Naruto: Binding Uchiha Sasuke, Hundredfold Return

The addition of Orochimaru did not bring any new changes to Konoha.

With Kazuki's intimidation, Orochimaru only dared to tinker with his own laboratory in Konoha and did not even dare to show his face in front of the Konoha ninjas.

The ninjas of Konoha were unaware that Orochimaru, who killed their beloved Sandaime Hokage, was hiding right under their noses, coming and going freely in the village!

...

That morning,

Two men wearing black robes adorned with red clouds arrived at the village gate.

Their unusual attire caught the attention of the guards, who immediately stopped them.

"Stop, who goes there?"

The two men ignored the command. One of them, Kisame, said with a smirk, "This Konoha seems to be different from what you expected."

Uchiha Itachi had heard that Orochimaru invaded Konoha and that the Sandaime Hokage was killed. He assumed Konoha's defenses would be weakened, which is why he suggested coming here with Kisame to capture the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki.

However, as soon as they reached the gates, a Konoha ninja team intercepted them.

Moreover, they sensed the presence of at least one more team lurking in the shadows!

Konoha's defenses were unexpectedly tight!

"You've come this far, it might be wise to turn back," Itachi said calmly before activating his Sharingan.

The Konoha ninjas who had blocked their path fell unconscious without a chance to react.

"I'm going to handle the ones hiding in the shadows!" Kisame said, vanishing in a blink.

A moment later, the sounds of combat echoed from the hidden corners.

Itachi didn't even look in that direction. As he calmly stepped into the village, Kisame returned.

"You're a bit slow," Itachi remarked with his usual calm demeanor.

"Heh, my apologies. I got a little careless."

For Konoha to have delayed Kisame for that long, they must have had a Jounin stationed at the gates.

Itachi hadn't expected Konoha's defenses to be so tight, with Jounin positioned even at the village entrance.

If the entire Konoha military force had been mobilized to confront them, Itachi might have considered retreating.

But to protect Sasuke and ensure the village's leadership remained wary, he chose to proceed!

Since the two had neutralized their opponents silently, the news of their infiltration wouldn't spread quickly.

There were no signs of a large-scale response either.

Uchiha Itachi and Kisame slipped into Konoha with ease.

As they strolled through the unfamiliar streets, even Itachi felt a twinge of nostalgia for the village.

"It seems that Konoha's security is only tight at the entrance," Kisame said, now sitting in a small restaurant enjoying a meal prepared by Konoha's chefs.

Itachi remained expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

He scanned his surroundings with a calm gaze, then suddenly stood up. "Let's go."

Kisame blinked in surprise, then looked around.

They soon noticed a few individuals who looked like Konoha ninjas discreetly observing them.

"When did we become targets?" Kisame thought, realizing his skills still lagged behind Itachi's.

"There are too many people here, they won't dare make a move. If we head towards a less crowded area, they might attack us."

"I want them to attack us. We need information that's not easily obtained from ordinary citizens," Itachi replied.

The Akatsuki organization had always sought suitable allies, and precise information about Konoha was invaluable.

As Itachi and Kisame moved towards a quieter part of the village, the Konoha ninjas tailed them in silence.

Seeing their pursuit, the ninjas were both anxious and excited.

"What kind of intruders would dare to lure us into an empty area? They must be confident in their strength!"

"The two teams at the village gate were defeated, yet these two are unscathed. Their power must be terrifying—we have to be careful!"

"Understood!"

As Itachi and Kisame ventured deeper into the village, the news of the incident at the gate reached Danzo's ears through the returning ninjas.

In response, Danzo quickly dispatched a more powerful team to intercept them.

Soon, Itachi and Kisame found themselves in an open field, far from the bustling heart of Konoha.

As they reached a deserted area, the pursuing ninja team chose that moment to strike.

A kunai was thrown towards them to halt their progress, followed by a female ninja's Water Release attack.

The two easily dodged the assault.

"Earth Release: Cat Tower!"

With a series of seals, a powerful Konoha ninja summoned a towering earthen structure shaped like a cat, encasing Itachi and Kisame.

"What in the world is this?" Kisame scoffed, eyeing the cat-shaped tables, chairs, and decor made entirely of earth.

"Hah! Does this Konoha ninja specialize in architecture? Building structures like this in mere seconds!" Kisame joked.

"Don't get careless, Kisame," Itachi warned.

As he finished speaking, countless earthen fish and spikes shot out from the cat-shaped furniture, forcing the two to defend.

Kisame swung his sword, Samehada, to fend off the attacks, while Itachi used his Fire Release to incinerate the onslaught.

But as soon as they repelled one wave, another began.

Realizing his chakra was depleting, Itachi came to a decision. "We need to get out of here!"

Kisame grinned, understanding Itachi's signal. He swung Samehada once more to block an attack and then formed a series of hand seals.

"Water Style: Water Dragon!"

A massive surge of water burst forth, overwhelming the earthen cat structure and turning it into a flood of water.

The Konoha ninjas outside were still waiting for Itachi and Kisame to emerge, but they soon saw their carefully constructed fortress collapse into a deluge.

"What an incredible Water Release!" exclaimed the female ninja of the team.

As one of Konoha's skilled Water Release users, she prided herself on her mastery. But compared to Kisame's technique, hers seemed like a mere trickle.

"Watch out!" her teammate shouted.

In a blur of motion, Kisame appeared behind the startled female ninja. Her attempt to block with a kunai was futile.

With a single swing of Samehada, Kisame shattered the kunai, fractured her arm, and sent her flying into a nearby tree, where she collapsed in pain.

Her comrades shouted, worry etched on their faces as they watched her fall.

But they couldn't afford to check on her condition, for danger now loomed directly over them!

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg