The Feast Begins: Hunters and Prey

The next day.

At Team 7's private training ground.

"Bang!!!"

Sasuke Uchiha was sent flying like a battered sandbag, carving a trench over ten meters long across the ground. Every bone in his body felt as though it were about to fall apart.

He struggled to his feet and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Yet there was not the slightest hint of discouragement in his scarlet Sharingan. Instead, they burned with morbid fervor and calm analysis.

"Again!"

His voice was hoarse, yet exceptionally resolute as he stared fixedly at the figure standing where he was, not even out of breath.

In Sasuke's mind, his Sharingan frantically replayed the instant he had been struck—His method of exerting force changed. It was more restrained, power exploding from the core of his waist and abdomen in an instant... I couldn't catch his trajectory at all!

This mountain... has grown taller again!

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, roaring inwardly, Not enough... this level of training is still nowhere near enough!

I have to see through everything about him and steal everything from him!

Naruto, this towering mountain of yours is one I must personally climb if I am to gain the strength to kill that man!

Naruto stood with his hands in his pockets and yawned in boredom.

This one-sided beating was indeed getting more and more boring.

Just as he was about to give Sasuke another Heart Flying Kick, the long-absent, crisp and pleasant system notification suddenly exploded in his mind without warning!

[Ding! Warning! The host forcibly activated the source ocular power of the 'Pure Byakugan,' causing an overload impact on the eye meridians and Sage Body chakra circuits!]

[To protect the host's foundation and undergo a higher level of bloodline assimilation, the 'Pure Byakugan' will enter a thirty-day 'Assimilation Metamorphosis Phase'!]

[During the metamorphosis period, the 'Pure Byakugan' and related bloodline-pressure abilities will be temporarily sealed. The host may rely on the Perfect Sage Body, taijutsu, and other mastered ninjutsu in battle.]

Naruto paused slightly, then grinned.

Fine. Playing the "mortal" once in a while would keep this game from ending too quickly.

Then the system's voice rang out again.

[Detected a large number of high-potential, high-quality, high-rarity bond targets—Karin Uzumaki, Temari, Mitaraishi Anko, and others—rapidly approaching Konoha!]

[Host! The great moment to revive the Uzumaki Clan has arrived! Prepare your strength, and in this grand feast, conquer, plunder, and seize everything that belongs to you!]

At last, the crisp and pleasant notification in his mind faded away.

On the training ground, Naruto slowly withdrew the foot he had planted on Sasuke and yawned in boredom.

Sealed?

Fine. He had fought with the map hack of God's Perspective for so long that playing the "mortal" once in a while and reasoning with them using his fists would keep this game from ending too quickly.

He glanced at Sasuke, who had plowed a trench over ten meters long through the ground, his bones seemingly shattered, yet still staring at him with scarlet Sharingan filled with fervor and cool analysis. Naruto curled his lip.

"That's enough for today, Mr. Sandbag."

With his hands in his pockets, Naruto turned and walked away, speaking lazily. "Remember to soak in hot water when you get back, or you won't even be enough for my warm-up tomorrow."

"Big brother!"

Sasuke struggled to his feet and spat out bloody saliva, his hoarse voice full of stubbornness. "I felt it! The way you exerted force with that kick just now was different from before! More restrained, power bursting from the core of your waist and abdomen in an instant... I couldn't catch the trajectory at all!"

"Of course," Naruto said without looking back, waving a hand. "I grow stronger every second, while you're only chasing my shadow."

Watching Naruto's arrogant back vanish at the far end of the training ground, Sasuke was not discouraged in the slightest. Instead, he clenched his fists, and a flame called "obsession" burned in his scarlet eyes.

This mountain had grown taller again!

But I have to get over it!

Konoha, main gate.

The sunlight scorched the earth, and the air itself seemed tinged with restlessness.

A ninja squad with an obvious foreign air strutted into the village beneath the awed and curious gazes of the Konoha villagers.

At its head was a tall girl who had tied her flamboyant blond hair into four spiky ponytails.

She carried a massive Three-Star Fan wrapped in bandages over her shoulder, her jade-green eyes filled with undisguised arrogance and scrutiny.

She was Sunagakure's princess, the Fourth Kazekage's daughter—Temari.

"Hmph, so this is Konoha?"

Beside her, a boy with purple face paint and a strange puppet scroll strapped to his back—Kankuro—said in a provocative tone, "Doesn't look like much. So limp and lifeless, not a trace of killing intent."

"Shut up, Kankuro."

Walking at the rear was a red-haired boy with dark circles around his eyes and a huge gourd on his back—Gaara. His voice was hoarse and utterly devoid of emotion.

Kankuro immediately shuddered and sheepishly shut his mouth.

Temari frowned and looked around.

Peaceful, comfortable, even somewhat lazy... the atmosphere made her feel inexplicably irritated.

Was this the ninja village that had produced countless legends?

It was deeply disappointing.

At the other end of the village, in another corner.

Several genin wearing Grass Ninja forehead protectors walked timidly down the street, utterly out of place amid their surroundings.

Within the group, a frail girl with distinctive red hair and black-framed glasses clutched the hem of her clothes nervously, glancing around nonstop in extreme unease.

It was Karin Uzumaki.

At this moment, the powerful sensory ability she had inherited from the Uzumaki Clan had become a form of torment.

Throughout Konoha, the powerful, restrained, and evil chakra signatures were like needles, constantly pricking at her sensitive nerves.

This place... is full of monsters!

"Hey! Karin! What are you useless trash dawdling around for?!"

The Grass Ninja leading the team impatiently turned back and barked, "Keep looking around, and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

Karin flinched in fright, hurriedly lowered her head, and dared not make another unnecessary movement.

She felt like a sheep that had accidentally wandered into a pride of lions, liable to be torn to pieces at any moment.

Meanwhile, in a dark alley not far from them.

A long, crimson tongue licked across pale lips devoid of even a trace of color.

A pair of golden, vertical snake pupils peered through gaps in the crowd, locking tightly onto the black-haired boy walking toward the training ground in the distance.

Sasuke Uchiha!

"Hehehe... what a perfect body, what a pure bloodline..." Orochimaru, disguised as the leader of the Kusagakure team, whispered with satisfaction and greed. "The last Uchiha survivor... you are destined to belong to me!"

Then, as if sensing something, his gaze shifted toward another part of the village.