Naruto raging whirlpool

AUTHORS NOTE

Hello dear readers,

Thank you for diving into another chapter of our epic journey! Your support and enthusiasm mean the world to me.

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Enjoy the chapter and stay tuned for more twists and turns!🤟

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The battlefield fell silent, the echoes of madness faded into an almost deafening quiet. In the clearing, where the coffin lay still, its lid, propelled by a sudden, powerful kick, was launched into the air. It spun wildly, tracing an erratic arc against the sky before crashing back to the ground with a series of heavy, clattering thuds.

From within, a foot protruded upwards before receding into the wooden coffin after an eerie pause. Sasuke Uchiha rose like a corpse from a grave, his movements slow, like a rusted machine. As he stood, back straight, his posture radiated a dreadful nonchalance, a demeanor only someone who deemed themselves to be superior could possess.

His face was a mask of cold, unfeeling. His eyes, sharp and calculative, surveyed the destruction without a hint of emotion. He took in the unconscious forms of friends and enemies alike, indifferent to their fates.

As he took his first step, his movements froze in place. Sasuke lowered his gaze, a shadow lingered beneath his feet, immobilizing him "The shadow possession, what do you think you're doing, Nara...". Hidden from sight in the dense forest, Shikamaru's voice rang out, filled with pain and resentment "That's my line, Sasuke. What do you think you're doing? Abandoning the village, turning your back on us, from your comrades, from the blood we've shed and.... the lives we've lost. Why did you do this, you bastard !?"

Sasuke's curse mark spread like wildfire across his skin, flame-like patterns crawled over his body.

With ease, he broke free from The Shadow's hold and appeared behind Shikamaru in an instant. His voice was cold and casual. "That is none of your concern. Next time, don't walk a path that leads to a dead end."

Shikamaru's neck snapped around to face Sasuke, eyes wide with shock. Sasuke lashed out with a swift kick, his leg sliced through the air, its trajectory heading straight for Shikamaru's temple.

In a split second, Shikamaru weaved a set of hand signs and vanished in a cloud of smoke, a wooden stump left in his place. Sasuke's kick fractured the stump into countless splinters. Shikamaru materialized at a distance, he skillfully diverting the conflict away from his comrades and his temporary ally.

Tayuya lay on the ground, clutching her ears as if to silence the chaotic voices echoing in her mind. She was lost in an existential crisis, her thoughts spiraling out of control. Her lips trembled as she whispered the name "aiko" in disbelief, the words tumbling out in a desperate murmur.

"It's your fault," a voice in her head echoed mercilessly. "NO!!...It was an accident, I- I didn't mean to!" she screamed, her voice broke with raw emotion. Tears streamed down her face as she cried uncontrollably as her eyes shook with traumatic distress, completely overwhelmed by screams piercing through her mind.

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The futility of a direct confrontation was evident. Shikamaru retreated into the dense forest, hoping the terrain would grant him a tactical advantage. As he moved deeper into the foliage, he meticulously set up a series of traps to impede Sasuke's progress. Hidden caltrops lay scattered beneath fallen leaves, tripwires stretched between trees, and nets hung poised to ensnare the unwary. Every trap was a part of his grand design, they aimed to slow Sasuke's momentum and buy Shikamaru the time he needed to strategize further.

Despite Shikamaru's meticulous planning, nothing escaped the piercing gaze of the Uchiha. Sasuke's Sharingan effortlessly unmasked each of Shikamaru's cleverly concealed traps. What once seemed like promising terrain quickly turned treacherous under Sasuke's evasive maneuvers. The forest, intended to be Shikamaru's domain, now felt like it served no purpose, its shadows and cover useless against the insight the Sharingan provides.

Sasuke moved with lethal precision, his body a blur of calculated motion as he weaved past each trap with ease. His strides were a danse of dominance, showcasing the vast chasm between their abilities.

