Opposite them, Tatsuya now stood with his arms crossed over his chest again, showing no intention whatsoever of launching another attack. He simply watched as the two Akatsuki members, carried by the Third Kazekage puppet, took to the air, offering no further engagement.
Seeing this, both Sasori and Deidara felt a profound sense of humiliation. Yet, despite this deep insult to their pride, neither of them dared to proactively initiate another attack. After one last, deep, and perhaps resentful look at Tatsuya, Sasori manipulated the Third Kazekage puppet to carry them far away from the scene.
This battle had made them clearly, painfully aware of the immense gap in strength between themselves and Tatsuya Akimichi.
Watching Sasori and Deidara retreat into the distance, Tatsuya made no move to pursue them. With his current level of strength, it wouldn't be difficult for him to kill both Sasori and Deidara. However, doing so would be detrimental to his long-term plans. Tatsuya still needed the Akatsuki to advance certain events in the world. If he were to eliminate Sasori and Deidara here and now, the impact on the Akatsuki organization would be too significant, potentially derailing his carefully laid schemes. Tatsuya didn't want to wait any longer than necessary for his ultimate goals to come to fruition.
Appropriately demonstrating some of his overwhelming strength now would put greater pressure on Nagato and the others, which, paradoxically, would be beneficial for the progression of his own plans.
A few seconds later, Tatsuya's figure flickered and vanished from the spot.
In a small grove of trees not far from the merchant caravan's encampment, which Kakashi and his team were escorting, Shiboku was currently leaning against a large tree, resting. The unconscious Fu lay at his feet. At this moment, Shiboku's mind was a chaotic whirl of emotions: the relief of having survived a terrible ordeal, and the profound sorrow and grief from having just experienced the brutal annihilation of his village.
"Father," Shiboku murmured softly under his breath, his voice thick with emotion, "I've found the person you told me about. Fu and I… we will definitely survive, and live on."
Swoosh~
A figure flickered, and Tatsuya appeared beside him.
"Lord Tatsuya!" Seeing him, Shiboku quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully to Tatsuya, his expression a mixture of anxiety and uncertainty. Shiboku knew absolutely nothing about Tatsuya Akimichi. Previously, due to Takigakure's relative isolation and limited information flow, he hadn't even known that such a powerful individual existed in the ninja world. But his father's dying instructions were etched clearly in his memory.
Glancing at the uneasy Shiboku, Tatsuya spoke in a gentle, reassuring voice, "Don't worry. You are both safe now." After saying this, Tatsuya walked over to Fu's side, knelt, and began to examine her injuries, channeling his healing chakra.
Seeing Tatsuya's actions, Shiboku instinctively wanted to stop him, a protective urge rising within him, but in the end, he held himself back, trusting his father's final words.
A few moments later, after Tatsuya had infused her with a large amount of life energy, Fu slowly opened her eyes.
"Fu, how are you feeling?" Seeing Fu awaken, Shiboku immediately rushed to her side, his voice filled with concern.
Fu's eyes were somewhat hazy and unfocused. She glanced at Tatsuya and then at her surroundings, her voice weak. "Shiboku… where are we?"
"Fu, we're safe! This is Lord Tatsuya Akimichi, the one Father told us to find! He saved us!" Shiboku exclaimed joyfully to Fu. As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and by the time he uttered the last few words, his voice was already choked with sobs.
Nearby, Tatsuya quietly observed the two of them as they recounted their ordeal. In the ninja world, such tragedies occurred every day; Tatsuya had long since grown accustomed to witnessing such suffering. Only after his own strength had truly reached the pinnacle, the absolute peak, would Tatsuya begin to actively change this harsh reality. He still needed to endure, to bide his time, for a little while longer. Soon! he thought with grim determination.
Truthfully, Tatsuya had no concrete plan for how to arrange for Shiboku and Fu. Judging from the fact that Shibuki, the leader of Takigakure, had instructed these two to find him before his death, Shibuki must have discovered something, some connection. Otherwise, why would he inexplicably send his orphaned children to seek out a ninja with whom they had seemingly never had any prior contact?
