There had originally been no real conflict, but someone just had to stir things up in the diary. They were both clans that had inherited the Sage's Body. Was her Senju Clan supposed to be inferior to the Kaguya Clan?
Facing Kaguya Kimimaro, even Uzumaki Naruto, who was already being affected by the Nine-Tails' Chakra, could clearly sense that this guy was terrifyingly strong. The Shadow Clone Jutsu he was so proud of was completely useless.
At this point, Uzumaki Naruto was still in the stage where he had only recently begun developing. Aside from the Shadow Clone Jutsu, his only real attack method was probably the Rasengan.
"It's about time. I've waited a long time for this. Lord Orochimaru's ambition is about to take its first step."
At that moment, Kaguya Kimimaro spoke with a hint of excitement.
Behind him, black smoke kept pouring out of the large barrel. A moment later, the seal broke. Along with an explosion, Uchiha Sasuke appeared inside the wooden barrel.
At that moment, he was in his Cursed Seal state, looking like some kind of monster. Only after a while did he retract it and return to his original form.
After seeing Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto broke into a smile and said, "Sasuke, what are you doing with these guys? Come back already."
It was as if he still had not figured out what was happening. Or maybe he was simply refusing to admit it, pretending the problem did not exist.
At this moment, everyone reacted. This was the part Kaede Kitahara had mentioned in the diary, when the future Uchiha Sasuke would defect from the village and leave with Orochimaru.
Everyone knew this, including Uchiha Sasuke himself. They simply did not know the exact process of his defection.
They knew even less that there had been a pursuit battle in the middle. Clearly, Uchiha Sasuke's defection from the village back then had not gone smoothly.
Uchiha Sasuke looked at himself in the video, and his heart filled with complicated emotions. Although this was a path he did not want to choose, it had also once been the choice he made when driven into despair.
At that time, he probably had no other way. He did not know what to do, nor did he know how he could defeat Uchiha Itachi.
Especially after experiencing the Return of the Morning Mist incident, he must have had every bit of confidence crushed out of him by Uchiha Itachi. The fact that he could agree to join Orochimaru, even knowing he might be taken over through Possession / Body Snatching, showed that he had already reached the end of the road. He had no other choice.
But the current him was different. His teacher, Hatake Kakashi, had already stepped into Kage Level. Kaede Kitahara was also a combat force he could try to draw in. On top of that, his own potential had been made clear, and even his companions had the strength to become Kage Level powerhouses.
Compared to his original timeline self, his current state of mind was far more composed.
That was why he could watch himself defect from the village in the footage with a relatively calm mindset.
In the video, Uchiha Sasuke looked at his own hands and felt the surging power within his body. He could not help bursting into wild laughter.
"Uchiha Laughing Four?"
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi inexplicably thought of that. He suddenly remembered the so-called Uchiha Laughing Four concept Kaede Kitahara had mentioned in the diary, and his whole mood instantly worsened.
Because from the looks of it, he was also one of those so-called Uchiha Laughing Four.
He had to admit that although Kaede Kitahara often had a twisted sense of humor, it was not always completely baseless.
Facing Uzumaki Naruto's call, Uchiha Sasuke merely answered with cold laugh after cold laugh. He paid no attention at all to Naruto's half-pleading words.
"Sasuke, come back. Everyone's really worried, so…"
In Uzumaki Naruto's mind, Sakura Haruno's crying voice echoed, begging him to bring Sasuke back.
But Uchiha Sasuke did not care at all, nor would he stop.
This was a man who had sold his soul to revenge.
Understanding this scene, Jiraiya could not help clenching his fists, because this situation felt like something he had experienced before. It was far too familiar.
He had also spent day and night hoping Orochimaru would return to Konoha, return to everyone's side. And what had happened?
Until the day he died, he never got to see that happen. Once Orochimaru left, he was gone. He would never return.
Especially after Jiraiya personally saw Orochimaru kill their teacher, all the things he had once pursued shattered. His dream shattered. His companion shattered. Even their bond shattered.
So at this moment, he was probably the one who could empathize most with Uzumaki Naruto in the footage.
But before he could sink into that pain, Kimimaro in the video had already moved. At some point, he had appeared behind Uzumaki Naruto. The bone sword in his hand slashed straight toward him.
Everyone's eyes widened. Just at that critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared and saved him.
It was Rock Lee, who saved Uzumaki Naruto in the nick of time, kicking Kimimaro away.
"Who are you?"
Kimimaro looked at the bowl-cut boy in the green bodysuit before him and asked.
"The awakened, charming Blue Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee!"
Rock Lee struck an unbelievably flashy pose, standing between Uzumaki Naruto and Kaguya Kimimaro.
"Oh? Is that Rock Lee?"
Hatake Kakashi recognized him at once. Was that not his close friend Guy's disciple?
