If at Eighteen

Naruto could feel Ino's scorching breath hitting his neck, and the wind and rain were blowing fiercely.

The two looked at each other, listening to the footsteps in the living room, their hearts pounding as they were drenched in the downpour.

Itachi Uchiha's voice was deep and carried a great sense of oppression.

"Kisame, go check on the balcony."

"Okay." Kisame Hoshigaki seemed to be deliberately making thumping noises as he walked, gradually approaching the balcony.

Naruto's apartment had been renovated; the balcony had wooden floors and was separated from the living room by a thick glass door. Suddenly, the door was yanked open, shattering glass everywhere.

The sound of the downpour suddenly intensified, and raindrops rushed from the balcony into the living room, causing the grass-green curtains to flutter in the wind.

Hearing the noise, Naruto guessed what a horrible mess the glass door had become, and felt a pang of heartache for a second but dared not utter a sound. He was soaked, cold, and heavy from the downpour, and held a sword instead of an umbrella in his hand.

Ino was startled by Itachi Uchiha's words. Even though she didn't know who the two people outside were, the heavy sense of oppression was enough to make her breathless.

A terrifying, inhuman face peered out from the balcony. Kisame Hoshigaki's sinister gaze swept around, but the area outside the balcony was empty.

"That brat seems to have run away again," Kisame Hoshigaki said, turning his head back.

"You won't get far." Itachi Uchiha said expressionlessly. "Don't provoke too many Anbu. Stop before Jiraiya arrives."

"Understood." Kisame Hoshigaki bared his sharp fangs and, carrying his Great Sword Samehada, asked, "There seems to be a woman with him. Should we kill her?"

"Hmm." Itachi Uchiha left the living room. "I have some things to attend to and need to leave for a while."

"Mr. Itachi, I'm fine on my own."

"Good."

Downstairs, Naruto pulled Ino as they ran wildly through the narrow alley, the torrential rain stinging their faces.

Overhead, there was a tangled mess of power lines, and old utility poles stood askew against the alleyway wall.

The two of them sprinted through the rain, their trouser legs already soaked. The alleyway was dilapidated, full of mud and puddles. Ino, panting heavily, wiped the rain off his face.

"Naruto, who are those two people?"

"Rogue ninja, insane!"

Why am I looking for you?

"The world is so big, it's normal that there will always be some people who want my body," Naruto said as he ran.

"But... someone is chasing us from behind."

"Ignore him, let him chase his own race, we'll keep running ours."

"What is that thing?!"

Naruto, holding Ino, glanced back quickly during a break in their run and saw Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Little Fishman!!"

"What??" Ino didn't understand, her stamina rapidly decreasing as she ran.

"Don't worry, he can't catch up!"

"Naruto, I can't run anymore, you go first! Don't worry about me!"

"Damn it!! Then shut up! Just focus on getting out of here!!"

Ino was panting heavily, her words coming out in gasps.

"I was so happy when you gave me flowers last time; it was the first time I'd ever received flowers!"

"It's okay, it will grow on my grave later, you can pick as much as you like!"

With that, Naruto flung Ino away, slamming his right foot into a puddle, sending rainwater flying a meter high. With his back to Ino, he blocked Kisame Hoshigaki's pursuit from behind.

"Naruto!!" Ino climbed out of the puddle, her face covered in bruises.

"Don't come any closer!" Naruto shouted with his back to her. "Hide well and stay alive! The Anbu will be here soon!!"

Kisame Hoshigaki slowly walked over, carrying his Great Sword Samehada. His sharp fangs were visible in the rain, and a mocking expression played on his face. Great Sword Samehada horizontally and slashed down.

Naruto instinctively wanted to dodge, but his eyes shifted slightly backward, and he gritted his teeth, roaring as he met the attack with his sword.

Itachi Uchiha didn't come!! Please pray Itachi Uchiha didn't chase after us!!

Then you can still live, you can live.

"Yo." A smile appeared on Kisame Hoshigaki's terrifying face. "So, you're planning to get serious? You thought you were pretty good at running?"

"Pah!" Naruto didn't say anything, but spat at Kisame Hoshigaki.

Unfortunately, the rain was too heavy, and the saliva was knocked to the ground halfway through its flight.

Kisame Hoshigaki, far from being angry, appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself. With a shove of his fangs, the bandages wrapped around his Great Sword Samehada instantly came undone, revealing its sharp barbs.

With a sudden pull, Naruto's Uchigatana shattered in his hand, his wrist could no longer grip it, and the broken Uchigatana was sent flying into the air.

Naruto, panting heavily, pulled out the Flying Thunder God Kunai.

Kisame Hoshigaki, standing in the distance, looked down at the kunai in Naruto's hand. His tall figure blocked half of the alley as he spoke, getting soaked in the rain.

"Mr. Itachi said that everyone has weaknesses."

"To catch a nimble mouse, you should catch what it cares about."

Upon hearing this, Naruto's heart pounded, and his pupils dilated slightly as if he had realized something. Almost without thinking, he threw the Flying Thunder God Kunai in Ino's direction.

The next second, Kisame Hoshigaki rose from the puddle and appeared in front of Ino, who had no time to escape. His eyes were unwavering as he raised his Great Sword Samehada and slashed at Ino.

From the Naruto and Kisame Hoshigaki, to the moment Kisame Hoshigaki suddenly appeared in front of Ino using Water Release, only half a minute had passed.

"Aaaaaah!!"

Ino hadn't even finished her Hand Seals when she was paralyzed by the sudden, overwhelming killing intent, and could only watch helplessly as the Great Sword Samehada came crashing down.

The narrow alley was like a ditch, with torrential rain pounding into it.

Naruto bowed slightly, his muscles tense, his face contorted with rage. The Chakra that surged within him instantly vaporized the rainwater on his body.

Thirty meters from Naruto, Kisame Hoshigaki, his gaze cold, raised his Great Sword Samehada, ready to strike. Ino sat down in the wet mud, one hand braced against the mud, the other instinctively raised in front of her.

A Flying Thunder God Kunai pierced through the torrential rain with a hissing sound, hovering between Kisame Hoshigaki and Ino.

Two days ago, even when facing capture by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, Naruto still did not use the Nine-Tails' power. He did not notify the Anbu because he did not want to hand over the initiative to the higher-ups at this sensitive moment.

Danzo still owes me an explanation; the matter of the Root Ninja is not over yet.

He wanted to wait a little longer; the future was long, he just needed time. Naruto could become even stronger, strong enough to refuse any request from the village, strong enough to remove the Nine-Tails without injury.

It's not impossible that it surpasses Sealing Jutsu.

But he never expected Ino to come. He had been living alone for several days, waiting for Itachi Uchiha. He had even figured out the escape route and set up the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Even with a non-maxed-out Flying Thunder God in his hands, he can only switch positions with Naruto within a limited distance. Naruto isn't a godlike player who Minato Namikaze forever just by touching the Flying Thunder God.

[Flying Thunder God - Stage 2]

In an instant, Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Kunai Ino tightly and completely exposing his back to the slashing Samehada Great Sword Samehada.

His eyes transformed into blood-red vertical pupils, radiating a chilling red light, and his voice became hoarse as he roared desperately in the torrential rain.

"Nine! Lama!!"

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