Shortly after reaching another small island by boat, Naruto and the others encountered Aoi Rokushō, the Amegakure jōnin hired by the Wagarashi Family.
Aoi had once been a shinobi of Konoha as well as Idate Morino's instructor. He had deceived Idate into stealing a highly classified scroll by promising to help him become a chūnin.
It was almost identical to the way that fool Mizuki had tricked Naruto into stealing the [Scroll of Seals].
Unlike Mizuki, however, Aoi's scheme had succeeded.
Not only had he obtained the secret scroll, but he had also acquired the [Sword of the Thunder God], a weapon that had once belonged to the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
Ibiki Morino eventually uncovered the plot and pursued them. He managed to recover the secret scroll and helped his younger brother escape from Aoi's grasp.
Ashamed of what he had done and unable to return to Konoha, Idate eventually abandoned the village.
Now, after all these years, Aoi had appeared before him once again—this time intending to kill his former student, who was currently serving as the Wasabi Family's runner.
When old enemies met again, their hatred naturally rose to the surface.
Naruto's desire was even stronger.
However, his attention wasn't focused on Aoi himself.
His eyes were fixed on the [Sword of the Thunder God] in Aoi's hand.
When activated, the weapon resembled the lightsabers Naruto remembered from Star Wars. By supplying it with chakra, its wielder could generate a solid blade of lightning from the hilt.
Perhaps it was one of the strange, advanced ninja tools created by Tobirama Senju, whose intelligence bordered on the monstrous.
Its name sounded exceedingly impressive, although the weapon's actual performance didn't quite live up to it.
Even so, Naruto's main body still lacked a suitable weapon.
The [Sword of Kusanagi] he had seized from Orochimaru couldn't be displayed openly and could therefore only be used by his female avatar.
Once Naruto accumulated enough System Points, he could exchange them for a [Ninja Tool Upgrade Scroll], improve the [Sword of the Thunder God], and transform it into his second true artifact.
Of course, all of that depended on killing Aoi first.
"Idate Morino. It's been a long time."
Aoi looked at his former student with open mockery.
Idate glared back at him, hatred burning in his eyes.
Seeing that the two of them were about to waste time exchanging insults, Naruto immediately interrupted them.
"That's enough. The race is still underway, so let's settle this quickly. Once the mission is over, I need to return to my training."
"Hmph. The brats from Konoha have certainly grown arrogant."
Aoi turned his hostile gaze toward Naruto.
He was about to continue speaking when he suddenly sensed danger behind him.
Without wasting a moment, Aoi spun around and raised the [Sword of the Thunder God].
Boom!
A Rasengan collided violently with the lightning blade.
What speed!
Aoi's expression changed.
He was standing in front of me a moment ago, yet he reached my back in an instant!
For the first time, Aoi realized that he might have underestimated the blond Konoha shinobi.
"Still, this is all you amount to!"
A large amount of lightning erupted from the [Sword of the Thunder God] and surged directly into Naruto's body.
Boom!
Naruto vanished in a cloud of white smoke.
"What?!"
Aoi's eyes widened.
"That was only a shadow clone!"
Sensing another attack, he immediately leaped aside.
"Rasengan!"
Another Naruto lunged at him from the side, but Aoi managed to evade the attack just in time.
He landed several meters away, his heart still pounding.
Before he could regain his composure, Sasuke rushed toward him with lightning crackling around his right hand.
Damn it! Does every brat from Konoha know such powerful ninjutsu?
Aoi raised the [Sword of the Thunder God] and met Sasuke's attack head-on.
Boom!
The lightning blade collided with Chidori.
For an instant, the two lightning techniques struggled against one another.
In the next moment, the [Sword of the Thunder God] released an even more violent surge of electricity.
The current overwhelmed Sasuke and threw him to the ground.
Aoi released a long breath of relief.
"You must be the surviving Uchiha," he said. "I never expected you to be even weaker than that blond brat. For a moment, you almost had me worried."
"Damn it!"
Sasuke remained on the ground, trembling from the electricity coursing through his body. His fists clenched tightly, and his face flushed with humiliation.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura hurried forward and tried to help him up, but Sasuke roughly pushed her hand away.
"Were you talking about me?"
Naruto's voice suddenly came from overhead.
Aoi's expression changed.
He raised his head and saw Naruto descending from the sky, a spinning Rasengan held in his palm.
Aoi immediately lifted the [Sword of the Thunder God] to block it.
However, just before the two techniques collided, Naruto's figure flickered and vanished from above him.
Aoi's eyes widened.
Naruto reappeared beside him in the next instant.
Boom!