He had also heard about that student named Rock Lee. He only had talent in Taijutsu, with no talent related to Ninjutsu.
But Kakashi knew that Guy valued Rock Lee greatly and saw him as the successor to his teachings.
He had heard Guy say that Rock Lee was a genius of hard work.
In Taijutsu, he possessed extraordinary talent ordinary people could not hope to reach.
"That outfit? Is he Guy's disciple?"
Namikaze Minato looked at the suddenly appearing Rock Lee. Although he did not know Rock Lee, that did not matter, because that outfit was far too famous. From Guy's father to Guy himself, it really was famous.
So with one look, he could tell that this boy was the successor of Guy's line.
That was reputation.
What kind of school could be identified by clothing alone?
"Bushy Brows, your body?"
In the video, Uzumaki Naruto was also surprised to see Rock Lee. After all, Rock Lee had been badly injured in his fight against Gaara. Naruto had not expected to see him here.
"Never mind that for now, Naruto. Hurry and chase after Sasuke."
Rock Lee spoke while holding a very cool pose.
"But you…"
Uzumaki Naruto was still extremely worried.
"Leave this person to me."
Rock Lee spoke.
This was a showdown between Taijutsu geniuses.
"This guy is strong." Kimimaro also had his own judgment. The person in front of him looked much harder to deal with than Uzumaki Naruto.
"Bushy Brows, be careful. That guy attacks with his own bones."
Uzumaki Naruto did not waste time being overly sentimental. Instead, he warned him, "That guy is terrifyingly strong!"
"What are you still doing? Hurry up, Naruto. Didn't you promise Sakura in a really cool pose? I'll defeat this person! It's a promise!"
Rock Lee held out one hand and gave him a thumbs-up.
At that moment, in Uzumaki Naruto's memory, he had also given Sakura Haruno a thumbs-up and said, "I'll definitely bring Sasuke back. That's a promise of a lifetime!"
Seeing the passionate promise between those boys, Uchiha Itachi could only sigh with emotion. Sasuke had truly wonderful teammates.
Even after he defected from the village, they still had the confidence to bring him back?
At this moment, he truly understood why the future Sasuke, despite defecting from the village, could still be pulled back onto the right path.
It was precisely because of a bond so pure and passionate. If Uzumaki Naruto had not been so bright and optimistic, and if he had not been so stubbornly attached to Sasuke, then Sasuke might never have had any chance of returning to Konoha.
It was just like the bond between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara back then.
And as Uchiha Sasuke watched his companions in the video chase after him one after another, not to hunt him down, but to bring him back, his feelings became complicated for a moment.
There was Sakura Haruno's plea, Naruto's pursuit, Rock Lee's support, and perhaps even other companions.
This was the bond between companions, something he had not valued much before.
Uzumaki Naruto nodded and turned to leave, but Kimimaro immediately chased after him. How could he possibly allow a few Konoha Genin to obstruct the unfolding of Lord Orochimaru's ambition?
But just as he was about to hit Uzumaki Naruto, Rock Lee intercepted him. Now, Kimimaro could no longer chase after Uzumaki Naruto.
"Please don't ignore me!"
Rock Lee said. As he spoke, he immediately launched an attack against Kimimaro, forcing him back in only a few moves.
At that moment, the two Taijutsu geniuses faced each other from a distance.
"Next comes the finale!"
As he spoke, his attacks poured toward Kimimaro without end.
Through their simple offense and defense, both of them displayed Taijutsu mastery far beyond their peers.
"Amazing flexibility, and such unique movements…"
Rock Lee watched Kimimaro easily dodge all of his attacks and could not help feeling a little impressed.
"Your movements are too straightforward."
Kimimaro looked at Rock Lee before him with a cold expression and spoke.
Just when Rock Lee seemed about to lose, he suddenly called for a stop, because it was time to take his medicine.
Yet no one had expected that the seemingly cold Kimimaro would actually have no intention of taking the chance to attack him. Was this mutual respect between opponents?
"Medicine? Was this kid injured before?" Tsunade suddenly remembered how Uzumaki Naruto had been worried about Rock Lee's body earlier. In other words, Rock Lee was not in peak condition right now. Was he even still in the middle of treatment?
After drinking the medicine, Rock Lee's face flushed. His whole state was completely wrong.
He had completely entered the state of Drunken Fist and charged toward Kimimaro.
Immediately afterward, everyone saw Rock Lee, completely drunk, actually begin a Taijutsu exchange with Kimimaro. After getting drunk, Rock Lee's movements were even faster than before.
"Hahahahaha, Drunken Fist? He can still fight like that after getting drunk?"
As an old-school drunkard herself, Tsunade could not help laughing when she saw that Rock Lee could actually use Drunken Fist after getting drunk.
"But attacks like that won't be enough to defeat that brat from the Kaguya Clan."
Tsunade murmured to herself.