Itachi simply standing there put immense pressure on Naruto and Sasuke. Who would have thought he would use Sharingan genjutsu against a few genin right at the start? He truly showed no mercy.
Currently, only Naruto and Sasuke could still fight. Sakura had been knocked out by a genjutsu backlash. Even with her strength, she wouldn't have been much help, so it was better this way, preventing Naruto and Sasuke from being held back.
"Damn it!"
Sasuke was incredibly frustrated at having his tactics seen through. However, he hadn't lost his composure and was frantically thinking of countermeasures. Although their first wave of tactics failed, they had managed to glean some information.
That was, Itachi was not currently fighting at his full strength, and this was their chance.
"Naruto, follow my lead when I give the signal."
"Understood!"
As for Sakura, who had fainted nearby, Sasuke paid her no mind. Women only slowed down his draw speed. Besides, the current Sakura couldn't keep up with him and Naruto. Fainting was the best option, so she wouldn't become a burden.
Naruto wanted to move Sakura further away, but after a moment's hesitation, he chose to stand by Sasuke. Men and women should maintain distance; he didn't want Sasuke to misunderstand anything.
This was an old street. The surrounding houses appeared somewhat aged compared to the buildings near the central palace. Itachi stood in the middle of the street with his hands hidden in his sleeves, seemingly vulnerable. However, this made Naruto and Sasuke even more hesitant to attack.
"What, are you afraid of me?"
Itachi's cold voice echoed through the silent old street, involuntarily instilling a sense of fear in those who heard it. Due to the Sharingan, the Itachi before them always seemed unreal.
Naruto swallowed hard. He was genuinely afraid that the Uchiha Itachi before them was still an illusion, that they hadn't broken free from the genjutsu.
Seemingly sensing Naruto's concern, Sasuke said coldly, "This is not an illusion. He's doing this intentionally to disrupt our judgment between illusion and reality."
The two tomoe in Sasuke's eyes spun slowly. He knew they couldn't delay any longer, or his doubts would only grow, and he would start to doubt everything around him.
"Chidori!"
*Ching!*
Blinding lightning flashed in the old street. Sasuke didn't choose to use techniques like throwing shuriken. He wasn't foolish; playing with shuriken in front of Itachi was tantamount to suicide. He could only use something Itachi hadn't mastered or taught him.
"Naruto, let's finish this quickly."
"Huh? Sasuke, what should I do? You haven't told me yet!"
Seeing Sasuke charge towards Itachi with Chidori in hand, Naruto was utterly bewildered. Didn't they agree to wait for a signal? Where was your signal, Sasuke!
"Still this move, it has no effect on me."
Itachi slightly sidestepped, avoiding Sasuke's Chidori-wielding hand, and then grabbed his left hand, pressing it to the ground. The Chidori in his hand dissipated after piercing the ground.
"Tch, it's not over yet."
Sasuke, with his left hand pinned, gripped Itachi's arm in return. He flicked his right index finger towards a transparent thread in the darkness. A massive shuriken shot out from an alley, targeting Uchiha Itachi.
"Did that kid set this up?"
Itachi ducked backward, evading the shuriken's attack. In his peripheral vision, he saw that Naruto, who should have been standing there complaining, had disappeared. A sense of unease suddenly struck him.
"Rasengan!"
The shuriken that should have been evaded suddenly transformed into Naruto's likeness as it flew overhead, a blue chakra sphere in his hand. Itachi's eyes changed slightly. He had seen this ninjutsu before; wasn't this Master Lin Yu's technique?
This kid actually learned it in just over a month?
His talent explained why even Sasuke was willing to cooperate with him. A faint smile touched Itachi's lips, happy that his brother had found a hard-won bond.
However, this might also be an opportunity to stimulate Sasuke's Sharingan...
*Boom!*
Because he was leaning back and his arm was still firmly held by Sasuke, coupled with the Rasengan at such close range, Itachi couldn't dodge it. He took the full force of the Rasengan.
The imagined scene of Itachi being sent flying dozens of meters did not materialize. His clothes were even undamaged. Naruto stared blankly at the red skeletal structure that had materialized. The Rasengan in his hand didn't even leave a scratch on it. He couldn't help but doubt this S-rank ninjutsu.
Is this a fake? That perverted old man actually taught him a second-hand jutsu, how hateful!
*Boom!*
Red chakra erupted, instantly blasting Naruto and Sasuke away, spitting blood. The gap in their strength was like an ocean.
"Unfair! Unfair! I'm here for the Chunin Exams, what is this thing?!"
Naruto got up from the ground and shouted about foul play. He didn't believe this was the level of the Chunin Exams. Was he, Uzumaki Naruto, easy to fool?!
Sasuke's expression was also grim. "The strength you're displaying is far beyond the scope of the Chunin Exams. According to the rules, shouldn't we have passed?"
Itachi twisted his red skeletal frame, making a creaking sound. He said calmly, "It would be so for others, but you two are exceptions."
"Foul play! Everyone see this, he's cheating!"
Naruto tilted his head, looking for cameras around him. He wanted to report this unfair treatment to the proctor, believing the proctor would never allow such a person to act out of line!
