"You did well. Shukaku has already been extracted. Let's fall back."
Pain's gaze shifted toward Sasori and Deidara, who remained in the cave in their true bodies.
"You two get ready to move out as well."
"Hah?" Deidara raised a brow, clearly displeased. "Just like that? After seeing soone strong enough to push Shisui into a corner? I want to et that guy myself."
As the youngest mber of the Akatsuki, Deidara's pride was easily bruised. Like in the original tiline, he had joined the organization only after suffering defeat at the hands of an Uchiha—Itachi.
And he didn't take kindly to Shisui, another Uchiha prodigy.
"Heh, if you want to die, I won't stop you," Shisui said coldly.
Aside from Itachi, Shisui had no patience for anyone in Akatsuki. To him, they were just dangerous criminals destined to die eventually.
"What'd you say, you bastard?!" Deidara snapped.
"Deidara."
Pain's voice cut through the tension.
"You have a death wish?"
Truth be told, no one in Akatsuki would shed a tear if another mber died. If anything, it would be t with smirks and ridicule.
But as the leader, Nagato couldn't afford to waste mbers especially not during the crucial phase of tailed beast capture.
He had no illusions about Guts. That man had once fought Pain's Six Paths directly years ago. He knew just how dangerous Guts truly was.
"Next ti," Deidara growled, turning his head. "Next ti, I'll face him myself."
anwhile…
Following the trail of Deidara's chakra, Guts and the others arrived at the bottom of a ravine.
A river flowed alongside it, and carved into the rock wall was a massive cave—once sealed shut by powerful chakra.
Now, the seal was gone. The boulder that once blocked the entrance lay shattered around the mouth of the cave.
This was definitely sealed before, Guts thought. Why is it wide open now?
"Byakugan!"
Hinata brought her fingers together and activated her dojutsu. Veins popped near her temples as she scanned the interior.
A second later, her eyes widened.
"Sensei! Gaara's inside!"
Guts narrowed his eyes. "Let's move."
In a flash, the three vanished and reappeared inside the cave.
At its deepest point lay Gaara's body. Or more accurately, his lifeless corpse.
The two Akatsuki mbers who should've been here...Deidara and Sasori were nowhere to be seen.
Hinata and Hanabi rushed to Gaara's side, checking for signs of life.
Guts stood back, his Observation Haki confirming what he already suspected: the cave was empty.
"Guts," Hanabi called out with a troubled expression, "he's not breathing."
"I figured as much." Guts approached, lifted Gaara's body over his shoulder, and said calmly, "We're taking him back to the Sand Village."
He already knew why Sasori and Deidara had fled.
The original tiline was long broken. The rules no longer applied.
But the reason was clear: they were scared.
Scared of him.
This wasn't arrogance... it was fact.
Sixteen years ago, he had fought Pain himself.
Nagato knew Guts's strength firsthand. With Nine Tails no longer sealed inside Naruto, Nagato couldn't afford to lose his "art duo" in a suicide mission.
Even if Deidara and Sasori fought together, they wouldn't last against Guts. Letting them stay would be throwing away two valuable pieces for nothing.
Though the battle had ended without conflict, Guts felt a twinge of frustration.
Being too strong… has its own complications, he thought. People stop fighting and start running.
By the ti they carried Gaara's body back to the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, they encountered a group from Konoha and Suna.
Kakashi and Might Guy were leading the Konoha team, accompanied by a veteran advisor from the Sand Village.
But this ti, soone unexpected had joined them—Gaara's older sister, Temari.
"G–Gaara!"
Her knees buckled the mont she saw her brother's lifeless form. She collapsed beside him, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Guts, did you run into the Akatsuki?" Might Guy asked, walking up with a grave expression.
Hanabi answered for him. "We encountered Uchiha Shisui. The others ran."
Everyone was stunned but the shock quickly gave way to grief.
Even Naruto, who had ford a strong bond with Gaara over the past three years, broke down in tears.
Though he was no longer the Nine Tails' host, Naruto's connection to Gaara ran deep.
Without Gaara, Sunagakure would be in chaos.
There were no Kage-level fighters left. After Rasa's death, there was no one capable of leading the village. Gaara had only been chosen as Kazekage because there were no better candidates.
And now, he too was gone.
What hope did the village have now?
But then sothing changed.
Perhaps it was love for the village… or perhaps it was Naruto's persistent kindness.
Whatever the reason, Lady Chiyo, the elder of Sunagakure, stepped forward.
In front of everyone, she perford the Forbidden Technique, a jutsu that traded her life to restore another.
She gave her life… to bring Gaara back.
It was like sothing out of a fairy tale.
A miracle.
Gasps filled the air as the impossible happened before their eyes... Gaara stirred, his breath returning.
The first thing he saw was Temari's tear-streaked face. Then Naruto's relieved smile. Then
"Mom…?"
Uzumaki Kushina, Nine Tails Jinchūriki, had co racing from Konoha the mont she heard of Gaara's fate.
Lady Chiyo one of the last remaining heroes of Sand had given her life so that a new generation could rise.
"She was a noble soul," Might Guy whispered.
Guts stood silently, arms crossed.
"I'll never let my people die like that," he said. It was a simple statent but it carried weight.
A promise.
And a warning.
He didn't just trust in power.
He trusted in himself.
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