141-145

Chapter 141: Orochimaru   

“This is fine. The place we're going to this time should indeed be interesting.”   

Itachi smiled slightly as he responded to Orochimaru. This time, he planned to unseal Minato's Flying Thunder God sealing technique for a closer look.   

He didn't intend to wait until Naruto grew up.   

While it would be meaningful for Naruto to see his father and fight alongside him, the fact that Minato ultimately sealed his memories made it less than perfect.   

And with Itachi's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan nearing evolution, fulfilling the dreams of diehard fans of the Hokage era would be a piece of cake.   

Of course, that was a matter for later. For now, their positions didn’t conflict—they weren’t enemies. But the future was uncertain...   

--- 

“Let’s hope so,” Orochimaru replied, giving Itachi a deep look.   

Compared to the mystical Dragon Vein, Orochimaru found Itachi much more intriguing.   

After all, Itachi seemed to know too much…   

Kakashi, meanwhile, silently followed behind the two, resembling a white-haired bodyguard.   

He still held great respect for Orochimaru.   

The impression Orochimaru left on him last time was not a small one.   

Hearing Orochimaru’s slightly emotional words, Itachi remained silent, offering only a faint smile.   

Some things are best left for Orochimaru to witness and experience firsthand.   

Hopefully, when that time comes, Orochimaru won’t end up blurting out something like, “What the hell?!”   

--- 

What had been a duo became a trio with Orochimaru’s arrival, creating a subtle shift in the atmosphere.   

Over time, Kakashi had grown a bit talkative.   

But with Orochimaru joining them, Kakashi reverted to his quiet, reserved self, almost as if he were shy. This sudden change left Itachi feeling slightly exasperated.   

--- 

“By the way, I’ve prepared the Shikotsumyaku you wanted.”   

After the trio had walked in silence for about an hour, Orochimaru, noticing the quiet atmosphere, brought up a topic.   

“Really?”   

Kakashi’s expression shifted to one of confusion before his eyes lit up with excitement.   

He understood exactly what those few words from Orochimaru meant.   

After all, he was one of the beneficiaries of similar experiments.   

Ever since mastering Wood Release, he had experienced firsthand the immense power of the God of Shinobi.   

--- 

Seeing Itachi’s surprise and excitement, Orochimaru smiled faintly.   

“Anglers may not always like eating fish, but they do enjoy fishing.”   

Orochimaru’s approach to scientific research was similar.   

His research results were his pride, but if no one could use them, they were just meaningless data.   

Being able to see his work bear fruit was a pleasure.   

And knowing that his friend Itachi had become stronger through his efforts filled Orochimaru with genuine satisfaction.   

--- 

“How about we stop traveling for today, and I’ll inject the serum now?”   

Understanding Itachi’s eagerness, Orochimaru suggested.   

After all, the last time he gave Itachi an experimental serum, Itachi had used it overnight—and nearly lost his life in the process. Orochimaru still found that memory amusing.   

At Orochimaru’s suggestion, Itachi froze in place, unable to take another step.   

Kakashi, meanwhile, silently observed Itachi, waiting for his decision.   

--- 

“Alright, but is this process troublesome? Are there any potential side effects? We still have other things to do later,” Itachi asked after thinking for a moment.   

If it were possible, he’d prefer to inject the serum immediately.   

But if it required too much time, it would delay their plans.   

“The chances of complications are slim. Even if something happens, it’ll resolve in a few days. Besides, the Hashirama cells in your body are far more dominant than Shikotsumyaku.”   

“This will only give you the base-level ability of Shikotsumyaku. How strong it becomes later depends on how well you nurture it, letting it grow roots, sprout, and eventually bear fruit…”   

Orochimaru’s soft explanation was laced with temptation.   

--- 

“Will my current constitution make me susceptible to Kekkei Genkai disease?”   

---  

After hearing Orochimaru’s words, Itachi asked once more.   

He had already made up his mind to inject the serum right away. However, since he was about to proceed, he figured he should understand more about it first.   

After all, the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) is an extraordinary Kekkei Genkai, and Itachi held a deep sense of reverence for it.   

