Bait Trap, Akatsuki's Hunt, and Susanoo's Resonance

The location marked on the note left by Obito was the Forest of Death on the border of the Land of Fire. As Su Ye and his group stepped into the forest, a thick scent of blood rushed toward them. The corpses of Akatsuki members were scattered across the ground; it was clear a fierce battle had just taken place here.

"Something is wrong." Kakashi suddenly stopped, his Sharingan scanning the surroundings with vigilance. "The wounds on these bodies are too clean. It doesn't look like they killed each other; it looks more like... bait left behind on purpose." No sooner had he spoken than a strange flute melody echoed from deep within the forest, and countless kunai attached to chakra threads shot out from the canopy, raining down upon the group.

Su Ye instantly activated Shinra Tensei. A repulsive field formed by pale purple chakra deflected all the kunai. "It's puppet jutsu." His Mangekyo Sharingan pierced through the cover of the trees, spotting a figure in a red robe standing deep in the woods—Sasori of the Red Sands, a member of the Akatsuki. His puppet arms were manipulating dozens of puppets, forming a perimeter.

"I didn't expect Konoha to send so many people to their deaths." Sasori's voice carried a metallic texture. He raised his hands to control the puppets, and dozens of ninja blades were unsheathed simultaneously, striking toward Naruto. Naruto immediately activated Nine-Tails Mode, the golden chakra forming a Tailed Beast Cloak. While blocking the blades, he launched a Tailed Beast Bomb toward Sasori.

But before the Tailed Beast Bomb could fly halfway, it was swallowed by a wave of black chakra—Obito appeared beside Sasori, the Mangekyo Sharingan in his right eye flashing. "Naruto, your power is still as pathetic as ever." He looked at Itachi, a mocking smirk curling his lips. "Uchiha Itachi, you really did come. But do you think Sasuke is actually here?"

Itachi's Sharingan contracted sharply, and he lunged toward Obito. "Where is Sasuke exactly?" Obito did not dodge or evade, letting Itachi's kunai pierce his chest—the blade passed through his body as if it were a phantom. "Don't waste your effort; this is just my shadow clone." Obito's voice echoed through the forest. "The real Sasuke should have already arrived at Konoha by now."

Su Ye felt a tightening in his chest. His Mangekyo Sharingan instantly locked onto the direction of Konoha, and sure enough, he sensed a familiar chakra—Sasuke's Sharingan was approaching Konoha, and behind him followed two Akatsuki members. "This is bad, Obito's target is Nagato in Konoha!" Su Ye turned around immediately. "Kakashi, hold off Obito and Sasori! I'm going to Konoha to protect Nagato and Sasuke!"

But just as Su Ye prepared to initiate a Body Flicker Jutsu, the forest floor suddenly collapsed, and countless black chains surged from the ground, binding his ankles—they were the chakra chains of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. "Want to leave? It won't be that easy." An aged voice rang out, and a phantom of Madara rose from the ground, his Rinnegan emitting a scarlet glow. "Su Ye, your Mangekyo Sharingan belongs to me by right. Today, I am taking it back."

Madara's phantom raised a hand, and a powerful suction force surged toward Su Ye, causing the chakra within him to begin leaking uncontrollably. Seeing this, Itachi immediately activated Susanoo. Pale red bones rapidly covered his muscles, forming a complete Susanoo structure. "Su Ye, I will help you!" The Susanoo held a great blade and slashed toward Madara's phantom.

Madara's phantom sneered, raising a hand to condense a black Truth-Seeking Orb to block the Susanoo's attack. "Uchiha Itachi, do you think you can oppose me just by activating Susanoo?" His gaze fell upon Itachi's Sharingan. "If you hadn't chosen to protect Konoha back then, the Uchiha clan wouldn't have been wiped out. You and Su Ye are both traitors."

Itachi's Susanoo trembled slightly; Madara's words stung his heart, but he gripped his great blade even tighter. "I have never betrayed the Uchiha, and I will certainly not let you harm Su Ye." He took a deep breath, his chakra surging wildly within the Susanoo, and the color of the Susanoo gradually shifted from pale red to deep blue—it was the Complete Body Susanoo.

The Complete Body Susanoo held a bow and arrow, golden chakra condensing into a projectile that shot toward Madara's phantom. The phantom's expression changed drastically; he had not expected Itachi to be capable of activating the Complete Body Susanoo. "It seems I underestimated you." Madara's phantom condensed more Truth-Seeking Orbs, forming a barrier to block the arrow.

Meanwhile, Su Ye took the opportunity to break free from the chains of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. His Mangekyo Sharingan resonated strangely with Itachi's Complete Body Susanoo—pale purple Rinne chakra infused into the Susanoo's arrow, making its light shine even more brilliantly. "Itachi, aim for Madara's Rinnegan!" Su Ye shouted, the Rinne chakra imbuing the arrow with sealing power.

Itachi understood. The Complete Body Susanoo pulled the bowstring to its limit, and the golden arrow, trailing pale purple light, shot toward Madara's phantom once more. This time, the barrier of Truth-Seeking Orbs was pierced instantly, and the arrow struck his Rinnegan with precision. "Argh—!" The phantom let out a scream, and his body gradually dissipated.

Seeing the phantom defeated, Obito's clone changed expression and immediately ordered Sasori to retreat: "Withdraw!" Although Sasori was unwilling, he knew he was no match for Su Ye and Itachi, so he could only manipulate his puppets and flee into the depths of the forest.

Kakashi looked in the direction where Obito and Sasori had fled and let out a sigh of relief. "We finally drove them back." Naruto, however, frowned. "But Sasuke is still heading toward Konoha. What should we do now?"

Su Ye looked toward Konoha, his Mangekyo Sharingan sensing that Sasuke's chakra had already entered the village, while Nagato's chakra had become abnormally weak. "There is no time to lose; we must return to Konoha immediately." He paused and looked at Itachi. "Itachi, your Susanoo resonates with my Rinne chakra; this might be the key to stopping Madara and Obito. From here on, we must fight side by side."

Itachi nodded, and the Complete Body Susanoo slowly dissipated. "No matter the cost, I will protect Sasuke and Konoha."

The group immediately sped toward Konoha, but no one noticed that in the depths of the forest, a pair of scarlet eyes was watching them—it was the real Madara, a cold smirk curling his lips. "Su Ye, Itachi... this game is becoming more and more interesting."

At this moment in Konoha, Sasuke had already breached the village's defenses. He held the Kusanagi Sword and charged toward the medical department. Behind him, two Akatsuki members followed closely; their target was none other than Nagato, who was inside the medical department. A fierce battle centered around Nagato and Sasuke was about to unfold in Konoha.