In the lush, thriving heart of the unfathomably deep forest, sunlight filtered through countless tiny gaps in the canopy, dappling Naruto and Itachi Uchiha with scattered flecks of gold and lending an unreal tranquility to their standoff.
The air of battle had not yet fully dissipated, but the two had stopped moving.
Naruto folded his arms across his chest and asked in a calm voice, "What are you going to give me?"
The corners of Itachi Uchiha's mouth curved into a meaningful smile. He did not answer directly, but slowly raised his palm.
In an instant, the air around them seemed to stir with a strange energy. Then a flock of crows came surging in from every direction. The sound of their wings echoed through the quiet forest, sharp and eerie.
One crow among them was especially unusual. Its eyes glinted with an uncanny light, and while Naruto wasn't paying attention, it broke through his Infinity Technique. Like a ghost, it passed silently through his defenses and entered his body.
Naruto's pupils contracted at the sight, and an unprecedented shock and astonishment surged through him.
"What...!" Naruto snapped to attention and immediately drew on the keen senses Senjutsu had granted him, trying to detect the intruder.
This was the most surprised Gojo Satoru had been since being reincarnated as Naruto.
He carefully scanned his body with his Six Eyes, trying to find any trace or unusual fluctuation left behind by the crow. Strangely, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
Naruto furrowed his brow, his gaze flickering with confusion and disbelief. "What was that?" he demanded. His voice rang especially clearly through the silent forest.
Itachi Uchiha smiled softly, his expression tinged with mystery. "You'll find out what it does when the time