As Tsunade turned away from the jubilant scene of celebration, a messenger bird swooped down, landing gracefully on her outstretched arm. The village's cheers faded into the background as she unfolded the letter attached to the bird's leg, her heart racing with anticipation.
However, as she read the contents, her eyes widened in horror. The letter detailed a dire situation: the Hidden Mist Village was under attack by Akatsuki, and there had been no word from Naruto, Haku, or Chojuro. Mei was requesting immediate assistance, fearing for her village's safety. The weight of the situation crashed over her like a tidal wave, the implications swirling in her mind.
"Damn it…" she muttered under her breath, the gravity of the news overwhelming her. She clenched the letter tightly, her breathing quickening as panic surged through her veins. Tsunade had just witnessed the devastation that Pain had wrought upon her own village, and now another was facing a similar fate.
Just as she started to process the enormity of the situation, her vision blurred, and the world around her began to spin. The strain of the battles she had fought, combined with the sudden shock of the news, proved too much.
"Lady Tsunade!" one of the ANBU called out as she staggered, her strength failing her. Before she could steady herself, she collapsed to the ground, the letter slipping from her fingers.
The ANBU quickly rushed to her side, concern etched on their masked faces. "We need to get her to the medical tent!" one of them commanded, lifting Tsunade's unconscious form with ease. The others formed a protective circle around her, moving swiftly to avoid the gathering crowd, who remained unaware of the Hokage's plight.
As they carried her away, whispers of worry spread through the villagers. They had just begun to celebrate their victory, and now uncertainty loomed again.
Later during some construction in the leaf village, The atmosphere in the improvised council chamber was tense as the remaining members gathered to discuss the next steps for the village. The walls, still bearing the scars of the recent battle, felt heavy with uncertainty.
A council member, a stern man with a furrowed brow, cleared his throat. "We need to discuss the rebuilding of the village. But first, who will be in charge during this transition? Shouldn't we wait for Tsunade to give her orders?"
The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling in. The members exchanged uneasy glances, all too aware that their leader was incapacitated and the village needed direction.
Just then, the door swung open, and Sasuke strode in, Itachi following closely behind him. The air shifted, charged with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
Sasuke surveyed the room, his gaze hardening as he spoke, "I will be Hokage of this village."
Gasps erupted among the council members, their shock quickly morphing into anger. "What? An Uchiha as Hokage? This is absurd!" one member shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "We cannot trust someone with your history!"
"Trust?" Sasuke's voice was cold and unyielding. "You're in no position to talk about trust, especially when you all agreed to murder my clan." He stepped forward, the atmosphere growing heavier as he drew on his chakra. In a swift motion, he unleashed Chidori, piercing through one of the council members' chairs, missing the man by mere inches. The crackling energy filled the room, and silence fell like a heavy blanket.
"Do you want to test my resolve?" Sasuke glared at the council members, who looked stunned, eyes wide in disbelief. Itachi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, a calming gesture that also signaled his support.
Itachi then addressed the council, his voice authoritative. "As of today, Sasuke will be Hokage. That's final."
The council members shifted uneasily in their seats, fully aware that arguing against either Uchiha would be a grave mistake. They glanced at one another, realizing they were outmatched—not just by Sasuke's power, but by Itachi's formidable reputation. The eldest council member, who had once scorned Sasuke, hesitated before finally nodding.
"If this is what is decided, then so be it," he conceded, his voice shaky. "But we will need a plan to restore order and rebuild. We cannot have a Hokage without support."
Sasuke crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "I will take care of the village. But I need your cooperation. If you're going to stand in my way, you'll only make things worse for yourselves and the people."
One of the younger council members spoke up, his voice trembling. "We understand, Sasuke. But we must also consider the needs of the village and the people. They need reassurance that everything will be alright."
"I will ensure that the village is safe," Sasuke replied, his tone steady. "But I won't waste time seeking approval from those who betrayed my family."
The council fell silent again, the weight of Sasuke's words hanging heavily in the air. Itachi leaned against the wall, observing the dynamics unfold.
Sasuke stood tall, his expression serious as he looked around the council chamber. "Before we proceed, I want to know where Danzo is. He was the one who instigated the entire incident with my clan, and he deserves to be eliminated."
