Chapter 90: Gaara
discord.gg/q5KWmtQARF
Join my Discord!
**************
As they approached the central seal, they could feel the oppressive chakra emanating from it. They shared a quick glance, each silently acknowledging the potential danger ahead.
When Team Asuma gave the signal, Kakashi removed the tag from the central stone, while Koushin and Naruto prepared their Rasengan. With a shared nod, they unleashed their attacks, each hurling a giant Rasengan at the massive rock. The two techniques collided with the stone, sending a powerful shockwave through the area.
As the dust cleared, they saw three figures inside the now-open cavern. Deidara sat smirking atop his white clay bird, Sasori stood within his puppet Hiruko, and Gaara hovered on a patch of sand, his expression unreadable.
Naruto's eyes widened with relief when he saw Gaara. "Gaara!" he exclaimed, starting to move towards him, only to be stopped by Koushin's hand on his shoulder.
"Be careful, Naruto," Koushin warned, his voice tense. "We don't know what's going on yet."
Naruto hesitated but nodded, keeping his gaze on Gaara. "Gaara, are you alright? We're here to help you."
Gaara's eyes met Naruto's, a mixture of gratitude and sadness in his expression. "Thank you, Naruto," he said softly. "But I've joined the Akatsuki now. They removed the One-Tail from my body, freeing me from its burden. I'm also free from my father's control."
Naruto stared at Gaara in shock, his heart aching. "But Gaara, that's not the way! You don't have to join them! You have friends who care about you, who will stand by you no matter what. We can help you!"
Gaara's eyes filled with pain, his voice barely a whisper. "I appreciate your concern, Naruto, but this is my choice. I can't return to my old life."
Kakashi spoke up, his voice firm. "Gaara, we can't let you stay with the Akatsuki. We know what they're capable of, and we can't risk them using you for their own purposes."
Deidara scoffed from his perch on the clay bird. "You think you can just waltz in here and take the kid back? I'd like to see you try!"
Sasori's voice echoed from within Hiruko. "You're outmatched. Leave now, and we'll let you live."
Chiyo stepped forward, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and sadness. "Sasori, my dear grandson, why are you speaking in favor of the Akatsuki? Can't you see they've brought you back from the dead only to enslave you to their cause?"
Deidara and Sasori burst into laughter, their mocking cackles echoing throughout the cavern. Naruto and Hinata exchanged concerned glances, while Kakashi and Chiyo remained stoic, waiting for the laughter to subside.
Finally, Sasori spoke, his voice devoid of emotion. "The true art is immortality. Deidara and I died willingly to be resurrected by Edo Tensei so we can create the arts we devoted ourselves to for the rest of eternity. We aren't controlled; we are as free as we can be."
Naruto clenched his fists in frustration, his voice rising in anger. "You call this freedom?! You're both being used by the Akatsuki for their twisted goals! How can you not see that?!"
Deidara smirked, his eyes narrowing. "You just don't get it, do you, brat? We chose this path because it allows us to fully embrace our art without any limits."
Hinata bit her lip, trying to find the right words. "But is it worth it? To sacrifice your humanity, your connections with others, all for the sake of your art? What kind of life is that?"
Sasori's expression darkened, his tone bitter. "It's better than living as a puppet, constantly manipulated by others. At least now, we're the ones pulling the strings."
Chiyo's eyes filled with tears, her voice cracking. "Sasori, I never wanted you to feel that way. I'm so sorry for everything that's happened to you, but this isn't the answer. You don't have to continue down this path."
Sasori regarded his grandmother with a mix of anger and sadness. "You don't understand, grandmother. This is the only way for me to be free."
Koushin shook his head, a grin spreading across his face as he mocked the two resurrected Akatsuki members. "You guys really are something else, huh? So desperate for immortality that you've turned yourselves into living corpses, walking around like zombies. How pathetic."
Deidara's face twisted in anger at Koushin's words. "You little brat! What do you know about true art?! You're just a foolish kid who's never faced the harsh reality of the world!"
Koushin chuckled, though deep down, he was unsettled. This was yet another deviation from the anime caused by his actions. If the Akatsuki members turned into resurrected corpses with endless chakra, they would only become even stronger. He couldn't let his guard down, but he couldn't let his fear show either. But what bothered him most was Gaara. He should have killed him when he had the chance. He thought, no he hoped that Gaara would be useful at the end game, but he switched to enemy team.
"Reality, huh?" Koushin continued to taunt them, his tone light and mocking. "Well, let me tell you something about reality. True strength doesn't come from living forever like some kind of twisted monster. It comes from the connections we make, the people we care about, and the things we're willing to fight for. What you guys are doing... it's just sad."
Sasori's eyes narrowed, his voice cold and unfeeling. "You think you understand us, but you don't. You can't possibly fathom the depths of our art."
Naruto's eyes blazed with determination as he stepped forward, addressing Sasori and Deidara. "Koushin's right. No matter how powerful you think you are, you're still just puppets being controlled by the Akatsuki. We're going to stop you, and we're going to save Gaara."
Deidara scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "As if you could even lay a finger on us. You're all just a bunch of naive fools."
Before the situation could escalate further, a new figure appeared in the cave. Tobi, the masked man of the Akatsuki, had arrived.
"What's all this noise?" he asked, his voice deep and menacing. "Deidara, Sasori, it's time to go. We have work to do."
Deidara glared at Koushin and the others. "Fine. But this isn't over. We'll meet again, and when we do, you'll regret ever crossing paths with us."
As they prepared to leave, Tobi turned his attention to Kakashi. "Ah, Kakashi Hatake," he said, a sinister edge to his voice. "Before I go, I think I'll take back my gift."
---------
You can read up to 20 advanced draft chapters and the Next Checkpoint for extra chapters is missing 40 Dollars! You can now support me and have a weekly extra chapter!
patreon.com/thefanficgodN
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone