Refuse, and I'll Kill You Immediately
"Itachi-san, this village seems to be your hometown. Do you feel nostalgic about it?"
Under his straw hat, Kisame Hoshigaki flashed a sharp-toothed grin, standing at the edge of the Hokage Rock's outer railing, his gaze angled toward Uchiha Itachi, dressed similarly.
"Not at all."
Uchiha Itachi's eyes swept over the devastated Konoha village, taking in the crumbled walls, collapsed houses, and treetops.
Despite the extensive damage, Konoha's dense domed houses still appeared bloated, almost bursting. Red tiles and yellow walls scattered across residential areas, intertwined with lush greenery.
"An ugly place."
With that, Uchiha Itachi slowly turned away, pausing briefly as he passed Kisame.
"Let's go."
---
Konoha Hospital.
"Please wait a moment," said the chunin guarding the floor's entrance as he checked the paperwork. He soon smiled and said, "Please follow me."
"Mother, does Sasuke have many visitors?" asked Yamanaka Ino casually as she and her mother, Yamanaka Rino, walked through the hospital corridor.
"Not many," Rino replied. "Some families are observing cautiously, and most have no reason to approach the Uchiha heir—it would arouse suspicion from the village elders."
"The advisors granted us special permission, so we're here to check on the boy."
"Ino, do you like Sasuke?" Rino asked with a playful smile, turning to her daughter.
"Of course, who wouldn't like Sasuke?" Ino said openly, holding her mother's arm. "He's always been so handsome."
"Men of the Uchiha clan truly are captivating," Rino said with a chuckle.
---
On a rooftop near Konoha Hospital.
Itachi stared at Naruto in the distance, his hands making preparation seals. The long range would weaken jutsu effectiveness, so he needed the seals to focus his chakra.
"The plan to capture the Nine-Tails is going surprisingly smoothly," Kisame remarked casually. "It's just a kid—nothing to stress about."
"Kisame, the jinchūriki is waiting for us."
"What?" Kisame's expression shifted. "Itachi-san, we weren't detected entering Konoha."
"Exactly, and that's why it's strange."
"Should we abandon the mission for now?" Kisame asked. "It'll be troublesome if Konoha's ninja surround us."
"No, now is the best opportunity." Itachi raised his head, his Sharingan spinning. "It seems no one besides the jinchūriki has noticed us."
From afar, Naruto watched Itachi and Kisame, his expression neutral but tense.
This was perhaps his first major crisis since transmigrating—standing opposite Uchiha Itachi. He had anticipated Itachi's arrival but didn't expect it so soon.
No one else seemed to have detected them.
Should he call for help?
...No, better to flee than waste time calling for Sasuke.
He'd just been wandering around. How had it come to this? Should he run? Yes, running was definitely the best option. Itachi wasn't known for showing mercy to anyone except Sasuke—it was too dangerous.
As the summer breeze blew, Naruto decisively turned and ran.
Uchiha Itachi vanished instantly, appearing in front of Naruto, blocking his path. His hand shot out from the black-and-red Akatsuki cloak, aiming directly for Naruto.
Simultaneously, Kisame moved to cut off Naruto's retreat. At this speed, there wasn't enough time for Naruto to perform hand seals.
However, three of the system's jutsu required no seals:
- Flying Thunder God
- Adamantine Sealing Chains
- Four Symbols Seal
The latter two were ineffective against opponents as strong as Itachi and Kisame.
Naruto focused solely on escaping.
As Itachi closed in on Naruto, nearly grabbing him, Naruto activated Flying Thunder God. He instantly returned to his previous position, leaving behind a few explosive tags.
Itachi's Sharingan caught the danger. He moved out of the blast range in an instant.
Boom! Boom! The explosions echoed over Konoha.
Scattered ninja across the village looked toward the source of the commotion.
"Kisame, let's go," Itachi said.
Though unharmed, Itachi temporarily abandoned the mission.
Naruto, who had narrowly escaped, hid in the shadows of an abandoned building. He silently regretted destroying a newly constructed building and thanked the era for its lack of extensive surveillance systems.
Fortunately, he had prepared by placing Flying Thunder God kunai in a nearby building. Any farther, and he might've been caught.
"What are you hiding from?"
A familiar voice came from the shadows. Naruto turned sharply, seeing an unfamiliar black-haired girl. Her clothes were worn, and her hair lacked luster.
But the tone—it sounded familiar...
"Is that you?"
Naruto was stunned. Orochimaru had fled, so why was Tayuya here?
Tayuya had altered her appearance, likely with some jutsu, looking different from before.
She now resembled an ordinary girl from a slum, blending seamlessly into the abandoned building.
"Seems you've recognized me," Tayuya said coldly. "Looks like I'll have to kill you."
"I'll treat you to beef bowls."
"...Fine," Tayuya sheathed her weapon. "If you're saying that, I'll spare your life—for now."
"What flavor?" Naruto asked, standing up and brushing off dust. The building smelled of mold, and water dripped from the ceiling, landing on his shoulder.
"I've never had one. Sounds good."
"Then I'll decide."
"Can I have ice cream, too? Refuse, and I'll kill you immediately."
"Sure, sure," Naruto sighed. "But if my life's only worth one ice cream, it's not very encouraging."
"Two, then?"
"You'll get a stomachache."
"Unlikely. It's just three days without food."
"That'll kill you!" Naruto exclaimed.
"It's just three days," Tayuya said smugly, raising her chin with a faint smile.
"That's nothing to boast about," Naruto muttered, wondering what Orochimaru saw in such an odd subordinate.
"Let's go," Naruto said, hands in his pockets, walking past Tayuya. "By the way, where's the exit?"
"It's so dark, I can't see anything," he muttered.
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