Akatsuki's Move
The next day Sakura and I decided to go to Ichiraku's for my promotion.
"I still can't believe I'm special Jonin," I said.
"Naruto remember, special jonins aren't fully rank jonins like Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, "Its just means you're higher level than Chuunin, but not at the level of a Jonin."
"I know," I responded, "Wait before the test Kakashi-sensei said you're a chuunin."
"Yeah, which means you're higher rank than me," Sakura said.
I smelled two familiar scents coming our way and turned to see Shikamaru and Temari.
Shikamaru was close to my height as he had a black suite with his headband attach to the arm sleeve as if part of his suite with an ninja vest.
Temari was about Sakura's height maybe taller wearing a black dress red cloth around her waist, fan strapped to her back like before, only this time her sand village headband was tied around her forehead instead around her neck.
"Hey Shikamaru Temari, look whose back," Sakura said pointing toward me when she noticed I wasn't paying attention to her.
"Hey Naruto is that really you?" Shikamaru asked.
"Hey Shikamaru, Temari," I responded.
"That's the same Naruto Uzumaki," Temari thought looking at me.
"When did you get home?" Shikamaru asked.
"Just yesterday," I answered.
"Not just that Shikamaru, but you're no longer the only special Jonin," Sakura said, "Naruto was promoted just last night."
"Wait a minute, you're a special Jonin too?" I asked.
"Yeah, promoted last year," Shikamaru said, "I didn't want full rank Jonin like Neji and Shino."
"Whoa wait Neji and Shino are fully rank Jonins?" I asked.
"Yeah so are Temari and Kankaro," Shikamaru said.
"Although I'm just here because the chuunin exams are coming up and I'm going between leaf and sand to help set things up," Temari explained, "And this lazy guy is my escort while here."
"Oh," I responded.
"That's just part of the news Naruto," Sakura said, "Kiba, Hinata, Choji Ino, Tenten and Lee were promoted to Chuunin just like me."
"Wow the news just gets better," I responded and realized something, "Wait what about Gaara?"
"Gaara is now 5th Kazekage of the hidden sand village," Temari said.
"Wow, 5th Kazekage," I responded.
"Yeah, Gaara changed a lot since you last saw him," Temari said, "He decided to start using the Shukaku's power to protect the sand village without releasing it. With that he agreed to become Kazekage."
"Well if you see him tell him I said congrats," I said.
"Also Lady Tsunade was chosen to take over as 5th Kazekage if anything happens to Lord Hokage," Sakura said.
"That sounds great," I said.
At the sand village Gaara was called in a meeting about the Akatsuki and the chuunin exam.
At the same time two Akatsukis were coming to the sand village. One was a tall one from the stone village known as Deidara, and the other was a big short one as it seems, from the sand village name Sasori. They were after Gaara for the Shukaku sealed in him.
The guards were watching when they saw the two and was set.
However when the two Akatsukis arrived only one member was there name Yuura.
"You remember me," Sasori said.
"Yes sir, lord Sasori," Yuura said.
Deidara used what was mouths on the palms of his hands to form a clay bird. He toss it and made the handsign. The clay bird grew to human size and almost alive.
"We will attack the village from above," Deidara said removing his hat revealing his long blond hair tied in a ponytail, and jumped on the bird as it flew off.
He flew over the sky and use his scope to see all the guards.
"There are three sky guards," Deidara counted, "This will be interesting."
He formed a few spider clay figures.
He threw them and made the handsign.
The spiders came to life and landed near each guard.
Gaara was in his office and saw the clay bird and knew it meant trouble.
The spiders jumped onto the guards and Deidara use them to explode.
Deidara use the moment and flew onto the building.
"Infiltration success," Deidara said.
Then he noticed that Gaara was waiting for on the building with his robes off.
Deidara look around and saw that Gaara's sand was coming at him.
Deidara flew off dodging the attack.
Gaara summoned his sand to attack Deidara who kept dodging it.
"How did you know I was here?" Deidara asked.
"There's no bird like that in the sand village," Gaara explained.
"So my sneaking in plan fails, at least I won't have to go far to look for you," Deidara said forming some clay birds.
Gaara summoned the sand from the desert to help him out.
"Should of expect you have a geological advantage," Deidara said.
Meanwhile I was having lunch at Ichirakus.
"Uh-huh, I expected to find you here," a familiar voice.
