196-200

Chapter 196: Caught Red-Handed... 

Itachi was wondering if he should just bail. He shouldn't have come over to check out the commotion in the first place. Luckily, the two combatants on the battlefield were deep in a heated fight, and the rain had come out of nowhere. It seemed like neither of them had noticed Itachi. 

Though a Chakra Dragon is pretty overpowered, against a Truth-Seeking Orb, the difference in power is clear. Nagato's desperate attempt to steal chakra didn't unleash the power he'd hoped for, much like his Chibaku Tensei – it just wasn't very effective against Madara. Even though Madara no longer had his Rinnegan, he was still its original owner. Many of the Rinnegan's abilities just didn't work well on him; he had too much resistance for them to pose a significant threat. 

--- 

Nagato's eyes held a touch of melancholy. Was this truly just a dying struggle? Still, getting to revisit his jutsu one last time before he kicked the bucket wasn't a bad way to go. 

"Giving up, are we?" Madara thought, letting out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's right. Against absolute power, there's not much you can do." This kid was a handful, especially with his Rinnegan. Madara found it frustrating that many of his own abilities were nullified, making things much harder. Of course, he'd been through countless tough battles, so this one was just par for the course. 

--- 

It was like how he, despite Itachi's guidance, had improved at an incredible speed, yet Hashirama was like a persistent leech, always right behind him. It was annoying. But they were good friends. He'd even embraced Itachi's idea and originally planned to help Hashirama grow stronger so they could gang up on Itachi. Since his body could integrate Hashirama's cells, it made sense that Hashirama's could integrate his. So, realizing how quickly Hashirama's strength was growing, Madara had given him some intel. He just never imagined his elder brother... Well, never mind. Just thinking about Itachi made his heart ache. That rebellious junior... 

--- 

As for why the Uchiha clan was annihilated, that part was pretty similar to the original story. He had considered taking some of his clan members with him, or even all of them. He'd realized that forming a village wasn't really all that interesting. And he did feel a connection to his clan; after all, his father had entrusted them to him. But he never expected them to refuse him, to betray him. Or perhaps they were blinded by the short-lived peace they craved. When Madara left with his younger brother, he actually felt relieved. Not having any baggage was fantastic, and he no longer had to agonize over them. 

--- 

The failure of his highly anticipated Chakra Dragon left Nagato feeling a bit lost. But the next second, he calmed down. His mental fortitude was still good, but in a life-or-death situation, anyone would react the same way, right? It's not like he could just give up. It just meant his chances of winning were even smaller now. From a 50/50 shot to 40/60, 30/70, 20/80, even 10/90. 

The massive, almost hundred-meter tall Gedo Mazo charged towards Madara. He had no choice; he was running low on chakra. While his recovery speed was decent, the chakra needed for his techniques was astronomical. His expenditures weren't matching his income. 

--- 

Madara watched Nagato standing atop the Gedo Mazo, his expression unruffled. Even though the Gedo Mazo was huge and tall, it paled in comparison to Hashirama's Wood Golem. And it was tiny compared to his own Susanoo. Both his Susanoo and Hashirama's Wood Golem could be enhanced with chakra. As long as they had enough, they could grow to thousands, even tens of thousands of meters. However, not only did they require a vast amount of chakra to manifest, but controlling them and fighting with them increased the consumption exponentially. It could even completely drain them, which is why they always chose a moderate intensity for their battles. 

--- 

In Madara's silver Rinnegan, a change gradually appeared. It was an eerie red, the color of blood. Although he couldn't use the Rinnegan's abilities, he could still use his Mangekyo Sharingan. While their power might be somewhat reduced without his original eyes, it was incredibly convenient. Frankly, his eyes had already evolved to the Rinnegan. The abilities of the Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan were already etched into his bloodline and DNA. He could be said to have mastered them completely, to have supernatural control over them. 

--- 

When he activated his Mangekyo, he paused, sensing a familiar person. He was immediately amused, guessing what Itachi must be thinking right now and finding it highly entertaining. He wondered if his "cheap older brother" would be panicking if he saw him. He certainly used to show off a lot in front of him, bragging about his recovery speed thanks to Hashirama's cells. But Madara was actually quite grateful to Itachi, as Itachi had taught Izuna the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. That space-time ninjutsu for escape was truly powerful. 

