Chapter 382: Sasuke: Save Naruto!
What?
Kushina never expected to hear something like that come out of Naruto's mouth.
"Raised from a young age"… wasn't that the kind of excuse only a pervert would come up with?
In an instant, the way the three of them looked at Killer Bee and Naruto completely changed.
No wonder there were rumors in the Kumogakure Village that, although the Raikage doted on his younger brother Killer Bee, he also beat him up frequently, and every time, he even used high-level taijutsu.
Looking at it this way, the Raikage was right.
Killer Bee really did need a good shock.
As for Naruto, Kushina had already made up her mind, she would hand him over to Sasuke, who specialized in Lightning Release.
Kushina was gradually compromising.
Whether Naruto wanted to be with Sasuke or even with the Nine-Tails, she would no longer interfere.
No matter how abnormal or against the values of the new ninja world it seemed, that would still just be their own private matter.
But if Naruto had awakened this kind of… preference, then it was no longer just his own issue. It could harm others. That would be a true moral failing.
At the same time, Kushina was no longer in a hurry to make Naruto realize this wasn't a genjutsu.
She intended to take advantage of the fact that Naruto believed it was an illusion, allowing him to speak his thoughts without restraint and expose everything hidden in his heart.
Only by exposing the problem could it be solved.
Just like this situation.
If Naruto hadn't mistaken this for a genjutsu and revealed it, and it continued to stay hidden until he committed a serious mistake, then it would be too late.
After experiencing the "expanded thinking" brought by the Limited Tsukuyomi, Kushina could easily imagine some unspeakable scenarios in her mind.
Perhaps in the original future, the period that Shiromo called "Boruto", Naruto might have harbored such tendencies. Facing Sarada, who admired him, he might secretly make a move…
And afterward, he might even justify it by saying he was "stimulating" her to help her awaken the Mangekyō.
"No!"
Kushina shuddered. That absolutely could not be allowed to happen.
She couldn't let Naruto continue down this path!
While Kushina's thoughts ran wild, the two pairs on the other side faced off.
Killer Bee was deeply moved that Naruto had spoken up for him, and the two bumped fists.
"Naruto, why don't you take my brother's place and form a duo with me?"
Killer Bee made a suggestion.
Then he leaned in and added quietly by Naruto's ear, "And then we'll defeat those two girls in front of us so you can regain your pride."
"Sounds good~"
Naruto's eyes lit up. Ignoring the pain in his neck, he struck a pose toward Sakura and Ino. "Uncle Bee and I are the 'Bǐrén Duo' (Bee-To)!"
Bǐrén Duo…
What kind of "Bǐrén" is that?
Why does it sound like an insult? (Bǐrén also mean "bastard", a "jerk", or a "low-life.")
"I also..."
Smack.
Sakura clenched her fists and was just about to respond enthusiastically when Ino lightly slapped her across the face.
Her palm landed squarely on Sakura's cheek.
"Calm down, Forehead. You don't seriously think we can beat them, do you?"
"Do you even understand what two perfect Jinchūriki mean? Did you forget what Tsunade-sama told us?"
"And these two are hosts of the strongest tailed beasts, the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails."
"Don't get cocky just because we beat a few Chūnin Exam participants last time."
Ino patted Sakura's face as she spoke, snapping her back to reality.
Right now, the two of them were only around the level of ordinary jōnin.
And Naruto and Killer B?
Naruto aside, Killer Bee was someone who had fought the Fourth Hokage during the last ninja war. He was the second most powerful figure in the Kumogakure Village, just below the Raikage.
"So what do we do?"
After regaining her senses, Sakura asked quietly.
After taking the estradiol compound, Sakura had indeed become much more stable. She no longer had the illusion that she had caught up to Naruto and Sasuke.
"Leave it to me."
Ino gave Sakura a look, then cleared her throat. She took out a kunai from her waist and scratched a white line across it with her fingernail before addressing Killer Bee and Naruto: "Let's have a test of coordination between our duos. We'll see which side can cut this kunai in half faster and more precisely. How about it?"
"No problem. Naruto and I even sleep together on the island. We'll show you our teamwork right away..."
Killer Bee agreed without hesitation.
Kushina: "..."
So now they're 'that' kind of close?
"You go first."
Ino tossed the kunai over, then went back into the hot spring inn to borrow a stopwatch from the owner.
"Naruto, ready? I'll coordinate with you!"
"Let's do it, Uncle Bee!"
The two stood confidently on opposite sides of the street.
Killer Bee tossed the kunai into the air between them. In the next instant, octopus-like tentacles burst out behind him as he charged forward, raising his right hand.
At the same time, Naruto rushed forward as well.
Bang!
"Ahhhhhh"
Naruto turned into a shooting star, flying into the sky, his voice fading into the distance.
"Naruto! No!"
After a moment of shock, Killer Bee reached out a hand toward the sky.
He never expected Naruto's strength to be so weak.
He hadn't used the Nine-Tails' power, nor Sage Mode.
As someone who had trained the Lariat for years, Killer Bee had already prepared to adjust his strength depending on Naruto's output.
He had deliberately used a moderate level of force.
At first, he had even worried that if Naruto used too much of the Nine-Tails' power, his own Eight-Tails power might not be enough to match it.
And the result?
That "moderate" strength sent Naruto flying.
As for the kunai?
Of course, it flew off along with Naruto.
"Looks like this Naruto is real… just a bit strange."
After witnessing Naruto take a hit from Killer Bee and remain unchanged, Ino and Sakura exchanged glances.
Naruto was flying through the air.
Was it that he chose not to use the Nine-Tails' power just now?
No, it was that the Nine-Tails wouldn't lend him its power!
Ever since entering this genjutsu world, the Nine-Tails had disappeared. How was he supposed to use it?
As for Sage Mode?
He needed to "prepare" first before entering it.
He couldn't just do that in the middle of the street in front of everyone, right?
…Wait.
Why not?
Naruto suddenly realized again.
This is a genjutsu world. I can do whatever I want!
With that thought, Naruto, who was still flying backward through the air, directly began his "preparation" midair.
Performing it in this weightless, wind-swept state gave him a uniquely strange sensation.
Meanwhile, Sasuke had just woken up after resting for a while.
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Senju Tobirama still lying at his feet.
"Second Hokage, didn't I tell you to go find Naruto?"
Sasuke immediately felt something was wrong.
"Do you not see the Yachihoko mark on my shoulder? My chakra is being continuously drained. I can't move at all."
Tobirama rolled his eyes.
"This is bad. Could something have happened to Naruto?"
Ignoring the fact that he had only just recovered a tiny bit of his ocular power, Sasuke activated his Tenko (Heavenly Fox) again and located Naruto.
Sensing that Naruto was flying through the air and still screaming in "panic", Sasuke didn't hesitate to use Amenotejikara.
Was Naruto sent flying by someone?
Where was the Nine-Tails?
Why didn't he use it?
Sasuke didn't think too much about it.
Naruto's condition wasn't good.
Sasuke had Susanoo, he could fly and defend, so he directly chose to switch places.
Sasuke appeared in midair.
At the very last moment, Naruto, who had been preparing midair, was suddenly swapped back into the room by Sasuke's Amenotejikara.
Then, under Senju Tobirama's horrified gaze, Naruto completed the steps for entering Sage Mode.
Originally, Tobirama's head had only been covered in milk that Uchiha Madara had poured on him.
Now, there was… something else of a similar nature added on top of it.
(End of this chapter)