"Red..."
Guy looked at the impulsive Kurenai Yuhi, murmuring in confusion.
"Uchiha Itachi, surrender!"
Guy's low murmur went unheard by Kurenai. Even if she had heard him, she wouldn't have stopped her actions.
The situation was already unfavorable for them. Their only option was to pin everything on Uchiha Itachi, accusing him of colluding with the Mizukage and rogue Leaf ninjas to sabotage the alliance.
If they were captured under such circumstances, how could she face the village again?
Kurenai's mind was racing, recalling everything she knew about Uchiha Itachi's abilities.
"I wonder if the Uchiha clan's genjutsu is as powerful as they say..."
As she moved toward Itachi, these thoughts swirled in her head.
"Heh, Kurenai Yuhi, are you testing my patience?"
Watching Kurenai advance toward Itachi, Mei Terumi stepped forward, positioning herself in front of him.
She wasn't about to let anyone lay a finger on Itachi—the man she had set her sights on.
As the situation spiraled further out of control, Guy's mind went blank.
But when he saw Kurenai standing alone against two opponents, he didn't hesitate. He bent his body slightly, preparing to act.
Sensing that the battle was about to erupt, Juzo casually waved his hand, signaling his comrades to step back and give the fighters space, ensuring they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.
"Feel that? They're about to fight. I'm such a genius," Kisame grinned, sensing the chakra fluctuations outside Kirigakure. He smugly remarked to Sasori.
"Ha, just a skirmish. If Leaf ninjas end up dead in Kirigakure, this alliance is as good as over," Sasori chuckled dismissively before offering his analysis.
"Mei Terumi, step aside. This is a matter for the Leaf Village!"
Kurenai, visibly displeased, glared at Mei, who was blocking her path.
The two women had gotten along quite well over the past couple of days, but now they were on the verge of clashing. This abrupt change left Kurenai with mixed feelings.
What's so great about men anyway?
"Heh, you think you can touch Itachi in my presence? Not a chance. Not even you, Kurenai," Mei teased with a sly smile, unfazed by Kurenai's irritation.
"Mei Terumi, why don't you take this somewhere else and fight her?"
Itachi's voice broke through as he glanced at Mei standing in front of him. His gaze held a mix of emotion and restraint.
Mei Terumi was like a seductress.
Every step she took was a mesmerizing sway of her hips, her shapely figure radiating an allure that was hard for Itachi to ignore. Her movements were almost too captivating, drawing his eyes against his will.
"Oh~ Sure thing," Mei replied, throwing a flirtatious glance over her shoulder at Itachi, winking playfully.
"Hah..."
Guy, who had been preparing to engage, found himself momentarily distracted. Mei's teasing demeanor was almost too much to handle.
When she was serious, she was formidable. But when she turned on the charm? Even a seasoned warrior like Guy struggled to maintain composure.
"Guy!"
Hearing her companion falter, Kurenai turned to see Guy caught off guard, looking starstruck. She snapped at him, dissatisfied.
"Don't worry, Kurenai! You can deal with this beautiful lady. Leave it to me to capture the evil rogue Uchiha!"
Snapping back to reality, Guy responded earnestly, secretly marveling at Kurenai's cunning. What a smart move! They had been surrounded earlier, but now it was down to a two-on-two scenario.
If they had been ganged up on, it would've been impossible to protect Kurenai without taking some serious risks.
Now, things were better. He only had to face Uchiha Itachi.
As Guy approached, Itachi couldn't help feeling uneasy.
What if this hotheaded man suddenly unleashed Night Guy? Even with the Flying Raijin, there was no guarantee he'd make it out unscathed. After all, Guy's punches were powerful enough to distort space itself.
And fighting in a warped space was entirely unpredictable.
Space... time... the forces were immeasurable.
"Might Guy, are you ready?"
Watching Guy prepare, Itachi spoke calmly.
"Uchiha... bring it on!"
Guy raised his right hand and gave a thumbs-up.
He instinctively tried to shout Itachi's name but realized he'd forgotten it halfway through. Something like... Uchiha-whatever...
"Oh..."
Seeing that Guy really didn't remember his name, Itachi stood speechless for a moment.
Guy stared blankly as Uchiha Itachi disappeared right in front of him, his mind buzzing in confusion.
"Where did he go?"
Guy was puzzled. How could his opponent vanish in an instant? What's going on?
"Guy! Don't look into his eyes. Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
Hearing Guy's voice, Kurenai Yuhi quickly warned him and started her own jutsu.
...
"Oh, an illusion?"
Guy clumsily formed a seal and broke free.
Behind him, Itachi's figure slowly emerged, the longsword in his hand glinting menacingly.
Seeing Guy dispel the illusion, Itachi didn't hesitate. His sword slashed toward the back of Guy's neck, aiming for a sneak attack.
As the blade was about to hit Guy's neck, a calloused, powerful hand grabbed Itachi's wrist. The sword was instantly immobilized, unable to move an inch.
"Got you! You seem pretty weak."
Guy's mouth split into a grin, revealing his white teeth. He looked at Itachi and said.
"No, I got you..."
Held by the wrist, Itachi's eyes remained calm and indifferent.
...
Itachi's calm demeanor made Guy's thick eyebrows furrow. This guy wasn't exactly pleasant to deal with...
Without hesitation, Guy clenched his left fist and punched toward Itachi's face.