--- 

If Izuna hadn't had that jutsu, Madara would have had to constantly worry about his safety. But with Izuna having the Flying Thunder God, Madara no longer had any concerns. 

"Crap, I think I've been spotted!" Madara suddenly expanded his sensory perception, covering several kilometers, completely throwing Itachi off. Itachi, who wasn't prepared at all, immediately felt his internal alarm bells ringing. He was freaking out. 

"Don't recognize me, don't recognize me, don't recognize me..." Itachi whispered a quick prayer. 

--- 

Madara being alive had really messed him up. His head was buzzing, and he didn't know what to do. Itachi wasn't sure what Madara would do, and he still didn't know if he was an enemy or an ally. This gave him a huge headache. However, Itachi figured he probably wasn't an enemy; after all, if he were, Itachi probably wouldn't have lived this long in peace. If he were an enemy, Itachi would have to start causing trouble. If Madara got his Rinnegan back, what was the point of even fighting? But if he wasn't an enemy, why did Itachi feel a chill down his spine just now? He kept getting the feeling that Madara had ill intentions. Itachi thought to himself. 

--- 

At the same time, he felt a sense of urgency. On one hand, his own strength had hit a bottleneck. On the other, Sasuke and Naruto, the two Children of Prophecy, hadn't grown up yet. It was a mess. Future wars were all about ganging up; who would fight one-on-one? Just thinking about how tricky Kaguya was, Itachi didn't even know what to say. And if these little guys didn't grow up, would he have to be their babysitter? No way! And it wasn't just being a babysitter; he'd have to be on the front lines, buying them time. The thought made Itachi feel a bit tipsy. He wasn't doing that! He wasn't even an adult yet, and he felt like the world's will wanted him to become a protector. Why couldn't it find him a few protectors instead? His potential was insane. Itachi thought to himself, his mind racing. While it might seem a little unreliable at first glance, upon deeper thought, it seemed very possible. It was truly chilling. 

--- 

Madara stood on the ground, his body glowing with brilliant blue and silver light. Soon, a nearly fifty-meter tall, four-armed, upper-half giant appeared. Itachi recognized it immediately as the second form of Susanoo. The first form of Susanoo has no musculature, just bones, and only the upper body. The second form also has only the upper body, but the skeleton is covered in musculature. The third form starts getting ridiculous, with a full body and the Susanoo's inherent divine weapons, though each Susanoo's are different. The fourth form, built upon the third, is further armored, making its defense incredibly strong. 

Chapter 197: Retreating Before it's Too Late 

A short while later, after the clash between the Gedo Statue and the Susano'o, Madara weaved hand signs, sending a massive wave of flames surging towards Nagato. To use Fire Style with such power during a downpour, perhaps only Madara in the entire shinobi world could achieve such a feat. 

Streams of steam billowed upwards into the sky as the sounds of water and fire colliding echoed ceaselessly. The intense firelight bathed Nagato's expressionless face in a crimson glow. At that moment, Nagato stared blankly at the flames, or rather, the sea of fire. 

A transparent, thin membrane appeared, valiantly resisting the inferno. However, the chakra maintaining that membrane was already dwindling. The one casting this jutsu was Madara, and Nagato's own chakra reserves were utterly depleted. The membrane flickered, and then, in an instant, it dissipated. 

"You've done well..." 

Nagato sat dejectedly in his wheelchair, gazing up at Madara, who looked down at him with a tone of faint admiration. If Nagato hadn't fought Itachi for so long, even if he couldn't defeat Madara, he wouldn't have been utterly crushed like this. At the very least, he would have had a chance to escape. But there were no "ifs" or "what ifs." 

Nagato felt completely powerless, so weak that even a slight movement was exhausting. Madara was already stronger than him, and he had resorted to dirty tricks, constantly wearing Nagato down. Finally, Nagato was broken. He thought back to his arrogant past self and felt a pang of self-mockery. 

Looking at the hollow-eyed Nagato, Madara hesitated no longer. His calloused hand reached out, rapidly growing larger in Nagato's vision. 

"Itachi, how about we work together?" 

