Uchiha Sasuke was able to understand Uzumaki Naruto.
A significant part of this understanding came from the teachings of the Fourth Hokage, Minato, who was one of Sasuke's teachers and had shared considerable information about the Jinchuriki.
Besides this...
There were other troublesome aspects.
For instance, the fact that the Tailed Beasts could provide chakra to the Jinchuriki.
"Idiot..."
Uchiha Sasuke looked at the figure cloaked in the Tailed Beast's shroud and felt the difficulty of the situation, as his chakra was nearly exhausted.
Before leaving Konoha, Sasuke had first defeated the Sound Four and then fought Orochimaru, depleting most of his chakra at that time...
Even though he had slightly recovered his chakra while waiting at the Valley of the End, it wasn't enough to continue the battle...
However...
Naruto still had chakra within him.
"Are you running out of chakra?"
Orochimaru seemed to notice Sasuke's predicament and laughed softly, "At this moment, you could activate the curse mark I gave you and try out the new power..."
"I understand."
Uchiha Sasuke furrowed his brow.
Although he could use the chakra from the curse mark, it would trap him in Orochimaru's scheme, something he had been warned about beforehand.
However...
If he didn't use the curse mark now...
It would arouse Orochimaru's suspicion, which would be detrimental to his undercover mission.
Forget it.
The curse mark would be cleansed eventually anyway.
Uchiha Sasuke decided to no longer resist the invasion of the curse mark, activating its power. The chakra from the curse mark quickly spread over his body, burning his skin like fire, even altering his appearance!
Regarding the power of the curse mark...
Uchiha Sasuke had also obtained some secret information.
Because nearly all the ninjas in the Root division had curse marks, though theirs were bestowed by Akihara Kagura, the members of the Root would occasionally mention training using the curse mark.
"Ahhhh!"
Uchiha Sasuke couldn't suppress his pain, feeling something drilling out from within his body as the curse mark began to transform his appearance!
A fleshy claw emerged from his back, standing like a wing, with a fleshy armor covering his face!
"The second state of the curse mark..."
Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Sasuke in astonishment, then smiled slightly, "Truly an unparalleled genius... Sasuke..."
"Rasengan!"
Naruto, cloaked in the crimson Tailed Beast shroud, also had a purple Rasengan in his hand, different from his usual one!
"Chidori!"
Sasuke's palm was engulfed in a chirping silver light, different from his usual Chidori form as well!
Sasuke's eyes were fixed on Naruto, struggling to resist the curse mark's assault on his will, finding it to be a form of training...
For both him...
And for Naruto...
This battle was a form of training.
"Naruto."
In his curse mark form, Sasuke looked at the beast-like Naruto, holding the Chidori in his hand, and coldly said, "Go back and train properly. You still have a long way to go..."
"I will definitely bring you back!"
In his One-Tailed form, Naruto charged at Sasuke with the Rasengan in his hand, "Even if it means dying! I will definitely bring you back!"
"Idiot..."
Sasuke cursed, raising his Chidori to meet the attack. He didn't care how much damage his opponent would take; he knew this guy's regenerative ability!
"Sasuke!"
"Naruto!"
Naruto's face still bore a stubborn expression!
Sasuke's face showed hesitation!
The two drastically transformed youths raised their most powerful techniques and charged at each other!
"Rasengan!"
Jiraiya raised his palm, and a Rasengan formed in his hand as he looked at Orochimaru across from him, seemingly inviting a fight.
"..."
Orochimaru's expression turned peculiar.
Regarding the battle among the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, Jiraiya's Rasengan can only serve as a minor technique in combat; how could it be the decisive factor in determining the outcome?
Orochimaru's eyebrows slightly furrowed, seemingly unable to comprehend Jiraiya's actions. He raised his fingers, swiftly forming hand signs!
"Lightning Release: Thunder!"
A bolt of lightning struck Jiraiya suddenly!
"Ahhhhh..."
