Konoha: The Honored One

"Before things get too troublesome, I should get serious." The Red Sand Scorpion, also known as Sasori, stood with an air of quiet menace. His long red coat fluttered in the wind, the familiar red cloud marking him unmistakably as a member of the Akatsuki. His hair, a fiery shade of red, swayed lazily with the breeze, but his face, as always, was expressionless. Cold, like a porcelain mask.

The intensity in his eyes, however, betrayed something deeper. Sasori's mind was whirring. He could feel the surge of power emanating from Might Guy. The man had opened the Sixth Gate, and Sasori could sense the overwhelming strength that came with it. If things went on like this, the battle would drag on for far too long. He needed to end it quickly—before Gojo Satoru decided to show up.

And there it was. That familiar feeling. Gojo Satoru, the man who had once defeated Itachi and even captured Kisame alive. Sasori had his reservations about him. Gjo was not someone you could afford to underestimate.

"Tch, how tiresome..." Sasori thought to himself, but before he could make his move, a voice interrupted the tension in the air.

"Sasori, no matter how many times I see that face of yours, it still cracks me up!" Deidara, ever the jester, chuckled from his perch a little further away. His tone was laced with mockery, his hands loosely holding the clay pieces he was always toying with.

Sasori's cold, emotionless face twitched slightly, though it was nearly imperceptible. He was already annoyed by Deidara's antics. The blond artist's comment, however, had taken him by surprise. Last time, Sasori had looked like an old man, but this time, was he really... a teenager?

"Did you get younger or something, Sasori?" Deidara asked, raising an eyebrow in genuine confusion. "What's this? The eternal art of Botox?"

Sasori, who had been fuming under his breath, finally snapped. "Deidara, stay away from me," he said, his voice a low growl. He reached into his cloak and unfurled a scroll, releasing two puppets into the air. White smoke billowed from the scroll, and the eerie figures of a man and woman floated before them.

Deidara's expression shifted from amusement to mild annoyance. "What is this? Already? You're starting the show, and I'm still building up my masterpiece! How rude!"

"Ah, yes... your art," Sasori said dryly, his voice devoid of any enthusiasm. He wasn't here to debate art; he was here to win. "The beauty of eternal puppets is what makes my art stand out. The moment of explosion... it's fleeting. Art needs to last, to be remembered."

Deidara grinned, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, I'll show you my art, Sasori. And explosions are going to be the grandest part of it, trust me!"

Sasori scowled and moved his fingers slightly, causing his puppets to hover in the air, blades drawn. They were ready for battle.

The two Akatsuki members, once friends and allies, now stood at odds, squabbling over which of their arts was superior. Meanwhile, the Special Team—Might Guy, Kakashi, Kurenai, and the others—watched in confusion.

"They're ignoring us completely!" Neji groaned, clutching his bleeding side. His breath was ragged as he watched Sasori and Deidara argue like schoolchildren. "How are we supposed to fight these two when they're more focused on each other?"

"This is ridiculous," Kurenai muttered. "We can't just stand here. We need to split up and deal with them before things get worse."

Kurenai looked over at Kakashi, her gaze firm. "Kakashi, we'll take on Deidara. You and Guy should deal with the puppet master."

Kakashi nodded, his Sharingan glowing faintly as he readied himself for the coming battle. "Understood."

Might Guy, ever the optimist, grinned brightly. "This is the true essence of youth! The fire of ambition burns within them, pushing them to surpass each other!" He raised a fist and gave a thumbs-up, his smile as bright as ever. "It reminds me of when I ran through the sunset with Kakashi and Gojo!"

He paused, a faraway look in his eyes. "Well, mostly just Kakashi and Gojo... running through the sunset... in my imagination!" Guy's enthusiasm was as wild as ever, and his earnestness made everyone around him uneasy. But still, it was hard not to admire his spirit.

"I think it's best to handle them separately," Kakashi remarked, his voice as calm as ever. "Sasori is dangerous with those puppets, and Deidara's explosives are no joke."

Meanwhile, Deidara was still preparing for his own art. "Come on,Sasori , let's see whose art is truly worthy of admiration!" he declared dramatically, throwing a piece of detonating clay into his mouth and forming the necessary hand seals.

Kurenai and the others moved swiftly, splitting into two groups as they prepared to take on the two powerful Akatsuki members.

"Leave the blue beast to me," Sasori muttered under his breath, motioning for his puppets to attack Guy. They flew toward him with lightning speed, their blades aimed directly at his chest.

Guy grinned, his teeth flashing like a beacon. "Bring it on, Sasori! I've been waiting for this!"

At the same time, Kakashi vanished in a blur, appearing behind Deidara in an instant. His hand crackled with lightning chakra as he prepared his signature move. "Raikiri!" Kakashi shouted, thrusting his hand forward toward Deidara's back.

But Deidara was quick. With a nimble leap, he dodged Kakashi's killing blow and landed gracefully on the ground, his eyes narrowing in irritation.

"Sharingan..." Deidara muttered, his voice tinged with anger. "Not you too, huh? I've had enough of these damned eyes!"

His mind flashed back to the painful memories of his past defeat to Itachi Uchiha, and the raw hatred surged inside him. "What is it with these Sharingan users and their perfect art-killing abilities?" he seethed, grinding his teeth.

Kakashi, unfazed, narrowed his eyes. "You still don't get it, do you, Deidara? The eyes aren't just for seeing—they're for understanding."

Deidara, in a fit of rage, opened his mouth wide, and from it spewed a torrent of tiny clay spiders—each one capable of exploding on contact.

"Not so fast!" a voice called out, and the petals of a thousand cherry blossoms filled the sky, momentarily blinding Deidara.

"Genjutsu—Sanjue Sakura!" Kurenai's voice rang out from above as she maintained the intricate hand seals. The illusion was powerful, turning Deidara's clay creations into a giant pink lotus flower in his mind.

For a moment, Deidara stood frozen, his gaze fixed on the floral masterpiece. But his anger flared once more as the illusion began to fade.

"You tricked me!" he shouted, his mechanical eye flashing red with fury.

But just as he reached for his detonating clay again, Kakashi moved with lethal speed, leaping toward him, Raikiri extended. "This time, you won't escape."