Itama didn't actually know that much about the Uzumaki clan either. He only remembered his father once teaching him that if he ever encountered someone from the Uzumaki clan during a mission, he should try to treat them kindly. After all, the Uzumaki were distant relatives of the Senju, and his eldest brother had even been betrothed since childhood to an Uzumaki princess.
"You don't know about the Uzumaki clan?" Itama looked at Naruto Uzumaki. "Then why do you call yourself Uzumaki—"
"It's Uzumaki Naruto, I'm telling you."
That alone was enough to make it clear they weren't from Konoha. The Leaf ninja wouldn't do anything drastic to a child of unknown origin, but their attitude wasn't exactly friendly either. Sasuke asked coldly, "Hey, what's your name? Got a grudge against the Uchiha or something?"
What a joke. It had only been five years since that guy, Itachi, slaughtered the Uchiha clan. This kid looked no more than two or three years old. Unless the "damn Uchiha" he meant was Uchiha Itachi himself!
Itama hesitated for a moment. "I can't say my family name. Just call me Itama."
Naruto puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "Why can't you say your family name? I already told you what we're called, dattebayo."
"You're the weird ones! What kind of ninja just goes around announcing their surname?!"
Naruto was about to keep arguing when Gaara suddenly spoke up. "Someone's coming. Three of them."
Almost as if responding to Gaara's words, three ninja wearing Sound Village forehead protectors appeared.
Two men and one woman—clearly hostile.
"Hello there, Uchiha Sasuke."
Among the three Sound ninja, the strangest-looking one greeted him in a sinister tone. But judging by his guarded stance, he was very much ready to attack.
Dosu was wary of the Sand siblings, especially Gaara.
He deliberately tried to sow discord. "I didn't expect you Leaf ninja to be working together with Sand ninja. Aren't you afraid they'll stab you in the back?"
Hearing that only made Sasuke's irritation boil over. Ever since Gaara had joined them, he'd had a lump of anger stuck in his chest with nowhere to vent.
It wasn't like he'd wanted to team up with those Sand ninja. It was that dead-last idiot who'd gone and decided things on his own.
Thinking of that, Sasuke shot Naruto a glance and shoved the suspicious kid called Itama forward.
Tch. That dead-last is always dragging people into trouble.
Then he took up an attacking stance as well and said to the Sound trio, "Enough talk. Are we fighting or not? If I'm not mistaken, you've got the Earth Scroll."
The moment Sasuke said that, the two Sand siblings who were still focused on passing the exam—Temari and Kankuro—both stepped forward. One unfolded her fan, the other readied his puppet, taking their own battle stances.
It was obvious now: the Sand trio was standing on Konoha's side.
Considering that monster called Gaara had already crushed one of Orochimaru's subordinates in a single blow, the Sound ninja couldn't help but break into a sweat.
Their only option was to keep stirring trouble, to drive a wedge between Sand and Leaf—ideally turning Sand to their side—so they could quickly complete Orochimaru's order and kill Uchiha Sasuke.
"So this is what the great Sharingan Uchiha has fallen to," the Sound kunoichi named Kin mocked casually. "After being wiped out by the traitor Uchiha Itachi, you're already so desperate that you need help from other villages?"
Her words were clearly meant to provoke Sasuke, to throw him off balance.
"Woman, you dare—" In the Uchiha creed, no one was allowed to insult the clan or sully the honor of the Uchiha.
Kin thought to herself that the Uchiha clan—and Uchiha Itachi in particular—really were Sasuke's sore spot. The effect was even better than she'd expected.
Sure enough—
Sasuke activated his Sharingan and charged straight at her!
The ferocity on his face startled both Naruto and Sakura.
Fueled by his surging rage, Sasuke's speed shot up dramatically. Kunai in hand, his anger was laced with killing intent.
His hatred for his own weakness. His fear of losing everything all over again…
Darkness was slowly gnawing away at his nerves, at his very nature.
"Sasuke!!" Naruto shouted, but he couldn't pull Sasuke back from that darkness.
Just as Naruto was about to rush forward to stop him, someone moved even faster.
Naruto saw a black blur streak past him. In the blink of an eye, that figure was already in front of Sasuke.
Who?!
Before anyone could react—
Clang!
A short blade intercepted Sasuke's kunai. The newcomer faced the three Sound ninja, leaving his back completely exposed to Uchiha Sasuke…
Sasuke hadn't expected anyone to overtake him from behind. That speed was several times faster than his own charge.
Not only that, the person had blocked his attack with ease.
For a moment, Sasuke froze in shock.
His crimson Sharingan stared at the person's back. The hand gripping the kunai neither pressed forward nor withdrew. His mind was flooded with chaotic questions, yet he had no idea which one to ask first.
"Who is that?" Gaara frowned.
Even he hadn't sensed this person at all. Someone that fast—who exactly were they?
This Chunin Exam was getting more and more interesting.