By the South He River.
Two figures in black cloaks with red clouds stood like tombstones, while Kurenai Yuhi, dressed in a red and white Ninja uniform, stood alone, blocking them.
"Long time no see, Kurenai Yuhi."
Itachi Uchiha nodded slightly, revealing a pair of familiar yet strange, bone-chilling scarlet Sharingan, making Kurenai Yuhi feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
"You know me!?"
Kurenai Yuhi's heart jolted with surprise, and she became even more vigilant.
"You aren't people from this Village, are you? Who exactly are you, and what do you intend to do by infiltrating Konoha Village?"
"Wait—you are—"
When Itachi Uchiha slightly lifted the straw hat that covered most of his face, and the Ninja headband with a horizontal line, signifying "betrayal," appeared,
Kurenai Yuhi's pupils suddenly constricted.
"Itachi Uchiha!!"
Itachi Uchiha took off his cloak, revealing a cold and emotionless face.
Kisame Hoshigaki, standing beside him, likewise took off his straw hat with a shark-like grin: "Since you know Mr. Itachi, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kisame Hoshigaki. Nice to meet you."
"Kisame Hoshigaki!?"
Kurenai Yuhi's heart sank to the bottom.
She hadn't expected that the two suspicious individuals she had been tracking would turn out to be so troublesome and dangerous.
"Naruto, you better hurry and inform everyone."
Kurenai Yuhi secretly groaned inwardly, while outwardly calmly stalling for time: "Kisame Hoshigaki, I've heard of you."
"A rogue Ninja from Hidden Mist Village, wanted for allegedly assassinating the Land of Water's Daimyo, and for obstructing and disrupting national affairs."
"And you—Itachi Uchiha, you are all S-rank criminals on the wanted list."
"Itachi Uchiha, you caused that serious incident, and you still dare to return to the Village!"
Itachi Uchiha said indifferently: "Kurenai Yuhi, I don't want to hurt you."
"If possible, please pretend you saw nothing and let us leave the Village."
"Oh?"
"I didn't expect someone who killed his comrades and clansmen to say such words."
A Kunai silently slid into her palm, and Kurenai Yuhi had already begun to gather Chakra, preparing for battle.
"Kurenai Yuhi Jonin." Itachi's voice was as cold as frost, "Move aside."
"Why bother talking to her?"
"Just a mere Jonin, let me handle it."
Kisame Hoshigaki grinned and drew his samehada ninja sword, which was wrapped in white bandages, from his back.
"Don't be impulsive, your moves are too conspicuous."
Itachi Uchiha wanted to stop Kisame Hoshigaki, but Kisame Hoshigaki sneered and retorted: "Itachi, do you think she will let us leave the Village easily? Let me do it, let's finish this quickly."
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
Just then, Kurenai Yuhi launched her Genjutsu without warning, her figure twisting and dissipating like an ethereal mirage.
"Hmm?"
Itachi Uchiha's scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan widened slightly. The next moment, in Kurenai Yuhi's vision, a giant tree had sprouted behind Itachi Uchiha, who stood still. Numerous branches and vines entangled him, while she silently appeared on the tree trunk, holding a Kunai, ready to take down Itachi Uchiha first.
"It's all over."
However, the real Itachi merely lifted his eyes slightly—
Genjutsu Reversal!
Kurenai Yuhi's vision suddenly inverted!
She discovered with horror that she was being locked down by the giant tree, the excruciating pain of roots piercing her shoulders and feet was incredibly real, her body in reality stiffened and trembled, and her Kunai clattered to the ground.
Itachi Uchiha, who should have been trapped by the giant tree, was instead standing in front of her, speaking indifferently: "This level of Genjutsu has no effect on me."
Kisame Hoshigaki's laughter was like sandpaper grating on the ears: "Is this the renowned Genjutsu Ninja of Konoha Village, Kurenai Yuhi? She can't even resist a Three-Tomoe, yet she dares to use Genjutsu on Mr. Itachi?"
"Alright, let me finish her off so we can get back to work."
Kisame Hoshigaki grabbed his samehada, as huge as a cavalry sword, and slammed it fiercely towards Kurenai Yuhi, who was frozen in place.
With Kisame Hoshigaki's strength, Kurenai Yuhi would likely be injured and fall to the ground if she took a hit. But just as Kisame Hoshigaki thought he could finish off Kurenai Yuhi with one blow, a figure appeared out of nowhere, catching the descending samehada with one hand.
The blonde boy—it was Naruto!
"Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki!"
Kisame Hoshigaki's eyes widened in shock: "What great strength, to block my attack with just one hand."
"What kind of skill is hitting a woman?!"
Naruto shook his single hand, directly deflecting samehada and even forcing Kisame Hoshigaki back half a step. He turned and pinched Kurenai Yuhi's cheek, saying helplessly: "Kurenai-sensei, aren't you going to snap out of it?"
It's a shame for a Ninja famous for Genjutsu; facing the Sharingan, she was utterly crushed.
"Naruto!?"
Kurenai Yuhi, who had escaped Itachi Uchiha's grasp due to Naruto's interference, felt both surprise and worry the moment she saw Naruto.
"You brat, why did you follow me? Didn't I tell you to go get reinforcements?"
"I wasn't at ease letting Kurenai-sensei track two suspicious individuals alone."
"Besides—"
Naruto looked towards Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki standing opposite them.
"If I hadn't followed, you would have probably been knocked down by two S-rank rogue Ninja already."
Kurenai Yuhi couldn't help but feel pleased, but her expression grew even more solemn.
"The situation is a bit bad. With one Jonin and one Chunin, we probably can't handle Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki."
Although the Chunin Exams were interrupted by Orochimaru's Konoha Crush plan, Naruto still successfully got promoted afterward.
Besides him, Hyuga Hinata and Nara Shikamaru also successfully passed the exam and became Chunin.
As for Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, needless to say, it was already good enough if they could return to Hidden Sand Village safely.
Promoted to Chunin?
Dream on!
"Heh heh, let me gauge the strength of the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki beforehand."
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
Kisame Hoshigaki sneered, instantly completing the hand signs. The nearby South He River immediately erupted in a huge wave, and a giant shark formed from water bypassed Kisame Hoshigaki, opening its maw and lunging at Naruto.
"Rasengan!"
Blue light burst from Naruto's palm!
He instantly unleashed a Rasengan, slamming the Chakra sphere into the water shark's giant mouth. "Boom!"
Water mixed with blue light exploded into a downpour.
"Interesting! Truly interesting, hurry and unleash your Nine-Tailed Chakra, let my samehada have a taste!!"
Kisame Hoshigaki, seeing his attack fail, laughed wildly and swung his sword. The white bandages wrapped around samehada ripped and scattered with a "sizzle," and the blade, resembling an alien durian, fiercely cleaved towards Naruto.
"Chidori!"
In an instant, the sharp cry of the Chidori tore through the air!
Kakashi arrived just in time, enveloped in dazzling lightning, his figure like electricity, he plunged into the battle, his palm crackling with lightning, aiming directly at Kisame Hoshigaki's side, forcing the shark-faced Ninja to parry with his sword.
The two separated instantly. Kakashi stood in front of Naruto, his expression grim, his gaze sweeping over the Akatsuki duo.
"I didn't expect the two suspicious individuals I encountered on the street earlier to be Itachi Uchiha and the strange man from Hidden Mist Village, Kisame Hoshigaki."