Naruto : Nameless Brothel

The hot desert wind blew across the dunes, lifting clouds of sand around Naruto and Temari as they moved swiftly eastward. The horizon seemed endless, marked only by scattered rocks and the rare vegetation adapted to the arid climate.

According to Kankurō's information, Sasori and Deidara had taken this direction after kidnapping Gaara. However, aside from that, they had no precise clues. Naruto knew that along the way, something would eventually catch their attention.

A long silence settled between him and Temari, broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the sand.

"Why are you alone on this mission?" Temari suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

She was still intrigued by the fact that Naruto, a ninja from Konoha, was on such a critical mission by himself. Where was his usual team?

Without slowing down, Naruto answered in a neutral tone.

"I'm the one the Hokage sent. I don't know anything more than that."

Temari raised an eyebrow. The answer seemed too simple, too evasive. This wasn't the Naruto she had known before.

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but before she could speak, Naruto suddenly stopped and grabbed her firmly, pulling her behind a massive rock.

"What the…?" she muttered in surprise.

Before she could finish, Naruto gestured for her to stay quiet, placing a finger over his lips. His eyes were sharp and serious.

Temari frowned but obeyed.

A moment later, about twenty men appeared, moving swiftly through the desert. They all wore long dark cloaks, their faces hidden beneath hoods and masks.

Naruto carefully observed their formation and movements. From the way they moved, he could tell they weren't just ordinary bandits or mercenaries.

"This situation might be more complicated than expected…" he thought quickly. "Why did this have to happen now? And where the hell is Kakashi's team?"

As he pondered, a timid whisper reached his ear.

"Thank you…"

Naruto realized he was still holding Temari close to him, their sudden proximity making the situation a bit awkward. He quickly composed himself and let go, slightly averting his gaze.

"Stay on guard," he said in a low but firm voice. "It looks like we're not the only ones searching for your brother."

Temari regained her composure and straightened up.

"Who are they? And what do they want?" she asked gravely.

Naruto watched the group move swiftly into the distance before replying.

"I don't know who they are… but I think I know what they're after."

His gaze darkened.

If he was right, these men weren't just after the Akatsuki. They were after the Bijū itself.

He sprang to his feet.

"Come on, let's follow them."

Without hesitation, he dashed into the desert, tracking the mysterious squad.

Temari, still troubled by Naruto's sudden change, didn't hesitate for a second and threw herself into the chase as well.

The sun stood at its zenith as the heat grew more intense by the second. Naruto and Temari continued their frantic pursuit across the dunes, staying at a safe distance.

After about ten minutes, Temari started noticing something strange: instead of gaining on them, they were falling behind. Naruto was deliberately slowing down.

"I understand that we shouldn't be spotted, but at this rate, we're going to lose them!" she protested.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her before replying in a calm tone.

"These guys aren't just anyone. If we get too close too quickly, they'll notice us, and that would be a huge problem."

Temari furrowed her brows slightly but instinctively knew she could trust him. This Naruto before her seemed more mature and wasn't the type to act recklessly.

Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted in the distance, sending a cloud of sand into the air. Instinctively, Naruto and Temari dove behind a rock for cover.

A battle was unfolding before them. A blond man, clad in a black cloak adorned with red clouds, was fighting alone against the members of the squad they had been pursuing, as well as others seemingly from the same force. Despite being outnumbered, he was holding them off with ease.

"So they were reinforcements…" Naruto observed the scene intently. "This guy… He's not just defending himself—he's slaughtering them."

The blond man moved swiftly, throwing… some kind of miniature figurines that exploded violently upon contact with his enemies. He kept shouting with each explosion.

"Why the hell are you guys so persistent?!" he yelled, triggering another massive detonation.

Flames briefly illuminated the desert before being smothered by a cloud of sand and dust.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of the situation.

"What the hell is going on?!" he murmured, surprised by the intensity of the fight.

He now understood this wasn't just a chase—these men were after something. Or rather… someone.

Naruto's gaze landed on the blond man's silhouette. He was carrying a body over his shoulder. A body with red hair.

Temari's heart clenched at the sight. Her hands curled into fists, shaking with rage.

"Gaara… That bastard is holding my brother."

Her voice trembled with both anger and worry.

Naruto turned to her. "Temari, I understand how you feel, but now is really not the time to act recklessly."

"But Gaara…" she protested, unable to hold back.

"Temari, look at me," Naruto said, trying to get her attention. "We will save your brother, but if we act foolishly now, we'll end up with all of them against us. Do you understand?"

She looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Do you understand?" Naruto insisted.

"Yes," she whispered weakly.

Now that he had found what he was looking for, Naruto could start thinking of a way to get out of this mess. He had to retrieve Gaara—but how was he going to pull it off amidst this chaos?