Chapter 130: It Seems the Victor Is MeVibration Style: Spiral Suction Sphere!On that Chakra sphere, a powerful suction suddenly erupted.Caught off guard, Kisame Hoshigaki felt as if he were being seized by an invisible giant hand, pulled toward Naruto against his will.However, this technique had just been developed; aside from this irresistible suction, the Spiral Suction Sphere itself possessed no direct lethality.Thus, at the moment the suction erupted, Narutohad already gripped his Kunai in a reverse hold. A cold, sharp light flashed through the air as he aimed for Kisame Hoshigaki's chest, prepared to deliver a fatal blow to the prey dragged before him.However, Kisame Hoshigaki was by no means someone who would just wait for death.Seeing the cold tip of the Kunai rapidly enlarging in his field of vision, stabbing straight toward his heart, not a trace of panic appeared in Kisame's eyes; instead, a flash of excitement flickered through them.He first cleanly released his grip on the sword. Freed, the Great Sword Samehada twisted its barb-covered body nimbly in mid-air, its swimming posture truly resembling a slippery fish.Chiii!A very faint sound.Naruto frowned suddenly.He felt the continuously spinning Spiral Suction Sphere in his palm vanish into thin air without warning, as if it had been drained dry, and the suction disappeared entirely."Is this Samehada's Chakra-devouring ability?"Naruto's reaction was incredibly fast; he grasped the situation almost the instant the Rasengandissipated.His gaze swept over the great sword twisting triumphantly in the air once more, and his internal alarm reached its peak instantly.In the next second, a squelching sound was heard.It was the dull sound of a blade piercing through clothing and cutting into flesh.In a life-or-death moment with nowhere to hide, Kisame Hoshigaki made the most seasoned choice.He suddenly raised his left arm, using his thick, sturdy forearm to shield his chest.Although the Kunai in Naruto's hand was incomparably sharp, the tip only sank three inches into the flesh before being firmly caught by the other's hard, sturdy bone, unable to advance even a fraction further.Crimson blood gushed from the wound, yet Kisame Hoshigaki didn't even frown.Silver Hamon Overdrive!Without hesitation, Naruto channeled the Hamonalong the Kunai and directly into Kisame Hoshigaki's body.A strange numbness washed over him, causing his body to stiffen for a moment.However, before Naruto could take his next move, Samehada in mid-air had already approached his body and twisted once again.Another soft "chiii" sound."What?!"Naruto's body suddenly went limp as he felt the power within him being drained and devoured.He naturally knew that Samehada possessed the bizarre trait of being able to devour Chakra from a distance without direct contact.But now, Samehada wasn't just devouring Chakra; it had even swallowed most of the Hamon within his body in an instant!Due to this error in judgment, Naruto failed to seize the precious opportunity to deliver a fatal blow during the opening while his opponent was stiff.And the immense, almost terrifying amount of Chakra within Kisame Hoshigaki's body played a huge role, purging the invading Hamon completely in a very short time.The moment he regained his ability to move, Kisame Hoshigaki didn't hesitate for a second, twisting his waist and delivering a flying kick straight to Naruto's chest.The force was as heavy as a sledgehammer; Naruto only had time to let out a muffled groan before being sent flying backward.As Naruto's body was flying through the air, Kisame Hoshigaki reached out and firmly regripped Samehada's hilt.Then, giving Naruto no chance to breathe, he swung the blade forward with a backhand.Flying Chain Slash!Samehada's hilt suddenly elongated, lashing out like a whip, bringing Naruto—who had already moved out of the blade's direct attack range—back into its reach.The broad blade, covered in hideous barbs, whistled as it tore through the air, biting toward Naruto's waist.The dense spikes on the blade stood upright, glinting with a scalp-numbing cold light; if struck solidly by this blade, it would be far more than just losing a chunk of flesh.Seeing Samehada's hideous edge getting closer and closer, with the strong wind already hitting his face, Naruto's eyes suddenly narrowed.Vibration Style: Spiral Repulsion Sphere!With the experience of previous condensations, the Rasengan formed remarkably fast this time.In just the blink of an eye, another deep blue Chakra light sphere appeared steadily in his palm.Although it was also a Rasengan infused with Vibration Release Chakra, the nature of the Chakraadded to the Rasengan this time was the exact opposite of before: [Repulsion].Although Samehada had once again opened its hideous mouth on the blade, frantically devouring the surrounding Chakra as it had before.But the moment the Rasengan was fully formed, Naruto chose to detonate it first without hesitation.BOOM!!!An extremely dull, loud explosion.A massive repulsive force erupted violently from the center of the Rasengan without warning, turning into a rolling shockwave that swept in all directions with destructive force.This violent shockwave exploded right between Naruto and Kisame Hoshigaki.Prepared, Naruto took the opportunity to spread his limbs and relax his body completely, like a fallen leaf swept up by a gale. Using the massive recoil of the repulsive force, he flew backward through the air, creating distance in one go.On the other side, Kisame Hoshigaki had to hold Samehada horizontally in front of him, gritting his teeth to forcefully resist the surging repulsive force.The shockwave pushed him back a long distance until the raging wave finally exhausted its power and dissipated.Kisame Hoshigaki lowered his slightly numbed arm and looked at Naruto, who had already regained his footing in the distance. Instead of being annoyed, a slow, cruel smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth.Because in the brief time they had been fighting, the Water Shockwave he had previously cast had already completely transformed the battlefield.Looking around, the entire hilltop was submerged, forming a vast area of water shimmering with ripples.For Kisame Hoshigaki, the geographical advantage was now entirely in his hands!His hands turned into two blurs as he quickly formed a series of hand seals, then slammed his palm heavily onto the water's surface beneath his feet.Water Release: Five Eating Sharks!With a dense splashing sound of breaking water, the previously calm surface at Naruto's feet suddenly exploded.Five shark-shaped water bullets leapt from the water, opening their hideous mouths full of sharp teeth to bite at him frantically from all directions, cutting off all paths of retreat.Vibration Release: Sage Way Hamon Infused Hard Wall!A dazzling golden light flashed by.A bubble shimmering with a rainbow halo emerged from Naruto, wrapping him up tightly.In the next second, the five ferocious sharks from the Five Eating Sharks lunged before him.Their sharp teeth bit hard into the seemingly thin bubble membrane, but with only a soft "pop" sound, they all slid off, leaving circles of futile ripples on the bubble's outer wall.However, in that brief delay, Kisame Hoshigaki had already caught up, striding across the water's surface.A cruel smirk was on his pale face as he swung Samehada toward Naruto.The sword didn't even need to pierce the barrier; it simply opened its greedy mouth and sucked from the air, instantly devouring all the Chakramaintaining the bubble.As the bubble shattered, Naruto's pupils constricted, and that familiar feeling of weakness surged once more.Once again, Samehada had devoured the Hamonwithin his body."It seems the victor is me."Kisame Hoshigaki keenly caught Naruto's abnormality, and the smile on his face was incredibly joyful.He raised the still-twisting Great Sword Samehadahigh, the blade trailing an afterimage as it slashed down fiercely toward the enemy before him.Naruto frowned deeply, both hands forming claws.But before he could condense his Chakra, a sudden change occurred.The cruel smirk on Kisame Hoshigaki's face suddenly froze.He narrowed his eyes, feeling an unheralded sharp pain from the palm holding the sword.Kisame Hoshigaki looked up to see that dense, sharp spikes had actually sprouted from Samehada's hilt.These barbs were merciless, piercing right through his palm. Crimson blood gushed out along the edges of the spikes, staining the water beneath his feet red.
Chapter 131: I am DyingSquelch!The sound of flesh being pierced suddenly rang out across the battlefield.The sound was faint, yet clearly audible, causing both Naruto and Kisame Hoshigaki to freeze at the same time.Naruto's eyes widened as he looked up, only to see that the Great Sword Samehada, which had been so formidable just a moment ago, had sprouted countless sharp and hideous spikes from its hilt without warning.Those cold barbs ruthlessly pierced through Kisame Hoshigaki's pale blue hand, stabbing right through his entire palm.Bright red, hot blood gushed out from the wounds caused by the spikes, dripping onto the undulating surface of the water beneath their feet and blooming into clusters of eye-catching crimson."What's going on?"Naruto furrowed his brows, momentarily dazed and completely unable to figure out what had just happened.He had already prepared to force out the Move he was conceiving, but he never