Of course, the main issue was that Orochimaru had likely derived this serum from Kimimaro’s body, which made Itachi feel a bit uneasy…   

When Kakashi heard Itachi’s question, he began forming hand seals. His vitality and chakra surged significantly.   

In mere moments, the area within a few meters transformed into an oasis in the middle of a desert.   

The power of Wood Release was truly overwhelming.   

…   

“It won’t. The disease from the Shikotsumyaku bloodline will no longer pose any threat to you…”   

Orochimaru’s eyes showed slight surprise and amazement as he observed Kakashi’s use of Wood Release. He was surprised by his own achievement and astonished that Kakashi had genuinely acquired such power. Admittedly, this power was far more refined and pleasing to the eye compared to the Wood Release of a previous experimental subject…   

“Alright then…”   

Itachi stepped into the spacious three-bedroom wooden structure Kakashi had created with Wood Release and sat down on a wooden bed.   

He sighed softly.   

Seeing this, Orochimaru took out a small syringe and pressed it lightly. A tiny stream of green liquid sprayed from the sharp needle. Orochimaru quickly stopped and looked eager to proceed.   

Compared to the nonchalant Orochimaru, Kakashi, who stood behind him, had his eyes wide open, practically bulging like saucers. He stared at Itachi with barely concealed anticipation.   

It was as if he wanted to see Itachi embarrassed…   

After all, such a sight was incredibly rare.   

If he had a camera, Kakashi would have wanted to capture this moment.   

Of course, that was only a fleeting thought. If he actually attempted it, he feared Itachi might kill him…   

…   

As Orochimaru approached with a grin, Itachi’s face darkened.   

Another injection…   

It was somewhat depressing.   

How many injections had he endured by now?   

He, Uchiha Itachi, truly had a strong aversion to needles…   

“Just inject it into my arm,” Itachi said.   

Seeing no movement from Itachi, Orochimaru softly reminded him, abandoning his tempting idea of injecting somewhere else…   

Itachi was usually so aloof, so composed—like a bottomless abyss.   

At that moment, Orochimaru couldn’t help but entertain the mischievous idea of pulling Itachi down from his pedestal…   

After all, they were friends. It wasn’t good for Itachi to be so cold and distant.   

Wouldn’t it be better if he were approachable, warm, and vibrant?   

Joking around together would make them feel more like true friends, genuine companions…   

…   

Orochimaru’s whimsical thoughts came to an end as Itachi revealed his pale arm.   

Some things are best left to fate; forcing them might damage their camaraderie.   

After all, if things went poorly, it could affect their revolutionary friendship, and that wouldn’t do…   

---   

Chapter 142: The Trouble Stirrer Appears  

As the potion entered his body, Itachi felt a wave of fatigue wash over him and quickly drifted into a deep sleep.  

“How have you been doing in Konoha?”  

Orochimaru glanced at the now-sleeping Itachi, his curiosity piqued, and directed the question at Kakashi.  

“Uh…”  

Hearing Orochimaru’s question, Kakashi hesitated, finding it difficult to sum up in words.  

Countless memories flashed through his mind—scenes from the past six months. Among them, the image of a certain maid’s striking beauty stood out vividly. Other memories were either of him lying here or there, engrossed in "Icha Icha Violence," or struggling with the monotonous process of learning Wood Release techniques.  

“Heh.”  

Seeing Kakashi’s slightly embarrassed demeanor, Orochimaru chuckled faintly and refrained from probing further.  

“How long do you think it’ll take for Itachi to wake up, Lord Orochimaru?”  

The atmosphere was somewhat quiet, with only the crackling of the campfire breaking the silence. After a moment of contemplation, Kakashi spoke, inquiring about Itachi’s condition.  

At some point, Itachi had become his anchor. Without Itachi’s guidance, Kakashi felt adrift, unsure of what to do next.  

“It depends. From what he mentioned, the fusion with Hashirama cells hasn’t gone too well. That’s why I thought using this extraordinary Shikotsumyaku might accelerate the absorption process.”  

Orochimaru responded plainly, not bothering to conceal anything.  

“Have you figured it out?”  

In the Land of Rain.  

Inside a somewhat ancient manor, Obito’s terrifying visage was exposed, his mask absent.  

