"Cough…"
Naruto spat out a mouthful of blackened blood.
Strangely, there was little pain on his face. Instead, a faint, almost relieved smile tugged at his lips.
He looked toward Sasuke and Neji, who had rushed to his side. His lips moved as if trying to say something—but no clear sound came out.
"Tch… that was too easy. No sense of accomplishment at all."
In the distance, Karin flicked her hand as if shaking off nonexistent blood. Seeing the fury nearly bursting from Sakura's eyes, she even sighed—her tone carrying a trace of innocent complaint.
"I told you, Sakura. If you insist on saving them, then I'll kill them. Why were you still so careless?"
"And besides…" she pointed lazily at the barely breathing Naruto, "that blond idiot looked the closest to you. Talked the most."
"Killing him works best."
Sakura slowly stood.
She no longer looked at Naruto.
Her head lifted, and her eyes—colder than frost—locked onto Karin.
No shouting. No accusations.
Just killing intent so heavy it made the air tremble.
Karin shivered—then grinned provocatively, clearly thrilled.
At that suffocating, razor-edged moment—
"Woof! Woof woof!!"
Urgent, warning barks shattered the tension.
Then a thunderous, aged voice roared from afar, rapidly approaching.
"You devil brat born of evil—this old man will—!"
The speaker was closing in at incredible speed. Even the space around them quivered faintly from the sheer force.
Karin's expression changed instantly—a mix of annoyance, disgust, and unwillingness.
"That damn old geezer! Won't leave me alone!"
She glared viciously at Sakura—and at Naruto, who was fading fast.
"You're lucky this time! Old man, don't let me catch you off guard someday!"
With that, she vanished into a streak of dark crimson light, fleeing in the opposite direction at astonishing speed.
The furious voice shifted course immediately in pursuit.
"Brat! Don't run! Today I'll make you regret it!"
Soon, both presences disappeared into the distance.
Silence returned.
Only Sakura, Sasuke, Neji—and Naruto, whose life was flickering out.
" Sakura…" Neji cradled Naruto's rapidly cooling body and looked up, a faint, fragile hope still lingering in his eyes.
Sakura closed her eyes slowly.
When she opened them again, only exhaustion and a trace of sorrow remained.
She shook her head.
"That power… once it begins corroding, it's already too late. I… can't do anything. My specialty is offensive arts."
Sasuke knelt beside Naruto, his remaining hand gripping Naruto's wrist so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He lowered his head.
Hatred.
Pain.
Madness.
They churned violently in his eyes as he watched the last traces of life drain away.
Naruto's fading gaze briefly focused. It landed on Sasuke… on Neji.
The corner of his mouth twitched faintly—as if attempting that familiar grin.
But it never formed.
His hand fell limp.
Stillness.
Then—
"Sasuke-kun. The disturbance here… seems rather excessive. Even at the base, I could sense it."
A hoarse voice with a distinctive cadence drifted from the shadows.
They turned.
A tall, pale figure in a fitted black combat outfit stepped forward. Golden snake-like pupils gleamed in the dim light.
Orochimaru.
"Let me see."
His tongue slid lightly across his lips as his gaze swept over Naruto's body—then paused briefly on Sakura, whose aura was dangerously cold.
"What happened?"
"Orochimaru!"
Hope exploded in Sasuke's eyes—like a drowning man grasping driftwood.
"Quick! Look at Naruto! You've studied all kinds of forbidden things—you must have a way!"
"Sasuke-kun, that description is hardly flattering."
Orochimaru's pupils flicked toward Sakura for a brief, assessing glance.
He could feel the dangerous presence radiating from her.
Then he crouched slowly and placed pale fingers against Naruto's neck, now cold and marked with creeping black veins.
"What is there to examine?"
His tone was clinical. Detached.
"Vital signs are completely gone."
He tilted his head slightly.
"This is already… a rather thoroughly deceased corpse. There's no need to look further."
Neji's final flicker of hope dimmed entirely.
He lowered his head, fists clenched.
Sakura's expression turned glacial. She stared in the direction Karin had fled, her fingers tightening until faint cracking sounds emerged.
" Karin… I will kill you."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Oh? Karin is involved?"
"Yes!" Sasuke's voice trembled with restrained fury. "She ambushed Naruto! Orochimaru—you must have a way. Don't you have… that technique?"
"You managed something with Itachi. You can save Naruto too."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Itachi's situation was different. Whatever was inside Naruto's body… I've never encountered it before."
He paused deliberately.
"However… there may be a method."
His golden eyes shimmered.
"In theory, a possibility exists. After all, the domain of life and soul is full of miracles… and accidents."
He stood, brushing off imaginary dust.
"Have you considered… giving Naruto a new body?"
His voice was smooth. Tempting.
"A manufactured one?" Sakura suddenly spoke.
She looked at him steadily.
"Perhaps… you could use me as a reference."
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