Akazo

Allies to the Rescue

   Sasuke bounded back, staring at the standing corpses. He clenched his fists tightly as he looked over to his reanimated brother. The last time they met, they were fighting together. Now he'd have to fight against him.

   I can't believe he's been reanimated again!

   "How many lives must you toy with in order to fulfill your twisted pleasures?!" he yelled at Orochimaru. The Sannin in question licked his lips as he performed a single hand seal. The eye sclera of the numerous reanimated shinobi turned black, indicating their bodies and personalities were being controlled. He then sent a telepathic message to them.

   Your only purpose is to kill those two Leaf ninja, so go on and do it.

   The reanimated shinobi nodded in unison. Suddenly, mirrors made from ice formed around Sasuke and Akazo's body. Sasuke quickly looked over to Haku, who was performing hand seals.

   "Secret Jutsu... Crystal Ice Mirrors!" said the Yuki clan member. An image of himself holding multiple senbon in his hand appeared on all of the ice mirrors. Sasuke braced himself, knowing he didn't have enough energy to dodge or evade the attacks.

   Damnit... is this the end?

   Haku threw multiple senbon that flew towards Sasuke's neck. Normally, senbon weren't lethal, but someone with on-spot precision like Haku could make them deadly.

   Suddenly, a wall of sand quickly rose from the ground, which shielded Sasuke from the senbon before they could hit him.

   "What?" Haku gasped. The wall of sand lowered until it revealed Gaara of the Desert with an annoyed facial expression.

   "It's you, Gaara," said Sasuke, relief in his tone. Gaara began to speak, still looking at the reanimated shinobi.

   "Sasuke Uchiha, you and your partner are too injured to continue fighting here. Get Akazo and relocate to the Hokage's residence. Lady Nori is awaiting you," he had said.

   Sasuke nodded and stood up.

   "But what about you? You'll fight them alone?" he asked. Gaara crossed his arms as he shook his head.

   "No, a large squad of ANBU Black Ops are on their way here," replied the red-haired male. Sasuke picked up Akazo's wounded body.

   "Alright then... be careful, Gaara." He then jumped off the roof.

   Orochimaru smirked, eyeing the former Kazekage closely.

   "Well now... Shukaku's own Jinchuriki has joined the fray, how interesting."

   "What is your business here, Orochimaru?"

   "Nothing concerning you, although I'm sure you'll find out in the long run," the Sannin replied as he gripped Kimimaro's body by the shirt.

   "As fun as it was, I have to take my leave now... do enjoy yourself!"

   After performing a single hand seal, Orochimaru disappeared with Kimimaro's body.

   Deidara walked forward with a smirk on his face. Gaara lowered his arms as he looked into the blonde male's eyes.

   So, we meet again. You're that Akatsuki who attacked the Hidden Sand back then.

   Deidara pulled his cloak back and reached his hand into the pouch strapped to his waist.

   After a brief matter of seconds, he revealed a clay bird that sat on his palm. The bird then flapped its wings and dashed towards Gaara.

   Gaara morphed a small piece of the sand wall into a sand shuriken and threw it at the clay bird. The bird exploded on impact. Deidara scoffed, walking towards him.

   "Hmph. I won't be losing this rematch, Jinchuriki. I'll just have to render you unconscious again!" he said.

   Deidara reached into his pouch again and grabbed a handful of clay. The mouth on his palm quickly bit and chewed the clay, until it eventually turned the ball into multiple clay insects.

   "Here you go!" he yelled, tossing them at Gaara. Multiple parts of the sand wall morphed into more sand shuriken and shot at the clay insects, causing a barrage of massive explosions.

   Deidara stared at the explosions, rapt. He then smiled widely as he laughed a little.

   Such beauty, he thought excitedly.

   Itachi Uchiha walked forward, sighing.

   "Deidara, you always seem to start scuffles you have little chance of winning," he said.

   The blonde haired male growled and looked at Itachi, who didn't look back.

   "Hmph. You didn't say that last time, when I actually caught him. Just shut up and watch my art blow him to smithereens, Itachi!" he rebuked.

   "Whatever the case may be, I'm ending this fight, despite it being your rematch," Itachi said softly, looking at Gaara. He performed several hand signs and moved his hand to his mouth.

   "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."

   Itachi blew out a large ball of fire that rushed towards Gaara.

   Gaara rose his arms high, a massive sheet of sand forming above his body. The sand would then crash onto the fireball, absorbing it.

   "I'll make this quick," said Gaara. Itachi smiled at him a little. His Sharingan then evolved into the Mangekyou Sharingan.

   "Are you truly able to do so?"

   "You underestimate me, Itachi Uchiha... now take this!"