"There will be new members joining the organization soon."
The announcement from the Akatsuki leader was met with indifferent silence. Among the gathered members, none aside from Konan and Nagato showed any real interest. Unity had never been a trait of Akatsuki—what rebel ninja could you possibly expect to cooperate willingly?
"The organization's plan is now ready to be implemented. Sasori, Deidara—you're assigned to infiltrate Sunagakure and capture the One-Tail."
"Isn't the One-Tail sealed within the Kazekage, Gaara?" Sasori's voice came low and metallic from within the Puppet. To the rest of Akatsuki, that puppet was his true form—only Konan and the leader, Yahiko, knew Sasori's real identity.
"Yes, the One-Tail is sealed inside the Jinchūriki. But that shouldn't be too difficult for the two of you, should it?"
"…Understood."
"No problem," Deidara grinned with excitement. "I'll teach Sunagakure what true art looks like—hm!"
"Good. With Deidara's aerial mobility, extraction will be easier. It's settled."
With their missions assigned, the Akatsuki members dispersed into the shadows.
---
Three days later, Deidara and Sasori arrived near the outskirts of Sunagakure, hidden beneath the veil of the desert wind.
"We wait until nightfall," Sasori muttered, scanning the horizon. "Aerial combat's too exposed during the day."
Of course, Sasori had more than just tactics in mind. He had long embedded spies in Sunagakure and preferred to gather intelligence before launching any direct confrontation.
As dusk fell and shadows lengthened, the plan began.
"Detonating clay... explode!"
"Art is an explosion! Hahaha!" Deidara shouted with glee as he launched his assault. His clay bombs, hidden throughout the village, detonated in sequence, rocking the sand-covered streets with roaring bursts of flame and debris.
Panic spread instantly across Sunagakure.
In the Kazekage's office, Gaara watched the chaos through narrowed eyes. The explosions weren't random—this was a coordinated assault.
"Temari," he said calmly. "Something's off. Go to Konoha. Find Hokage Uchiha Fugaku. If he won't act, find Naruto. Tell them... Akatsuki has made their move."
Temari's eyes widened but didn't hesitate. "Understood, Gaara." She disappeared into the night with urgency, heading east toward the Leaf.
Gaara, now alone, gathered his strength and led Sunagakure's forces in pursuit of the attacker.
It didn't take long before they spotted the culprit—Deidara, seated atop a massive white clay bird, soaring through the night sky as he hurled bombs down upon the village.
"An aerial unit... troublesome," Gaara muttered, immediately understanding why the enemy was so bold.
"Gaara of the Sand, huh? Hah!" Deidara scoffed, sculpting a small bird in his palm. "Let's see how you handle this—hm!"
The tiny white clay birds shot toward Gaara with a flick of his fingers.
"Katsu!"
With a muffled series of explosions, the ground lit up, smoke and flames dancing around Gaara's position.
But when the smoke cleared, a massive sphere of sand hovered in the air—Gaara's signature defense. He stood unharmed, his gaze locked onto Deidara.
"Tch... no damage, huh?" Deidara grinned, not surprised. "Well, you are the Kazekage, after all."
He pressed on. "Detonating Clay: Twin Birds!"
Two new birds shot from his hands, flapping toward Gaara like pale specters. Gaara didn't flinch. Raising his hand, a wave of sand surged to intercept them, but the birds veered off, dodging his defense with erratic movements before exploding midair.
Still, Gaara emerged unscathed, his sand armor holding firm.
"You're persistent," Deidara muttered, shifting tactics as Gaara rose into the air on a wave of sand, leveling the field.
"Jinchūriki really are convenient, huh?" Deidara mused aloud. "That sand control must be from the One-Tail's power."
Above the rooftops, their aerial battle intensified. Deidara zipped through the sky with acrobatic finesse, barely dodging Gaara's relentless sand strikes. Though nimble, he was aware Gaara had the home advantage—and the Sand ninja below were watching closely.
Gaara, for his part, couldn't go all out. Every blast risked falling debris on his people. That restraint cost him—slightly.
