Chapter 24: The Third Kazekage's Grandaughter

Sakura surged ahead in pursuit of Deidara, utilizing the sand as her wings. Realizing he couldn't keep up, Naruto ascended the old, rusted torii gate, watching the unfolding scene from below. Now caught up, Kakashi joined Naruto and shifted his focus to Sakura. He had underestimated her, failing to grasp the formidable strength she possessed.

Deidara deftly maneuvered in circles, skillfully evading Sakura's sand dragons formed through her manipulation jutsu. Recognizing the futility of her attacks, she decided to discontinue them. It was clear that a new plan was necessary.

Addressing her, Deidara remarked, "Looks like their fight has already begun."

Confused, Sakura glanced behind her, only to witness Granny Chiyo engaged in a fierce battle with the Konoha medical Shinobi against Sasori's puppet. She was taken aback as the creature moved on all fours, sporting an unusual mechanical device in its front left hand. A massive red kabuki mask with yellow eyes and teeth adorned its top, releasing Sasori's potent, poisonous tail from inside its mouth. Underneath the mask was the horrifying visage of a human face twisted to resemble an ugly puppet—a stark contrast to the appearance Sasori had in the photograph Kankuro had shown her.

Deidara continued, "Is that little girl and the old bag really up to the task of taking on my man Sasori?"

"I'm confident they're more than capable of handling him," Sakura calmly replied.

Naruto leaped out of the blue, attempting to reach the bird and save his friend. Instead, he crashed into a rock formation. Sakura glared at him and muttered, "What an idiot."

Deidara smirked, holding a tiny clay bird in his hand. He swung the bird at Kakashi, forcing him to engage in combat against the explosive clay creations. Kakashi swiftly turned a Kunai knife and struck its chest. Anticipating the imminent explosion, he allowed gravity to pull him away.

Sakura extended her wings and shot out sand needles at Deidara. Evading them with ease, he tossed tiny birds her way. In response, she encased herself in a round sandball, bracing for impact. As the sand poured back down to the earth, Sakura panted on the small sand platform she had created to suspend herself in the air. She yelled, "I won't let you take Gaara away from me, not again."

"By any chance, do you have a tailed beast? You act like a Jinchuriki. If not, I'm not interested in fighting you," Deidara smirked.

Naruto punched through the rubble, his voice echoing, "Let go of Gaara!"

Deidara turned around, spotting Naruto struggling to climb out of the wall like a determined insect. He remarked, "I've heard that Jinchuriki were gloomy misanthropes. Not counting this guy, my comrades have defeated two Jinchurikis. It seems not even one comrade or villager attempted to save them. Some people were glad. So, you couldn't forsake someone pitiful and hated like you? Gaara died after the One-Tail was extracted, and now the same fate awaits you."

Sakura pondered, "Could he be stalling? He keeps glancing back at that cave; I wonder if he's waiting for Sasori to come out and assist him with Naruto?"

The bird swallowed the remainder of Gaara and gracefully ascended from the battlefield. Naturally, Sakura pursued it, manipulating her sand to form wings that propelled her forward. Naruto, determined, followed closely on the ground. Turning to Kakashi, he shouted, "Kakashi, go back and take care of the others. Sakura and I will handle this."

Refusing to heed his student's command, Kakashi followed instead, driven by the unwavering commitment to protect Naruto with his life.

Deidara turned his gaze back to Sakura, clenching his fist in frustration. Sighing, he remarked, "I guess I don't have a choice but to take you down with them."

In a split second, he hurled three diminutive birds, each growing to half the size of the bird he was riding. One aimed directly at Sakura, while the other two challenged Naruto and Kakashi. Swiftly, Sakura manipulated her wings to form a protective barrier against the impending explosion. It seems determined to eliminate Sakura and Kakashi to face Naruto alone. However, Sakura harbored a fierce desire for revenge and was resolute in reclaiming Gaara's body. Once more, her sand dragons pursued Deidara, but his clay spiders landed on them, detonating each one into pieces.

"I'm curious to know. Why are you so desperate to take the Jinchuriki back? Who is he to you?" Deidara inquired.

"I'm his advisor," Sakura calmly replied.

"No, that's not it. You're not just the Jinchuriki's advisor. You're his girlfriend, aren't you, little girl?" Deidara probed.

"Why is that any of your business?" Sakura retorted.

"Well, I must ask if you have any other tricks I don't have to worry about. Your sand is no match for my true art," Deidara taunted.

Sakura frowned, determination in her eyes. "You want to see tricks? I'll show you tricks."

From her bag pocket, Sakura pulled out a scroll and unraveled it. The scroll danced in the wind as she ascended into the sky. Performing her summoning jutsu, she called forth her seven-foot-tall puppet. Long black hair flowed in the wind, matching the black Kabuki mask painted over her face. The puppet's five-foot-long arms extended behind it as it gracefully soared across the sky.

Deidara smirked, acknowledging, "You're a puppet master like my man, Sasori."

Sakura countered with a confident smirk, declaring, "No, I'm better."

Sakura maintained her pursuit at breakneck speeds, leaving Kakashi and Naruto struggling to catch up. With its menacing mouth displaying false jagged teeth and a dark cavity, her puppet unleashed kunai knives in rapid succession. Deidara skillfully evaded them using his bird. Despite considering taking down the bird, Sakura couldn't harm Gaara's body. Her sole objective was to bring him back to the village, dead or alive. The prospect of becoming the sixth Kazekage with Kankuro as her advisor crossed her mind, but she shook off such thoughts, unprepared for a future without Gaara. With him gone, her life seemed devoid of purpose.

Abruptly, Kakashi's voice pierced through her darkest contemplations, jolting her back to the present. Sakura glanced down at him, meeting his determined gaze. Lowering her wings to match their level as they leaped from tree to tree, she asked, "What is it, Kakashi?"

"I know you're up there, trying to figure out a way to bring him down without hurting Gaara. If you can trust me, we can help you," Kakashi assured.

"What do you need me to do?" Sakura inquired, ready to collaborate on a strategy to achieve their shared goal.

"Slow your pace behind me. I can use my Mangekyo Sharingan," Kakashi calmly replied.

Sakura arched her eyebrows and asked, "You're a Uchiha?"

Kakashi shook his head, waving his hand as he answered, "No, I'm not. It's a long story I can't get into now. Will you trust me?"

Sakura nodded and adjusted her speed to fly directly behind Kakashi, maintaining control of her puppet beside her.

He initiated his jutsu, and the sky rippled like water with Deidara at its center, being drawn into a portal. However, Deidara fought back, and the portal slowly closed, severing his right arm. Gaara's sand prison jutsu contributed to cutting off the left arm. Despite Kakashi's Sharingan showing signs of strain, the sky returned to its normal state. Grunting in pain, Kakashi held his eye.

Concerned, Sakura yelled, "Kakashi, are you alright? What happened?"

"I missed," Kakashi replied, "And I'm not yet able to control this new Sharingan."

Sakura sighed, "Fine, I'll handle it from here."

"No," Kakashi protested, "I will not miss this time."

Struggling to maintain focus, Kakashi attempted his jutsu once more, eyes barely open. He leaped higher onto tree branches to ensure his eye stayed on Deidara and the jutsu wouldn't fail.

Deidara maneuvered in a zig-zag formation, skillfully avoiding the black hole that pursued him. Eventually, he managed to escape Kakashi's technique. Falling behind, he stood on a tall tree branch, sweat streaming down his face as he panted heavily.

Sakura couldn't wait any longer for Kakashi to regain his composure. Racing at full speed, she skillfully manipulated her chakra strings, commanding her puppet to swing far ahead. The puppet, adorned with five long-foot arms, each bearing menacing spikes between the joints, surged toward Deidara with lethal intent.

Deidara, catching a glimpse of the approaching puppet, widened his eyes in terror. Desperate to evade, he attempted to leap away, but Naruto, who had reappeared high in the sky, unleashed his Rasengan jutsu. The situation unfolded rapidly, and Deidara, fearing Naruto's attack, dodged both the puppet and the Rasengan, plummeting into the trees below. The Rasengan, however, found its target and severed the clay bird's head.

Frustrated, Sakura yelled, "You idiot." 

Swiftly, she manipulated her sand to catch the severed hand, gently lowering it to the ground. Naruto descended from the trees, joining Kakashi to offer assistance, while Sakura landed beside the bird's head. Her puppet's razor arms spun into action, slicing through the clay until Gaara's body was exposed, revealing a cracked sand shield as if he were a broken doll.

