"Let him go!"
The voice was deep and sounded a little familiar.
The boy turned his head with difficulty.
He saw that expression on Gua's face.
It was the same expression Gua had worn when the boy had shouted "Rising Dragon Fist" and swung at him.
Like a blank slate.
Whatever happened, whatever he or the people around him were going through, he seemed to watch it all with that same calm expression.
Strangely enough, that gave the boy a little sense of security.
He felt that someone like Gua was dependable.
If Gua became his comrade, his Will of Fire would surely burn even more fiercely than the boy's own.
"Let him go?"
The Shinobi wearing an Iwagakure Forehead Protector grinned viciously and tightened his grip around the boy's neck instead.
Immediately,
the boy groaned in pain and struggled even harder.
Slap! Slap!
He struck the Shinobi's forearm hard with both hands.
Madness shone in the Shinobi's eyes.
"Go on, struggle! I love watching weak little ants like you struggle in my hands. This is what you get for offending Kumogakure!"
"I'm making you pay the price you deserve!!"
"I, I, I don't know anything. Let me go." The boy was beginning to have trouble breathing.
Gua's eyes narrowed slightly. This time, he looked away from the boy and fixed his gaze on the man.
"I'll say it one more time. Let him go."
"Gua..."
Little Hinata stood behind Gua. She could feel the viciousness radiating from those adult Shinobi, and she was worried.
"You idiots! You're a bunch of bastards!!"
Brimming with righteous indignation, little Naruto shouted from behind him, "What's so impressive about picking on a kid?!"
"What's so impressive? Heh heh heh."
The Shinobi signaled his three companions with a glance. They immediately understood and moved