The Rasengan in Jiraiya's hand instantly dissipated, and he shook his arm in pain: "You truly are unscrupulous..."
"Idiot!"
Orochimaru sneered at Jiraiya, mocking his naivety and foolishness: "Do you think we are still twelve or thirteen-year-old children?"
Just as they were speaking, the battle on the other side had already reached a conclusion. The techniques of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke collided, immediately causing a massive explosion!
"This is bad!"
Both Orochimaru and Jiraiya's expressions changed simultaneously!
As the explosion began, the entire Valley of the End started to tremble!
At the moment when the Chidori and Rasengan collided, it was as if a black hole had formed, only to explode suddenly. The cliffs of the canyon cracked rapidly, with debris flying and falling incessantly. Even the lake above the Valley of the End began to tilt downward!
What's even more troubling is...
If they weren't careful...
They could be swept away by the torrent from the lake at any moment!
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!"
Orochimaru and Jiraiya simultaneously formed the seals!
Having fought together countless times, the two of them instinctively completed the hand signs for the same technique, using Earth Release to block the gap in the cliff!
After completing this, both Orochimaru and Jiraiya looked at each other. Jiraiya snorted in dissatisfaction, while there seemed to be a hint of amusement in Orochimaru's eyes: "Jiraiya, even if you don't care about Naruto's safety, I still care about my vessel..."
"This is bad, Naruto!"
Jiraiya recalled the tremor caused by the explosion. In terms of technique power alone, the two youngsters had already reached the combat level of a Jonin!
These two youngsters...
Could something have gone wrong?
Orochimaru and Jiraiya leaped up simultaneously, each catching a teenager. The chakra-exhausted Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto had reverted to their original states.
However...
Naruto had already fallen unconscious.
Uchiha Sasuke seemed to still have some strength left.
"Sasuke, you've won."
Orochimaru smiled and softly praised Uchiha Sasuke, then looked at Jiraiya opposite him: "Jiraiya, you've lost. It seems my judgment was correct this time..."
"..."
Jiraiya said nothing, only checking Naruto's body carefully. After confirming that he was not seriously injured, he felt relieved.
Jiraiya was unwilling to acknowledge Orochimaru's victory and didn't want to engage further: "It's still too early for the two youngsters to determine a winner... And we haven't settled our score yet either!"
"You're still as stubborn as ever..."
Orochimaru shook his head, indifferent to Jiraiya's obstinacy.
"Make sure Naruto trains well..."
Uchiha Sasuke stubbornly stood up from Orochimaru's arms, looked coldly at Jiraiya holding Naruto, and said: "Next time we meet, I hope this idiot won't fall too far behind!"
"Orochimaru, let's go!"
Uchiha Sasuke turned and was about to leave directly.
"Goodbye, Jiraiya."
Orochimaru politely bid farewell to his old friend, then smiled and left the Valley of the End with Uchiha Sasuke.
"That guy..."
Jiraiya stared intently at their departing figures, as if seeing a future where the figures of Orochimaru and Uchiha Sasuke overlapped, a trace of anger flashed across his face!
Yet he could do nothing...
Because Uchiha Sasuke had won, Uzumaki Naruto had lost, and he couldn't stop Orochimaru, he could only watch them leave.
"Sasuke..."
Uzumaki Naruto suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes. Seeing Jiraiya in front of him, he felt a sense of relief.
"Sasuke held back..."
Naruto's first words upon waking were this. His eyes were still shining, as if there was hope within them, because he saw the struggle in Uchiha Sasuke's eyes: "Sasuke didn't want to kill me..."
"So what if he didn't?"
Jiraiya furrowed his brows, disapproving of Uzumaki Naruto's idea: "One day, Uchiha Sasuke will become just like Orochimaru..."
To be honest.
Jiraiya had tried to bring Orochimaru back for a long time but ultimately failed. After Orochimaru orchestrated the Konoha Crush, Jiraiya had completely given up on that idea.
"He won't."