*Zzzt zzzt.*
A burst of static crackled from the microphone, followed by Lin Yu's slightly breathless voice: "The exam continues, everything is normal."
Then the voice completely disappeared. Naruto and Sasuke's faces turned as black as night. They suspected foul play in the exam.
"Sasuke, what do we do now?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, his gaze sharp. He was unwilling to lose to this man in front of the entire ninja world. His pride wouldn't allow it, but the strength displayed by the other party had completely surpassed their level. This was a battle they couldn't possibly win.
What should he do? What should he do!
Suddenly, Sasuke's pupils constricted. Itachi, who had been standing far away, vanished in an instant, seemingly impatient and preparing to take the initiative to end this battle.
"Careful!"
*Bang!*
A skeletal arm formed by Susanoo descended from the sky, shattering the ground beneath Naruto and Sasuke's feet. Debris flew everywhere. They narrowly avoided the attack, but Naruto, lacking the dynamic vision of the Sharingan, was hit by several pieces of debris as he leaped to evade.
"Not good!"
Naruto knew his situation was dire. Just as he was about to form hand seals to use Shadow Clones to hide, a massive red skeletal hand grabbed him tightly from behind. The immense crushing force immediately made Naruto cry out in pain.
"Naruto!"
Seeing Naruto captured, Sasuke's cold expression turned ferocious. The Sharingan in his eyes spun wildly. Lightning crackled around his hand as his legs sprinted across the ground with unparalleled speed towards the skeletal arm.
*Snap!*
The Chidori in his hand dissipated. It was the same scene again, the same slender hand. Itachi gripped Sasuke's wrist with one hand and said calmly, "Such a weakling like you can't even save your comrade. As expected, you're trash."
Itachi increased the force on his hand, making Naruto let out continuous screams, as if his body were about to be crushed.
Sasuke, who was originally proud and aloof, showed panic in his eyes for the first time. Naruto's screams echoed clearly in his ears. Sasuke desperately tried to break free from Itachi's grip, but his mind in disarray made it impossible.
"Let go of Naruto, come at me if you dare!"
Itachi glanced coldly at Sasuke, then flung him away with a swing of his arm and said, "I'll let you deeply experience the feeling of being weak and helpless."
After saying that, the skeletal arm that had been holding Naruto threw him to the ground, then clenched into a fist and smashed down heavily towards Naruto.
"No!"
From not far away, Sasuke watched this scene, his eyes widening with fury. He had never imagined that Naruto, as the Fourth's son, would actually be in mortal danger. At this moment, he had only one thought: save Naruto, by any means necessary!
"Hurry! Faster!"
But reality was cruel. At Sasuke's speed, he couldn't possibly reach Naruto in time before the fist fell. Sasuke despaired. The crimson in his eyes intensified. Suddenly, a flash of lightning flickered, and Sasuke's speed multiplied several times. He stimulated his body with Lightning Release chakra, achieving a several-fold increase in speed. However, this technique was clearly not proficient; Sasuke's face was contorted, his body enduring the tempering of Lightning Release chakra, causing unbearable pain.
"Catch up!"
At the last moment, a streak of lightning cut through the night sky and landed beside Naruto. At this moment, Sasuke was like Naruto's Superman, using his body to shield Naruto from the strike of Susanoo.
Itachi was slightly stunned. He hadn't expected Sasuke to arrive so quickly by stimulating the cells in his legs with Lightning Release chakra. Just as he was about to retract the Susanoo arm, he heard someone's voice. His gaze then hardened. The fist that was originally aimed at Naruto's chest changed to a single finger, targeting Sasuke's heart!
*Boom!*
The ground cracked. Sasuke's last conscious thought was seeing Naruto safe, and then his heart calmed down. Naruto was alright, that was good...
Meanwhile, Naruto, who thought he was certainly going to die, saw Sasuke transform into lightning and block the fatal blow for him. His pupils widened several times. The Nine-Tails chakra within him could no longer be restrained and directly broke through the seal, transforming into a fiery inferno that rushed towards the sky.
"Sasuke!!!"
Naruto tremblingly placed his finger in front of Sasuke's nose. After a long moment...
*Boom!*
Four tails appeared behind Naruto. His skin began to burn, and his reason started to fade. His pupils had transformed into the Nine-Tails' demonic eyes. Naruto now wanted to kill everything.
Sasuke was gone, so what was there left in this world to cherish?
Naruto's crimson demonic eyes looked at Itachi, his killing intent about to erupt. But his peripheral vision caught sight of a pink-haired girl. A word suddenly appeared in Naruto's mind.
Artificial respiration!
That's right, not long ago Sakura had told him that artificial respiration could be used for emergency rescue.
*Swish!*
Naruto, in his four-tailed state, instantly returned to his original appearance. Ignoring the burning sensation on his skin, he immediately lifted Sasuke's head with one hand. Recalling the emergency first aid measures taught in the ninja academy, he didn't hesitate, leaned down, and pressed his mouth to Sasuke's.
Sasuke, this is my first kiss, you have to wake up!
(Mwah... should I stick out my tongue?)