Sound Four

Six figures raced through the forest, the atmosphere unusually grim.

Naruto charged at the very front, his eyes crimson, his whole body radiating the violent aura of Nine-Tails chakra. "Hurry! Faster! We absolutely can't let him reach Orochimaru!"

"Shut up, Naruto! Save your strength!" Though Shikamaru wore his usual troubled expression, his gaze was exceptionally sharp as he continuously analyzed the tracks on the ground and Neji's Byakugan reports. "There are four of them. They're fast, and... they seem to be using some method to travel at extreme speed. Their chakra signatures are strange."

Neji kept his Byakugan activated. "At one o'clock ahead, roughly five kilometers away. Four chakra signatures. Sasuke is in the middle. His chakra is very weak; he seems to be restrained. The other four... their chakra feels very similar to the Sound Ninja we encountered in the Forest of Death, but much stronger."

"Those Sound Ninja bastards!" Kiba cursed viciously, while Akamaru let out a low growl.

Ling Yue silently followed the group, maintaining [Zetsu] to reduce her own expenditure while lightly circulating [Thunder Breathing] to keep her body active.

She knew what they were about to face: the Sound Four, whose strength had surged after swallowing curse mark pills. This battle would be exceptionally difficult.

"Speed up! We have to stop them before they leave the Land of Fire's borders!" Shikamaru ordered.

Everyone accelerated once more.

At last, they caught up to their targets in a valley near the border.

Four strangely shaped Sound Ninja, their skin darkened and black curse mark patterns emerging across their bodies, were rapidly advancing around a massive coffin-like object woven from spider silk and trees.

There was no doubt Sasuke was inside!

"Stop!" Naruto was the first to roar as he rushed forward. Shadow Clones appeared in an instant, trying to seize the coffin.

"Hmph, Hidden Leaf Village pursuers? You're a little faster than expected." One of the Sakon and Ukon brothers turned back with a feral grin. Without slowing down in the slightest, he threw a backhanded punch!

The tremendous force directly blew apart Naruto's Shadow Clone and sent the original staggering back several steps!

"What?!" Naruto was shocked. The opponent was far stronger than he had been during the preliminaries!

"Careful! They're different from before!" Shikamaru immediately warned.

Tayuya raised her flute to her lips, and eerie sound waves spread outward, disturbing their minds.

Kidomaru spat out sticky gold kunai at incredible speed!

Jirobo immediately slapped the ground. "Earth Release: Earth Dome Prison!"

Massive earthen walls rose up, trying to block the pursuers!

The battle erupted in an instant!

"Fang Over Fang!" Kiba and Akamaru transformed into two whirlwinds and charged at Tayuya, trying to interrupt her flute.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji faced Kidomaru instead. His Byakugan could see through the paths of the sticky gold kunai, but the enemy's attack angles were incredibly tricky.

Choji roared, "Partial Multi-Size Technique: Arm!" A massive fist smashed toward Jirobo's earthen wall.

Naruto tangled with Sakon and Ukon. His Shadow Clones were constantly being blown apart, and though Nine-Tails chakra greatly enhanced his strength and speed, the brothers were of one mind and body, their coordination seamless. Neither side could gain the upper hand.

Ling Yue did not immediately join the melee. Her gaze fixed on the coffin holding Sasuke. She had to break it open as quickly as possible!

[Void Threads] silently spread out. Several invisible Nen threads extended soundlessly, bypassing the battlefield and precisely winding around the coffin's joints, trying to tear it apart or wrench it away from the Sound Ninja!

However, the moment the Nen threads touched the coffin, a burst of chakra carrying a repulsive force instantly rebounded!

It was curse mark chakra! The coffin had been protected as well!

The Nen threads were forcibly knocked away, and Ling Yue suffered a slight mental backlash.

"Oh? There's a little rat who knows how to play with strings?" Ukon, who was controlling the coffin, noticed Ling Yue's little move. With a savage grin, he split off a clone and lunged straight at her!

"Your opponent is me!" Sakon moved at incredible speed, instantly closing in as his fist smashed toward her with a howl of torn air!

[Paper Arts] activated at once, narrowly dodging the fist's wind as [Flash Step] carried her backward.

But Sakon followed her like a shadow. His strength and speed far surpassed any genin she had encountered before! The curse mark's power made him extremely troublesome!

Ling Yue had no choice but to go all out. [Lightning Flash Body Technique] erupted, and amid flickering lightning, she fiercely exchanged blows with Sakon, their fists and kicks colliding with dull impacts.

She tried using [Void Threads] to interfere, but he seemed able to vaguely sense their presence, always evading ahead of time or forcibly breaking free!

So strong! Is this the power of Curse Mark State Two? Just one clone is putting her under enormous pressure!

Elsewhere, the battle was going just as badly.

Kiba and Akamaru were trapped by Tayuya's Demon Flute: Phantom Warlord, caught in an illusion and running in circles where they stood.

Although Neji could see through Kidomaru's attacks, the enemy spat sticky gold far too quickly and in overwhelming numbers. He could also attack from bizarre angles. Neji was gradually being suppressed, several wounds appearing on his body.

Choji's Multi-Size Technique possessed immense power, but Jirobo's Earth Release defense was even stronger. Moreover, his chakra-absorbing ability left Choji weaker with every exchange.

Though Naruto had unleashed Nine-Tails chakra, the Sakon and Ukon brothers shared a single mind, their offense and defense working as one. Unable to break through for so long, he grew increasingly agitated.

