Reading Naruto SFCW

AN: I sincerely apologize for the LONG, LONG absence. End of 2018 and almost all of 2019 weren't kind to me. But good Lord willing, I won't end up in another situation like that. I apologize if the reactions aren't that great. But without further ado, enjoy!


Reading-Chapter 16: A Brawl in the Junkyard

"I guess I'll read," Poseidon said, raising his hand. Hera nodded and floated the book over to him. He caught it and turned to the current chapter.

"Chapter 16: A Brawl in the Junkyard," he read, making Percy grimace.

(Naruto's Car)

After everyone got out of the car, Naruto got out some camp supplies from his car so they could sleep. They all agreed to sleep outside, liking the fresh air better. The ones who agreed most were Grover, Naruto, and the hunters. Once Naruto found a place to sleep, he passed out from exhaustion. Absorbing an explosion and yelling at the slut goddess tend to do that to anybody.

"I would think!" Apollo said with a scoff. "Absorbing an explosion isn't healthy for anyone!"

"And yelling at hussies is an exhaustive sport!" Kushina said, grinning. "I've done it for years!"

Aphrodite winced at the terminology used for her, but she didn't know what to say in her defense.

"He went through a lot today, out of all of us," Annabeth said as they got ready to sleep, "No wonder he's tired." That said, Annabeth laid down near Naruto with Thalia doing the same. That's how they usually slept when it was just them, Grover, and Luke traveling.

The hunters decided to sleep at the right of the three. Grover was about to join them, but Percy grabbed his hand and shook his head.

"Now's not the time Grover," Percy said, "Let just get some sleep." Grover sighed, but agreed. The two lay down at the left side and all of them answered Morpheus call.

(Naruto' s dream)

Naruto saw that he was on a hill. But it was one he recognized. It was the same hill he and Luke went on for their quest. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why would he be here? He looked to where the titan, Atlas, was supposed to be at. But instead of Stamina Titan there, he saw the Goddess of the Hunt.

Most of the demigods winced as the Olympians were shocked.

"Sis!" Apollo shouted in alarm, seeing the visage of his sister in agony.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Zeus thundered.

The hunters were in shock. The site of their patron in pain was terrifying. Not to mention painful in its own right. Artemis herself was in shock. She wondered why she was in that position.

Annabeth winced, something Percy caught. He grabbed her shoulders and whispered, "It's fine, Annabeth, it's not your fault."

"But Percy-"

"Not. Your. Fault," he stressed. She gave him a weak smile, though she didn't particularly agree.

"Artemis!" Naruto cried out, moving to her position. The goddess groaned and moved her head, though she is having a hard time of it. When she saw Naruto, eyes widened.

"Naruto?" Artemis asked weakly. Naruto nodded in confirmation. "What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"Demigod dream," Naruto answered, getting a nod of understanding from the woman. "Just hang on their Artemis. Zoe, Phoebe and I are coming along with Thalia, Annabeth, Grover, Bianca, and Percy."

"Don't," Artemis stated, her voice straining in pain. "It's a trap. Get the Bane of Olympus and get out. If the Titans get it first, along with one of the big three children, the world will be doomed."

"So, Tuesday," Percy summarized.

"With a side of Hump day," Thalia agreed.

"Now, now, Artemis. It's rude to tell the guest our surprise."

The Olympians' felt their blood run cold, and Percy's eyes narrowed. Atlas.

Naruto spin around from where he was at. He wasn't surprise when he saw Luke and Atlas. He only narrowed his eyes at the two, "This is the third time we've met face to face Atlas."

"And each one we didn't try to kill each other, despite being enemy," Atlas said with a chuckle. "Although that might just change when you arrive here." Naruto was tempted to ask what the trap is, so he and his friend can pass it the easy way, but he didn't. Atlas is many things, but he's not an idiot.

"Indeed, he is not," Athena said with a frown. "Easily manipulated? Debatable, but by no means is he an idiot."

"Yeah, it might," Naruto agreed, then smirked. "I hope holding the sky didn't make your skills rusty old man." Atlas had to hold back a growl at the demigod.

