ROAR!
The white bear was furious.
These paws belong to ME! I'll smash whatever I want! Who are you to stop me?!
BOOM!
Its two enormous paws, each as big as a millstone, whipped through the air like a hurricane and came crashing down toward Yoruha's head.
The bear was ready to crush this arrogant human into the forest floor.
But in that instant—
Lines of sharp sword light flashed through the air.
CLANG! THUD!
The next thing everyone saw was the massive white bear's head flying off its shoulders. With a thunderous crash, its enormous body collapsed to the ground, shaking the forest.
Yoruha slowly lowered his sword, his expression calm and satisfied.
"Not bad," he muttered to himself. "A bit of a pricey technique... but definitely worth it."
A beast of such vitality and size—hunting it down was an absolute score.
"Now... should I grill it or stew it?"
While the rest of the group still stood frozen in disbelief, unable to process what had just happened, Yoruha had already moved on to the next task.
It was time for a barbecue.
Akimichi Choji casually walked over to Shino, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a knowing grin:
"Don't worry, man. Shikamaru and I were the same way the first time. You'll get used to it."
Get used to it?!
What kind of madness was this?!
But there was no stopping them now.
Choji and Shikamaru got to work like seasoned butchers. First, they skinned the white bear, peeling off the thick hide in one clean motion. Then they expertly carved up the meat and dragged it to the stream to wash it.
Ino and Hinata were already prepping sauces with herbs and spices they'd brought along.
Sakura and Shino gathered stones and assembled a grill, while Naruto and Kiba brought in the firewood.
"You can light it up, Yoruha," Naruto said, gesturing toward the pile.
Yoruha nodded, forming a quick string of hand seals.
"Fire Style: Self-Service BBQ Technique!"
BOOM!
A jet of flame burst from his mouth and ignited the firewood. Within seconds, the fire roared to life.
The bear meat sizzled over the flames, sending waves of savory aroma wafting through the air. The scent was rich, fatty, and delicious—it made even Shino's stoic mask crack a little.
Soon, the meat turned golden brown, the fat bubbling and the edges crisping to perfection.
"All right. Let's eat."
Yoruha sliced off one of the massive front paws for himself and handed the other front paw—cut in half—to Ino and Hinata to share.
The remaining two back legs were split among the rest of the squad.
As for the main body of the bear? That was Choji's personal responsibility.
Everyone accepted their portions with dazed expressions. The food was real, the meat was tender, but their minds still couldn't fully grasp what had just happened.
Had they really just killed and barbecued a giant white bear?
Yoruha took a bite of his bear paw.
The meat melted in his mouth, full of intense flavor and brimming with wild energy. He let out a satisfied breath.
It was like the last gust of wind that pushes away heavy clouds after a storm.
To be honest, the nutritional value of this wild bear didn't compare to the elite stag meat raised by the Nara clan.
But in terms of taste?
This white bear absolutely crushed it.
This was also why Shikamaru, despite always complaining about trouble, hung out with Yoruha and Choji so often.
It was all worth it—for moments like this.
The picnic continued smoothly.
After enjoying the delicious food, the group quickly forgot all about the life-threatening terror they'd faced earlier. Now they were just full and relaxed.
Once the meal ended, they all sprawled comfortably in the grass.
Yoruha lay back with a peaceful expression, flanked by Ino and Hinata.
The wind was gentle.
The sky was clear.
Life was good.
But just as Yoruha was drifting into that peaceful state, the distinct sound of a ninja's footsteps reached his ears from not far away.
It sounded casual—almost like someone just passing by.
Still, Yoruha sat up, instinctively alert.
The unknown ninja must have felt his gaze, because the figure turned and looked back.
Their eyes locked.
A flash of scarlet flickered in Yoruha's vision.
Sharingan.
Yoruha's expression tightened.
"Uchiha Itachi?" he muttered, his brow furrowed.
The man wore an elaborate outfit, an ANBU mask partially covering his face—but there was no mistaking those crimson eyes.
Yoruha could tell immediately:
It was Itachi.
He hadn't seen Itachi in quite a while. And from those cold eyes, he could feel it clearly—
Something had changed.
If his memory was right, by this point in time...
Uchiha Shisui should already be dead.
Which meant—
This wasn't the same Itachi Yoruha had once known.
And soon...
Sasuke's fate would begin to shift as well.