Kisame stared at the black-gold sphere swirling ominously in Naruto's palm, a rare sense of urgency creeping into his usually calm demeanor.
"Don't get hit by that," he warned Itachi.
Itachi, always composed, couldn't fully hide the tension in his voice. "I know…"
At this moment, Uchiha Itachi's body had been restored to peak condition using Orochimaru's experimental technology. His health was stable, his chakra reserves had increased significantly, and his visual prowess was sharper than ever. This was Itachi at his absolute strongest—a level he had never achieved before.
With the additional chakra provided by Kisame, Itachi's Susanoo had transcended its previous limits. It was no longer just a spectral warrior but a towering behemoth, fully formed with defined arms and legs, standing like an indomitable guardian.
Susanoo's right hand clenched the Totsuka Blade, its ethereal flames flickering with sealing power. In its left hand, it carried the Yata Mirror, an impenetrable defense that could neutralize any attack. Floating behind its menacing visage were three Yasaka Magatama, constantly rotating in preparation for battle.
However, Itachi had one regret—despite his enhanced strength, he still could not manifest the Perfect Susanoo.
Naruto's Spiral Wheel Rasengan, infused with Kurama's chakra, shot toward them with blinding speed.
Reacting instantly, Itachi extended the Totsuka Blade, its sealing properties activating upon contact with the Rasengan. The moment the two forces collided, the chakra within the Rasengan began solidifying, its violent energy forcibly subdued.
But Naruto had anticipated this.
The Rasengan, though partially sealed, still carried immense power. The unstable energy reached its breaking point, and the technique exploded midair.
BOOM!
A devastating shockwave erupted, engulfing Susanoo in golden light.
Despite the Yata Mirror's ability to neutralize most ninjutsu, the sheer force of the explosion was too great. Susanoo was pushed backward, skidding across the battlefield, shaking under the intense impact.
Inside the protective armor, Itachi's normally calm expression twisted into one of shock.
"His jutsu… its power is beyond anything I've encountered," Itachi muttered under his breath.
Realizing that further combat would be unwise, he made a split-second decision.
Retreat.
Susanoo turned sharply, and Itachi, without hesitation, began retreating at full speed.
Naruto, hovering in the sky, frowned.
"You're running away?"
Just as he was about to pursue, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, stepped forward.
"Naruto, wait," Rasa said firmly. "They're retreating. We should focus on the ones we've already defeated."
Rasa's gaze shifted toward the unconscious Deidara and the immobilized Scorpion.
Naruto, however, shook his head.
"No, Kazekage-sama," he said. "They're all part of the same organization. If we don't eliminate them now, they'll return… and next time, they might strike Sunagakure directly."
Rasa clenched his jaw, knowing Naruto was right. The Akatsuki's motives were clear—they were after Jinchūriki. If left unchecked, they would continue their hunt, causing untold destruction.
Still, he hesitated.
"This is too dangerous. The village can't afford to lose you."
Naruto pulled out a kunai, flipping it between his fingers before tossing it toward Rasa.
Rasa caught it instinctively and noticed the Flying Thunder God seal carved into the handle.
His eyes widened in recognition.
The Yellow Flash's legacy.
Rasa still remembered the fear Minato Namikaze had instilled in the battlefield—how entire armies trembled at the mere mention of his name.
Seeing that same mark now, he understood.
"If I can't win, I can escape instantly," Naruto assured him.
Rasa exhaled, then nodded.
"…Just don't be reckless."
Naruto smiled but said nothing. In the next second, he vanished in a golden flash, dashing after Itachi and Kisame.
The Chase Begins
Itachi and Kisame, still within the protective shell of Susanoo, sprinted across the barren landscape of the Wind Country.
Kisame, maintaining his usual dry humor, muttered, "I thought we were supposed to be the hunters, not the prey."
Itachi remained silent, calculating their escape route.
He led them eastward toward the Land of Rivers, a historical battlefield from the last Great Ninja War. If they could cross into the Land of Fire, they might lose Naruto in the dense forests.
But Naruto was closing in.
"Damn it, he's fast," Kisame growled. "We won't outrun him at this rate."
Realizing this, Itachi altered course. Instead of heading into the Land of Fire, he steered them toward the Land of Rain.
This was a gamble.
The Land of Rain was Amegakure's territory, under the control of Pain and Konan. If they could reach it, Naruto wouldn't be able to follow.
As they approached the country's border, the first raindrops began to fall.
Itachi immediately sensed something—this rain wasn't natural.
"It's her," he murmured.
A silent message was conveyed through the falling water—Konan's warning.
"She won't let us enter," Itachi said grimly.
Kisame, sensing their predicament, exhaled. "Well, that's just great. I don't have much chakra left to keep running."
They had no choice but to keep moving toward the Land of Grass, hoping to regroup with the Akatsuki's leader.
But their plan failed.
Naruto, drawing on more of Kurama's chakra, finally caught up.
Floating in the air above them, Naruto peered down.
"This is the end of the road," he said coldly.
Itachi and Kisame tensed as Naruto raised his hand, gathering chakra once more.
This time, the Rasengan he formed was different.
It was larger, darker, and infinitely more dangerous.
A Spiral Wheel Rasengan, but compressed with over 30% of Naruto's chakra.
Kisame's jaw clenched. "That thing could wipe out an entire battlefield…"
Even inside Susanoo, Itachi felt a rare chill.
They had survived the first Rasengan by sealing its energy and absorbing the shockwave…
But this one… this one was different.
Itachi tried to replicate his defense, preparing the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror once more.
Too late.
BOOM!
The massive Rasengan collided with Susanoo, and this time, it didn't just explode—it tore through it.
Susanoo's armor cracked. The Yata Mirror flickered, struggling to withstand the force. The Totsuka Blade was knocked aside.
The entire battlefield shook as a colossal golden explosion consumed everything.
Kisame was sent flying, coughing up blood. His Samehada pulsed weakly, barely able to absorb the energy before it was thrown from his grip.
Inside Susanoo, Itachi's world turned white.
For the first time, he felt true desperation.
At the critical moment…
Itachi's left eye burned.
A final whisper left his lips.
"Tsukuyomi…"
And then—
Darkness.
To Be Continued…
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