Standing across from him was Zetsu from the Akatsuki organization.  

“Yes, I have. Itachi has been keeping a low profile recently because he altered his appearance. He’s now traveling with that Kakashi. They left Konoha yesterday and seem to be heading toward the Land of Wind.”  

In response to Obito’s inquiry, Zetsu replied in a calm tone.  

Half a year ago, Obito had ordered Zetsu to start gathering intel on Itachi.  

But Itachi had seemingly vanished into thin air.  

It wasn’t until Orochimaru made his move that Zetsu was able to detect some subtle clues.  

Unlike Obito’s wariness, Zetsu understood that standard approaches wouldn’t work. Itachi’s Totsuka Blade was too formidable, leaving no room for error.  

Thus, gathering intelligence on Itachi was part of a calculated effort to neutralize this extraordinary young man.  

After all, strength is only one aspect; strategy requires wit and cunning.  

Even Uchiha Madara, powerful as he was during the Warring States Period, had been manipulated by Zetsu.  

That’s the essence of wisdom…  

“The Land of Wind? What are they doing there?”  

After hearing Zetsu’s report, Obito muttered, stroking his chin as he pondered the connections.  

“Recently, Orochimaru has been searching for something called Roran. There’s a mystical object there known as the Dragon Vein, which is said to contain infinite chakra energy.”  

Hearing Tobi’s murmurs, Zetsu casually replied, “Gathering intelligence is child’s play for me. It's as easy as lifting a finger.” 

“The Dragon Vein… limitless chakra…” 

Tobi fell silent after hearing Zetsu’s words. He had never heard of such a thing before.  

After all, back then, Minato wasn’t the Hokage yet, Kakashi hadn’t been promoted to Jonin, and everyone was still working hard to prove themselves. As for Tobi, he was just the dead last at the ninja academy. How could he possibly have come across such information? 

“It’s probably just exaggerated nonsense. If it were really that powerful, how could it have remained undiscovered for so long? While the Flying Thunder God sealing technique is a bit troublesome, it’s not unsolvable.” 

Zetsu’s voice carried a trace of disdain as he dismissed Tobi’s concern.  

After living for thousands of years, Zetsu thought, if this Dragon Vein thing were really as formidable as claimed, he would have sought it out long ago. After all, even someone like him needed power. Who wouldn’t want to step out of the shadows if they had the strength to do so? 

“Exaggerated or not, I don’t know. But if Uchiha Itachi is involved, then this is no simple matter,” Tobi replied calmly, cutting through Zetsu’s dismissive attitude. “His strength is growing way too fast. We can’t afford to wait any longer. If we do, our chances of success might drop to zero…” 

Tobi’s calm tone barely concealed his dissatisfaction with Zetsu’s nonchalant attitude. He thought, If you’re this careless, you won’t even know how you died. 

Tobi understood Uchiha Itachi far better than this half-man, half-monster ever could. After all, he had managed to personally gouge out Itachi’s eyes—a feat few could claim.  

Even Pain, wielding the powers of the Six Paths, could only retreat in defeat when facing Itachi. 

“Compared to Itachi, the others are nothing…” 

“They should be arriving soon. Are we going to intercept them?” Zetsu asked seriously, though his disdain for Tobi’s rudeness lingered. After all, Tobi was nothing more than a pawn, one he manipulated with ease. 

“Let’s inform Nagato about this intelligence and see what he decides,” Tobi said after a moment of thought, recalling Itachi’s extraordinary skills and feeling a hint of unease.  

He decided it would be safer to involve someone else. After all, if Itachi obtained the so-called infinite chakra of the Dragon Vein, how could anyone stop him? Tobi’s real goal wasn’t to obtain the Dragon Vein but to destroy it—to ensure Itachi could never wield that power.  

Deep down, Tobi was already reluctant to face Itachi directly. Subconsciously, he preferred to scheme from the shadows instead of engaging in a direct confrontation. 