He was starting to wake up so he turned to Luke. "Luke, I understand why you betrayed us. Why you are angry at the god, but think about this. If Kronos wins, do you think he will award you and the others? You know the stories about him, why he was overthrown. Don't let your justifiable anger cloud your judgment." Outside, Luke looked emotionless, but Naruto could see the conflicted look in his eyes.

Percy narrowed his eyes.

Naruto was starting to wake up and leave the demigod dream, but it was not before hearing Atlas's last few sentences.

"Fight me with all you got. Don't hold back anything Naruto Uzumaki. Do not disappoint me, my legacy."

Everyone became silent at that. None of the Olympians or demigods knew how to process that. The shinobi were silent, unsure of what was the problem was. But just as Naruto was about to ask his father what was wrong when suddenly Zeus sprang up in fury.

"HE IS WHAT?!" the king of Olympus thundered and prepared his Master Bolt. Dragon just sighed and flicked his wrist, causing the weapon to vanish.

"Not in the mood right now, Zeusy," he said. "Calm down. NOW."

Zeus steamed, but he knew he wouldn't be able to pass the mortal. "We'll discuss this after the chapter is through!" he growled, leaving no room for argument.

"Yeah, sure," Dragon shrugged. "I'm sure you're all starving too, so after this we'll break for lunch, if y'all like."

Everyone's face lit up at the thought of food and nodded eagerly.

(Morning)

Naruto's eyes shot open, but he didn't move. He just stared at the sky, looking at the dark sky. Judging by the little light he can see, it looked around four to six o'clock. He needed to tell everyone about his dream, excluding the fact that he's descended from Atlas. The only ones who know that is Zoe, Phoebe, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Athena. It's safer not to tell anyone else until the time is right.

"Smart," Hades commented. "Especially since we all know how paranoid Zeus can be."

Zeus glared at his elder brother.

He decided to get up, so he could stretch a bit and get everyone breakfast. But when he tried, he noticed that he couldn't. That something was on his arms and his chest. And they were body sized.

Naruto bit back a groan. Dear gods, tell me that it didn't happen again.

Aphrodite was suddenly interested. "What happened again?" she asked with a grin on her face.

"Oh, I think I can guess!" Anko laughed with her.

Despite not wanting to, he looked to where he the bodies were at. Annabeth and Thalia had him in an armlock, each one cuddling an arm.

Naurto blushed brightly as Aphrodite and Anko began giggling at the apparent pain of the other Naruto. "Called it!" the love goddess squealed.

"Ahahahahahaha!" Anko's sides hurt from all the laughing.

"That's not funny!" Naruto shouted at his pseudo-mother.

"I disagree!"

Percy's eye twitched at the sight of Annabeth cuddled up with Naruto, but he took a deep breath and sighed. Annabeth noticed this and grabbed his arm and cuddled up to him to cheer him up.

It was super effective.

Thalia, meanwhile, blushed at the position her other was in. Nico laughed at her, but a quick jab to his shoulder shut him up.

Kushina smiled brightly at the girls, wondering if they were to be her future daughters-in-law.

The blonde sighed.

Ever since he, Luke, Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth were together, the two of them always cuddled against him. Unfortunately, Luke and Grover found out and the two kept teasing him and the girls about it. Well, until he threatened bodily harm on them. That usually stopped them.

"Won't work here, I'm afraid, Naruto-boy," Dragon teased, making Naruto growl at him.

He hoped they would grow out of that habit. But that hope been dashed faster the then you can say Hirashin. He needed to get up and tell the group about his dream, but he didn't want to wake the two girls and see themselves in this...position.

"Why not?" Aphrodite asked innocently, tilting her head. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Shut up you!"

"Ah, Naru-Naru! Don't be like that!" Anko said grinning.

Slowly, he got both of his hands out and gently pushed Thalia and Annabeth off of him. He sighed in relief. That was close one. He was glad nobody saw him.

