Naruto & Sasuke VS Otogakure Three-Man Squad!

Seeing his younger brother so furious and humiliated, Yo reached out and patted his shoulder:

"Still, don't worry too much. With me here, Orochimaru shouldn't come looking for trouble with you so easily!"

The strength he'd just displayed was enough to make Orochimaru cautious.

Before figuring out his true capabilities, that sly snake wouldn't act rashly against Sasuke again.

At least not openly.

And Yo believed he'd caught Orochimaru's attention now!

Sharingan potential plus Wood Release—to Orochimaru, he was undoubtedly the more perfect Vessel.

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As one side rose, the other fell; Orochimaru's craving for his younger brother would inevitably diminish.

Yo said this, then shifted his tone with a hint of malicious amusement:

"Of course, if you secretly lose your mind and run off to Orochimaru seeking power on your own..."

"I won't stop you, little brother. You know me, I've always been the most open-minded older brother!"

Sasuke was so angered by these words he nearly choked, glaring at Yo: "I'm not going to that disgusting creep!"

He said it with absolute finality, thick with revulsion.

Yes, Sasuke's mindset had undergone a massive shift.

If Orochimaru had truly displayed despair-inducing strength, he might have been drawn in for the sake of revenge.

But that Sannin, Orochimaru, had suffered one setback after another before Yo.

Though not killed, he was clearly outmatched, battered and disgraced.

If he couldn't even beat Yo, would Sasuke be crazy enough to defect to a loser?

Seeing the anger and disdain in Sasuke's eyes, Yo raised an eyebrow.

This foolish little brother, already changing his mind?

Hopefully, next time he ran into Uchiha Itachi and got a harsh lesson, he'd still hold onto this attitude.

"Alright, no more wasting time. Focus, find the Scroll of Earth, and we're leaving!"

The team continued moving.

Karin wasn't strong in combat, but her sensing ability was terrifying.

Suddenly.

Karin stopped in her tracks: "Someone's there! Behind us!"

"Three enemy ninjas, closing in fast!"

"What?"

Naruto and Sasuke halted at the same time, spinning around to look behind them.

But the dense forest blocked their view; aside from the rustle of wind through leaves, they saw nothing.

"You sure?"

Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

"I'm sure!"

Karin nodded firmly: "They're fast, hostile, and getting closer!"

"Then let's wait!"

Yo looked at Sasuke, speaking lightly: "Foolish little brother, like you said, I won't step in this time!"

"Karin, follow me!"

With that, Yo took Karin and vanished into the nearby bushes.

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a glance, silently staying put.

Sasuke's eyes were cold.

All the anger and frustration he'd built up from Orochimaru earlier—he needed an outlet now.

Naruto also assumed a fighting stance, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Soon.

Three figures burst from the woods, landing opposite Sasuke and Naruto.

They all wore Otogakure headbands—Orochimaru's three underlings: Zaku, Dosu, and Kin!

The moment they appeared, their gazes locked onto Sasuke, filled with undisguised hostility and scrutiny.

That look made Sasuke's blood boil, fury churning inside him.

"Oh, if it isn't the little Uchiha brat from Konoha?"

Sak tilted his head, letting out a contemptuous laugh. "What's wrong? Lost your partner? Or did your teammates abandon you?"

His gaze swept over Naruto, growing even more dismissive. "Oh, and there's a deadweight blond tagging along!"

Dosu spoke in a dull, heavy voice. "Uchiha Sasuke, Lord Orochimaru seems quite interested in you."

Kin said nothing, but she already had several senbon pinched between her fingers, her eyes cold.

"Shut up!"

Sasuke was already in a foul mood, and being mocked by these small fry ignited the fury inside him instantly.

His hands flew through hand signs. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A blazing fireball roared toward the three Otogakure ninja.

"Hmph, a cheap trick!"

Sak aimed both palms forward. "Vacuum Wave!"

A highly compressed air blast shot out, colliding with the great fireball in a thunderous explosion, scattering flames everywhere.

