Naruto: The Uchiha Chronicles Re-Version:
Hey everyone, hope you're doing good. Welcome to chapter 37. Team 7's confrontation continues. Can Sasuki and Sakura escape Orochimaru with Naruto out of commission? Let's find out!
Arc VI: Chunin Exams:
Chapter 37: Naruto Uchiha
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Sasuki's heart stuttered to a halt as she saw Naruto's body tossed aside like trash. For a moment time froze. Her Sharingan slowed her perception to a crawl. She had to do something. Every millisecond that passed Naruto flew farther and farther. Then he slammed back first into a tree with a meaty thwack that was as loud as a cannon to her. The bark cracked and crumbled from the force. Leg muscles coiling tightly, she leapt into the air in an intercepting arch. For a frightful moment she worried that she wouldn't make it. Naruto would slip past and go tumbling to the forest floor. Luckily, she'd timed it perfectly.
Catching Naruto in her arms, Sasuki twisted her body and hit the tree trunk feet first. In an instant she shot away again towards the ground where Sakura stood wearily watching Orochimaru.
Landing in a crouch, Sasuki frantically looked him over. She was frightened by what she saw. He seemed almost fragile. All the time she'd known him, it was her first seeing Naruto so vulnerable. Whisps of sweat-drenched hair stuck to his forehead, his skin pale and clammy. For a frightening moment she thought he might be dead. No, he couldn't be. She wouldn't lose anyone again. Placing two frantic fingers against his throat, she sighed in relief when she felt a strong pulse thrumming through her fingers. Just unconscious, then.
The thing that puzzled her was what happened to the Nine-Tails chakra. One second Naruto had been covered in a cloak of chakra, the next it was snuffed out. It didn't make much sense. The only thing she knew was Orochimaru had done something to mess with the seal.
Cradling him in her arms so her hands were free, she formed the familiar cross shaped seal and created a clone. Carefully handing Naruto off, she said, "Keep watch over him."
The clone nodded and darted deeper into the forest to avoid being caught up in the battle. With Naruto safe, Sasuki turned her attention back to Orochimaru. She stepped up to stand beside Sakura, who had taken a defensive position while Sasuki dealt with Naruto. The mad man hadn't even bothered to press his advantage. He stood there above them on his branch with an amused look. As if they were so weak it didn't matter if he had an advantage or opening. Her blood boiled. Though it was certainly true, she couldn't standthe idea of being so weak compared to someone, at their mercy to decide whether she lived or died.
She could still hear Itachi's voice in her head, telling her she wasn't even worth killing. Never again! Her eyes flooded with chakra. The already increased perception the Sharingan granted her was increased. It was like every little twitching movement was laid bare to her.
"Sakura, we need to try and make an opening to escape. Get ready for the circus." Sasuki whispered to her teammate.
Naruto had it right. This wasn't about trying to beat the man; it was about distracting him well enough to run away. It put a bitter taste in her mouth. To flee from battle went against every fiber of her being.
Taking a steadying breath, Sasuki briefly closed her eyes. It took precise aim to do what she was going to try. When they snapped open, she began unsealing kunai and shuriken and throwing them around. Some looked like they went directly at Orochimaru, only to get deflected by another kunai or shuriken and careen off course to embed in the ground or a tree. For all intents and purposes there was no rhyme or reason for where the weapons landed.
"Now what on earth was that supposed to accomplish?" Orochimaru chuckled.
Sasuki raised her hands up, revealing dozens of thin ninja wires wrapped around the hilt of a kunai. Placing the kunai between her palms, she raced through hand seals, ending with dragon.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Circus!" She said.
A spark of blue electricity traveled along the wires. As the dazzling threads of lightning danced across the wires it revealed the true complexity of her trap. A cage of wires that stretched across the trees and blocked the air. The tang of ozone filled the air and made her nostrils tingle. Then hell broke loose as bolts of lightning danced from point to point, striking everything within the barrier of wire. One powerful bolt struck Orochimaru in the chest and charred it black, only for him to collapse into mud. Another strike blasted a crater in the ground and forced Orochimaru to the surface.
The snake-like man twisted and turned, his body contorting and writhing like a snake as he avoided the lightning strikes. Tree bark was torn asunder as he ripped up and down trees and across the ground. Sasuki kept up the pressure, causing more and more lightning strikes. Her Sharingan let her predict his every move and try to strike him before he got there. Orochimaru playfully dodged and danced around, though eventually he grew weary of the game.