He heard someone clear their throat and he froze. Slowly, he turned to the direction to the noise and was met face to face with a grinning Grover, a twitching eyed Percy, a blushing Bianca (though she looked a little annoyed), and an amused Phoebe.

"Buuussstttteeeedddd!" Aphrodite sang.

"Bad form, Nashville," Mr. D. droned unhelpfully.

"You're not helping, drunkard!"

"Never. Speak of it," Naruto said, before anyone can say anything. Then he got up and got his weapons and supplies. "Wake up the others. I need to tell you guys something before we go." The four nodded and Grover and Phoebe forgot about their amusement, hearing the serious tone in Naruto's voice. For now, that is.

Percy's eyes were still twitching though.

Phoebe woke Zoe while Percy and Grover woke up the female demigods. The eight of them gather up in one circle, discussing the quest.

"Guys, I had a demigod dream," Naruto began. "I saw Artemis holding the sky, instead of Atlas." The two hunters stiffened, Zoe more than Phoebe. "She warned us about a trap for us. If Bianca, Percy, or Thalia got captured with the Bane of Olympus, the world will be destroyed." Now it's the three demigods turned to freeze up.

"Who's the Bane of Olympus?" Percy asked in confusion, after getting out of his frozen state. Everyone look at him as if he just asked if the sky was blue, making him squirm.

"While I do agree Percy should have done a bit more research upon learning his life was a Greek tragedy," Dragon spoke up, "I feel the rest of you should have cut him some slack. You all knew he grew up thinking the Greek myths were just fiction, and all of a sudden you all expect him to have Annabeth's encyclopedia knowledge of this stuff? Kind of hypocritical, in my opinion."

Thalia had the decency to look sheepish at that and chuckled uneasily. Annabeth blushed in embarrassment at the statement and turned to Percy and apologized with Thalia doing the same behind her.

Percy waved her off. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Like I said, I knew I was bad back then, and this is all in the past. Let's just move on."

"I agree," Dragon said. "Poseidon, if you'd please."

Poseidon nodded.

"Seriously? Are you really asking that?" Naruto asked in a stunned expression. Then he turned to Annabeth. "Did this guy never read a book in his life?" Percy's eye twitched once again.

"I have Dyslexia, remember?" Naruto bonked him in the head in the head, "OW!" The Son of Poseidon cried out, rubbing the lump on his head.

"Going off what Dragon was talking about, I'm really not liking other's attitude towards Percy," Naruto muttered in annoyance.

"He could be a lot nicer about it," Hazel agreed with a nod.

"That's not an excuse," Naruto chided the young demigod. "Bianca, Annabeth, Thalia and I all have dyslexia yet we don't use that as an excuse. Plus, there are Greek versions of Greek history and all demigods can read Greek." He left the fact that only Greek demigods can read it. That'll get some questions he can't answer.

"Smart," Athena complimented.

"It's good he kept his silence on the Romans," Hera said with a smile. "I'd hate to see another civil war between the Greek and Roman demigods."

"Naruto's right," Annabeth said to Percy. Then gave him a stern look, "When we get back Naruto and I will jam every piece of history in your head." Percy paled drastically at that, making Thalia and Grover laugh. Percy sent the satyr a betrayed look.

"Okay, back on track," Naruto said, holding back a laugh. "The Bane of Olympus is a sea serpent. Its entrails have the power to doom Olympus if they were burned. The Titans tried to do it, but its entrails were retrieved before they could be burnt. If they got their hands on it now…" Everyone shivered at the prospect.

"So, what do we do?" Phoebe asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "We can't go searching for it. That would take time that we don't have."

Naruto grin, "Yeah, I already figure that part out." Being champion to Athena has it perks. The eidetic memory and the ability to quickly think up a plan is a good combination. "We just need to find Nereus."

"Who's Nereus?" Percy asked. Everyone blankly stared at the Son of Poseidon. Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, and Naruto looked at each other, silently conversing and nodded. When they get back, they are going to jam every bit of knowledge in that empty head of his.

"Geez, they're being really unfair," Thalia snorted.

