"How could I let Hiashi-sama risk himself for my own matters?"
Neji shook his head resolutely.
Hiashi thought for a moment and then said, "Right now, I have no information on Itachi's whereabouts. Gathering intel on him will take time. Rather than fretting here, why not focus on strengthening yourself? When the time comes for revenge, you'll be better prepared. What do you think?"
"I suppose that's the only option."
Neji understood his own limitations. With his current connections, it was nearly impossible to locate Itachi. This was part of the reason he had hurriedly pushed for reform, hoping to use Hiashi's network to aid him.
Rather than wandering aimlessly, he realized dedicating himself to training was the most crucial step.
"I won't disturb you further, Hiashi-sama. I'll leave everything in your capable hands."
With that, Neji bowed respectfully and left the room.
"Why…"
Hiashi let out a heavy sigh. How could he possibly let Neji risk his life?
Not to mention, finding Itachi's trail was no easy feat. Even if they had clear information, Hiashi had made up his mind to withhold it from Neji for the time being.
For the future of the Hyuga Clan, he could not afford to let Neji face any danger. However, if Neji grew strong enough to earn his approval, perhaps then he would assist with the search.
For now, he aimed to delay the matter as long as possible...
Unaware of Hiashi's well-intentioned schemes, Neji returned to his room, lost in thoughts of Naruto and Sasuke.
"Achoo!"
Sasuke sneezed abruptly.
"Are you feeling unwell? Should we take a break?"
The black-robed figure said with concern, "You are my future little husband, after all. Your health must come first."
"I'm fine."
Sasuke nodded, offering a rare smile.
Ever since Sasuke had vowed to avenge his clan and agreed to marry her in return for help, the black-robed figure's attitude toward him had softened considerably.
Even with his usual sullen demeanor, Sasuke made an effort to restrain himself around her. Deep down, he was sincerely grateful for her assistance.
"Perhaps the hurried travel has been too much. Let's rest for a bit."
Not wanting to cause her any worry, Sasuke readily agreed.
Of course, it also helped that they were nearing Amegakure. Sasuke knew he needed to be in peak condition before their arrival.
During the break, the black-robed figure gave Sasuke a full body check. After confirming that there was no problem, she said with relief, "Take this, it'll make you feel even better."
As she said that, she took out a small white pill.
Without suspicion, Sasuke took it and swallowed it directly.
The pill dissolved instantly, sending a warm flow through his body, washing away the exhaustion from their journey and rejuvenating every fiber of his being. It was a sensation even more comforting than soaking in a hot spring.
"Thank you for everything you've done."
After expressing his gratitude, Sasuke stood up and said, "I feel much better now. Let's keep moving… I can't wait any longer to get my revenge."
The two resumed their journey, and before long, Amegakure appeared on the horizon.
The closer they got, the heavier the rain became.
"The rain in this place is a little strange. Someone used Ninjutsu to inject their Chakra into the rain. The moment anyone steps inside, their presence would be detected immediately."
The black-robed figure reminded, "However, activating the cloaking function of the robe will render us undetectable."
Hearing this, Sasuke took off his black robe and sneered, "Even better. Saves me the trouble of looking for them."
As soon as he stepped into Amegakure, Sasuke made no attempt to conceal himself. Instead, he unleashed his Chakra openly.
He was here for revenge, so there was no need for hide!
Tap. Tap. Tap!
Sasuke's arrogance quickly drew the attention of someone. The figure moved rapidly, stepping across the rain with astonishing speed to close the distance.
As the figure approached, it turned out to be a striking blue-haired woman in the unique Akatsuki's cloak… Konan.
"You're wearing the same cloak as Itachi. So, you must be a member of the Akatsuki too!"
Sasuke's killing intent erupted instantly.
His targets for revenge weren't limited to Itachi. Every single member of the Akatsuki was on his list.
'If not for these despicable people, Naruto wouldn't have died, and the Uchiha Clan wouldn't have been destroyed.'
"You actually know about the Akatsuki?"
Konan squinted slightly, feeling a little surprised.
"Enough talk. Go meet your maker!"
Wasting no time, Sasuke stepped forward with explosive speed, leaving only an afterimage as he charged toward Konan.
With the black-robed figure capable of extracting memories, Sasuke had no need to keep anyone alive.
He would kill without hesitation, as that was what he desired most.
"Foolish and reckless boy."
Although Konan wasn't clear about the situation, anyone who knew about the Akatsuki and attacked her was undoubtedly an enemy.
Her immediate goal was to subdue him and deliver him to Pain for interrogation.
She quickly formed hand seals, and her body dispersed into countless pieces of paper… This is her signature technique, Dance of the Shikigami.
Although it is only a B-Rank Ninjutsu, this technique allowed her to transform her body into innumerable sheets of paper that could move freely and take on different shapes. Once activated, she could separate her body parts and manipulate the papers into forms like spears or butterflies.
But the Ninjutsu's drawback was evident: while her paper had been treated to resist water, it was vulnerable to oil, and her Chakra would eventually deplete, forcing her to revert to her original form.
Still, when dealing with an unfamiliar enemy, this was one of her best strategies.
As long as the technique was maintained, she was virtually invincible, able to dominate her opponent with a perfect balance of offense and defense.
Whoosh!
Sasuke's attack hit nothing but air.
In the next instant, the scattered paper surrounded him, forming an encirclement. The sheets morphed into long spears, launching a relentless 360-degree assault on him.
"Humph, a petty trick!"
Sasuke snorted coldly and quickly formed hand seals, "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
He brought his hands to his mouth and spewed a series of fireballs.
Though it was only a C-Rank Ninjutsu, the continuous barrage of fireballs made it the perfect counter to Konan. Paper, after all, was no match for fire… or so Sasuke thought.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before Sasuke's fireballs could land, the paper spears detonated first.
Contrary to Sasuke's assumption, Konan's paper had some degree of fire resistance. However, her goal wasn't merely defense, it was to incapacitate the enemy and deliver Sasuke to Pain.
And if Sasuke died, there was still the black-robed figure beside him.
So, Sasuke's life or death was of no particular consequence to Konan.
Relying on her instincts as both a woman and a Shinobi, Konan sensed that the enigmatic black-robed figure posed a far greater threat than Sasuke. To deal with that opponent, she first needed to eliminate Sasuke quickly.
For this purpose, Konan had long since swapped her real body for a decoy. The paper encircling him was merely a paper clone, and the explosion just now was only because of the explosive tags pasted on the paper clone.
Surrounded by countless paper spears, Sasuke was immediately engulfed in a barrage of explosions.
The destructive power of a single explosive tag might not seem significant, but when nearly a hundred of them were carried by the paper clone, the combined force was immense.