"Um... Brother Shengu, when you were beating Sasuke up just now, you said you were doing it for his brother. Who's his brother?"
Naruto's question sounded particularly abrupt in the silent forest. Shikamaru, Neji, and Kiba all pricked up their ears too. Although they knew about the Uchiha Clan's massacre, Uchiha Itachi's name had always been taboo in Konoha, and the Genin knew very little about him.
Shengu Xuan walked at the front, his hands still in his pockets. Without even turning his head, he offered an offhand excuse. "Oh, I just made that up. Looking at his damn face begging for a beating, I figured that if he had an older brother, he'd probably want to slap him eight hundred times a day too. What, feeling sorry for him?"
"N-no! I was just curious!" Naruto hurriedly shook his head. He certainly didn't dare get on Shengu Xuan's bad side right now. Although Shengu Xuan usually seemed laid-back and easygoing, that terrifying, world-shattering power from earlier had already left an indelible shadow in Naruto's heart.
They continued making their way through the muddy forest. Since Shikamaru, Neji, and Kiba had all suffered considerable injuries in their earlier battles, and Naruto was carrying Sasuke like a dead pig, the group wasn't moving very quickly.
After they had walked for a little over an hour, the rain finally stopped. The dark clouds dispersed, and a bright moon hung in the night sky, spilling its cold light over the devastated forest.
"Let's stop and rest for a bit. Neji's wound is still bleeding. He won't hold out if we keep going like this." Shikamaru leaned against a large tree, panting heavily. His chakra had already bottomed out while fighting Tayuya, and now he was keeping himself going through sheer willpower.
Shengu Xuan stopped