Using the smoke from the blast as cover, Kin darted out like a ghost, her senbon raining down on Sasuke like needles.

Incredibly fast!

Devilishly angled!

"Sasuke, watch out!"

Naruto shouted, quickly splitting off two shadow clones to swing their kunai and block the incoming senbon.

"Get out of the way!"

Dosu suddenly dropped low, aiming the device on his right arm at Naruto and his clones. "Screaming Sound Piercer!"

An invisible high-frequency sonic shockwave erupted, instantly shredding Naruto's two shadow clones.

Naruto himself was staggered by the sound wave, dizzy and stumbling backward.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke's eyes sharpened, his Sharingan spinning wildly as he caught the brief opening after Dosu's technique.

He burst chakra under his feet, accelerating in an instant to close in on Dosu, kunai thrusting straight for his throat.

"Too slow!"

Sak struck again, a Vacuum Wave blasting from the side toward Sasuke.

Forcing Sasuke to abandon his attack and sidestep to dodge.

Kin seized the opportunity again, more senbon flying in from another angle, sealing off Sasuke's escape route.

The battle instantly reached a fever pitch. The three Otogakure ninja moved in perfect sync.

Sak's long-range air cannon suppressed them, while Kin's projectiles harried.

Dosu's sonic attacks had a wide area of effect and were difficult to defend against.

In no time, Sasuke and Naruto were locked in a desperate struggle.

Relying on his Sharingan's insight and blinding speed, Sasuke darted left and right, counterattacking with shuriken.

But against the three-man team, he was stretched thin, and wounds quickly began to appear on his body.

Naruto was in even worse shape.

His shadow clones kept getting shattered, and his real body took several hits too.

But his tenacity was immense. Cursing and yelling the whole time, he kept tying up Kin and Sak, sharing the pressure with Sasuke.

"Naruto! Right side!"

Sasuke barked.

"Got it!"

Ignoring his own safety, Naruto lunged straight at Kin.

Flailing his kunai wildly, he forced her to break her senbon volley.

Now!

Sasuke slammed his hands on the ground. "Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"

A straight, blazing line of fire shot precisely at Sak, who was temporarily immobile after releasing his Vacuum Wave.

Sak's face changed color as he hurriedly dodged to the side.

The fire line grazed past him, igniting his sleeve and sending him into a flustered scramble.

As he released the Dragon Fire Technique, Sasuke shot forward, aiming for Dosu, who had just finished his Screaming Sound Piercer.

The Sharingan predicted Dosu's instinctive retreat path.

"Die!"

The kunai in Sasuke's hand, coated with Lightning Release chakra, let out a faint crackle as it stabbed toward Dosu's heart.

"Damn it!"

For the first time, a flicker of panic flashed in Dosu's eyes. In haste, he could only raise the device on his right arm to block.

Clang! Thud!

The Kunai pierced through the strange device, but its trajectory was deflected, burying deep into Dosu's shoulder.

Dosu let out a scream and staggered backward.

"Dosu!"

Kin cried out in alarm.

Naruto seized the opportunity. Several Shadow Clones swarmed forward, clinging tightly to Kin to restrict her movements.

Zaku wanted to help.

But Sasuke had him locked down, his hands already beginning to form seals again.

At the same time.

Naruto's main body broke free as well, and together with several Shadow Clones, he glared fiercely at Zaku.

Of the Otogakure trio, one was severely wounded, one was restrained, and the remaining Zaku stood alone, unable to hold his ground.

Zaku gritted his teeth, leaped backward abruptly, helped the injured Dosu up, and shouted, "Kin! Retreat!"

Kin struggled free from Naruto's Shadow Clones, shot a venomous glare at Naruto and Sasuke, and quickly retreated to Zaku's side.

The three dared not linger any longer. With looks of resentment and spite, they swiftly vanished into the forest, intending to flee.

Just then.

A sudden change occurred!