“How should I approach Nagato about this? Maybe we should consider reviving Madara Uchiha instead,” Zetsu suggested cautiously. “That way, we could deal with this troublesome brat early on. Calling Nagato is risky—if something goes wrong and we lose the Rinnegan, our entire plan will fall apart…” 

Zetsu voiced his concern, his mind flashing with the image of Nagato being defeated by the Ten Fists Sword. If that happened, there would be no recovering from it. The ominous thought grew stronger in his mind. 

“You think reviving Madara is that simple? The Tailed Beasts haven’t even been collected yet! How are we supposed to convince him to listen to us? We don’t have any jutsu to control him. Why would he sacrifice himself just to revive Madara? He’s not an idiot,” Tobi snapped in frustration.  

Still, the fact that Zetsu referred to Madara as “Uchiha Madara” instead of “Lord Madara” gave Tobi a small sense of satisfaction. 

“What about Konan…” Zetsu gestured with a hand mimicking a knife across his throat, signaling his intent.  

“Konan might be important to Nagato, but he’s already lost one close companion, hasn’t he? And it’s not like he tried to revive them. Besides, if you kill Konan, the only one Nagato will revive is her, not Madara. What does that solve? If we handle this recklessly, we’ll lose Nagato before we even start collecting the Tailed Beasts, turning him into an enemy instead of an ally.” 

Tobi dismissed Zetsu’s suggestion with irritation, shutting down the idea immediately.  

Chapter 143: Black Zetsu's New Idea  

"Are you stupid? Even if you want to kill Konan, it has to look like an accident. How could you possibly do it yourself?"  

Zetsu rolled his eyes at Obito's comment, retorting with irritation.  

What kind of intelligence does it take to say something like that?  

"I don’t think this will work. Haven’t you been looking for a jutsu to control others’ wills? Did you find it? If you did, why not directly control Nagato’s will and make him use the Rinne Rebirth? Wouldn’t that save us a lot of trouble?"  

Obito was irritated by Zetsu’s words, but remembering that Zetsu wasn’t entirely human, he chose not to care too much.  

"That kind of jutsu isn’t so easy to find. But while investigating Orochimaru, I did come across an interesting technique. It might be worth a try…"  

Zetsu, hearing this, gave a sheepish grin and shifted the topic. That particular jutsu...  

"Oh? What jutsu? Could there even be anything worthwhile from Orochimaru?"  

Curious, Obito let Zetsu off the hook and asked.  

"Edo Tensei. It can summon the dead back to life using impure earth. It’s a form of resurrection jutsu, but the revived individuals’ physical abilities are subpar, and their power is only about one-tenth of their prime. It was originally a semi-forbidden technique created by Tobirama Senju, later perfected by Orochimaru."  

Zetsu, realizing Obito had taken the bait, became serious and recounted the intelligence he had gathered, explaining it word for word.  

"This technique... Ha, it’s hardly worth using."  

When Obito heard about resurrection, a momentary jolt ran through him as he recalled a small, radiant figure bathed in golden light, pure and sacred. However, after hearing the limitations of the technique, he scoffed in disdain.  

At the same time, Obito felt a sense of urgency. Zetsu’s frequent mention of resurrecting Madara made him uneasy.  

With the Rinnegan in hand, he believed he could create a new world himself. What use did he have for Madara Uchiha? It was an unnecessary burden.  

This was something he needed to control personally.  

The realization struck him deeply—Zetsu was still loyal to Madara. Among the many White Zetsus, perhaps only Guruguru was truly reliable.  

Zetsu, on the other hand, found Obito incompetent. Compared to Madara, who was decisive and efficient, Obito seemed like a pretentious brat squandering a brilliant strategy.  

Both harbored their own thoughts, and an undercurrent of tension filled the room.  

They were like ancient schemers playing a game of intrigue.  

"Even if Nagato acts, there’s no guarantee he could defeat that Uchiha brat, Itachi. Is what we’re doing even meaningful? For now, shouldn’t we focus on working together? After all, we are comrades. If Nagato falls, won’t we lose a significant asset?"  

The room fell silent again.  

Zetsu disliked the atmosphere and broke the silence with his question.  

"If Nagato fails, I’ll take back the eyes myself. That power is better under my control anyway. Leaving it with him is just a waste of potential."  

Obito responded dismissively.  