"Nereus is god of the sea's rich bounty of fish." Naruto explained. "He's said to know everything, even the tad bit of information from the Oracle of Delphi. If you capture him, you can ask one question from him." Percy nodded in understanding.

"But how can we find him?" Annabeth asked, "The man is not very easy to found." Naruto merely grinned at that.

"Annie, you forget that I had travel around a lot during my years before and after Camp Half-Blood," Naruto said, making the Daughter of Athena blush. "He's at the docks of San Francisco, probably dressed as a hobo. We just need to notice the smell. He is also known to have a very bad smell." Naruto hold back a shiver. He still remembered that putrid smell. "So, Grover and I will use our noses to find him.

Grover looked sick at the prospect, but nodded. Everyone couldn't help, but feel sorry for Naruto and Grover. They have the most sensitive noses out of this group.

"I give them my sympathies," Percy grunted, his nose scrunching up at the thought of Nereus's rank odor.

"Me too," Thalia groaned.

"Also," Naruto added, "I saw Luke and Atlas." Everyone stiffened at that. "I talked to the two of them. I told Luke a couple of things that made him think about the side he is on." Percy frowned when he heard that.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked hesitantly, trying to ignore the glare from Annabeth and Thalia. "I mean, Luke did try to get the gods to rage war for the lightning bolt and destroyed our barrier, which gave the monsters access to their favorite meal. Us. I doubt he would change his mind and leave the titans." Percy paled and his spine straightened when he felt the dread around him. It was the same dread he felt when he first met Naruto and the time, he kicked him in the crotch.

"I mean, in that respect, Percy had a right to be distrustful of Luke," Annabeth said hesitantly.

"True. Not many can just shake off betrayal like that," Thalia said with a huff, knowing how much Percy had trusted Luke up till the point he was stabbed in the back.

Naruto wanted to maim the boy so badly, but held off. He did not want to anger Poseidon, and Percy might be the prophecy child. "Luke is not the evil boy you want to see him as, Jackson! He is just an angry demigod, who had a horrible life because of the gods blunder! If the gods actually took care of their kids and their lovers, we wouldn't be worried about demigods joining the Titans!"

Everyone heard thunder up above and Naruto glare at the sky. Then shouted, "Shut it you old fart! You know it's true!" They heard more rumbling, but nothing happened.

Some of the Olympians looked uncomfortable at that fact being slapped in their face while Zeus turned red in anger at being insulted. He just gritted his teeth and stewed.

When Naruto got his eyes locked on the group, he saw them looking at him in awe and/or shock. Naruto blushed a little and scratched his cheeks. Okay, maybe he went a little too far.

"Not really," Jason said. "I think you didn't go far enough, personally."

"I agree. Should've called him out a bit more," Percy said with a grin at the ninja.

Naruto blushed a bit, he grinned at the other guys.

"Okay, moving on," Naruto said, trying to diffuse the awkward silence. "I really think that Luke can change. He doesn't fully believe that being in the Titan side is the right choice; I can see it in his eyes. It held confliction and confusion. I think with the right push, he can come back to our side." Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover smiled at that. If anyone could change Luke to his old self, it's Naruto.

Percy, however, was having doubt. He only saw the bad side of Luke and never knew him. Luke got demigods killed and tried to kill him a bunch of times. He doubted that Luke could be persuaded to go back to Camp Half-Blood.

Soon, everyone got their supplies and Naruto drove to his father's junkyard. When he got there, he stopped at the entrance. Everyone got out of the car and brought out their supplies.

Thalia, Percy, Nico, and Hades all stiffened at the sight of the junkyard.

"So, here's my dad's junkyard," Naruto said, looking at the entrance and the pile of junk inside, "Don't touch anything there. If you do, it'll activate an automation, and that's something we don't need to face." Everyone nodded and started walking. They saw different kinds of junk. From unfinished machines to broken ones. They saw a few weapons that Thalia and Annabeth were tempted to take, but Naruto stopped them.

