"Splurt!"
With a heavy thud, Naruto, who had been chasing Sasuke, swiftly formed hand seals. Shadow Clones instantly appeared all around him.
Amid the torrential rain, the Narutos grabbed one another back and forth before forcefully hurling Naruto toward Sasuke, who was getting farther and farther away!
"Stop right there, Sasuke!!"
Naruto shouted as he was flung through the air toward Sasuke. Seeing him plummet down, a trace of coldness flashed through Sasuke's eyes.
"Lightning Style: Chidori!"
Sasuke abruptly lowered his right arm, and blazing blue lightning immediately gathered in his right palm!
Without the slightest hesitation, he swung up his right arm, twisted around, and struck at the rapidly descending Naruto!
Faced with Sasuke's sudden attack, Naruto had no defense at all. Even the injuries on his body had not fully healed; he could only stare blankly at it all!
"Splurt!"
With a sharp crack, a blood-covered hand laced with lightning suddenly punched through his ribs the next moment!
"Gah—cough...!"
Naruto's face was full of disbelief. In the pouring rain, he spat out several mouthfuls of blood and grabbed Sasuke's arm as he trembled and said, "Sasuke... y-you... what are you doing...!?"
Sasuke's expression remained icy at Naruto's words. Something complicated flickered deep in his eyes and vanished in an instant before he slowly said, "Naruto, you're too much of a hindrance..."
The instant he heard that, Naruto seemed to recall something. He gripped Sasuke's arm tightly and asked in a trembling voice, "Y-you... are you trying to betray the village...?"
Sasuke did not answer. He merely looked at him indifferently.
The cold rain had long since drenched them both. Naruto's face was deathly pale, and bright red blood continually poured from the wound in his side, mixing with the rainwater on the ground.
"If you don't want to