Uzumaki Naruto charged at the forefront, with Hyuga Neji following closely behind.
The two of them seemed to have exchanged blows earlier, their clothes slightly rumpled.
However, their skirmish hadn't lasted long before Naruto spotted Sasuke, who had been psychologically crushed by Nagato. Naruto immediately broke off the fight and rushed toward Sasuke.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto roared, appearing in front of Sasuke in a few leaps.
Seeing Sasuke in such a defeated state, Naruto raised his fist and punched straight at Sasuke's face.
Hearing Naruto's shout and the sound of the strike cutting through the air, Sasuke's eyes narrowed sharply as he snapped back to reality. He arched his body backward in a sudden dodge.
While evading Naruto's straight punch, Sasuke planted one hand on the ground and swung both legs around in a spinning kick aimed directly at Naruto.
Naruto simultaneously leaned back, and the two of them quickly separated.
"Sasuke, you've gotten stronger again!"
Naruto clenched his fist and looked at Sasuke with excitement.
"Dead last!" Sasuke turned his head away with a cool glance at Naruto, his expression composed. The anguished look from moments ago had vanished entirely.
With that, Sasuke turned his gaze toward Nagato, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
"Is that your method? How utterly pathetic."
Sasuke stood up straight. The three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes, which had been spinning rapidly, gradually began to slow and calm.
Hearing Sasuke's dismissive words, Nagato's face remained unchanged, showing no reaction whatsoever.
So that's how it is!
When someone already knows that emotional provocation can trigger the evolution of the Mangekyo Sharingan, the effect of such provocation diminishes significantly.
A flash of understanding crossed Nagato's eyes, and he began formulating a new approach in his mind.
It was a pity he wasn't Uchiha Itachi. Otherwise, Sasuke's deeply rooted hatred toward Itachi might have been enough to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan through provocation alone.
Sasuke's feelings toward Nagato were more about his obsession with reclaiming Itachi's eyes. Whatever hatred he felt paled in comparison to what he felt toward Itachi.
Nagato even felt that Sasuke harbored more hatred toward Yuto than toward himself.
After all, it was Yuto who had killed Uchiha Itachi. Nagato had merely taken Itachi's eyes for himself.
Simple provocation was nowhere near enough!
"Lord Nagato."
At that moment, Hyuga Neji appeared at Nagato's side.
Nagato looked at Neji and gave a slight nod. Then, when his gaze shifted to Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, a spark of inspiration flickered in his eyes.
"I heard that Lord Yuto instructed you for a period of time? Does that make Lord Yuto your teacher?"
Nagato asked in a quiet, questioning tone.
Neji paused for a moment, then nodded slowly, a hint of reverence on his face.
"So those two across from you are your former comrades from Konoha..."
Nagato's gaze flickered as he spoke in a calm voice, but before he could finish, Neji had already stepped forward.
"Lord Yuto assigned me to this mission, which must mean he wants to compare my training results against theirs!"
"Since Lord Yuto has yet to settle things with Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, my presence here as his disciple has a clear purpose."
"Let me fight in his stead. This would be a form of proof in itself!"
"And it suits my own wishes as well!"
Neji activated his Byakugan, his eyes blazing with determination. He paused briefly before continuing.
"So, Lord Nagato, please don't interfere in the upcoming battle!"
At Neji's words, a rare smile appeared on Nagato's lips.
"Relax. I have no interest in you kids fighting."
Nagato shrugged and took a step back, signaling he would stay out of it.
"We kids might just surprise you," Neji replied evenly.
As soon as the words left his mouth!
Neji leaped down from the boulder, landing in front of Sasuke and Naruto.
The three of them stood in a triangular formation!
"Hyuga Neji."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the descending Neji while casting a sidelong glance at Nagato, who still stood atop the boulder.
Although Sasuke hadn't heard the conversation between Neji and Nagato, he could deduce their arrangement from their body language and expressions.
If he wanted to reclaim Itachi's eyes, he would probably have to defeat Neji first.
Meanwhile, Naruto looked at Neji, who had suddenly jumped in, with visible displeasure.
"Hey, you! Don't interrupt my fight with Sasuke."
Naruto glared, his tone clearly annoyed.
"Then I apologize, but your fight is about to end."
Neji crouched slightly, raising his hands into a Gentle Fist stance, and continued in an even tone.
"Naruto, losing to you last time taught me something."
"Even against a dead last, you have to go all out. Arrogance only blinds you."
As he spoke, Neji's fighting intent locked onto both Naruto and Sasuke, clearly intending to take them both on alone.
Though Neji's tone was calm, both Naruto and Sasuke could feel the absolute seriousness behind his words.
What was he saying?
He was going to fight both of them by himself?
Was he looking down on them!
"It's been a while, and your attitude is still just as insufferable as ever."
Naruto scowled at Neji, clearly irritated.
Sasuke, standing to the side, wore an equally displeased expression.
"The genius of the Hyuga clan. Honestly, even before I left the village, I wanted to fight you properly."
"I just never had the chance."
Sasuke cracked his neck with a cold expression.
"Fine!"
"All three of us carry the names of those three great figures. Let's show them their choices were right!"
Neji's tone carried a gravity beyond anything he'd shown before, and the Chakra within his body began to surge.
When Neji uttered the words "those three great figures," both Sasuke and even the normally carefree Naruto grew deadly serious.
If at first Sasuke and Naruto hadn't realized the implications.
Then now.
Neji's reminder made them understand that this battle was no longer just about winning or losing.
Sasuke might not have been particularly fond of Uchiha Madara, but the fact that Madara had trained him was undeniable. And Madara represented the Uchiha clan.
In particular, Naruto suddenly recalled what Senju Hashirama had told him at the gates of Konoha before he departed.
"That Byakugan brat and that red-eyed kid — whether they come back or not doesn't matter."
"What matters is! You cannot lose to either of them."
"After all, you're my disciple now. You absolutely cannot lose!"
"Hahaha!"
"So that's it. Lord Hashirama already saw this coming, huh."
"But I'm not just going to defeat these two. I'm going to bring both of them back with me."
Naruto's eyes blazed with the fire of battle as he murmured to himself.
With that thought.
Naruto and Sasuke raised their heads at almost the same time, looking at each other.
Though neither spoke, both Naruto and Sasuke could sense what the other was thinking.
Crack!
Crack!
Naruto and Sasuke simultaneously raised their fists, slammed them into their palms, and cracked their knuckles as they glared at Neji.
"A two-on-one might not be entirely fair, but since you're acting so arrogant, I've decided to pound you into the ground first."
Naruto wiped his mouth with a look of annoyance, shouting at Neji.
"That idiot Naruto may not be the sharpest, but right now he's thinking exactly what I'm thinking."
Sasuke also turned to face Neji, his expression cold.
Of course, if Nagato weren't present, Sasuke would never have teamed up with Naruto to take down Neji first.
But in the current situation, Sasuke saw eliminating Neji as the most advantageous move.
After defeating Neji, he would take down Naruto, and then find a way to reclaim Itachi's eyes from Nagato.
As for whether he could actually beat Nagato — Sasuke hadn't even considered that question.
[
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