expected that the one to interrupt the battle would be Kisame Hoshigaki's own sword.On the other side, Kisame Hoshigaki's pupils constricted sharply.Astonishment and alertness instantly surged onto his shark-like, ferocious face.As the master of Samehada, he understood this great sword that had followed him for many years very deeply.Among the famous Seven Ninja Swords of the Hidden Mist Village, Samehada was the most unusual one.Because it was never an ordinary weapon, but a truly living, Biological Ninja Tool with its own consciousness and emotions!Samehada has an extremely strong personality and feelings; it would never allow itself to be used casually like a dead object.It actively chooses its own master, and it shows great affinity for the Chakra it likes.As for those it does not acknowledge, Samehadawill attack them without mercy.After years of synchronization and contact, Kisame Hoshigaki was already able to give orders to Samehada and command it to cooperate with him in various complex tactical attacks.But he always knew in his heart that at its core, this great sword would always retain its gluttonous and willful instincts.And just now, Samehada unreservedly expressed its fondness for Uzumaki Naruto.More accurately, it was a fondness for the peculiar power within Naruto.It wasn't the Vibration Release Chakra, but another even purer energy of life rhythm—the Hamon that had just been poured into Kisame Hoshigaki's body and caused his movements to stiffen!Samehada developed a nearly greedy sense of affinity for this fresh and powerful energy, so when it was launched into an attack against Naruto, it displayed a will of non-cooperation.It was precisely because of this that when Kisame Hoshigaki tried to force it to cleave down at Naruto, Samehada sprouted spikes from its hilt to forcibly stop its own master.A strong sense of crisis exploded in Kisame Hoshigaki's heart.Although Samehada hadn't directly betrayed him yet, only using this method to stop him from swinging at Naruto, it was a warning that could not be ignored.With its gluttonous and willful personality, if Samehada were allowed to suck a few more mouthfuls of that fascinating Hamon, this fellow might actually turn against him for real.At this thought, Kisame Hoshigaki made a decision without hesitation—Turn around and flee.In any case, the purpose of their trip was only to test Uzumaki Naruto's true strength; as long as they collected the intelligence, they could consider the mission accomplished.Even as a straightforward person, Kisame Hoshigaki knew there was no need to fight to the death with the enemy before him just for a test.Having made up his mind, Kisame retreated with utmost decisiveness, without the slightest hesitation.Only, as he turned to sprint away, Samehada, which had just retracted its spikes, still wriggled its body a few times reluctantly in Naruto's direction.It looked just like a gluttonous shark being forcibly dragged away from a delicious school of fish.However, this little movement made Kisame Hoshigaki even more wary, and the speed at which he treaded water increased slightly.That tall figure, in almost an instant, turned into a bobbing black dot and completely disappeared into the end of the vast expanse of water.This all sounds long, but it actually happened in an instant.By the time Naruto snapped out of his surprise, he only heard the rapid pitter-patter of footsteps on water fading away quickly."Is it over?"Naruto blinked his eyes in confusion.Although even in the end, he didn't fully understand why Samehada would suddenly turn on its master.But the hard facts were right there: the incredibly strong Kisame Hoshigaki had just inexplicably run away.At this, Naruto let out a long sigh of relief.Kisame Hoshigaki's strength far exceeded his prior estimates; if he really had to fight to the end regardless of everything, he didn't have a certain grasp of victory.And, more importantly—"Pervy Sage said that members of the Akatsuki Organization always Move in pairs and never appear alone."Naruto's mind raced: "Uchiha Itachi never showed his face from start to finish. That can only mean one thing: he is currently dealing with someone else."This thought flashed by, and Naruto already understood the logic behind it.He suddenly turned around, no longer looking in the direction where Kisame Hoshigaki had disappeared, but instead strode off at his fastest speed back toward the town.If Kisame Hoshigaki ran, he ran; he wasn't the target anyway.From beginning to end, the person Naruto was truly looking for was only Uchiha Itachi!"Bastard! Just you wait!"Naruto's figure turned into a bolt of lightning skimming across the water, carrying a surge of anger as he flew away....Mudansuku