Having used Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan for so long without mastering its power left him frustrated. His current goal was to end things with Kakashi, reclaim his eye, and gain complete strength.  

Alternatively, he could seize Nagato’s eyes and acquire the Rinnegan.  

It was a choice between two paths.  

Given his animosity with Itachi, and Kakashi standing on Itachi’s side, there was no room for compromise.  

As he thought of Itachi’s power, Obito’s heart burned with ambition.  

This world felt like a hellish crucible, tormenting him daily. If not for his dream of creating a world where Rin existed, he might have broken long ago.  

This was destined to be a tedious, joyless journey. But in the process, the pursuit of power provided a rare solace.  

"Then I wish you success…"  

Zetsu gave Obito a long, deep look, feeling heavy-hearted.  

The unexpected appearance of Itachi had already thrown things off balance, and now his partner was behaving like this. It left Zetsu deeply unsettled.  

At the same time, he began contemplating alternative strategies.  

Obito was unreliable—should he abandon him and switch to Nagato?  

But Nagato wasn’t exactly reliable either, with his obsession with making others feel pain. Communication with him was nearly impossible.  

This left Zetsu with a headache. Why was he always stuck dealing with such unreliable people?  

Eventually, a thought struck Zetsu—a promising idea.  

Itachi Uchiha and Obito were enemies. If Obito proved to be a dead end, why not try reaching out to Itachi?  

There might even be unexpected benefits.  

After all, he had no direct conflict with Itachi.  

Turning a formidable enemy into an ally would be a masterstroke.  

With Itachi as a partner, Nagato and Obito could both be sidelined.  

For a moment, Zetsu felt the potential of this plan.  

Once Itachi’s strength hit a bottleneck, his hunger for greater power would make him vulnerable to manipulation.  

Given Itachi’s pride, there was no way he would settle for mediocrity.  

As Zetsu analyzed the probabilities from every angle, the more he thought about it, the more viable it seemed.  

The plan felt more feasible with each consideration.  

However, he had never forgotten that if his mother were to be resurrected, it would require extracting chakra from the entire ninja world to restore her to full power. Even if he and Itachi were to join forces, their cooperation would only be temporary. 

Still, this was something he could discuss with his mother when the time came. Perhaps Itachi could even become a protector of the path. 

After all, the Ōtsutsuki clan could descend upon the ninja world at any moment. 

And if Itachi's talent were to be enhanced by a chakra fruit, he might even surpass the limits of the Ōtsutsuki clan. Who knows... 

At that point, his mother wouldn’t have to face the formidable enemies from their home planet alone. 

Thinking about this, Zetsu’s thoughts began to shift. 

In the past, his ultimate goal had been solely to resurrect his mother. 

But now, he was already planning what to do after her resurrection. 

It had to be said, compared to his two brothers... 

He really wasn’t bad. 

He was truly a good son... 

Obito watched as Zetsu walked out of his room, deep in thought. Sensing that something was off, Obito didn’t say a word. He merely clenched his fists tightly, his mood far from pleasant. 

“How is your Wood Style training coming along now?”  

Itachi lay on a wooden bed created by Wood Style. Orochimaru quietly tended to a campfire, while Kakashi sat nearby, engrossed in a copy of Icha Icha Paradise. 

“It’s okay, I guess. I can’t perform the more advanced Wood Style techniques—it always feels like something is missing,” Kakashi replied, putting down his book, a hint of frustration in his voice. 

He recalled the strange sensation he’d experienced while learning Wood Style. 

“How could that be? Your Wood Style has already integrated quite well. You might not be able to reach Hashirama’s peak, but at the very least, you should be capable of replicating seventy to eighty percent of his power. Why is this happening?”  

Orochimaru pondered Kakashi’s abilities, factoring in the influence of Hashirama’s cells, and estimated Kakashi’s potential strength. 

The issue Kakashi was encountering puzzled even Orochimaru.  

Chapter 145: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey   

“Alright, I get it. You can leave now.”   

Pain waved his hand impatiently at Zetsu, signaling him to go.   

Zetsu wasn’t exactly someone Pain liked. He was always tangled up with Madara, and frankly, Pain found it tiresome.   