"Damn it! Why are they so strong?!" Naruto roared unwillingly.

"Because this is the power Lord Orochimaru bestowed upon us!" Ukon laughed smugly as he controlled the coffin. "With little Hidden Leaf Village brats like you, you'll never stop us!"

Shikamaru stayed back at a distance. His Shadow Imitation Technique had made several attempts, but the enemies either dodged with extreme speed or forcibly broke free. Sweat covered his forehead. "What a pain! These guys are way stronger than we expected!"

They had to break the deadlock! Ling Yue took Sakon's punch head-on, using the force to leap backward as her hands rapidly formed seals!

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

A sharp spear of lightning shot toward Sakon!

Sakon did not dare take it head-on and swiftly dodged.

But Ling Yue had never been aiming at him! The lightning spear suddenly curved through the air, shooting toward Tayuya, who was playing her flute!

"Hm?" Tayuya sensed the danger and hurriedly dodged.

That momentary disruption was enough for Kiba and Akamaru to break free from the illusion!

"Now's our chance! Fang Over Fang!" Kiba immediately seized the opening, transforming into a whirlwind with Akamaru as they charged at Tayuya again!

Tayuya hastily used her flute to block, only to be slammed backward again and again.

The illusion was broken!

At the same time, Ling Yue shouted at Shikamaru, "Shikamaru! Shadow!"

Shikamaru instantly understood. Seizing the moment when Tayuya was entangled by Kiba, he called out, "Shadow Imitation Technique!"

Tayuya's shadow was finally caught! Her movements immediately froze!

"Neji!"

"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji immediately abandoned Kidomaru and appeared in front of Tayuya in an instant. His Gentle Fist strikes landed on her body, sealing her chakra points!

"Tayuya!" Kidomaru tried to rescue her.

"Your opponent is me!" Several of Naruto's Shadow Clones lunged at Kidomaru without regard for their lives, holding him tightly in place.

Choji also roared as he enlarged his arm once more, wildly hammering Jirobo's earthen prison.

The situation turned around in an instant!

"Nicely done, Yue!" Shikamaru could not help praising her.

Seeing Tayuya restrained, Sakon roared and tried to rush back to help, but Ling Yue held him firmly in place. "Don't even think about leaving!"

[Lightning Flash Body Technique] erupted at full power. With the subtle interference of [Void Threads], Ling Yue suppressed Sakon's clone for the moment!

However, Ukon, who controlled the coffin, darkened. "A bunch of useless fools!"

He planted the coffin on the ground and formed hand seals. "Summoning: Rashomon!"

A massive, ferocious gate bearing a demonic face crashed down into the field, radiating a terrifying aura as it blocked everyone's path and attacks!

"It's Rashomon!" Shikamaru's expression changed drastically.

Taking advantage of the chaos created by Rashomon, Ukon grabbed the coffin and roared at the other Sound Ninja, "Forget them! The mission comes first! Move!"

Kidomaru and Jirobo immediately broke away from their opponents, grabbed the immobilized Tayuya, and followed Ukon as they prepared to flee!

"Don't run! Give Sasuke back!" Naruto's eyes were bloodshot as he charged through Rashomon without a thought, pouncing toward Ukon!

"Get lost!" Ukon spun around and kicked Naruto in the chest, the blow infused with curse mark power!

Naruto spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto barely stabilized himself in midair. In his hand, he gathered an unstable blue sphere of chakra that radiated immense energy—the Rasengan! It was the technique Jiraiya had taught him!

He lunged at Ukon once more!

"What?!" Ukon clearly had not expected Naruto to retaliate. In his haste, he raised an arm to block!

The Rasengan smashed viciously into Ukon's arm!

"Argh!" Ukon screamed. The sound of bones shattering came from his arm as his entire body was blasted away, and the coffin slipped from his grasp and rolled to the ground!

"Sasuke!" Naruto landed and staggered toward the coffin, trying to seize it.

But Kidomaru's sticky gold kunai and Jirobo's earthen spears were already flying at him!

Naruto had no choice but to retreat and evade.

Ukon struggled to his feet, his arm hanging limply as he glared at Naruto with a twisted expression. "You little brat... I'll kill you!"

The other Sound Ninja surrounded them again, their killing intent blazing.

The situation fell into another standoff. Both sides had suffered serious injuries, but the Sound Four clearly still had strength to spare.

Shikamaru looked at his panting, battered companions, then at the enemy's still-ferocious momentum and the coffin lying on the ground. His expression was incomparably grave.

"What a pain... Looks like we can only use the last resort." He muttered to himself, as though making some kind of decision.

He took a secret family soldier pill from his ninja tool pouch, his eyes resolute.

"Everyone... prepare to risk your lives."

Just as the Hidden Leaf Village group prepared for one final desperate fight, the coffin lying on the ground suddenly made a faint sound.

The trees and spider silk wrapped around it began to crack apart.

A powerful yet extremely unstable chakra seeped out through the cracks.

Sasuke... was coming out?

Everyone's attention was drawn toward it.

The cracks grew wider and wider.

Finally, a pale hand tore open the coffin from within!

Sasuke's figure rose shakily to his feet.

His body was covered in pitch-black curse mark patterns. His eyes were an empty darkness, exuding a chilling coldness and killing intent.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on the Sound Four blocking his path and... the Hidden Leaf Village comrades trying to stop him.

His voice was hoarse and cold, devoid of even a trace of emotion:

"Get out of my way."