"Enough of that." Orochimaru slapped a hand against the tree. A complex array of sealing symbols appeared summoning a massive snake in his place. Heedless of hellish the lightning strikes, the snake tore through her trap. The wires bit into its flesh, causing rivulets of blood to run down it's body. The massive serpent hissed angrily.
"Earth Style: Bog!" Sakura shouted, slamming her palms into the ground. The earth turned dark and transformed into a bog of mud. The snakes weight instantly caused it to begin sinking into the suctioning pit. With a few more hand seals, a jagged spear of rock erupted from the branch and stabbed the snake in its throat. The snake hissed and thrashed. Blood gushed through the gaping wound. Giving one last futile death throw, the snake lay still. For a moment, the forest was silent in the wake of the cannon-like blasts of lightning. Steam hissed from the charred patches of earth where it had struck, and the mud pit bubbled quietly.
Then the scales on the side of the snake's neck bulged grotesquely. They cracked apart, and Orochimaru ripped out of his summon. Drenched in the disgusting digestive juices of the snake, he let out a cackle. "Kukuku, I stand corrected, that was indeed a good trap, against genin that is."
Sasuki grit her teeth. He'd shrugged off one of her most powerful jutsu like it was nothing, perhaps it was for someone like him. Her chest heaved for breath as her lungs burned. She'd used most of her chakra in that exchange. If this kept up, she'd reach chakra exhaustion.
"Hmm, I wonder how you are at close combat?" Orochimaru said musingly. He became a blur of motion, winding across the ground like a humanoid snake and reappearing in front of Sasuki before she could blink. She ripped her tanto from its sheath and went directly for Orochimaru's neck. Steel sang and sparks flee as her tanto was countered by a kunai. Orochimaru threw a punch. The air whistled from the velocity and power. Sasuki batted it aside, spinning on her heel to deliver a kick only for Orochimaru to duck.
He grinned, licking his lips menacingly while she was caught off-balance. Before he could strike, a pair of slender hands tore through the earth surrounded by a blue aura. In a hail of rock and sand, Sakura ripped out the earth. With quick precise strikes she Sakura swiped at Orochimaru's leg with a scalpel, and then struck his arm for good measure. She spun in the air and tucked into a roll, landing at Sasuki's side. They quickly retreated to create space.
"Thanks." Sasuki muttered.
"Hmm, how surprising. It takes very precise control and concentration to use that in battle." Orochimaru mused, shaking his torso so his limp arm flopped about like a dead fish. Sasuki's skin crawled. The thought of her arm being disabled like that made her squirm, yet Orochimaru treated it as a joke. "Oh well, that's an easy enough fix."
He gave them a sick grin, before stretching his jaws wide. A pair of arms shoved through the gaping maw, ripping it further apart as a new Orochimaru emerged. The sight and smell were horrendous.
"Sakura, mud." Sasuki hissed.
Sakura began to blur through hand signs. Sasuki began her own hand seals even as a wave of mud swept towards Orochimaru. Ending on the Snake seal, Sasuki spat out a torrent of water that mixed with the mud to create a wave of earth. A few more hand seals saw lightning sparking across her fingers. Sasuki touched the torrent, electrifying the wave with deadly voltage.
With contemptuous ease, Orochimaru formed the bird seal and unleashed a spherical blast of wind that blew away the combinations jutsu. Watery mud splattered down like drops of rain.
Sasuki growled. Nothing they did had any effect, and every jutsu drained her reserves all the more. A traitorous voice told her they couldn't succeed. She shook her head. They had to try something bigger. There was still an ace up her sleeve. Putting her hand behind her back, she hid the puff of smoke as a medium sized corked gourd appeared in her palm. She nudged Sakura, drawing her gaze. "Sakura, take this. I'm going to make one last push. Spread it around while we fight."
Once the request registered, Sakura's eye's lit up in understanding. With a sharp nod she took the gourd and tied it to her waist. She popped the cork, letting out a trickle of black powder flecked with hints of silver grain.
Taking up her tanto, Sasuki dashed in to challenge Orochimaru. As she did, she focused on her Sharingan's ability to copy. He mind flashed with an image of Naruto practicing using his Teleportation in battle. She felt a buzz, like the highest of sugar highs all throughout her body.
