Naruto: Flash Reborn — Minato’s Second Life

"Ahh!"

Before Sakumo Hatake's eyes, Tachiyama Shinsaburo let out a scream of pain. His right arm wasn't simply severed by White Fang's chakra blade—it was still crackling with residual Lightning Release Chakra that danced over the wound, slowly charring the flesh.

His eye sockets turned bloodshot, his entire eyeballs filled with veins—but none of that mattered to Sakumo Hatake.

Because this Tachiyama before him looked vastly different from the one he remembered. Worse, countless grotesque wounds covered his vital areas, his whole body soaked in blood.

Undoubtedly, all of this was Junko Watanabe's doing.

That was precisely what puzzled Sakumo Hatake—who would have thought someone with so many fatal injuries could still be alive?

"How did Tachiyama Shinsaburo end up like this?" Sakumo Hatake asked.

Junko took several steps back, positioning herself near Minato. The Cloud Ninja Chunin had already fled into the dense forest behind him the moment he saw Sakumo Hatake appear.

Afterwards, Junko replied, "I don't know. But from what I can tell, he just won't die with normal methods."

She still refused to believe in a true Immortal Body—but at the moment, they knew far too little about Tachiyama Shinsaburo.

Sakumo Hatake understood immediately—those fatal wounds on Tachiyama's body were exactly what Junko meant by "normal methods."

Swish!

A figure darted from where Sakumo Hatake had stood—Yan Uchiha—and landed beside Junko and Minato.

The first thing Yan Uchiha noticed was Minato's injured arm. A flicker of emotion passed through his dark pupils.

"In that case…"

Sakumo Hatake vanished in a flash, retrieving his chakra blade from the massive tree it had struck, now completely blackened. The tree collapsed instantly, crumbling into a pile of charred debris.

He had no time for further investigation—Ryo Yagura was approaching fast.

That speed was much slower than before. The freshly-formed Lightning Release Armor seemed to sap his speed and strength.

Facing Sakumo Hatake, every pore on Tachiyama's body flared open. His bloodshot eyes burned with wary intensity.

Swish!

In the next instant, a barely perceptible blur shot across his vision. That speed was far too fast to defend against effectively—he raised only his remaining left arm to block his neck.

Another sharp pain shot through him — [BOOM] — as the Lightning Release Chakra blew half his arm clean off, yet somehow, Tachiyama managed to block Sakumo Hatake's strike.

Then came an even more chilling sensation enveloping Tachiyama—a ghostly white glow spread across his pupils, followed by a cold numbness at his neck.

Tachiyama Shinsaburo's head was cleanly severed by Sakumo Hatake.

"Sakumo Hatake!"

At that exact moment, a furious roar rang out. Ryo Yagura burst violently from the thick woods, his wild chakra once again flooding everyone's senses.

"Withdraw!"

As soon as Sakumo Hatake saw him arrive, he gave the direct order. He had already seen Minato's injured left arm. Yan Uchiha was nearing exhaustion, and Junko had suffered greatly as well.

As for himself... under the intensity of this battle, if he had to face Ryo Yagura's previous frenzied attacks again, he couldn't guarantee everyone's safety.

Swish! Swish!

Junko Watanabe was indeed once a skilled Anbu member. Before Sakumo could even finish speaking, she had already withdrawn into the woods with Minato and Yan Uchiha.

Naturally, Ryo Yagura wasn't willing to let things go, rushing straight toward Sakumo and throwing a punch.

Sakumo knew that this confrontation was unavoidable and poured almost all of his remaining chakra into the following sword strike.

"Boom!"

The two forces collided, causing another explosion. Ryo Yagura was directly blasted nearly ten meters away by Sakumo's blade. After unleashing this attack, Sakumo's eyelids drooped slightly.

He had consumed too much chakra.

Yet, after glancing at Tachiyama Shinsaburo's body, now separated from its head, he smiled faintly before vanishing into the forest.

Following closely was Ryo Yagura's furious roar.

...

Looking around, Sakumo spotted Junko's marks — a secret signal known only to Konoha ninja.

Obviously worried about Cloud Ninja pursuing them, she had chosen to hide within this forest first.

Swish!

Following the signs, Sakumo located the three hidden among the trees. However, they were still partially concealed.

Junko dropped down from an elevated observation point, still holding her blade in hand. But upon recognizing Sakumo, she immediately sheathed it.

"Senpai Sakumo, are you injured?" Junko asked with concern. Nodding slightly, Sakumo replied with a faint smile while asking, "How about Minato? Is he okay?"

"He lost too much blood. Although not immediately life-threatening, it caused him to lose consciousness."

Junko explained. While not a fatal wound, Yan Uchiha had been slashed in the left arm by a Special Jonin like Tachiyama Shinsaburo, tearing open his flesh. Then, afterward, he engaged in fierce combat against a Chunin without properly stopping the bleeding.

Moreover, with the torn muscles completely exposed to air, there was a high chance of infection.

Sakumo looked at Junko as they spoke, then both of them made their way around several danger zones before finally landing inside a hollowed-out tree.

Seeing Minato pale-faced and unconscious, Sakumo questioned, "What exactly happened? Based on Minato's strength, no Kumogakure Chunin should have been able to wound him this badly."

"It's my fault," Junko bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with regret. "After I initially launched a fatal strike against Tachiyama Shinsaburo, I momentarily lost focus..."

"There's no need for self-blame."

Before Junko could finish, Sakumo interrupted, deducing from her words.

Tachiyama Shinsaburo bore multiple lethal wounds, yet Junko must have relaxed guard thinking him certainly doomed...

Minato must have been caught off guard by Tachiyama while he was protecting Junko.

"I..." Junko wanted to say more, but Sakumo waved his hand, cutting her off.

"In any case, we should head back to Izumi Town first and deal with Minato's injuries. We don't have enough medical supplies here."

"Sakumo," he said, "Minato won't be able to move for a while, not in his current shape."

Beside Minato, Yan Uchiha's gaze was clouded with mixed emotions. Looking at his pale, unconscious "old rival" lying before him, a flicker of fear stirred in his heart.

"We'll discuss the rest once we've settled down."

With that, Sakumo picked up Minato and dashed toward Izumi Town, Junko Watanabe and Yan Uchiha following closely behind.

...

At the previous battlefield, Ryo Yagura paced back and forth furiously. On either side stood three Kumo ninja with heads bowed in shame. Beside them lay the corpse of a Chunin killed by Sakumo.

This was an unprecedented humiliation.

Right under his nose, Sakumo had not only wounded one of his Jonin subordinates but also killed a Chunin. Even Shinsaburo Tachiyama, whom the Raikage had entrusted to his protection for this mission, had been beheaded.

He had no intention of bothering with retrieving the corpse of a foreign rogue ninja. As his anger began to fade and he prepared to announce their defeat, a hoarse voice came from the side.

"Damn it, this hurts..."

Everyone abruptly turned around, and what they saw made even these veteran ninja's pupils constrict in shock.

The severed head of Shinsaburo Tachiyama, sliced off by Sakumo, was twisting in pain. Not only that, but curses continued spewing from its mouth...

Shinsaburo Tachiyama wasn't dead yet!

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