Sakura clung desperately to Gaara's lifeless form, her whispered pleas for him to wake up echoing in the forest. Tears streamed down her face as she rubbed her cheek against his cold skin, the pain of loss escaping in loud sobs that reverberated through the trees. In the grip of one of the most heart-wrenching moments of her life, she screamed his name, but his body remained inert in her arms.

Leaning against a nearby tree, Deidara, irritated, remarked, "I told you, didn't I? He's already dead."

Fueled by rage, Naruto clenched his fist and growled, "I'll pound you."

Unperturbed, Deidara sighed, "Fine, I'll take you on again one of these days."

Ever composed, Kakashi calmly replied, "You let your guard down." Without relying on a shadow clone, Naruto materialized behind Deidara, his fist raised menacingly. Caught off guard, Deidara turned his head in complete shock, eyes widened. Stripped of both arms, which he had relied on for his clay explosion jutsu, he found himself defenseless and incapable of warding off Naruto's impending strike.

Naruto summoned more clones, accelerating his descent to ensure the impact was devastating upon hitting the ground. A multitude of clones, including the original, pummeled Deidara relentlessly, only to realize they were attacking a mound of clay. Sakura surmised that Deidara had craftily fashioned a clay clone as a diversion to facilitate their escape to safety. Such were her thoughts on the matter.

Naruto, lowering his head, shed tears for his fallen comrade. He harbored the wish that he could have brought Gaara back alive, feeling a profound sense of failure. As Sakura observed Naruto, she witnessed his struggle to contain his anger, and the chakra-tailed beast emerged from him, materializing in a massive explosion upon striking the ground. Sakura found solace when someone understood the depth of her emotions.

Naruto tirelessly scoured the surroundings for Deidara, his chakra-tailed beast form growing with each passing moment. This astonishing transformation left Sakura in awe, prompting her to question, "Kakashi, what's going on?"

Focusing on the defusing situation, Kakashi responded, "He's beyond reason. Stay here; I know how to handle it."

She observed Naruto relentlessly tearing through the trees and everything in his path, his intensity sending shivers down her spine. The fear that gripped her was palpable. Kakashi cautiously advanced toward Naruto and urged, "Naruto, calm down."

In response, Naruto growled and hissed at Kakashi, launching himself with a fist aimed at his target, blinded by a torrent of rage and pain. The once serene forest now trembled, on the verge of turning into rubble as Kakashi grappled with Naruto. However, this wasn't Sakura's immediate concern. She contemplated what she would say to Kankuro, Temari, and Granny Chiyo when they reunited.

Gently caressing Gaara's face, Sakura ignored the ground-shaking clashes of the ongoing battle. She whispered to the unconscious Gaara, "You've put me in a challenging position, Gaara. Can you believe it if I told you that Baki said I'm one of the strongest shinobi in the village?"

Overcome by exhaustion, Sakura eventually drifted into sleep, cradling the love of her life in her arms. She leaned against a tree trunk and listened to the rustling leaves swaying in the gentle wind between the explosions. Her chakra is depleted from the extensive use of sand manipulation to navigate through the deep forest.

Suddenly, Sakura found herself again in her dreams, standing in the cold black darkness on a thin layer of water. Shukaku lay on his side, surrounded by a water moat and chained by his neck and legs. Sakura slowly approached the battered face of the slumbering creature. Gently rubbing his head, she leaned her forehead on his massive cheek in the soothing, surreal darkness.

Sakura's voice, barely above a whisper, resonated in the dark expanse, "Oh, Shukaku, poor beast. It's all my fault that this happened to both of you. I'll make it up to Gaara and you, I swear."

A mournful melody escaped her lips, echoing the sorrow entrenched in her heart. Tears, salty and unrelenting, cascaded down her face, staining her clothes with the weight of her grief.

Transitioning from despair to determination, Sakura shifted into a delicate melody, infusing it with an energy that seemed to breathe life back into Shukaku. In response, the massive creature slowly opened its big yellow eyes.

Taking a step back, Sakura gasped in amazement, "Shukaku...."

However, Shukaku remained motionless, lying in the same spot where he had fainted. Sakura felt a hint of trepidation despite his awakening, but she steeled herself to seek answers. Her tiny hands reached out, gently patting his face. This time, something was different; the towering menace and menacing roars were replaced by a subdued presence that tugged at Sakura's sympathy.

Shukaku spoke slowly, screechy, and said, "You..."

"You can talk to me now. Why am I here, Shukaku? Why do you keep summoning me here?" Sakura asked. 

