I Became a Demon Sword and Traveled the Anime Worlds

"Place your hand on him."

Asuramaru's answer came without hesitation.

Naruto immediately stepped forward.

"Let me try."

Everyone in the hospital room turned toward him.

Sakura paused over the medical reports.

Temari looked surprised.

Lady Chiyo and Ebizō both watched with curiosity.

Only Kakashi remained calm.

He had already witnessed enough impossible things around Naruto to know that asking questions too early was usually pointless.

Temari recovered first.

"If you can help him…"

She moved aside.

"Please, Naruto."

Naruto approached the bed.

Kankurō's face remained deathly pale, his breathing shallow and uneven.

Naruto placed one hand against his chest.

"What now?"

"Leave the rest to me."

A thin strand of jet black Demon Power emerged from Naruto's fingertip.

It slipped directly into Kankurō's body.

Lady Chiyo's eyes narrowed.

She could sense that something was happening, but the energy was unlike any Medical Ninjutsu she knew.

Inside Kankurō, the black thread spread.

It moved through his bloodstream and chakra network, seeking out every trace of the poison.

Drop by drop, the toxin was gathered.

Fragments hidden within the organs.

Residue circulating through the blood.

Every contaminated trace was drawn toward a single point.

Then Asuramaru spoke.

"Done."

The dark thread began retreating.

"Lift your hand."

Naruto obeyed.

As his palm left Kankurō's chest, the thread came with it.

At its end hung a thick glob of jet black poison.

Everyone stared.

Naruto carefully moved it over to the tray beside the bed.

The poison dropped onto the metal surface.

Almost immediately, the change in Kankurō became visible.

The grey pallor began fading from his skin.

His breathing steadied.

A trace of healthy color returned to his face.

Naruto looked at him for a moment, then spoke inwardly.

"Thanks, Asuramaru."

No answer came.

Naruto smiled slightly.

He was used to that.

Around him, the room remained silent.

Lady Chiyo stared at the poison on the tray.

Her eyes then shifted toward Naruto's hand.

That black thread had entered Kankurō's body, gathered a complex toxin, and removed it completely without damaging him.

She had spent decades studying poisons and medical techniques.

She had never seen anything like it.

Still, she did not ask.

Neither did anyone else.

Temari stepped forward.

The tension that had been weighing on her finally eased.

"Thank you, Naruto."

Her gratitude was sincere.

Naruto shook his head.

"You don't need to thank me."

He glanced toward Kankurō.

"Sunagakure and Konoha are allies."

Then his expression softened.

"And Gaara is my friend."

"Helping is only natural."

Kakashi stepped forward.

"Since Kankurō is out of immediate danger, we need to focus on the Kazekage."

His visible eye turned toward Baki.

"Do you know where the Akatsuki took him?"

Baki's expression darkened.

"No."

Kakashi frowned.

Baki continued.

"We dispatched a pursuit squad immediately after Gaara was taken."

His jaw tightened.

"But they never reported back."

The room grew quiet.

"If nothing unexpected happened…"

Baki looked away.

"They are probably dead."

Kakashi's expression became serious.

"So you lost the trail completely."

Baki nodded.

"For now."

Kakashi thought for a moment.

"Then we need something carrying the enemy's scent."

He looked around.

"Clothing would be best."

Before Baki could answer, a weak voice came from the bed.

"My puppets…"

Everyone turned.

Kankurō's eyes had opened.

Temari immediately rushed to his side.

"Kankurō!"

He breathed slowly.

"My puppets were recovered, right?"

Baki nodded.

Kankurō swallowed.

"There should be a piece of cloth trapped inside one of them."

His voice remained weak.

"It came from the Akatsuki member I fought."

Kakashi's eye sharpened.

"That will work."

Temari looked back toward Kankurō.

"How do you feel?"

He tested his breathing.

"Much better."

His arms still felt heavy.

His body was exhausted.

"But I'm weak."

"That's all."

Temari visibly relaxed.

Meanwhile, a Sand Shinobi hurried away.

A short time later, he returned carrying the torn piece of cloth taken from Kankurō's puppet.

Kakashi accepted it.

Then he formed hand seals.

"Summoning Technique!"

Poof!

A cloud of white smoke filled the room.

Eight ninja hounds appeared.

Pakkun stood among them.

Kakashi crouched and held out the cloth.

"I need you to track whoever this belongs to."

The hounds moved closer.

Each took in the scent.

Pakkun sniffed the fabric twice.

Then looked up.

"We'll find them."

Kakashi nodded.

"Once you have the trail, report back immediately."

Pakkun turned toward the others.

"Move."

The eight ninja hounds disappeared from the room.

For the first time since arriving in Sunagakure, there was nothing more the Konoha team could do but wait.

Naruto looked toward Kankurō.

Kankurō was already looking at him.

He remembered Gaara.

His younger brother had changed enormously over the past three years.

Less violent.

Less isolated.

More willing to trust others.