But after racking his brains, Tatsuya couldn't find any clue, any hint, as to how Shibuki might have known about him or his true capabilities. He couldn't figure out where he might have slipped up, where he might have revealed too much. The only possibility he could think of was perhaps related to the Earth Grudge Fear secret technique. That particular ninjutsu had originated from Takigakure; perhaps Shibuki had gleaned some unknown secrets from his knowledge of that forbidden art.
Tatsuya didn't dwell on this mystery for too long. Takigakure had already been destroyed, and Shibuki was dead. Judging from Shiboku's current state and his account of events, this orphaned survivor from Takigakure clearly didn't know any of the deeper secrets his father might have uncovered.
For now, Tatsuya decided to take the two of them back to Konoha first. After all, they had come all this way specifically to find him. Considering his past connection with Takigakure (even if it was one of conflict), Tatsuya was willing to help them. Besides, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi already knew about their situation; it would be inconvenient to try and make alternative arrangements for them now.
Thinking this, Tatsuya said to Shiboku and Fu, "I will create a clone to escort you back to Konoha first. I still have a mission to complete and cannot return with you immediately. Don't worry about anything; the village will make proper arrangements for you." After speaking, Tatsuya formed a hand seal and created a Shadow Clone.
Normally, returning to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique wouldn't take much time at all. However, given Shiboku and Fu's current weakened and injured states, they would be unable to withstand the physical strain of such rapid, jarring spatial teleportation. Therefore, Tatsuya could only have a Shadow Clone accompany them on the journey. In case of any critical emergency, Tatsuya could always use the Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly return to their side.
"Yes, thank you, Lord Tatsuya," Shiboku and Fu replied respectfully, gratitude evident in their voices.
After giving them a reassuring wave, Tatsuya flickered away, heading in the direction the merchant caravan had departed. Behind him, Shiboku and Fu, escorted by Tatsuya's Shadow Clone, also began their journey towards the Land of Fire and Konoha Village.
In a dim, mysterious underground space.
On the fingers of the Gedo Statue, the astral projection forms of Sasori and Deidara slowly materialized. In this space, the astral projections of Tendo Pain and Konan were already waiting.
"Leader, our mission has failed," Sasori's voice sounded, his tone heavy with grim resignation as he addressed Tendo Pain and Konan. Deidara, who was usually extremely active and boisterous, was also uncharacteristically silent this time, his usual arrogance noticeably absent.
"Failed? Why?" Tendo Pain's emotionless voice echoed in the chamber.
"After we entered Takigakure," Sasori began his report, "the leader of Takigakure ingested some kind of potion that greatly increased his chakra, and he managed to tie us down. The young Seven-Tails Jinchuriki also unleashed considerable power and escaped from Takigakure. During our pursuit, we encountered the Konoha Village secret technique user, Tatsuya Akimichi. We were easily repelled by him." Sasori briefly recounted the events of their mission.
After Sasori finished his report, a heavy silence fell upon the assembled Akatsuki members. After a moment, Tendo Pain's voice sounded again, his tone still devoid of any discernible emotion, "The two of you, working together, were easily repelled by Tatsuya Akimichi?"
"Mm," Sasori replied after a few seconds of silence, his voice muffled and filled with a deep sense of unwillingness. "Although it is difficult to admit, the difference in strength between us and him is very large."
As his words fell, another oppressive silence descended upon the space. After a minute or two, Tendo Pain finally spoke, "Since the mission has failed, then you two should rest for a while." With that, Tendo Pain's astral projection flickered and disappeared. Konan followed suit shortly thereafter.
Amegakure. On the platform atop the towering steel structure.
Tendo Pain slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at the sky, now veiled by a curtain of falling rain, and murmured softly under his breath, his voice barely audible above the downpour, "Tatsuya Akimichi!"