Town.The bustling street that was filled with lights and people just a short while ago had now become empty, without a single soul in sight.Several of those colorful neon signs had already shattered and hung down, flickering with dim, residual light that reflected off the broken tiles and charcoal on the ground.Two figures stood atop their respective dilapidated buildings, facing each other from across the messy street.Around them, large swaths of houses had been razed to the ground during their brief but fierce exchange, turning into charred ruins emitting blue smoke.It was precisely the terrifying destructive power generated by their battle that had scared the people on the entire street into fleeing in panic, hurriedly leaving this district that could be leveled at any moment, resulting in the current deathly silence."The surrounding area should be completely cleared out by now."Jiraiya stood with one hand on his hip, his white hair blowing in the breeze.His eyes, which were usually lecherous, were now as calm as a deep pool, without a hint of a joke."Yes."Atop the broken wall opposite him, Uchiha Itachistood straight, his voice so cold that not a single ripple of emotion could be heard."Then I'll speak plainly," Jiraiya's casual expression slowly faded as his gaze sharply locked onto the other, "Why did you appear in the Village before? And why did you lay such a cruel hand on Sasuke?""The reason is simple," Uchiha Itachi fell silent for a moment before answering succinctly, "I am about to die."
Chapter 132: Stay Right There, You Bastard"I am dying."Uchiha Itachi's reply was brief to the extreme, his tone as calm as water, as if he were not discussing his own life and death, but some trivial matter unrelated to him."What?"Jiraiya's already grave expression darkened further upon hearing those words.As someone who had spent years traveling the Ninja World to gather intelligence, he had naturally heard rumors that Uchiha Itachi was in poor health.But the fact that it had reached the point of near-death was far beyond his expectations.Had this man's physical condition really deteriorated to such an extent?Yet, judging from their brief exchange just now, every one of Uchiha Itachi's movements remained sharp and elegant, and the oppressive aura of his Sharingan had not faded in the slightest; he did not look at all like a dying man in his final moments.However, Uchiha Itachi ignored the shock on Jiraiya's face and continued in that same placid tone: "My Mangekyo Sharingan places an extremely heavy burden on the body of its wielder.""Every time I use this power, it erodes my remaining life. The only way to avoid this side effect is to transplant the Mangekyo Sharingan of a blood relative."At this point, he paused slightly, and in those scarlet eyes, there was finally a trace of an almost imperceptible, near-paranoid fluctuation."Therefore, I need Sasuke to grow up quickly, even if it means using the most brutal methods to force his growth!"Before his voice had even faded, Uchiha Itachi's usually indifferent, cold face suddenly became ferocious, and the Three-Tomoe patterns in his pupils spun rapidly.His figure flashed against the broken wall illuminated by the embers, and he vanished from the spot in an instant.Jiraiya's breathing tightened abruptly.Driven almost entirely by instinct, he whipped his white hair forcefully while rapidly forming hand signs.Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo!That wild, long hair grew violently under the infusion of Chakra, wrapping Jiraiya up completely, airtight.Immediately, each strand of white hair hardened and stood up like countless sharp steel needles, forming a shield of needles filled with murderous intent, looking just like a hedgehog protecting itself.Any enemy who dared to charge head-on into this barrier would undoubtedly be pierced with ten thousand transparent holes.Uchiha Itachi, however, seemed to have foreseen Jiraiya's move and stopped steadily in front of him.He did not launch any taijutsu attacks, nor did he form hand signs; he simply opened his eyes wide, meeting Jiraiya's gaze.In those scarlet Sharingan eyes, the Three-Tomoespun crazily at an unprecedented speed, eventually blurring and merging into a pinwheel pattern.Tsukuyomi!Alarm bells rang in Jiraiya's mind, and the moment he realized something was wrong, he immediately closed his eyes.But by the time he realized it, it was already too late.Jiraiya felt his vision blur for a fleeting instant, as if the light and shadow of the entire world had been sucked away for a fraction of a second.When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the real world from just before, but in a bizarre black-and-white negative space."This is my mental space." Uchiha Itachi appeared beside Jiraiya without warning, his tone still calm and waveless. "A single instant in the outside world is a full three days here."In this pitch-black world, everything was reduced to pale outlines, looking eerie and chilling.Just as Jiraiya swallowed hard, thinking the other party had truly defected, Uchiha Itachi bowed slightly."There is likely a monitor from the Akatsuki Organization near me. Therefore, I can only convey the true intelligence to you within this mental world, Lord Jiraiya."