In the dense forest, three parties converged. One side, consisting of three Cloud Ninjas led by Troda, watched from the sidelines. In the center, dozens of Sand Ninja elites faced off against a ten-year-old boy, while two other Sand Ninjas struggled to rise from the ground, their faces in pain.
Kankuro hadn't expected Lin Yu to dare resist. Didn't the situation make it clear that resistance would only lead to more physical suffering?
"Useless!" Kankuro's veins bulged on his forehead. He directed this insult at the two Sand Ninjas, disgraced that they had been defeated by a mere child.
Though he had heard that the boy named Uzumaki Lin Yu had single-handedly defeated Shukaku, Kankuro wouldn't believe it until he saw it with his own eyes. Moreover, the jinchuriki, Bunpuku, hadn't returned to the Sand Village yet, so they couldn't be certain of the intelligence's accuracy.
"Uzumaki Lin Yu, are you sure you want to resist us? Don't blame us if we cripple you later." Kankuro's words were meant to make Lin Yu reconsider, but his hand was already reaching for the bandages on his back. As an elite jonin, he wouldn't underestimate anyone in combat.
Lin Yu bared his teeth at Kankuro and smiled, "Please don't hold back. Beat me as much as you want. Preferably to the point of making me cry!"
"Brat, you're asking for death! Black Secret Technique: Poison Needle!" Kankuro's face turned red at an alarming rate. He couldn't hold back any longer, untying the bandages on his back and releasing his puppet—Crow, the first generation.
The jet-black figure flew towards Lin Yu. Controlled by Kankuro, the puppet Crow spat out dozens of poison needles, their tips slightly darkened and coated with a potent toxin.
Lin Yu examined Kankuro's puppet Crow with curiosity. It had a bird-like face, two human-like arms, and four claws. The design was rather peculiar.
Was this a puppet from before Sasori of the Red Sand rose to prominence? It was rather crude. And why did the Kankuro family always favor crows?
The Kankuro before him had no relation to the Kankuro of the future, other than belonging to the lineage of puppeteers. Lin Yu felt no internal conflict. Forget Kankuro; even if Rasa offended him, he would still kill him. He had no connection to the Sand Village and wouldn't show any misplaced mercy.
As Lin Yu's thoughts shifted, he intended to use Wind Release to blow back the poison needles. But before he could even form hand seals, a blood-red chakra erupted from the Cloud Ninja's side, accompanied by a soft cry.
"No one bullies my Lin Yu!"
Hearing the Sand Ninjas were about to attack her Lin Yu, Kushina disregarded any ill intentions of Kurama. Her entire body was enveloped in red chakra, and the ferocious chakra instantly tore through the sack, soaring into the sky.
Fortunately, Troda had thrown the sack on the ground for a better view. Otherwise, he would have been engulfed by the violent Kyuubi chakra and possibly severely injured.
Troda gazed grimly at the red chakra filling the sky. He had been too close earlier, and the Nine-Tails' chakra had grazed his arm. The chakra seemed corrosive, infiltrating his body inch by inch. Fortunately, the amount was small, and he managed to suppress it.
However, seeing the Nine-Tails' chakra swirling around them, the three Cloud Ninjas were bewildered. What kind of monster had they captured?
Lin Yu was also stunned. Was Kushina controlling the Nine-Tails' chakra? But why was it red? Wasn't that the chakra tinged with Kurama's hatred?
Lin Yu worried about Kushina's condition. After all, in the original story, Naruto's use of the Nine-Tails' chakra had side effects. While bearing immense power, he was also deeply harmed by it, his skin even being scorched.
However, seeing Kushina standing before him with a smug look, her small face filled with triumph and no hint of pain, Lin Yu felt somewhat relieved. He no longer cared whether it was a Nine-Tails chakra mode or not. The poison needles had already been dissolved by the Nine-Tails' chakra.
If Kurama knew Lin Yu's thoughts, he would surely curse him: "The seal hasn't even been opened, and you're thinking about a Nine-Tails chakra mode? Don't be ridiculous, do you think it's that easy to master?"
At that moment, Kurama could only lend some Nine-Tails chakra to Kushina through the permission she had granted him. Under Kurama's intentional control, his ferocious chakra was docile within Kushina, causing no adverse effects.
Kushina placed her hands on her hips, three red chakra tails swaying behind her, and arrogantly addressed Kankuro, "So you're the painted-face guy who wanted to bully my Lin Yu? Watch me, Kushina, beat you to a pulp!"
With that, Kushina rubbed her small nose and swung her fists at Kankuro.
Lin Yu let out a helpless wry smile. His "punching bag" had been snatched by Kushina. Seeing the little girl's wild, unlearned fighting style, Lin Yu shook his head. Kushina couldn't control such a vast amount of chakra and could only swing her fists wildly.
But due to the Tailed Beast Cloak, the Sand Ninjas' attacks barely qualified as tickling for Kushina. She simply evaded Kankuro's onslaught, while also preventing herself from being touched by the rampaging Nine-Tails chakra.
Otherwise, like a certain simpleton nearby, who was accidentally hit by one of Kushina's punches and had Nine-Tails chakra attached to him, his consciousness was instantly invaded by hatred, and he turned red-eyed, attacking the Sand Ninjas around him.
The Sand Ninjas couldn't do anything to Kushina. Lin Yu, slightly relieved, turned to face the three Cloud Ninjas, a rather cruel smile on his face. He beckoned them, "Indifferent bystanders are no good. I think you should join the fun too!"
...
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi dispatched a pursuit team led by Orochimaru, with the guidance of the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, to track the Cloud Ninjas.
"Stop, something's ahead... is that ANBU?"
After a few leaps, an ANBU wearing a cat mask appeared before Orochimaru. He nodded, sounding somewhat ashamed, "I lost them. They seem to be skilled in counter-reconnaissance."
Orochimaru's expression was cold, perhaps due to Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupting his experiments. "Don't worry, we have members of the Inuzuka and Hyuga clans. They can't escape. Let's not waste words, pursue them quickly. I'm waiting for experimental results... ah, the Hokage is also waiting for my report."
"Everything alright, Geru?"
Inuzuka Geru nodded, patting his brown-haired dog. "I've already had Goma memorize the scent the target left in Konoha. They can't escape."
"Then there's no time to lose. Chase!"
...
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The battlefield had split into two. On one side, Kushina was single-handedly pursuing and attacking the Sand Ninjas. On the other, Lin Yu was fighting the Cloud Ninja trio.
Lin Yu panted, rubbing his slightly reddened palm, and bared his teeth, "Your Cloud Ninja bodies are truly sturdy. You've made my hands hurt."
Troda's face was grave, not daring to reveal the slightest flaw. The boy before him, though seemingly frail, had withstood their combined assault with taijutsu and an unknown golden chain, showing no signs of falling behind. Even the physically weaker Iesu was already heavily injured and lying on the ground. Now, only he and Montai could still fight.
As a jonin of the Cloud Village, facing Lin Yu, he felt as if he wasn't fighting a ten-year-old boy, but a cunning old schemer hiding his true strength. The boy showed no panic whatsoever, as if the entire battle was under his control.
This caused a bead of cold sweat to appear on Troda's face. Lin Yu's presence seemed increasingly unfathomable in his eyes. He estimated that he might not be able to return.