43: Chapter 43 Outside the Sound VillageOn the border of the Land of Fields, deep in the dense forest.
Following Kabuto's intelligence, they precisely avoided the patrol routes that the Sound Ninja might be exploring and arrived at the rendezvous point, a half-collapsed mountain god temple.
The temple was dilapidated and silent, with only the mournful sound of the wind.
Soon, two figures appeared quietly.
The white-haired Hozuki Suigetsu's eyes were wary yet excited, while the red-haired Karin seemed somewhat apprehensive.
"Is this the place?Where is everyone?" Shuiyue muttered.
Naruto and Hibari emerged from the shadows.
"Hozuki Suigetsu, Uzumaki Karin?"
"Who are you?" Shuiyue instinctively tightened her grip on the hilt of her knife.
"Tianqi Merchant Guild, Naruto Uzumaki, are here to pick you up."
Naruto looked at the wary Hozuki Suigetsu and the somewhat timid Uzumaki Karin in front of him, and continued, "Hozuki Suigetsu's dream is to collect all the ninja swords and restore the glory of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.But in Otogakure, you are just one of Orochimaru's many experimental subjects, and you don't even have a chance to touch a ninja sword."
Shuiyue's pupils contracted, and her expression became much more serious."How did you know?"
Naruto didn't answer, but turned to Karin and continued, "Karin Uzumaki, you possess rare physical healing abilities and the Kagura Mind's Eye, yet you're being used here as a mobile blood bank and a sensory tool.Your value is severely underestimated."
Karin shuddered, subconsciously pushed up her glasses, and glanced at Naruto.
"And I can give you what you want.The Apocalypse Merchant Guild has a black market network and resources all over the East China Sea.I can help you, Shuiyue, find out the whereabouts of any ninja sword, and even provide assistance in acquiring them."
"As for you, Karin, there your abilities will be treasured, not treated as objects.You will receive genuine respect and systematic training, such as having Tsunade personally instruct you in medical ninjutsu."
Shuiyue's eyes flickered; collecting ninja swords was indeed his greatest obsession.
Karin suddenly raised her head; the name Tsunade held a fatal attraction for any medical ninja.
"Why should we believe you?" Shuiyue remained skeptical, but her tone had softened.
"Just because I'm standing here, while Orochimaru is lying in a wheelchair."
Naruto said calmly, "Besides, didn't Kabuto tell you about my sincerity?"
Mizuki and Karin exchanged a glance, both seeing the wavering in each other's eyes.
Senior Dou did indeed subtly communicate with them, hinting that there was a better way out.
The credibility is greatly increased by Naruto's ability to accurately express their desires and predicaments.
Just as Suigetsu and Karin were hesitating, a chilling killing intent swept over them!
Under the moonlight, a figure appeared on the large rock opposite the temple at some unknown time.
She wore a pure white kimono, spotless.
His short black hair fluttered slightly, a purple hemp rope was tied around his waist, the Kusanagi sword was held diagonally behind him, and his face was handsome but cold and devoid of any human emotion.
Those indifferent yet alluring eyes looked down at everyone present, finally settling on Naruto.
Uchiha Sasuke.
There was no roaring, no anger, just a look of utter disbelief as he stared at the group as if they were already dead.
"Mizuki, Karin, where are you planning to go?"
His appearance seemed to freeze time.
Mizuki and Karin were deathly pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, a fear stemming from the disparity in their life levels.
Naruto's pupils contracted slightly.The Sasuke before him was completely different from the angry boy he used to be, exuding an extremely dangerous aura.
"Sasuke," Naruto met his gaze, "I'm taking both of them with me."
Sasuke's lips curled into a cold smile, a smile that seemed to be both mockery and utter disdain.
"With you?"
Before he finished speaking, his figure vanished instantly!
It's not magic, it's pure speed at its absolute limit!
In the next instant, he appeared in front of Naruto, the Kusanagi sword in his hand gleaming coldly, silently piercing towards Naruto's throat!
Fast!Ruthless!Accurate!
Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he twisted to the side at the last second, the blade of the Kusanagi sword grazing his neck!
At the same time, Naruto's right fist was instantly covered with highly compressed chakra!
A punch aimed at Sasuke's ribs!
Sasuke's Sharingan precisely captured the fist's trajectory.With a flick of his wrist, the Kusanagi sword spun like a living thing, its blade striking Naruto's fist with pinpoint accuracy!
Bang!
A muffled thud!Both of them took a half step back simultaneously!
"Quick reflexes," Sasuke commented.
"Last-place finisher, when did you become such a different person?"
His hand seals were so fast that they were just afterimages!
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
Under the control of the Sharingan, the enormous fire dragon blocked all of Naruto's escape routes, and the scorching air distorted his vision!
Naruto dared not take the attack head-on, so he activated his Body Flicker Technique and appeared in a corner of the temple!
Sasuke seemed to have anticipated his movements, and the second wave of attacks arrived almost the instant Naruto appeared!
"A thousand birds, a thousand books!"
The lightning in his hand exploded into countless sharp lightning spikes, raining down on Naruto like a torrential downpour!The area of effect was enormous, leaving no way to dodge!
Naruto waved his hands rapidly!
Vacuum Wind Blade - Chaos!
Countless tiny wind blades met the lightning bolts, bursting into dense crackling sounds and radiating light in the air!
Taking advantage of this brief moment, Naruto used the Shadow Clone Technique!
Bang!Bang!Two shadow clones appeared, forming a triangle with the main body as they charged towards Sasuke!
"What a ridiculous trick."
Sasuke sneered, his figure swaying as his Kusanagi sword drew an elegant arc, precisely slicing away two shadow clones!
He then sheathed his sword and gathered lightning in his right hand once more!
"Chidori!"
The electric arc pierced straight into Naruto's heart!
Naruto's true form neither dodged nor evaded, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he unleashed a powerful punch, choosing to meet force with force!
boom!
Fist and palm collided again!This time, the impact was even more violent!The entire dilapidated temple shook!
Sasuke's eyes flashed with surprise; Naruto's power still exceeded his expectations.
However, he was extremely experienced in combat.He used the momentum to flip backward and landed silently, his Sharingan scanning and analyzing every weakness of Naruto.
"Your power.is quite interesting."
"But that's not enough."
Cursed runes began to appear beneath the white robe, and the aura became even colder and more dangerous, indicating the entry into state one!Speed and power increased once again!
"Now, let's end this boring battle."
Sasuke's figure transformed into streaks of white afterimages, launching attacks from all directions!
The cold glint of the Kusanagi sword, the piercing cry of the Chidori, and the occasional bursts of fire-style attacks wove together a web of death, completely enveloping Naruto!
Naruto mastered the Body Flicker Technique, superhuman strength, and Vacuum Wind Blade, maneuvering nimbly in confined spaces, narrowly avoiding fatal attacks time and again, while his occasional counterattacks were easily neutralized by Sasuke.
The scene was incredibly dangerous!Mizuki and Karin were on the edge of their seats!
A prolonged defense will inevitably lead to defeat!Sasuke's Sharingan finally caught an extremely subtle flaw: the imperfection in Naruto's landing moment with his Body Flicker!
"We succeeded!"
Sasuke's eyes flashed with a cold light, his speed soared to the limit, and the Kusanagi sword shot out like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Naruto's back!
This sword strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless!
Just as the Kusanagi sword was about to strike.
Naruto twisted his body sharply, avoiding a vital point at an incredible angle, while simultaneously pressing his left hand together like a knife, compressing his already prepared chakra to a high degree!
"Vacuum Wind Blade - Piercing Hand!"
The ultimate sharpness of Vacuum Wind Release is concentrated at the fingertips, striking first even after being struck later, and directly stabbing at the shoulder blade exposed by Sasuke's full-force thrust!
The Sharingan saw it!But at its maximum speed, the body didn't have time to completely change direction!
Sizzle!