The council members exchanged uneasy glances, their discomfort palpable. Finally, one of them, an older man with thinning hair, cleared his throat. "Danzo… he died three years ago," he said, his voice shaky. "He left the village under a cloud of betrayal, attempting to steal jinchuriki from the Mist Village."
Sasuke's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who killed him?"
The council member swallowed hard, the weight of Sasuke's gaze pressing down on him. "It was Tsunade who stopped him. She faced him head-on to protect the village."
The revelation hung in the air, and Sasuke felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he was relieved that Danzo was no longer a threat, but on the other, the pain of his family's massacre remained. He couldn't shake the feeling that justice had never truly been served.
"Good," Sasuke replied coldly. "If he had lived, I would have ended him myself."
He looked at the council members, his expression hardening. "You are dismissed. I will be Hokage now, and I expect you to work towards the village's recovery." He paused, letting his words sink in. "But remember this: if any of you betray the village again, I will not hesitate to eliminate you."
A tense silence followed, the council members visibly shaken by Sasuke's threats. The gravity of his words settled heavily in the room. It was one thing to have an Uchiha as Hokage, but it was another to realize the power he wielded and his willingness to use it.
With that, Sasuke turned and left the council chamber, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. He was determined to rebuild the village and ensure that the mistakes of the past would not repeat themselves.
Outside the chamber, Itachi followed closely behind, proud of his younger brother's assertiveness. "You handled that well," he said, a slight smile gracing his lips. "They needed to know you mean business."
Sasuke nodded, his mind racing with thoughts of the future. "Now we need to focus on the villagers. They deserve to know what's happening and feel secure in their leadership."
As they stepped into the sunlight, Sasuke glanced towards the horizon, determination flooding through him. He would ensure that the village thrived under his watch, a new village would be made under his new rule.
Back in the Hidden Rain Village, the remnants of the battle hung in the air, thick with smoke and the scent of burnt paper. Jiraiya's heart raced as he emerged from the safety of the toad's stomach, his gaze sweeping over the destruction that Konan had unleashed. Debris lay strewn about, and the once formidable structure of the building was now a crumbled ruin.
Despite the excruciating pain from his lost arm, Jiraiya forced himself to assess the situation. He had managed to avoid Konan's deadly paper explosion, but the toll of the battle was evident. He gritted his teeth, willing his body to cooperate as he stumbled forward, desperately searching for any sign of medical assistance.
"Dammit, Konan," he muttered, the weight of the battle pressing down on him. He could have ended it without her resorting to such extreme measures. It pained him to think of her in that light, but he knew the Akatsuki would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
As he navigated the ruins, he heard faint groans from nearby. Jiraiya turned, spotting a few of his toad companions that had been assisting him during the fight. They were injured but alive. He hurried over to them, kneeling beside the nearest toad.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"We'll manage, Boss," the toad replied, wincing. "But you need to get back to the Leaf. They're in trouble."
"I know," Jiraiya said, a sense of urgency flooding his veins. He had to return. Tsunade needed him, and the village needed all the strength it could muster against the Akatsuki's assault.
Using his remaining strength, he performed a summoning jutsu to call forth one of the larger toads from Mount Myoboku. The ground shook as the massive creature appeared, ready to assist him.
As he climbed onto the giant toad's back, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. He glanced back at the devastation left behind, wondering about Konan's fate. Had she survived? Did she escape, or had she been caught in the explosion? His heart ached with uncertainty, but he couldn't dwell on it now. The Leaf Village was his priority.
As he was resting on top of the giant toads back he held onto his missing arm as he wished it hadnt come to this point. Fukasaku who was on his other side of his shoulder supported him as they made their way back to the leaf village.
"Stay strong, Jiraiya," Fukasaku urged, sensing the exhaustion radiating from him. "We'll be there soon."
Jiraiya nodded, his determination rekindled. He had to make it back. He had promised Tsunade that he would return, and he intended to keep that promise no matter what. The fate of their village rested on their shoulders, and he wouldn't let them down.