Gaara had become Kazekage.

And whenever Kankurō had asked how that change began, Naruto's name inevitably appeared somewhere in the answer.

Kankurō's expression became solemn.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto turned.

Kankurō looked directly at him.

"I'm leaving my brother to you."

Naruto was silent for half a second.

Then he smiled.

"Don't worry."

His blue eyes hardened with determination.

"I'll find Gaara."

"And I'll bring him back."

Kankurō closed his eyes.

For some reason, those words made him feel far more at ease.

Baki stepped forward.

"You have travelled for three days without rest."

He looked toward Team Kakashi.

"Stay in Sunagakure tonight."

"We have already prepared accommodations for you."

Kakashi nodded.

"That would be helpful."

Sakura, however, was still staring at the glob of poison sitting on the tray.

Then she looked toward Baki.

"I have a request."

Baki turned toward her.

"What is it?"

"Can I use some of Sunagakure's medicinal herbs?"

Sakura gestured toward the poison.

"I want to study this toxin."

Her expression became serious.

"If the Akatsuki uses poisons like this again, I want to understand how to neutralize them without relying on Naruto's ability."

Lady Chiyo glanced toward her with mild interest.

Baki nodded immediately.

"Of course."

"I'll have someone escort you to our medicinal greenhouse."

"You may use whatever you need."

Sakura bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you."

With Kankurō stabilized and the tracking already underway, the others gradually left the hospital.

Night passed.

Early the next morning, Kakashi was waiting when a familiar voice called out.

"Kakashi."

He turned.

Pakkun appeared in front of him.

"You found them?"

Pakkun nodded.

"We tracked the scent into the Land of Rivers."

His paw tapped a map.

"There is a cave here."

"I marked the exact location."

Kakashi studied the map carefully.

"Good work."

Pakkun gave a tired sigh.

"I know that tone."

Kakashi looked at him.

"You need something else."

"Unfortunately."

Kakashi folded the map.

"Team Guy is also moving toward us as reinforcements."

He handed Pakkun the necessary information.

"Find them and tell them where we are heading."

Pakkun sighed again.

"Fine."

Then he disappeared.

With Gaara's location finally confirmed, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi gathered outside Sunagakure.

They expected additional Sand Shinobi to join them.

Only one person arrived.

Lady Chiyo.

She walked toward them at an unhurried pace.

Kakashi looked at her.

"You're coming?"

Chiyo's expression was serious.

"Yes."

She adjusted her robes.

"It has been a long time since I last saw my grandson."

Naruto knew immediately who she meant.

Sasori of the Red Sand.

One of the Akatsuki members responsible for attacking Sunagakure.

Chiyo's own grandson.

Naruto did not question it.

Every minute they delayed was another minute Gaara remained in Akatsuki hands.

"There's no time to waste."

He looked toward the others.

"Let's move."

Kakashi nodded.

The four departed Sunagakure.

Naruto.

Sakura.

Kakashi.

Lady Chiyo.

Their destination was the Land of Rivers.

Far away, hidden within that country, an enormous cavern lay sealed from the outside world.

At its center towered the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

The grotesque statue loomed over the chamber with both hands extended.

Figures stood upon its fingers.

Nine positions were occupied.

One remained empty.

Most of those present were not physically there.

They were spectral projections created through Akatsuki's technique.

Only Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sand, who had carried out the mission to capture Gaara, were present in person.

Gaara's unconscious body lay within the ritual.

The Akatsuki members maintained their hand seals.

A massive flow of chakra surged around the statue.

The sealing continued.

"Nine Phantom Dragons Consuming Seals."

The One Tail was steadily being extracted.

Then Zetsu spoke.

"Our location has been discovered."

The others remained focused on the ritual.

Pain opened his Rinnegan.

"How many?"

"Two teams."

Zetsu's voice echoed through the cave.

"They are approaching from different directions."

A pause.

"One of them includes Uzumaki Naruto."

The Nine Tails Jinchūriki.

Pain's expression changed slightly.

He remembered the warning he had received from the man claiming the name Uchiha Madara.

Be careful of Uzumaki Naruto.

Do not underestimate him.

Pain looked across the gathered Akatsuki members.

"The extraction is not yet complete."

No one moved.

"We need more time."

His Rinnegan shifted toward two specific figures.

"Itachi."

"Kisame."

Both looked toward him.

"You possess some of the largest chakra reserves among us."

Pain raised one hand.

"I will use the Shapeshifting Technique."

"Thirty percent of each of your chakra will be transferred into substitute bodies."

"Use them to delay the incoming teams."

Neither objected.

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned.

His shark like features showed obvious interest.

"Sounds fine to me."

Then he turned toward Itachi.

"So, Itachi."

"Which group do you want?"

Uchiha Itachi's spectral image remained completely calm.

His Sharingan opened.

"Leave the team approaching from Sunagakure to me."

....

[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]

[[email protected]/FanficLord03].