In a blur of speed, she darted in and took a slash at her enemy. He countered, causing a ring of steel. Sasuki's pupils spun furiously, seeing the retaliatory punch coming. With the speed of the Teleportation jutsu, she dodged and sliced at the wrist, scoring a deep cut. The pale skin separated to show pink flesh and gushing crimson blood. Hissing like his serpents, Orochimaru's body twisted and deformed as he spun behind her. Before he could capitalize Sakura shot out of the ground and slashed at him with a chakra scalpel, forcing Orochimaru to pull back.
Together the three danced around the clearing, clashing with showers of sparks. Sasuki strained her concentration to the limit by using chakra flow to channel lightning through her tanto. Against someone like the Grass ninja it wasn't that bad. But against Orochimaru, with his raw speed and agility pushing her Sharingan to keep up, and the strain of the Teleportation Jutsu, it was extremely difficult to maintain. Sakura took pot shots as she could, weaving in and out of the ground to try and get the drop on Orochimaru, as well as spreading the contents of Sasuki's gourd. Unfortunately, the fight didn't stay on the ground, and Sasuki often found herself alone racing across the surface of the trees as she battled with Orochimaru.
Sasuki gasped as Orochimaru managed to slip a kick through her guard. She hurtled to the ground, only having her fall broken by Sakura creating a pillowy mound of earth for her to land on. The impact drove the breath from her body, her bones creaking. She gasped for air, forcing herself to get up. On wobbly legs she stood and faced her enemy. He was wrapped around a tree, smiling amusedly.
Sakura emerged from the earth beside her, letting one last trickle of black powder fall into the tunnel she'd emerged from. "Sasuki, I'm out!" She said, tossing the empty gourd aside.
"Good. Brace yourself." Sasuki replied.
Across the clearing, Orochimaru slithered down the tree trunk, his body returning to normal as he began walking towards them at a methodical pace. "Come, this is just getting interesting, don't tell me that's all you have Sasuki, I'm disappointed. Show me the power of the Uchiha!"
His eyes widened with a sadistic gleam, and she saw his muscles tensed as he prepared to blitz. This was it. If this attack succeeded, it would give them the chance they needed to escape.
Sasuki's gaze hardened. "Careful what you wish for." She whispered. Taking a deep breath, she centered herself. Fighting through the exhaustion, she dragged out every dreg of chakra she could as she formed a tiger seal. Her chest bulged out, back bowing and head reared back. Burning chakra filled her lungs, barreling through her esophagus. 'Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!'
Her head snapped forward like that of an angry dragon, bathing the hole Sakura had left in a narrow jet of orange flames and igniting the black powder. Her flames swept across the ground to engulf Orochimaru, who used a blast of wind to avoid the initial fire. Even as he did, an ominous rumble made the earth tremble. Like a beast wakening from its slumber. The air grew hot. Cracks formed in the earth. Glowing flames poured out. Then the ground exploded as a sea of flames engulfed the clearing and turned anything in its path to ashes. Sasuki squinted against the whitish orange flames.
This was her last ace. A special powder, one her clan had perfected to increase the devastation of their fire. Skilled members could perform a jutsu to produce it, but she wasn't at that level yet.
"I don't think that'll kill him, but this is our chance! Let's move it." She exclaimed.
Sakura nodded. They turned and were about to dash towards where her clone had gone so they could flee. Out of the corner of her eye, Sasuki caught a flicker of movement. She froze, turning in a daze. Before her mesmerized eyes, a dark shape appeared in the dying blaze. It was moving towards them.
Before she or Sakura could even think to move, she suddenly found herself frozen. Her limbs locked in place and muscles unresponsive. In a distant corner of her mind, she recognized the feeling. One she'd felt while training with old man Madara. 'A paralysis jutsu!' Next to her Sakura collapsed to a knee as she tried to struggle against the paralysis.
The dark shape in the flames grew ever closer. Orochimaru emerged from the flames, his form burnt horrifically. Icy fear crept down her spine. It hadn't worked. Her most powerful combination, and he'd simply walked through it. There was no hope. No clever escape. Nothing they could do to stop him. His skin was melting, revealing twisted and charred muscle and soot-stained bones. She could see part of his jaw. Still, his yellow, snake-like eyes danced with an insane delight. With his prey immobilized, Orochimaru spoke "Yes! That's what I wanted to see! Such mastery of the Sharingan at so young an age, a true Uchiha prodigy–ghack!" Orochimaru cut off in a choking hack. His body slumped forward to its knees, falling to his front. Seamless, another Orochimaru ripped himself free of the corpse. "Yes … you'll do nicely. You are definitely his sister. If anything, your eyes are even keener of Itachi's."
