In the desert realm of the Sand Village...
Gaara had been captured by a pair of Akatsuki members following an intense battle with Deidara. Despite his valiant efforts to safeguard the village and its inhabitants, Gaara was overpowered and abducted by Deidara.
Kankuro had pursued the Akatsuki duo, confronting Sasori mid-way. Despite putting up a strong resistance, Kankuro was no match for Sasori's superior combat prowess and was defeated.
After an exhaustive search, the Sand Village found Kankuro. He was still alive, but had been poisoned by Sasori. He was swiftly transported for medical attention and was currently under the care of the village's medical ninjas in a local hospital.
Meanwhile, in Konoha...
Upon hearing the announcement, Team 7 gathered at the Konoha gate, ready to embark on their mission to the Hidden Sand.
"Why are we still here? Let's get moving..." Naruto exclaimed, with Tsunade and Shizune standing by.
As they prepared to leave, Jiraiya appeared unexpectedly.
"So, you've heard the news, haven't you?" Jiraiya queried Tsunade and Team 7.
"Yes, and I'm dispatching Team 7 to assist the Sand Village in retrieving their Kazekage." Tsunade confirmed.
"Naruto..." Jiraiya called out, "You're aware of what the Akatsuki members are after, right?"
"Absolutely... They're after the Nine-Tails spirit inside me." Naruto responded.
"I'm glad you understand... " Jiraiya acknowledged.
"Sasuke, I need a word with you..." Jiraiya beckoned, leading Sasuke aside for a private conversation.
After Sasuke's discussion with Jiraiya, Team 7 was primed to depart for their mission.
"We're setting off!" Kakashi declared, and they embarked on their journey to the Sand Village.
"Akatsuki, we're on our way..." Naruto stated.
En route, Team 7 spotted Temari heading in the same direction...
"Isn't that... Temari?" Naruto queried as everyone looked in the direction he indicated.
"Temari!" Sakura called out, and the team descended to the ground to meet her.
They briefed Temari on the Sand Village's predicament, and she expressed frustration at not being there to help her friends.
"We're now heading to the Sand Village." Kakashi announced, and Temari joined them as they resumed their journey..
After a continuous two-day journey, Team 7 finally arrived at the Sand Village.
"Here we are, the Sand Village," Temari announced.
Meanwhile, at a different location, the Akatsuki members reached their base with Gaara, carried by Deidara's bird. They began the process of extracting the Tailed Beast from Gaara.
Back at the Sand Village...
Upon arriving, Team 7 and Temari were greeted by two Sand ninjas at the gate.
"We've been expecting you," one of them said.
"Lady Temari, you're accompanying them?" the second ninja inquired.
"Lead the way, please," they gestured, guiding everyone inside.
Hearing about Kankuro's condition, Temari was stunned. "What? Kankuro too?"
"Yes, he chased after the enemy alone following Lord Kazekage's abduction. He's been poisoned, and we've yet to find an antidote. His condition is critical," one of the ninjas reported.
"Damn it," Temari cursed.
"Don't lose hope, Temari," Sakura comforted.
"Hey, don't sweat it, Temari. You've got Naruto Uzumaki here. Right, Sakura?" Naruto chimed in confident tone.
"Yeah, that too," Sakura noted.
As they entered the hospital's operation room, they found Kankuro lying on a bed, under the care of medical ninjas, flanked by Baki and two seniors.
"Kankuro!" Temari exclaimed upon entering the room.
Suddenly, an elderly woman fixed her gaze on Kakashi and charged towards him with clear intent to attack. "Prepare yourself—defend or perish," she declared ominously, leaping towards Kakashi.
"Hold up, granny," Naruto intervened, stepping between Kakashi and the woman, effortlessly stopping her attack with his impressive technique. "Why aren't I moving?" the woman wondered internally, baffled.
The room fell into a stunned silence as the lady recoiled a few steps.
"She might look old, but she's got the energy of a spring chicken," Naruto observed, eyeing her curiously but with a smirk dancing on his lips.
"So, care to spill why you were trying to take a swing at Kakashi-sensei? Or was it some kind of a welcome party and we got it all wrong?" Naruto added, his words dipped in a casual, confident tone that seemed to challenge yet amuse.
Sasuke stepped up beside Naruto, an unreadable expression on his face. "Explanation. Now."
"I haven't forgotten what you did, White Fang of the Leaf! The day I've waited for, to avenge my son!" the lady declared.
"Wait... you're misunderstanding, I'm not..." Kakashi tried to clarify but was cut off, "No more words!" the lady insisted, readying another attack, only to be halted by the elderly man.
"Hold on and look closely, sis!" the old man urged. "He might resemble him, but he's not the White Fang."
"Huh!" the lady gasped, taken aback.
"Hey there!" Kakashi greeted.
"The White Fang of the Leaf has been gone for quite some time. You were furious back then, realizing you'd lost your chance at revenge, right sis?" the old man recounted.