If it weren’t for the fact that the plan was still in its preparatory phase, Pain might have already cut ties with him. Day after day, it was the same thing.   

…   

After Zetsu left, Pain stood in silence, gazing out the window. A memory surfaced in his mind.   

In the memory, a young boy lay weakly on a bed, surrounded by various machines keeping him alive.   

Later, Pain had his first bitter setback and almost failed to protect Yahiko's body.   

Now, news of that same boy had resurfaced, bringing him nothing but headaches.   

If Zetsu was the one to deliver this information, it meant Madara was out of options too and was pulling Pain into the fray.   

Frustrated, he felt as though the universe was conspiring against him.   

“Can’t I get a moment’s peace without someone stirring up trouble?”   

Was this really the moment to gamble everything because of Itachi?   

The thought of Itachi, someone who used to be an ally but had now become an enemy, filled Pain with an unshakable sense of gloom.   

…   

“Awake? How are you feeling?”   

By noon the next day, Itachi slowly woke up. As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by Orochimaru and Kakashi staring at him with eager curiosity.   

For a moment, Itachi’s head buzzed with confusion.   

“I’m fine. Feels like I just had a nap and a pleasant dream,” he said softly after regaining his bearings.   

He checked his body and found no abnormalities.   

It seemed like the integration of the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) was proceeding without any noticeable side effects.   

Just as he thought this, a faint itching sensation coursed through his bones, as if they were undergoing some kind of chemical reaction.   

Itachi’s expression grew strange as he realized what this meant. His thoughts stopped momentarily. From now on, he could control bones... and it was undeniably cool.   

As the Shikotsumyaku fused further, Itachi could feel his body growing even stronger. It was a power that felt deeply rooted and incredibly satisfying.   

…   

“Itachi, weren’t you working on acquiring that new jutsu? Why don’t you test it out and see how it feels?”   

Orochimaru’s tone was light and amused, his curiosity palpable. After all, with his plans in mind, the Shikotsumyaku’s potential in Itachi’s hands was fascinating.   

Itachi would make an excellent test subject.   

Kakashi, however, merely watched silently, withholding any comment.   

…   

“We’ll see about that later. There are more pressing matters. For some reason, I have this strange sense of foreboding, like something significant is about to happen,” Itachi said calmly, brushing off their interest.   

He wasn’t making it up to dodge their questions. It was an unsettling intuition he couldn’t ignore, a sense of impending change that gnawed at him.   

The Dragon Vein should have been long forgotten. Why did this feeling persist?   

His thoughts scattered, unable to pinpoint the source of his unease.   

Kakashi’s expression remained neutral. From his perspective, with the power he currently held, even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, wasn’t much of a challenge. The position of Hokage might be prestigious, but outside of Itachi and the peculiar Orochimaru, no one else in the ninja world could pose a real threat.   

Orochimaru, on the other hand, seemed to ponder Itachi’s words deeply. In his experience, strong individuals often had sharp instincts, and Itachi’s premonition likely carried weight.   

But with Itachi’s current strength, who or what could possibly threaten him?   

The idea seemed illogical and defied reason.   

…   

“If that’s how you feel, then we should get moving,” Orochimaru said casually after a moment of thought.   

With Kakashi remaining as indifferent as ever, Orochimaru decided to see for himself what this “strange feeling” was all about.   

“Alright.”   

Itachi nodded in agreement.   

…   

“Naruto, meet me at the usual spot after class.”   

In Konoha, at the Ninja Academy.   

Sasuke sat in his seat, bored out of his mind, watching the nameless teacher animatedly lecture at the front of the class. Without turning his head, he murmured to Naruto, who was staring out the window.   

“No thanks. Sounds boring,” Naruto replied flatly.   

Ever since Sasuke caught him practicing the Rasengan in the woods, he’d been pestering Naruto for sparring matches. Naruto had reluctantly agreed after Sasuke promised to keep his skills a secret.   

But honestly, sparring with Sasuke was starting to wear him out. 

Time quickly passed, and it was soon time for school to let out. The two walked side by side toward the training field that connected to the forest.   

"Why is Sasuke always hanging out with that dead-last Naruto?"   

Behind them, a young student spoke mockingly, his tone irritating and provocative.   

