A Truly Tough One

Samehada was covered in wounds, but it still greedily gnawed at Kubikiribōchō, refusing to let go, like someone who hadn't eaten in a lifetime.

Its powerful regenerative ability and unusual body structure allowed it to slowly heal with a massive amount of Chakra, even while Hell Slash's grievous wounds held it back.

Kisame pulled it back, but couldn't budge Samehada. Only after putting all his strength into it did he manage to wrench it free, amid the metallic clanging of its barbs scraping tightly against the blade.

Samehada thrashed violently, its huge mouth opening and closing. It was obvious it hadn't had its fill.

Kisame gripped the hilt and faced Naruto. His arrogance gave way to composure, and he looked like a living shark.

"Come on! Come and get me, damn it!" Naruto snarled, his eyes blazing with fury.

Kisame looked back at Itachi Uchiha. "Looks like you'll have to step in."

Itachi lowered his eyes. "I've already used Tsukuyomi twice."

"?"

Kisame stared at him, bewildered. He could understand using Tsukuyomi on Kakashi, but Sasuke too? Was that kid even worth it?

But he had no time to think about anything else, because Naruto was charging at him again. Cracks covered the exposed skin of Naruto's body, bulging veins stood out, and crimson Chakra streamed from him.

"Roar! Fifty thousand horsepower! Hell's Overlord Blade!"

Kisame clenched his sharp teeth. The muscles in his arms tensed, and he unleashed the full power of his powerful six-foot-five frame. "Samehada: Shredding Slash!"

In an instant, Samehada slammed repeatedly against the blade, devouring Chakra and weakening its force.

But though Kubikiribōchō's angle was askew, its momentum didn't lessen in the slightest. Flames surged forward relentlessly as the blade came crashing down.

Kisame gripped Samehada's hilt with both hands and braced it horizontally against the strike.

BAM!

The ground was pierced through, and Kisame's entire lower body, along with his chest and abdomen, was smashed into the earth. Only his arms and head remained aboveground as blood sprayed from his mouth.

Kubikiribōchō had been driven a third of the way into Samehada, which clamped tightly around the blade and struggled to devour its Chakra.

And this was exactly the scene Naruto had wanted. His body was about to burst from being stuffed with Nine-Tails Chakra.

Wasn't this the limit you wanted to see? The Nine-Tails' sinister laughter rang through his mind, brimming with smug satisfaction.

As Samehada devoured the Chakra, the amount coursing through Naruto's veins gradually dwindled. Blood seeped from the cracks covering his body, soaking through his coat and dripping down his legs.

His knuckles were still clenched so tightly they had gone white, bearing witness to the unrelenting strength he continued to exert.

Ssshh!

Kubikiribōchō broke through once more, cutting nearly halfway in.

Samehada shrieked, its barbs standing straight up.

It craved the Nine-Tails' high-purity Chakra, but the stuff was far too wild and savage. It was like eating chili peppers: easy to get addicted to, but unpleasant if you ate too much.

Kisame grunted as the heavily burdened bone in his right shoulder gave a distinct crack.

Itachi frowned slightly, as if he meant to break the stalemate.

"Your opponent is me!" Kakashi held his Kunai horizontally. His normally half-lidded dead-fish eye and Blood Wheel Eye were wide open, but cold sweat poured down his face as if he had a high fever. His weakness was plain to see.

Itachi opened his palm.

Just then, a resounding shout rang from the sky.

"Jiraiya, the Sage Ninja of the Strange Arts! The dance of the Demon Realm Beyond the Heavens is about to begin!"

On the roof of the building across from the hospital, a muscular figure with flowing white hair leaped down, bare-chested and wearing only a pair of shorts.

"So you're a pair of dogs from the Akatsuki Organization. Perfect. I'll take care of the two of you while I'm at it!"

At the sound of Jiraiya's voice, Naruto pulled Kubikiribōchō free with a mighty heave.

He stumbled backward, then farther back. After five steps, he fell flat on his back. His bloodshot, blurry eyes stared at the sky as he sucked in deep breaths.

Itachi appeared above Kisame in a flash, hooked him with the top of his foot, and pulled him out of the pit.