Just as Itachi was about to make his escape, a calm voice suddenly echoed from behind him. 

"Obito? You're here too." 

Itachi turned around, looking somewhat surprised at the man with the spiral mask who had appeared not far away. "You were here all along, but I just didn't notice," Obito said indifferently in response to Itachi. He was no longer the Obito of old; the current him... 

"Work together on what?" 

Looking at the imposing Obito, Itachi asked directly, clearly not intending to let Obito prolong the charade. The battle was almost over; decisions needed to be made quickly. 

"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. We'll seize the Rinnegan, and once we succeed, we'll split it evenly." 

Obito evidently realized there was no more time for pointless talk. Nagato couldn't hold on any longer. 

"What's the plan?" 

Hearing Obito's audacious proposal, Itachi found it amusing and asked curiously. 

"You distract Uchiha Madara, and I'll grab the eyes. Once I have them, we'll divide them." 

Obito looked at Itachi seriously. The moment he saw Madara, Obito admitted he panicked. He had personally witnessed Madara's old age and death. How could Madara be so young and so powerful? If the Rinnegan returned to Madara's hands, how would Obito ever achieve his goals? 

He knew Itachi hadn't gone far. With such intense battle fluctuations, Itachi was bound to return. So, he secretly searched around and indeed found Itachi's presence. That's why he appeared beside Itachi and proposed cooperation. 

"I have no grievances with you, so why are you treating me like an idiot?" 

Hearing Obito's words, Itachi looked at him with curiosity, as if he were looking at an imbecile. While Obito's success rate was quite high, if Obito took the Rinnegan, there was no way he'd share one. Or if he just took the Rinnegan and ran, Itachi would be left to face Madara's wrath. That was just ridiculous. It sounded appealing, but in reality, it was a trap. 

Itachi's words and gaze silenced Obito. He genuinely hadn't thought that way before, but after Itachi brought it up, he realized he still had room for growth. He had been serious, after all, even if he obtained the Rinnegan, he only intended to use one. After all, Nagato had been drained by the Rinnegan, and Obito's current strength probably couldn't handle two Rinnegan. Plus, the Kamui was just too good. Now, hearing Itachi say that, he realized he might have been a bit too straightforward. 

Seeing Obito deep in thought, Itachi slowly shook his head, beginning to ponder himself. Since Madara didn't die, why was Obito still alive? This was truly peculiar. After all, Obito had messed with both Madara and Hashirama, even nearly dispatching Hashirama. Madara had already reached the Six Paths level, so why was he playing such a game? With Madara's power, it was unlikely he'd be influenced by the world's will to follow a similar path. With Madara's caliber, he would surely take a completely different path. 

At this moment, Itachi no longer held his arrogant thoughts from before about training an opponent. That was all nonsense. He had simply fostered a living, powerful patriarch whose strength was explosive. 

"You seem to be resigned to death..." 

Madara removed his own pair of ordinary Three-Tomoe Sharingan and implanted one Rinnegan. He rolled his eyeball around, noticing that Nagato didn't resist or say anything. Only an empty eye socket remained, and the other eye stared blankly into the distance. Madara thought for a moment and then placed the seemingly usable Three-Tomoe Sharingan into Nagato's empty eye socket before removing the other and replacing it. 

"Young man, you're still alive, and you still have a chance. Your woman is waiting for you; live well." 

Madara shook his head, feeling there was no point in bullying a junior. The fight had been enjoyable enough, so he decided to let Nagato go, and even gave him a powerful pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan as a bonus. As for fostering a tiger to cause trouble later, or not cutting off the roots of evil, would someone of his strength and character care about such things? 

"You're not going to kill me? After what you've done to me, do you think I won't seek revenge?" 

Nagato awoke as if from a dream, feeling the stinging pain in his eye sockets, his vision completely black. His optic nerves hadn't connected to the eyeballs yet, and his body was nearing exhaustion, making recovery impossible. His eyes, one on the left and one on the right, eerily turned towards the direction of Madara's voice. 

"Whatever you want..." 

Madara slowly shook his head and turned away. It was just an occasional act of kindness. Let that brat try to provoke him again next time. 

