Chapter 158: Rescue
"I wonder how long my chakra can last."
"Hopefully I can make it all the way there."
Kakashi muttered to himself.
The next instant—
His body exploded into motion.
Like a bolt of lightning tearing across the earth, he shot forward at incredible speed.
The crackling sound of Lightning Release itself seemed unable to keep up with him.
Compared to his previous travel speed, he was moving more than ten times faster.
His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly.
The scenery ahead stretched into distorted streaks.
Yet his pace never slowed.
This speed was similar to maintaining Chidori at all times.
Only the extraordinary dynamic vision of the Sharingan could allow him to navigate safely.
In Lightning Flash state, Kakashi weaved around every tree, boulder, and obstacle in his path.
Charging straight toward his destination.
To anyone observing from afar, it would look like a single flash of lightning flickering through the forest.
"Cough... cough..."
"Don't tell me... I'm really going to die here..."
Kiba Inuzuka leaned against a rocky outcrop, his face pale.
One hand clutched the deep blade wound on his leg.
Even the bandages couldn't stop the bleeding.
Despair slowly filled his eyes.
His chakra was exhausted.
His strength was fading.
He had no supplies left.
And worst of all—
He still hadn't shaken off his pursuers.
"Akamaru..."
"Don't worry about me anymore."
"There's still some distance left."
"You... you should run toward the village by yourself."
Listening carefully to the sounds outside, Kiba spoke softly to his injured canine companion.
"Woof... whine..."
"Listen to me."
"Your leg isn't injured."
"Hurry and go."
Kiba forced a grin.
"I'm smart, you know."
"I've been escaping toward the village this whole time."
"Maybe Sakura already brought reinforcements."
"They'll come save me soon."
Through his enhanced senses, Kiba could already smell the enemy drawing closer.
Weakly, he pushed Akamaru away.
"...That brat should be nearby."
"Find him!"
"Hurry up, Akamaru!"
The shouts outside grew louder.
Kiba's heart clenched.
Yet Akamaru suddenly bared his fangs.
The ninja hound bit open Kiba's pouch.
A single remaining soldier pill fell out.
Then—
Before Kiba could react—
Akamaru lunged forward and swallowed it.
"You..."
"What are you doing?"
"Akamaru..."
"No!"
Kiba stared in horror.
His lifelong companion trembled violently.
Red chakra began spreading through his body.
That familiar trait of the Inuzuka clan's ninja hounds.
Akamaru had forcefully stimulated the last traces of chakra inside himself.
The strain reopened wounds across his body.
Fresh blood soaked into his fur.
Making the crimson color even more tragic.
"Don't you dare go out there!"
"ARROOOOOO!"
With a furious howl, Akamaru burst from behind the rocks.
It was obvious what he intended.
He wanted to lure the pursuers away from his master.
"Akamaru!"
"Come back!"
Kiba tried to stand.
The movement tore at his wound.
Pain exploded through his body.
But he still crawled desperately toward the entrance.
Outside—
"What's that?"
"Something's moving!"
The voices of the enemy echoed through the forest.
Soon afterward—
Kiba smelled blood in the wind.
"Akamaru..."
"It's all my fault."
"It's all my fault."
"Why did I insist on taking a higher-ranked mission..."
His eyes reddened.
Filled with self-loathing.
Suddenly he clenched his fists and roared toward the sky.
"I'm over here!"
"Come after m—"
"Oh, stop shouting."
"We found you already."
The voice interrupted him.
Kiba froze.
A dog appeared before him.
A dog with the face of a middle-aged man.
The absurd sight completely shattered his emotions.
Normally he would have laughed himself unconscious.
But when he noticed the Konoha forehead protector on the dog's vest—
Relief flooded his heart.
Reinforcements.
They had arrived.
The dog calmly looked at him.
"You're Kiba Inuzuka, right?"
"Y-Yes."
"Inuzuka-kun!"
Hinata rushed over with her Byakugan activated.
Immediately pulling out medical supplies to treat his wounds.
"Hinata..."
"Boss Lady?"
Kiba widened his eyes in shock.
He recognized her instantly.
"Quick..."
"Save Akamaru first..."
"Don't move."
Hinata's voice was gentle.
Yet carried an authority Kiba couldn't disobey.
"Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are already dealing with the enemies."
"They're both there."
"Akamaru is fine."
"N-Naruto Boss..."
Kiba became dazed.
Back at the Academy—
Whenever the troublemakers challenged Naruto and got beaten black and blue—
Hinata had always been the one patching them up afterward.
After Naruto became the undisputed king of the Academy, Hinata had treated nearly every delinquent in school.
Which naturally earned her the title:
Boss Lady.
The moment he heard Naruto had arrived—
Kiba felt more reassured than if several jōnin had shown up.
After all—
He had been beaten into submission by Naruto countless times.
His number of losses was probably among the highest in the entire Academy.
Nobody understood Naruto's strength better than him.
"Arf!"
A short while later—
Naruto returned carrying Akamaru in his arms.
The little ninja hound looked weak.
But there was no danger to his life.
Hinata immediately created a shadow clone to begin emergency treatment.
"Thank goodness..."
Holding Akamaru close, Kiba looked toward Naruto with gratitude.
Now that help had arrived—
The tension keeping him conscious finally began to break.
But he still forced himself to speak.
"Go..."
"Don't worry about me."
"Please..."
"Save Kurenai-sensei..."
"And Shino..."
"Don't worry."
Naruto crouched down.
Gently placing Akamaru back into Kiba's arms.
His blue eyes were calm.
Yet terrifyingly serious.
"We'll bring them back."
"All of them."
"Nothing will happen to them."
"...Good."
The moment those words entered his ears—
The last thread holding Kiba together snapped.
Blood loss.
Exhaustion.
Hunger.
Pain.
Everything crashed down at once.
He lost consciousness.
"Hinata."
Naruto stood.
His expression had become frighteningly cold.
"I'll take you and Kiba back to the village first."
"Get him medical treatment immediately."
"His body is already at its limit."
"It's dangerous."
"Okay."
Hinata nodded.
Then she hesitated.
Looking up at Naruto.
Worried.
For the first time—
She saw an expression she had never witnessed before.
Naruto was always smiling.
Always cheerful.
Always optimistic.
But now—
The look in his eyes was so dangerous that even she felt her heart tighten.
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