Chapter 108
At this moment, Team 7 was completely surrounded by Orochimaru alone.
Sakura trembled in fear, Naruto's courage faltered, and Sasuke's expression turned grim.
"H-Hey, Sasuke... w-what should we do dattebayo...?"
Naruto's voice shook. Unlike in the original story, where he urged Sasuke to fight, this time he just wanted to grab both Sasuke and Sakura and flee—because he now understood how terrifying their enemy truly was.
Orochimaru wasn't someone you could defeat just with guts and bravery. Fighting recklessly would be no different from throwing their lives away. Naruto might not fear death, but he couldn't bear to watch Sakura and Sasuke die in front of him. That would break him.
Sasuke silently drew his short blade and said in a low voice, "Naruto, when the fight starts—take Sakura and run."
Naruto immediately objected. "What about you?! You're gonna stay and fight Orochimaru by yourself?! Are you crazy, dattebayo?!"
"You think I want to?!"
Sasuke snapped. "Quit whining! Out of the three of us, I'm the strongest. I'm the only one who can hold him off. While I'm stalling him, you run. The faster you run, the sooner I can retreat. Otherwise—we're all dead!"
Sakura looked at Sasuke with tears in her eyes, her body trembling.
She didn't want Sasuke to stay behind alone—but there was nothing she could do.
She couldn't support him in any way. Staying would only drag him down. Still, the idea of leaving him to face Orochimaru by himself was unbearable.