"Itachi! Come out!"
"Traitor to the Uchiha Clan!"
Sasuke shouted into the forest.
Suddenly,
the birds in the trees scattered into the air.
To their right,
Chuan Yu's figure slowly appeared.
The instant Sasuke saw Chuan Yu, he was so shocked he couldn't speak.
But he quickly composed himself.
Whether it was Itachi or Chuan Yu,
he had to prove to them both how strong he'd become!
"I never thought you'd fall so low. How laughable."
Sasuke stared at Chuan Yu and spoke coldly.
"Sasuke..."
"It's been a long time..."
Chuan Yu gave him a faint smile.
But in Sasuke's eyes, that smile looked like mockery.
"Don't stand there trying to reminisce with me!"
"Is that guy Itachi too scared to show his face?"
"I don't mind taking both of you down today!"
Seeing Sasuke's confident expression, Chuan Yu felt a pang of pity.
Poor kid...
You'd better brace yourself...
And try not to cry...
"What about you? Do you think the same way he does?"
Chuan Yu suddenly turned to look at Naruto.
Naruto boldly stepped forward and raised his fist with determination.
"I'll never let you hurt him!"
That courage deserved some encouragement.
As expected of Sasuke's best gal pal—no, friend.
What spirit.
"Shut up! This is my business. Don't interfere!"
Before Naruto could finish showing off, Sasuke slapped him hard.
"But—!"
"Get lost!"
Oh? Two against one?
A real pro, huh!
Sasuke glared coldly at Chuan Yu. The next second, he gripped his wrist and thrust his hand forward.
Lightning gathered, crackling with the ear-piercing sound of a thousand birds.
"This is the jutsu I learned to defeat you!"
"Once I've killed you, I'll go after Itachi!"
"Chidori!"
Sasuke tucked his right hand behind him and charged at Chuan Yu.
The dirt path exploded beneath him.
The moment he unleashed the jutsu, Sasuke had never felt more confident.
In his eyes, it was his most powerful killing move.
Chuan Yu wouldn't be able to dodge it!
"Die!!!"
Just as he neared Chuan Yu, Sasuke leaped into the air. His Sharingan locked onto Chuan Yu's heart as he pushed his speed to the limit.
Naruto clenched his fists excitedly, his face brimming with passion.
"Go, Sasuke!!!"
The lightning suddenly fizzled out.
Chuan Yu grabbed Sasuke by the throat with his left hand.
Without a word, he slapped him across the face.
Sasuke stared at Chuan Yu in a daze.
He had no idea what that slap was for.
Naruto was just as stunned.
"Chidori?"
Another slap.
"Two against one?"
Smack! Smack!
Two more slaps, one from each side.
"Is that all you've got?"
With a slight heave, Chuan Yu tossed Sasuke into the air.
He drew back his right fist and punched Sasuke square in the stomach.
"Ah...!!"
Sasuke's face twisted in agony. The pain snapped him to his senses.
He gritted his teeth, quickly drew the Kunai from his waist, and stabbed at Chuan Yu.
Chuan Yu dodged with ease, then struck him with an elbow. Sasuke's mind went blank.
He gazed up at the sky, dazed, and lay on the ground.
Behind him, Naruto was already trembling with fear.
"Your turn."
"Dead last."
Those final words stung Naruto deeply.
His pupils suddenly widened, his expression turning ferocious.
The next second, as Naruto looked at Sasuke lying on the ground, a powerful force radiated from his body.
"Is that the Nine-Tails Chakra?"
"Interesting..."
"Xieduo!"
Space twisted, and the Chakra Cloak covering Naruto's body suddenly vanished.
Before Naruto could figure out what was happening, Chuan Yu had already grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air.
"That Nine-Tails Chakra really is something."
"I suppose I'll take it."
He grabbed Naruto and slammed him into the ground.
The earth caved in.
"D-damn it!"
Naruto struggled to his feet, then crossed his index and middle fingers.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A large number of shadow clones appeared, surrounding Chuan Yu.
Chuan Yu smiled faintly and drew the long sword at his waist.
A flash of light swept past. The shadow clones vanished one after another with a series of "poof" sounds.
Then Chuan Yu pointed his sword at Naruto.
None of everything Naruto had learned had worked on Chuan Yu.
Naruto plopped down on the ground, despair filling his eyes as he looked at Chuan Yu.
Chuan Yu slowly raised his sword.
He knew someone would come to save Naruto.
But to keep Sasori and Deidara from getting suspicious,
Chuan Yu swung his arm.
The long sword snapped clean in two,
and a toad blocked Chuan Yu's attack with the Iron Wrist on its arm.
"Young man, it's been a long time."
A hand suddenly rested on Naruto's shoulder.
The man before him wore a knowing smile.
"I never thought you'd join the Akatsuki."
"That's really not a good thing."
Jiraiya looked down at Naruto. "Take Sasuke and get out of here."
Naruto nodded without thinking.
But then—
Sasuke had already woken up.
He stubbornly pushed himself to his feet, and the first thing he said was, "Nobody interfere! This is my fight!"
Just as you'd expect,
Chuan Yu beat Sasuke up all over again.
He broke both his arms and legs.
Naruto watched, terrified.
"I heard from Asuma that your target is the Nine-Tails inside Naruto."
"What are you planning to do?"
Jiraiya stared at Chuan Yu and asked coldly.
At last, Chuan Yu stopped, tossed Sasuke aside, and brushed the dust from his hands.
"Do you think I'd tell you?"
Itachi suddenly appeared behind them.
He glanced at Sasuke on the ground, and his brow furrowed.
Chuan Yu suddenly wondered if he'd gone too far.
But Itachi's next words made Chuan Yu think he was amazing!
"That's too cruel. Why didn't you just kill him?"
Jiraiya ignored them. He formed Hand Seals and slapped his palms against the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
"Toad Stomach Wall!"
In an instant, blood-red flesh walls sprang up all around them.
The walls enclosed Sasuke and Naruto, protecting them.
"This is the stomach wall of the Great Toad of Rock Dwelling. It produces acid that can melt anything inside its stomach, and no jutsu can break through it. You two aren't getting away today!"
Jiraiya rested his hands on his hips and watched them confidently.
"Come with me!"
Itachi led Chuan Yu and ran swiftly in the opposite direction.
But the stomach wall had appeared too quickly, and the way ahead was already completely blocked.
"Amaterasu!"
Blood streamed from Itachi's right eye.
Black flames burned a large hole through the stomach wall in front of them.
The two leaped through the opening and escaped the toad's stomach.
"Cough, cough..."
Itachi began coughing violently again.
It seemed their trip to Konoha would have to end here.
Still, Sasori and Deidara should believe them now.
Konoha Hospital.
Sasuke lay in bed, wrapped up like a mummy and utterly hopeless.
Beside him, Naruto was bruised and swollen, groaning in pain.
Kakashi lay unconscious in the third bed, gravely injured.
What a Team Seven!
Every one of them a warrior!
"What happened to Naruto and Sasuke?"
Asuma and Kurenai, who were looking after Kakashi, suddenly asked.
Jiraiya glanced at the two of them and said gloomily, "They were caught in a genjutsu."
"A genjutsu called 'I'm strong, I can do this'..."
Before you continue