Naruto gaped at the sight of the junkyard, amazed at the size and wondering if there was anything of worth he could, hopefully, salvage out of it with his dad's permission. Leo was just as amazed at the magnitude of the place, while Jason and Piper were just perplexed.

Kushina blinked at the sight and turned to Hephaestus, who squirmed under her gaze. She hummed and turned to the love goddess and said, "Hey, Afro lady."

Naruto burst into laughter at that, while Piper, Thalia, Percy, and Nico did their best to stifle their own. Aphrodite pursed her lips at the name but didn't take it personally.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Has he always been such a hoarder?" Aphrodite blinked at the question, but she nodded and groaned at the question.

"Oh, yes," she said. "For as long as I can remember." Kushina, all of a sudden, began laughing loudly. Everyone was confused until the redhead turned a wide grin to Hephaestus.

"This," she giggled, pointing to the junkyard, "explains SOO much!" The forge god frowned and slipped into his Minato form.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kushi-chan," he said, making her giggle harder.

"Oh? So, why did have our library filled to the brim with all your failed jutsu idea scrolls that I had to personally create a storage seal just for them?" she asked with a grin.

"They weren't failures!" he protested. "I was going to get back to them!"

"Uh-huh, M-hm!" Kushina hummed agreeably. "When, exactly? After you filled the storage scroll with about another two hundred and fifty 'projects?'"

He was about to retort when Ares began laughing. "Since when did you become the owl-head, cripple?!" he asked, making his sister angry with him.

"I'm sorry, but what are you implying, Ares?" the wisdom goddess asked with a tone.

"Why are you so upset?" Poseidon asked. "If roles were switched, and you were Kushina and Minato had been a mere mortal, you'd have been the same way, Athena."

She grew red at the jab, but before she could retaliate, the Earthshaker turned back to the book and started reading again.

Just as they were halfway in the junkyard, Naruto's danger sense started acting up. He also smelled something interesting. Chakra, poison, and clay...

The shinobi all frowned at that. Naruto already had an idea of which ninja team was attacking his other now.

Naruto stiffened and he stopped where he was at. The group noticed this and stopped as well. All of them are looking at him with concern or a frown.

"Naruto?" Bianca said, frowning in concern. "Are you okay?" The blonde didn't say anything. He turned around slowly and glare at seemingly nothing.

"Come out. Now!" Naruto demanded, sensing someone behind him. "I know you're hiding behind the pile of junk, so come out!" Slowly, the figure came out from his hiding place. Everyone got their weapons ready, tensing as they saw another ninja.

The man is young, with wide brown eyes and wild red hair. He's wearing a black robe with red clouds, the same robe that Akatsuki members wear. He had a calm expression on his face and a smile that creeped out the demigods, hunters, and the satyr.

"Sasori!" Naruto snarled, his eyes turning red briefly.

"You know him, Sochi?" Kushina asked, already angry because the ninja wore the same cloak as the man who attacked her after Naruto was born.

"He's one of the Akatsuki, and one of the ones who had a hand in killing my friend Gaara!" he explained, making the demigod's eyes widened.

"What did they do?" Hazel asked in a whisper.

"They tore the Bijuu, the one-tailed Shukaku, out of Gaara," Naruto growled, making the Olympians narrow their eyes.

Percy had already decided he didn't like the new ninja, but after hearing Naruto's explanation, he now down right hated him.

Naruto eyes narrowed and turned Athena gray. "Sasori of the red sands. So, you're the next one to come after me." The man just smiled and walked towards Naruto. He stopped when he's six feet in front of him.

"I see you remember me Naruto," Sasori commented. "This time, this confrontation will end with your capture. We will soon get the information we need from you and then kill you and capture one of the big three demigods." Everyone's eyes widened at the last part. They're here to capture one of them as well? Why?

"Ole' Grandpappy wants to have a word with us, that's why!" Thalia growled, lightning sparking off her shoulders.

Naruto and Annabeth quickly came up with an explanation. They were working with Kronos.

