Battle Continues

"Bring them back. I'm here now, so leave the rest to me," Sasuke said impassively.

Sakura gritted her teeth and stepped forward twice, wanting to say something. But when the words reached her lips, she didn't know how to begin. She was about to retreat when someone behind her gave her a push, sending her stumbling right in front of Sasuke.

When she turned around, Kakashi was giving her an encouraging look. Sakura faced Sasuke again as if she'd made up her mind, took a deep breath, and said softly, "Please be careful. I'll be waiting here for you."

Faced with Sakura's sudden tenderness, Sasuke was at a loss too. All he could do was nod silently.

Then Sasuke stopped looking at Sakura. He drew the Kusanagi Sword from his back, stepped forward, and leaped out of the ravine, charging toward Kaguya.

"Get back, both of you!" he shouted at the two who were steadily being driven back. Gripping the Kusanagi Sword tightly, Sasuke swept aside the locks of hair lashing at him and took his place in front of them.

The two were already at the end of their strength. Even the First Hokage couldn't match Kaguya—how could the two of them possibly hold her off?

If the Fourth Hokage's arm hadn't been erased and he still had the Nine-Tails' power within him, they might have had a chance to hold out.

In truth, Kaguya had toyed with them from the moment they arrived. If Namikaze Minato hadn't kept using the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade her attacks, it was questionable whether they could have held on until Sasuke returned.

"You finally made it back." The elderly Third Hokage's face was covered in cracks. Impure World Reincarnation had its limits, and this body was nearly at the end