Back in the Hidden Mist Village, Mei stood at the window of her office, staring out at the misty landscape of the Hidden Mist Village. Anxiety gnawed at her stomach as she worried about Naruto, Haku, and Chojuro. It had been longer than expected since she sent them to the hidden sand village days ago.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden entrance. One of her ANBU agents slipped into the room, his demeanor urgent. "Lady Mizukage, Naruto and his team have returned."
Mei's heart raced with relief. "Send them in," she ordered, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.
As the door opened, Naruto, Haku, and Chojuro rushed in, their faces reflecting a mix of determination and worry. Mei immediately sensed the weight of their experience, and she quickly assessed their condition.
"What happened?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. "You took longer than expected."
"Lady Mei, we—" Naruto began, but Mei held up a hand.
"Explain later," she interrupted, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the task at hand. "We have an emergency. We need to head out to the outskirts of the village, up north by the northern beach. Zabuza, Utakata, and Ao are struggling to take back the Three Tails from Deidara and a masked figure. We have to assist them."
Naruto nodded, the urgency of her words snapping him back into focus. "We'll aid them right away," he affirmed, determination flooding his voice.
Mei gestured for them to follow her. "We don't have much time. The longer we wait, the more the situation could worsen."
As they raced through the winding streets of the Hidden Mist, Haku kept pace beside Naruto, glancing at him with concern. "Are you alright? You look tense."
"I'm fine," he replied, though the worry in his eyes betrayed him. "We just need to get there before it's too late."
Chojuro, slightly out of breath, chimed in. "We've faced worse odds before. We can do this."
The group reached the edge of the village, where the mist thinned out, revealing a breathtaking view of the ocean beyond. They could see the northern beach ahead, where the sounds of battle echoed faintly in the distance.
As Naruto, Haku, and Chojuro burst onto the scene, they quickly assessed the chaos unfolding before them. Zabuza, Utakata, and Ao were engaged in a fierce battle against Deidara, who was soaring through the sky on his clay bird, raining down explosive bombs. The beach was a flurry of activity, but their attention was suddenly drawn to a more imminent threat.
Just as Naruto prepared to assist his allies, Hidan emerged from the shadows, his scythe gleaming wickedly in the sunlight. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he cackled, his eyes fixated on Haku. "Another pretty face to add to my collection!"
"Haku, watch out!" Naruto shouted, his instincts kicking in as he noticed the scythe swinging toward her. He had just enough time to summon the Flying Raijin technique. In a flash, he teleported to Haku's side, his foot connecting squarely with Hidan's chest, sending the deranged Akatsuki member tumbling backward.
"Are you okay?" he asked, glancing at Haku, who looked startled but unharmed.
"I'm fine, Naruto," she replied, her voice steady. "Thank you."
Before they could regroup, Kakuzu stepped forward, his menacing presence looming over them. "Looks like we've got some fresh meat," he growled, his water mask stirring to life. With a swift motion, he summoned enormous torrents of water that crashed down on Naruto, Haku, and Chojuro, threatening to sweep them off their feet.
"Watch out!" Chojuro shouted, drawing his sword and readying himself to defend against the onslaught. "There's more Akatsuki members here than we expected!"
The massive waves surged toward them, but Naruto quickly formulated a plan. "Haku, help me create a barrier! Chojuro, use your sword to deflect the water!"
Haku nodded, her hands moving swiftly as she began weaving a series of hand signs. "Crystal Release: Crystal Wall!" She formed a barrier of ice that rose between them and the rushing water, the icy surface shattering the waves upon impact.
"Nice job, Haku!" Naruto praised, his confidence boosted as he prepared to counterattack. "Now, let's take the fight to them!"
"On it!" Chojuro yelled, dashing forward and slashing at the water constructs Kakuzu had summoned. "I won't let them get away with this!"
As they pushed back against the tide, Zabuza and Utakata joined their side. "You made it just in time!" Zabuza said, his sword glinting in the sunlight. "We need to take down Deidara before he runs away with the three tails."
As Deidaras bombs were being set off, everyone quickly dodged as Naruto, Zabuza, and Utakata took a moment to regroup, scanning the battlefield for any signs of Deidara. The artist was no longer in the air, but his threat was still present, and they needed to strategize.
