Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Mr. Itachi, it seems we've been discovered..." The tall man spoke to Uchiha Itachi, his voice devoid of emotion, yet carrying a distinct tone of respect for the man before him.

Uchiha Itachi, standing with an indifferent expression, merely responded with a lukewarm "Hmm." They had already arrived at the lake near Konoha. Seeing no point in concealment anymore, both men removed their hats. As expected, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi had already appeared before them.

"Uchiha... Itachi." Asuma and Kurenai immediately recognized him. For this notorious Konoha traitor to stand so openly before them—it was nothing short of provocation.

Though they were fully aware of Itachi's strength, they couldn't allow these two dangerous individuals to roam freely within the village. The Third Hokage had just passed away, and they couldn't let these two disrupt Konoha any further.

"It seems you both know Mr. Itachi, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hoshigaki Kisame—" Kisame introduced himself politely, but before he could finish, Asuma rushed forward with his chakra-infused trench knives.

"Ahhh, what a troublesome situation..." Kisame muttered as Asuma's blade came within inches of his shark-like skin. With a fluid motion, Kisame twisted his massive body to evade the strike, creating a gust of wind in his wake.

Kisame's small, beady eyes gleamed as he capitalized on his momentum, swinging the massive sword strapped to his back.

A sickening sound echoed as the bandages unraveled from Kisame's blade, revealing its true form. The dark blue weapon, covered in jagged barbs, tore a chunk of flesh from Asuma's shoulder. The exposed blade seemed almost sentient, its barbs writhing hungrily.

Kisame smirked, waving the grotesque weapon. "Samehada (Shark Skin) is quite particular about its meals. Let it continue to savor the taste."

Despite the initial surprise attack, Asuma quickly regained his footing. Now that he was prepared, he skillfully maneuvered his chakra blades, matching Kisame blow for blow. Though Kisame possessed monstrous strength, Asuma's precise and calculated strikes nearly landed on multiple occasions.

Meanwhile, Kurenai faced Itachi. Her genjutsu prowess was among the best in Konoha—but only when Itachi Uchiha wasn't involved.

The moment their confrontation began, Kurenai wasted no time. Without him even noticing, she cast an illusion upon Itachi, using all her strength. She knew Itachi was no ordinary opponent, and she had to buy time for Asuma to finish the fight.

A massive maple tree suddenly sprouted behind Itachi, its branches twisting and reaching out to ensnare him. Itachi appeared trapped, seemingly moments away from merging with the tree itself.

Kurenai was momentarily shocked. Could it really have been this easy? Perhaps the rumors of Itachi's power were exaggerated.

Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she noticed the slight smirk at the corner of Itachi's lips. A cold sweat ran down her temple.

Something was wrong.

She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but the sensation of unease overwhelmed her. Everything had seemed perfectly fine until...

Her own body refused to move.

Looking closer, she realized the horrifying truth—it was she who was ensnared by tree branches. The illusion had backfired. Itachi had reversed her genjutsu without her even realizing it.

Asuma, noticing Kurenai's unmoving state, knew something was wrong. He attempted to assist her, but Kisame blocked his path, keeping him occupied.

Itachi slowly approached Kurenai, a kunai in hand, poised to end the fight.

At that critical moment, a small brown pug wearing a Konoha forehead protector slammed into Kurenai, breaking her out of the illusion and knocking her aside like a cannonball.

At the same time, a green whirlwind burst onto the battlefield. The unmistakable figure of Might Guy spun into the fray, his twin nunchaku striking Kisame's sword with immense force. The clash sent shockwaves through the air, causing Kisame's grip to loosen for a split second.

"Beibeibeibei~!" From the sky, a massive brown tortoise descended, forcing Kisame to use Samehada as leverage to pole vault away. However, the moment he landed, a powerful kick struck him square in the stomach.

A bright blue aura pulsed beneath Guy's feet. Using the momentum from his spin, he unleashed a devastating blow.

Seeing the arrival of a formidable new opponent, Itachi abandoned his plan to engage further. He cast Kisame a glance, and with a flicker, they both vanished from the scene.

Guy and Kakashi did not pursue them. Instead, they tended to Kurenai, who was still dazed from the illusion.

"Report to the Hokage immediately. The Akatsuki have infiltrated the village, and Uchiha Itachi is among them," Asuma instructed after hastily wrapping the wound on his shoulder.

"But... Lord Jiraiya is currently at the hot springs with Naruto and hasn't officially taken office yet..." Kakashi sighed, rubbing his temples. Having a Hokage like this was either a blessing or a curse.

---

At the hot springs, Jiraiya and Naruto were busy with training, unaware of the incoming danger. Sasuke Uchiha stood nearby, listening intently as Jiraiya explained medical ninjutsu.

"So Lady Tsunade can heal Sakura now? Where is she?" Sasuke asked, committing the information to memory. Though he desired power, he couldn't ignore the fact that he had been utterly helpless in the face of real threats. The memory of his loss in the forest still haunted him.

Sakura had thrown herself in front of Gaara's attack to protect him. Now, she lay unconscious, her condition uncertain. Sasuke had resolved to find Tsunade to ensure her recovery. He hated being indebted to anyone.

"I want to find Tsunade too! Why does Sasuke always try to be a hero by himself?" Naruto grumbled, watching Sasuke's retreating back.

Jiraiya patted Naruto's head while scribbling something in his notebook. "Just let him go. I'll send Kakashi with him. Besides, your priority is mastering Rasengan and preparing to train in Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku. Fukasaku and Shima will take care of you."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Tch, it's just a Rasengan! I can already feel it—I just need a little more time to master it!"

Just as Sasuke was about to leave, he suddenly froze. His entire body went rigid, his Sharingan spinning wildly. The two tomoe in his eyes trembled as electricity crackled in his palm.

His gaze locked onto a figure standing across from him—a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to him.

Red eyes. Cold expression.

"Uchiha... Itachi!"

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