108. That Punch…

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Jiraiya stepped into the hallway, casually slinging the unconscious beauty over his shoulder, a hand pressed lightly on Naruto's back.

His gaze locked onto Itachi.

"You really think I'd be lured away by a woman's wink? Come on. I'm the gallant Jiraiya! I use sweet words to charm women, not chase after 'em like a lovesick fool."

Naruto's eyes sparkled with hope. "Ero-sennin!"

Then he frowned. "But that's a lie! You get nosebleeds from a magazine cover!"

Itachi raised a brow, unmoved.

Jiraiya's smile twitched. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that in front of others?!"

Naruto crossed his arms. "You're missing the point! These guys aren't normal! And you're out here playing the flirt!"

Meanwhile, Sasuke trembled on one knee. Overusing the [Chidori] had wrung out what little chakra she had. Rage flared, and with it, her cursed seal ached like fire under her skin.

Amidst the argument, Itachi silently weaved a hand sign.

Puff!

A shadow clone formed, standing between him and Jiraiya.

Jiraiya's expression hardened.

"So that's it. You're after Naruto."

Itachi didn't deny it.

"No wonder Kakashi caught wind of this. You were the source."

"To retrieve the Nine-Tails vessel " his tone turned cold, " is an absolute order from the Akatsuki."

Naruto tensed.

Jiraiya clenched a fist. "I'm not handing him over."

"We'll see."

Their voices dropped low, heavy with tension.

A moment from battle—

"Don't interfere!"

Sasuko's hoarse voice rang out.

Everyone turned.

She staggered upright, curse mark glowing faintly, face pale but determined.

"I'll… kill him… with my own hands."

Itachi stared at her in silence, expression unreadable.

"I'm not interested in you."

And yet…

CRACK!

He sent her flying with a single kick.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

"You bastard—!"

He rushed forward but was stopped cold.

"Naruto." Sasuko's voice trembled. "I said stay out of this."

He froze. I saw her bloodied, swaying, and still refusing to back down.

She smiled faintly.

"This is my fight."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.

This wasn't something he could solve with strength. Interfering now would only bury that hatred deeper.

Itachi's clone kept Jiraiya occupied.

The real Itachi stood over Sasuko, eyes shadowed, hand poised to strike again—but it trembled.

Why?

He could strike his brother before.

But now, with Sasuko's hair longer, her form slimmer, her voice softer—he hesitated.

He sighed inwardly.

Mangekyō Sharingan.

His eyes flared open.

"Live through this pain, Sasuke."

[Tsukuyomi].

In an instant, the world twisted.

Red moons flooded her vision.

She was back there in the nightmare.

The massacre.

Over and over.

"You're too weak."

The words echoed endlessly.

Outside, only a second passed.

Sasuko screamed in agony.

Itachi closed his eyes.

He didn't want to watch her suffer.

---

BOOM!

An explosion ripped through the outer walls.

Jiraiya's head whipped around.

Both he and Itachi felt it at once a massive surge of chakra.

Jiraiya's face paled.

"…Where's Neji?"

Naruto blinked. "Wait he didn't come find you?"

"Damn it!" Jiraiya cursed. "He's in trouble!"

He shot Itachi a dark glare. "Looks like we'll have to wrap this up fast."

He began forming hand signs.

Itachi tensed.

Kisame's not back. Something's wrong.

And now a Sannin was about to enter the field.

This was not good.

He made his decision.

Retreat.

A section of the wall burst open.

"Sasuke," he said flatly, "your hatred isn't deep enough."

And with a blur, he vanished.

Jiraiya paused mid-jutsu, eyes narrowing.

"He's fast."

"But we don't have time for him now!"

[Summoning Jutsu]!

POOF!

A mid-sized toad appeared, sturdy and ready.

Jiraiya turned to Naruto.

"You guard this place. Protect Sasuke."

Naruto nodded. "Got it!"

With one leap, Jiraiya vanished out the window.

---

Moments earlier. Outside the outpost town.

The lake Kisame had created now lay slashed and churned, as if nature itself had been carved apart.

Kisame's smirk had long since faded.

"You're a monster," he muttered. "I doubt even Konoha knows what kind of power you've really got."

Neji didn't respond.

He was already aware of Itachi's presence. Time was running out.

"Sorry," he said coldly. "I can't waste any more time on you."

Kisame's eyes narrowed.

"What did you say?"

Neji cracked his knuckles.

"Let me show you how the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen became little more than trivia questions."

[Fourth Gate: Pain Gate—Open!]

[Fifth Gate: Limit Gate—Open!]

[Sixth Gate: View Gate—Open!]

A roaring aura erupted around him—red and green flames surging off his skin, his hair whipping in the vortex.

Kisame's expression shattered into genuine alarm.

"That incident…"

He remembered now.

The tale that no one dared speak aloud.

When the Seven Swordsmen ambushed a Konoha reinforcement unit only three came back alive.

Neji blurred.

BOOM!

The lake erupted beneath him. He rocketed forward like a meteor.

Kisame barely had time to see it a fist.

Close enough to count the stitches on Neji's glove.

A chill flooded his veins.

I'll die.

If that hits I'll die!

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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter

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