"Looks like coming here alone to mask my presence was a mistake," the Otogakure ninja said weakly.
Everything had happened in the blink of an eye, and Sakura hadn't been able to react in time.
The corner of Sasuke's mouth curled into a faint sneer. That Otogakure guy is unbelievable. Of all three of us, he picked Naruto, the strongest, as his target. Getting kicked away like that serves him right.
Just as Naruto bent down to search the fallen Otogakure ninja for a scroll, a sudden turn of events shattered the brief silence.
Without warning, a cluster of kunai flashed through the air, bursting out of the dense brush behind Naruto and hurtling toward him with murderous intent.
Sakura spotted the sudden danger at once. Her eyes flew wide with fear, and her scream pierced the air. "Naruto, watch out behind you!"
Sasuke's eyes flashed with alarm at first, but soon he relaxed.
His Sharingan picked up the kunai's trajectories with ease. To his surprise, the weapons that should have pierced Naruto's back stopped strangely in midair, just millimeters behind him, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.
Meanwhile, the kunai that hadn't been "intercepted" pierced the Otogakure ninja's body with pinpoint accuracy, turning him into a pincushion in an instant. Blood sprayed everywhere, the sight horrifying. It had all happened so quickly that the sharp whistle of the kunai still lingered in the air.
Sasuke marveled inwardly. This wasn't the first time he'd seen Naruto use this ability, but the sheer number of kunai and the spectacle they created were shocking.
Amid a chilling, eerie round of applause, an effeminate man from Otogakure slowly stepped onto the battlefield, his appearance seeming to bring an ill omen over the area.
The man's face was pale and refined, a heart-stirring smile playing on his lips. His eyes gleamed with feverish excitement, as if everything before him were a long-awaited feast.
"A Bloodline Limit? What a wonderful surprise," he murmured, every word brimming with barely concealed excitement. "I had no idea a child like you existed. Now I don't know which one to choose. What a delightful dilemma."
Faced with this sudden threat, Naruto's expression turned serious for the first time.
Without a moment's hesitation, he spun around and barked at Sasuke and Sakura, "Quick, get behind me!" Sakura immediately ducked behind Naruto, while Sasuke, sensing the effeminate man's presence, didn't object either.
Naruto stared at the effeminate man. Beneath his sunglasses, the Six Eyes easily saw through the man's exterior and focused on the flow of Chakra within him. Naruto was startled: the man's Chakra reserves were enormous, far greater than those of their instructor, Kakashi. And the aura within that Chakra was evil and profound, making it clear that he was an exceptionally powerful enemy.
The effeminate man felt Naruto's gaze and smiled with amusement. He raised a hand slightly, seeming to enjoy being watched, and said slowly, "Those are very special eyes. Standing in front of you, I feel as if you can see right through me. How fascinating." His voice was low and magnetic, yet held a trace of chilling menace.
He paused, his feverish eyes sweeping back and forth between the three of them as if weighing something. Then he continued, "But that doesn't matter. I happen to have a scroll, too. How about this: either I take yours, or you take mine?" As he spoke, he deliberately waved the scroll in his hand, as if showing it off—or provoking them.
Before the three could react, the effeminate man suddenly did something that left them dumbfounded.
Like a crafty snake, he opened his mouth and swallowed the entire scroll.
The sight sent a chill down Sasuke and Sakura's spines. From just one look and one movement by the effeminate man, they found themselves unable to move.
"Is this killing intent?" Sasuke murmured, eyes wide.
Sasuke looked at Naruto in front of him and saw excitement in his eyes. That's right—there wasn't a trace of fear, only excitement at the thought of fighting a powerful opponent.
Naruto's state of mind spurred Sasuke on. He kept shouting inwardly, Move! Move! Come on, body, move! Little by little, feeling returned to his body.
Sensing Sasuke stir, Naruto felt relieved. The sight reminded him of his student Fushiguro Megumi, from before he was reborn.
Before you continue