They circled and attacked like pack animals, small creatures, attacking and retreating, harassing a more powerful one, attempting to wear him down.
Kisame was their heaviest hitter, moving in with his massive blade, striking with powerful blows that made him stagger where he stood even as he blocked the strikes. Itachi's gen and ninjutsu aided the blue skinned Kiri ninja.
The one in the mask moved across the battlefield like a snake, using quick strikes that were enough to wound but not to kill, distracting and hampering his movements. The ninja's strikes were slicing tendons, muscle and nerves, delaying him while the wounds mended beneath his healing flesh.
Whenever he appeared to get the upper hand, the Iwa nin, the clay user, would use his explosives to, once again injure, but not kill. These people wanted him alive, and they sought to wear him down with these tactics.
Flames burst from the Uchiha's cupped mouth, searing the air as they approached his exposed back.
They licked at his blood red cloak, dancing over his shoulders as he growled.
He lunged through a nearby window, smashing through with the crash of shattering glass. He landed into a former living room, bloodstains still drenching the seats where they had killed the previous residents.
A familiar brown bird followed through his entry point, going to the center of the room. Naruto rolled out of the room, lunging through the doorway into the kitchen shortly before the clay creature exploded. The explosion destroyed the entire portion of the house where he had been, as wooden shrapnel pelted his back. He was thrown across the room from the shock wave, and his lower ribs were smashed across a counter top.
He growled, regaining his bearings as he moved to straighten, shortly before he felt multiple slashes across his back. He let out a roar before he lashed out with his clawed gauntlet, catching sight of the, now, extended fingertips of Tobi's gloves. Ten, black, razor edged, 6 inch long claws.
The ninja ducked beneath his swing, slashing at his Achille's tendon. Severing it.
Naruto's leg buckled beneath him at that, falling onto one knee as Tobi pulled away once again.
Kisame exploded from the wall beside him, Samaheda raised in a wide arc. Naruto scarcely had time to raise his arms to his defense, before the metal of his gauntlets scraped against Samaheda with a terrible screech of metal scraping metal. The clothing on his forearms began peeling away as did his skin, the multi layered blade shaving the flesh off his bones before he was smashed through the wall back onto the street again. Plaster and wood formed a dust cloud over his exit point.
The snapping sound of lightning brought the blonds attention to his right. He watched as the electric currents danced over Itachi's fingertips before its blinding luminescence shot down the length of road towards him.
Wind chakra gathered in his palm, a concentrated vortex, kicking up the loose items in the road before it moved to intercept the electrical blasts.
The lightning shuddered in its trajectory before its various lines were diverted outwards, several hitting the dirt or going straight through the wooden homes.
A kunai found its way to Naruto's hands, once again reaching his feet, as his previously severed tendon was healed before another blast, to his side, knocked him off his feet once again. Fire and superheated ash scalded the side of his face and arms.
He fell flat, unsettling the earth around him. He was dazed but not defeated and he began to stand once more. However, the home that the explosion had affected groaned, its foundations buckling as the entire structure shifted. It was in a leaning position now.
Naruto glanced over his shoulder from his kneeling position just before the entire wooden mass collapsed. Broken beams, shards of glass and twisted metal smashed down on top of him before he could move out of the way.
The four Akatsuki formed up down the road, their cloaked forms standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Is that it?" Kisame questioned, disappointed at all the fuss that had been made for nothing.
"So much for the man who can't be killed ya?" Was Deidara's sardonic query.
"Fools." Itachi stated shortly before the broken remnants of the house exploded, sending shrapnel flying in every direction. A red haze soon became visible behind the veil of uplifted dust.
Deidara and Kisame both smirked, seemingly satisfied that the fight was not yet over while Itachi, remained apathetic.
Tobi on the other hand...
"Do we have a plan B?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Their attackers were quick and relentless, striking and killing two of the Anbu guard in seconds before they could bring their blades to bear.
The others, along with their two Kage's were more prepared. Sand shifted beneath Gaara's feet, sluggish and heavy. The recent downpour would have made it as such, but this was too much. The sand was hard to grasp, hard to mold, it crumbled even as he focused on creating its form.
He knew immediately why. This storm, this rain, it was created. It oozed of chakra, the chakra of another, as the rain soaked the sand. It soaked it in this attackers chakra with it, creating a conflicting force with Gaara's own chakra as it attempted to control the sands.
They had come here, obviously prepared to fight and defeat him. This was an assassination team, but from who? They did not look like Konoha, and Sasori was one of their missing ninja. A particularly dangerous one. They would have known if he had joined Konoha.
He had no time to focus on his questions, however, as one of the attackers rushed him. He had several of those trademark black piercings on his bald head, giving it a spiked appearance.
A dark, black blade emerged from his sleeve, attempting to jab the Kazekage in the chest while his defenses were down.
Gaara backpedaled, latching onto his attackers wrist, barely holding him at bay. His arms began shaking under the strain. His Taijutsu was horrendous, a fact that Kankuro and Baki always berated him for. But having neither the time, the need for, or the ability to practice due to the concentration it took to willfully stop his automatic defense, he had never improved.
He was finding himself sorely regretting his lack of skill in the art.
Never the less, he pulled the arm forward, his movements awkward and less graceful than what other ninja's would have been. He was moving with the simple familiarity of maneuvers he'd seen over a thousand times performed by others. He twisted the arm before he gathered chakra in his fist and punched the man's extended elbow
The appendage snapped with a gut wrenching crack and Gaara drew a kunai in order to jab it into the man's throat. A look of surprise graced Gaara's features when the broken elbow, which was bent the wrong way at nearly ninety degrees, snapped back into place before bending properly and smashing into the Kazekage's throat. The forced knocked the red-head off his feet and he gagged and sputtered as he moved to get air back into his lungs.
The large man stepped forward, his four other allies fighting his Anbu guard. Gaara's hand reached out, towards the ground beneath their feet. As the man took another step, the soil of the plateau gave way, making him sink into it like a lead brick. Soggy as it was, even with his decreased ability to manipulate it, it did not take much for him to turn this into a quagmire of simulated quicksand.
He stumbled, predictably, giving the Kazekage time. He turned to Liang, whom was currently busy squaring off against Sasori. Neither appeared to have attacked the other yet but it would not take long for the mayhem to commence. "Liang!" He barked at the Raikage.
"Right." The sleeping dragon responded before making a simple, one handed seal. Chakra, gathered in his palm, soon flared into a bright, white luminescent light, brightening the darkened evening with blinding intensity before the Raikage launched the flare into the sky.
The battle never ceased during this encounter, with the Anbu still fighting their opponents as the flare signaled for help. If anything, the Peins fought with even more fervor, knowing that they had a limited amount of time before reinforcements arrived.
As the flare dimmed and eventually died in the night sky, Liang refocused on the task at hand. He began molding his chakra beneath the surface of his skin, as he prepared to fight the legendary puppeteer.
