Mental Space. Hearing Shukaku's cry for help, Kurama's expression turned peculiar.
How have recent events been increasingly shattering his worldview?
That tanuki actually asking him for help?
What? The one he's asking for help is Naruto?
Bah! What's the difference between asking his Jinchuriki for help and asking him for help?
"Naruto, stop the pursuit for now. Gaara's been poisoned."
Naruto halted his advance, glanced at the two figures in the center of the lake, and vanished from his spot.
"He's gone." Uchiha Itachi's eyes reverted to their three-tomoe state.
The power of the Mangekyo Sharingan was directly proportional to the strain it placed on the user.
"What happened?" Kisame, holding Samehada, looked quizzically at the vanished golden figure.
Just moments ago, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had clearly held the upper hand.
"Perhaps there's been a development on the One-Tail's battlefield." Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but cover his eyes again.
His vision has deteriorated further…
Sasuke, hurry up and grow stronger…
"You're finally here! Gaara's body is about to give out!" Seeing Naruto's figure, Shukaku couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"His body is in your hands."
As his words fell, Shukaku relinquished control of Gaara's body.
Naruto gently caught the body as it slumped towards the ground. Sensing Gaara's condition, his expression tensed.
"This poison?! Who were you fighting?"
"Sasori of the Red Sand, a Sunagakure missing-nin," Shukaku said, then couldn't help asking, "Can you handle it?"
Naruto had touched upon Yang Release; he was one of the few who knew.
If even this guy couldn't neutralize the poison Gaara was afflicted with, then the problem was truly dire.
"I can, it's just a bit troublesome." Naruto exhaled lightly and hoisted Gaara onto his back.
"Your appearance here means Kisame and Uchiha Itachi have failed," a sudden voice reached his ears.
Naruto focused his gaze and saw a red-haired youth slowly emerge from the yellow sand.
"That's Sasori of the Red Sand," Shukaku warned him.
"You're not human?" Naruto asked quizzically. The life fluctuations of the person before him were not at all what a human's should be.
"The human body has its limits," Sasori stated. "You, as Jinchuriki, should understand this deeply."
"…" Naruto's eyes flickered. I look forward to crossing hands with you.
Fighting against someone with strong convictions, experiencing their understanding of life and the world through their techniques, was also a form of cultivation.
He was keen to fight, but Gaara's injuries were too urgent to ignore. Sensing a distant Flying Thunder God formula, both their figures vanished from the spot.
Hearing his words, Sasori's expression was unreadable. He stood rooted to the spot for a long time.
The trio of Kakuzu, Hidan, and Zetsu walked to his side.
"Looks like you all failed," Hidan said, unable to suppress a malicious chuckle as he looked at Kisame's squad being supported as they approached.
As for team spirit? Sorry!
The Akatsuki didn't have such a thing.
Otherwise, the three of them wouldn't have just been observing from the sidelines until now.
"I did not fail," Sasori said flatly. "The One-Tail Jinchuriki has already lost his ability to fight."
"You mean, it's all Kisame and Uchiha Itachi's fault, right?" Hidan asked.
Sasori didn't speak, but sometimes, silence was an admission in itself.
"Don't say that. This battle was a very meaningful probe," White Zetsu commented.
"We've at least confirmed that the One-Tail Jinchuriki is a member of the Dragon Heritage organization."
"Hidan, let's go," Kakuzu suddenly said.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's the rush!" Hidan didn't understand. Witnessing fellow organization members make fools of themselves was such an interesting event, yet they were leaving so hastily.
Honestly, Kakuzu's brain has problems…
Thinking this, he still chased after him.
"Kisame, let's go," Uchiha Itachi said.
Watching the four depart, Sasori turned his head and asked, "Where's Deidara?"
"His family dragged him back home."
"Still just a brat who hasn't grown up…" Hearing this, Sasori couldn't help but fall silent.
"Then what about you? All alone?" White Zetsu asked.
"Being alone isn't bad either." With that, Sasori also departed in a certain direction.
