.
Hinata went into her tent, and Naruto laid down in the sand looking up at the stars. He wasn't even tired. He only had two things on his mind: Hinata and Sasuke. Hinata was safe, and now they could continue their original mission.
'We're coming for you now, Sasuke.'
They would continue their mission in the morning.
...
"It looks like your friends fought hard to keep their mission going for you." A voice hissed.
"I don't care." Sharp red eyes pierced the darkness. He laid back in his chair.
"Why not? They're your old teammates." The same voice got closer to Sasuke.
"They only hinder me in obtaining power. They do no justice in coming here." Sasuke bit back.
"If you say so." The man was now right beside Sasuke.
"You can leave Orochimaru." Sasuke told him. "It's better if I'm left alone."
"As you wish." Orochimaru left Sasuke's dark room.
'What compels you to keep chasing me Naruto?' With that thought, Sasuke sat still in his chair, staring into the darkness.