Naruto's grey eyes turned darker and he turned Kasai into his usual double-bladed axe. "So, the Akatsuki working for Kronos now? You become a slave to his will?" To the man's credit, he didn't bat an eye. Still, he held that same smile.

"You are mistaken. The Akatsuki are working with Kronos, as partners, to get what we both want. We don't care for this world; we only want the elemental nation." Sasori said. He then summoned his favorite puppet, the third Kazekage.

"That utter bastard!" Hephaestus snarled, his Minato form returning and showing his great anger.

"What?! What's going on?!" Hermes asked.

"That sand puppy," Kushina growled, her tail turning into nine flowing tails, "turned his nation's leader into a puppet! He literally took a human being and made a puppet out of their body!"

"What the hell?!" Piper shouted, suddenly sick. "What kind of sicko does that?!"

"The same kind that does the same thing to himself!" Naruto said, making everyone turn to him.

"I'm sorry, but did you just say he did the same to himself?!" Apollo screamed in horror. Naruto nodded tersely.

"I didn't see it myself, but Sakura told me that he turned himself into a puppet," he explained.

"He's perverting life and death!" Hades rumbled darkly. "I despise this ninja!"

Suddenly, everyone felt some rumbling and the group looked up to see a giant piece of metal from the junk falling down on them. Thalia, Bianca, Zoe, Phoebe, Annabeth, and Grover had to jump away while Percy jumped to the other side, where Naruto and Sasori were at. It landed and separated most of the group, from the two demigods and the S-rank missing nin.

Sasori sighed in annoyance. That bomb loving idiot just cut them off from the other demigods. No matter, though. They only need one demigod and they need to stick with the plan to get this to work. He hoped Deidara would understand that.

"Deidara was the one from when the demigods were first heading to Camp Halfblood, right?" Hestia asked. Dragon nodded.

"Yep. He's an Iwa shinobi who stole a forbidden jutsu from his village, left, and got hoodwinked into joining the Akatsuki by Itachi," Dragon explained.

"Of course," Hephaestus groaned.

"Well, now it's you two against me," Sasori commented, preparing his puppets. "So, let me show you my puppets in person."

(Other side)

"Damnit!" Thalia shouted, as she tried to break the large piece of metal in front of them. She was using lightning after lightning, but nothing worked. Eventually, Grover and Annabeth grabbed her arm to stop her from sending any more lightning attacks. The raven hair girl tried to struggle against the two, but the Satyr and the daughter of Athena had surprisingly strong strength.

"Thalia," Grover spoke, while still holding the struggling girl. "We can't do anything over here. We need to get out of here." Grover knew that Thalia was about to blow in three, two, one…

"Like hell we will!" Thalia shouted at the satyr, "We can't leave Whiskers or Kelp Head with that guy! We need to help him!"

"We can't!" Annabeth shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't like it either Thalia, but we need to go now! We can't get pass here!" Reluctantly, Thalia stop struggling and nodded, and the six of them started running. Everyone prayed that the two will be alright. But they knew the two wouldn't get out unscathed.

Luck didn't seem to be on demigod's side.

The demigods grumbled at the truth of the last statement.

(Naruto and Percy)

The two demigods dodged a swipe from the Kazekage puppet. Percy uncapped his pen, and it instantly turned into Riptide.

"Now that's something I'm going to have to replicate with fuinjutsu!" Kushina said in glee.

"Already done," Hephaestus commented smugly.

"Curse you, Mina-kun!"

"Do not let the sword hit you," Naruto told Percy, "All of his weapons have a very deadly poison and even the tiniest of scratches can kill you." Percy paled, but nodded and stayed focus. Sasori pull his puppet back and smile.

"Typical mundus operandi for all puppeteers," Anko commented offhandedly. "They're usually vulnerable due to lack of defense while manipulating their puppets, but the catch is they only need one hit to beat you."

"Basically, a glass cannon?" Hermes asked.

"Sort of like that, yeah."

"I see you remember how I battle," Sasori said, still having the same smile. "No matter. I will end this quickly."

