Son of the Sannin(Back)

Battle Of the Artists

For a moment, time froze as both parties stared at each other. Naruto and Hinata kept focused on keeping Gaara alive, while the rest of his Konoha and Suna friends placed themselves around them in a protective formation. The Akatsuki's intentions were very easy to read. Not that it would help them anyway. Deidara grinned, and time continued flowing normally.

"I'll go for the jinchuriki! Sasori, take care of the trash!" Deidara said as his bird started to fly faster around the blond ninja.

"Why I'm always the one who has to deal with the others? I'd like to fight a jinchuriki myself just once," the rogue puppeteer sighed.

"Shit, Naruto and Hinata are like sitting ducks, I have to keep this Akatsuki away from them!" Kurenai thought as she frantically started to make hand seals.

"Oh come on, you're pretty good at keeping them at bay," Deidara replied as he formed several smaller clay birds from the mouths in his hands. "Let's start this!"

However, before he could drop his bombs on the targets below, several massive snakes burst from the ground around them and lunged at the flying Akatsuki with their jaws wide open, their large fangs dripping poison.

"SHIT!" Deidara loudly yelled as he maneuvered his bird to avoid the out of nowhere giant reptiles. "Where did these things came from!? I didn't see anybody summon...hey, wait a minute!"

The blond Akatsuki made a hand seal and with a burst of chakra, Kurenai's quick genjutsu was undone. Deidara looked rather pissed for falling for such a trick.

"Push the Akatsuki away from Naruto and Hinata!" Kurenai shouted.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" Deidara boasted. However, unbeknownst to him, the genjutsu, while short lived, had already made its job and created an opening. A cold wind started to blow from above. "What the-?"

Looking above, he saw Haku coming from what appeared to be a portal made of ice floating in mid air. His hands were grabbing a bunch of senbon each and tossed at the Akatsuki as he fell. From such short distance, all of them found their mark.

"AAAARRGH!" Deidara screamed in pain. "You son of a bitch!"

Haku gracefully landed on the clay bird, forcing Deidara to take a step back.

"You almost killed both me and lots of innocents in Kirigakure a year ago. I'm here to repay you in kind," Haku firmly stated, as an ice sword formed on his right hand.

"Well, thanks you for telling me that. I hate to leave a piece of art incomplete!" Deidara said, thrusting his arm forward.

A small insect made of clay flew from under his sleeve towards Haku. The Ice Ninja instinctively jumped backwards, just as the insect exploded, engulfing him in a small but nevertheless lethal explosion.

"Haku!" Kurenai cried.

But much to the Jonin's relief, a mirror made of ice formed besides her and Haku stepped out of it.

"That was close," Haku breathed in relief. "We must be careful, that guy is even more dangerous than I remember."

"Understood. Both you, Temari and Maki's students should try to bring him down with ranged jutsu. Maki, Kankuro and myself will face Sasori," Kurenai stated, as she looked at the rest of the group, looking for their approval. All of them nodded in agreement. "Alright then, in that case, let's go!"

...

As the group split, Kurenai, Maki and Kankuro prepared to fight Sasori, who looked rather nonchalant and even relaxed. He fixed his eyes on Kankuro, ignoring the two women.