Chapter 32.Extraction

Sasuke was summoned by Orochimaru. Orochimaru spoke, "Sasuke, I won't be participating in missions"

"How am I supposed to improve my skills if I can't fight in the field?"

"I just said I won't be participating. But you must do your missions as a member of the Akatsuki"

"I am doing my missions alone from now on? I am okay with it"

"Sasuke, you will be partnered up with my subordinate"

Sasuke didn't like this idea at all. He was thinking of a plan to take down Orochimaru from the beginning. He was waiting for an opportunity to be alone so that he can make a plan to defeat Orochimaru. While he was thinking, someone entered the room with a device attached to his back. "Sasuke, meet Kimimaro! The last survivor of his clan. He was supposed to take your place but as you can see he is dying. That device is the only thing keeping him alive"

"You want me to partner up with this guy? Tch, I don't know what's wrong with you Orochimaru!" Kimimaro approached Sasuke. He put his right hand on his right shoulder. Kimimaro's skin cracked open as it revealed a bone from his shoulder. Sasuke's eyes widened as he witnessed such an event. Kimimaro with his expressionless face was pointing the bone at Sasuke's chin and said, "Even if you are Orochimaru-sama's next body, you should watch your tongue in front of him. If you don't, you'll have to deal with me first"

Sasuke felt intimidated by Kimimaro's presence as he backed down. "Orochimaru, what the hell is he?" Orochimaru smirked as he spoke, "Kimimaro is from the Kaguya clan who possesses a unique Kekkai Genkai just like you!" Sasuke exchanged looks with his soon-to-be partner.

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At Konoha, Saruto was following Jiraiya who was walking in the streets of Konoha. "Come on, Jiraiya-sama! Take him to Mount Myoboku!"

"I told you Saruto! He's not ready for that kind of training. Sage mode isn't a child's play. Naruto can't handle it!"

"You know that the Akatsuki is hunting him, right? He needs more than just Rasengan and shadow clone jutsu in his arsenal."

"Are you implying that my student uses only two techniques?" Jiraiya closed the book he was reading and looked at Saruto. "I am not even though it's true but you should know that he even managed to develop his father's technique. Unfortunately, he cannot use it without hurting himself…yet"

"Yet?"

"He needs some methods to throw the Rasenshuriken so that he won't be affected by the impact of that Jutsu, don't you think?" Jiraiya was intrigued by Saruto's suggestion. "I am listening." Saruto knew that now he convinced Jiraiya. "With sage mode's precision, Naruto can throw Rasenshuriken from a safe distance."

"What do I get in return if I do that?"

"No, I am not doing sexy jutsu in the streets!"

"Huh! That's dull!"

"Seriously Jiraiya-sama, you don't have to put that act like you didn't care about Naruto. I know that you want him to be at his best. You even told me that he's like your grandson, remember? I know what a grandfather would do to protect his grandson." Saruto and Jiraiya looked at Konohamaru who was coming there with Naruto from the opposite direction. Jiraiya understood what Saruto was thinking. A little smile formed on his face. He turned to his student and "Naruto!" Jiraiya called Naruto. Naruto now saw Jiraiya and Saruto, "Huh? Ero-sennin, Saruto-san told me you'd be training me from now on!"

"Yes, we're leaving the village for a while. So, let's go!" Konohamaru was saddened after hearing that. "Hey Naruto-Ni-chan, so you're leaving the village?" Naruto patted his head and said, "Don't worry Konohamaru! When I come back, I'll teach you some more jutsus. Until then you should be working on the multi-shadow clone jutsu, ya know!"

Konohamaru was excited by the idea of learning new jutsus from Naruto (not that kind of jutsus that you're thinking of. This version of Naruto doesn't do sexy jutsu). Saruto looked at them. He smiled and then turned back to leave the place.

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One month later, the Kazekage Rasa announced that he was retiring. He stated that he wasn't worthy of the Kazekage title. So, he announced a series of exams. The winners of the fights would battle against Rasa and beat him to get the position of the Kazekage. If none of them was able to defeat the current Kazekage, the Kazekage would choose his successor from the candidates. The exams have ended. Five candidates were selected and four of them fought the Kazekage. Each candidate had to fight the Kazekage in a one-on-one battle. The fights happened for four days. Each fighter fought per day. Rasa defeated the first four candidates and on the fifth day, he waited for the fifth candidate. Inside the sand arena, every single villager was present to witness the last fight or the last day to find their new Kazekage. Rasa came to the field and so did Gaara.

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"Oh my god, Shukaku just beat Rasa-sama!"

