Chapter 39: Kakashi's Weapon, Yuna's Defense
We caught up with Naruto as the enemy stopped to talk to him seeing they were both surprised to see us as I said, "Maybe you should train your pets to tell the difference between a shadow clone and the real person."
He glared towards us as Naruto went to move but Kakashi stopped him saying, "I promise we'll get Gaara back."
Naruto looked over towards him seeing his features soften as Kakashi put his hand on his shoulder saying, "You're not the best match to fight a long-range attacker like him. Our best options are to draw the enemy into a close-range attack or outdo him in a long-range battle."
"Well then what do we do?" Naruto asked defeated as Kakashi replied, "Each unit should have someone who specializes on long range attacks or one who can support Ninjutsu from far away. Without either it will be impossible to beat an enemy."
"Stop beating around the bush it has to be you." Naruto said as Kakashi said, "Yes a Jonin who specializes in long range Ninjutsu and can analyze the enemy..."
"Then we got what we need." Naruto said as I looked towards him saying, "Which means we'll be okay."
I gave him a smile as he calmed down nodding lightly towards us saying, "Well then what are we waiting for?"
"We need to make it so we aren't chasing him anymore… you have to remember he alone infiltrated the Sand Village and defeated Gaara in battle plus we can't forget he's apart of Akatsuki." Kakashi said in a serious tone.
I looked up seeing Deidara start to fly away watching Naruto go to chase him but stop hearing Kakashi say, "If you have been listening to what I've been saying then lend me your ear and together we'll stop him."
We began moving again as Kakashi went over his plan to Naruto as I listened beside them already knowing what he was going to attempt. In all my training with Kakashi he rarely used his Sharingan, so I never got to see its true potential. He began concentrating as I looked towards the enemy seeing he also had noticed but was unaware of what was to come.
After a few minutes of pursing Deidara Naruto had finally calmed down seeing him look towards Kakashi saying, "Aren't you done yet?"
"Hold your horses Naruto I don't have the kind of chakra you do, this takes time." Kakashi said as I looked up towards Gaara, just a little bit longer now.
"Is it ready yet Kakashi?" Naruto asked after a few more moments seeing Kakashi lift his head opening his eyes seeing a new form to his Sharingan.
"Let's finish this you two." he said as I nodded looking at Deidara determined, "Right."
Moving back a little way from Kakashi, Naruto and I let him take the lead seeing the air around Deidara become distorted like he was leaving reality. Naruto and I climbed up the wall seeing Deidara appear to get sucked into a hole as I began to wonder if this was a Genjutsu or happening.
The hole began to get smaller seeing his arm beginning to get sucked into it watching it break off before it disappeared completely. My eyes widened looking towards Kakashi to see he was still standing but it looked like Deidara wasn't done yet as I climbed to the top of the wall.
I could see the sky around him become disorienting again jumping through the trees, but Kakashi was getting tired knowing Naruto and I had to act fast. Watching the sky begin to go back to normal I tightened my fist as my blood danced around it starting to spark.
Jumping up beside Naruto we surprised Deidara as I thrust my hand forward taking out the bird while Naruto used his Rasangan to cut its head off retrieving Gaara. Landing on a branch I saw Naruto's clones had grabbed Gaara while I began looking around for the enemy.
"I'll get you!" Naruto yelled hearing Deidara say, "Maybe some other time."
"Too late." Kakashi said as I came out from behind him seeing the lightning around my blood dance to life connecting to his chest sending him flying down with me on top of him.
Landing hard on the ground my lightning died down as I looked seeing that it was a substitution and I had hit clay.
Naruto landed beside me as I took a step back seeing him kneel over the clay suddenly feeling the air grow thick as red chakra started to seep from him. I began taking a few more steps back noticing a tail of chakra begin to form on him, this was what Kakashi warned me about.
"Naruto..." I said softly trying to calm him down seeing his whole body get cloaked with the red chakra while his teeth turned into fangs.
Reaching for my pouch I saw his fist lift in the air jumping back while he punched down on the clay causing a huge crater as I stood above him trying to figure out how to approach this. He jumped up near me seeing another tail start to appear watching him look around for the enemy.
Looking over at Kakashi I saw Naruto's clones begin to double over in pain as Naruto jumped up seeing him punch a tree causing a line of trees began to rumble and fall. Moving out of the way of the crossfire I stood on a rock opposite from him. Looking over at Kakashi he was still too weak to stand so I decided I needed to step in before it was too late.
"Naruto you need to calm down." I said sternly seeing him turn to me and glare before jumping at me as I dodged just in time of his fist connecting to the rock I stood on.
As soon as I landed, I had to move again using my blood to form a shield, but he punched again sending me flying into a tree knocking the wind out of me.
"Yuna!" I heard Kakashi yell, but I groaned standing up as blood began to leak from my mouth glaring towards Naruto.
"I'm not letting you win." I said as my blood flared to life around me seeing him jump towards me ready to punch again but my blood formed around me as I smacked my hand to his forehead.
Looking up at him the seal connected watching the red chakra begin to deplete and his body start to normalize. His eyes changed back to blue as he began to fall but I caught him moving him out of the rocks and to the soft grass. Breathing heavily, I turned seeing Kakashi come to land beside us feeling him put a hand on my shoulder.
"Good work Yuna… are you alright?" he asked as I nodded weakly saying, "I'll be alright but is Naruto okay?"
Kakashi reached up taking the seal off saying, "He'll be okay."
Hearing footsteps behind us we saw that Sakura and Chiyo had arrived sensing they both were in rough shape too.
"We made it." Sakura said with a tired smile seeing Naruto look up replying, "Glad you guys made it."
"We heard a big tremor and followed it here." Sakura said as Chiyo looked around replying, "It seems you're still having trouble here… where is Gaara?"
We all looked in the direction of Naruto's clones holding Gaara's body up as I frowned looking down defeated. All that work we did but we couldn't save him, I felt so helpless that we didn't get a chance to do more.
Hearing fighting, we all turned as Kakashi said Guy's team had shown up guessing that they were now fighting Deidara. Seeing shadows Deidara jumped towards his clay watching him take a bite out of it as I stood up watching him strangely.
"Be careful he uses long range explosives." Kakashi yelled as Neji took a step back watching Deidara begin to expand.
"Everyone move, he's going to explode!" Neji yelled as I watched Deidara grow larger, they weren't going to make it out.
Looking down at my kunai I grabbed a few pills running towards it while everyone moved away as the others yelled my name.
Stabbing into my hands Deidara exploded sending a giant fireball towards us as I put my hands up saying, "Ninja Art: Ultimate Blood Shield!"
My blood began to fly out of me at great speed rising high above the tree line as the explosion crashed onto my blood causing my feet to get pushed back. Groaning I tried to keep my hold on it pumping more blood-filled chakra into the shield as I did my best to keep my footing until the explosion began to die.
Once I couldn't hear it anymore my hands slumped down as my blood began raining down on me falling to my knees. I felt someone grab onto me before falling all the way down breathing heavily seeing Guy standing over me.
"Yuna are you alright?" he asked as I said weakly, "Yea… is he gone?"
I looked towards the others seeing everyone was okay, but Kakashi was being helped by Naruto knowing he probably used his Sharingan too much. Guy helped me up as we walked towards the others deciding to get out of the forest and to somewhere clearer so Sakura could check on Gaara.
"You need to get your injuries looked at." Kakashi said seeing him lean on Naruto to walk as I shook my head replying, "I'm more concerned about you and Gaara."
"I'll be alright it will just take me some time to heal." he said while I nodded replying, "If you say so."