With the normally exhilarating surge of energy and strength that came with the channeling of his chakra came the strain...the ever present debilitating feeling since his encounter with Naruto. He felt thin and transparent as though his muscles and organs had lost their sustenance and were now merely weakly tugging strings instead of the tendons of sinew that had fought countless battles in the past.
The Raikage watched as Sasori threw away his cloak, revealing his mechanical body of wood and steel rather than muscle and flesh. Immediately Liang knew that his trouble had deepened considerably.
For one to catch another in Genjutsu, he needed to tap into the other individuals coil systems. When one ceased the flow unexpectedly, the illusion was dispelled. An artificial body had no coils, and thus, was immune to such illusions.
They came prepared, they knew who they were targeting, they knew their strengths, and their weaknesses, and had eliminated any advantages their opponents had. Gaara's sand and his own Genjutsu were now nullified in the face of this.
Beside him Gaara stood, drawing a kunai before rushing forward, intent on driving the blade through his sunken opponents throat.
Tearing cloth brought him to a halt, however, as flexible plate of sheet metal with a serrated saw-like edge unfolded from the sunken Pein's back, lashing out against the approaching Kage.
Gaara almost didn't react, the years of reliance on his sand shield had dulled his instincts. He awkwardly blocked the strike, stumbling before he shoved it away. He leapt up, to avoid any following attack.
The Kazekage kept his blade poised and ready, as he descended upon the Asura Pein, ready to drive the knife through his heart.
The half machine creature twisted its neck, as its head opened up to reveal more of his inner weaponry. Gaara's eyes widened, as the Pein gathered chakra in the absorption plate shortly before a beam of pure chakra tore through the air, directly towards the Kazekage.
Vanishing seconds before the attack hit, the Kazekage reappeared behind the creature, swiveling on his heel and drove the kunai into his throat. He watched as blood sprayed from the opening, the blade apparently having pierced the carotid artery before Gaara drew another kunai and drove it into the mans skull. Sparks, smoke and wiring leaked from this injury instead of blood.
The Kazekage turned his eyes towards his four Anbu, whom were still engaged against the enemy. Moving to help he stopped rather abruptly as a sharp pain raced up and down his side. His turquoise green eyes looked down to his ribs as he instinctively jerked away. He found a kunai lodged firmly within his flesh. Bringing his eyes upwards he watched as his, assumed, deceased opponent pulled himself up from the ground. The every present smile remained on his face as his ringed eyes turned to the Kazekage again.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
They watched from the ship as explosions, crashes and flares of chakra forced their way past the thickened mist.
Temari and Jiraiya watched from the deck of the ship, the indistinct flashes and disembodied sounds reaching them, some so powerful they vibrated through their chests and down their knees.
Turning to the Toad Sannin she spoke. "Are you just gonna sit there? Aren't you going help him?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "We don't know how many enemies are out there, we don't know their strengths or their weaknesses. There are few people that I know of that can match or counter the sheer destructive powers Naruto has. If we go in their to help, we limit that ability."
Temari averted her gaze, an explosion making her tremble with its force. "You just send him out...to fight alone..."
He did not miss the disgust in her voice, nor the anger directed at him. They went hand in hand really, the beneficiary of these emotions she felt however, surprised him.
"You think its wrong?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow as he looked over the top of her head searching for her answer
"Of course not." She drawled, sarcasm dripping from every word as she crossed her arms. "You just send him off, without any back up, just expecting him to win every time, relying on him, or just not giving a shit. Whats wrong about that?"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and moved to speak before Temari interrupted him by continuing. "In our village we protect our Kage as much as he protects us."
"He-" Jiraiya began only to be interrupted by the kunoichi again.
"Doesn't need protection." The tone of her voice made it difficult to discern if this was a true question or a simple statement. "Hinata said once that people in his past made him what he is today. When they sought to make him a weapon. How are you all any different."
Now that gave Jiraiya pause, though only momentarily. "You think that because we 'rely' on who he is, a killer; that we're as bad as the people who made him what he was...a monster?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The unyielding metal of his gauntlet locked around Tobi's wrist with vice-like strength. The spiral mask nin hissed in pain before Naruto's free hand smashed against the side of his face. The side of his mask cracked beneath the force of the blow.
Naruto did not release him however. He yanked on the apprehended appendage, brining Tobi back towards him. The bladed extensions on the other man's fingertips writhed and coiled like snakes, before the tips sank into his forearms.
Naruto growled, the shock of the five claws piercing his arm in different locations making him reflexively relinquish his grip on his opponent, giving Tobi room to move away.
As he looked at his arm for a moment, he noticed that there was no blood, no damage. "Genjutsu."
The blond glanced up, finding three more of the clay explosives rushing towards him. Launching three wind blades the Kage watched as the three explosives were intercepted, exploding in mid air before they could reach him. The shock wave made him stumble, and it was enough for Kisame. The Kiri Nuke ninja rushed through the flames, landing in front of Naruto before swinging his blade again. Taking a full hit across his stomach, Naruto, again felt the chakra leeched from his body. Blood freely poured from the injury, leaving a trail on the ground even as he flew through the air. He came to a stop down the road.
Naruto growled once again, getting to his hands and knees before he moved to stand.
Two hands emerged from the ground beneath him, kunai in hand. Both blades were plunged into him, one in his stomach, the other into his right shoulder.
Naruto grunted, as the arms continued to push, shoving him upwards and onto his back. Itachi rose from the ground, twisting the blades before he moved to leap away.
Naruto caught the edges of his cloak. It teetered on the edge of tearing and held in place as he pulled, finally yanking Itachi back down to the earth, off balance. Naruto wasted no time with the blades before lunging for his opening, grabbing the Uchiha by his face and smashing it down against the concrete.
He yanked the blade in his stomach from where it was with a savage jerk looking to stab the Uchiha in the throat where he had fallen.
Itachi swiveled his upper body, narrowly avoiding the weapon as its point drove itself almost a full inch into the ground.
Lashing out he punched the Kage across the jaw, wincing as his mask dug into the crevice between his knuckles.
Though his head jerked to the side with the impact the Kage did not move otherwise. He pulled the blade free before moving to slash the Uchiha across the throat, only for Itachi to grasp the weapon with his own hand, ignoring its biting edge and the blood that dripped onto the floor at the side of his neck.
Naruto moved to slash at the Nuke nin with his free hand when, a piece of clay, no larger than a marble struck his arm. It exploded seconds later, knocking him off of Itachi, giving the Uchiha his escape.
Naruto rolled with the explosion, smothering the flames that ate away at his cloak with the movement. He ignored the torn and burnt chunk of his arm, already regenerating before he used both hands to block Samaheda, knocking it away as more chakra was leeched from him.
A Rasengan formed in his hand, as he moved to strike at the massive swordsman in the chest. Tobi appeared suddenly, hand on his fellow Nuke-ninja's shoulder before the two both vanished. Not even Naruto's eyes were able to track them.
