2 Back-Up

A streaking blur cut through the forest at breakneck speeds, leaving only a fleeting trail of blurred motion in its wake.

Satoru Gojo, immersed in thought, darted effortlessly through the dense trees.

As he traversed the green landscape, he pondered the intricacies of his abilities and how they had adapted to the chakra-infused environment of the Naruto universe.

In this world, his powers had seamlessly integrated with those of Satoru Gojo, creating a unique fusion of capabilities. While he retained all the formidable abilities of the original Gojo—his Six Eyes granting unparalleled perception and mastery over chakra.

His Limitless Technique also remained partly unchanged, but akin to his teenage self, he couldn't sustain Infinity indefinitely without the reverse cursed technique. However, he was confident in his ability to find a suitable substitute.

In this world where chakra was in everyone, Gojo had discovered a newfound skill: the ability to mimic telekinesis. With chakra as his conduit, he could manipulate the physical world with precision, and dangerous output.

Yet, perhaps the most intriguing adaptation was his Unlimited Void—a manifestation of genjutsu rather than a physical void. This technique ensnared his foes in a web of illusion, flooding their minds with boundless information and rendering them helpless or even bringing about their demise.

The only downside was that it had similar effects to the original Domain Expansion, meaning it effected everybody in his surroundings and not only one person, making it dangerous for nearby allies.

Nevertheless, as he raced through the forest, a small village caught his eye.

'I wonder if they have some dumplings...'

****

In the heart of a sprawling canyon, Sakura Haruno and Chiyo, the elderly puppet master, found themselves locked in a deadly confrontation with Sasori of the Red Sand, a formidable member of the notorious Akatsuki.

With their backs against the cold stone of the canyon boulders, Sakura and Chiyo exchanged a tense glance as flames erupted from Sasori's arms, sending waves of scorching heat hurtling towards them.

"Stay low, Sakura!" Chiyo's voice rang out above the roar of the flames, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of weakness in their opponent.

Sakura nodded, her heart pounding in her chest as she gritted her teeth against the searing heat blowing past her.

Taking a deep breath and remaining calm, Sakura seized a momentary pause in the wave of flames to launch herself into action. With a graceful jump, she performed a spinning flip through the air, swiftly tossing a kunai.

But Sasori was quick to react, redirecting the flames to incinerate the incoming projectile before it could reach him, undeterred, Sakura swiftly took cover behind another rock.

Despite the relentless assault, her resolve remained unshaken. 'This isn't getting me anywhere!' She lamented inwardly, casting a brief glance towards Chiyo, who similarly dodged the flames and repositioned herself back behind a boulder for defense.

While one arm focused its fiery onslaught on Chiyo, the other targeted Sakura, the scorching flames brushing past the rocks dangerously close to them.

Amidst the chaos, they seized a momentary respite, regrouping at the central boulder, standing back to back in preparation for the next onslaught.

Both keeping a watchful eye on the battle's progression, Sakura noted, "One and a half minutes left." Her keen observation tracking Sasori's limit.

Just as she turned around to dash away, Sakura's eyes widened as a white haired figure, donned in a blindfold, seemingly appeared, inches away from her face, his presence catching her off guard, 'I didn't even sense him!'

With a devilish smirk, the man spoke, "Well aren't you a pretty little thing."

Sakura stood momentarily speechless at the unexpected appearance of the white-haired man before her. A realization slowly dawned on her, 'White hair, black uniform, and that unmistakable blindfold... He must be Satoru Gojo!'

Exhaling a breath of relief, she found her voice and spoke cautiously to confirm her thoughts, "Are you Satoru Gojo?"

With a nonchalant demeanor, one of Gojo's hands remained in his pockets, the other seeming to carry a bag, as he offered Sakura a reassuring smile, "Yup! That's me, The Satoru Gojo! Here to save the day!" His confident proclamation carried a hint of amusement as he took a step back, granting Sakura some space.

Extending the hand which was holding the bag, he asked, "Mind holding this?" Before simply placing it in her hands.

Sakura, confused by the sudden action, glanced into the bag and saw dumplings. Her expression was dumbfounded as she muttered, "You were buying dumplings while we were fighting for our lives?"

Gojo shook his head while wagging his finger, "It's not just dumplings, don't you see that divine cinnamon bun on the side? Their to die for."

Sakura's exasperation grew as she looked down at the bag, then back up at him, repeating the motion several times.

But Gojo, unfazed by her reaction, just stepped out into the open, his confident demeanor unchanged as he caught the attention of the red-haired Akatsuki member.