Sasuki's heart skipped a beat, then it began to hammer against her ribs. This man knew her brother. Memories of that night swirled through her head. She grit her teeth, screaming in rage as she strained against the paralysis jutsu.
"What the hell do you want!" She shouted.
Orochimaru chuckled, the eerie sound bounced around the forest. "What I want? That will have to wait until we meet again. After you pass this exam with the best score of all! You'll have to defeat the Hidden Sound team that serves me."
"Tch, like hell you bastard! If we don't ever meet again it'll be too soon!" Sakura growled.
"Kukuku, oh she and I will meet again." Orochimaru chuckled. Sasuki felt a sense of impending doom descend upon her when he placed his hands in the tiger seal.
Orochimaru's neck started to grow. And grow. Like some absurd human-headed snake, it twisted and wound towards her through the air. The man's mouth fell open, showing a set of fang-like canines headed straight for her neck, that's what her sharingan was showing. Did he intend to rip her throat out?
Sasuki felt and unspeakable terror. A spine-chilling certainty that whatever Orochimaru was attempting was terrible, yet she could do nothing to stop it. It was agony. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Then, an explosion of power swept over them, and she heard a voice that filled her with hope.
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As Sasuki and Sakura faced Orochimaru, Naruto found himself in a decidedly different place. He remembered Orochimaru using that odd sealing jutsu, then darkness. The next thing he knew, Naruto found himself blinded by a warm yellow light. Raising a hand to block the light, he squinted as dots danced across his vision. There was some sort of large pink blob. As his vision cleared, the blob resolved itself into the dark brown bark and pale pink petals of an ancient cherry tree. Larger than any he'd ever seen. He looked about in wonder. The tree stood tall and proud in a secluded forest meadow. A field of knee-high wildflowers grew around him, with thick trees on all sides. The field swayed in a gentle breeze under a bright blue sky.
"Wh-what is this place." He said in wonder It didn't feel … normal. There was something ethereal about it. As if any moments forest spirits would come dancing amongst the blooming flowers. A familiar spicy cinnamon scent tickled his nostrils. But he'd only ever smelled that at … Naruto's brow furrowed as he looked at them closer.
They were familiar. Fire lilies, and electric-blue cloud daisies. On the edges of the meadow, he saw a few desert camellia bushes with their hot pink blooms, and the white roses from the Land of Ogres. All of them were from his grandmother's garden. A tinkling laugh filled the air.
"Do you like them? I thought something familiar might be nice." A woman's voice rang out. Naruto's head whipped about, trying to spot her. Her voice had come from all around him. There wasn't any hint of anyone in sight. "Over here." From behind the immense trunk of the cherry tree, a woman emerged. Sunny blonde hair cut in a bob, and soft blue eyes. She wore a set of loose-fitting tan robes. He recognized her immediately from the picture hanging in his grandfather's cabin.
"Grandma?" Naruto gasped.
"Hello Naruto. It's nice to meet you." Kazehana said with a gentle smile. "Come, let's talk." She beckoned him closer.
Naruto stepped forward hesitantly. This had to be some sort of trick. Something to distract him. What about Sasuki and Sakura? "Sorry, but I have to go help my friends. We're in the middle of fighting Orochi–"
"–Orochimaru, I know." Kazehana finished his sentence. Naruto's breath caught in his throat. That sense this was a trap overwhelmed him. Instinctively, he tried to pulse his chakra and dispel what must be a genjutsu. Nothing happened. His grandmother gave him a quirky smile. "This isn't a trap. There're just some things we need to discuss. Now, come."
His eyes trailed carefully as Kazehana turned and began to walk away. Naruto hesitated, but ultimately followed. There wasn't much choice. Even if it was a genjutsu there he clearly couldn't escape on his own. She led him around the tree, to a checkered blue blanket set out in a grassy area. Sitting down with her legs folded elegantly, Kazehana motioned for him to join her. Once he sat, she began to speak.
"First off, I should explain what this is. It's a physical representation of your bond with Senbonzakura. Just like the boiler room is a representation of the seal holding back the Nine-Tails." She explained. Naruto nodded slowly. Though that brought to mind an important question.