The Rasengan dispelled as he swiveled about, finding Tobi and Kisame on a rooftop to his back. Tobi was kneeling on one knee, breathing heavier than before while Kisame stumbled as though he was dizzy or ill.
'Space time techniques...taxing, both in chakra and physical strain.. Judging by his body language, the one with the spiral mask may be able to do one or two more.'
That was all Naruto needed, just for one to tire. The other three would follow, in time.
He had also noticed something.
They fought him one at a time. They attacked, and drew back allowing another to fight before he drew back as well.
They did not know how to fight as a team.
They knew how to coordinate. But such powerful warriors were used to fighting alone, and thus, could not adapt their styles to fight with an ally at their side.
That was the key to defeating them, fighting more than one at a time.
The reddish hue of the Kyuubi's chakra around him intensified until a full bubbling outline coalesced around him before it receded back into his body.
"You are not the ones to bring me down." The Kage said, voice growing deeper, a growl vibrating through his chest and seeping into the ground. His hands fisted at his sides before he rushed the two Nuke ninja, ignoring the explosions that attempted to bar his path
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Liang stumbled, narrowly avoiding Sasori's crushing tail. He swivled on his heel , kunai in hand and wind blade extension emerging as he slashed the wood.
The blade sank deep, but not deep enough. The puppet was resistant to such manipulations.
The tail moved to bat at him and the sleeping dragon leapt upwards, avoiding the strike before landing on the ground. He hit the desert floor, and dodged several shuriken launched from one of the puppeteers hidden compartments.
He rolled onto his back watching as the Tail moved to crush him again. He sunk into the ground, once again avoiding the blow.
A wind blade emerged from the ground in front of Sasori and pierced the Nuke nins shoulder
However, being a creature of metal and wood, Sasori paid it no mind. HE pulled himself free, AS the blade sliced through the upper portion of his shoulder before he slithered beneath the soft sandstone and grainy sands.
Shortly after, Liang emerged from the earth in a lunge as he leapt upwards. Sasori's extended claws screeched and squeaked with every attempted grab, nicking the edges of his white Kage robes
Forcing chakra through his arms, Zhuge Liang made several seals before thrusting his arms forward.
A gust of wind, drove Sasori back, smashing his wooden body into the hard stone. The wood and metal groaned beneath the sudden strain before Liang too, descended, landing on the ground with a soft rustle of sand and dust.
He moved to step forward, as another wind blade emerged in his hand before a crippling pain once again gripped his chest.
The sleeping dragon gasped, as the blade fell from his hand with a clatter. He clutched at his heart, hunching over as a new sheen of sweat marred his forehead. His knees shook from the sudden weakness.
'No...no not now! Not again. It shouldn't have progressed this much, not yet.'
His legs buckled beneath him, as he fell onto his knees. His pupils dilated, and his breathing became erratic.
"Liang!"
Gaara suddenly slammed into the Kage's side, narrowly escaping Sasori's stinging tail. Its bladed edge however, still caught Liang's shoulder.
The two Kage's rolled in the ground, with Gaara soon throwing the older man behind him as he got to his feet. He wasn't sure what had happened, one moment he had been fighting the Asura realm Pein and the one that summoned, the so called Animal realm, the next, he turned, and Liang was on his knees while Sasori was on the ground.
He looked back now, watching as his last three Anbu were killed by the two opponents he had left to rescue Liang, taken by surprise at their sudden appearance.
Gaara felt guilt well up in his stomach, watching as their dead bodies were thrown onto the arid desert sands. But it was an emotion that was quickly smothered as he drew back, he reached down he hefted Liang onto his feet, never removing his eyes from the approaching mob.
"Can you move your legs?" The Kazekage asked, watching as the raven haired ninja swallowed thickly, eyes clenched tightly shut against the pain before he nodded. "I...I believe so yes..." He answered, his breathing heavy as his free hand continued to clutch his chest
Gaara nodded as the six nuke ninja surrounded him, Akasuna no Sasori at their center.
"Surrender Kazekage-dono...you must realize...you cannot win here."
"I don't need to win." Gaara answered before pressing his hand down on the ground.
The hard stone beneath the plateau destabilized, the earth destabilizing beneath their feet, crumbling. The six enemies stumbled, looking for stable footing on unstable ground. Gaara, prepared as he was, took the opportunity, and leapt away towards his escape. The downpour of water roared almost as loudly as the collapsing earth.
He landed with a roll, kicking up sand before he ran, slowed by his burden but none the less fast. He needed to escape, because, they were right, in this state he could not beat them.
As he rushed through the haze of rain and sand, Gaara could feel them pursuing, moving to catch up as best they could. There speed, though, was lax, uncaring, as though they truly didn't mind if he ran.
Soon, it became apparent why, as he caught sight of a silhouette. A specter stood standing on the edge of the rains boundary.
He was like the others, with orange hair, and the same ringed eyes. But he seemed different from them. It wasn't simply more powerful...he felt...more...true...than the others.
He raised his hand, and Gaara felt a pulse. The minuet warning gave him mere seconds to throw the Raikage to the side before he was hit by this force.
The wind was knocked out of him, as an entire pressure exerted was on his body that launched him backwards. He skid across the desert floor, and was slammed into one of the dunes.
The pressure continued to crush him. Gaara's teeth clenched, unable to even scream out in pain due to the sheer pressure on his lungs.
Suddenly it was gone. His strained muscles feeling drained of strength as he slumped, catching himself before he fell. He breathed heavily, struggling to take in much needed air.
A rustle of unsettled grains alerted him of anothers presence.
Green eyes, obscured slightly by wet,dripping red bangs looked up towards the man. He was standing at top the dune, gaze carefully blank.
The others soon joined him, Sasori now taking up the rear, clearly giving this new arrival the lead.
Gaara was unwilling to wait though, he'd seen the rains boundary. He knew that there was sand not coated with this individuals chakra. And so he channeled it, molded it, keeping the sand beneath the surface, deep beneath the surface, gathering it there as he prepared to strike.
The leader stepped forward, one hand now glowing a dim gold, ready to seal the demons chakra from him.
The ground shook beneath them, as Gaara stood, a golden aura of chakra emerging from him as his hands formed a simple seal.
"I'll Bury you!" Gaara roared as sand rose up in front of him, a massive, ever growing wall of unyielding earth. The rain pelted its surface, but just as Pein's chakra had fought his control before, Gaara was able to fight his effects now.
The sand avalanche surged forward, making a sound not unlike a true avalanche in its roar, towering over the Nuke ninja.
Pein, the true one, raised his hand once again, the familiar pulse of chakra emerging as his power rose within him.
The shock wave tore through the sands, punching straight through Gaara's avalanche, parting the sea of grains and slamming into Gaara. The Kazekage was smashed against the unyielding Dune, too massive to be moved by this small fraction of force Pein could exert.
Gaara strained against the assault, struggling to breathe. The pressure against his skull, his temples and his brain, caused his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he slipped into unconsciousness. Ribs and bones snapping beneath the unyielding pressure.