Uzumaki Naruto shook his head quickly and said firmly, "No matter what he becomes, I will definitely bring him back!"
"You..."
Jiraiya stopped trying to persuade him.
One day, this child will be completely disillusioned with his traitorous companion.
"Lord Jiraiya!"
Hatake Kakashi arrived with his ninja dogs! Because he received the news a bit late, he only saw Jiraiya and Naruto when he arrived, and his expression was not very good.
"Where's Sasuke?"
"He was taken by Orochimaru."
Jiraiya sighed and added, "Uchiha Sasuke was blinded by revenge and left willingly with Orochimaru..."
"..."
Hatake Kakashi fell silent immediately.
Kakashi felt uneasy. His companion Uchiha Obito had become a rogue ninja, and now his student Uchiha Sasuke had also become one...
What a mess!
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Naruto looked at Hatake Kakashi and solemnly raised his fist: "Don't worry, I will definitely bring Sasuke back!"
"..."
Kakashi could only nod hesitantly.
At this moment...
The wheel of fate seemed to start turning in cycles across generations.
This generation's Uzumaki Naruto wanted to bring back the rogue ninja Uchiha Sasuke, the previous generation's Kakashi had wanted to bring back the rogue ninja Uchiha Obito, Lord Jiraiya had once tried to bring back the rogue ninja Orochimaru, and even the late Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had once tried to bring back the rogue ninja Shimura Danzo...
Konoha's rogue ninjas...
Seemed to be quite numerous?
While thinking about Uchiha Obito, Kakashi did not know that the person he wanted to bring back was in great trouble, facing the pursuit of four Hokage!
In the Land of Rain.
The downpour continued.
Uchiha Obito deliberately faced the four Hokage to prevent them from tracking down the Akatsuki base, protecting the organization he had painstakingly built.
Undoubtedly.
This was an act of seeking trouble.
The Fourth Hokage Minato looked at the completely changed but still recognizable Uchiha Obito, sighed deeply, feeling conflicted.
"Obito..."
"Sensei..."
Uchiha Obito also felt complex emotions, his voice becoming hoarse: "It's been a long time..."
Originally, he thought...
They would never meet again.
But unexpectedly, due to a mistake by Akihara Kagura, he saw this teacher again, and scenes from the past flashed in his mind...
"Unexpectedly, it was you that day..."
Minato took a deep breath, not knowing what to say.
If he had to blame Uchiha Obito, Minato was not someone who liked to blame others. He also knew Uchiha Obito had been controlled by Uchiha Madara...
Of course.
Another person present did not care about such details.
"Evil Uchiha brat..."
Tobirama stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Uchiha Obito: "Creating the Nine-Tails incident in Konoha, I will personally capture you!"
"Second Hokage!"
Uchiha Obito's expression immediately turned cold, dismissively saying in a cold voice: "Don't talk big!"
"A bunch of old bones long buried in graves, I came to you voluntarily. Even if you are resurrected, I will bury you again!"
A spatial vortex flashed in Uchiha Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan, and a fan-shaped weapon suddenly appeared in his hand!
"Gunbai…"
Hashirama immediately recognized the weapon in Uchiha Obito's hand, as it was etched into his memory: "That is Madara's weapon!"
It was a legendary artifact passed down through generations of the Uchiha clan!
Hashirama had seen that fan countless times on the battlefield. It seemed Akihara Kagura was right; the one backing Uchiha Obito was indeed Madara!
However...
Madara must certainly be dead by now.
Hashirama knew Madara very well.
Madara was very fond of the Gunbai and would never abandon it, let alone give it to someone else!
"Just a mere Hokage..."
Uchiha Obito swung the fan in his hand and charged forward. He intended to use his Mangekyō Sharingan abilities to kill the four resurrected Hokage once again!
Hashirama noticed that Obito's movements were somewhat strange and instinctively wanted to correct him: "That Uchiha brat, you're using the Gunbai incorrectly; it is a shield meant for defensive ninjutsu…"
~~~
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