The next day, Natsuro had to visit again since many of the proposals were originally his ideas. Inoichi had already completed the task distribution list, and the mission rotation schedule was also arranged according to Natsuro's suggestions. His future father-in-law had been very diligent and responsible in his efforts, working efficiently.
Of course, the list wasn't handed directly to Natsuro but was first presented to the Third Hokage as a matter of principle.
Meanwhile, Hiashi and Shikaku had headed to the negotiation site. As the victorious side, Konoha had chosen the location, which, though not within Konoha, was close enough that reinforcements could be dispatched if necessary.
In Natsuro's view, just Shikaku would be more than enough to handle the negotiations, but Shikaku's rank alone wasn't high enough to represent Konoha. If the entire Ino-Shika-Cho trio were present, that might suffice, but it would be a waste of manpower. So, they opted for Hiashi, who was not only the head of a noble clan but also not typically involved in regular missions, making him a fitting choice.
After sending off Shikaku, Hiashi, and a large group of guards and ANBU, Natsuro had them carry a communication toad in case anything went wrong, allowing the toad to contact either him or Jiraiya immediately.
Standing by Konoha's gates, Natsuro glanced at the two gatekeepers. He frowned, noticing how tired they looked. It wasn't even time for the shift change yet. Were they already this exhausted?
Shaking off his concerns, Natsuro began to walk deeper into the village. However, before he got far, he felt the ground tremble beneath him. Something was happening.
Natsuro immediately closed his eyes and entered into his Void State. He detected a disturbance—many ninja were engaged in battle nearby, and the chakra levels were unusually high. One of the signatures even reminded him of Naruto, given the sheer intensity of the chakra. But he quickly dismissed that idea—there was no Flying Thunder God mark on this person, and Naruto was currently away with Jiraiya searching for Tsunade. So, who could it be? Just after dealing with Orochimaru, now two more formidable enemies?
Wasting no time, Natsuro rushed toward the source of the disturbance, an uneasy feeling growing in his chest.
"Itachi, is that really your little brother? Is this the right thing to do, especially in your condition?" Kisame asked, watching as Itachi lifted Sasuke by the throat.
"There's no need for words. It seems the Nine-Tails isn't in the village. We're too late," Itachi replied, his Mangekyō Sharingan reverting to its normal three-tomoe state.
"Hey, Kakashi, can we open our eyes yet?" Asuma and Kurenai asked anxiously.
"No... absolutely not," Kakashi, kneeling on one knee, was sweating profusely, his eyes losing focus. Even with his own Sharingan, he hadn't anticipated Itachi's genjutsu being so overwhelming. Recalling what had just happened, Kakashi shuddered—that was no ordinary genjutsu.
"Sasuke..." Kakashi tried to rise, but his body wouldn't obey.
"Hmm?" Itachi's attention shifted as he noticed a flicker of lightning approaching swiftly. "That's..."
But before he could react, the lightning had already struck, passing through where Itachi had been standing. However, only a few crows scattered in its wake, quickly reforming Itachi's body in the distance.
As Sasuke began to fall, a figure darted forward and caught him.
"Natsuro! Don't look him in the eyes!" Kakashi shouted, relieved to see the newcomer.
"I know," Natsuro replied, keeping his eyes closed. But even without sight, he could sense Itachi and Kisame clearly.
Kisame, confused, observed him. "That's the famous Flying Thunder God technique, huh? So you're Natsuro from Konoha?"
"Natsuro? We've heard quite a bit about him. Seems like his reputation wasn't exaggerated," Kisame remarked, impressed.
"You must be Sasuke's brother, Itachi Uchiha—the white-eyed wolf traitor who turned his back on the village and clan," Natsuro said, accidently calling him a "white-eyed wolf" out of habit.
"White eyes? I thought Itachi had the Sharingan. Isn't the Byakugan a Hyūga thing?" Kisame asked, puzzled.
Itachi's already cold gaze grew icier—he understood Natsuro's jab all too well.
"And using the Mangekyō on your own little brother? You must really love him. Or maybe the Mangekyō is all you have left? What will you do when Sasuke awakens his Mangekyō? How will you face him then?" Natsuro continued, though he was speaking as much to the dazed Sasuke as to Itachi.
"You know quite a lot," Itachi said, his tone tinged with surprise.
"I know more than that. Like how your body's deteriorating. Even the Uchiha can barely handle the Mangekyō's side effects. You should take better care of yourself—you might die before Sasuke even gets his revenge," Natsuro taunted.
