"Well… it seems he truly had no choice. So he really left Konoha for that reason."
Kitsuchi nodded at first, understanding dawning on his face, before shaking his head again, still unable to fully accept it.
"Young people are often driven by pride and impulse. And besides, there's still Orochimaru involved. We don't yet know what lies behind all of this. In any case, it has nothing to do with us directly. For now, we simply need to do what must be done."
Onoki spoke in a calm yet authoritative tone, his expression turning serious.
"The contact with Uzumaki Menma will be handled by you, Kitsuchi. Keep this matter strictly confidential no one else in the village is to know. If there is any urgent development, report to me immediately. After all… we are dealing with the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. We must proceed with caution."
"Yes, Father. I understand."
Kitsuchi nodded firmly. As one of the few shinobi in the village who had reached Kage-level combat ability, and a veteran of both the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, he fully grasped the gravity of the situation.
Konoha… the Akatsuki… Uzumaki Menma… and Orochimaru. Are there other villages moving as well?
A sharp glint flickered in Ōnoki's eyes.
Heh… things are becoming more interesting by the day.
With a burst of chakra, his figure rose into the air.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, he disappeared toward the direction of Iwagakure.
This meeting had been conducted in absolute secrecy.
The alliance formed here fragile and ambiguous as it was had the potential to drastically alter the balance of power across the shinobi world.
After all, this was not a simple partnership.
It was the convergence of Iwagakure, Orochimaru, and Uzumaki Menma.
Such a combination carried the potential for exponential impact far beyond a mere sum of its parts.
And yet… it remained hidden beneath the surface.
Of course, whether this alliance would endure or collapse at the first sign of strain depended entirely on Menma's decisions moving forward.
For now, however, this outcome represented the best possible scenario for him.
The last thing he wanted was to become the target of a coordinated suppression effort by multiple major villages. In his current state, that would spell disaster.
A few days later, after Menma and Orochimaru had returned to their base in the Land of Grass…
One afternoon
For the first time since their return from the Valley of the End, Sasuke Uchiha came to find Menma.
And the moment he opened his mouth, his intent was unmistakable.
"Do you have time? Fight me."
Sasuke stood opposite Menma, his voice cold, devoid of emotion.
Menma raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"You want to fight me? Sure. When? Where?"
This was a situation Menma had anticipated long ago. In truth, it would have been stranger if Sasuke hadn't come looking for him.
That pride… it was etched into Sasuke's very bones.
"Now. Training Ground C."
Sasuke's tone remained curt, his impatience barely concealed beneath the cold aura surrounding him.
"Heh. Alright."
Menma nodded without hesitation.
Before leaving, he turned toward Karin, who was dressed in a white lab coat inside the laboratory.
"Karin, clean up the remaining experiment materials. Then prepare what I mentioned yesterday for the afternoon session especially the auxiliary tests. I want at least ten sets of comparative data."
"Got it. Don't worry, Menma."
Karin waved her hand lightly, smiling. Over the past few days, she had fully adapted to this rhythm. Her competence had grown rapidly, and she was now capable of independently assisting with increasingly complex experimental procedures.
More importantly, she had resolved, deep within her heart, not to fall behind Menma to support him in every possible way.
"Mm."
Menma gave a brief nod before heading out alongside Sasuke.
Training Ground C lay on the westernmost edge of the base a vast, open field frequently used for high-intensity training.
As the two arrived, the personnel responsible for managing the area immediately stepped forward and bowed.
"Menma-sama, Sasuke-sama. Is there anything you require?"
"I'll be using the field for a while. No one else is inside, correct?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then make sure no one enters."
"Understood!"
With that, Menma stepped forward into the field. Sasuke followed in silence, his expression unchanged.
As their gazes met
The supervisor involuntarily shuddered.
He had witnessed Sasuke's brutal training sessions over the past days. The cold, oppressive aura he now exuded was not something an ordinary person could endure.
At this point, Sasuke's strength had already reached the level of an elite jōnin. Combined with his fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan, few standard jōnin could stand against him.
Such was the terrifying power of the Uchiha Clan.
Facing Sasuke directly, Menma could clearly feel that chilling pressure.
So this is what they mean by "a man changes after three days"…
A trace of surprise flickered through Menma's eyes.
The next instant
"Buzz!"
Sasuke's Sharingan activated.
Those crimson eyes locked onto Menma.
"Boom!"
The moment their gazes met, a genjutsu was launched instantly swift, precise, and far more refined than before.
The world seemed to distort for a fraction of a second.
But
"Hmph!"
From deep within Menma's consciousness, the cold snort of the Kurama echoed.
The illusion shattered almost instantly.
In less than half a second
"Swoosh!"
Sasuke had already closed the distance.
Compared to his performance during the Chūnin Exams, his speed and precision had improved drastically.
Menma's eyes sharpened.
"Swish!"
He shifted his body sideways.
"Clang!"
Blocking Sasuke's incoming strike.
Mid-air, Sasuke twisted his body fluidly, using the recoil to reposition.
A kunai flashed into his right hand.
Without hesitation, he drove it forward
Straight toward Menma's heart.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 242 ON PATREON.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCED CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD