The Second Encounter

After an examination by the Medical Corps, Kakashi had no external injuries, but mental trauma was harder to recover from. He would probably have to stay in bed for over a month...

"Sorry for the trouble... I didn't realize his strength had improved so much..."

Kakashi said, holding his head.

The amount of information he'd received in that instant had been too much...

"Don't say that... If you hadn't rushed over, Kurenai and I probably would've been caught off guard...," Asuma reassured him.

"Something's strange... judging from that guy's expression, he doesn't seem to know where Naruto is," Gai analyzed.

"It looks like those two have been in the village for a while... Damn it, and right when the village is at its most vulnerable...," Asuma said.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door...

"Why are all the Jonin here...?"

Sasuke pushed open the door and looked at the scene inside in confusion.

"Why is Kakashi-sensei lying in bed too...?"

Just as everyone was wondering how to explain things to Sasuke,

Yamashiro Aoba came running down the corridor.

"Has everyone heard? They say Itachi is back..."

At those words, Sasuke's pupils trembled, and he rushed out of the room.

"Damn it! I'll go after him!"

Gai told the others to look after Kakashi, then chased after Sasuke.

Sasuke went from Ichiraku Ramen to the various shops along the street, checking the places Naruto often visited, but he still couldn't find out where Naruto was.

"This is bad... If that man is looking for Naruto, that idiot's going to die!"

Sasuke hurried through the streets.

Meanwhile, Itachi had used Genjutsu to control a beautiful woman and lure Jiraiya away.

"Come with us, Nine-Tails brat!" Kisame said with a chilling grin.

Samehada swung, draining all the Chakra from Naruto's body... He couldn't even form a Clone Technique.

"This kid's pretty stubborn! Maybe I should cut off one of his legs!" Kisame asked Uchiha Itachi with a grin.

"Suit yourself..."

Just as the two were about to act, a furious roar came from behind Naruto.

"Itachi! I'm going to... kill you!"

Sasuke activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and charged forward, Chidori gathering in his hand.

He poured all his Chakra into the Chidori. The powerful current even burned his arm.

"Too impulsive... and still making so many unnecessary movements..."

Itachi leaned slightly to the side. The Chidori struck the wall instead, its tremendous impact piercing through three layers of wall before finally stopping.

Itachi landed a light blow on Sasuke's stomach, sending him to the ground in agony.

Seeing this, Naruto gathered the Nine-Tails' Chakra again, but Kisame stopped him with Samehada.

"Looks like cutting off your hands would be better than your feet..."

Kisame swung his massive blade at Naruto.

"Clang!"

"You two are really inconsiderate, starting a fight without me!"

A red staff blocked Samehada's strike, and a figure appeared in front of Naruto.

"Honestly... Lord Jiraiya left you at the inn and went off chasing women? What an unreliable grown-up..."

Jimo's appearance left the two men stunned.

On his way here, Itachi had used Genjutsu to knock Jimo unconscious in a nearby alley. To keep him from being discovered, he'd even stuffed him into a trash can and piled several bags of garbage on top.

"You two actually stuffed me into a trash can!" Jimo struck Samehada with his staff, and the tremendous force made even Kisame stagger two steps backward.

"That's strange. How did you break free of Mr. Itachi's Genjutsu...?" Kisame wondered, staring at Jimo.

Itachi, standing nearby, also regarded the young man with interest. He had secretly returned to Konoha many times to gather information, but he knew nothing about this Chunin.

"Enough talk. What are you, a walking encyclopedia?"

Jimo attacked first. The narrow corridor let him make full use of the Nyoi-Bo's ability to extend and retract, forcing Kisame to defend himself.

"Quit playing around and finish him!" Uchiha Itachi urged.

At that, Kisame swung with a powerful strike, sending Jimo flying through the wall and tumbling down.

"Honestly, why hasn't the Pervy Sage come back yet? Grown-ups really are unreliable..." Naruto muttered as he dragged Sasuke back.

"Who's talking behind my back?"

A figure appeared behind Naruto in a cloud of smoke.

Jiraiya appeared behind them, carrying the beautiful woman over his shoulder.

"You really don't understand me at all... A true man wouldn't be tempted by women! On the contrary, women would be captivated by his sweet talk."

Just then, Sasuke suddenly opened his eyes and charged at Itachi again.

"You're not even remotely interesting to me anymore..."

Uchiha Itachi kicked Sasuke away, then flashed over and grabbed him by the throat.

"Looks like you've forgotten what happened that night... Then I'll let you experience it again..."

Itachi pulled Sasuke into a Genjutsu world, where the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre appeared before him once more.

Hearing Sasuke's screams, Naruto charged at Itachi despite the attempts to stop him.

"Are all of you pretending I'm not even here...?"

Jiraiya muttered, then formed Hand Seals.

"Ninja Art: Toad Mouth Bind!"

Pink muscle tissue suddenly sprouted from the walls of the entire corridor...

Sasuke was absorbed into the wall, while Kisame and Itachi's feet sank into the floor.

"Naruto, don't move! This is my technique!" Jiraiya called out, stopping Naruto from trying to break free.

"I summoned the esophagus of the Rock-Sleeping Toad from Mount Myoboku. Since you're wanted criminals anyway, why not become food for the Rock-Sleeping Toad?"

Jiraiya strained with both hands, and the fleshy walls began to churn.

"Kisame, we're leaving!"

Itachi made the snap decision to order their retreat...

The moment the two vanished at the far end of the corridor, Jiraiya lost track of them.

"Damn it!"

A huge hole had been burned through the fleshy wall in front of them, its edges still covered in black flames.

"That's strange... The Rock-Sleeping Toad's esophagus can breathe fire. How could flames burn through it...?"

"Sealing Technique: Fire Sealing Method."

Jiraiya took out a scroll and used a secret technique to seal away the strange black flames.

"Huh... They got away?" Jimo poked his head through the hole.

"Let's not worry about that now. First, we need to check on Sasuke."

Jiraiya led the two of them over to Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall with a vacant stare.

"Looks like he's in shock..."

Just as Jiraiya bent down to carry Sasuke over his shoulder, a Kunai came flying toward them.

While everyone's attention was on the Kunai, a huge foot slammed into Jiraiya's face.

"Sorry, sorry... I was in such a hurry that I could only use my Forehead Protector as a mirror... I couldn't see that it was you, Lord Jiraiya... With such a fierce expression, I thought you were the enemy..."

Gai scratched his head and laughed.

"Does that... really count as an apology...?"

Jiraiya pressed an ice pack to his swollen, reddened cheek and grumbled.