The punch, accompanied by a terrifying gust of wind, clearly packed immense power.
Itachi watched the approaching fist without a change in expression.
Until it landed squarely on his handsome face.
"Caw, caw, caw..."
Guy watched in slight shock as Itachi's body shattered into countless crows and scattered.
Facing this type of opponent for the first time, Guy found himself a little confused.
But the sound of rushing wind from behind left him no time to dwell on such questions.
A spinning kick lashed out behind him — pure instinct, pure muscle memory.
...
When his kick landed on the target, the sensation made Guy's expression change drastically.
Crossing his arms to shield his head, he bent his legs and curled into a defensive posture.
"Boom!"
The Itachi he'd kicked exploded, and the explosion was anything but ordinary.
Forced to defend himself, Guy braced against the intense heat, feeling as though he were trapped in an oven.
After enduring the first wave of the explosion, Guy didn't hesitate. He broke the laws of physics, propping himself up with one hand and springing backward.
...
As the smoke from the explosion cleared, Guy stared at the massive crater left on the ground, feeling a wave of lingering fear.
"Uchiha...whatever your name is! Stop using all these weird tricks! Do you dare fight me hand-to-hand?"
Looking at the empty space ahead, Guy spoke with a hint of helplessness.
Itachi's abilities were a natural counter to his...
He couldn't even see the guy! So frustrating!
"Hand-to-hand combat?"
Itachi's figure appeared on a tree branch behind Guy.
He glanced at Guy's slightly tattered clothes and asked curiously.
The explosion of the A-rank Shadow Clone Great Explosion had torn his clothes—who was going to compensate him for that?
...
"Yeah! Let's brawl!"
Guy turned around and looked at Itachi, who had once again appeared behind him. He was feeling mentally drained.
This guy was trying to stab him in the back again...
"Oh..."
Hearing Guy's words, Itachi's pupils shifted, turning blood red as he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Watching Itachi charge at him, Guy felt a surge of excitement.
This time, he had to seize the opportunity and end the fight with one decisive strike.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Guy moved faster than expected, closing the distance in an instant with a Leaf Whirlwind.
A combination of high and low kicks, this technique guaranteed double the impact if Itachi got hit.
...
Itachi observed Guy's high kick with a calm expression.
Guy was fast, but in Itachi's eyes, his movements appeared slow, almost in slow motion.
The sheer force behind the technique, however, made Itachi pause momentarily.
In response, he summoned a miniature version of his Susano'o, its skeletal fist smashing toward Guy.
As the red, rib-like armor appeared around Itachi, Guy hesitated for only a second, his eyes locked on his intended target.
When the massive fist moved toward him—albeit slowly—Guy's face quickly changed.
"Am I seriously leaning into a punch? Is my body betraying me?"
Looking at the enormous fist, Guy swallowed nervously. His body, once again defying all instincts, twisted slightly and retreated…
An incredible braking drift…
…
Guy crouched on the ground, staring intently at Itachi.
He couldn't quite understand what had just happened.
It felt as if his attack patterns had been completely seen through—or was it that Itachi could predict his movements?
Had his face been lured straight into a punch? Was he practically helping Itachi land hits?
"What kind of strange ninjutsu is this? Why…"
Holding onto a "better to ask than not know" mentality, Guy opened his mouth to inquire.
But before he could finish his question, Itachi hurled shuriken at him, forcing Guy to instinctively dodge.
…
Boom!
A deafening sound echoed.
Guy was sent flying backward, his expression shocked. His gaze fell on his torn clothes at the waist, cut open by a kunai, and his shoulder, which felt as though it had been struck by a massive boulder…
His body flew back dozens of meters, crashing through several trees and raising a cloud of dust.
Itachi stood motionless in the spot where Guy had been moments ago, his gaze hollow.
His empty eyes followed Guy as he was flung far away.
The attack, swift and powerful, had gone awry.
He had hit Guy but somehow still missed.
When Itachi had suddenly appeared beside Guy and thrust a kunai toward his waist, Guy's body instinctively shifted slightly, evading the blow.
The miniature Susanoo's fist aimed at Guy's head, but Guy raised his shoulder, meeting it head-on with raw muscle…
…
As the dust settled, the two stood frozen in place, both questioning reality.
"Guy!"
Kurenai noticed the commotion nearby and shouted urgently.
"Take care of yourself, sweetheart. **Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!**"
Having broken free from the genjutsu, Mei Terumī conjured a water dragon that surged fiercely toward Kurenai.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
Just as the water dragon was about to strike Kurenai—
A figure blurred into view like a phantom, appearing swiftly in front of her. With a spinning kick, the water dragon was shattered on impact.
"Don't lose focus in battle!"
Standing protectively in front of Kurenai, Guy exuded immense energy. With a smirk, he struck a confident pose and spoke softly to her.
…
"Might Guy, your opponent is me."
Itachi hadn't stopped Guy when he rushed to rescue Kurenai, merely watching silently.
After the rescue was complete, Itachi slowly approached Guy and spoke in a calm tone.
Facing Guy, now using the Eight Gates, Itachi felt a bit frustrated.
At this stage, flashy ninjutsu held little meaning against Guy; they simply couldn't land a hit.
He regretted not finishing Guy off earlier when he had the chance—it was a missed opportunity.
…
"Uchiha-whatever, you're strong, but I won't lose."
Hearing Itachi's words, Guy smirked confidently as he replied.
…
…
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