Blood splattered!
Sasuke groaned as an invisible wind blade sliced open a deep, bone-revealing wound on his shoulder blade, the intense pain causing him to freeze in his tracks!
Naruto pressed his advantage relentlessly, unleashing a powerful right punch!
Bang!
It slammed heavily into Sasuke's chest!
"Pfft!" Sasuke spat out a mouthful of blood, and his whole body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing into half of the wall and being buried by the rubble.
The white kimono was stained red with blood, and the Kusanagi sword had fallen from her hand and lay to the side.
Naruto stood there, slightly out of breath, looking at the ruins with a complicated expression.
Amidst the ruins, Sasuke struggled to prop himself up with his hands, then coughed up another mouthful of blood.
The white kimono was stained with dust and blood, and the eyes were fixed on Naruto, filled with anger and confusion.
Mizuki and Karin dared not breathe, watching this scene with tense expressions.
Naruto stood there, looking at the disheveled Sasuke, but he felt little joy in his victory.
As a transmigrator, Naruto knew the cursed fate of the Uchiha clan and was well aware of the profound trauma the night of the massacre inflicted on Sasuke.
The pain of falling from the clouds to hell, betrayed by one's most beloved brother, is enough to destroy anyone's mind.
He chose to side with Orochimaru, chose to embrace the power of the cursed seal, and chose this path of revenge filled with darkness and pain.
From a certain perspective, isn't this an extremely distorted attempt to grasp at a straw for self-redemption?
He thought that power could fill the void in his heart and give him the right to face that man, so he dared not stop for a moment.
Naruto walked step by step toward Sasuke, his footsteps particularly clear in the silent temple.
Sasuke struggled to stand up, but the sharp pain in his shoulder blades and the dull pain in his chest made him stumble and fall to the ground again.
"Cough.kill me."
Sasuke's voice was hoarse and cold, carrying a desperate stubbornness, "Otherwise.I'll kill you sooner or later."
Naruto slowly walked up to him, looking down at him with a gaze that seemed to pierce through time and space."Sasuke, you have indeed become stronger."
"I won't kill you.Your path of revenge may be obsessive and laughable, but your ruthless determination to struggle upwards at all costs is much more interesting than those lukewarm guys in Konoha."
He turned around, his back to Sasuke, and his voice drifted on the wind, carrying a sense of fatalistic certainty: "Try to live on, Sasuke."
"Strive to become stronger, strong enough to break free from all shackles.I look forward to seeing.what you will eventually become."
"I hope that by then, we can be on equal footing, instead of like we are now."
Naruto turned his head to the side, giving Sasuke a meaningful look.
"One is standing, and the other is lying down while they talk."
After saying that, he stopped looking at Sasuke and turned to the dumbfounded Suigetsu and Karin, saying, "Let's go."
Shuiyue swallowed hard, glanced at the disheveled Sasuke in the ruins, then at Naruto, and subconsciously followed.
Karin hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed, unable to resist glancing back at Sasuke.
Sasuke struggled to turn over and lay in the cold ruins, watching Naruto's departing figure.Moonlight shone on his pale face, and for the first time, emotions other than hatred appeared in his eyes.
Why.why is this happening.
Outside the temple, Tiezhou and Yunque dealt with the swarms of soldiers who had come after hearing the commotion.
Hibari whispered, "President, the battle just now was quite loud and might attract more Sound Ninja."
Naruto nodded: "Let's go, let's leave immediately."
The group quickly disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
On the way, Shuiyue couldn't help but click her tongue: "President, just now.were you deliberately giving him an opening?"
Naruto did not deny it: "The strongest spear is often the weakest in defense when it is thrust out with full force."
Karin whispered, "But.he looks so desperate."
Naruto gazed at the dark forest ahead and said calmly, "Everyone must be responsible for their own choices.He chose this path, and he should bear all the pain."
[Ding!Successfully received Hozuki Suigetsu and Uzumaki Karin, gaining an important talent and villain points +800!] [Current villain points: 2100]
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