Under a clear sky, Madara Uchiha led the group through the woods. After they passed a puddle, two ninja wearing Kirigakure forehead protectors suddenly emerged from it. Chains shot from their hands, aimed straight at Madara Uchiha amid the group.
"Your concealment was pathetic."
The instant the two Kirigakure assassins attacked, Sasuke Uchiha turned and threw a kunai, easily intercepting the chains that were about to wrap around Madara Uchiha.
"Huh?"
Before Naruto and Sakura could react, Sasuke spun around and sent both attackers flying with a kick. Seeing Sasuke move, Naruto charged forward almost instinctively.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Thanks to Sasuke's swift response and Naruto's instinctive follow-up, the attack on Madara immediately turned into two separate duels between the Kirigakure ninja and the two boys. Meanwhile, Sakura promptly drew a shuriken and took up a protective position beside Tazuna.
"Will those two be all right?"
Seeing Madara stand aside and let two children fight, Tazuna could not help turning to him.
"They'll be fine. Mr. Tazuna, is there something you haven't told us?"
If the enemy had been targeting him, they would never have sent Kirigakure chunin. Although the pair had attacked him, that was merely a strategy to eliminate the strongest member of their group first.
Of Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke, only Naruto was a plausible target, but the same reasoning applied. Not even an idiot would send two chunin to deal with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. With every other possibility ruled out, that left only Tazuna.
Tazuna fell silent at Madara's question. Just then, Sasuke and Naruto successfully defeated the two Kirigakure chunin.
"Hey, old man, I'm pretty strong, you know!"
Finally getting to fight ninja from outside the village had left Naruto thrilled by his victory. As he tied up the Kirigakure chunin he had knocked unconscious,