Soon the pressure was released and Gaara slumped against the ground. Only this time, he did not get back up.
Pein watched his fallen opponent with apathy. Looking towards one of the other bodies, Animal realm. "Seal the creature." The body nodded before it set about to accomplish its task.
"Sasori." The man said, watching as the legendary puppet master walked up next to him. "Yes?"
"I entrust you to keep him hidden. Myself and the others will make the enemy scramble, searching for him through sightings of us. We shall leave obvious trails, allowing you to take him back to the fortress."
The Suna nuke nin nodded. "I understand."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The four black figures emerged from the fiery explosion, barely a blur to the naked eye. There cloaks were singed and some burned altogether.
Tobi, Kisame, Itachi and Deidara's backwards movement came to a skidding halt on the dirt road of Wave Country. The four watched with trepidation as the fireball was obscured by pitch black smoke that rose high into the air.
At the base of the fire another figure soon shot forward, flames clinging to the shoulder and back of his cloak before his high speed extinguished them. Searing red chakra shrouded him completely, suffocating and intense in its own right as his right gauntlet glowed red hot.
Deidara reached into his clay pouch chakra focusing into the pliable object as he prepared to throw it. Naruto suddenly speed up, his body simply shooting forward as if propelled by some kind of force, appearing directly in front of the Iwa nin before the blond could even gasp at the concept.
A fist smashed into Deidara's jaw sending the blond crashing through the side of a building. A large amount of wood, stone debris and rubble soon crumbled onto the street.
Naruto's left hand rose up, the gauntlet smashing against Samaheda, intercepting it. Naruto shifted his wrist and grabbed hold of the blade itself, feeling a pull on his chakra again but ignored it as he shoved it downwards so its tip was now touching the stone street.
Reaching across with his other hand, palm open, he held it towards Kisame's face. A deep orange glowing flame soon emerged from the center of his palm before it expanded outwards, engulfing his entire hand.
Kisame's eyes widened before the flames shot forward from the ninja's hand. The Kiri ninja's scream dyed in his throat as fire entered his mouth with the sharp intake of breath. The shock and pain made him reflexively release Samaheda as he raised his hands to his face.
Naruto threw the weapon aside with his free hand. A kick launched forward with crushing force and smashed into Kisame's ribs. The large blue man hunched over as the air left his lungs, leaving behind only the agonized burning sensation that spread across his chest and upper abdomen.
Naruto seemed to vanish for a moment before appearing a few feet directly behind where he'd been standing. He was now behind Tobi, his larger form dwarfing the Akatsuki member before an elbow smashed into the side of the man's head. He turned sending him to the floor in a heap as the ninja let out a groan.
Itachi suddenly leapt over the blue skinned Kiri ninja, using his back as a springboard, kunai drawn.
Naruto crossed his arms in front of him, blocking the kunai with a screech of metal against metal. His hands worked fluidly, blocking the next several strikes, seeking his opening against the sharingan wielder.
Eventually, Itachi attempted to sweep his legs out from under him, only for Naruto to leap back. Itachi halted his leg sweep and leapt with the ninja. He attempted a flying kick in mid air, only for Naruto to catch his shin with one hand.
Swinging the former leaf nin like a sack of bricks, Naruto smashed him into the now recovering Kisame, sending both ninja to the floor as well.
Fire once again gathered in his palm as he landed and vanished again before reappearing above the two. He was poised to incinerate them before a large explosion directly behind him knocked him off his feet.
Rolling with the momentum he was upright again in a second as he turned around finding Deidara. The blonde had crawled out of his hole and sent another bomb already mid flight towards him.
The Kage of Konoha crossed his arms in front of him just before the clay exploded. Digging in his heels he didn't budge from his spot dutifully as he ignored the feel of the flames burning away some of the skin on his face before it was quickly replaced again. When the dust cleared however his four opponents were nowhere to be found. Eyes glancing upwards he found a massive clay bird to be hovering in the sky, with Deidara and the others perched on its back.
"Heh." The Iwa nin huffed as he took in a few deep breaths. "Lets see you catch us up here."
"Don't be so confident." Itachi stated as he stood up fully, glancing down at the ninja. "This reprieve will not last long"
"What can he fly?" Deidara questioned sarcastically.
Naruto drew his arm back, red chakra coiling around his wrist and hand like a snake before he thrust it upwards towards the artificial animal.
The Kyuubi's dark chakra shot out like a spear, its aim true and the tip nearly invisible with its blinding speed before it pierced the creature through and through.
"What in the-" Deidara began but paused as a shadow fell over him, bringing his and everyone else's gaze upwards. They found Naruto descending on the bird.
"Just had to open your mouth didn't you!?" Kisame snarled grabbing his sword as he ignored the searing pain in his face. Blisters were already forming on his raw reddened skin from where Naruto had burned him.
Itachi said nothing as he gathered chakra in his lungs and mouth before spitting out a blast of fire towards the descending Kage.
The fire slammed into Naruto, consuming him utterly. Itachi's eyes narrowed before his attention was drawn to the spear of black/red chakra in the middle of the group.
Realization dawned on him but before he could speak Naruto suddenly burst out from the chakra spear. Apparently he had used it to transport himself up here like some vacuum from beneath them. Red chakra whipped out around him and burned them all with its simple proximity.
Itachi, having realized the attack was coming, recovered quicker than the others and was soon on the offensive. He approached Naruto from the right, kunai drawn.
As he approached Naruto's form blurred behind him, the sharingan barely catching sight of it but unable to do anything. Naruto's claws lashed out, tearing sinew and flesh as they tore into Itachi's back. Warm blood bleed through the joint pivot points of his gauntlets as Itachi vanished in a cloud of smoke a moment later.
Naruto's crouched a little before his foot lashed out at an upwards angle behind him, slamming into Itachi's throat. The force of the kick was enough to lift the Uchiha off the ground several feet.
Naruto vanished before appearing above the genocidal Uchiha, an ax kick slamming down on Itachi's chest. The Uchiha was slammed downwards harshly as he hit the solid clay below him.
Naruto, still in mid air, lashed out with his open hand. He caught Tobi in the lower jaw, claws screeching as they scraped over the man's facemask, before a round house kick slammed into his ribs, sending him to join Itachi on the birds back.
Naruto finally landed on the edge of the creature, almost on its wing, before his left hand was held out to his side. "Fuuton: Sho-ha!" A shock wave of compressed wind energy stopped the approaching Kisame in his tracks, small cuts appearing on his arms and legs before a second, stronger shock wave knocked him off his feet.
Deidara reached into his pouch, ready to throw another bomb at the Kage, only for Naruto to suddenly appear in front of him with a cloud of smoke, just as he threw it.
The Jinchuriki's hand lashed out, catching Deidara's clay as he threw it.
The Iwa nin's eyes went wide before the bomb exploded right in front of him knocking him clear off his creation and falling to the earth below. A burn over his cheek, a concussion caused by the blast, a broken his left wrist and left rib, were just a few of the injuries Deidara incurred.
