"How about we withdraw?" Naruto said, leaving Sasuke and Sakura completely stunned.
It was hard to believe that Naruto, who faced such a dangerous person with all his determination, would now suggest turning back.
"Ahem!" Naruto, somewhat uncomfortable seeing their reactions, coughed and added with a grimace of embarrassment: "That guy... is very dangerous..." He looked at Sasuke's neck.
Sasuke looked strange. Is this for himself?
This made Sasuke feel a complex emotion in his heart. He knew very well how much Naruto wanted to become a chunin.
"Hmph!" Sasuke snorted coldly and said: "Stop being disgusting. I will be fine. I must become a Chunin."
"Disgusting?" Naruto exploded, waving his arms. "I'm trying to help you!"
Suddenly, Naruto turned his head sharply, his expression tensing.
"What's wrong?" Sakura looked nervous.
The situation for the three was not encouraging at all. Naruto and Sasuke were seriously injured, with only a fraction of their strength remaining.
"That guy, he's back again." Naruto muttered under his breath, whisker-like marks appearing on his cheeks.
The Nine-Tails' chakra began to leak out, affecting his control. It was also thanks to that that he was able to sense Orochimaru's presence approaching again.
"Again?" Sakura exclaimed. "Shall we run?"
"No!" Sasuke shook his head and said: "In our current state, we have no chance of escape. Sakura, you must go."
"Me?" Sakura was stunned.
"Yes." Sasuke looked at Sakura and said: "Go and warn the others. Bring help."
"But..."
"Sakura, don't worry." Naruto turned his head, looked at Sakura, grinned, and said: "I will definitely protect Sasuke, I will punch the enemy away."
Hearing those words, Sakura felt tears involuntarily falling down her face, but at the same time she smiled. "Guys, don't try to push me away, we're partners. If there's danger, as partners, we have to face it together."
Without hesitation, she stood next to Sasuke.
Naruto was stunned, and said a little anxiously: "But..."
[Boom!!!]
The ground shook, and a large hole opened up in front of them. From within the cloud of dust, a figure began to emerge.
The three of them stood on guard, not daring to say a word, their eyes fixed on the silhouette.
Especially Sasuke.
He wanted to use the Sharingan, but he didn't dare. As soon as he was about to use it, an evil force spread from his neck to his body.
In desperation, he could only use the pupil power of the Sharingan to suppress the evil force.
In this way, Sasuke, who was already weak, really had no fighting power at all.
"Why?"
"Why is it like this?"
"This feeling of powerlessness!"
"This damn feeling!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, his expression slightly ferocious.
He was already like this, but Naruto was still full of energy.
Is it because of the Tailed Beast?
If he could also have a tailed beast...
Funan's words appeared in his mind again.
Now, because of Orochimaru's attack, Sasuke's desire for the tailed beast has increased again.
"Haha, hahaha!" Uncontrolled laughter echoed through the place.
Orochimaru's slightly hoarse voice sounded again.
"Sasuke, that expression of yours… yeah, that's what I want to see."
"Hmm?" Sasuke's expression changed slightly.
"Asshole!" Naruto pointed at Orochimaru and roared: "Why are you back again?"
Orochimaru glanced at him.
His original plan wasn't bad, but he didn't expect Sasuke and Naruto to be stronger than he had anticipated.
Especially Naruto, he actually started to mobilize the chakra of the Nine-Tails.
Orochimaru suffered a loss for not paying attention.
Fortunately, he had already achieved his goal.
Now he just needed to find a chance to escape.
"Naruto-kun, don't blame me." Orochimaru let out a dark laugh. "I'd like to leave too, but there's someone who won't let me."
Naruto was startled and shouted: "Who won't let you go?"
"Okay, Naruto, step back!" Funan's voice sounded.
He appeared out of nowhere, placing himself between Naruto and Orochimaru.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Funan-aniki!"
"Funan-aniki!"
The three little ones exclaimed in unison, this time with obvious relief and joy.
His presence meant that they were now safe.
"Orochimaru-san, what does this mean?" Funan looked at Orochimaru with a smile on her face. "I, in all sincerity, wanted to invite you to work in my lab. But it seems… you prefer to enter lying down."
Sakura listened to Funan's words, surprised. She whispered to Naruto and Sasuke: "Have you heard what Hokage-sama said? For that dangerous guy to come lying down into the lab? Doesn't that mean… being used as experimental material?"
Sasuke and Naruto smiled at each other.
"Haha!" Orochimaru grinned and said: "Funan-kun, I know you are strong, stronger than me, but are you sure you want to fight me here?"
Hearing this, Funan frowned slightly and turned his head to look at the three little ones.
"Orochimaru-san, are you sure you have the ability to hurt them?"
"Funan-kun can try." Orochimaru chuckled and said: "I assure you that you may not be able to kill me, but I can certainly kill them."