But then Gaara's sand surged in a sudden burst of speed. A strand of denser, finer sand wrapped around Deidara's left arm.
"Sand Coffin."
The sand crushed inward.
With a sickening crack, Deidara's arm was turned to pulp. Blood sprayed into the wind.
But the bomber didn't scream. Gritting his teeth, he veered sharply away, gaining distance.
"…That sand's different. Faster. More refined than before," Deidara thought, cold sweat dripping from his brow.
"Guess I'll need something stronger."
He reached into his pouch with his remaining hand.
"C3—Eighteen."
From his palm, he molded a grotesque clay doll, chakra surging into its every pore. Then, with a casual toss, he flung it into the air above Gaara.
"What the hell is that?" a Sand ninja below cried out.
"Everyone, get back!" Maki shouted. "Now!"
The clay doll began to glow, releasing a blinding light—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion tore through the air, shaking the entire village. Flames and wind surged in every direction.
But when the smoke faded, a massive sand barrier hovered high above. Gaara had created a dome of sand midair, shielding the village from the full force of the blast.
Breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his brow, Gaara focused all his chakra into maintaining the shield.
"Now!" Deidara whispered to himself. From his palm, another bird took flight—fast, small, nearly invisible in the swirling smoke.
Gaara, still recovering, barely reacted in time.
"Katsu!"
With a rumble, another sand barrier formed, just in time to intercept the sneak attack.
"You're tough," Deidara muttered, frustration flashing across his face.
But then—something happened.
Inside Gaara's barrier, a strange pressure began to build.
Boom!
The sand exploded outward from within.
"W-What?!"
Inside the swirling debris, Gaara's face twisted in pain. Blood trickled from his forehead.
"Haha! Got you," Deidara said with a grin. "When you crushed my arm, I slipped detonating clay into your sand. It's been waiting—dormant—until now."
"You used your own defense to shield my weapon."
In that moment, Gaara realized his mistake. His absolute defense had become his prison. The clay hidden within had detonated at point-blank range, and the resulting force had bypassed even his most refined sand barriers.
-------------------
Gaara's signature "Absolute Defense" sand barrier had always been formidable—but ironically, its incredible defense was what caused the greatest harm. Sealed within the crushing pressure of his own sand, Gaara had taken serious internal damage.
"Got him!" Deidara grinned, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. Sacrificing his arm had paid off—Gaara was finally subdued.
But as he soared toward the fallen Kazekage, Deidara paused mid-air. Something was off. Gaara, though on the brink of unconsciousness, had used the last of his strength to send a massive wave of sand away from Sunagakure—redirecting it to protect the village from collapse.
"Still thinking of the villagers even at death's door, huh?" Deidara muttered, a rare flicker of respect surfacing. "Heh… I, Deidara, approve."
Despite his words, he flew over and scooped Gaara's limp body from the rubble. The moment Gaara completed his final act of protection, he passed out cold.
"One down. Bet Sasori's getting impatient already."
Below, Sunagakure's shinobi were powerless to stop him. Their projectiles fell uselessly from the sky. Even Kankuro, who had rushed ahead to intercept the enemy, had been quickly poisoned and knocked unconscious by Sasori. The puppet master never stood a chance.
Just like that, the Kazekage of Sunagakure was stolen away in broad daylight.
At that time, Temari had already departed for Konoha to request backup.
By the time word of the abduction reached the Hidden Leaf, it was already the third day. Temari had barely rested, pushing herself relentlessly for her brother's sake. But as it turned out, Konoha had received the message before she even arrived.
"I'm sorry to barge in—I'm Temari from Sunagakure, elder sister to Kazekage Gaara. Our village was attacked by a powerful enemy—"
"Temari," Uchiha Fugaku, now the Sixth Hokage, raised his hand gently to halt her. "We already know. Calm yourself and catch your breath."
He gave her a reassuring nod before continuing. "I've dispatched Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, Lord Masahiko, and Hyuga Neji to pursue the attackers. With the four of them working together, your brother will be safe."