Of course, it was also true that he was in a good mood. His long-lost eyes had returned, and he could sense his cheap older brother was nearby. Nagato had become insignificant. 

"What the...!" 

The two, still discussing, saw Madara instantly use the Rinnegan after implanting it. They both uttered exclamations. Itachi knew of Madara's capabilities, but Obito didn't. He had been planning to launch a sneak attack when Madara dug out his eyes, implanted them, or let his guard down. Who knew that in an instant, the Rinnegan was already in his eyes? Judging by the fluid movement, it was clear there was nothing left for him to do. 

Itachi's "what the" was because Madara was walking towards them. That was utterly absurd. He thought for a moment, and with a flick of his will, decided it was best to escape first. The Flying Thunder God Seal activated, and Itachi's figure vanished in a whoosh. 

"So fast!" 

Obito was dumbfounded when he felt Itachi flee. It was especially ridiculous that Itachi's escape speed was even faster than his own. 

Chapter 198: Obito Also Chickens Out 

"I must be insane..." 

Itachi's figure appeared in Konoha, a stream of complaints escaping his lips. What in the world was he thinking? How could he have been so utterly clueless? How could he not have considered this possibility back then, that Madara would reach full mastery and be alive now? He was laughing it up back then, and now he had a massive headache. 

Orochimaru gazed at the familiar grand hall, lost in thought for a moment. 

"Lord Orochimaru, you're back!" his subordinates quickly exclaimed. Itachi had, of course, transported Orochimaru and Kakashi back to the village, allowing him to observe the battle without any worries. 

"Prepare a hospital room and carry him inside," Orochimaru nodded, instructing his subordinates as he watched Kakashi being carried away. It all felt like a dream. 

"How long has it been since I left?" Orochimaru casually asked after Kakashi was taken away. He often lost track of time when immersed in research. 

"You've been out for one year, two hundred and thirty-six days, and eight hours..." 

"Alright, you can go now..." Orochimaru's golden snake-like eyes flickered with a fleeting surprise before he waved his hand, dismissing his subordinate. The reason his subordinate's answer was so precise was that, for a lot of the time, that subordinate was his personal calendar. 

Orochimaru walked to the table, poured a full glass of water, and drank it in one gulp. His gaze drifted. A moment later, he snapped back to reality. 

"This trip was truly interesting. The Ryūmyaku... it's quite something, isn't it?" Orochimaru's murmur echoed through the hall, his voice tinged with excitement, weariness, and longing. 

"Gone, have they...?" 

Madara slowly shook his head. The man who had given him such a complex in his youth was now so timid. Madara vaguely recalled Itachi holding a sword to his neck, that arrogant, unrestrained look in his eyes... and his quick recovery, his calm demeanor. It had made Madara question his own existence more than once. Thinking about it now, it was quite amusing. However, this "big brother" of his seemed to have chickened out; he didn't even dare to face him directly anymore. 

"Obito, where are you going...?" 

Sensing another chakra signature, Madara flickered and appeared beside Obito, his voice calm as he watched Obito's rapidly fading figure. 

"..." 

Obito looked at Madara, falling silent for a moment. If I had known you weren't dead, I wouldn't have been so arrogant... Obito felt a pang of guilt, unsure if Madara knew about his past actions. Especially Madara's gaze, it was far too oppressive. It was truly a case of "Li Gui meets Li Kui." A dense fog rose, filled with common folk, and when the fog cleared, the common folk turned out to be himself. He thought back to his own petty schemes and felt utterly foolish. 

"You seem quite flustered. Did you do too many bad things? Or were you messing around outside, using my name and ruining my reputation?" Madara said, crossing his arms, looking at Obito, who dared not reveal his true form. 

"Uh... you, you've misunderstood... I've been diligently following your plan, collecting Tailed Beasts, gathering intelligence... I was even preparing to trick Nagato into crippling himself to revive you, so you could personally lead the charge..." 

Obito tried to recall what Madara had asked him to do before... Was it to collect the Tailed Beasts, or perhaps to revive him? He couldn't remember clearly, so he started improvising on the spot. His memories of Madara were a bit muddled. Someone of his strength shouldn't have this problem, but... that was the truth. He even suspected that the book Kakashi had accidentally left in the Kamui dimension, which he had glanced at a few times, was the cause of his problem. If Kakashi knew that the book he had put in there for emergency shelter had been taken by Obito, he'd probably be hopping mad. 

