Chapter 56: Naruto VS Deidara
"What's going on here?" Naruto casually inquired, eyeing Sasori and Deidara lounging on top of Gaara.
"Sasori..." Chiyo silently mused, her thoughts racing.
The sight of Gaara's motionless form on the ground, flanked by two Akatsuki members, caught everyone off guard.
"So, who's the Jinchuriki here?" Deidara threw out the question.
A hint of a smirk played on Naruto's lips. "Looking for an autograph, are you?" he quipped.
"That's the guy, the one who just spoke..." Sasori nudged Deidara.
"Seems like it," Deidara replied, barely concealing his amusement.
A silent agreement passed between Chiyo and Sasori, their resolve hardening. Chiyo's glance at Sasori carried a spark of defiance.
---
Elsewhere, as Might Guy unleashed the power of the forbidden seal, the earth began to reshape itself.
"Neji, you seeing this?" Guy queried, astonishment laced in his voice.
"Absolutely!" Neji confirmed, witnessing a similar phenomenon, only with grass reshaping itself. "It's happening here too," he added, his voice steady.
"And Tenten? What's happening on your end?" Guy turned to Tenten for her observation.
Rooted to her spot, Tenten watched as water mimicked the actions of the earth and grass before her. "Looks like I'm part of this too," she said, her tone mirroring the group's curiosity.
"Lee!" Guy's voice rang out again.
"A strange shadow sprang up in the forest the moment I removed the tag," Rock Lee reported back, his tone filled with a mix of surprise and anticipation.
"Just as I suspected," Guy concluded, ready to face whatever came next.
"Looks like Team Kakashi slipped in exactly like we planned," Neji remarked, his Byakugan springing to life.
"Huh, what's this now?" Tenten muttered, eyeing the water's shadowy figure that morphed into her own image.
Turns out, everyone saw their own doubles too.
"Smells like a trap to me," Rock Lee observed.
"Got it..." Guy nodded, as they all took their combat ready poses.
"Ah, so that's their angle!" Tenten realized.
"You seem like a decent challenge," Rock Lee declared, squaring off against his doppelganger.
---
Deep within the Akatsuki lair...
"Hey, how about we all stand? Laying around on someone's back isn't exactly polite, is it?" Naruto quipped.
"And if we choose to stay put?" Deidara challenged.
"Then I guess I'll just have to encourage you up," Naruto replied, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Oh? And how do you plan to manage that?" Deidara taunted, smirking back.
"Well, I'm more than happy to demonstrate," Naruto shot back.
---
"Normally, a Shinobi team is either three or four people strong," Guy explained, facing off against a clone.
"But to bust a Five-seal Barrier, you need at least five," Neji added.
"That means one team's not gonna cut it. We'd need to wait for backup," Tenten chimed in.
"Throwing up a Five-seal Barrier is basically just a fancy way to buy time," Rock Lee pointed out.
"And the kicker is, when you take the barrier down, it springs a trap," Guy added.
"Right, the trap being a clone of whoever pulls off the tag pops up," Neji explained.
Tenten chucked a kunai at her double, who nimbly dodged and mirrored her every move, "So, they're using this to keep us from pushing forward, huh?" she noted.
"So, beating our own copies is the only ticket back to Naruto and the rest?" Rock Lee sought clarification.
"That's the size of it, Lee!" Guy confirmed.
"Splitting us from the squad, setting individual traps, and even safeguarding the barrier with a clone – they're not messing around," Neji observed.
"But sitting around in awe isn't going to get us anywhere," Tenten declared, her voice full of resolve.
"Alright, let's get this showdown started!" Rock Lee exclaimed, as they all launched into battle with their clones.
Guy went for a kick at his clone, who caught it and countered, forcing Guy to block, "Not bad, not bad at all. My clone's got moves," Guy remarked, impressed, as they Continued their fight.
---
"Alright, Itachi's judgment was off. This Jinchuriki is all bark and no bite..." Deidara started, but his words hung in the air as he caught a whisper right behind him, "You really picked the worst spot to chill..."
Whipping around, Deidara tried to make a preemptive strike, but Naruto was already on him, "A bit sluggish, aren't we?" he quipped, darting towards Deidara with ease, sending him skidding across the ground with a swift move.