I turned to see Kuroda standing there.
"Kuroda!" I shouted.
He joined me with a bowl of Ramen.
"So you were promoted to special Jonin," Kuroda said.
"Yeah but its not fully rank Jonin like Neji Shino Temari and Kankaro, at least Shikamaru is Special Jonin, not to mention I heard and know that Sakura, Ino, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Tenten, and Lee are Chuunins," I said, "Not to mention according to Temari, Gaara was name Kazekage."
"I know I visited the sand village while you were gone," Kuroda said, "I heard about the chief as well."
"Yeah, but I know he'll be happy now because I didn't turn into my father, and he'll be with his friends now," I said.
"Yeah that's true," Kuroda said.
At the sand village Gaara summoned a giant sand hand at Deidara.
Deidara threw a few birds at Gaara.
Gaara protected himself in a sphere of sand.
Just then the giant hand incase Deidara in a sphere. Deidara send an explosion and broke out and fell.
He summoned a clay owl to save his fall.
Gaara summoned his sand around Deidara's arm.
"Sand Coffin!" Gaara shouted closing his hand.
The sand crushed Deidara's arm as he flew away.
Deidara figured out Gaara's sand and knew something had to be done with the little clay he had left.
Deidara formed a big clay doll in his hand
Kankaro Baki and other sand ninjas was watching the battle from bellow.
"Gaara's opponent must be from the Akatsukis, not good," Kankaro said.
"We must help Lord Kazekage," Baki ordered.
"Sir," the others agreed and set off.
"Kankaro we must consider a chance that Gaara might loose control and release the Shukaku," Baki said.
"Don't worry, Gaara won't harm a single soul in this village," Kankaro said remembering back when Gaara made his new plans.
…Flashback…
"Gaara, I hate to say this but people in our village sees you as a dangerous weapon," Kankaro said, "Not even the superiors trust you, and you're leaving to join the main force isn't going to change much."
"I know, but waiting to be attack is pointless, all I can do is work hard and gain their trust, and one day become Kazekage, and maybe I can be like Naruto," Gaara said, "Unlike me, he has real demon blood in him as he's the son of the Nine-tail fox, was alone at one time with no friends, and yet he manage to grow a bond of trust and friendship amongst others around him. He taught me I can grow a bond with anyone and change my path. Now I hope that one day I can grow that bond of trust toward my people as Kazekage."
…End of Flashback…
Everyone cheered for Gaara to beat Deidara.
"Since this village seem important to you I'm going to destroy it," Deidara said transforming the clay doll to one the size of a house as it dropped.
"Everyone spread out!" Baki ordered.
"Too late," Deidara said making the hand sign.
The clay doll exploded few feet from the buildings.
However the giant sphere of sand turned into a giant shield that covered the sand village under Gaara's command.
"This is one of Lord Kazekage's shields," one of the ninjas said.
"To think he can create a shield that big," the other said.
"Gaara," Kankaro said watching.
"You're in shooting range," Deidara said making the hand sign.
A small clay bird flew up close to the hole in Gaara's defense and exploded.
When the smoke cleared the hole was filled with the sand that snagged Deidara's arm as it was protected Gaara.
"I should of guessed from that sand of his," Deidara said, "But still…"
Inside small clay spiders dug through into the center where Gaara was in.
Deidara made the hand sign and the clay spiders exploded from the inside.
"When he snagged my arm I mix in some of my clay into the sand," Deidara explained.
The sand barried fell apart around Gaara. Gaara use the last bit of his chakra to move the sand shield away from the village.
"Leave it to a Kazekage to use his last bit of chakra to protect his village," Deidara said.
The barrier fell outside the sand village as the sand ninjas watch as Gaara fell from his dome.
"Gaara!" Kankaro shouted.
Deidara's clay owl grabbed Gaara as he flew off toward the gates.
Kankaro ran off after them with backup coming to help.
A/N: I know the flashback was way out of Naruto's POV, but I wanted to add it to show how Naruto impact Gaara in this story into making Gaara wanting to become Kazekage.
Next Time: Kankaro faces against one of the Akatsukis and get poison. Now Sakura Kakashi and I go on our first mission as team Kakashi to help save Gaara. Along the way we meet up with Temari and she guided us to the sand village. What will happen, and why are the elders of the sand village coming back? Read To Find Out...