Shinobi x Assassin - Naruto fanfiction(COMPLETED)

Chapter 62 : Akame vs Gaara!

Akame P.O.V

Sigh...so Danzo managed to run away with his ROOT ANBU guards. Tsk. We were wrong to have let our guard down in front of Zetsu.

Akame: I apologize for the inconvenience. I must request the esteemed Kages to remain seated until Uchiha Sasuke handles the matter.

Mei: Uchiha Sasuke, as in the boy who killed the clan killer Itachi?

Oonoki: He is also siding with the Akatsuki and Orochimaru!

Akame: I assure you that Sasuke is not up to anything wrong. Besides, he is the one who killed Orochimaru and is being hunted by the Akatsuki.

Oonoki: That brat must have tried to be smart with them! Or...maybe he's a spy pretending to be harmless-

Akame: Sasuke is not pretending to be harmless! The Sandaime Hokage trusted Sasuke...in fact he has Sandaime-sama's permission so...his rogue-nin status was simply a cover to help him with his task. I have the proof with me.

I took out the document Hiruzen had given to me, the day I had been placed on Team seven. He must have realized from the very beginning that a path of darkness awaited Sasuke and planned ahead for his sake.

The other Kages seemed satisfied but...Gaara looked right at me.

Gaara: Can Sasuke see Uzumaki Naruto in the eye and tell him that he is not evil?

Akame: He may not be able to say that, but he can openly state that Naruto was, and will always be a cherished friend. In fact, brothers might be a better term.

Gaara: Sasuke killed his real brother. I don't see any proof that he values brotherhood.

Akame: Says the one who killed his own uncle. Surely you known what it feels like when your blood relations betray you. Besides...if Sasuke really wanted to kill Naruto, he could have already done so. Thus I request Kazekage-sama to-

Gaara: You who knows nothing...has no right to talk about YASHAMARU!

Oops. Looks like I pushed the wrong button.

A wave of sand swept towards me, but I quickly froze it and let it shatter to pieces at my feet. The sand particles were encased in Ice. Temari was already ready, in position, with her huge fan. Kankuro's puppet was nowhere to be seen.

Gaara: Metsujin Akame, we need to talk.

Akame: So Gaara...are you finally strong enough to stick to your philosophy?

(A/N : Refer to chapter 29 : Settling priorities)

Gaara: 'To be kind, you need to be strong. Kindness is not a weakness. It is a sign that you are strong...strong enough to be able to afford being kind.' Isn't that what you told me? Today we shall find out if I am strong enough to be kind.

Upon Gaara's command, both Temari and Kankuro stepped out of the fight. The remaining kages too sensed that this was a battle that Gaara had to fight...alone. Even Oonoki decided not to but in and...A-sama decided to keep quiet since Killer B was safe and sound.

Good for me. I would certainly lose since Gaara had sure gotten a whole lot stronger in the past few years.

Gaara: Your eyes are the same as they were before. Does that mean that you still have no intentions of returning to Konoha?

Akame: Sasuke...might return someday but...you need not concern yourself about my affiliation.

I never revealed it to Sasuke but...with Danzo's death, the final thread connecting me to Konoha will be snapped. I will never be able to return to Konoha.  But as long as I can protect Sandaime Hokage-sama's letter, Sasuke will be welcomed with open hands...or maybe after a few bouts of questioning.

Gaara seemed to have realized that this was a topic that...I had no intentions of continuing. He should focus on the fight.

Gaara: I see. But that is for Konoha to decide. I shall take you there, even if by force. After all... you are Uzumaki Naruto's friend.

Friend.

Apart from Sasuke and Obito....I had hardly mingled with anyone for the past few years. But surprisingly when it came to Naruto, I had a feeling that he truly would receive me with open arms.

Sharp whip like structures rose out of Gaara's gourd. He really had improved in these few years. His attacks were faster. More precise and sharp. My speed hadn't dulled...in fact, it had grown by leaps and bounds. I didn't have a problem dodging them.

Gaara: Sand shower barrage!

Multiple bullets of sands were aimed at me before his previous attack had run out. There was no blind spot. Gaara truly excelled at long range attacks. Looks like I have to get serious too.

Akame: Ice Empress mode.

I let the chilly feeling take over. My eyes glazed over for a moment as a thin sheet of Ice covered them. I froze all of his attacks and let it shatter to pieces. But then, something unexpected happened.

Gaara: Sand coffin!

Before I could react, a large arm made of sand lifted me to the air and squeezed me. I knew what was coming next. I had to act fast, before I got squashed!  

Akame: Thunder god's rage, Adramelech! 

Gaara: Sand burial!

Just seconds before Gaara's sand could crush me, I activated my second Imperial arms. Using the heat of lightning, I heated the sand until it turned into glass and shattered.(A/N : Glass is made by heating sand). The sand turned into liquidized state before solidifying into glass. Glass is made when sand is heated to an extreme temperature of 1700°C (3090°F). 

Thank goodness Esdeath's Imperial arms was strong enough to endure such a high temperature. To be truthful...I thought I was going to die. Sasuke wouldn't let me hear the end of it if he found out how reckless I've been.

I didn't expect Gaara to have that much chakra even though he no longer had a tailed beast inside him. Guess he is not from the Kazekage clan for nothing. But...apparently these succession of attacks took a lot out of him. He had sunk to the floor.

Akame: Gaara, never show your weakness in front of your enemies. Ah well... I could let you off this time, owing to the...wonderful battle...you showed me...

Before Temari or Kankuro could react, I used the glass dust to escape unnoticed. I just barely made it outside the building when 'it' happened yet again.

My limiter.

Huge chains of energy shot out of the 'celestial devourer' and pinned me to the ground. I was quite sure that my spine-chilling scream rang throughout the forest. The Ice shield I had created around the building to prevent the kages from interfering with Sasuke's fight, were gone. Shattered to fine dust...until it disappeared into thin air.

This time, I fought to keep my consciousness.

Coughs racked my body as the Ice Empress mode receded. Every cell in my body screamed in protest while I limped towards where Jugo was hiding. I need to inform him...I can't blackout...not now...

Jugo: Akame-san! Y-You're hurt!

Akame: T-This is nothing...I'm sure I'll recover in a while...there are more important matters to take care of...tell Sasuke that the kages are no longer 'immobilized'. They could interfere with the battle...

Jugo: But we need to get you treated immediately-

I bit my lip slightly. I won't last more than a minute before I lose consciousness. However, this has happened before. Surely...I won't die...this must be due to me pushing my body beyond it's limits.

Despite my feeble protests, Jugo picked me up and rushed towards the scene where Sasuke was battling Danzo. 

Jugo's arms were huge and comforting...he was holding me quite tenderly, as if worried I might break if he exerted too much force. I didn't like feeling weak but...Jugo carried me like a big brother would and I couldn't help but relax in his arms...hopefully he would go into his cursed state mode now. If he went berserk right now, I would be powerless to stop him.

Overcome with tiredness, I fell into a dreamless slumber.