"Zabuza, Utakata," Naruto said, determination in his voice, "I'll take care of Deidara. You guys focus on Hidan and Kakuzu. They're grounded, which makes them easier targets for you."
Zabuza nodded, gripping his sword tightly. "That sounds good. Hidan's unpredictable, but I can handle him. Utakata, we'll work together on Kakuzu."
"Got it," Utakata replied, glancing at Haku and Chojuro. "You two stay behind us. We'll need your support for this."
Naruto turned to Haku and Chojuro, his expression firm. "You guys keep an eye on Zabuza and Utakata. If they need backup, jump in. We need to keep the pressure on the Akatsuki."
"Right!" Haku affirmed, her eyes shining with determination. "We won't let you down, Naruto."
Chojuro nodded, his grip tightening around his sword. "We'll support them however we can!"
As Naruto jumped into the air, he quickly realized that Deidara had summoned another bird made of explosive clay. The bird took off into the sky, circling around Naruto with deadly precision. Deidara grinned wickedly, molding more clay with his hands as he prepared to launch a new wave of bombs.
"Your flashy moves won't save you this time, brat! Art is an explosion!" Deidara taunted, hurling a clay bomb straight at Naruto.
Naruto acted swiftly, forming shadow clones mid-air to confuse Deidara. The clones scattered in different directions, making it difficult for Deidara to pinpoint the real one. With a determined look, Naruto activated his Flying Raijin technique, throwing a kunai straight towards deidara as in a flash, he teleported directly behind Deidara.
Before Deidara could react, Naruto appeared with a kunai in hand, his body charged with chakra. With surgical precision, Naruto slashed at Deidara's arms, severing his ability to mold any more clay bombs.
"Not this time!" Naruto shouted, his kunai sparking with energy as it sliced through Deidara's arms.
Deidara screamed in agony, his expression twisting in disbelief. "My arms! You brat! How did you—"
But before he could finish, Naruto delivered a powerful kick to Deidara's back, sending him crashing toward the ground below.
"You're not going to blow up anything else, Deidara!" Naruto yelled, his voice filled with determination as he landed on the ground, standing over Deidara's now helpless form.
Deidara gritted his teeth, his body weakened and unable to fight back. "You… You won't defeat me! Art can never be destroyed!"
Naruto looked down at him, a sense of finality in his eyes. "Your art of destruction has hurt too many people. This is where it ends."
As the mist thickened around the battlefield, Zabuza's Hidden Mist Jutsu shrouded everything in an eerie fog, greatly limiting visibility. Hidan growled in frustration as he swung his scythe wildly, trying to catch his unseen opponents.
"Damn it! Stop hiding, you cowards!" Hidan shouted, his voice echoing in the thick mist.
Zabuza, moving like a phantom within the fog, grinned darkly. "You talk too much," he said, his voice calm and taunting. Zabuza used the mist to his advantage, expertly closing the distance between him and Hidan. With Kubikiribocho in hand, he swung silently, aiming for Hidan's torso.
Hidan barely reacted in time, blocking the heavy blow with his scythe, though the impact pushed him back. "You're nothing but a thug! I'll make you pay for trying to interfere with Jashin's work!" Hidan snarled.
In the midst of the mist, Haku moved like a shadow, ready to support Zabuza at any moment. With the mist obscuring Hidan's vision, Haku used his Ice Mirrors technique, appearing from all directions to confuse and disorient him. Shards of ice needles struck Hidan from various angles, keeping him on the defensive and unable to focus on his ritual or any offense.
"These cheap tricks won't save you!" Hidan shouted, but even his immortality was not enough to keep up with their combined precision. Zabuza and Haku's teamwork was flawless, as they kept Hidan from gathering any of their blood for his ritual.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Utakata and Chojuro had taken advantage of the mist to confront Kakuzu. The towering figure of Kakuzu stood menacingly, his sewn-together form a grotesque sight. However, Utakata, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, was calm and focused, knowing that Kakuzu was a formidable enemy.
"We need to keep him separated from Hidan," Utakata said quietly to Chojuro, who nodded.
