Seeing this, Hiruko's pupils contracted sharply!
Naruto emerged from the smoke, wrapped from head to toe in a golden Chakra Cloak. He radiated the aura of a powerful fighter. Even a well-traveled shinobi like Hiruko could tell Naruto was no ordinary person—any Genin could have sensed it, too.
After gently setting down the Konoha Jonin whose Chakra arm he had caught, Naruto said, "Leave this to me!"
"But..."
The Konoha Jonin hesitated.
Naruto smiled. "Don't worry. I'll beat him!"
Hiruko sneered from across the way. "You brat, you've certainly grown a lot. But challenging me? Isn't that a little too arrogant?"
Rumble, rumble.
Just then, explosions began sounding one after another from every direction. It seemed battles had broken out elsewhere, too.
It was obvious.
Ranmaru, who had intercepted Tsunade, and Scorpion, who had intercepted Jiraiya, had both started fighting.
And they weren't the only ones. Deidara, Kakuzu, Hidan, and Juzo Biwa had also infiltrated various parts of Konoha, tying up its forces by causing chaos.
Hiruko laughed. "See? Nobody's coming to save you!"
Smack.
Naruto raised his arms and cracked his knuckles. "Then I'll go save them!"
"Arrogant brat!"
Apparently enraged by Naruto's words, Hiruko rapidly formed hand seals and unleashed a wide-ranging Storm Release attack.
In an instant, lightning flashed across the battlefield!
Naruto, in Sage Fox Mode, flickered away and easily dodged the oncoming Storm Release attack.
But Hiruko's Storm Release covered a vast area, and it had already destroyed a large part of the surrounding streets. The anguished cries of villagers could be heard in the distance.
Naruto had an idea. "Hey, weren't you trying to capture me? If you can keep up, come and get me!"
With that, Naruto flashed away and raced out of the village.
"Idiot!"
Hiruko grinned.
If Naruto had fled deeper