He then sent his puppet to attack with the blade spinning. Percy blocked the attack with his sword, which Sasori expected. Another sword appeared from the puppets hand and descended on Percy's exposed side. Luckily, Naruto blocked the attack and the two push him back.

"Thanks," Percy said, a little shocked that Naruto save him after giving the blond a hard time. He got out of his shock quickly and the two got back to fighting the puppeteer.

"I won't let any friend and ally of mine get hurt like that," Naruto commented. "Even if this version of me is kind of an ass to the Water boy, he wouldn't let him get hurt."

"Thanks for that, but watch the names, Foxface," Percy joked with a mock frown.

"Right back at ya!" Naruto said with a smirk.

Naruto had to admit, Sasori was the smartest person he fought, tied up with the Aburame. His puppet had multiple weapons; each one is just as deadly as the last. He remembered fighting Sasori, along with Deidara before Sasuke tried to run from the village. Back then, he was using his puppet Hiruko. That thing was hard to destroy, especially with those clay bombs Deidara set out, but he managed to do it. Now, he was dealing with something new.

"Another difference from my own world," Naruto said. "I never fought the two until after I returned from my training trip with Ero-sennin."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but who was Hiruko before…" Persephone asked hesitantly.

"All I know was that he was a famous shinobi before he died, and Sasori turned him into a giant puppet," Dragon explained. "The main difference, however, was that unlike other puppets, Hiruko was hollow inside, so Sasori could hide in him, thus counteracting the puppeteer's greatest weakness."

"I'm not one for praising someone that touched in the head," Athena muttered. "But that's actually pretty smart of him. A sturdy defensive fortress that doubles as his main weapon of choice."

"And some people say I'm demented," Ares mumbled.

The puppet danced around the two demigods, attacking relentlessly. Luckily, the two demigods were skilled in sword combat so they manage to block and dodge every attack so no poison got inside their system. Sasori was starting to get frustrated. So, he pulled his puppet back to prepared a jutsu.

"Ninja Art: thousand hands manipulation force!" Sasori shouted and thousands of hands came straight towards the duo. The two dodge the hands, but the hands went straight towards Naruto. Naruto formed a fireball in his free hand and blasted those thousand hands into ashes.

Naruto grunted. At this rate, they'd tire out and Sasori would be able to capture the both of them. He needed to distract the man so that he could get rid of the puppet and kill Sasori.

"Jackson!" Naruto barked to the boy, gaining his attention. "Do you remember the water I gave you? Now would be the time to use it!" Percy's eyes lightened in understanding, and he willed the water to come out of the canister. Sasori raised an eyebrow, the only thing that showed he was surprised.

"I got to say, that's a new trick. No shinobi ever controlled the water so easily and without hand signs," Sasori commented. Percy smirked and launched rapid water attacks. Sasori was forced to defend, leaving an opening for the blond.

Naruto quickly threw a kunai at Sasori, but the man saw it in the corner of his eye and dodged the move. Naruto smirked. His trap had been snapped.

Both Hephaestus and Kushina grinned at this.

Naruto disappeared with a yellow flash in his trail and came behind the puppeteer with axe in hand. Sasori turned around in surprise, but it was too late. Naruto cut the man in half and the body fell down, the two body parts spread apart, puddles of blood forming at the person body parts.

"They always forget about the Hiraishin!" Hephaestus said with a chuckle.

"But, didn't that seem a bit too easy?" Artemis asked with a frown.

"I agree with Lady Artemis," Thalia said. "Whiskers was talking like he was one of the toughest guys he's ever fought, and he just goes down like a chump?"

Anko frowned at the screen while the others contemplated what Thalia had said.

Percy breath out in relief, "Well that was easy." the boy commented, swinging his sword around. "Now we can catch up with the others." Naruto nodded absently, noticing that the fight was almost too easy. Sasori was a clever man, so he would never fall for that trick. He probably thought that Naruto might've learned the Hirashin Jutsu and would've ready for that. So why was the fight so easy?

Athena smiled at her champion's deduction.

Naruto slowly approached the dead figure. He slowly turned a part of the body around and when he saw the face, his eyes widen and his face paled.