"Speaking of him, I kind of figured I'd wake up in the seal. Why didn't I?" He asked
"Orochimaru used the Five Elements Sealing Jutsu to lock away the fox's chakra. Until it's removed you can't contact him. Though I wouldn't be in too big a hurry, he's quite annoyed right now. Something about relying on his power and not your own." Kazehana told him. Naruto suppressed a flinch. It was easy enough to imagine the fox's annoyance. He'd been upset with Naruto for quite a while for hesitating to reveal himself. "Now, before we get too deep into things. I suppose I should explain I'm not really Kazehana Uchiha. Rather, I'm her will contained inside Senbonzakura, though I possess all her memories and feelings. With enough effort, I was able to manifest like this to talk. Usually it's manifested more subtly."
Naruto tilted his head curiously. "So, when I feel that feeling from Senbonzakura, that's you?"
Kazehana nodded. "Yes. Now, Naruto, I have a question of my own. Why didn't you even think to use your Sharingan? Orochimaru is a powerful person. He's the exact kind of person to risk using it against, yet you didn't even consider it."
The gentle question made Naruto freeze. The blood drained from his face. She was right. He hadn't even thought of it. In such a crisis, with no time to think, and he didn't even instinctively try to use his Sharingan to keep up.
"I … don't know. It happened so fast. I didn't even think, why didn't I even think to use it?" He said, more to himself than her.
"…Naruto, I think it's time you were finally honest about why you're afraid to let everyone else know about who you are." Kazehana said gently.
He looked at her in confusion. What was she talking about? The reason was obvious. She knew so many other things, surely his grandmothers will was aware of his fears. He didn't want his friend to not trust him, to hate him. It haunted his dreams. As though she could sense his thoughts–who knows, maybe she could–Kazehana shook her head.
"There's another reason, deep inside. Even if you haven't acknowledged it, you know what I'm talking about. "She said.
Something inside him gave way. A mental barrier he'd subconsciously built crumbled. Her words dug into his mind and went straight to his heart. She was right of course. Just as he used the time not being right as a disguise for his cowardly desire not to have Sasuki dislike him, he'd played that fear up even to himself. Made it worse than it was. It was far easier than admitting the truth.
"…Once I do that, it'll be real. It means Grandpa is really dead and protecting our families legacy is on me. If I don't reveal it a part of me can pretend that I'm still free from the burden." He confessed. Tears began to stream down his face and his throat felt tight.
He'd told himself he moved on from his grandfather's death. But he hadn't, not completely. Even if Madara was gone, by keeping his mother's name he could pretend he was still preparing. Still waiting for the day he was strong enough to bear the name. And to an extent that was true, it just wasn't the whole truth. He was jarred from his thoughts by a pair of arms embracing him gently. Kazehana brought his head to her chest and rubbed his hair soothingly.
"It's okay to be afraid Naruto. Just don't let it consume you. Embrace who you are, and know that no matter what, Madara, myself, your parents, we'll be proud no matter what. Now let go and become who you are. You're Naruto Uchiha. Accept that and you'll know a strength you've never felt."
Her words were soothing. Like a balm for his soul. Pulling away from the embrace, he smiled hesitantly. Though, he found her words curious.
"A strength I've never felt?" He asked.
"Indeed." Kazehana said with a nod. "You see, Senbonzakura isn't just tied to your Magnet Style. When you bonded with it, it also formed a connection with your Sharingan. As your use of both grows, so too will Senbonzakura's power."
His eyes widened. "I … I really have been holding back."
Kazehana smiled. "Yes, but no more. It's time. Wake up, and help your friends."
"I will. After this is over, I can't wait to see you again now that I know you're here." Naruto said.
Her smile dimmed just slightly. Resting a gentle hand on his shoulder, she said, "Unfortunately, I'm not sure when the next time will be. It takes a lot for me to manifest like this. If I'm not careful I'll exhaust my will and Senbonzakura loses its power. But don't worry. Even if we can't speak, I'll always be here." She urged him.
Fresh tears fell from his eyes as he felt a familiar pull. He was waking up.
"Bye Grandma, it was nice meeting you." He whispered.
As her smiling face slowly faded, along with the meadow, Naruto hardened his resolve. He knew what he had to do.