"Does that mean Gaara is our Kazekage?"

"He's going to kill us all!"

"What do we do now?"

"This is a nightmare"

"A monster like him cannot be Kazekage!"

There was chatter among the crowd. Weakened Rasa was taken by the medical ninjas. Gaara was panting as he heard the words of his villagers. He used the sand beneath him to rise. Temari and Kankuro were watching their brother. Gaara looked at everyone. He coughed some golden sand that got stuck in his mouth during his fight against his father. Gaara spoke, "Villagers of Sunagakure, I, Gaara will be your Godaime Kazekage. I know that you are looking at me as Shukaku. I've hurt some of you!…"

"You killed my Tou-san, you monster!" A guy from the audience threw a bottle at Gaara. The sand rose to protect him but Gaara lifted his hand and swung it as the sand was cleared from the path. He took the hit from that bottle. "He could have…" the guy was shocked as he couldn't finish his sentence.

Gaara continued, "I could have stopped it but I wanted to get hit. To show you that I have control over Shukaku's defence now. I can protect you with and without Shukaku's power. I promise that I will protect this village no matter what"

The villagers looked at him attentively as the monster they hated was making an oath to protect their village. "Someone from Konoha showed me that there's an alternate way for me to live my life, as a jinchuriki. So, I am choosing to live as he does. As of today, Sunagakure will be under Gaara's ultimate defence! I swear that I'll protect every single one of you, as your Kazekage!"

There was a silence for a moment then it turned into a cheer from a kid. "Gaara-sama, you fought well!" Some others joined the kid. "You were amazing out there Gaara-sama!"

"Yeah, Gaara-sama will protect our village. He's cool!" Gaara heard the cheers from a few from the audience. Tears came out of his eyes as he thought, 'I've made my first step Naruto. Few of my villagers have accepted me. One day, I hope I can be like you…my first friend!'

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Two years later, inside one of the Akatsuki's hideouts, there was a meeting. Holograms of all the members were present there. Pain spoke, "As you know, we can now proceed with the extraction. We start with Yonbi and then Gobi"

"These two thought it was easy to beat me with their mediocre trap. I know my village too, you old geezers!" Deidara yelled at the unconscious bodies of Han and Roshi. "Deidara senpai, they can't hear you! And I don't think Gobi's jinchuriki is an old geezer." Deidara's eyebrows twitched. He clenched his fists and yelled at Tobi, "Tobi, didn't I tell you not to contradict me"

"Enough with the talking! Let's proceed with the extraction!", said Pain.

In less than two days they finished extracting Yonbi from Roshi and sealed it inside the Gedo statue. And then they moved on with Gobi which took them another two days. They felt sore after two continuous extractions. Pain spoke, "We had to change the order of extraction because of the intervention of these two." They all looked at the lifeless bodies of Han and Roshi. "But we must continue to move on. Sasori, you and Kisame are going to Sunagakure to capture the Kazekage"

"I don't want to go there but for the sake of our organisation, I am doing it!", said Sasori.

Pain continued "Hidan and Kakuzu will be going to Kumogakure. You'll handle Nibi's jinchuriki." Hidan spoke, "We can't kill the jinchuriki, can't we? Huh, Kakuzu?"

Their holograms disappeared. "Deidara, you and Tobi have the tough job. You're going to find Sanbi who got released after Mizukage Yagura's death. It has reappeared somewhere! Find where it is!"

"Tch, let's go, Tobi!"

"Yes, senpai!" He made a salute to his colleagues and left. "That Tobi guy is amusing but he won't last long here", said Kisame. "Why are you two still here go and take care of the Kazekage?", said Zetsu. "Keep your mouth shut Zetsu! You're not the leader here!" Sasori said it before leaving the meeting with Kisame. "Orochimaru, is he ready to fight a bijuu?" Pain turned his attention to Orochimaru. Sasuke was left behind during the extraction process because he wasn't aware of Akatsuki's true intentions. Sasuke was doing missions and getting information about Bijus with Kimimaro. They even became closer. "I have some other plans for him. Once he manages to awaken his mangekyo Sharingan he'll be ready to fight a Biju." Orochimaru left after saying that.

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Three days ago, the time Yonbi was being extracted, Saruto was eating his favourite chicken legs at a restaurant near his apartment. Suddenly, his stomach started aching. "What the..?" He grabbed it and thought, 'Did I eat too much?'

[Saruto, they are extracting]

'Take as much as chakra you need to protect the cocoons'

After a few minutes, Saruto's stomachache stopped. 'I didn't think they would react to the extraction', He sat down on his chair and went back to taste the chicken.