A closer look revealed that the boy's robe bore a mysterious emblem embroidered on the back. He seemed to be from a lesser-known family, one with some degree of influence, though not particularly prominent.   

To him, Sasuke, a genius blessed with noble blood, had no business spending time with a "lackey" like Naruto. It made those who were inferior to Sasuke feel even more inadequate.   

As the boy was mulling over how to make Sasuke recognize his noble heritage and avoid mingling with someone like Naruto, the latter suddenly vanished from view...   

This realization made the boy tense up, as he felt someone behind him.   

That someone was likely Naruto, who had disappeared in an instant. The boy's suspicion was confirmed by Sasuke's curious gaze directed toward him.   

“Lackey…”   

The word slipped out of the boy's mouth before he could stop himself. However, the moment he said it, he regretted it.   

His heart filled with unease. That "lackey's" speed seemed a bit alarming.   

He already imagined the beating he might receive next. Should he talk tough to intimidate Naruto, or should he just beg for mercy?   

But begging in front of so many classmates would make it difficult to save face later.   

If he acted tough, he’d likely end up with a thorough beating. His chances of victory were pathetically slim.   

The boy’s mind raced, like a high-speed computer processing the possibilities.   

--- 

“Lackey? Were you talking about me?”   

Naruto, sensing the boy’s tension yet detecting a trace of courage in him, smirked.   

His eyes, however, grew cold and menacing.   

This brat dared to insult him. How should he retaliate?   

If he hit too hard, it might escalate into a bigger issue. Naruto wasn’t yet on par with the real elites. Would Kakashi-sensei have trouble covering for him?   

These thoughts swirled in Naruto’s mind.   

But above all, he kept reflecting on his strength compared to the top ninjas and how he didn’t want to trouble Kakashi. After all, over the past six months, Kakashi had often taught him ninjutsu or simply spent time with him, leaving a deep impression on Naruto.   

--- 

“So what if I did? You wouldn’t dare hit me! …Ah!”   

The boy’s confidence surged when Naruto hesitated to act. Just as he turned halfway around to taunt him further, a fist suddenly loomed large in his vision and struck him squarely in the eye.   

The pain was excruciating, tears streaming down his face.   

Why did Naruto wait to hit him until he had just let his guard down? He hadn't even had time to mentally prepare for the blow.   

It hurt like hell.   

“You think I wouldn’t dare hit you?”   

Naruto looked at the boy, who was now crying from the punch, and felt a bit bored.   

Still, he found the boy’s stubbornness amusing and teased him further.   

--- 

The boy was at a loss for words.   

"You wouldn’t dare hit me? You would dare hit me."   

The two contradictory phrases echoed in his mind, leaving him speechless.   

The surrounding classmates’ mocking gazes only made things worse. How was he supposed to show his face at school now?   

“What did you just say? Care to repeat that?”   

Naruto’s words broke through the boy’s daze.   

The boy’s face showed a mix of grievance and frustration. Why was Naruto stopping to talk instead of finishing the fight?   

What did he want—an acknowledgment that the beating felt satisfying? This guy had to be insane.   

Wouldn’t it be better to just knock him out? Staying conscious was unbearable.   

--- 

“I… Ah!”   

Just as the boy began to stammer out a soft word of surrender, Naruto’s hardened fist slammed into his other, uninjured eye.   

“Why the hell do you always hit me when I start talking?!”   

The boy yelled out his grievance, voicing his inner frustration. To him, Naruto’s timing was downright cruel.   

This wasn’t normal behavior. It was completely unreasonable and absurd.   

“Still talking back, huh?”   

Naruto wasn’t about to let him off. If he was making an example of someone, he’d go all the way.   

He wasn’t one to leave things half-done. Otherwise, people might think he was afraid to fight.   

With that thought, Naruto’s fist landed squarely on the boy’s nose again.   

The boy’s tears and snot were streaming now, but to his credit, he didn’t cry out loud.   

“I’ll fight you to the end!”   

Noticing the growing attention and amused glances from the other students, the boy decided to stop caring about appearances.   

His reputation was already in tatters. Since Naruto wouldn’t let him talk, he might as well go down fighting.   

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