With his clone destroyed in the blast, Naruto's eyes turned back to Itachi as the Uchiha stood. Two clones coming to life at his side before they both attacked him, the original staying behind.
Kunai in their hands and sharingan spinning in their eyes, Naruto's own defenses were brought to bear the attack, dodging and blocking the attacks before he found his opening.
Slipping between both clones he rushed the original. He watched the Uchiha's eyes widen as his hands paused mid seal.
Naruto's fist lashed out, smashing right into the Uchiha's exposed stomach before delivering an upper cut. He then leapt upwards and kicked Itachi in the face, knocking him on his back.
Landing on the ground he quickly spun around, a kunai being thrown from his hand and catching one of the approaching clones in the throat. It vanished in a cloud of smoke before Naruto lashed out with a kick to its counter part, his foot slamming into its ribs, making it vanish as well.
Kisame appeared behind him suddenly, Samaheda reared back and ready to swing. The shark's eyes were bloodshot holding a wild frenzy within along with no small amount of satisfaction.
The razor skin of the off blade dug into the blonds side, consuming his chakra at a staggering pace. Kisame's grin widened in triumph before Naruto vanished in a cloud of smoke and something stomped on his back, the force of the blow slamming him down onto the floor face first.
Naruto stood on Kisame's prone body before his chakra extended outwards, forming something that vaguely resembled a claw. It caught Itachi in mid air as the Uchiha genius attempted to approach him from behind.
The searing agony of the Kyuubi's burning chakra coiled around him forced a scream from the Uchiha's throat before the world spun in his eyes and he was slammed into a staggering Tobi. The two were knocked off the clay bird as they went crashing towards the ground.
Naruto reached down, grabbing Kisame by the back of the neck before he got off of him and threw him high into the air.
The disoriented Kiri ninja couldn't gather his wits before Naruto appeared in front of him.
Naruto's claws tore through blue skin, tearing muscle and rending flesh from bone in a flurry of strikes that reddened his already bloodstained clothing.
Naruto appeared above Kisame, this time smashing his elbow into the swordsman's chest sending him crashing down towards the clay bird.
A bolt of fire gathered in his palm before he thrust his hand downwards, the ball of flame shooting downwards. It flew past Kisame towards the artificial beast piercing it just as Kisame fell onto its surface.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The blood pounded against his ears, its blinding pressure bringing a groan from his throat before he felt someone cradling his head.
'Zh-ge-" The voice was faint, broken to his ears, he couldn't understand it. Others joined it in this disembodied chorus.
He felt tired, drained...but something held him here...he needed to do something...there was something he had to do, something he needed...to ensure?
What...where...
His eyes opened, colors and shapes melding, blurred, indistinguishable in this dull haze of shades and distorted outlines.
Finally, a face came into view, he recognized her.
"Ying." He rasped, voice dry and strained.
"Liang." She said, voice still distant despite her proximity. "Where is Gaara? What happened?" Her voice was choked, as though fighting back her tears tears.
Gaara. He recognized that name.
And suddenly everything returned to his addled mind, his breathing quickened, as his energy returned to him, and what little clarity remained in this state came to him with ease.
"A-akatsuki." He said, wincing.
"Who?" Kankuro now leaned over him, his voice, deeper now that he was clad within the full body armor that was his puppet. He leaned forward, grasping Liang's coat as if to pull him closer as well. "What happened? Zhuge Liang? What happened to my brother!?"
He seemed distraught enough to actually shake the dying man, and so it was Yugito's voice that ceased his hysterics and calmed the young man. "Kankuro stop, he can barely speak."
"All the more reason for him to get it out before he looses consciousness again; Liang!" He yelled.
The sleeping dragon struggled,reaching into the folds of his Kage robe before pulling out a scroll. Unrolling it Kankuro soon found arrows, which pointed North, South, East and West. The ink seals that composed the arrows pointing to their north however, glowed bright red, like fire.
"Its-" Liang began before he had to swallow, if it was blood or Saliva it could not be said. "A seal...took a sample of Gaara's blood and chakra...in case of his capture...it will lead you to him."
Kankuro needed no other encouragement, looking towards the Anbu that had come with him he roared out to each of them. "Move out! Follow me!" Rushing across the dunes, he spared Liang no further glance as he moved to catch up with his brother.
Yue Ying, two other Anbu, and Yugito remained with Liang, looking to Yugito the Raikage spoke out his order. "Go...they will need you."
Yugito seemed to hesitate, pausing with trepidation, before she nodded. She moved to leave, only for Liang's hand to snake out, latching onto her wrist and halting her progress.
"Save Gaara." He said, features pinched in pain. "Rescue him." He repeated. "Everything...relies on him."
Yugito was confused by his assessment of the Kazekage but could spare it no further thought. "I will sensei."
Releasing her, Yugito took several steps back before rushing to follow Kankuro and his squad.
The two Anbu moved, unsealing a stretcher, to carry the Raikage back to the village for treatment when he spoke.
"No...stop that...its already to late."
Ying, at that point, brought his eyes to hers as she cupped his cheek. " You're not a medic." She said, eyes hard, holding an edge to them. "You're condition, isn't that bad yet we can save you.
Zhuge Liang smiled, in that same, infuriating way he always did, the one that said he knew something you didn't. The one that always made her temper flare, only now brought her a terrible ache in her chest, at the mere idea that she wouldn't see it again.
Liang once again reached into the folds of his robe, pulling another scroll the Kage placed the parchment into her hand.
"My final orders."
"These aren't your final orders!" She yelled, frustrated tears glistening her eyes. "You frustrating man you don't know everything!"
Liang smiled again, reaching up to cup her cheek, running a thumb under her eye, wiping away a stray tear.
He knew Sasori's reputation, he knew his methods, his kill tactics. One cut, one kill. And Sasori's tail had cut a full inch into his shoulder
Perhaps...without Naruto's influence he would have survived. But...with his deteriorating condition...he wouldn't make it back to the village.
Leaning up with his remaining strength, the Raikage pressed his lips to hers, tasting her lips for one last time. She responded, and it was only the bitter taste of her tears that alerted him to her crying.
Pulling away, the Raikage opened his eyes, staring into her brown ones. "I'm sorry."
She looked stricken for a moment, and all the blood seemed to drain from her features before she shook her head. "No." She said, swallowing thickly before she looked to the two Anbu. "Get him on the stretcher. We're getting him back to the village."
The men nodded, moving fast, they placed and strapped him to the make shift bed.
Liang did not protest, did not fight their actions, knowing that as inevitable as his approaching death was, so was the inevitability of her trying to save him.
She was always stubborn like that. Strong he supposed, in her own way. Yue Ying.
'My, Yue Ying.'
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The resulting explosion shook the earth with its force deafening and intense. It drowned out all other sounds around it, buildings below were blown off their foundations, debris and garbage was sent sailing through the street as the shock wave passed over them.