"I didn't know who else to ask," Shukaku whispered. 

"What are you talking about?" Sakura questioned.

Shukaku tilted his ears back and replied, "It wasn't until I sensed the third Kazkekage's presence that I knew for sure, but you are the granddaughter of the third mighty Kazekage."

"That's impossible. The third Kazekage vanished before I was born, and my parents did not tell me I had any other living relatives." 

"You will have to look into it yourself at a later time. Right now, our world is in danger, and if there were anyone I could choose to fight with to defend it, I'd prefer you, Sakura," Shukaku groaned. 

"How do you know so much about me?" Sakura asked. 

"I've lived many generations," Shukaku smirked, replying, "I've watched you grow with the fourth Kazekage's children, and your mother grow up as well. Now, I can't see anything...." 

Sakura frowned and asked, "Shukaku, where are you now?" 

Shukaku glanced in the darkness, reluctant to tell her where he was, and said, "I was consumed by the remains of the first-tailed beast before me. Someone summoned it back to earth, and now I fear the end of humanity is near." 

Sakura shivered in fear and asked, "What do you need me to do now?" 

Shukaku lifted his massive paw before her and said, "Survive; I will lend you my strength, so fight because the future of humanity depends on it." 

Sakura gently placed her palm on his and replied, "Don't go easy on me, Shukaku. Give me everything you can, and I will do the same when I rescue you." 

A radiant burst of light emanated between the palms of their hands, pulling Sakura back to reality. Granny Chiyo shook her shoulder gently, rousing her from the depths of her slumber.

Blinking her eyes open, Sakura whimpered, "Granny Chiyo? Did you do it?"

Granny Chiyo nodded with a reassuring smile, "It's over."

Whispering to preserve the peace around Gaara, Sakura replied calmly, "You'll have to tell me everything when we return to the village."

Their attention shifted briefly to Naruto and his team, noting the improved atmosphere. Kakashi had succeeded in calming Naruto, and Sakura felt a sense of accomplishment, having collaborated with Granny Chiyo to overcome Sasori. In the distance, the team turned their heads at the sounds of metal clashing, curious about the ongoing battle.

In a hushed tone, Sakura remarked, "That must be Might Guy's team."

Kakashi nodded, adjusting the microphone in his ear, and cautioned, "Be careful, everyone; he's a long-range type who uses explosives."

Deidara gracefully descended from the tree branches in their line of sight, landing next to his headless clay bird sprawled on the ground. Mighty Guy's team stood firm, ready for any move Deidara might make. Deidara took a substantial bite into his headless clay bird, chewing on the clay with a smirk. "I'll show you my ultimate work of art," he declared.

Swallowing the clay, his body expanded and contorted, taking on a disfigured form. His cheeks swelled as he smirked and scowled at his adversaries, fully aware that this was his final move, culminating in his ultimate performance.

With his Byakugan activated, Neji shouted, "Get back quickly, everyone!"

Sakura positioned herself behind a tree, holding Gaara tightly in her arms. She swiftly manipulated walls of sand to shield the rescue team. Responding to Neji's warning, Might Guy's team rushed behind Sakura's handcrafted shelter just as she solidified the sand barrier.

Sakura's urgent cry echoed, "Everyone, my shield can only hold up for so long. Run while you still can."

"Art is explosive!" Deidara declared, triggering the explosion within his own body.

As the flames engulfed everything around her, Sakura clung to the tree, resigned to meet her end in the fiery inferno. A single tear traced a path down her cheek, thoughts of the people she cherished flooding her mind. Kankuro's grief for losing both his girlfriend and younger brother pierced her heart, though she took solace in the fact that he still had his sister.

In a soft, apologetic whisper, Sakura uttered, "I'm sorry, everyone. I couldn't possibly imagine a life without Gaara. I don't have the heart to return to Kankuro to tell him I lost the baby. Please forgive me, Shukaku."

Suddenly, Naruto reached for Sakura's arm like an angel descending from the heavens. Summoning his shadow clones, he swiftly picked up Gaara while pulling Sakura away from the impending blast by her wrist. The rescue team sprinted through the trees, reaching open terrain to catch their breath. The explosion was contained within the forest as the trees absorbed the brunt of the impact. Sakura's sand gracefully crumbled back to the earth. Somehow, Sakura remained alive, but in her heart, she yearned to join Gaara in the next world.