Naruto: Burning Will

Although Hyuga Hiashi is the head of the Hyuga clan, he's far from being a mere theorist with no combat experience. Having lived through multiple shinobi wars, Hiashi, like any leader of a disciplined and powerful clan such as the Hyuga, could never afford to be weak.

Why did Hiashi once consider replacing Hinata with Hanabi as the clan heir? It wasn't due to a lack of bloodline potential, but because Hinata's gentle disposition was viewed as too fragile for the responsibilities of leadership. In fact, Hanabi—despite being years younger—was already surpassing Hinata in discipline and combat aptitude.

So when Hiashi chose to engage the Red Sand Scorpion alone, it was no reckless move. It was a calculated decision based on his years of battle-hardened experience. Still, even with all that, he had underestimated the strength and complexity of Sasori's combat style.

"Poison… troublesome as always."

Poisonous techniques are notoriously difficult to counter. Poison masters often craft unique toxins alongside equally obscure antidotes. Without a sample to study, even the likes of Tsunade—the greatest medical ninja—might struggle to formulate a cure in time.

There's no such thing as a universal antidote. The most effective ones—like the one Sakura used in the manga to treat Kankuro and later fight Sasori—accelerate cell regeneration and metabolic breakdown of toxins. But even that specialized antidote likely wouldn't work against every concoction Sasori devised.

In battle, unless one already has the antidote prepared, every move must be made cautiously. Sasori's puppet armor, Hiruko, isn't just strong; it compensates for the inherent physical weakness of puppet masters. That's why Sasori uses it as both a vehicle and a defensive tank.

Hiashi had already used Rotation (Hakkeshō Kaiten) several times to repel Hiruko's Needle Barrage and hidden weapon attacks. But after expending a great deal of chakra, even someone of his caliber was starting to feel the strain.

"I need to crack that shell. Until then... there's nothing I can do."

Despite his unshakable belief in the Hyuga's Gentle Fist (Jūken), even Hiashi had to admit: sometimes, brute force or high-tier ninjutsu would be more efficient.

In Hiruko's state, Sasori hadn't yet brought out his deadliest weapons: the human puppets, the Iron Sand technique from the Third Kazekage's puppet, or the ultimate Hundred Puppet Performance (Hyakki no Sōen). If he had, none of the Konoha shinobi would have stood a chance. Unlike in the manga's later arc where Sakura fought Sasori with Chiyo's support—bringing together medical ninjutsu, raw power, and veteran experience—this Konoha group wasn't prepared for such a deadly combination.

Their goal wasn't to win, but to drive Sasori back—anything beyond that was unrealistic given their team's poor composition.

Just as Hiashi was bracing himself for another assault, a shrill scream echoed from a distance.

"That voice… not ours? Did someone succeed already?" Hope briefly lit Hiashi's face. He steadied his stance and calmed his breathing, buying himself a few more moments.

"Just hold on..."

On the other side of the battlefield, Mizuki had just been saved by Gaara's Sand Cushion, after being caught in a chain of explosions from Deidara's clay bombs. Hyuga Ke, the nearest to Mizuki, rushed over, knocking aside residual bombs mid-air and shielding Mizuki's body with precision.

"You alright?" Hyuga Ke asked, alert and tense. "What's the extent of the injury?"

"I'll live. Just need a minute to breathe."

The multiple blasts had mostly caused external damage, but the final explosion hit dangerously close. Mizuki's internal organs had taken a hit. While not life-threatening thanks to his chakra shield and Gaara's sand, the concussive force could lead to lasting damage—like the chronic ailments suffered by Gekkō Hayate.

"We should push the advantage," Mizuki said firmly. "Forget about me for now."

"Understood. Stay safe," Hyuga Ke responded before rushing toward Deidara's crash site. If they wanted to turn the tide, now was the moment.

Gaara and Temari soon arrived to guard Mizuki, flanking him defensively.

"All Konoha Chūnin fight like this?" Temari scoffed. "You don't seem like one."

Mizuki shrugged. "You're not wrong. But let's be honest—Sunagakure never stood a chance."

Temari opened her mouth to retort, but Gaara cut in coldly, "Even without Orochimaru's interference... we still would've lost."

Konoha's shinobi didn't just outnumber them—they were powerful. From Lee and Sasuke to Naruto, and now Mizuki—each one was unexpectedly formidable. Even Mizuki's reckless but powerful style rivaled elite-level tactics.

Temari sighed. "This isn't the time to talk." She turned to Gaara. "Yuhi Kurenai hasn't shown up. She must be waiting to ambush. You go support Hiashi."

While scattered attacks posed no major threat to Hiashi's Jūken, a large-scale blast could be lethal. Only a few Hyuga, like Neji, had mastered Kaiten, and expecting every clan member to be a genius like him was unrealistic.

Temari nodded. Mizuki then addressed Gaara: "That puppet user over there… he's the real problem."

He hesitated, then added, "You're the Ichibi Jinchūriki. Do you have anything that can pierce defenses? Something with real force?"

He vaguely remembered the Shukaku Spear—a jutsu Gaara may or may not know.

Gaara frowned. "I've never heard of it. My sand isn't about piercing. It's control, misdirection, suppression."

Mizuki sighed. "So no spear. What now…"

Sasori in Hiruko was already proving to be a nightmare. Unlike three years later when Sakura shattered Hiruko with one punch under Tsunade's tutelage, no one in their current squad had that kind of power. Gentle Fist wasn't designed to crack armor. Gaara and Temari were battlefield controllers. Kurenai could trap minds, but not break puppets.

Only Mizuki might be able to do it.

"If only I had chakra left…"

Mizuki had spent everything a month ago during missions involving Orochimaru, Shukaku, and Anko. Now, he was running on fumes.

"Maybe the Chakra Scalpel?" he wondered aloud.

It was a gamble. Chakra scalpels could slice through flesh and bone with precision—deadly in the hands of a trained medical-nin. But getting close to Sasori? Suicide.

"You take on the puppet traps," Mizuki ordered Gaara. "Hiashi will be worn down eventually, and then someone needs to deliver the finishing blow."

"You don't want us to help you first?" Gaara asked.

"You underestimate that lunatic," Mizuki said flatly. "If Deidara had really tried to blow himself up, no one but Sasori would be left alive."

He had to keep reminding himself—repel, not kill. That was their goal.

"Alright," Gaara agreed. "But I can't babysit both sides."

"You don't need to. But remember—they're after you. Protect yourself… but also use that to your advantage."

Gaara nodded in understanding. He was used to fighting alone. But against someone like Sasori, that mindset was dangerous. Mizuki knew it. Cooperation was the key.

...

With Gaara's help, they finally pushed Sasori back a little. Mizuki couldn't help but sigh at how frustratingly effective elemental advantages could be. If Sasori ditched Hiruko, Hiashi could beat him. But now, even Mizuki had to rely on Gaara just to survive.

"Sand's really handy," Mizuki muttered. "Maybe I should try water next…"

As he tended to his wounds, Mizuki watched the battle unfold. Meanwhile, Kurenai had struck. Her genjutsu caught Deidara off guard as he landed, peppering him with kunai and chakra-infused strikes.

She may have focused on illusions, but like other elite kunoichi—Sakura, Tsubaki, and Tsunade—her control over chakra and battlefield tactics made her just as deadly.

Deidara gritted his teeth. "I can't fall into their rhythm…"

Forming a seal, he dove underground with Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique (Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu). But as he resurfaced—planning to regroup—he was instantly confronted by Hyuga.

"You think hiding works against the Byakugan?" Hiashi said coldly.

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