"Where's Black Zetsu? Tell him to come see me!" Madara looked at the less-than-confident Obito, silent for a moment. After gazing at him with a judgmental look for a few seconds, he asked. Black Zetsu was quite useful. He could extract a lot of information from Black Zetsu. Madara, now a Six Paths user, naturally wouldn't believe Black Zetsu's lies. Although he didn't understand Black Zetsu's true intentions, Black Zetsu certainly knew a lot and was quite useful. 

"Uh... okay... I'll go now." Obito said nothing, his figure vanishing from the spot. He had Kamui; he didn't even know why he was panicking, but he was. It was a bodily instinct. Or perhaps, it was the inherent pressure of the Rinnegan. He hadn't felt it with Nagato, but with Madara, it felt like a sharp blade at his back. He didn't know if Madara had any way to deal with him, given how long the old man had lived. Now, Madara wouldn't attack him without reason; their relationship was still delicate. If he gave Madara an excuse, wouldn't he be inviting trouble and burning himself? Didn't even someone as arrogant as Itachi have to flee like a whipped dog when faced with Madara? Even the self-important lunatic Nagato was utterly crushed when he met Madara. Obito didn't think he had more confidence than Itachi or Nagato. Currently, he, Itachi, and Nagato were roughly in the same league. Although he believed his strength surpassed Itachi and Nagato's, he still felt he was a bit short of Madara's level. 

"Madara! You've finally decided to show yourself! If you hadn't, I would have thought you were dead!" 

After Obito left, Madara stood in the forest. The pouring rain couldn't touch him as he remained there, in the woods. A moment later, a gust of wind approached. That familiar presence and voice made the corners of his mouth lift slightly. His stern face softened a little. 

"As long as you're not dead, how could I be?" 

Although his face had softened, Madara's tone remained cold as he turned around, like he was speaking to a stranger. Only he knew the thoughts and changes within his heart. Soon, their figures walked side by side, choosing a random direction and moving forward. Strolling in the rain, truly elegant. 

"What have you been up to lately?" 

"Fishing." 

"..." 

"And you?" 

"Uh..." 

"How's Izuna?" 

Hashirama struggled to keep the conversation going; it had been a long time since he had a proper chat. Especially since his brother was stoic and not very talkative. His talent for conversation was long gone. Compared to Hashirama, Madara's brother was a bit more lively, but he was old now too, not as energetic. 

"He's fine... He's already feeling a bottleneck." 

When Hashirama mentioned Izuna, a faint smile appeared on Madara's face. 

"Izuna's talent is really impressive..." Hashirama murmured, his voice tinged with envy. His own brother was old now, couldn't fight anymore. If something happened to him, he'd cry too late. 

"How's Tobirama? Is he still healthy? If he kicks the bucket, I'll bring Izuna to his funeral..." Madara said subconsciously, accidentally blurting out what he was thinking. 

"Take this, you brute!" 

"You're old... take a hit from me..." 

"What the! You hit me in the face!" 

Chapter 199: Contradictions 

In the Land of Waves, Zabuza was pinned to the ground by Sasuke and Naruto. 

"Had enough?" Naruto asked, his knee pressed into Zabuza's back, as he looked at Zabuza on the ground, while Sasuke worked hard beside him. Even though he had the urge to kill Zabuza, seeing Sasuke subdue him made him hold back. After all, what happened today would likely reach Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears, and he needed to think things through carefully. It wouldn't do to be too bloody. His strength was enough for him to do well in the ninja world, but he felt a bit lost. It's a big world, but where was home? And without Sasuke outside, he was hesitant... 