"It's clear your body couldn't keep up with your reflexes earlier. You had no choice but to rely on your limited chakra to dodge," he added.
"You don't need to worry about me," Itachi said, his voice growing colder as he glared at Natsuro. He understood that Natsuro's words were aimed at undermining his influence over Sasuke, something Itachi could not tolerate.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Itachi suddenly unleashed a massive fireball without warning, not even revealing when he had formed the hand seals.
But Natsuro had already sensed the flow of Itachi's chakra and swiftly evaded the attack, carrying Sasuke with him in a flash step. Handing Sasuke to Kurenai, Natsuro turned to Asuma.
"Asuma, get Kakashi to safety. Leave the rest to me and Guy."
"Hahaha! So you noticed me, Natsuro! The Green Beast of Konoha is ready for action!" Guy laughed heartily as he charged into battle.
"Got it," Asuma and Kurenai replied, realizing they couldn't keep their eyes open in this fight. They retreated, carrying Kakashi and Sasuke to safety.
"Gai, you handle the shark-face. I'll take care of Itachi," Natsuro instructed.
"Hmm? Are you sure about that? He's an Uchiha, after all. I've sparred with Kakashi so many times that I can fight without looking him in the eye—just by watching his movements," Guy explained.
"I'm more suited than you," Natsuro said, "I don't need to rely on my eyes to see."
Guy fell silent for a moment, then quietly turned his attention to Kisame.
"Tch, you think you alone can stop me?" Kisame laughed, clearly feeling underestimated.
"And who are you again? Are you someone important?" Guy asked with a look of confusion.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Kisame, now a bit irritated, charged toward Guy.
Meanwhile, lightning crackled around Natsuro's body as his sword, Ink, appeared in his hand. In a flash, he was already in front of Itachi, swinging his blade without hesitation.
BANG!
Natsuro wasn't surprised that Itachi managed to react, but he knew his sword wouldn't be easy to block.
Itachi glanced at his broken kunai, realizing he was in trouble. He quickly discarded the kunai and leapt backward.
In the next moment, Natsuro's sword completely severed the kunai. Without pause, he pursued Itachi, and at the same time, a Flying Thunder God kunai quietly emerged from the water behind Itachi, drawn by the magnetic field, aiming straight for him.
From the front, Natsuro swung his sword again.
Although Itachi's Sharingan allowed him to see everything 'clearly', including the iron fragments floating around Natsuro, his current physical condition made it difficult to evade. Taking a hit here would be disastrous. Itachi regretted using his Mangekyō Sharingan's Tsukuyomi twice already.
Both his mental and physical stamina were drained, but this was no time to hold back.
Itachi knew the kunai behind him was marked with the Flying Thunder God technique. While Natsuro appeared to be attacking from the front, he could strike from behind at any moment, using the kunai to teleport and deliver a lethal blow.
Itachi realized he had to block both the kunai and Natsuro's sword while predicting the direction of the next attack. Even for someone as skilled as Itachi, it was a daunting task. His body simply couldn't keep up with the demands of this battle.
In that critical moment, Itachi's Sharingan morphed into its Mangekyō form once again. His eyes began to bleed, and a fiery red, skeletal figure started to form around him.
Natsuro's eyes narrowed as he sensed the emergence of that red energy, forming into a massive skeletal frame. Even though his eyes were closed, he could clearly "see" the formidable presence before him—terrifying, towering, and mighty.
Almost every word of praise that could describe raw power seemed fitting for this figure.
This was... Susanoo?
As Natsuro's sword struck, it felt like it hit solid steel. Without hesitation, he retreated swiftly.
The next moment, the massive skeletal arm of Susanoo slammed down where he had just stood.
"What's that...?" Both Guy and Kakashi saw the towering red skeleton, their eyes widening in shock.
"Hey, Kakashi, you never used that kind of thing when we sparred..." Guy shouted, bewildered.
Kakashi was equally stunned. He had never imagined that the Sharingan possessed such a terrifying power.
Sasuke, meanwhile, had begun to regain consciousness. Watching the scene unfold, his eyes reflected a mix of confusion and deep hatred. But the power he saw before him... it was overwhelmingly strong.
Could he ever gain a power stronger than this to achieve his revenge? Sasuke found himself feeling lost, uncertain if he could reach such heights.
Check out the patreon and get 49 chapters in advance
Currently on Chapter 196 - Natsuro's Reaches Sunagakure