Boom!
A thunderous impact reverberated through the forest as a powerful arrow slammed into the Sanpō Fūin barrier surrounding Naruto. The force of the strike sent shockwaves rippling across the translucent sealing technique.
Crack—
Crunch!
Fine fractures spread across the surface like a spiderweb. What had once seemed like an impenetrable defense now trembled on the verge of collapse.
Inside the barrier, Naruto staggered slightly, his breathing uneven. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his chest rose and fell rapidly.
"That arrow… it's insanely powerful," he thought grimly. "If I hadn't used the Sanpō Fūin to protect myself, I might've been seriously injured… or worse."
Outside, Kidōmaru narrowed his six eyes, irritation flashing across his face.
"Damn it…" he muttered. "Did that brat really seal himself inside a barrier to block my vision and disrupt my targeting?"
His lips curled into a cold smirk.
"What a cunning little pest…"
He raised his bow again, his killing intent intensifying.
"But I'd like to see how long that shell of yours can last!"
Without hesitation, he fired another arrow.
BOOM!
The second strike crashed into the barrier with even greater force than the first. The already fragile structure finally gave way.
Shatter!
The Sanpō Fūin exploded into fragments of chakra, scattering into the air like broken glass.
But at that exact moment—
Naruto moved.
The instant the barrier broke, he dashed backward at full speed, retreating into the forest without a second thought.
He had no intention of continuing this fight.
"I don't have time for this… Hinata and the others need me!"
However—
"Heh… trying to run?"
A mocking voice rang out.
Before Naruto could gain distance, Sakon and Ukon appeared, blocking his path like shadows emerging from the darkness.
"We're not letting you go that easily," they said in unison, their tone dripping with contempt.
Naruto's expression darkened, anger and urgency burning in his eyes.
"Move!"
The twins sneered.
"A brat who doesn't know his place…"
"Let's finish him!"
They attacked simultaneously.
"Versatile Strike!"
"Multiple Strikes!"
Their coordination was flawless—each movement perfectly synchronized. Their attacks came from unpredictable angles, forcing Naruto onto the defensive.
For a moment, Naruto found himself unable to break through their relentless assault.
Meanwhile—
High above, Kidōmaru had already prepared his next attack.
His bow was drawn to its absolute limit, veins bulging along his arms as chakra surged into the arrow.
"Target locked…"
His voice turned cold and precise.
"Hit rate—120%."
"Maximum power."
"Die!!!"
BOOM—!
The arrow shot forward like a streak of lightning, spiraling through the air with terrifying speed and precision. Its trajectory twisted unnaturally, making it impossible to predict or evade.
There was no escape.
Even someone like Hyuga Neji, with the all-seeing Byakugan, would have struggled to avoid such an attack.
Naruto understood that.
And yet—
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"An unavoidable arrow…?"
His eyes sharpened with resolve.
"Then I won't avoid it."
BOOM!!!
The arrow pierced straight through his chest.
Blood erupted instantly, spraying into the air as the force of the impact sent Naruto flying backward. His body slammed violently into the trunk of a massive tree.
The arrow didn't stop there.
It tore through the tree behind him, embedding itself deep into the ground and leaving behind a massive crater.
For a moment, everything fell silent.
Then—
Kidōmaru burst into laughter.
"I got him!"
"I finally got him!"
Sakon and Ukon exhaled in relief, their expressions turning smug.
"What a troublesome brat," they mocked.
"He even managed to kill us once… but in the end—"
"It's over."
They stepped forward, preparing to deliver the final blow and ensure Naruto's death.
But suddenly—
Naruto's eyes snapped open.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his face pale, yet his gaze burned with an unyielding fire.
"You said…" he rasped, his voice low but steady.
"Who was eliminated?"
"What?!"
Kidōmaru's expression froze.
Sakon and Ukon's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This… this is impossible!"
"He was pierced straight through the chest—how is he still alive?!"
Before they could react—
Naruto moved.
With explosive force, he swung the Kusanagi sword downward.
At point-blank range.