Temari was still unaware of Gaara's capture, but hearing that two of the Leaf's most renowned Uchiha, along with a respected Uzumaki elder and a genius from the Hyuga clan, were already on the mission brought her some measure of peace.
Within two days, the Konoha squad arrived in Sunagakure.
"We're here as reinforcement from the Leaf," Shisui announced to the gate guards. "I'm the team leader—Uchiha Shisui."
"Shisui?!" The guards exchanged shocked looks. Even those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the world's power structure knew the name of the man who could control minds in the blink of an eye.
"Wait here. I'll alert the elders."
With both Kazekage and Kankuro out of commission, the village's leadership had temporarily fallen to Elder Chiyo.
Soon, Maki from Sunagakure came to greet them. She bowed slightly, showing sincere respect. Konoha's willingness to send such a powerful squad made their intentions clear—they were here to help.
But as Chiyo laid eyes on one of the four, her composure cracked.
"M-Master Masahiko? You're still alive?!" The words tumbled out before she could stop them, realizing too late how rude they sounded.
"Oh, little Chiyo?" Uzumaki Masahiko gave her a calm, nostalgic glance.
"Little Chiyo?!" Maki and several surrounding Sand shinobi were stunned.
Lady Chiyo was the oldest person in Sunagakure… and this man just called her little Chiyo?
"How old is this guy?" one of the guards whispered.
Masahiko smiled faintly, unfazed. "Yes, I've passed a hundred already."
Chiyo blinked. She had heard of the Uzumaki clan's longevity, but seeing someone still active after a full century was something else entirely.
In truth, Masahiko's life had neared its end just days ago—but thanks to Su Xiuyu's return, that had changed. Having reached the Six Paths level, Su Xiuyu had extended Masahiko's life with powerful Yang Release. Twenty more years, at least—more, if needed. It was a gesture of deep respect. Masahiko had always supported Su Xiuyu and Uzumaki Mito's relationship, and this was his reward.
"Let's focus on the mission," Masahiko said, glancing around. "Has the Kazekage been confirmed as captured?"
Chiyo nodded solemnly. "Yes. He's gone. And our people are tracking the culprits as best they can. Kankuro… Kankuro was poisoned by Sasori. He's barely hanging on. I've tried everything… even I can't neutralize the toxin."
There was a flicker of pain in Chiyo's eyes. The one who poisoned Kankuro was her own grandson—Sasori of the Red Sand, now a rogue ninja.
Masahiko's expression grew serious. "First things first. Bring Kankuro to me."
Moments later, Kankuro was carried in—his face swollen and purple, his breathing shallow.
Masahiko frowned. "Chiyo… you couldn't handle this poison? Weren't you quite skilled in toxins?"
"I'm ashamed to say… not enough," Chiyo said with a bitter chuckle. "During the Third War, I often matched wits with your Tsunade. And every time, she managed to outdo me. Detoxifying a new poison is far harder than creating one… but she always found a way."
"Understood." Masahiko knelt beside Kankuro and placed his hands gently over the afflicted areas. Chakra threads sparked to life as he activated a delicate Uzumaki technique—Microcellular Extraction.
It was an advanced healing method that focused on isolating and removing poisoned or damaged tissues on the microscopic level.
Within half an hour, the swelling on Kankuro's face had visibly subsided. His breathing eased, and color returned to his cheeks.
"Is that… the micro-extraction technique? I heard Tsunade created it," Chiyo asked, surprised.
Masahiko nodded. "The prototype actually came from an ancient Uzumaki sealing technique. Tsunade improved it. I picked it up along the way."
An hour later, Kankuro was resting peacefully. The remaining toxins in his body were negligible—his life was no longer in danger.
"Take him to the infirmary. Let him rest. He's lucky," Masahiko said calmly. "Sasori's poison is no joke… it's more refined than I expected."
Chiyo remained quiet. Her emotions churned inside. The man who had just saved her grandson was a veteran from Konoha—the same village responsible for the deaths of her own son and daughter-in-law. And yet… without him, Kankuro would already be dead.
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