The two sides clashed once again.
This time, it was Baki's turn to stall Kakashi. From Baki's perspective, even though the Leaf ninja who sent the One-Tail flying was strong, the ultimate victor would surely be the Sand Village's One-Tail. He just needed to keep the others busy and prevent the One-Tail from getting gang-up on.
Nearby, Fugi, Kankurō, Temari, and the others did the same.
Since Gaara had successfully entered his Tailed Beast transformation, they couldn't get too close. Engaging the other Leaf ninja was the smartest move.
Figures lunged in sync.
Inside the arena, the Sand and Leaf ninja, who had been forcibly separated by Shukaku earlier, were once again locked in a chaotic brawl.
At the exact same time.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Genma and Naruto flickered to opposite sides of the high wall, sandwiching Menma in the middle.
"Come back, Menma... no, brother! There has to be some kind of misunderstanding here. When this is all over, let's go find Old Man Third and Master Jiraiya, okay? I'm sure they can give us a proper explanation!"
Naruto stared intently at Menma, his eyes filled with a sincere, heavy pleading.
For Naruto, even though he was used to living alone for twelve years, and even though in this timeline he had many people who cared about him... whenever he walked down the street and saw other kids with their real families, only to return to an empty house himself, he couldn't help but fantasize about living with his own flesh and blood.
And now...
Standing right in front of him was his biological brother!
How could Naruto not be moved? How could he not be shaken!?
Others might not have noticed.
But when Menma had roared those angry words at Kakashi, Genma, and Naruto earlier...
Aside from the shock, Naruto felt a deep, indescribable joy welling up in the deepest part of his heart.
'I have a brother? A close relative? A real brother from the same parents?'
This reality brought a profound sense of joy to Naruto's soul.
If not for this craving for connection, why would the Naruto in the original story be so obsessed with Sasuke?
It was because he viewed Sasuke as a brother.
If he felt that way about Sasuke...
In this timeline, facing Menma—his actual blood brother—Naruto's attitude was even more resolute.
He didn't want to stand on the opposite side of his own brother.
"Come back? You really are stupid, Naruto."
Menma looked at Naruto with infinite disappointment.
Not wanting to be enemies?
Menma had once thought that way, too. Back then, he was naive, full of fantasies. But experience after experience had taught him that such thoughts were unrealistic.
The things he did, the path he walked...
They were destined to run counter to Naruto's.
Since that night, Menma's heart had been set in stone.
This was the path he chose.
Even if he had to stain his hands with blood, he couldn't—and wouldn't—turn back.
Boom!
Menma erupted with even more Nine-Tails chakra. His chakra cloak turned a deeper shade of crimson, and tails began to faintly manifest.
The sheer pressure of his aura was enough to make any ninja below Jonin level tremble.
Seeing this, Genma's pupils constricted violently.
"Naruto, let's subdue Menma first! He's not thinking straight right now. He's clearly been brainwashed. We can't let him keep doing this!"
Genma spoke with a cold, sharp tone.
In a flash...
He took the initiative to attack Menma.
For a Special Jonin like Genma Shiranui...
Sure, he felt a little guilt, but absolutely not much. It lasted only for a split second. For the sake of the village and the safety of the civilians...
Genma believed the most correct course of action was to neutralize Menma immediately.
They couldn't let Menma go berserk here!
And they certainly couldn't let Menma's identity be leaked so easily right now, especially while he was standing as an enemy of the village.
That would be the biggest scandal in the history of the Hidden Leaf.
"Just as I thought... you're all cut from the same cloth."
Watching Genma rapidly closing in...
Menma gave a cold sneer, his manifested red fox eyes filled with mockery.
Boom!
He stomped one foot down.
His body flipped into the air.
From his side, he whipped out a kunai.
Clang!
He blocked Genma's frontal attack with ease, his arm jolting with force.
Whoosh!
A powerful shockwave rippled out.
"!?"
Genma's arms trembled uncontrollably. Forced back by the impact, he looked at Menma with shock written all over his face.
He knew Menma wasn't a normal Genin since he could use Nine-Tails chakra—that speed when he kicked Naruto earlier proved it.
But after actually exchanging blows...
Genma felt he had still underestimated him.
That reaction time, that speed, that raw power...
'He's already on par with an average Jonin, isn't he!?'
Genma's expression turned grim.
But if Genma knew that Menma was holding back—no, that he was barely even trying—he would have questioned his entire existence.
Menma didn't refrain from using more Nine-Tails chakra because he was soft-hearted. "Soft-hearted" wasn't in his dictionary anymore. It was simply because he felt this level of power was enough to deal with these guys. Of course, he also didn't want to attract too much attention.
The main stage belonged to Orochimaru and the Sand ninja.
Menma was even prepared to bail the moment he sensed Jiraiya's chakra approaching.
Every move he made had to be cautious and calculated.
Just as Menma forced Genma back and prepared to press the attack...
From behind...
The sound of wind breaking.
Whoosh!
Naruto's golden figure flashed in.
Menma raised an eyebrow.
He tilted his head sideways.
He easily dodged the incoming fist.
Then, he extended his arm.
He grabbed Naruto's charging right arm.
Using the opponent's own momentum...
He slammed him viciously toward Genma across from him.
"!?"
Genma's pupils shrank again.
Instinctively, he reached out and caught Naruto backhanded.
The force transferred instantly.
It felt like his chest had been hit by a heavy hammer.
Genma grunted, unable to neutralize the kinetic energy.
The force pushed both Naruto and Genma sliding backward, carving two deep grooves into the top of the high wall.