--- 

He thought for a moment, then decided not to think about it anymore. He hated making decisions. He'd just let things happen naturally. For now, getting stronger was the most important thing. Not only had Sasuke suddenly gotten way stronger, but Naruto also felt a surge of energy deep within his body that had been feeling sluggish, now becoming powerful again, constantly strengthening his body and improving his condition. After observing for so long, he noticed that his chakra had undergone a huge change. Compared to his old chakra, there was something unexplainable added to it. And his already strong body's recovery ability had grown even more powerful. He used to not understand anything, but as he grew up and got stronger, he slowly started to get it. He felt that his bloodline must be extraordinary. Maybe the next time he saw his 'white-haired big brother', he could ask him. See if he knew what was happening inside him. Otherwise, there wouldn't be anyone who could clear things up for him. After all, telling others such a secret was impossible; he couldn't trust anyone else. 

--- 

"Lord Itachi, you've returned..." Not long after Itachi returned, Danzo sneaked into his small courtyard to report. His life was in Itachi's hands, and he was scared. He didn't want to die. It's better to live a pathetic life than to die a good one. But Itachi was quite cruel. Kotoamatsukami didn't change Danzo's original memories or will; it just added a supreme command to Danzo's mind. With his old memories and ambitions, he couldn't do anything. He couldn't even think about resisting Itachi. Itachi controlled his life. Whatever Itachi said, even if it was to commit suicide, he could only end his own life in immense fear, without dirtying Itachi's hands. 

--- 

"How long have I been gone this time?" Itachi looked at Danzo, his expression unruffled. He was becoming more and more calm now. After all, even Madara had shown up; little Danzo was insignificant. But there was one thing he couldn't figure out: if Madara wasn't dead, then would Hashirama still be alive too? Would Hashirama really just stand by and watch his clan be messed with so badly by his brother's student? Itachi also noticed that the ninja world hadn't changed much, only that history had slightly shifted, and people who should have died hadn't. 

--- 

"Lord, you've been gone for about two years this time... The village hasn't changed much. Your younger brother left the village on a mission a few days ago..." Danzo knew what Itachi wanted to know, so he spoke without hesitation. 

"He left the village? When did he graduate? Doesn't Konoha have a Chunin Exam?" Hearing Danzo, Itachi remembered he hadn't found any destruction in Konoha when he returned, so the Chunin Exam probably hadn't happened yet. He asked casually. 

"I didn't think Lord knew even that news. Last night, Hiruzen was still holding a meeting and plans to make it a big event, inviting people from other villages to participate in the Chunin Exams." Hearing Itachi, Danzo didn't think much of it, just explaining the situation in detail. 

--- 

"Oh, you can go now. I'm going to rest." Itachi nodded, waving his hand. He was a bit tired. It had been a long time since he'd slept in a proper bed, always sleeping on some tree stub. It was really annoying. Feeling a bit exhausted, he immediately put Madara out of his mind. Too lazy to think about it, and he couldn't beat him anyway. No need to stress himself out. That was Itachi's true thought. At the same time, he planned to meet Sasuke when he returned. It was time to speed up Sasuke's training. Time was running out, and he didn't feel confident facing Madara alone. After all, Madara was already at Six Paths level, plus the Rinnegan. Actually, thinking about Madara's strange personality, as long as his brother wasn't dead, things should be fine. He wasn't completely crazy. 

--- 

If they had gone dark, they would have already made their move. Why would they drag it out like this? Which of them hadn't crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood? 

"I give up, I give up! I surrender! I'm not getting involved in this mission!" Zabuza originally wanted to be tough, but he felt the ominous gaze on his back. He thought about it and decided not to push his luck. After all, these young hotheads, like cubs who don't fear tigers, were full of passion. He had just tried to kill their sensei, after all. Zabuza pondered how to get away. 

--- 

"Then go. Don't come back." The torture, beatings, and death he imagined didn't happen. All he heard was Sasuke's calm voice. 

"Sasuke... but Sensei, he..." Hearing Sasuke, Naruto didn't change much, and the pressure he was applying eased up a bit. For now, he'd let him go. He could always take care of him later when there weren't any bystanders. Sakura, on the other hand, looked incredulous, unable to believe that Sasuke wasn't going to avenge their sensei and was just letting the guy leave. When Sakura spoke, Sasuke's brow furrowed. He had planned to let Zabuza go first, then follow him to see if Zabuza had a hideout, planning to take them all out in one go. But with Sakura's remark, he felt put on the spot. Even with Sasuke's generally good temper, he was extremely annoyed at the moment. Sakura hadn't been very useful during the fight, but now she was talking too much. 

