9 Chapter 9
While facing the Shinobi, Naraku thought for a moment.
Originally, he could indeed leave the country of fire.
But just as Kakashi thought, Konoha, the country of fire, is very powerful.
Even if he could leave Konoha silently, they could also follow the tiny traces to pursue him for many weeks.
But now, as he stood on the edge of the forest, he realized that there was no easy way out.
Konoha's borders were heavily guarded, and any attempt to cross them would surely be met with resistance.
And even if he managed to slip past the patrols, there was no guarantee that he would be safe on the other side.
The Country of Fire had many available Shinobi scattered throughout its outposts, each one a skilled tracker and hunter trained to locate and apprehend those who dared to defy the country's authority.
Their reach extended far beyond the borders of Konoha itself, their network of informants and operatives stretching across the entire continent.
Naraku knew that he was no match for the might of Konoha's intelligence network.
They could track his movements with uncanny precision, following his every step no matter how carefully he tried to cover his tracks.
Even Akatsuki, with all their carefulness and stealth, could be found by Konoha.
Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin who had once been hailed as one of Konoha's greatest ninja.
Even he had not been able to escape the village's grasp after defecting, his body could barely hold on after countless battles as he fled from his pursuers.
He had been forced to constantly change bases, moving from one hidden location to another in a desperate attempt to stay one step ahead of his pursuers.
He had lived in constant alert, never knowing when Konoha's agents would finally catch up with him.
That being the case, it was better for Naraku to sit back and wait for the time being.
He had learned through his days of fighting that advancement of his template, was not solely determined by battling strong opponents and rigorous training.
Other factors came into play, such as the opponent's strength, reputation, and importance.
Moreover, Naraku had discovered something else, he could absorb the spiritual power from the corpses of his foes, allowing him to improve his template.
Currently, his template stood at a mere 12%, indicating that his power and mastery of his abilities were still in their early stages.
Each incremental gain would require greater effort and skill, making significant progress increasingly difficult to achieve.
Naraku had thought Asuma to be lured over, but he hadn't expected for so many Jonin to appear.
As he made his escape from the first batch of Anbu who had come to investigate, he realized it was possible to slip away unnoticed.
However, upon careful consideration, he knew that the people of the Sarutobi clan would not let him leave the country of fire so easily.
With Asuma's character, Naraku was certain that he would come after him.
And indeed, Asuma arrived, just as Naraku had anticipated, Yet, what Hatake Kakashi, Kurenai, and the others to also appeared on the scene.
As Naraku scanned the faces of those gathered around him, and said.
"Kakashi the Copy Ninja, I thought you were a rational person," Naraku began, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but you got involved with the affairs of that idiot..."
"Those who violate the rules are called scum, but those who abandon their companions in spite of them are worse than scum!" Kakashi declared, his words carrying the weight of his convictions.
Naraku's smile only widened at Kakashi's retort. "Oh, what a good point, but sometimes, the truth is often beyond your expectations."
Kurenai's scolding words cut through the tense air like a blade, her frustration evident as she addressed Naraku directly.
"Uchiha Naraku, why are you betraying Konoha? Now the Uchiha clan is left standing with you and Uchiha Sasuke, and Uchiha Itachi, the sinner who slaughtered your clan, as the survivors. At this time, you should surrender yourself and unite with Konoha. It's only right to restore the Uchiha bloodline!"
Naraku nearly spat out his orange juice in disbelief at Kurenai's audacity.
He shot her a contemptuous glance, his expression twisted with disdain at her unreasonable demand, and with a sneer, he retorted, "It's truly naive of you to make such a suggestion without understanding the depth of Konoha."
He paused for a moment, his gaze piercing as he continued, "I was living a peaceful life in the Uchiha clan. The days passed with the sun bright and the sky clear, the clan bustling with life and activity. It was a nice place, until Konoha began pulling the strings behind the scenes. But if you insist on making such requests of me, then I can only assume that you are willingly handing yourself over to me for the breeding process."
Kurenai flushed with anger at Naraku's brazen response.
The implication that she would surrender herself to him was an insult she could not bear.
Naraku calmly pulled out his kunai from his pocket, his demeanor indifferent as he addressed his enemies.
"Although I am not one to seek conflict, if you insist on getting in my way, I will not hesitate to defend myself," he stated coldly, his grip tightening on the weapon.
"You won't be saying this after you go to hell!"
Asuma's voice rang out, as he unleashed the full force of his Wind Style Chakra.
The blades on his hands elongated, forming a deadly pair of sharp double knives, poised to strike.
Naraku observed Asuma's movements with a calculating gaze, his words cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Does the Wind Style Chakra alter the shape of the blades as well? You remind me of your brother, who met a miserable end. It's a pity you didn't witness it yourself."
Asuma's restraint shattered at Naraku's callous remarks, his pent-up anger boiling over.
With a fierce cry, he swung his double blades, unleashing two powerful wind blades aimed directly at Naraku.
Naraku defended with his own Kunai, the clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air, in a tempest of wind and fury.
Then, Naraku's body seemed to blur into light, and before anyone could react, he had appeared right beside Asuma, leaving the others stunned.
Only Kakashi, with his Sharingan activated, could perceive the rapid movements with clarity.
This technique was learned from Shisui, one that granted Naraku speed comparable to that of the legendary Uchiha's phantom ninja.
With swift precision, he formed a series of hand signs, channeling chakra into the earth beneath them.
"Earth Style·Earth Wall!" Kakashi commanded, and in an instant, a towering wall erupted from the ground, separating Naraku and Asuma.
But Naraku was unfazed. With a single swift stroke, he cleaved through the earth wall as if it were paper, his blade slicing through the obstacle with ease.
As the dust settled, Asuma staggered back, his left arm bearing a shallow cut that oozed blood.
Naraku raised his eyebrows ever so slightly, a hint of amusement flickering across his features as he whispered to himself, "Did you alter the trajectory of the attack with Earth Style? It should have severed his body..."
Kakashi's frown deepened as he issued a warning to the others, "Be careful! His strength is higher than expectated."
Naraku's smile widened at Kakashi's caution, his tone dripping with mockery as he replied, "In desperate situations, people often tap into incredible potential. I owe it all to Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō for pushing me to my limits."
"Enough of your nonsense! It was you who betrayed Konoha, and you bear responsibility for the death of Shinnosuke, the Hokage's eldest son!" one of the Shinobi said.
For Naraku him, there was no point in engaging further with these misguided individuals, dismissing them as mere puppets manipulated by Hiruzen's influence.
Suddenly, a surge of power erupted from Naraku, his scarlet Sharingan blazing with intensity as his aura enveloped him like a shroud.
The fusion of his formidable strength and the unearthly power of his eyes left the group momentarily paralyzed with apprehension.
Kakashi quickly assumed a defensive stance, his senses on high alert as he shouted a warning to his comrades, "Stay vigilant! He's coming!"
