Words devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
They instantly made Naruto feel as if he had plunged into an ice cellar.
With his gaze snapping toward the source, Naruto looked at the leader of the Anbu with a look of disbelief and shouted, "Impossible! Granny Tsunade promised me! She would absolutely never issue such an order! Kill on sight?! You must have made a mistake!"
Even Shikamaru's brows furrowed tightly.
As someone who had received orders directly in front of Tsunade, he naturally knew very well what the Hokage's true attitude was. However, the Anbu were direct subordinates of the Hokage.
The contradiction here...
Was simply beyond the comprehension of Shikamaru at this time.
Because he had absolutely no idea that within the Anbu, there existed the so-called "Root"—an armed force that completely disregarded the Hokage and obeyed the orders of Danzo Shimura alone.
Shikaku Nara didn't want his son to learn about the darker aspects of the village too early, so naturally, he hadn't told Shikamaru about such an existence.
Among those present...
Only Menma knew clearly.
These attackers were definitely Danzo's subordinates, the elites from Root. Menma understood well enough what kind of person Tsunade was.
But that didn't stop Menma from exploiting this.
"Haha, do you see? Naruto, this is the so-called 'greater good' of the ninja village. Go back to the past? What laughable words. You really are still living in a naive dream, Naruto."
Menma wore a mocking smile.
He looked at Naruto opposite him, and then at the Root elites.
"Kill on sight? If you have the ability, then come and try."
A murderous intent flowed through his words.
"Go!"
These Root members wasted no words.
Nor would they explain anything to Naruto.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Almost at the moment the leader waved his right hand sharply, these Root members launched a fierce assault toward Menma and Sasuke, one after another.
"Don't!"
Seeing these people attack directly...
Naruto's expression changed drastically.
He shouted sharply.
However, it was impossible to stop the actions of these Root members, who had essentially erased their own emotions entirely.
"Heh, foolish people. Sasuke, I'll leave Shikamaru and Naruto to you. I'll handle these guys."
Menma smiled coldly.
Boom!
The Nine-Tails chakra erupted directly.
A cloak of red chakra swirled over him.
Facing these Root elites...
Menma needed to get somewhat serious.
After all, the weakest among these people possessed strength approaching that of an Elite Chunin.
Better to crush everything with absolute power.
"Hmph. Do as you please."
Feeling that sky-piercing chakra aura from Menma...
Even Sasuke's eyelids couldn't help but twitch slightly.
Even having undergone the special Cursed Seal refinement and gained the ability to enter the second stage, feeling that his strength had greatly increased, Sasuke still couldn't suppress a palpitation of fear when sensing the Nine-Tails' chakra at such close range.
Comparing it to the battle half a month ago...
Sasuke could judge that there was likely still a significant gap between him and Menma.
"Well then, Sasuke-sama, leave that ponytail ninja to me."
The perceptive Tayuya took on her responsibility directly.
Whoosh!
Following that...
She moved a step ahead, leaping toward Shikamaru's position to attack.
And the moment Sasuke locked his gaze on Naruto...
Thud!
His figure leaped up abruptly.
Amidst the exploding airwaves, he charged straight ahead.
Even though this was a different development...
Ultimately, it seemed to return to the two of them facing each other.
After Menma finished speaking...
Boom.
Accompanying the rippling airwaves...
He charged at high speed toward the location of the Root members.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Technique."
Clapping his hands together.
Completing the hand seals at extreme speed.
Extracting a massive amount of chakra violently.
In an instant...
Several intensely hot fireballs erupted.
"Water Style: Water Wall Technique."
On the left side.
A Root member formed hand seals immediately.
Rumble.
From below...
Water surged up.
Forming a massive curtain of water directly in front.
Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss!
The fireballs were intercepted.
Massive amounts of steam burst forth.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Just as the Fire Style jutsu seemed to be completely neutralized, the moment it dissipated, several shuriken flew out from the core of the steam.
"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Menma formed the hand seals simultaneously at high speed.
Buzz!
After a tremor...
In a split second...
The shuriken multiplied into dozens of clones.
Raining down directly.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall Technique!"
Whoosh!
The three or four Root members with the fastest reactions and strongest abilities used jutsu to block or dodged away.
But one Root member standing at the very front clearly didn't have time to react.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Flesh was pierced through directly.
Accompanied by spurting blood.
Countless shuriken penetrated his vital points, killing this Root member instantly.
In the first clash...
The powerful strength displayed...
Caused the pupils of the Root leader, hidden beneath his mask, to contract sharply.
The thought of splitting their forces to capture both Menma and Sasuke simultaneously vanished completely at this moment.
Just handling Menma alone would likely be extremely difficult for them.
But what this leader didn't know was that even though he had raised his estimation of Menma infinitely, he was still vastly underestimating him.
Leaping upwards...
Swish!
The moment a Root member closed in...
Menma tilted his head, easily evading the cold blade's strike.
Flipping his hand to produce a kunai directly.
With a fierce stab...
He aimed clearly at the vital point of this Root member.
Just as it was about to sink in...
Whoosh!
From the side...
Another Root member wearing a monkey mask immediately moved to cover.
Clang!
Producing a kunai as well...
He blocked Menma's strike directly.
But the sheer power, clearly exceeding expectations, caused this Root member's arm to tremble.
Even this Root member, who had trained his body and mind to remain unmoved by almost anything, couldn't help but reveal a look of shock in his eyes.
This is a twelve-year-old boy!?
From the surrounding positions...
The remaining four Root members attacked together.
A pincer attack from four sides.
Menma smiled coldly.
The Nine-Tails chakra erupted further.
Boom!
Bang!
In an instant, he spun around, his right leg smashing heavily into the abdomen of that Root member, sending him—and the Root member behind him who had just adjusted his posture—flying away at high speed like cannonballs.