Kisame's limp body fell onto the street with a dull, gut churning thump, vicious cuts covering his whole body along with blackened, burned skin.
His Akatsuki comrades pulled themselves from the respective junk piles that had buried them, worse for wear as they tried to regain their bearings.
Kisame as well, despite his injuries, slowly began to stagger to his feet, the vicious tears and slashes crisscrossing his body darkening his skin with dark red blood.
Using the blade to support himself he picked himself off the ground his breathing, shuddering as it was, was harsh and heavy as he glared at the approaching Kage, who now made his way towards them from his landing site down the road.
Itachi stepped up to his side, looking as indifferent and aloof as the situation would allow. "Can you still fight Kisame?"
"It'll take a lot more than this to stop me." The monster of the mist answered through clenched teeth.
Glancing back Itachi found the eyes of Deidara. "If he gains the advantage distract him the moment we're clear from a potential blast radius."
"I'm running low on clay but lets give it a shot." The Iwa nin answered.
"Tobi." Itachi continued. "With us. No mistakes this time." He stated simply.
"Yes Itachi sempai! Tobi is a good boy!" the spiral masked ninja stated as he walked over to Itachi's other side.
As one the three criminals rushed forward with the fastest, Itachi, reaching Naruto first.
When he was only a few feet away the Uchiha leapt upwards, flipping and twisting in mid air over the Kage.
Naruto's eyes followed the Uchiha with ease, watching as his hands flashed through a series of seals shortly before a fireball descended on him.
Dodging the attack Naruto was soon forced to turn in order to block Tobi's clawed fingers with his own gauntlets.
The Akatsuki members bladed fingers seemed to writhe like live snakes for a moment as he continued to swing, the screeching of metal against metal ringing loudly in everyone's ears.
Naruto soon dispelled the Genjutsu over Tobi's weapons shortly before he saw Kisame approaching his side.
The former swordsman of the hidden mist swung at the Kage's knees. Naruto, in response brought one foot forward and used the bottom of his boot to stop the blade, before he used it as a platform to leap over it, and Kisame, hoping to gain some distance between himself and Tobi.
As he rose over the shark like man however he, found Itachi to be standing a short distance behind the former mist ninja.
Two shadow clones appeared next to the nuke nin, each doing their own hand seals.
"Sanjuu sou Jutsu-Hone fukai no Suppai"
With that said both the clones and the original spewed out different substances from their mouths. Of the three one was fire, the second water, and the third a cloud of poison.
The three elements collided in the space in front of him, barely a foot away.
The water from the technique pelted his face and body and almost instantaneously a blinding, searing, unimaginable pain enveloped every single nerve that came in contact with the liquid.
Even he couldn't prevent the scream of agony that tore itself from his throat.
Despite the pain, or perhaps because of it, Naruto had the presence of mind to avoid the area where this ungodly substance was being created.
Twisting his body in mid air, he landed heavily on his shoulder writhing in what could only be described as sheer agony. Even so, he rolled onto his chest and tried to stand once more
The acid trailed down his face, seeping beneath his mask as other droplets finished burning their way through his clothing, now reaching the skin of his arms and chest.
Naruto succeeded in standing, only for the pain to bring him down to his knees again. He yanked off the metallic mask as the smell of burning flesh invaded his nostrils, almost suffocating in its intensity.
'I need to focus... the chakra...onto the damaged areas...counter the acid'
"Are you insane!? You'll kill him!" Deidara yelled in a rage. While seeing the so called Devil King beaten at their feet was satisfying, failing their mission after so long a preparation and effort was something that did not sit well with him at all.
In response was Itachi's languid tone. "Not if Kisame washes away the acid with one of his suiton jutsu."
"With pleasure." The Kiri swordsman answered with a bone chilling smile as he stabbed Samaheda into the ground, forming his hand seals.
Mind too clouded with pain to even hear their words, let alone pay attention to them, Naruto would never even see the attack coming.
Kisame's throat seemed to stretch before a virtual flood of water exploded from his mouth, spreading out before him.
The artificial tide rushed towards Naruto, smashing into the ninja's side with the force equivalent to a two ton elephant.
Naruto was washed away in the current, bones breaking under the concentrated pressure. His body was continually pummeled by the debris of demolished houses, torn down by the rush of water, brick wood and household items all striking him within this vortex.
A safe distance behind the water currents source, Itachi's slowly spinning sharingan followed the Kage's movements in the water, feeling nothing but apathy towards the injuries inflicted on the Kage.
Four Shuriken found their way into his hands, held tightly between his fingers before he threw them into the relentless tide.
His accuracy was proven impeccable as the tiny steel blades, despite being washed up in the current, still hit their targets with enough force to drive them several inches deep.
The water finally began to die away leaving a slightly panting Kisame wiping away whatever water had dribbled onto his chin with a smirk on his face. "Oh yea." The shark man stated with a dry chuckle. "He's down this time."
They slowly made their way forward. Broken, flooded houses knocked off their foundations, some washed completely away, others leaning dangerously on their sides stood before them. In a pile of rubble that had gathered at the side of one of the few brick buildings down the road they could see him, half buried beneath the shrapnel and junk.
Their trepidation was evident in their stances but as they approached closer and closer, the four caught sight of his full condition. They each, one by one, dropped their guard
Four kunai dug deep into his chest and shoulders, and small patches of flesh visible beneath the holes burnt into his clothes revealed horrifying burns that reached deep, tendons of muscle and even bone visible beneath the blood that still seeped from the injuries. But the worst was his face, the acid had burnt off several patches of skin along his right cheek, lower left jaw, up to the left side of his mouth revealing some of the teeth and beneath another bloody carve from his forehead down to his right eyebrow.
The blond ninja's eyes were closed, clearly unconscious, from either his injuries or the horrifying pain it didn't matter. Deidara was the first to approach, hands reaching out to check the fallen ninja's pulse.
"He's alive" he stated looking back to the three.
Itachi nodded. "Good, now hurry, lets prepare the seal around him, we need to make sure he's fully subdued before he awakens again."
The blonds eyes chose that moment however to snap open again however, glowing an angry red with mist seeping from beneath his lids. Kyuubi's chakra re-emerged with a staggering vengence, sinew and flesh mending itself with startling speed.
His hand shot forward, grabbing a startled Deidara by the throat with a crushing grip. The Iwa ninja barely had time to open his mouth before the blond slowly began to stand, the pressure around the clay wielders larynx growing increasingly dangerous by the second. As the towering Jinchurikki stood to his full, imposing height the gruesome, horrifying visage of his wounded and scarred face only adding to the Akatsuki member's fear.
Deidara suddenly vanished in a cloud of smoke, a log of wood in his place barely a second before the solid wood became splinters beneath the unyielding grip. Naruto glared at the four Akatsuki with such seething hatred that even Itachi took a step back, the flesh of his face and arms still rebuilding itself before their very eyes.
The red chakra whipped around the blond, its red veil solidifying into black skin over the bleeding injuries.