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Naruto could feel the soft cloth of Senbonzakura's hilt in his hand. Beneath was rigid shark skin and indestructible wood. His eyes blinked open to the sight of massive tree limbs stretching and twisting above him in a complex net. 'I have to move.' He let out a grunt as he used his forearm to push off the hard surface of the tree. His muscles felt stiff and achy, but they began to loosen as he moved. Rolling his shoulders, Naruto cracked his neck as he began to let his chakra run more freely. He had to prepare to release his Soul Limiting Seal.
"You're awake!"
He turned to see what had to be a clone of Sasuki kneeling on the tree. She had a relieved look on her face. Naruto frowned. Before he left there was something he needed to do.
"I'm gonna go help them out. This won't make sense right now, but hopefully your original get's these memories. I want you to know I'm sorry, and I never hid it to hurt you. But no doubt it will, and that's due to my own cowardice. I'll never be able to apologize enough for that." Naruto told the clone.
"What do you–HEY!" The clone gave a panicked shout as Naruto disappeared using his Teleportation Jutsu.
The titanic trees became a blur around him. Naruto traversed the distance between them and the battle in seconds. As he reappeared just on the edge of the battleground, his eyes widened at the dying blaze. It was intense. The earth was charred and smoldering, blasted apart by whatever attack had been performed. An acrid smell of sulfur hung in the air
Orochimaru stood before his teammates, who seemed frozen in place. He was in the middle of speaking to Sasuki, a mad gleam in his eyes. "Yes! That's what I wanted to see! Such mastery of the Sharingan at so young an age, a true Uchiha prodigy–ghack!" Orochimaru cut off in a choking hack. His body slumped forward to its knees, falling to his front. Seamless, another Orochimaru ripped himself free of the corpse. "Yes … you'll do nicely. You are definitely his sister. If anything, your eyes are even keener of Itachi's."
As Orochimaru stepped forward and made a tiger hand seal, Naruto got a dreadful feeling. Something bad was about to happen. Orochimaru's neck shot forward like a horrifying snake monster and went straight for Sasuki, fangs stretched wide. Naruto's stomach tightened. He had to act.
His chakra erupted, swirling around him furiously. Faster than he ever had before, he tore across the clearing. The snakes fangs were a foot from Sasuki's throat. He was still meters away. 'Faster!' With one last burst he pushed past his limits and reached Sasuki's side. His foot lashed out met Orochimaru's face with an almighty clap of bone and flesh. The Sannin's head was sent flying back the opposite way, blasting through a thick root that rose out of the ground. Naruto breathed heavily. That had been too close for comfort.
Sasuki and Sakura gasped in shock. "Naruto? But how?" Sasuki asked
"I too would like to know." Orochimaru said with an angry hiss as his neck reeled back in. "Sealing the Nine-Tails chakra should have incapacitated you, boy."
"I wanna thank you for that, actually." Naruto replied.
"Oh? Did I perhaps damage your mind when I did that?" The snake-like man asked, tilting his head curiously.
Naruto began to ramp his chakra up to it's highest. Shifting aside the right side of his kimono top, he placed a hand on the cherry blossom seal on his chest and began to pour chakra into it. The seal glowed white. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes angrily
"No, but that stunt helped me remember, just who the hell I am. Soul Limiting Seal Release!" He growled. The seal started to disperse into white chakra particles. Naruto's chakra skyrocketed. It became physically visible as a blue haze around him. The ground started to crack and crater. A look of apprehension entered Orochimaru's eyes. He gaped in disbelief when Naruto's eyes suddenly shifted, turning the bloody crimson color of the Sharingan with three tomoe spinning around his pupil furiously.
"You want to see the power of the Sharingan? Then I'll show it to you, because who I am, is Naruto Uchiha!" Naruto roared.
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And the cat is FINALLY out of the bag! I know everyone has been eagerly (and impatiently) waiting for this. Sorry about this, it became a lot more drawn out than I planned. Anyways, next chapter we see the conclusion of the fight and the aftermath.
As always, I want to give a big shout out to my Patrons. Their support means a lot and is helping me to continue building to my goal of having this be a job. Memberships start at $1, and I just posted Chapter 40 on there so if you're interested in getting ahead of the public sites maybe consider joining. You can find me by going to my AO3 profile of the same name and using the copiable link, or by typing in the Pa treon web domain and adding /rinnetaicho.
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Until Next Time,
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