Lin Mu Was Still the Cutest

"Cough, cough..."

Kurenai emerged from the river, coughed up a couple of mouthfuls of water, and controlled her chakra to keep herself afloat on the surface.

Her eyes widened, unable to believe what had happened.

She was an elite Jonin of the Hidden Leaf Village.

The Hidden Leaf's ninja were among the strongest in the entire Ninja World!

"Just as expected of Miss Kurenai, but..."

Itachi Uchiha suddenly appeared behind Kurenai, his face cold and impassive, like a god.

"But the one who's reached the end of the road is you!"

A sharp voice rang out. Itachi's eyes shifted slightly as he turned to look behind him.

A ninja with silver-white hair, a dark green uniform, and a mask covering his face appeared there.

Kisame Hoshigaki, who was fighting Asuma Sarutobi on the shore, caught sight of the newcomer and was momentarily distracted.

Asuma immediately seized the opening and swung his blade. Kisame couldn't dodge in time and had to lean back.

But Asuma Sarutobi's sharp Chakra Blade still cut a gash across his face.

Kisame retreated several steps, glancing at Kakashi from the corner of his eye.

Then he rapidly formed Hand Seals.

"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"

Standing in the river, Kakashi Hatake remained completely calm. His left Sharingan flashed as his hands formed Hand Seals at astonishing speed.

"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"

Kakashi and Kisame Hoshigaki used the same jutsu!

The river rushed and churned, no longer calm. Its waters swirled and twisted.

In the space of a breath, they transformed into a massive water dragon that surged into the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two water dragons collided and tore into each other. In the end, they destroyed one another, bursting into sprays of water that fell back into the river.

Kisame Hoshigaki's sharklike eyes widened, bloodshot, as his sharp-toothed mouth rasped:

"A jutsu just like mine..."

Asuma Sarutobi, who had just used his Chakra Blade to force Kisame Hoshigaki back, got to his feet. A cigarette still hung from the corner of his mouth, though it was now completely soaked.

"Why did you come too?"

"Well, I did ask you two to handle it just now, but I was still a little worried."

As Kakashi Hatake answered Asuma Sarutobi, his gaze stayed fixed on Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki.

Those two... were dangerous beyond measure.

The air grew strangely tense as the standoff continued.

At last, Kakashi broke the silence:

"What does a missing-nin like you want with this village after all this time?"

Itachi Uchiha didn't answer. His expression remained calm, even in the presence of Kakashi Hatake, a man renowned among the ninja.

Itachi Uchiha gave off no hint of his strength, but Kakashi didn't dare let his guard down for a moment.

"Those eyes are just as they were before. Even so, he's the true heir to the Sharingan. I have to prepare for the worst!"

"Kakashi Hatake..."

Itachi Uchiha murmured.

Hearing Itachi Uchiha's quiet words, Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, exposing his frightening sharp teeth.

"I didn't think anyone besides Mr. Itachi really had those eyes... You must be Kakashi, the Copy Ninja."

"I should be the one who's surprised."

Kakashi's face remained impassive.

"I spotted two suspicious characters in the teahouse and wondered who they were. I never expected them to be Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, the weirdo from the Hidden Mist Village."

His gaze swept over Itachi Uchiha, then turned to Kisame Hoshigaki, finally coming to rest on the great sword on Kisame Hoshigaki's back.

I see... He's one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and that sword is Samehada?

Kakashi Hatake watched warily, his left Sharingan sweeping over the two men as he searched for an opening.

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki were both exceptionally powerful. Defeating them in a head-on fight would be nearly impossible!

Suddenly, several small Shuriken appeared between Itachi Uchiha's fingers.

Kakashi Hatake's pupils contracted. He leaped backward, forming Hand Seals at the same time as he readied his jutsu.

This was a battle between two Sharingan users!

Although a fierce battle was raging just outside the village, the streets of the Hidden Leaf Village remained peaceful and calm.

On one of the streets, two figures, one tall and one short, walked along at an unhurried pace.

"Huh? Why? Why? Why do I have to go on an interview trip with Pervy Sage?"

Naruto Uzumaki wore a spiky haircut, his face full of refusal.

"No, no, this isn't just an interview trip. There's a woman I want to interview, and I have to find her!"

Jiraiya wore a broad smile as he tried to tempt Naruto Uzumaki.

But Naruto Uzumaki wasn't swayed in the slightest. He looked up at Jiraiya's smiling face and shouted:

"I don't have time to go do some pervy interview with you! I have to train!"

"Train?"

Jiraiya's smile faded, replaced by a look of surprise.

"I want Kakashi-sensei to teach me all kinds of jutsu. Like Chidori and stuff..."

As Naruto Uzumaki spoke, he began to feel a little down.

Kakashi-sensei had been playing favorites lately!

Jiraiya's eyes rolled as he continued trying to coax Naruto Uzumaki.

"Oh, I don't think you could learn that one. Besides, that woman's really beautiful! You'd like to see her too, wouldn't you?"

Unfortunately, at that moment, the Prince only cared about Sakura, Sasuke, and training.

He wasn't swayed at all, and answered firmly:

"Not a chance! I'm not some kid who'll be fooled by Pervy Sage's sweet talk. Anyway, I'm not going!!!"

Jiraiya snorted, thinking that this kid was really hard to handle.

Suddenly, another figure came to mind... Lin Mu was still the cuter one!

Even so, he didn't give up. His eyes rolled again.

Then, in a regretful tone, he said:

"Well, I guess there's no helping it! Sigh... I actually know a jutsu that's even stronger than Chidori..."

Naruto Uzumaki's ears perked up.

Jiraiya turned to leave, loudly calling over his shoulder:

"Can't be helped, then. I'll take Sasuke instead!"

!!!

Those words struck a chord in Naruto Uzumaki. He rushed forward and blocked Jiraiya's path.

"I'll go after all!"

"I'll go home and pack right now. Pervy Sage, stay right there!"

After tossing out those two lines, he hurried straight home.

A few black lines appeared over Jiraiya's head.

He'd been a brilliant man all his life, a legend in his own right, and yet he couldn't do a thing about this kid.

"Sigh, when will this kid ever be as clever and cute as Lin Mu?"

Jiraiya shook his head, sighed helplessly, and wandered off with his hands behind his back.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The sound of roaring flames came from inside a secret chamber.

The chamber wasn't very large. Strange murals covered its left and right walls.

The Uchiha Clan crest was painted on the wall in front.

Sasuke Uchiha stood beside the stone tablet by the wall, his whole body trembling slightly.

He stared at the tablet, at the clan crest.

Once again, that night came to mind—the night when blood had flowed like a river and all his family had been slaughtered!

Uchiha... Itachi!!!