The Genocidal Uchiha could understand now why it was claimed that this...this thing...yes...thing. This was no human. It could not be. Humans could be killed...this, could not be.
Because it would never stop.
It wasn't because it held some raw power that it could use to completely overwhelm his opponent in mere seconds, it wasn't because he could not be injured, it was simply because, he would not...stop.
Every injury, no matter how grievous or horrifying, was healed. Every Jutsu was matched with another of its own. This thing would fight until you could fight no more, letting you kill yourself long before he was in danger of doing so. They had hoped to come here and exhaust him, four opponents to one, and more importantly four opponents of their caliber. They had thought that he would exhaust himself trying to quickly eliminate one or more of them, and the others would be able to finish him in this state.
They usually used their superior numbers and skills, to outlast a Jinchuriki, while it tried to overwhelm them.
That was their folly.
They were the ones that needed to overwhelm him, not the other way around.
Now they were all tired, already Tobi had been forced to use one of his teleportation techniques and only had one or two more available to him. Kisame's injuries, loathe as he would be to admit it, were more taxing than he let on, and Deidara was running low on his relatively non lethal arsenal of explosive clay.
They needed to regroup, this Jinchurikki would not be caught on this day.
"We leave now." The Uchiha stated before leaping backwards, onto a nearby rooftop before the others hastily followed.
"You will not leave here!" Naruto growled as the ninetail's chakra expanded, the heat making the air simmer around him, distorting his image and his eyesight before he gave chase.
They ran, the four members of the Akatsuki fled as though the hounds of the underworld were upon their heels, but it was not enough.
Itachi and his three comrades were brought to a screeching halt as Naruto suddenly appeared in front of them, standing on the rooftop.
His entire body seemed to tense, his back hunching as he began to go into a crouch, his hands forming tight fists as his arms crossed in front of each other as though gripping his stomach.
The Kyuubi's chakra simmered, boiling with heat before it was reined in, the red chakra tightening over his skin, its nearly transparent haze becoming a bright, dark red outline over his body.
"Tobi!" Itachi yelled just before Naruto's head jerked , his hunched back going ramrod straight before his arms flew to his sides, outstretched with a roar before a bright red light blinded them all.
A pillar of dark red chakra shot into the sky, like some gruesome, foreboding lighthouse, as a wave of fire extended from its dark center, consuming everything in its path. Whatever had not been destroyed by Kisame and Deidara's earlier attacks was purged away by this bright, cleansing fire.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Get down!" Jiraiya suddenly yelled shortly before he tackled the stunned Sabaku to the deck of the ship, seconds before the shock wave rocked the boat. Wood and steel groaned with the gale force winds, the mast toppled over, its ropes snapping beneath the strain, wooden shrapnel and glass shattered, pelting the toad sannin in the back as he used his own body to shield his ward, his own yells and Temari's screams drowned out by the roar above them.
Suddenly it died away, and when the two opened their eyes again, it was to the sight of a blood red sky, previously white clouds now a deep, inky black. The sun was obscured by the haze of red that seeped through the air around them.
Temari remained immobile only for a moment before she scrambled to her feet, pushing Jiraiya off of her with a rough shove. She looked over the edge of the railing eyes widening with unabashed horror at the sight that greeted her silver eyes.
"What is it?" Jiraiya groaned getting to his feet before he too looked upon the devastation spread out before him.
Everything was...charred ruins...smoking husks of smoldering wood soot covered stone, ash,\ was thick in the air, replacing the mist that previously shrouded the now destroyed city.
There was a ring of destroyed homes that surrounded a now desolate and soot black ground where the flames had touched.. Black charred wood, twisted metal and glass littering the ocean's surface where the debris had flown farther than most. The land within this ring was black, like a dark pit, unmoving, desolate, dead.
"Look." The Sabaku said before pointing.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, squinting through the ashen fog, finding five silhouettes within the center of this destruction.
Temari moved to leap onto the railing and rush in, before Jiraiya grabbed her by the back of her blouse. "Are you insane!" The toad sannin yelled as he yanked her back down.
"We can clearly see how many he's fighting and he can't have much chakra after that last attack what the hell are you waiting for!" She yelled struggling against his grip
Jiraiya stared at her, a perplexed light in his eyes as though he was looking at an animal behaving in a way that completely contradicted its natural instincts.
Temari for her part, couldn't really identify why she wanted to fight their attackers, for all she knew they may even be her rescuers. But she just knew that this was wrong! There was no other way to put it, it was simply wrong. This man, was alone, so very alone and none of these people seemed overly bothered by this simple fact. As though it didn't matter.
It was something that absolutely disgusted her.
As a woman whom had seen first hand people's treatment of Jinchurikki she knew better than anyone just how bad things could have been. If her father had been a bastard, if he hadn't had any standing in their village, if Gaara hadn't tried so hard to gain the acceptance of others. Everything could be much different, much worse than what they were...
Gaara could have been like him...and she could have been like them...
And that, more than anything, terrified her.
She didn't want to be like these people. She didn't want Gaara to be like him...He shouldn't have to be the way he was...he didn't deserve it. No one deserved this...
Something fell into her hand, lowering her eyes she found it to be a kunai pouch.
Looking up towards Jiraiya she saw him smirking down at her. "Can't go without weapons." He said before leaping over the railing himself, headed straight for Naruto and the other...five?
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The man known as the devil king took in deep ragged breaths, his body hunched over, legs shaking under the strain of holding him up, shoulders and arms, hanging limply at his side as his red eyes looked to his four heaving opponents.
Correction, three. The one with the mask, Tobi, was unconscious, and the other three apparently teetering upon that precipice as well. He must have been correct in assuming the man's ability to use space time techniques, extraordinary, but in this case, saving himself, as well as his teammates, was not enough.
The Kage rose to his full height once again, his insides burned and his lungs and muscles protested the strain, never before had he used so much of the demons chakra. He needed to end this now.
Kisame, the only one who seemed to have regained some form of his mental capacities from the strain that came from these abilities. No doubt his countenance due to his unique physical condition is what allowed him to do so
This was one reason that Space time techniques were so rare. Because, firstly, even grasping simple theories, was difficult, second, the strain upon the chakra coils, and the amount of chakra required was too great for a human body to handle more than three at any time. It served, at best, as escape techniques, as Tobi had shown, or if one was truly skilled, assassinations.
The only person that had mastered space time techniques to an extraordinary degree, and had taken the secret to his grave was the Yondaime Hokage.
He stepped forward, his steps heavy as he did, tired.
Kisame stood to his full height, his sword clutched tightly in his hands.
Raising it up, over his head, the Kiri nuke nin roared as he sought to bring the near thirty pound weapon straight down onto the blond man.
In response, Naruto raised his hand, metal gauntlets latching onto the mass of metal and chakra absorbing minerals, halting its progress before he slashed at Kisame's abdomen with the clawed metal in his free hand. Tendons and muscle easily parted in its wake, blood flowing freely from the Nuke ninja's now bleeding wound.