Sasori narrowed his eyes in scrutiny, 'This guy... He slipped past my notice until he revealed himself... With his unique appearance, he's likely that kid from the Gojo Clan... If that's the case, dealing with him could pose a challenge.' He mused silently.

Addressing the blindfolded figure before him, Sasori's tone held a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, "So, you're the brat from the Gojo Clan. Do you honestly believe you can make a difference here?"

Gojo just had his usual smile, "Well, why don't you give it a try."

"It's your death wish!", Sasori grinned as he didn't hesitate to unleash a torrent of flames from both his hands, directing them straight at Gojo with malicious intent.

The blaze engulfed Gojo's figure, causing Sakura and Chiyo's eyes to widen in shock. However, their surprise escalated to disbelief once the flames dissipated, revealing Gojo's unscathed figure, his posture unchanged, hands still in pockets, and blindfold securely in place.

Even Sasori's eyes widened in astonishment before narrowing in thought, 'I was already somewhat aware of his ability, but witnessing it firsthand is an entirely different experience...'

Gojo raised an unimpressed brow, a cocky expression on his face, "Just some flames?... You've got to have something better than that."

Sasori scoffed, but he wasn't a fool, he realized that a wide-scale attack wouldn't work against Gojo, deciding to shift tactics, he opted for a more precise assault.

Raising both hands, palms forward, he unleashed two powerful pressurized streams of water. The torrents sliced through the surrounding rocks as Sasori waved his arms around, directing the onslaught toward Gojo.

In the background, Sakura and Chiyo swiftly dashed around, dodging the rushing water and flying debris with nimble agility. Meanwhile, Sasori watched intently as the water approached Gojo, wondering what the outcome would be.

However, it seemed the water crashed against an invisible barrier surrounding Gojo, deflecting and splashing in all directions.

With a fearless smile, Gojo calmly addressed Sasori, "I understand that not all shinobi are familiar with the specifics of my technique, but you seem to be taking quite a while to catch on... But don't worry, I'm happy to enlighten you."

As he spoke, his confidence remained unwavering, "My ability, Infinity, creates an invisible barrier that infinitely halves the distance of space between me and whatever I desire. So in more simple words, your techniques aren't being fully stopped but rather slowed down... If you'd like, I can give you a demonstration."

Gojo waved animatedly with his hand, inviting the opponent to approach and witness the power of his technique firsthand.

Sasori frowned, silently looking at the blindfolded man as if he was dumb.

Undeterred by Sasori's reluctance, Gojo persisted, coaxing him with confident waves, "Come on, don't be shy. I promise I won't hurt you." he taunted.

Finally, after a moment of contemplation, Sasori cautiously stepped forward, extending his hand toward Gojo. But just as his hand was about to make contact, it curled into a fist, and he launched a sudden punch toward Gojo's face.

But rather then feel it hit, he watched as his fist stopped before it came too close to his face, "This is Infinity?" He mumbled quietly.

Gojo himself didn't flinch or show any sign of surprise as he watched Sasori's fist halted before him.

In an instant, however, Sasori froze in place, the air around him distorting as an ominous, heavy pressure seemed to descend upon him, rendering him completely paralyzed.

His eyes widened in shock as he broke out in a cold sweat, his gaze shifting toward Gojo with disbelief. "P-Paralysis Genjutsu? And such a potent one? I never heard of you using one..." he muttered, struggling against the invisible force that held him in place.

An amused grin spread across Gojo's face as he raised a finger, summoning a swirling energy of crimson at his fingertip, "Because they never survive," he remarked with a hint of mischief.

"But don't worry, I won't kill you."

With a swift motion, he unleashed the energy, sending a blast of power hurtling toward the vulnerable Sasori, promptly sending his figure flying back with tremendous force.

His body roughly tumbled across the ground, skidding for dozens of meters before he finally managed to regain his footing, his feet leaving trails of dust as he dragged them against the ground.

And before Sasori could even catch his breath, Gojo appeared above him, his fist crashing down with formidable force. Rolling to the side with lightning reflexes, he narrowly evaded the attack, a massive crater and debris left in its wake.

But Gojo showed no signs of relenting, his assault relentless as he continued to press forward, each strike narrowly dodged by Sasori who backed up, his mind racing with desperation.

Sasori gritted his teeth, 'Damn it! I'm outmatched!...' His eyes turned cold as he came to a conclusion, 'If that's the case, then I'll do this!'

His eyes turned cold as he came to a decision, his gaze locking onto Sakura, who watched the battle unfold with nervous breaths.

Nonetheless, with a swift dash, Sasori closed the distance between them, unleashing two powerful streams of sharp water at close range.

'I got her!'

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