Funan was silent, as if considering his options.
"Asshole, what did you say?" Naruto shouted furiously, while Sasuke clenched his fists, his face burning with rage.
No wonder Orochimaru had escaped here under Funan's pursuit. He was planning to use them as hostages!
"Funan-aniki, do it! Kill him!" Sasuke shouted, unable to contain himself. "Don't worry about us!"
"Exactly! We can protect ourselves!" Naruto joined in.
Sakura: "..."
'I'll keep quiet! Let fate decide my fate!'
Orochimaru watched with a calculating smile, not saying a word, though his slight trembling betrayed tension and caution. He knew that, although the two boys were important, their situation forced Funan to make a prudent decision.
And he was not wrong.
It did not take long for Funan to respond.
"You may go, Orochimaru-san. I look forward to our next meeting," Funan said with a smile. "But remember: the village of Konoha today is not the same as before. Be careful."
"Funan-aniki, you can't let him go!" Naruto shouted.
"Shut up, Naruto!" Funan glanced at him unhappily. "You have no right to deny the decision I made."
If it weren't for these two brats, I wouldn't have passed up the chance to 'invite' Orochimaru back to the village today. But now, on top of that, they were causing a ruckus.
"Haha, goodbye, Funan-kun!" Orochimaru said goodbye with a light laugh as he began to sink into the ground.
"Wait! Damn you...!" Naruto shouted, lunging towards Orochimaru.
Funan was also stunned.
He knew Naruto was reckless, but this was too much. He didn't even understand the magnitude of his opponent! Even without knowing Orochimaru, hadn't he learned something after their recent fight?
At the same time two projectiles grazed Naruto. They were kunai thrown by Sasuke.
Funan had a headache.
How did Fugaku and Jiraiya teach them?
With a simple movement, Orochimaru deflected the kunai.
At that moment, Naruto had already approached him and attacked him fiercely, clearly having lost control due to the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Orochimaru grabbed Naruto with ease, before throwing him back.
At the same time, Funan kept staring at Orochimaru coldly to prevent him from doing anything.
Naruto rolled on the ground and finally fell next to Sasuke.
"You two brats, stop it already!" Funan growled, giving them a stern look before turning to Orochimaru. "Orochimaru-san, excuse me. You know how children are, they are impulsive and act without thinking. I hope you don't mind."
"It's okay!" Orochimaru stared at Funan, not daring to relax even a little. He knew that a moment of distraction could cost him his life.
"Goodbye, Funan-kun!" Orochimaru finally said as he disappeared underground.
"Wait! You bastard..." Naruto roared.
"Naruto!" Funan growled, looking at Naruto unhappily. "A ninja who has lost his mind is worthless!"
"Such a simple truth, don't you understand?"
"Is this what Jiraiya taught you?"
Naruto lowered his head angrily.
"Sasuke, you too!" Funan looked at Sasuke and said: "Is this what Itachi usually taught you? Explain it to me clearly. If Itachi really did this, you can see how I will deal with him when I go back."
[Swish!]
Itachi came just at this time.
He landed not far from the others, looking at Funan in a daze.
Although he didn't hear the whole thing, but...
You bastard!
Even if you want to deal with me, you don't have to use this method, right?
You are laying mines for me all the time!
Sasuke and Naruto were still young at the moment and did not know the evil of human hearts.
Under Itachi's terrified gaze, the two shook their heads.
Sasuke even said: "My brother taught me to stay calm. Even if the enemy's kunai is about to cut my throat, I must stay calm and stare at the enemy's movements."
"Huh!" Itachi breathed a sigh of relief.
Itachi strode forward and said: "Hokage-sama."
Funan glanced at him and said: "Orochimaru just ran away, you go chase him, but I don't think you can catch up."
"Understood!" Itachi went out in search of traces but found nothing. Not even a clue to Orochimaru's whereabouts.
When he returned, Funan had already treated the injuries of the three little ones.
However, his expression when looking at Sasuke was not good.
Itachi quickly approached. "Hokage-sama! What's wrong with Sasuke?"
Funan pointed at Sasuke's neck.
"This is..."
"This should be Orochimaru's curse seal."
"Curse seal?"
"Yes!" Funan sighed and said: "However, I don't know much about its effects or purpose."
"How is this possible?" Itachi's fists clenched tightly.
Sasuke suddenly said: "Funan-aniki, brother, I can feel that this curse seal contains a very powerful force."
Funan said seriously: "Sasuke, I know you crave power, but this power does not belong to you. Orochimaru has no good intentions towards you. You must not fall into the temptation of the strength he offers you, do you understand?"
"Hmm!" Sasuke lowered his head meekly, but his eyes flashed with a strange light.
Power...
He thought of the powerlessness just now again.
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