Sasuke stared at the massive crater in front of him, his Sharingan scanning the surroundings. His senses stretched outward, confirming what he already suspected.
"Hmph, I'll let you live this time."
Without hesitation, he leaped over the smoldering pit and continued his pursuit.
Once Sasuke disappeared into the distance, the ground beside the crater cracked open. Kankuro crawled out, his body battered and covered in burns. His tattered clothing barely clung to him, and he gasped for breath.
"That Fire Style… just how did he train it to be so powerful?" he muttered, grimacing from the pain.
Moments ago, Sasuke's flames had incinerated his puppet, Karasu, leaving nothing but ash. If not for his quick reaction, using Earth Style to burrow underground, he would have been reduced to cinders himself.
"Gaara… you have to survive…" Kankuro whispered before collapsing against a nearby tree, exhausted.
Of course, Sasuke had noticed that Kankuro was still alive. His perception made that clear. However, given the current circumstances—the alliance between Konoha and Suna, and the fact that Orochimaru had deceived them all—he had no reason to deal a finishing blow.
He wasn't here for Konoha.
As Sasuke darted past a massive tree, the sound of clicking mechanisms echoed from the depths of the forest.
Puppet traps!
A barrage of shuriken shot toward him from every direction.
"How dull."
With a slight push of his legs, Sasuke's speed surged. His body became a blur as he effortlessly dodged every projectile.
Trap after trap activated along his path, but none could even slow him down. He weaved through the forest, his movements swift and precise. Within moments, his eyes locked onto his targets—Temari and Gaara.
"He actually caught up this fast…?" Temari's face paled.
Had Kankuro been taken out that quickly? His mechanisms may not have been able to harm Sasuke, but could they not even buy a little time?
"Temari, put me down," Gaara commanded, his voice low and rough.
His Tailed Beast chakra granted him extraordinary recovery. Though his wounds were far from fully healed, he could move again.
"But Gaara, your injuries—"
"Get away!" Gaara shoved her aside, his breathing ragged. "This is between me and him!"
A flicker of motion.
In the blink of an eye, Sasuke appeared before them.
Temari gritted her teeth, gripping her iron fan tightly as she stepped forward.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened. "Unfortunate. I don't fight women."
The moment his Sharingan spun, Temari's world shifted. A blinding crescent moon filled her vision, sending her mind into disarray. Before she could react, her body wobbled and collapsed.
Sharingan Genjutsu: Crescent Moon.
"Now there's no one to get in the way," Sasuke muttered, his gaze fixed on Gaara. "Aren't you going to release that power inside you?"
Gaara clutched his head, his expression twisted in agony. His voice came out hoarse.
"Uchiha Sasuke… you… are my prey!"
His body began to morph, hands elongating into massive sand-covered claws. His head contorted, monstrous features overtaking his face. Copper-colored pupils glowed with eerie intensity, and a thick tail of sand extended behind him.
"He's entering Partial Transformation?" Sasuke analyzed the changes. "But this level of Tailed Beast power still isn't enough."
A sudden burst of movement.
"Sand Shuriken!"
Dozens of razor-sharp shuriken, formed from compressed sand, flew toward Sasuke in a lethal barrage.
Boom!
The tree Sasuke had been standing on was shredded in an instant, collapsing in a heap of splinters.
But Sasuke himself had already vanished.
"Damn you, Uchiha Sasuke! Stop running!" Gaara roared, his rage consuming him. He swung his claws wildly, launching sand shuriken in every direction. Trees shattered, the forest becoming a battleground of destruction.
Meanwhile, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura raced forward, following Parker's lead.
"Oi, dog! How much further?" Naruto asked impatiently.
Parker huffed. "Pineapple-headed brat, my name is Parker, not 'dog!'"
"They're fast. We'll catch up soon, but—"
Shikamaru suddenly halted. His brow furrowed.
"Wait. Do you feel that?"
Naruto stopped mid-step. "Yeah… someone's following us."
Sakura listened carefully. "A lot of them, by the sound of it."
Parker sighed. "More pursuers than I'd like."
Shikamaru exhaled sharply. "You guys go ahead. I'll deal with them."
"But Shikamaru—!" Naruto protested.
"Don't worry. I won't fight them head-on," Shikamaru reassured, his expression unreadable. "I just need to buy some time."
Naruto hesitated before nodding. "Alright. Be careful."
As they ran ahead, Shikamaru turned back, sighing. "Man… what a drag."
He quickly began preparing a trap.
Moments later, the Sound Ninja squad arrived, their leader sneering. "Hmph, a sloppy disguise. Move!"
They followed the false trail—only to suddenly freeze in place.
Their eyes widened.
"Wh-what is this—?"
Shikamaru smirked. "Shadow Imitation… success."
"So, this is Konoha's Shadow Paralysis Technique?" the leader mused. "A brat from the Nara Clan, huh?"
"Uncle, you sound so old-fashioned," Shikamaru sighed, pulling a shuriken from his pouch. "Time for an upgrade."
He flicked his wrist. The shuriken whizzed through the air, aimed straight for their throats.
But—clang!
A volley of kunai intercepted the attack.
"Tch, of course they had backup."
From the shadows, a man stepped forward.
"As expected. You had a trap waiting."
Shikamaru's heart sank slightly. "Figures it wouldn't be that easy."
The Sound ninja leader grinned. "You're outnumbered, kid."
Shikamaru looked up at the sky. "Well, Asuma… guess I won't be playing any more shogi with you."
"Who said that?"
A voice echoed from the trees.
Asuma Sarutobi landed beside Shikamaru, twin trench knives gleaming.
Before the enemy could react, he moved.
A single slash—one Sound ninja collapsed, lifeless.
"Damn it! When did he—?!"
The remaining Sound ninja panicked, still paralyzed by Shikamaru's technique.
Buzz—
Asuma's chakra blades extended with Wind Release. In a blur, he cut them down.
Shikamaru let out a breath. "Good timing, Sensei."
Asuma grinned. "Nice work, Shikamaru. Now, keep moving."
Shikamaru gave a lazy salute. "Got it."
Just as he left, a chilling voice echoed from the shadows.
"How unexpected. Konoha's famous Guardian Ninja."
A white-haired youth emerged, red markings under his eyes, two crimson dots on his forehead. His green pupils glowed unnaturally.
"Who are you?" Asuma raised his blades.
The newcomer smirked.
"Kimimaro. Orochimaru-sama's most loyal warrior."
Beneath Konoha, within the depths of a dark underground tower…
Danzo sat on his throne, listening to a Root operative's report.
"Orochimaru has launched an assault on the village. Lord Hokage is currently engaged in battle."
Danzo chuckled. "Interesting… so that snake dares return?"
Yamanaka Fu knelt before him. "Shall we intervene?"
Danzo scoffed. "No. Let them fight. When they fall… the Hokage seat will be mine."
His fingers traced the bandages on his arm, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
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