--- 

"Then you kill him and avenge Sensei..." Sasuke took out a kunai and threw it to Sakura. As the Hokage's grandson, he figured he might as well try to cultivate this ninja with poor talent. And ninjas would inevitably face killing, so he was also trying to train Sakura a bit. And to annoy Sakura at the same time, for talking out of turn and ruining his plans. 

--- 

"This..." Hearing Sasuke, Sakura felt a little wronged and stammered. She had never killed anyone before. When she saw Naruto and Sasuke kill the ambushing ninjas earlier, she felt sick to her stomach. Now, being told to kill someone, she couldn't bring herself to do it. 

"You said you wanted to avenge Sensei, didn't you? It's clear you have deep feelings for him, so I'll grant you that." Sasuke held Zabuza down, preventing the struggling ninja from moving. Looking at the fear in Sakura's eyes, Sasuke gradually lost his patience. 

"I..." 

"If you're too scared to kill, then when we get back to the village, you should just quit. If you can't even kill, what kind of ninja are you? Do you just want to coast by? Naruto and I won't always protect a trophy." Sasuke spoke calmly, his previously angry heart now settled. He looked at Sakura as if she were a stranger. Why should he feel any emotion for a stranger? 

Chapter 200: Sakura's Thoughts 

Sakura was stunned by Sasuke's words. Especially his cold, icy expression sent a chill down her spine, leaving her at a loss. She was only twelve, a normal and ordinary girl. So... 

"Sasuke, I'll listen to you. Let's release him, so we don't bring trouble upon the village..." Sasuke's words made Sakura instinctively try to avoid the situation. 

"I've changed my mind. I'll let you avenge our sensei yourself. Kill him." 

Hearing Sakura's words, Sasuke's expression remained undisturbed as he spoke calmly. He didn't even want to utter threats anymore. He was ready to go back and have a serious talk with Hiruzen Sarutobi about sending a useful teammate. 

"I..." 

"Sasuke, you can't do this to me! And the team assignments are Lord Hokage's decision; everyone in Konoha knows it! Even if you're the Hokage's grandson, you can't change that!" 

Driven to panic by Sasuke's pressure, Sakura blurted out her true thoughts. As soon as she said it, she regretted it. She was truly asking for trouble; she shouldn't have opened her mouth. Now, the person she liked seemed to be disgusted by her. What should she do? Sakura was incredibly embarrassed and flustered. If Sasuke were in danger, she would undoubtedly attack the enemy without hesitation. But now, she couldn't break through the psychological barrier within her. Especially killing someone in front of Sasuke, if she performed poorly... 

"Heh..." 

Seeing Sakura's timidity, Sasuke chuckled. He felt that people like Sakura were simply a waste of academy resources. 

"I've changed my mind; I won't be letting you go anymore..." 

Sasuke no longer looked at Sakura but spoke to Zabuza, who was pinned to the ground. 

"I'm serious, I'm quitting! I'm not participating in this mission anymore..." 

When Zabuza heard Sakura's initial words, he thought there was a chance, and felt a wave of relief. He mused that he was indeed mighty, so terrifying that this so-called ninja didn't dare to kill him and wanted to release him. However, that girl was truly annoying; if it weren't for her, he would have escaped by now. 

Why did she have to open her mouth? But at least now she's speaking up for me again... Zabuza, who had thought Sasuke would change his mind, instantly panicked when he heard Sasuke's words. He didn't want to die. 

"Too late..." 

Sasuke took out another kunai. He had always intended to kill Zabuza, it was just a matter of sooner or later. Now that Sakura's words had been spoken, he naturally couldn't release the injured Zabuza for fishing. Otherwise, wouldn't people think he was heartless and uncaring, not even avenging his sensei and letting his killer go? Sasuke, unable to back down, watched as the kunai in his hand rapidly grew larger in Zabuza's peripheral vision. 

Zabuza struggled frantically, but his arms and legs were held as if by iron clamps. These two people were too strong. He couldn't move at all, let alone grab the Kubikiribōchō nearby and counterattack. 

As the kunai drew near, just as Zabuza was preparing for death, a gust of wind appeared. Three senbon materialized, followed by a masked person who appeared not far away. The pinned Zabuza was pierced in the neck by the senbon, and his breath ceased. 

