Chapter 113: In This World, Power Is Everything
"There's a change in your Chakra... I felt it."
Yamato said in a low voice.
He looked at Matsuri, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
The smile on Naruto's face froze completely.
This moment had finally arrived.
"Sasuke..."
Since their parting three years ago, Naruto had been thinking about reuniting with Sasuke every single moment.
To see Sasuke again, Naruto had constantly trained, fought, and grown... yet now, the end of it all was this result.
"Why? Sasuke, aren't you... aren't you a Konoha Ninja?"
"Sasuke, have you already..."
Naruto didn't dare to say the word "defected."
He believed in Sasuke!
He believed that Sasuke wouldn't betray Konoha, wouldn't abandon the bond between them!
However, reality was cruel.
"You seem quite shocked, Naruto."
A cold sneer curled at the corner of Sasuke's mouth, his gaze piercingly cold.
"From the moment you left Konoha, we were no longer comrades."
"My path is completely different from yours!"
"Matsuri, do it!"
At Sasuke's command, Matsuri instantly vanished from her spot.
Alarm bells rang in Naruto's mind; he hurriedly channeled his Chakra to prepare for the incoming attack.
However, Matsuri's speed was simply too fast!
Naruto only felt a blur before his eyes, and Matsuri had already appeared in front of him 347, the cold glint of a Kunai in her hand thrusting straight for his face!
"Sasuke! Stop it!"
Naruto roared, desperately channeling Chakra to stop Matsuri's attack.
However, his Chakra seemed to be bound by some force, unable to flow smoothly.
"Hmph! Your Chakra has already been sealed by me, Naruto."
Matsuri gave a cold laugh, the Kunai in her hand continuing to close in.
"Sasuke... why? Why are you doing this?"
Naruto stared fixedly at Sasuke, unable to believe that all of this was real.
Did the Sasuke of the past—the one who fought and grew alongside him—really no longer exist?
Facing Naruto's questioning, there wasn't a single ripple of emotion on Sasuke's face.
"The bond between us was severed long ago."
"Now, we are merely enemies."
Sasuke's voice was piercingly cold, as if coming from the depths of the Nine Netherworld.
And at that moment, Matsuri's Kunai ruthlessly stabbed toward Naruto!
Just as the Kunai was about to strike his face, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking the way in front of Naruto.
"Sasuke, stop!"
"Konoha... has no place for you!"
The newcomer was none other than Konohamaru.
A trace of determination was on his face, as if he were prepared to face any hardship.
"Konohamaru, you..."
Sasuke frowned slightly, looking at Konohamaru with some surprise.
"I'm here to stop you."
Konohamaru gripped the Short flute in his hand, his eyes flashing with resolve.
"No matter what you say, I won't let you hurt Naruto!"
"Konohamaru, weren't you eager to lecture Naruto? Why choose to stop me now?"
Matsuri said in a playful tone.
"I don't care what grievances you have with Naruto, but you cannot hurt him!"
Konohamaru roared, his eyes shining with a determined light.
"Hmph! Konohamaru, you really do surprise me!"
Sasuke looked coldly at Konohamaru, no emotion in his eyes.
"However, your appearance doesn't seem to have changed anything."
"Today, we must settle all of this!"
At Sasuke's command, Matsuri attacked Konohamaru once again.
This time, Konohamaru didn't back down either, engaging in a fierce battle with Matsuri using his own strength and wisdom.
Naruto watched anxiously from the side; he knew Konohamaru was no match for Matsuri, but he also knew he couldn't intervene.
Because this was a grievance between him and Sasuke, and he couldn't involve anyone else.
"Konohamaru, get back!"
"Leave the rest to me!"
Naruto took a deep breath, determination flickering in his eyes.
He couldn't just stand by and watch Konohamaru die at Matsuri's hands!
"Naruto... you..."
Konohamaru looked at Naruto with worry; he knew that while Naruto was strong, he stood no chance against an opponent like Matsuri.
"Don't worry... I'm fine!"
Naruto forced a small smile for Konohamaru, then turned to face Sasuke and Matsuri.
"Orochimaru... you really are the one pulling the strings behind everything!" Naruto said through gritted teeth. He felt a powerful Chakra approaching—it was Orochimaru's presence.
Orochimaru's figure slowly emerged from the shadows, his snake-like eyes fixed intently on Naruto.
"Naruto, it seems you still don't understand... in this world, power is everything."
Orochimaru's voice was cold and cunning. With a light wave of his sleeve, Matsuri stopped her attack and retreated to his side.
"Sasuke, are you really willing to be Orochimaru's pawn?" Naruto looked at Sasuke again, his eyes filled with resentment and disappointment.
But Sasuke only gave him a cold look before turning to follow Orochimaru away.
"Sasuke..." Naruto reached out, wanting to make him stay, but his hand eventually fell powerlessly to his side.
He knew he had failed again.
He couldn't bring back Sasuke, and he couldn't stop Orochimaru's plot... "Naruto, let's go." Sakura's voice sounded in his ear as she gently supported his shoulder.
"Back to Konoha Village. We'll train hard; there will surely be another chance."
Naruto nodded. He looked in the direction where Konohamaru and Matsuri had left, his heart filled with complex emotions.
He knew he had to become stronger to protect those around him and to realize his own Ninja Way!!
And so, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai set out on the journey back to Konoha Village.
They knew that the next six months would be their last chance.
During this time, they had to do everything possible to increase their strength and prepare for the upcoming final battle.
Sasuke's silhouette remained deeply etched in their hearts, becoming the driving force for them to move forward.
In the days following the failure of the mission to retrieve Sasuke, Naruto remained immersed in deep self-reproach and pain.
Every night, he would have a strange dream where the shadows of Sasuke and Orochimaru intertwined, making it impossible for him to breathe.
"Ah!" Naruto suddenly jolted awake from a dream, sweat soaking his pillow.
A few days later, on a clear morning, Naruto and Sakura took Sai to the hospital where Kakashi was staying.
Kakashi was lying on the hospital bed, wrapped in bandages, but he seemed to be in good spirits.
"Kakashi-sensei, how are you feeling?" Naruto asked with concern.
Kakashi smiled and shook his head: "I'm fine, I just need to rest for a while."
Standing to the side, Sai also showed a look of worry on his face.
At that moment, Byakuya suddenly walked in, his eyes lighting up upon seeing Naruto.
"Naruto, I have an idea that might help you forget your troubles," Byakuya said.
"What idea?" Naruto asked curiously.
Byakuya smiled slightly: "I want to teach you a Ninjutsu that only you can learn."
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