It was a puppet.

"Dammit!" Anko shouted.

"It's a trap!" Naruto shouted to Percy, but it was too late. Dozens of explosives were set off underground, and it consumed the two boys. Smoke rose up from the explosion.

"General Ackbar would be proud," Apollo muttered, saluting the fallen demigods.

"Rest in peace, honorable warriors," Hermes mumbled and made a three-clawed symbol over his heart.

"They're not dead yet!" Annabeth snapped hotly. "They're not, right?" she asked, turning to Dragon.

All he did was smile mysteriously.

In one of the junkpiles, a lone figure came out and on the ground. It was Sasori. The real one. Seconds after him, another person came out from underground. He had blonde hair that is wrap in a ponytail and one bang under his right eye. He's wearing the same Akatsuki robe and the strangest part about him is that he got mouths on his hands. It was the same guy who chased Naruto and the others after the fight with the manticore. Deidara.

"What do you know? The plan worked," Deidara said with a grin. He wanted to kill Naruto after the blonde killed Itachi. Now, he was going to get the chance to kill him after they got the Namikaze to tell them where the tailed beasts were at.

"Good luck with that!" Naruto snorted.

"Why does he want to kill Naruto for killing Itachi?" Jason asked.

"Because Deidara wanted to kill Itachi," Dragon explained.

Jason grimaced. "That's rough."

"Not really," Anko said with a dismissive wave. "Just another day at the office."

Sasori gave the blonde a look of annoyance. "Of course, it works Deidara. It was fool proof and the former jinchuuriki can't absorb chakra explosion, mixed with poison." Deidara and Sasori combined their favorite moves to catch the blonde and one of the big three demigods. The poison was enough to paralyze anyone and one whiff of it can stun you. So, if the blonde absorbed the explosion, he would get a whiff of that poison.

"Brilliant," Athena spat out with a frown.

"Whatever," Deidara said with a casual wave, "Let just see what damage my art did to the two." The two waited for the smoke clear and after a few minutes, it did. But they saw something that surprise the two of them.

There are two giant sand spheres replacing the two demigods.

Immediately, Naruto's face split into a wide grin.

"Huh?" Leo asked in surprise.

"So, this is where the Akatsuki are," a new voice said, a voice filled with little emotion. The two look up to see a red-haired man, with dull eyes and a gourd on his back. He had red combat suit and is now floating on a sand disk. This is Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted, jumping up and raising his arms up in glee.

"Wait. That friend you said Sasori helped kill?" Nico asked surprised.

"Yeah! Him!"

"Ha! Looks like we're about to head into Round 2!" Ares laughed.

Deidara growled in annoyance while Sasori remain silent. How did the Kazekage get here? They thought they only had to deal with the leaf village.

Gaara slowly descended on the ground and when he was low enough, he jumped off the disk and onto the ground. He stared at the Akatsuki members with cold, unblinking, eyes. "You are not taking my friend if I have anything to say about it." The sand sphere dissolved, revealing a wide eyes and flabbergasted Percy and a shocked Naruto.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted in surprise and shock. "What on earth are you doing here?!" Gaara smiled at the blonde.

"Just want to help out an old friend," Gaara said softly. Naruto smiled back and got up from his spot. Percy got up as well, still confused as ever.

"Okay, Son of Poseidon lost here," Percy said, gaining the attention of the two shinobi, "How do you know that guy? I thought all the ninja were trying to bring you back."

Naruto nearly smiled. "Tell you later Squid Head," The blonde picked up his large axe and swung it around, "Right now, we got some enemies to take down." The two demigods and the Kazekage glared at the two Akatsuki members, who return it with full force. Another part of the prophecy is complete.

Five shall fight in the land without rain.

"Ah, how interesting it is for a prophecy to be fulfilled in the most unusual ways," Apollo said wistfully.

"Next chapter is going to be awesome! I know it!" Naruto said happily.

"But first, lunch!" Dragon announced, making everyone realize how hungry they were.