The Delicious Can't Be Saved for Last

A thin mist was pushed aside by a lone figure.

The airflow ahead suddenly surged upward, sweeping the mist away entirely.

"Of the entire Kaguya Clan, the strongest one turns out to be a child. Fortunately, Fourth Mizukage is thorough and had me inspect the battlefield. I must ensure no one from the Kaguya Clan survives, or else you might actually escape."

Ringo Ameyuri was toying with her prey, refusing to deliver the killing blow immediately. She swung the Thunder Blade: Fang in her hand, generating bolts of lightning that struck the ground around the fleeing boy.

With his chakra reserves bottomed out, Kimimaro was half-paralyzed by the electricity, yet his will to survive remained undiminished: "I have not killed a single person from Kirigakure, nor do I wish for revenge. I only want to live in peace."

Ringo Ameyuri bared her sharp teeth: "The Kaguya Clan is original sin itself. To dare commit treason in Kirigakure—Fourth Mizukage ordered your clan's extermination, so you should have just obediently offered up your lives."

A rotting branch on the ground tripped Kimimaro, and lacking the strength to recover, he skidded across the earth.

Already skin and bones, Kimimaro tore the skin on his shoulder, worsening his injuries.

"Was I never meant to be born into this world? What is the meaning of my existence?"

Kimimaro stared with vacant eyes, denying everything about himself.

Ringo Ameyuri, who wore her brown hair in two vertical braids on either side of her head, looked down at Kimimaro lying lifelessly in the foul-smelling fallen leaves with visible distaste: "So, you aren't the tastiest apple after all."

"Lightning Style: Explosive Lightning." Ringo Ameyuri pointed the Thunder Blade: Fang at Kimimaro, summoning a bolt of lightning.

"Wind Style: Rasengan."

An unexpected intervention.

Wind conquers lightning.

The high-speed rotating Rasengan blocked the lightning, neutralizing it in mid-air.

Naruto did not stop: "Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!"

A sonic boom echoed.

Ringo Ameyuri panicked as Naruto landed a flying kick on her shoulder, instantly shattering the bone.

A blade fell to the ground.

Ringo Ameyuri was now on the defensive; ninjutsu was far too slow to initiate compared to taijutsu, and with the Gate of Life open, Naruto only needed a single breath to close the distance.

"Finished." Naruto flickered behind Ringo Ameyuri: "Heavy Punch."

Bang!

The immense force sent Ringo Ameyuri crashing through five large trees before she hit the ground.

Capable of using ninjutsu, Ringo Ameyuri was at the Jonin level, but without time to cast, her physical durability was at best that of a Genin.

By striking first and catching her off guard, Naruto was destined to win.

Ringo Ameyuri suffered internal ruptures, her hand clutching one blade of the Thunder Blade: Fang, desperate to trigger a lightning technique.

Naruto gave the weapon a light kick, knocking it away: "I didn't use my full strength, but I have incapacitated you. I will leave a distress signal when I depart, but whether you survive? That is up to fate!"

"There is no other way. I saved the person you intended to kill, so to you, I am an enemy. Your most likely choice is to kill us both, but I don't want to die, don't you agree?"

Naruto reasoned with her, then picked up the Thunder Blade: Fang: "Does this count as a Ninja Sword?"

System Notification! Task complete, rewards distributed.

The Thunder Blade: Fang vanished from Naruto's hand, stored away by the system.

"Can you throw in a divine artifact as a bonus?"

This Seat, do you want a remote-controlled race car?

"I want the Magnum Saber Memorial Edition!"

Naruto turned to leave.

"Stop." Blood bubbled from Ringo Ameyuri's mouth, her tone fierce: "Return the Thunder Blade: Fang to me, or Fourth Mizukage will not let you go. Even if I die, I cannot lose my Ninja Sword."

Naruto rubbed his ears, ignoring Ringo Ameyuri, and walked a few paces to stand before Kimimaro.

Kimimaro stared blankly at Haku beside him.

Haku spoke up: "Naruto-kun, does he seem... broken?"

"What is the meaning of my existence?" Kimimaro kept muttering.

Naruto inspected Kimimaro's injuries; he was covered in wounds, and while the bleeding had stopped, the mental trauma was severe.

"To live is to do meaningful things, and the most meaningful thing is to live well." Naruto looked at Kimimaro and said with complete sincerity.

The simplest logic, the most plain words, yet they carried the most impactful force.

Kimimaro regained his focus, knelt on both knees, and bowed: "Thank you for saving my life. From this day forward, Kimimaro lives to serve you."

Naruto laughed awkwardly: "You've slightly missed the point."

Haku looked nervous: "Naruto-kun, I also wish to live to serve you."

"Fine, fine. I'm alive, so everyone just live well." Naruto was at a loss with the two children before him.

The task was completed by chance; perhaps it really was fate. No need to go to Kirigakure now, he thought, better to hurry back to Konoha.

"Living is worse than dying."

A pungent scent emerged, the words heavy with killing intent.

"Fourth Mizukage, he stole my Thunder Blade: Fang!"

The Fourth Mizukage Yagura suddenly appeared.

Naruto immediately grabbed Haku and Kimimaro to flee.

"Trash, you are unworthy of using the Thunder Blade: Fang!" Yagura struck.

Yagura's hooked staff sliced through Ringo Ameyuri's throat, ending his subordinate's life with his own hands.

At this moment, Yagura was cruel and heartless.

"There's no reason to fight the Fourth Mizukage; I have to accelerate completely," Naruto said.

Haku and the injured Kimimaro followed instructions, letting Naruto carry them horizontally.

Yagura's body flicker speed was immense, closing the distance between him and Naruto bit by bit.

Naruto used his teeth to untie the wire on his chest, and the iron weights he wore dropped instantly, sinking into the soft soil.

"Eight Inner Gates, Gate of Life, open!"

Naruto surged in speed, putting a hundred meters of distance between himself and Yagura in the blink of an eye.

Yagura wore a look of confusion, but he had no intention of letting Naruto go.

Dark red tailed beast chakra poured continuously from Yagura's body. The skin on his face split, and soon only a pair of glowing eyes were visible, with three dark red tails appearing behind him.

"Naruto-kun, the monster is catching up," Haku said anxiously.

Naruto glanced back, his heart filled with shock. What kind of monster was this? It looked as if it were composed entirely of chakra.

The most fatal part was that the opponent's speed was even greater than Naruto's.

"There's no other way." Naruto released his momentum and tossed Haku and Kimimaro aside. "I'll go test that monster's level."

Haku shouted, "Naruto-kun, be careful!"

Deep in the mountains, a streak of green and a streak of red drew closer and closer.

Naruto kicked directly at the head of the partially tailed-beast-transformed Yagura.

Yagura let out a shrill scream as the chakra on his surface boiled, forming a chakra hand that grabbed Naruto's leg.

The searing heat scorched Naruto's skin red.

A tail whipped down from above at high speed.

Naruto let out a cry of pain as he was slammed directly into the earth.

Then, he was yanked out of the ground by the chakra hand and smashed violently into a pile of rocks in the distance.

"Naruto-kun!" Ignoring everything else, Haku ran rapidly toward Naruto's position; he had to go help Naruto.