Sakon and Ukon barely had time to register the attack.
"Oh no—!"
Slash—!
The blade cut cleanly through them.
In an instant, both brothers were severed at the waist.
Blood gushed violently as their bodies split apart, collapsing onto the ground in four lifeless halves.
The scene was gruesome.
Silent.
Final.
Kidōmaru stared in horror.
"Sakon… Ukon…"
His voice trembled as fear gripped his heart.
At this point, he was already exhausted. Maintaining his Cursed Seal Level Two state and firing multiple high-powered arrows had drained nearly all his chakra.
His breathing became ragged, and cold sweat covered his body.
"Damn it… damn it…"
He looked at Naruto, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Who… what are you…?"
"Are you even human…?"
Naruto stood there, swaying slightly.
He was far from unscathed.
The wound in his chest was real—blood still flowed freely, staining his clothes and dripping onto the ground.
But he was still standing.
Still alive.
Naruto was not immortal.
But his vitality and healing ability were extraordinary.
Just as Hyuga Neji had once survived a fatal strike by diverting the trajectory of an attack with chakra, Naruto had done something similar.
At the moment the arrow struck, Naruto released a burst of chakra throughout his body, forming a defensive layer that altered the arrow's path.
It reduced the speed.
Weakened the impact.
Shifted the fatal trajectory—just enough.
Of course, Naruto's control wasn't as refined as Neji's.
But what he lacked in precision, he made up for with sheer volume.
His chakra reserves were overwhelming—far beyond what Neji could match.
Even so—
He was still critically injured.
And reaching his limit.
Naruto clenched his teeth, forcing his trembling body forward.
"Originally… I didn't want to kill you," he said, his voice cold and steady despite his condition.
"But you insisted on stopping me…"
"From helping Hinata… from saving Sasuke…"
His grip tightened around the sword.
"In that case…"
"I'll grant your wish."
Step by step, he walked toward Kidōmaru.
Each step left a faint trail of blood behind him.
Kidōmaru's courage shattered completely.
"D-don't come any closer…"
"Don't come near me!"
But Naruto didn't stop.
His eyes were filled with killing intent.
In that moment, nothing else mattered.
In a flash, he closed the distance.
The Kusanagi sword rose into the air.
"Die."
Slash—!
A scream echoed through the forest—
"AAAAAAHHHH—!"
And then—
Silence.
Kidōmaru's head fell to the ground.
His body followed shortly after.
The final member of the Sound Four… was dead.
Naruto stood there, breathing heavily.
His face was pale, and the wound in his chest still bled profusely.
But he didn't have time to rest.
Not now.
He glanced briefly at the corpses around him, his jaw tightening.
Then—
He turned and ran.
"Sasuke…"
"Hinata…"
"Wait for me…"
Meanwhile…
Following Naruto's instructions, Hinata and her group were retreating toward Konoha as quickly as possible.
However, their speed was limited.
Sasuke, unconscious and weakened, had become a burden they couldn't ignore.
They pushed forward as fast as they could—
But it wasn't enough.
Unbeknownst to them—
A new threat was approaching.
Silent.
Deadly.
Kimimaro.
Hinata's Byakugan was already activated, her veins bulging around her eyes as she scanned the surroundings.
Suddenly—
Her expression changed.
"Be careful!" she called out urgently.
"An enemy is approaching!"
Shino and Ino immediately tensed.
"What?" Ino asked, startled. "Is it Naruto?"
Hinata shook her head, her voice serious.
"No… it's not the same as before."
Her gaze sharpened.
"This one is different."
"Stronger."
"Much stronger than the previous four."
Shino adjusted his glasses, his tone calm but grave.
"I see…"
Ino bit her lip nervously.
"What do we do?"
Shino paused for a moment before speaking.
"There are two options."
He raised a finger.
"First—one of us takes Sasuke and continues forward, while the other two stay behind to hold off the enemy."
Then, a second finger.
"Second—we all stay here… and face the enemy together."
The forest fell into tense silence.
The choice they made next—
Would determine everything.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)