Naruto threw Samaheda aside, punching Kisame across the jaw, knocking him to the floor.
Naruto raised his hands, beginning to form his hand seals in order to kill the four.
Itachi began to struggle to his feet, hissing in pain as he did, single sharingan eye turning to glare at the still standing Kage.
Before another seal could be formed however, seven rust red chains suddenly sprang out from the earth around him.
"What!" Naruto barely had time to say before the seven chains ran him straight through, One going through each of his forearms, two more piercing the back of his knees, making his legs buckle beneath him , while two more wrapped around his ribs and stomach, tightening almost to the point of suffocation.
The last wrapped around his throat, shortly before the seven chains pulled taught, shackling him down to the earth, unable to move.
Naruto growled, concentrating through the pain, he attempted to summon more of the evil chakra of the ninetails, only to realize, that as he summoned it, was it absorbed by these seven red chains, making them simmer and glow with heat.
A shadow fell over him, causing both he and the others to glance skyward, finding a woman with blue hair and wings, hovering just out of reach, the red hazed sun at her back.
His vision was beginning to darken, numerous internal injuries, previously stable and healing due to his chakra, now detracting from his strength. His eyes shifted, from animal red to human blue, his body giving in to the encroaching blackness while his mind stubbornly refused, glaring at the apathetic woman with the last vestiges of what venom he could muster.
"Release me..." He warned, a tone that would send lesser men cowering. "And your death shall be quick." He continued. "Do not, and your end will come through such torment your name shall be a mere byword and warning among the future generations of this world."
In response, the angle woman landed from her place in the sky, marching up to his immobilized form. She stared at him a moment, and he at her, before she leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "You shall be released."
She pressed a palm to his chest and black runes spread over his exposed skin, hissing and burning as they spread. Naruto's head jerked, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he shuddered and began to convulse, shaking as the seals spread throughout his body.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Miles away, a woman froze where she stood, an agonizing burn spreading from the seal on her stomach, even as her hand clutched her heart.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
His movements came to an end, eyes, sightless and unrecognizing before he fell forward, chains rattling as he fell...unmoving.
Konan, and the other Akatsuki members, whom were now beginning to regain themselves all stood over his unmoving form, all taking a second or two to bask in this moment. This satisfaction this...silent, unspoken pride that they had accomplished what no other had before them.
Their moment was broken however as seven massive Toads suddenly descended around them. The ground shook beneath their feet and Konan raised her eyes up, to the head of the largest of the toads, finding a white haired man who looked at her with surprise superseding all other emotions visible upon his features.
"Konan." He whispered.
The blue haired woman didn't say anything, merely stared upon the white haired ninja with as much disdain as she could place into her gaze.
A blur caught her attention, bringing her eyes towards a blond haired kunoichi as she threw dozens of kunai and Shuriken through the air.
The black projectiles spun, coated with wind chakra, small slivers of the invisible blades scattering through the air, threatening to turn everything in their path to ribbons and diced meat.
Konan's wings scattered, thousands of sheets of paper catching themselves in invisible currents wrapping around everyone of her allies, obscuring them from their attackers vision.
They vanished within the storm, hiding among the disorienting slivers of white.
Hidden as they were, Konan turned her eyes to Itachi, whom she knew could still see her. He had Tobi over his shoulder, while Deidara formed one of his signature clay birds to carry himself, Naruto, and the half conscious Kisame. "Take them back to the fortress...I shall follow shortly."
Itachi nodded before he was once again, unseen even to her.
She looked to Jiraiya and the young Kunoichi, her kunai diverted by her own natural wind chakra which coated her papers. She tensed, preparing herself to attack before the sound of a thousand screeching birds reached her ears.
Swiveling on her heel she found herself staring into the single Sharingan eye of Hatake Kakashi, bright, silver lightning coating his hand and wrist.
"Chidori!" He roared as his hand pierced her through and through.
Her wound didn't bleed, papers crumpled and tightened, before her entire visage crumbled into a pile of static compressed pages which quickly caught flame.
The whirlwind of pages and stark white fell away, leaving Kakashi, Jiraiya, Temari, and a solemn Yoshihiro standing among the desolate and burnt landscape.
Jiraiya looked towards the Horizon, where two large blobs, which vaguely resembled some bird, continued to make their escape. He looked down towards Kakashi, Yoshihiro and Temari, and was about to give the three the order to get on the frog when agony raced up the back of his legs, causing them to buckle beneath him before he collapsed, falling over Bunta's nose.
"Jiraiya!" The Boss summon yelled startled before he reflexively caught the middle aged ninja.
Jiraiya yelled, reaching down for his leg before the pain forced his spine ramrod straight against Gamabunta's hand. Glancing upwards onto the toads head he barely caught sight of a man, half his features white, the other black, his upper body encased in some sort of plant before this one vanished just as quickly as he had come.
"Jiraiya!" Kakashi yelled as Gamabunta set him down.
"Damnit!" The toad sannin yelled frustrated before he looked to Kakashi and Yoshihiro. "Get on the toads. They'll make it easier to catch up."
Kakashi looked like he was going to say something before he realized what little window they actually had. Rushing up Gamabunta's side, Yoshihiro soon followed the copy ninja's example.
As Yoshihiro reached the top however, a third presence made both men turn.
Temari's silver eyes met the Sharingan's blood red.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kakashi said, voice not entirely unsimilar to that of his captured leader.
"I'm going to help save him." She answered as though he were stupid.
"Like hell you are!" Kakashi said.
"Quiet." Yoshihiro spoke up, placing himself between Kakashi and the younger woman. "I don't know if you just noticed, but those four guys just took down our strongest. We'll need all the help we can get."
Kakashi straightened, as if only now fully grasping the severity of this situation.
"Take her Kakashi." Jiraiya yelled from below bringing Kakashi's eyes down towards him. "You will need all the help you can get."
Kakashi turned his eyes back onto Temari, narrowed in suspicion before he soon threw her his spare kunai pouch. "One wrong move..." He let the threat hang, watching as she nodded. In acceptance before strapping the weapon holster to her thigh.
With their conversation over, Bunta leapt through the air, doing his best to swiftly swallow the distance that had been made between them.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Miles ahead Itachi watched through blood red eyes at the unmoving form that lay near his feet, surrounded by his colleagues and fellow missing ninja as they rode Deidara's creature towards their base, where the final ritual could begin.
He looked down on the man, taking a deep breath, as though he were taking in this accomplishment this...proof of his own skills. The proof that he had tested his own limitations and passed.
Though it is true, that he had not fought this ninja alone, and that without Konan's timely intervention he may very well be dead, he was alive, which was more than thousands, perhaps millions of others who had fought this man could boast.
And, single handed victory or near defeat, regardless of how it was viewed, both he and his teammates could claim one thing, no other being in their world could.
Naruto, the man that could not be killed, the Devil King of Konoha, the enemy of all those who stood upon the boundaries of this land...lay at their feet...
Defeated...