..."Ah!!!"A moment later, Jiraiya let out a scream.The Needle Jizo that had been covering him, tensed to the limit, suddenly went limp.The head of white hair, hardened like steel needles, lost the support of Chakra and hung down weakly.Jiraiya's burly body trembled violently, he fell heavily to one knee, and panted heavily.He barely managed to raise his head, sweat dripping down his temples, and looked at Uchiha Itachi not far ahead.In Jiraiya's eyes, there was clearly discernible anger and dissatisfaction.This bastard... isn't he being a bit too cautious?To prevent any potential monitors hiding in the shadows from seeing through the ruse, after exchanging information in the Tsukuyomi space, Uchiha Itachi had actually gone ahead and mercilessly stabbed himself dozens of times!The intense mental pain was something even Jiraiya, who always prided himself on being a tough guy, couldn't withstand without screaming out.However, the effect was indeed perfect.Jiraiya's current agonizing appearance was mostly a genuine physical reaction, with only a tiny fraction being a performance to go along with the situation.If there really were a monitor watching with wide eyes, it would be almost impossible for them to find any flaws in it."Ugh!"On the other side, Uchiha Itachi was definitely not having an easy time either.Accompanied by a tightly suppressed grunt, his figure swayed, he stumbled back two steps, and then likewise fell to one knee.The color drained from Uchiha Itachi's face as if in an instant, becoming visibly pale, and his thin body trembled uncontrollably.After casting Tsukuyomi, this body, already suffering from a terminal illness, became even more precarious.The necessary intelligence had been exchanged, and his body had reached its limit; it was time to leave.Uchiha Itachi let out a long breath, leaped into the distance, and made a gesture of retreat.But just before he landed, an angry voice rang out abruptly like a thunderclap."Vibration Style: Spiral Suction Sphere!"Uchiha Itachi and Jiraiya, who was still kneeling on one knee, were both shocked.Both turned their heads abruptly, looking toward the source of the voice.They saw Naruto's figure, who had arrived at some unknown time, standing on a high ground at the edge of the ruins.His pupils were burning with intense flames of anger, his right hand raised high, and he hurled a rapidly spinning sphere of light fiercely toward Uchiha Itachi, who was in mid-air and about to leave the battlefield."A Rasengan that can be thrown? And judging by that name, this kid actually added Vibration Release Chakra into it too?"Jiraiya widened his eyes in disbelief, waves of shock surging in his heart.He remembered that Naruto's training had only just entered the third stage, and theoretically, he shouldn't be able to use the Rasengan yet.Yet this kid had not only learned it, but had even developed a nature transformation for it?At the same moment, after the azure Chakrasphere left his hand, it suddenly erupted with a violently unmatched invisible suction force.This place had already turned into a chaotic ruin from the previous battle, with broken bricks, snapped beams, and countless charred rubble scattered everywhere.At this moment, under the frantic pull of this overbearing suction, these things flew up into the air from all directions, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, converging toward the high-speed rotating sphere of light.The booming sounds of impact and friction merged into one, and in the blink of an eye, the sphere of light expanded rapidly, turning into a giant ball with a diameter of five or six meters, compressed from countless pieces of rubble and debris.This sphere flew over rapidly, not only blocking Uchiha Itachi's retreat path tight and fast, but also carrying a destructive force of immense weight, smashing over fiercely amidst the dust-filled air.At the same time, Naruto also used the continuously erupting pulling force of the Spiral Suction Sphere to sweep across the ruins at extreme speed, heading straight for the center of the battlefield."Stay right there, you bastard!"Naruto locked his gaze tightly onto Uchiha Itachi, without a half-second of deviation.