Kisame's fingers and both arms trembled as he tried to have Samehada pass Chakra to him and heal his injuries. Samehada fiercely refused; its own wounds were worse, and healing was difficult.

"Though it's a shame, fighting isn't our objective." Itachi turned, hauling Kisame up onto the hospital roof. "We'll look for another opportunity next time. Let's go back."

Kisame looked at Naruto, who seemed to have lost consciousness. He opened his sharp-toothed mouth, spat out a lump of blood, and nodded.

Jiraiya held a Rasengan in his hand and leaped up from the ground in his wooden sandals. "Don't you dare run!"

Itachi and Kisame formed Hand Seals at the same time. In an instant, they became a blur and appeared on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, then disappeared with long strides.

Jiraiya didn't pursue them. After all, they were in the heart of Konoha. If he truly tried to keep them there, his opponents would undoubtedly fight for their lives, and countless people would be killed or injured at the hospital and in the surrounding area.

His expression lost its usual levity and turned grave. "Why did the Akatsuki Organization come to Konoha?"

After Orochimaru defected, Jiraiya had tried to bring him back. But Orochimaru later joined the Akatsuki, an organization made up of nine S-rank wanted criminals.

Jiraiya couldn't take them on alone, so he had turned to keeping them under surveillance.

"Their target is Naruto." Kakashi couldn't hold on either. He left them with those words and collapsed unconscious.

On the pockmarked ground, the earth around Naruto had been soaked brown with blood. His appearance was too horrible to look at.

Jiraiya hurried to Naruto's side and wiped the blood and grime from his face with his thumb. Seeing that Naruto's skin was slowly healing, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "You sure are one tough kid."

"Naruto!"

"Naruto!"

Two female voices rang out at the same time.

To the right was Hinata, who had watched the whole battle in Neji's hospital room. She was already crying her eyes out.

To the left was Haruno Sakura, who had rushed back as soon as she heard Jiraiya's shout.

The two reached Naruto's sides, one after the other.

Haruno Sakura's gaze flickered toward Hinata before she turned to the unconscious Sasuke. "Sasuke! Kakashi-sensei!"

She wanted to help, but realized there was nothing she could do. Neither of them had a single injury; they were simply pale and suffering.

Hinata's gaze never wavered. She carefully touched Naruto's face.

Wiping away her tears, she looked at Jiraiya. "How is Naruto?"

Jiraiya shook his head and sighed. "It doesn't look good."

Hinata's Byakugan opened wide at once, the veins around her eyes bulging. She carefully studied the chaotic flow of Chakra throughout Naruto's body. There was a break every few inches or so, and tears streamed down her face.

"Cough, cough..."

Naruto opened his eyes. His eardrums were still ringing, and his mind was a complete muddle. The weakness in his muscles made him feel awful. He braced himself on one elbow, trying to sit up, but could barely move.

Hinata hurriedly put an arm behind his back to support him, not caring that she was covered in blood and mud.

The moment she felt Naruto's trembling body against her, a firm resolve was branded into her mind.

She had made up her mind. She would become a medical ninja.

Jiraiya looked at Hinata. "Don't rush, don't rush. Lie down a little longer."

Naruto expanded his lungs and puffed out his chest. After several breaths in and out, he finally spoke. "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just a minor injury. Ugh..."

Blood that had pooled in his throat suddenly spilled from his mouth. Hinata gently wiped it away with her white sleeve, which carried a faint, fresh scent of mint.

Jiraiya folded his arms and said loudly, "Minor injury, my foot! You're going to be flat on your back, relying on someone to look after you for ten days to half a month. There's no way you'll be getting out of bed!"

Hinata looked conflicted. Her father certainly wouldn't allow it, and she had missions of her own to attend to. But seeing Naruto like this made her heart ache.

How could Naruto put up with such an insult? He sprang to his feet like a carp leaping from the water. "Nonsense! I know my own condition. I'll be back to bouncing around by tomorrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lost his balance. His knees buckled, and he pitched forward onto the ground.

He fell into Hinata's chest as she hurriedly tried to catch him. It was soft and springy.

The worry on Haruno Sakura's face vanished in an instant, replaced by gritted teeth and barely restrained fury.