The Rasengan slammed mercilessly into Aoi's waist.
The spiraling chakra tore through his body and sent him flying dozens of meters. He smashed through several trees before finally crashing to the ground.
His internal organs had been twisted apart by the Rasengan.
Aoi died instantly, without even having the chance to utter any final words.
Ding!
[Congratulations to the Host for killing one jōnin and receiving 100 System Points.]
"Talking too much really is a villain's fatal mistake."
Naruto smiled as he walked over and removed the [Sword of the Thunder God] from Aoi's hand.
He examined his new weapon with considerable interest.
When inactive, the sword consisted of nothing more than a hilt, making it extremely convenient to carry. Once chakra was supplied, however, a solid blade resembling concentrated lightning extended from it.
"For a jōnin, you relied far too heavily on this weapon."
Naruto looked down at Aoi's corpse and shook his head.
"Every time you were attacked, you tried to meet it head-on with the [Sword of the Thunder God]. You brought this upon yourself."
With the Wagarashi Family's hired ninja eliminated, no further obstacles remained in the Wasabi Family's path.
The rest of the race proceeded smoothly.
Without enemy shinobi interfering, Idate Morino relied on his own speed and ultimately won the race, securing control of Degarashi Port and the surrounding town for the Wasabi Family.
Once the mission was complete, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura bid farewell to their client, Jirōchō Wasabi, and immediately began their journey back to Konoha.
Completing the mission so easily should have been cause for celebration.
However, throughout the return journey, Sasuke remained silent and gloomy.
Naruto knew that the day of Sasuke's defection was drawing near.
He would soon have to decide whether he intended to leave Konoha alongside Sasuke.
"Naruto."
Sasuke suddenly stopped walking.
Naruto turned around and found Sasuke staring directly at him.
"I want to fight you again."
It seemed Sasuke wanted to measure the distance between them with his own hands.
"Sasuke, you've already lost to me seven times."
Naruto showed him no mercy.
"If you lose again, you'll have to agree to one condition."
Sasuke frowned.
"What condition?"
"Not yet."
A calculating glint flashed through Naruto's eyes.
"I'll tell you when the time comes."
"Hmph."
Sasuke gave a cold snort, drew a kunai, and charged.
"Perfect timing!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow and pulled out his own kunai.
"I'll use you to test the results of the taijutsu training I've been doing with Guy-sensei!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their kunai repeatedly collided, sending sparks flying through the air.
In close combat, Naruto gradually found himself at a disadvantage.
It wasn't because his taijutsu was inferior.
Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, allowing him to read Naruto's movements and react before each strike could land.
"If you're going to use the Sharingan, then I won't hold back either!"
Naruto formed a hand seal.
Ten shadow clones appeared around Sasuke, surrounding him from every direction.
Naruto's main body stepped away from the battlefield and calmly watched from the side.
Although shadow clones disappeared after taking a solid blow, each clone possessed Naruto's taijutsu ability.
Whenever Sasuke destroyed one, Naruto simply created another to replace it.
With his enormous chakra reserves, he could continue doing that for a very long time.
As for activating his Mangekyō Sharingan, that was completely unnecessary against Sasuke.
There was also a chance Sasuke might notice something with his own Sharingan.
A trump card should only be revealed at the most decisive moment.
For example, the next time Naruto had an opportunity to crush Orochimaru.
A faint grin appeared on his face.
Five minutes later, Sasuke was breathing heavily, his body visibly exhausted.
He frowned before suddenly leaping out of the shadow clones' encirclement.
Lightning erupted from his right hand, producing the piercing cry of countless birds.
"Oh?"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"So you're finally bringing out your strongest move? Then I'll respond in kind!"
At his command, all ten shadow clones extended their right hands.
Light-blue chakra rapidly spun within their palms, forming ten Rasengan.
"Naruto! Sasuke!"
Sakura watched them anxiously from nearby.
"Can't the two of you stop fighting?"
Neither of them paid her any attention.
"Haaah!"
Sasuke charged forward, his blood-red Sharingan fixed on Naruto.
Chidori screamed in his hand as arcs of lightning scattered around him.
The ten shadow clones closed in from every direction.
However, every clone touched by the lightning surrounding Chidori immediately vanished into white smoke.
"They really can't withstand much."
Naruto sighed.
He formed a Rasengan in his own right hand and rushed forward.
Rasengan and Chidori collided head-on.
Boom!
A violent explosion swept through the surrounding area.
Sasuke was hurled backward and crashed heavily onto the ground, where he remained motionless.
Naruto slid back several meters before planting his feet and steadying himself.
The outcome had been decided.
Naruto was the victor.