"Thank you, everyone. I am from Lord Mizukage's special forces, specifically hunting down rogue ninja. If it weren't for you, I don't know when I would have completed my mission." A clear, neutral voice emerged from beneath the mask. The tone carried a hint of gratitude, easing the trouble in Sasuke's mind. 

"Rogue ninja deserve to be eliminated; it's our duty, especially since he provoked us first." 

Sasuke stood up, replying calmly. He tried to maintain the composure and dignity of a great nation like the Land of Fire. He was also somewhat surprised; this person's strength was impressive, and they didn't seem very old. Their age was almost catching up to his and Naruto's strength. Sasuke pondered, but his expression remained unchanged. 

"Thank you..." 

Haku remained unfazed by Sasuke's words. He Shunshined to Zabuza's side, hoisted Zabuza's body, picked up the Kubikiribōchō by Zabuza's side, murmured a soft thank you, and then walked away into the distance. 

"You're welcome..." 

Sasuke watched Haku's retreating back thoughtfully. Only after Haku's figure had disappeared did he stop his somewhat idle thoughts and add the phrase, though the other party likely couldn't hear him. 

"Sakura, go retrieve our sensei's body. We're going back." 

With Haku's figure gone, Sasuke didn't even glance at Sakura. After looking at their mission's protected target, he spoke calmly. 

"Ninja-san... I'm deeply saddened by the death of a ninja from your village, but... didn't you promise me you'd stay and protect us until the bridge was finished?" 

The old man, slightly drunk, had a hint of sadness on his face, but for the sake of the Land of Waves, he bit the bullet and spoke. When they first encountered the attacking ninja, the leading Jonin naturally noticed something amiss. He immediately interrogated the old man. The old man stammered out the truth, and then used emotional blackmail. At that time, Sasuke and Naruto were very curious and fascinated by the outside world, so they persuaded a frightened Sakura and the Jonin, who didn't want trouble, to continue the mission. 

But now, with one of their people dead, this old man still dared to say such a thing. He thought Naruto was easy to talk to and spoke to him, adopting a humble demeanor. It must be said that at his age, this expression, plus his mention of his daughter and cute grandson, had touched Sakura's heart back then. She instinctively wanted to plead with Sasuke. They had all seen Sasuke's strength; he was very powerful and perfectly capable of protecting everyone. Since he was so powerful, protecting the weak should be his duty, right? Sakura thought to herself, but didn't voice it immediately. She was being a bit more cunning. She remembered that Naruto used to like her a lot. Now, seeing that pursuing her was hopeless, he was feigning indifference to get her attention. If she just used a little trick, Naruto would instantly become her "lickspittle" and help her, wouldn't he? Especially since Naruto's strength was good now, and most importantly, his relationship with Sasuke was excellent. If Naruto spoke up, even if Sasuke was unwilling, he would have no choice but to become her subservient admirer. 

Sakura felt a surge of admiration for herself, thinking about her complete plan; it was truly brilliant. She realized that when she was serious, dealing with a dense straight man like Sasuke and a "lickspittle" like Naruto would be a piece of cake. Her mother was right; when dealing with men, it was indeed better not to be too sincere; one should use some tactics. Sakura could almost see the day she married Sasuke. And she decided that after this, she would definitely ask her mother for advice on how to handle men. 

"Still dawdling!" 

Just as Sakura was lost in her beautiful dreams and Naruto remained indifferent, Sasuke raised his voice a few notches, startling Sakura from her daydream. As the Hokage's grandson, everything he did naturally revolved around Konoha. This time, for a supposed C-rank mission, a Jonin had died. This Jonin was someone Konoha had spent untold resources cultivating. The loss was heavy. And the root of it all was this old man's false report. Moreover, when he confessed, the old man hadn't told the whole truth, leading to the Jonin underestimating the enemy and being easily taken down. How could Sasuke possibly feel compassion again? In this ruthless ninja world, the first to die were those with wavering resolve! Sasuke had always been a man of iron will; he only maintained kindness in front of those close to him. After all, with his parents dead and his older brother a defector... his remaining bonds in this world were few.