Breaking Faith | Hatake Kakashi

Chapter 71 ~ Avenging The Lost

"Oi! Sasori!" Kakuzu grumbled, kneeling beside his comrade as he clasped his hand tightly around Sasori's shoulder, shaking him roughly.

A few groans later and wide, unblinking eyes, Sasori found himself staring up at his fellow Akatsuki member. Kakuzu was unscratched, eyes narrowed as he evaluated the extent of Sasori's injuries, it was clear he didn't have long.

"Pull yourself together.." He grumbled. "Leader-Sama will have your head if you die on me."

Sasori managed to quirk a bemused smiled, receiving an icy glare from the stitched covered man. 

"Well..won't that be a bummer."

Ignoring the red-head's sass, Kakuzu got to work. Deciding Sasori needed emergency treatment, Kakuzu found himself grateful for the advanced training Takigakure forced him to learn, nearly seventy years ago.

His extending his fingers, channelling his chakra as black strings sprung from, spiralling towards the Puppet Master. 

The irony was clear.

Kakuzu clicked into actions, focusing deeply as his strings began working, weaving through Sasori's injuries. Once patched up, the older man roughly flung the limp Sasori over his shoulder, earning a few grumbles of protest.

With one final run down of the battle torn Mizukage's office, Kakuzu set off, soldiering after Rieka's faint chakra signature.

::

Yagura let out a ragged cough, blood splattering everyone. He felt his body slam across the hard ground, pain racking his senses as he took a deep breath, eyes remaining closed. With his chakra at near zero, he could barely make out Rieka's signature as she landed silently beside him, malice crashing down around her in waves of madness.

He felt a rough gloved hand grip the back of his collar, and with a swift yet forceful movement, he was flipped over. Yagura landed smack down on his back, letting out another sharp gasp, the pain definitely not numbing his senses.

Yagura snapped open his eyes, wavering slightly as he looked up at the raging figure of Rieka. Her sharp sea-foam orbs blazing with fury, hair tussling madly behind her in the wind as she took a step forth, gloved fingers curling around his collar.

"Who did this to you?"

Though her voice was calm, low, it sent shivers down his spine.

The question was so innocent, pure, almost caring but Yagura knew better than to believe everything his senses told him.

"W-What is it to y-you.." He managed to splutter out. Rieka's gaze harshened, grasp shifting from his collar to his neck.

As her fingers coiled tighter around his neck, Yagura felt his conscious fade, eyes fluttering close.

It was time.

"Oi, brat!" 

::

Yagura's eyes widened at the all too familiar voice, booming through his mind. His eyes shot open, and Yagura found himself before the Sanbi.

"S-Sanbi.." He muttered in confusion, staring up at the monstrous figure.

The Sanbi was a strange violet-turtle like creature, it was nailed to a wooden cross, chakra chains tied securely around its waist. Over the years Yagura came to almost complete harmony with his Bjuu, while he was unable to preform a proper stage two transformation - let alone stage three - he was on good terms with the beast.