Behind a sand dune.
Asuma replayed the recent battle in his mind and swallowed hard.
"What kind of monsters are these…"
Suddenly, his expression changed, and his body instinctively dove forward.
Boom!
The spot where he had just been leaning was blasted into a deep crater.
If he hadn't dodged forward just now, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
"So? Kakuzu, you left so quickly just for him?" a flippant voice sounded from atop the dune.
Asuma squinted against the backlight and looked up. He saw two figures in black cloaks with red clouds standing above, looking down on him.
"Sarutobi Asuma, formerly one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja of the Land of Fire, currently a Konoha jounin. His bounty at the underground exchange is thirty-five million ryo," Kakuzu explained.
"Twelve Guardian Ninja? So he's pretty strong, huh?" Hidan said with keen interest.
"I haven't made my daily offering to Lord Jashin yet today. This sacrifice is just perfect."
"Remember not to damage his face. Those bastards pay based on the face," Kakuzu glanced at him and said flatly.
"Got it!"
Hidan grinned, swinging his grotesquely shaped, massive scythe down at Asuma.
Clang!
Asuma quickly drew his Flying Swallow trench knives to block. His peripheral vision darted to the other enemy, seeing him standing quietly by, seemingly with no intention of interfering.
What's going on?
Asuma was puzzled. They have the numerical advantage but aren't using it?
Recalling the One-Tail Jinchuriki's battle earlier, these two had also merely observed from the sidelines without getting involved.
Such arrogance!
Asuma snorted inwardly. Wind Release chakra surged into his Flying Swallow knives. Leveraging his advantage in taijutsu and weaponry, Hidan was immediately put on the defensive.
"Hidan, make it quick!" Kakuzu said impatiently, seeing the situation.
Asuma, upon seeing this, quickly dodged backward, fearing a pincer attack.
But to his confusion, the enemy seemed genuinely just impatient and still made no move to attack him together.
Perfect…
This is the chance you've given me…
Sheathing his Flying Swallow knives, Asuma formed hand seals, his chest puffing out abruptly.
"Wind Release: Dust Cloud Technique!"
A dense cloud of ash and dust instantly obscured the vision of all three.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Hidan coughed. After the dust settled, he looked intently, but apart from yellow sand, the enemy was nowhere to be seen.
"Where'd he go?"
"He ran, you idiot," Kakuzu's tone was extremely irritated.
"Bastard!" Hearing this, Hidan furiously gave chase.
Pat, pat, pat…
Asuma glanced behind him. Seeing no enemies pursuing, he couldn't help but sigh in relief.
Honestly, after witnessing those other battles, he had no confidence in taking on two S-rank missing-nin by himself.
Fellow members of the same organization as those two S-rank missing-nin would definitely not be ordinary opponents.
"I must rendezvous with Kurenai and the others as soon as possible," Asuma thought.
He had already tested one of the two earlier; his taijutsu was decent, but only around the level of a special jounin. Though he didn't know the depths of the other one, he figured he wouldn't be too outrageous either.
If he could regroup with Kurenai and the others, then they would have a fighting chance.
Moreover, Kurenai and her team should have already met up with Sunagakure's main forces. Seeing him under attack, due to their alliance, Suna surely wouldn't stand idly by.
"Where's Gaara?" The battle had subsided, but Gaara had yet to return, and Temari couldn't help but worry.
"Believe in Gaara. He's very strong," Kankuro reassured her.
Shhh!
A figure appeared.
All the Suna ninja tensed, watching him warily.
"Gaara is currently recuperating from his injuries. It will be some time before he can return. He asked you all to head back first," Naruto Clone One said.
"What happened to Gaara?" Temari couldn't help but ask.
"You should know Sasori of the Red Sand's methods better than I do," Naruto Clone One stated.
"Naruto-kun."
Hearing someone call his name, Naruto Clone One looked over and saw, not far away, a girl with Byakugan eyes looking at him timidly.