"Hang tight... I'll circle back to you in a sec," Naruto tossed over his shoulder at Sasori, an easy smirk on his face.
Sasuke bristled at this, thinking, "What's he talking about, coming back? I'm right here, ready to deal with this puppeteer myself."
In the blink of an eye, Naruto was back where Deidara had landed. "So, what's the comeback now?" he asked, nonchalantly.
"Okay, you got me there, caught me sleeping. But don't think it'll happen again," Deidara managed, hand diving into his pouch.
"Can't promise anything. And, you know, time's a luxury I don't have. Let's wrap this up, shall we?" Naruto replied, cool as ever.
Deidara, in response, whipped out some clay, quickly molding it into birds and launching them at Naruto in a flurry. They exploded in a blinding burst right in front of him. "Got any last words, kid?" Deidara taunted, a grin on his face.
"Was that supposed to tickle?" Naruto stood there, unfazed, almost bored.
Deidara's smile faltered, disbelief painting his features as he saw Naruto completely unscathed by the blast. "No way..."
"My turn," Naruto declared, the air around him crackling as he formed a Rasenshuriken, a swirling vortex of chakra in his palm. "Catch!" he threw it at Deidara with a casual flick of his wrist.
"What in the world is that?!" Deidara's thoughts raced as he desperately tried to evade, but it was too late. The Rasenshuriken slammed into him, sending him hurtling through the air, the impact setting off a cataclysmic explosion in its wake.
The attack was merciless, micro blades of wind slicing through Deidara with surgical precision, ravaging his flesh and clothes alike.
The aftermath left everyone in awe, the sheer power of Naruto's Jutsu turning the battlefield into a scene of apocalyptic ruin.
The assault of wind blades finally ceased, and Deidara's body hit the ground with a lifeless thud. Naruto approached, the dust settling around the motionless form of his adversary. He stood over Deidara, a hint of satisfaction in his tone, "One down," he casually remarked, eyeing the defeated figure at his feet.
On another front, Sasuke, with the strategic support of Sakura, Kakashi, and Chiyo, managed to overcome Sasori. The victory wasn't handed to them easily, but through their combined efforts, they emerged triumphant.
---
Meanwhile, Team Guy found themselves locked in a grueling battle against their own clones. Exhaustion was setting in, their energy fading with every move, unlike their opponents who remained as vigorous as when the fight began.
Neji harbored a growing concern, realizing the grim reality of their situation. "Just as I feared," he silently acknowledged the predicament they were in.
"How is this happening? How can they seem even stronger than before?" Tenten voiced her confusion, struggling to understand the unfolding scenario.
"It's true, their blows feel heavier than earlier," Rock Lee confirmed, sharing in the group's bewilderment.
Guy, ever the optimist, corrected them, "No, it's not that our enemies are gaining strength."
"Exactly," Neji chimed in, catching on to Guy's insight, "The truth is, we're the ones who are becoming weaker."
"Feeling a bit off our game, aren't we? Got any theories, Neji?" Tenten tossed the question with a mix of concern and curiosity.
"Why's it seem like we're hitting a slump while they just keep getting stronger?" Rock Lee chimed in, echoing Tenten's worries but with his usual fiery spirit.
"Well, if you put two and two together, it's not that hard to figure out. That Jutsu they used? It's a pretty slick trick—mimics someone at the moment they ditch the tags, then turns their own moves against them. That's been tripping us up. But here's the kicker—we're not made of steel and circuits. We're human. Drag a fight out and we start to feel it—our Jutsu gets sloppy, our steps a tad slower..." Neji broke it down with his usual analytical calm, laying out the harsh truth.
"Man, it's like they're leveling up while we're just running out of steam. Talk about a bad deal," Rock Lee said, frustration laced in his voice.
"Drag this out and we're just setting ourselves up for a tougher fight," Tenten realized, the gravity of their situation sinking in.
"Precisely," Neji confirmed, his tone solemn yet resolute.
"No way, this can't be happening!" Tenten couldn't hide her dismay.
"Look at it this way—our game plan's simple. Keep the fights short, sweet, and we don't give in. Not here, not now," Rock Lee declared, his determination flaring up as they prepared to face whatever came next.
[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]
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