Chapter 40

                                    

                                          
"So, how are we going to track these guys?" Sakura asked.
"I'll activate my Byakugan," Hinata said. "I'll see them from over twenty kilometres away."
"That won't be enough to even leave Sand. Besides, we need to conserve our chakra," Kakashi countered. "Well, I've got something pretty useful for this."
A drop of blood, and a few hand seals later, a pack of dogs appeared.
Kakashi fished out a scrap of black cloth. "I looted the site of the Kazekage's battle for this. We should be able to find out where they went."
"Alright, I've confirmed the scent," Pakkun said. "Let's go."
They dashed forward.
—
"Good. You two are back," Pain said.
"It took a little while, but we've got the target."
The jinchuriki groaned.
"You took too long. Look, the host is awake now." A man with a large broadsword said.
"Oh, shove it, like you would've done any better!" Deidara shot back.
"Quiet. Are all of you secure?"
The group gave assent.
"You all." The jinchuriki said. "You guys messed up."
"Hah, you've still got some fight, kid? Let me tell you what's going to happen. You're going to die here, and not a single person will care."
"I've got some pretty good friends. They're already on their way."
Deidara threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, that's adorable! Friends! Yes, they'll definitely come to save the day, won't they?! You think any of them are gonna come for you when push comes to shove?"
"Deidara. Stop. We're about to begin the sealing."
Nine chakra dragons erupted and dove onto the jinchuriki.
—
Red chakra wreathed Naruto as six bubbling red tails flailed behind him.
Sayuri shivered from the wave of Kurama's chakra.
"All of you, take one. We're going to speed up."
She touched a tail, which formed a cloak around her, and Naruto blasted off.
"Hold on!"
The four chased after him.
"Are we close?" Kakashi asked.
The whistling of the wind made it very hard to hear, so Pakkun just nodded.
They stopped at a cliff face.
"Is this it?" She asked.
Hinata nodded. "I can see them inside. Almost twenty of them, and Gaara has no chakra. They've already extracted the Ichibi."
"So quickly," Kakashi commented. "It's hardly been a day since the battle happened."
Naruto touched the rock blocking the entrance. Or, tried to, at least. "There's a barrier here. Hinata?"
Two lionfists flared in her palms. "Of course."
She struck the barrier and shattered the boulder.
There were nineteen people sitting on a statue sitting in the foetal position. One on each finger and toe, except the right pinky.
In a moment, all but two of them disappeared.
"Oh, there are reinforcements. How quaint," the puppet said.