Aware that close-quarters combat would lead to his downfall, Shikamaru planned to rely on his Shadow Possession Jutsu, from a concealed position within the dense foliage, hoping it would catch Sasuke off guard. The shadows crept along the forest floor like serpents, blending seamlessly with the shade cast under the trees, branches and leaves. Despite Sasuke's keen perception, the shadows occasionally eluded his vision. Time and time again the shadows nearly ensnared him, the ever shifting shade fostered a danger that even sasuke couldnt ignore, the pursuit turned into a tense game of cat and mouse. Shikamaru's control over the shadows brought him close to success with each maneuver, tightening the trap around Sasuke with every attempt he made.

The relentless pursuit left Shikamaru overwhelmed. Despite his tactical prowess and defensive acumen, he found himself outperformed by Sasuke's unceasing evasion. Each adaptation in his strategy faltered under the dismissive nature of Sasuke's unflinching skill. The forest air grew thick with tension, each moment marked by the clash of strategy and skill.

Sasuke narrowly avoided another close brush, as he leaped onto a tree, granting him an obscured view of his opponent hidden within a thicket of shrubs. Using this vantage, he propelled himself forward and appeared over Shikamaru, delivering a punishing blow to his chest. The blow sent him sprawling to the ground, unmoving. Confident in his victory, Sasuke began to walk away.

Suddenly, Sasuke froze as shadows slithered beneath his feet. Slowly, they crept up his legs, gradually they wrapped around his body with a vice-like grip. And slowly, they began to coil around his neck, threatening to engulf him. With strained movements, Sasuke managed to break free, not of his own ability but because Shikamaru's chakra reserves had run dry.

Sasuke turned, eyes locking onto Shikamaru's determined visage as he gasped for breath. In an instant, Sasuke closed the distance between them, his speed a blur. "You should have just stayed down, like you did in the academy," he snapped, his voice held a tinge of annoyance. His leg swung in a deadly arc, delivering a crushing kick to the temple. Shikamaru's blood splattered under the shade, his vision blured as it began to fade.

Sasuke stood over his fallen adversary, his expression unamused, he won yet he felt no sense of accomplishment arise within him.

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As she groaned in pain, Tayuya clutched her head, tears streaming down her face. Her body trembled with exhaustion and agony, each breath a struggle. She rolled on the ground, trying to steady herself, but the voices in her head overwhelmed her. As she writhed, she felt a sharp sting suddenly spread from her waist, she had rolled over a loose kunai. The blade cut her skin, the wound shallow yet enough to snap her back to reality.

Tayuya's senses returned slowly, her vision gradually unblured. As the scene came into focus, she saw the coffin abandoned, its lid discarded on the ground. Her thoughts drifted to Sasuke, 'he left, I have to find him'. But then, Naruto's voice pierced through her thoughts. "Tayuya…" he whispered, worry evident in his tone. She turned to him drawn to his voice

Naruto lay on the ground, his breath ragged, and his body ached with exhaustion, a trail of displaced earth stretched behind him as if he'd been pulling himself forward. "Haa~ So... you can finally... h-hear me," he said, his voice filled with relief. Tayuya's breath raced as if she had ran a marathon, her mind numb as she watched him in silence.

Naruto spoke, despite the burning pains in his chest. "I... have a favor to ask." Tayuya's attention shifted to their surroundings, utter destruction, covered by the fallen in red, as if autumn had arrived early. The devastation spread far and wide, the earth was gouged and the trees set ablaze.

"Take, me to... Orochimaru" Naruto said as he dragged his body towards the scroll mere inches ahead of him, the sound of his words cut through the silence. Tayuya's heart skipped a beat at the mention of that name, her eyes widened as she slowly turned to him with a look of disbelief etched on her face. "Have you lost your mind! Do you even know who you're talking about?" Naruto, firm in his decision, stretched out his hand and took hold of the scroll. "I've made up my mind. Please, Tayuya."

She could feel the weight behind his every word, There was no stopping this man; one way or another, he would seek out Orochimaru, even if he had to crawl his way to him. Torn between her duty and an inexplicable urge to help him, she hesitated for a moment but after he turned and his gaze met hers, she broke. "Fine! But don't blame me if this doesn't go the way you think it will."

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AUTHORS NOTE

Thanks for reading this chapter! Your support means a lot to me.

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Stay tuned for more adventures! Until next time, happy reading!