"No, Naruto-kun! It's too dangerous for you to stay here alone!"
Hinata's voice trembled as she spoke. Her small face had turned pale, and her long eyelashes fluttered uncontrollably, betraying her fear and worry.
"I… I want to fight alongside you!"
Naruto looked at her and smiled gently, though there was a firm determination in his eyes.
"Hinata, I know you're worried about me," he said softly. "But I'm really strong now."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone growing more confident.
"And now that we've gotten Sasuke back, they're the ones who should be worried—not us."
"The situation has already reversed."
Naruto clenched his fist slightly, his gaze sharp.
"All I need to do is stop them here. As long as we buy enough time, we win."
Hinata hesitated.
"But… but…"
Naruto sighed, his expression softening again.
"Hinata… Ino… Shino… I don't mean to push you away."
He straightened his posture, his voice suddenly turning firm and authoritative.
"But this is my order—as your captain."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Hinata lowered her head, unable to argue any further.
"…Naruto-kun…"
Ino stared at him, her eyes filled with surprise.
It was as if she was seeing him for the very first time.
"Naruto… you've really changed," she said quietly. "You've become a true ninja… someone who can stand on his own."
Shino adjusted his glasses, his expression calm but resolute.
"If that is your decision, then I will obey."
He turned toward the others.
"Hinata, Ino… let's go."
"…Mm."
"…Alright."
Hinata reluctantly turned back, casting one last lingering glance at Naruto.
Ino nodded to him.
Shino, carrying the large wooden barrel on his back, led the way forward.
Within moments, the three of them disappeared into the forest.
Naruto watched their silhouettes fade into the distance.
His smile slowly vanished.
His expression became serious.
"Don't think I'm the one in the most danger…" he muttered under his breath.
"We still don't know if there are reinforcements nearby."
"You guys… be careful."
"Don't think you can escape!"
A furious roar suddenly echoed through the forest.
The Sound Four had no intention of letting them leave so easily.
All four of them lunged forward at the same time, their killing intent surging like a tidal wave.
But just as they moved—
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang—!!!"
Explosions of smoke erupted across the battlefield.
In an instant, hundreds… no, thousands of Shadow Clones appeared, completely filling the forest.
Every direction—
Every angle—
Was occupied by Naruto.
The entire battlefield had become his domain.
The Sound Four froze for a split second, their eyes widening in shock.
"What… what kind of number is this?!"
"Damn it… what kind of monster is this kid?!"
Naruto and his countless clones stood together, arms crossed, grinning confidently.
"If you want to chase Sasuke…"
"You'll have to get past me first!"
Jirobo, Kidōmaru, Tayuya, and Sakon & Ukon exchanged glances.
Their expressions darkened.
"It looks like we'll have to fight our way through him!"
"Sasuke is the priority. We must bring him back!"
"Otherwise… what will Orochimaru-sama say?"
"…Fine. Let's do it!"
In the next instant—
They attacked.
Kidōmaru leapt into the air, his mouth opening wide as he spat out thick strands of chakra-infused spider silk.
"Hidden Art: Spider Web Flower!"
The webs expanded rapidly, spreading across the battlefield like a deadly net.
At the same time, Jirobo slammed his hands into the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling!"
The earth trembled violently.
Massive chunks of rock rose up, forming a moving prison that surged forward, attempting to crush Naruto's clones into dust.
Meanwhile, Sakon and Ukon activated their kekkei genkai.
"Secret Art: Twin Demon Attack!"
Their bodies merged into one grotesque form, allowing them to attack with unpredictable coordination.
"Multiple Hits!"
"Multiple Strikes!"
Arms and legs extended in unnatural ways, striking from impossible angles—head, chest, abdomen—simultaneously.
Naruto's clones were torn apart one after another, unable to keep up with such bizarre and relentless attacks.
At that moment, Tayuya snorted coldly.
She raised her flute to her lips.
"Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains!"
A haunting melody filled the air.
Three massive "Angry Demon" creatures materialized, their towering bodies resembling grotesque giants.
Under Tayuya's control, they charged forward, swinging enormous clubs with terrifying force.
Naruto frowned slightly.
"Damn it…"
"Each of them has such strange abilities…"
"As expected of Orochimaru's subordinates… they're all monsters."
But then—
His eyes hardened.
"But…"
"I'm not losing to any of you!"
"And I will never let you take Sasuke away from me!"
"Never!"
The counterattack began.
Like a raging tide, Naruto's countless clones surged forward.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
A powerful combination of wind-based ninjutsu erupted across the battlefield.
Violent gusts roared through the forest, transforming into razor-sharp blades that tore everything in their path apart.
Trees snapped like twigs.
Branches, leaves, and debris were swept into the air, swirling chaotically.
The entire forest was reduced to a storm of destruction.
Jirobo reacted instantly, slamming his hand into the ground once more.
"Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!"
A massive wall of earth rose up, forming a defensive barrier.
But—
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!"
The combined force of Naruto's wind techniques shattered the wall instantly.
The wind blades continued forward, slicing through everything.
Jirobo barely managed to duck in time, narrowly avoiding being decapitated.
At the same time, Tayuya ordered her three demons to block the attack.
But even those monstrous beings—
Were cut apart.
Their bodies cracked and split under the relentless wind blades.
One lost an arm.
Another had its leg shattered.
Deep fissures spread across their forms.
Tayuya's expression twisted with fury.
"You bastard!"
"How dare you hurt my pets?!"
"I'll never forgive you!"
She immediately changed her melody.
"Demonic Flute: Illusory Sound Chains!"
The eerie tune filled the battlefield once more.
This time—
It was genjutsu.
Naruto suddenly felt his vision blur.
His limbs grew heavy.
His thoughts slowed.
"…This…"
"Genjutsu?!"
But in the next instant—
His eyes sharpened.
Naruto had undergone brutal genjutsu training before.
He reacted immediately.
His chakra surged violently.
"Genjutsu…"
"Release!"
A sharp ringing echoed in his ears—
And then—
Everything cleared.
"What?!"
Tayuya's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He broke my genjutsu?!"
Naruto grinned.
"Too easy."
He raised his hand.
"Now…"
"Let's go all out!"
The battlefield exploded into chaos once more.
Naruto's clones launched a full-scale assault.
Against Sakon and Ukon—
More than a dozen clones attacked simultaneously.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
"Wind Release: Hurricane Fist!"
With overwhelming numbers and relentless pressure, they forced the brothers back, disrupting their coordination and leaving them vulnerable.
Against Kidōmaru—
Naruto's clones wielded the Kusanagi Sword, channeling wind chakra through its blade.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"
Their attacks became incredibly sharp and versatile, capable of both close combat and long-range strikes.
Kidōmaru's spider webs were sliced apart effortlessly, leaving him at a severe disadvantage.
Against Jirobo—
Naruto chose direct confrontation.
Wind Release clashed violently against Earth Release.
The battlefield shook with every impact.
And against Tayuya—
Her already weakened demons struggled to keep up.
Under the relentless assault of Naruto's clones, they were gradually overwhelmed.
At this moment—
Naruto alone was suppressing all four members of the Sound Four.
The difference in power was overwhelming.
It was undeniable.
Naruto had become—
Incredibly strong.
"Damn it!"
One of them roared in frustration.
"Are the four of us really being suppressed by this brat?!"
Their anger burned fiercely.
But beneath it—
There was something else.
Shock.
And fear.
Because the boy standing before them…
Was no longer the same Naruto they once underestimated.
He had become—
A ninja capable of standing alone against overwhelming odds.
And winning.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)