Kakuzu, with his masks detached, unleashed elemental attacks. His Water Mask created torrents of water that rushed at them, but Chojuro, wielding his Hiramekarei, blocked and absorbed the attack. As the water surged around them, Utakata used his Bubble Ninjutsu, creating floating orbs of acidic bubbles that drifted toward Kakuzu.
Kakuzu, recognizing the threat, raised his Earth Mask to defend himself with an earth wall. The bubbles exploded upon contact, corroding the wall but failing to reach Kakuzu directly.
"You'll have to do better than that," Kakuzu taunted, but Utakata remained calm, launching more bubbles as distractions.
While Kakuzu was occupied by Utakata's bubbles, Chojuro dashed in with incredible speed, swinging Hiramekarei in its cleaver form. He aimed to break through Kakuzu's defense, forcing him on the defensive. The combined assault from Utakata and Chojuro was relentless, keeping Kakuzu off-balance and away from his partner, Hidan.
Naruto sprinted across the battlefield, his eyes locking onto one of Deidara's clay birds that was dragging the unconscious Three-Tails (Isobu) toward the horizon. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he quickly formulated a plan.
As the bird soared higher into the sky, Naruto hurled one of his Flying Raijin Kunai at Isobu. The kunai flew with precision, embedding itself near the chakra threads that tethered the beast to Deidara's clay bird. In an instant, Naruto used his Flying Raijin Jutsu to teleport directly to the kunai, appearing in mid-air beside the enormous form of the Three-Tails.
Naruto, without hesitation, slashed through the chakra threads with his kunai, severing Deidara's control over Isobu. The Three-Tails began to fall toward the water below, freed from Deidara's grasp. Naruto quickly created a few shadow clones, each of them grabbing hold of the massive beast and guiding it safely down to the surface, ensuring it wouldn't crash into the ground or the sea too violently.
Deidara, realizing his plan was falling apart, scowled from the ocean floor. "You brat! Always getting in the way!" he yelled
Madara, concealed in the shadows, observed the chaos unfolding below. His red Sharingan glowed ominously as he watched the Akatsuki struggle against the Hidden Mist forces. Deidara, Hidan, and Kakuzu had all been overwhelmed, it was clear that their mission had failed. The retrieval of the Three-Tails (Isobu) was now a lost cause.
"This isn't going anywhere," Madara muttered to himself. He knew when to cut his losses. The Akatsuki couldn't afford to lose more members, especially with the Leaf Village still on high alert and the Mist Village's reinforcements stronger than expected.
With a quick decision, Madara yelled out to them "Retreat. Now. We've failed this time."
Madara then switched to Tobi personality immediately with his usual carefree demeanor gone. He teleported over to Deidara, who was still recovering from the failed assault. "Time to go, Deidara," Tobi said, grabbing him by the shoulder. With a swift jump, the two landed atop one of Deidara's remaining clay birds.
"Cheh, not how I wanted this to end," Deidara grumbled, clearly frustrated, but knowing he had no choice but to escape.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu, seeing the tide of battle turn fully against them, ran to where Hidan's decapitated and severely damaged body lay. He didn't bother with finesse, simply grabbing what was left of Hidan. The immortal member of the Akatsuki was still muttering curses, despite the state he was in.
"Retreating again? What a waste of time," Hidan spat angrily, though he was in no position to protest.
Kakuzu, not one for conversation, carried Hidan as he quickly darted away from the battlefield. In an attempt to cover their escape, Kakuzu summoned his fire mask, unleashing a massive fire jutsu—a wall of scorching flames that spread across the battlefield, creating a fiery barrier between the Akatsuki and the Mist Village shinobi. The explosion was intense, forcing Zabuza, Naruto, Utakata, and the others to halt their pursuit as they shielded themselves from the blaze.
"Get back!" Zabuza shouted, his voice booming through the battlefield as the fire raged in front of them.
The flames roared, filling the air with smoke and heat, making it impossible for anyone to give chase. Hidan, Kakuzu, Deidara, and Tobi disappeared into the distance, retreating into the safety of the surrounding forests.
Naruto, Haku, and the others regrouped, staring after the retreating Akatsuki members. The battlefield was left in eerie silence, the remnants of the battle visible everywhere—scorched earth, collapsed trees, and debris from the explosive clay birds.