Forged Beyond

Goodbyes?

NOT GONNA SAY MUCH CUZ THIS CHAPTER IS AN ABSOLUTE LORE BOMB BUT YES TYSMMMM FOR THE 3000 + READSSSSSS AHHHH and SO SO SO MANYYY VOTESSSS <3 LOVED THE COMMENTS AND READ EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEMMM AHHHH I LOVE U GUYS <3



I DO NOT OWN NARUTO


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"That's correct, Haruno Sakura. I'm impressed," Itachi said, his gaze piercing, though there was a flicker of intrigue as he watched her.

Sakura shivered, the cold water soaking her to the bone. Her trembling arms betrayed her otherwise gathered composure, her damp hair clinging to her face as her emerald eyes locked onto Itachi. "Uchiha Shisui led you to us, didn't he?" she said, her voice steady despite her physical discomfort.

Naruto and Sasuke flanked her, their breaths heavy but determined.

"Sakura, we can't let you fight. You're the only one who can keep a clear head in a situation like this," Sasuke murmured, just loud enough for his teammates to hear. "Be our strategist. Naruto and I will hold him off as long as we can. Beating him isn't an option-our goal is to get away."

Naruto clenched his fists but nodded, trusting Sasuke's judgment for once.

"You're wasting your time, Sasuke. Let's go home," Itachi said, his tone indifferent yet heavy with meaning.

"I WILL NEVER!" Sasuke roared, his Sharingan flaring as it spun into a fully matured three-tomoe pattern. With newfound speed, he lunged at Itachi, his movements sharper and more precise.

Itachi's eyes widened momentarily before he regained his composure. He sidestepped Sasuke's strike effortlessly and delivered a brutal kick to his gut. Sasuke flew backward, crashing into Naruto. The collision left Sasuke coughing up blood, but his grip on consciousness held firm.

Naruto, unyielding as always, quickly leaped to his feet. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted, hurling a fuma shuriken toward Itachi. The shuriken missed, grazing Itachi's hair as he dodged.

But the moment the shuriken passed, it transformed into a Naruto clone, who immediately created multiple more clones to mask their movements.

From behind the clones, a massive fireball surged forward, engulfing Itachi's position. The heat was searing, and for the first time, Itachi's impassive face betrayed mild surprise. Sasuke's chakra signature had been undetectable-something that should have been impossible.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. Was this Sakura's doing?

"Sakura! What's next?!" Naruto called out, his clones scattering to keep Itachi's attention divided.

Sakura's mind raced. She analyzed the terrain, Itachi's movements, and their dwindling energy reserves. She glanced at Sasuke, who was struggling to his feet, and Naruto, who was ready to go another round despite the odds.

"Distract him with clones and long-range attacks. Sasuke, mask your presence again and wait for an opening. Naruto, keep Itachi moving; don't give him a chance to focus. I'll create an opening," she instructed, her voice steady despite her exhaustion.

"What opening?!" Naruto asked, confused but trusting.

Sakura smirked faintly, the glint of a kunai catching the moonlight as she pulled it from her pouch. "You'll see."

Naruto and Sasuke followed her lead without question. The clones rushed forward, bombarding Itachi with relentless assaults. Itachi dodged, countered, and evaded with grace, but the unending barrage forced him to stay on the defensive.

As Sasuke slipped into the shadows, masking his presence once more, Sakura moved silently through the chaos, using the clones as cover. She calculated Itachi's movements, predicting his evasion patterns.