"Oh, is that so? How silly of me!" laughed off the lady, suddenly embarrassed.
"White Fang... That sounds so familiar... Ah, that's right!" Naruto interjected. "Wasn't the White Fang of the Leaf your dad, Kakashi-sensei?" he asked, causing surprise.
"Ah, might've jumped the gun with that one," Naruto remarked, realizing the awkward timing.
"You're his son?" the lady questioned Kakashi.
"Yeah," Kakashi confirmed.
"So, that makes sense now. You do have his air about you," noted the old man.
"Anyway, shouldn't we be more concerned about Kankuro right now? I think that's our main priority," Naruto said, steering the conversation with a cool demeanor, then moved past the old lady and man to check on Kankuro beside Sakura.
"So what're you planning to do ?" Naruto asked.
Sakura examined the situation closely and declared, "After a quick check during the chaos, I'm pretty sure we're up against a heavy metal toxin—one that's wreaking havoc on muscle cells, compromising their structure."
"You figured that out just like that?" a surprised Suna medic exclaimed, having struggled to diagnose the issue themselves.
Naruto, observing with a keen eye, nodded in agreement.
"Everybody, give me some space," Naruto said with a cool, laid-back tone, the Suna medics instantly stepping aside, a mix of curiosity and concern in their eyes.
"And what's the plan?" Sakura inquired, her voice reflecting both trust and curiosity.
"Ah, picked up a trick or two from Grandma Tsunade. Plus, I've got a new technique up my sleeve, useful for healing." Naruto's explanation came with an effortless confidence, reminiscent of someone who's not only powerful but knows it and yet carries it lightly.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto visualized Kankuro's recovery, his own palm lighting up with a brilliant white energy.
"It's time to turn things around," he said, and with that, he touched Kankuro's chest, unleashing a surge of healing energy.
At first, nothing seemed to happen. But soon, a gentle glow began to spread from Naruto's hand, coursing through Kankuro's veins, a visible sign of the poison being forced back, the deadly toxin being expelled from the muscle tissue it had been damaging.
An intense silence enveloped the room, everyone watching in awe as Naruto worked his magic. As the light dimmed and Naruto stepped back, it was clear the poison had been neutralized.
"Alright, I've flushed the poison out and patched him up—more than 95%, I'd say. He'll need a few minutes to bounce back, though. His chakra's adjusting," Naruto explained, his tone casual yet confident, The astonishment of Sand Medical Ninjas was evident; they had struggled for days with what Naruto resolved in moments.
"Wondering how I did it?" Naruto continued, noticing Sakura's puzzled look alongside the medics' disbelief. "Let's just say it pays off to have Namikaze blood," he quipped with a smirk. "It's a technique I tweaked. Originally for self-healing, but I've adapted it to work on others. Still fine-tuning it, so I'll keep the juicy details to myself."
"You're the one who developed this?" Chiyo questioned as she entered the room, her tone mixing skepticism with a hint of intrigue.
"Yep, that's me," Naruto responded nonchalantly. "So, what's the scoop on the Akatsuki? Any leads?"
"Our scouts were on their tail for a while, but we lost them," Baki admitted.
Just then, a Suna shinobi rushed in, handing a scroll to Baki, who then passed it to Kakashi. "From the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf," he announced.
Kakashi opened the scroll, scanning its contents. "Lady Tsunade is sending Guy's team as backup," he read out loud.
"Cool," Naruto remarked, his voice tinged with an easy-going confidence.
Sakura emerged from the room, excitement evident. "Kankuro's awake!" she announced, prompting everyone to head inside.
Kankuro slowly opened his eyes and struggled to sit up, but with Temari's help, he managed it.
"Nah, it looks like he's not gonna be back to full strength just yet," Naruto commented, a relaxed grin on his face that somehow also carried the weight of his experience.
"Would you be able to guide us to where you clashed with the Akatsuki? I've got a pretty sharp sense for tracking, any small scent could lead us to them," Kakashi inquired, his voice steady and calm.
"No need for that," Kankuro interjected with a hint of pride, despite his weakened state. "My puppets, they've been retrieved, right?"
"Yes," Baki confirmed, signaling for the damaged puppets to be brought in.
Within moments, the busted puppets were present. Kankuro gestured towards one, revealing a piece of cloth clenched in its hand. "Made sure to grab a bit of his clothing. Figured it could come in handy," he explained.
Kakashi carefully examined the cloth, a slight nod acknowledging Kankuro's foresight. "You faced your defeat with courage. It's exactly what I'd expect from a Sand ninja," Kakashi remarked with respect.
"Looks like this will be our ticket to tracking down that Akatsuki punk and getting Gaara back," Naruto declared.
[A.N: If you've enjoyed the journey so far, please support us with Powerstones! Don't forget to add our tale to your Library for the latest updates. Your support fuels our creativity and helps our story thrive. Thank you for being an amazing reader—let's soar to new heights together!]