Annoying Pests

Naruto hoisted the Chainsword onto his shoulder, the muscles there bulging slightly. The faint heat steaming from his rapidly regenerating body turned into a wisp of white vapor in the damp, cold air.

He ignored his not-yet-fully-recovered body, his ice-blue gaze sweeping over the figure in the blank mask.

"Zero."

His voice was hoarse, yet firm.

"Return to the shadows. Act as our eyes and ears and scout the route ahead. I only need Orochimaru's trail. Do not report anything else. Do not show yourself without my order."

Zero said nothing and merely gave a slight nod.

The next second, his figure vanished soundlessly into the shadows beneath the trees, as though he had never existed.

Naruto turned and walked toward Haku, who was examining Sasuke's injuries.

"How long until his condition stabilizes?"

Haku did not look up. His fingers continued to press lightly around the Curse Mark on Sasuke's neck, sensing the flow of that evil chakra.

"Commissar, this power is eroding his chakra pathway system. Ordinary medical ninjutsu can only delay it, not eradicate it. To restore his ability to move, we must first suppress the spread of this power."

He took a specially made scroll from his ninja tool pouch and spread it over the ground.

Dozens of Senbon of varying lengths were neatly secured to the scroll. Each was made of ice crystals, gleaming with an eerie cold light beneath the dim forest glow.

Haku raised his head and looked toward Sakura, who sat nearby hugging her knees with vacant eyes.

"Medic."

The title made Sakura's body jerk violently.

Haku pushed the scroll in front of her, his tone calm and devoid of emotion.

"These Senbon are hollow inside and can guide chakra. Remember the thirty-six acupoints I just taught you. Use your finest chakra control to insert them and guide the rampaging chakra within Sasuke Uchiha back onto its proper course."

He paused, his clear eyes fixed on Sakura.

"This is an order. It is also your first test."

Sakura stared blankly at those icy weapons, then at Sasuke's pained face.

Her hands began trembling violently beyond her control.

She picked up the shortest ice Senbon, its tip aimed at an acupoint on the side of Sasuke's neck.

Every diagram of the human chakra pathways taught at the Ninja Academy was crystal clear in her mind, her theoretical knowledge screaming at her.

But reality was that her companion, the boy she loved, lay on the ground like a rag doll, his life resting in her trembling hands.

Her mind went blank.

The needle tip quivered, yet she could not bring herself to lower it.

The fear was still overwhelming, leaving her unable to breathe.

"Every extra second you hesitate, the 'contamination' will take root deeper inside him."

Naruto's icy voice rang out behind her without warning.

Sakura's body froze.

Naruto slowly walked to her side and looked down at her.

"Your hesitation is costing him."

The words were like a basin of ice water poured over her head, instantly extinguishing all the turmoil in Sakura's heart.

In its place came a ruthless determination born from being forced into a corner.

She suddenly bit through her lip, the rusty scent of blood spreading through her mouth.

The pain forcibly calmed her.

She gathered all her chakra at her fingertips, and that trembling hand miraculously steadied.

She no longer thought of him as Sasuke, nor did she think of the consequences of failure.

In her eyes, there was only a "target" that needed to be pierced with precision.

Just as the tip of her needle was about to touch Sasuke's skin—

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three dark figures descended from above with the sound of tearing air, surrounding them tightly in a triangular formation.

They wore Amegakure uniforms, and the symbols on their forehead protectors remained clear even in the darkness.

The leading Rain ninja greedily swept his gaze over the scroll on the ground, then looked at the fallen Sasuke and the seemingly grievously wounded Naruto before finally settling his eyes on Haku and Sakura.

Two frail-looking little brats.

"Pretty lucky, aren't you, brats?"

The leading Rain ninja grinned viciously, revealing a mouthful of yellow Kiba teeth.

"Hand over your Heaven and Earth Scroll, and I might consider sparing your lives."

This sudden turn of events was like the final straw, completely crushing the mental defenses Sakura had only just rebuilt.

The ice Senbon in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter, shattering into several ice crystals.

Naruto did not even turn around to look at the uninvited guests.

His gaze remained on Sakura, carrying a calm mixture of disappointment and scrutiny.

He gave Haku an order beside him.

"Protect those two."

His tone made it sound like he was stating something utterly trivial.

"These pieces of trash aren't worth drawing my Chainsword for."

Naruto formed hand seals.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof! Poof!

Two Shadow Clones identical to him appeared instantly. Without a single unnecessary movement, they charged toward the Rain ninjas on the left and right.

The battle erupted in an instant.

Naruto's Shadow Clones used no ninjutsu, only pure taijutsu that was efficient to the point of cruelty.

Fists, elbows, knees—every strike came with a muffled crack of splitting air, slamming precisely into the opponents' most vulnerable joints and vital points.

The two Rain ninjas did not even have time to react before they were swept into a storm of attacks. They could only block desperately as they were forced back step by step.

The leading Rain ninja's expression changed. He had not expected the Shadow Clones of this seemingly badly injured brat to possess such terrifying strength.

He no longer hesitated and began forming hand seals to unleash a ninjutsu, but Naruto gave him no chance.

"Sakura Haruno."

Naruto spoke again, his voice quiet yet clearly overpowering the sound of fists and feet colliding.

"They came for us."

"They appeared because your earlier hesitation wasted precious time."

"Now, every breath you take is consuming this 'weapon's' remaining value. And I am evaluating your value."

"Carry out your order, Medic."

Every word cut to the heart.

The last trace of color drained from Sakura's pale face.

She bent down. This time, there was no hesitation.

Pfft!

The Senbon pierced the acupoint with flawless precision.

"Mmgh..."

The unconscious Sasuke let out a suppressed groan, and his tightly furrowed brow seemed to relax slightly.

It worked!

Sakura's heart leaped with joy as she immediately found the second, then the third acupoint...

Her movements grew faster and steadier.

Meanwhile, the battle was already decided.

With two dull cracks of breaking bone, Naruto's two Shadow Clones had cleanly crippled one Rain ninja's limbs.

Only the leading Rain ninja remained, staring at everything in terror.

He finally realized what kind of iron plate he had kicked.

Run!

The thought had barely formed when a fierce killing intent erupted behind him.

It was the silent companion whose limbs had been crippled. He had actually bitten open a scroll with Kiba!

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A Genin had actually brought a scroll containing a B-rank ninjutsu.

A massive water dragon appeared from thin air, roaring as it charged toward Sakura, who was treating Sasuke, and Sasuke on the ground!

This was clearly an attempt to take them down together.

Haku's figure instantly moved in front of the two, his hands forming seals.

"Secret Art: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

However, that undisguised, pure killing intent was like a key thrust into a lock that had long rusted shut—the final Root, the straw that broke the camel's back.

Sasuke, who had remained unconscious all this time, suddenly opened his eyes.

They were not his usual black pupils.

They were a sea of blood-red Kurenai, with two black Tomoe spinning madly within.

The Curse Mark on his neck writhed like a living thing, black patterns spreading at a visible speed and instantly covering half his body and face.

An ominous, violent chakra filled with hatred and the desire for destruction soared into the sky.