CHAPTER 200: 200. YOU MATTER, BUT MY BROTHER MATTERS MORE

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Sasuko lowered her eyes toward Sai, her expression betraying faint annoyance.

What do you know? You’re an outsider.

But Sai held her gaze and spoke anyway.

"I don’t fully understand you... But I know this: Naruto and Sakura have been desperately searching for you. There has to be a reason."

"They don’t want to lose their bond with you. They’ve risked everything to hold onto it."

"...Even if I can’t grasp it, Sasuko, I think you know why they’re doing this."

Sasuko closed her eyes, then reopened them, exhaling softly. "Yes. I know."

Naruto and Sakura’s eyes lit with hope—only for her next words to shatter it.

"And that’s exactly why I must sever that bond."

Their hope turned to disbelief.

"I already have another bond..."

The words froze them. Yamato and Sai both stiffened.

"The bond of hatred I share with my brother."

Every night, whenever she closed her eyes, Itachi’s face returned. The memory of his words still burned in her mind:

’Why are you so weak? Because your hatred is not strong enough.’

The massacre. The blood. The crimson sky. Again and again in her dreams.

"Too many bonds only cloud my purpose. Sentiment and attachment... they make you weak."

Naruto’s chest tightened as he remembered their fight years ago Sasuko’s furious shout:

’You, who never had parents or a brother how could you possibly understand me? You’ve been alone from the start. You don’t know what it means to lose everything you love!’

But Naruto knew. That bond they shared, the one he fought so hard to protect, he couldn’t give it up. Not now, not ever.

Pain flashed in his eyes. "If that’s true, then tell me... why didn’t you kill me back then?"

"Sasuko! You think that’s what severing a bond means?!"

Naruto’s voice thundered with fury, shaking. Sakura shouted his name, fear in her tone.

Sasuko glanced at him, then closed her eyes again, unwilling to meet his burning stare.

"The answer’s simple. I could’ve cut that bond... but I refused to gain strength the way he did."

Naruto froze. "What do you mean?"

"I don’t owe you an explanation. But... I’ll tell you this much: you survived that day because, for once, I was in a good mood."

In a blur, Sasuko vanished from the ledge reappearing beside Naruto, her arm draped across his shoulders in a mock embrace, her proximity almost intimate.

Yamato and Sai tensed instantly, shocked not just by her speed but by her sheer presence.

Sasuko ignored them. Her lips brushed close to Naruto’s ear as she whispered:

"Didn’t you have that dream of becoming Hokage?"

"If you’ve got time to chase me around the world, you should use it to train. Otherwise, Naruto..."

Her hand shifted, revealing the glint of the Kusanagi blade at her hip.

"...I might just take your life here. Simply because I feel like it."

"After all, a shinobi who can’t protect his comrades... has no right to be Hokage."

Her words were sharp, final.

But Naruto’s expression never wavered. He inhaled deeply, eyes locked on her face. ’You can say all you want... but I know you. I know you’re lying to yourself, Sasuko. You can’t fool me.’

Her Sharingan flickered as if reading his resolve. She gave a cold laugh, drawing her blade with a sharp hiss.

Sakura gasped. Naruto didn’t move. He trusted her. Deep down, he knew she wouldn’t kill him.

But just as the sword came down—

Clang!

Sai intercepted, grabbing Sasuko’s arm mid-swing.

Her eyes flickered, the tiniest ripple of surprise breaking through her mask. "That defense... It’s the right choice."

Naruto lunged, grabbing her arm to twist her balance, intent on pinning her down.

Yamato’s hands clapped together. "Good! Now!"

Wooden pillars erupted, snaking toward Sasuko to restrain her.

She exhaled slowly, eyes closing. ’You think you can capture me? With this? You’re not Neji.’

Arcs of lightning burst across her body, crawling down her blade.

[Chidori]!

The surge of electricity exploded outward, ripping through Naruto and Sai, forcing them to the ground with cries of pain. Yamato’s Wood Release splintered and collapsed.

Sakura stared in shock. "She... released Chidori across her entire body...?"

But she clenched her fists, determination flaring. I won’t be the weak girl from before. I won’t just watch anymore.

Chakra surged into her hand as she stepped forward, her punch heavy enough to shatter stone.

Sasuko’s Sharingan spun. To her, Sakura’s movement seemed sluggish, predictable.

Sighing, she let the lightning flow back into her sword, condensing it along the Kusanagi’s edge. With precision, she thrust forward straight toward Sakura’s shoulder.

"Too slow."

Yamato’s eyes widened. Not good!

He darted in front of Sakura, kunai in hand.

Clang!

The sound rang out but the kunai shattered instantly.

The Kusanagi pierced through Yamato’s shoulder, slamming him against the rock wall.

His breath hitched as paralysis spread through his body. She had infused the blade with lightning, increasing its sharpness and sending currents to lock his muscles.

Sasuko smirked. "That defense... was wrong."

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura screamed, frozen with panic.

He grimaced, barely able to move. She’s stronger than I thought... even her blade is enhanced. I’ve failed Kakashi-senpai...

...

High above, Neji sat on his cloud, casually biting into a slice of watermelon. Watching the chaos unfold, he smirked.

"If I had to summarize her words just now... it’d be: ’Naruto, you’re important to me... just not as important as my brother.’"

He chuckled softly. "Classic Sasuke"

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