We made it to chapter 100 only a few thousand to go lol!!
The clearing was dead silent, the tension so thick that even the wind dared not disturb it. Across from Team 7 stood three figures, their bodies poised with lethal intent. Their leader, a tall shinobi with dark eyes, twirled a kunai lazily between his fingers, his smirk unwavering. "We were wondering when you'd show up. You need an Earth Scroll, right?" He flicked his wrist, and the scroll appeared between his fingers. "Well, come and take it."
Naruto's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh, I plan to!" He shot forward, his fingers flashing through hand seals. "Ramen Clone Jutsu!" A flood of identical Narutos filled the battlefield, their solid bodies shifting into offensive positions. The enemy leader snorted, unimpressed, and motioned to his teammates.
The first enemy, a kunoichi with short silver hair, charged toward the clones, her hands forming seals. "Water Style: Crushing Vortex!" A spiraling column of water erupted from her palms, tearing through half of Naruto's clones with sheer force. The remaining ones scattered, reforming into strategic positions.
The second enemy, a stocky boy wielding twin iron clubs, swung his weapons in a wide arc, shattering several more clones with brute strength. "These things are tougher than normal clones!" he growled, barely dodging as another Naruto clone lunged at him from behind.
Naruto grinned. "Damn right they are!" He infused wind chakra into his next strike, his fists moving faster than before. "Wind Release: Ramen Blade Storm!" Strands of hardened, chakra-infused noodles shot out, slicing through the air toward the silver-haired kunoichi. She dodged the first barrage but barely blocked the second, the sheer force knocking her backward.
Sakura, positioned behind Naruto, clutched her kunai tightly. She wasn't going to stand on the sidelines. Her eyes flicked toward the enemy leader, watching for an opening. She inhaled, focusing her chakra. "Genjutsu: Fractured Mind!" The moment the enemy leader locked eyes with her, his vision twisted. The ground beneath him cracked open into a bottomless void, shadows clawing at his legs, dragging him down into endless darkness.
He staggered, a strangled yell escaping his lips. His breath hitched as he clutched his head, trying to dispel the illusion. "What—what the hell is this?!"
Sakura panted but held firm. She had him.
Raven, who had remained still up until now, sighed when she felt the hostile intent shift toward her. The stocky enemy shinobi, realizing his leader was in trouble, changed targets. His iron club came down in a brutal arc, aimed directly at her skull.
She didn't move.
Her Rinnegan flashed.
The moment their eyes met, the enemy froze mid-swing, his entire body locking up as if seized by an unseen force. His pupils dilated, his breath caught in his throat. For an instant, his entire being understood what had happened. And then he collapsed lifelessly onto the dirt, his body completely still.
Naruto, mid-attack, stopped short, his mouth hanging open. Sakura lost focus for a split second, breaking her Genjutsu as her head snapped toward Raven. The enemy leader, freed from the illusion, scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting in horror to his fallen teammate. "H—he's dead?!"
Raven dusted off her sleeve, unfazed. "You chose the wrong opponent."
The silver-haired kunoichi visibly trembled. "W-what did you just do?!"
Naruto swallowed hard, staring at the unmoving body. "Holy crap…"
The enemy leader clenched his fists, rage overriding his fear. "You'll pay for that!" He lunged toward Raven, kunai flashing.
He never reached her.
A black blur intercepted him.
Sasuke.
His eyes burned crimson, his Sharingan fully active, but there was something else. Dark tendrils of the Curse Mark pulsed along his skin, spreading with each breath he took. His grip tightened around the enemy leader's wrist, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sharp, unnatural speed, he wrenched the enemy's arm in a direction it wasn't supposed to go.
A sickening crack echoed through the clearing.
The enemy screamed, dropping his weapon. Sasuke's grip didn't loosen.
Sakura gasped. "Sasuke—!"
His head turned slightly, and for the first time, they saw the faintest smirk on his lips.
Raven's eyes narrowed. Here we go.
Naruto took a hesitant step forward. "Hey, Sasuke, that's—"
Sasuke didn't let go. The leader whimpered, his knees buckling. "P-please—"
Naruto moved. His fist slammed into Sasuke's jaw, forcing him to release his grip. The enemy dropped to the ground, cradling his broken arm. Naruto stood his ground, fists shaking, his breath coming in short gasps. "That's enough!"
Sasuke's gaze slowly lifted to meet Naruto's. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them like a coiled spring ready to snap.
Then, Sasuke's smirk disappeared. His expression blanked, and the Curse Mark retreated slightly. He exhaled, stepping back. "Tch. Whatever."
Naruto turned toward the two remaining enemies, cracking his knuckles. "I'm finishing this."
The silver-haired kunoichi was already scrambling for the Earth Scroll. She grabbed it, desperate to flee.
Sakura was faster.
With a precise strike, she knocked the scroll from the kunoichi's grip, sending it flying into the air.
Naruto jumped.
His fingers closed around the scroll.
The enemy leader, clutching his broken arm, knew it was over. He let out a ragged breath, his gaze flickering toward the lifeless body of his teammate. "Damn it…"
Raven tilted her head, watching him with amusement. "You made a mistake thinking you were stronger than us."
He bit his tongue to keep from screaming.
Naruto landed with the scroll, turning to his team, a triumphant grin splitting his face. "We got it."
Sakura released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Sasuke didn't say a word, rolling his shoulder as if shaking off the remnants of the Curse Mark's influence.
Raven stretched lazily. "About time."
They had both scrolls.
Now, they just had to make it to the tower.
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