There was a shuriken lodged in Yakushi Nonou's shoulder as well!
"Kabuto!"
Ignoring her own injuries, Yakushi Nonou swiftly summoned a mass of chakra in her palm and carefully placed it on Yakushi Kabuto's wound to heal him.
"It's too late..."
Yakushi Kabuto slowly shook his head, sighing inwardly. He gradually stood up from behind the rock and loudly questioned the masked figure in the distance, "Akihara Kagura, won't you even spare the Dean?"
"..."
Uchiha Itachi did not respond.
As a ninja walking in darkness, there was no need for unnecessary words during a mission, not even the reveal of one's own identity.
Uchiha Itachi calmly drew his ninja sword and sprinted towards Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nonou; his mind focused solely on the mission objective!
"Is this what he's like when he kills?"
Yakushi Kabuto had never witnessed Akihara Kagura killing, but he knew that Akihara Kagura would never hesitate, as his personality was always extreme!
Yakushi Kabuto could only push the Dean aside, his hand emitting a green chakra scalpel, meeting the charging masked youth head-on!
The two of them instantly engaged in battle!
"Your kenjutsu is truly excellent..."
Yakushi Kabuto and Uchiha Itachi had only exchanged a few blows, but due to his unhealed injuries, he was quickly wounded and could only try his best to avoid fatal strikes!
"..."
Uchiha Itachi still gave no reply.
The masked boy swung his ninja sword with a steady gaze!
When Yakushi Kabuto's movements became impaired, leaving an opening in his defense, Uchiha Itachi swiftly and cleanly slashed a long gash on Kabuto's arm!
"This guy..."
Yakushi Kabuto looked at the long wound on his arm, regretting that he hadn't properly trained in kenjutsu, as the chakra scalpel was too easily countered by a swordsman!
"Kabuto..."
Yakushi Nonou quickly tried to rush over.
"Don't come over!"
Yakushi Kabuto stopped Yakushi Nonou, his eyes still locked on the masked boy in front of him, and said softly, "This is a fight between him and me. I admit I've received too much favor from the Dean, which bred your jealousy, but you should know that's not the Dean's fault..."
"..."
Uchiha Itachi looked at Yakushi Kabuto through the mask, calmly raising his ninja sword and slashing at his target again!
"Why won't you speak?"
Yakushi Kabuto raised his chakra scalpel to block the blade's edge, continuing in disarray, "Akihara Kagura, are you furious because your plot to manipulate the Dean and me into killing each other was foiled?"
"..."
Uchiha Itachi swung his sword again.
Although Yakushi Kabuto always thought Akihara Kagura wanted him dead, Itachi couldn't simply explain that this was a misunderstanding, since he was actually the one executing the mission!
Not only Yakushi Kabuto...
Even Yakushi Nonou behind him couldn't be spared.
Yet, resolving the situation with Yakushi Kabuto swiftly proved troublesome for Uchiha Itachi, as Kabuto's chakra scalpel was exceedingly strange, nearly bypassing his defense several times. Revealing the Sharingan might hasten the battle's end.
While continuing his fight with Yakushi Kabuto, Uchiha Itachi also kept an eye on Yakushi Nonou clutching her shoulder to prevent her potential escape.
"..."
Uchiha Itachi found himself somewhat distracted at this moment.
The boy recalled first encountering the Root division, believing he had stopped them from killing a fellow village ninja, only for those Root ninjas to eventually find an opportunity during the fight to kill the target with a shuriken.
Times have changed.
Now he had become one of those people.
Uchiha Itachi quickly closed in on Yakushi Kabuto!
This move surprisingly favored Kabuto's chakra scalpel in the fight!
Uchiha Itachi took advantage of visual cover, swiftly pulling a shuriken from his ninja pouch and throwing it in Yakushi Nonou's direction!
"You're too careless..."
Kabuto's chakra scalpel took the opportunity to slash Uchiha Itachi's throat. Itachi quickly leaned back to dodge, but his mask was still split open!
"No need to hide your face, is there?"
Yakushi Kabuto looked at the enemy across from him, saying coldly, "Akihara Kagura, the Dean never wanted to forget you, yet you still don't want the Dean to see you now..."
When Kabuto saw the enemy's true face, his face turned ghastly, and a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead!
"Wait a moment..."
"You're not..."
Kabuto looked at this person, who had once delivered mission scrolls to him and left a good impression: "Uchiha Itachi... how can it be you?"
Why is it you?
Why isn't it Akihara Kagura?
Why is it not Akihara Kagura appearing at this time when he and Shimura Danzo are plotting to make him and Dean Yakushi Nonou kill each other?
Why is it Uchiha Itachi appearing now!
Kabuto had a pretty good impression of Itachi because when Itachi passed on mission scrolls, he was courteous, even helping to stop Akihara Kagura from making trouble.
Yet...
No matter what, Kabuto never expected...