Menma had reappeared in Konoha in his Shura guise, naturally because encountering Adult Sasuke and Boruto had triggered memories from his previous life.
'In Boruto Anime, the middle-aged Sasuke and Boruto, brought to this Konoha of the 63rd year by Otsutsuki Urashiki's treasure, [Karasuki], should have appeared after Sasuke's defection. Yet, for some reason, they appeared before the Chunin Exams. Could it be that the treasure was malfunctioning?'
Menma had experienced Space-Time travel through the Ryumyaku and witnessed the existence of parallel worlds, giving him a considerable understanding of parallel Space-Times.
He had even interfered with events in another parallel world to prove that parallel worlds do not interfere with each other.
He was just curious: Where was Urashiki now?
Unfortunately, his memories of this time-travel plotline in Boruto from his previous life were very hazy. He vaguely remembered that Urashiki appeared not long after, but the specific details escaped him.
So, after Adult Sasuke and Boruto left, Menma used the excuse of 'going to the bathroom', created a shadow clone to continue having dinner with Kakashi, Hinata, and Naruto, while his main body quickly changed into this black robe and white three-eyed fox mask.
Then, using the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, he locked onto their Chakra and silently followed them.
He had originally only wanted to figure out where these two were staying and observe their movements, so he could intervene if necessary, or see if Urashiki would actively seek them out.
But he hadn't expected that Young Sasuke and Sai's team, who had been secretly performing surveillance, or rather, protection duties on Naruto, would jump out to intercept them.
Even less did he expect Adult Sasuke to 'instantly kill' Young Sasuke.
Although Adult Sasuke had held back, that crushing of combat experience and skill was clearly not something a 'juggler' should have.
Seeing the situation becoming one-sided, Young Sasuke mentally traumatized, and Adult Sasuke clearly not wanting to get entangled further, seeming ready to leave Konoha, he felt it was time for his 'anomalous self' to appear, to add some surprise to this unexpected 'encounter'.
Thus, Menma chose the most eye-catching way to appear.
At this moment, he stood casually on top of a utility pole, dressed in a black robe, the Nine Masked Svaha cloak behind him gently swaying in the evening breeze, the white three-eyed fox mask reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun.
Although he deliberately restrained part of his aura, the pressure, naturally precipitated from experiencing countless battlefields and controlling immense power, still permeated the small block like an invisible tide.
This pressure was not deliberately released killing intent, but an oppressive feeling brought about by the absolute gap in life level and power level.
Adult Sasuke felt it most deeply.
His one arm tightly gripped the Ninja Sword he had taken from Young Sasuke, every nerve in his body stretched to the limit.
This mysterious person before him, just standing there, brought him a far deeper sense of crisis than Momoshiki or Kinshiki!
It was a feeling like facing a bottomless, cold abyss, or looking up at an unattainable mountain peak… calm, vast, and unfathomable.
At this moment, Sai had just used the [Ink Release] technique to barely pull Young Sasuke out of his painful illusion, and Adult Sasuke asked in a low voice: "This guy... is he an enemy of Konoha?"
He needed to assess the situation as quickly as possible.
Sai did not answer immediately.
He supported Young Sasuke, who had just regained consciousness but whose eyes still retained pain and confusion, his body still trembling slightly. Sai's eyes were filled with unprecedented gravity and apprehension.
Facing Shura, a powerful Ninja with many terrifying legends circulating in the Ninja World, who had a hostile relationship with Konoha, he dared not be the slightest bit negligent.
He just tensed his body, shielding Young Sasuke behind him, manipulating the ink Kirin into a defensive posture, watching the black-robed figure on the utility pole with extreme vigilance, while thinking about how to send a distress signal.
Young Sasuke shook his still dazed and stinging head. The feeling of being forcibly dragged into his most painful nightmare just now still left him shaken. His gaze at the one-armed traveler 'Samoyan' was filled with shock, anger, and terror.
And when he looked up and saw Shura, who had appeared at some unknown time wearing the white three-eyed fox mask, that shock and anger instantly turned into deeper vigilance and hostility.
Although he didn't understand why Shura was here, his mere appearance was itself a danger!
Just then, the corner of Menma's mouth, hidden behind the white three-eyed fox mask, curled into a smile unseen by anyone.
The next moment, his figure disappeared from the top of the utility pole without any warning.
"What?!" Alarm bells rang simultaneously in the hearts of the four present!
Their eyes, even Adult Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan, had failed to capture even a trace of the other's movements!
In just a thousandth of a second of stunned disbelief, the black figure had already appeared out of thin air before Young Sasuke, who had just regained his footing and was still holding his head, gasping for breath!
So close, their faces were almost touching!
Adult Sasuke was horrified: 'This speed... is it Space-Time Ninjutsu? Or some kind of ultimate Taijutsu? I can't read it at all!'
Young Sasuke's hair stood on end. His instinct for danger made him subconsciously reach for the Ninja Sword at his waist, but he grabbed nothing, realizing with a start that his sword had already been taken.
An unprecedented sense of humiliation and crisis instantly flooded him.
Menma completely ignored Young Sasuke's reaction. He tilted his head slightly, his white mask almost pressing against Young Sasuke's forehead.
"Tsk, what beautiful eyes," Menma said softly, his voice clearly transmitted through the mask to Young Sasuke and to everyone present.
"The Sharingan... no matter how many times I see it, it's captivating."
His tone was like evaluating a work of art, but it made Young Sasuke feel an inexplicable palpitation and anger.
"However," Menma's tone suddenly shifted, carrying a hint of a mocking, half-smiling tone, along with a trace of pity. "Compared to Uchiha Itachi... the current you is still far, far too weak."
"Uchiha... Itachi..."
This name, like a red-hot branding iron, seared into Young Sasuke's most fragile nerves.
His pupils contracted sharply. The horrific scene of his parents lying in pools of blood surged up again in his mind, intertwining with the cold voice of this mysterious masked figure before him.
Shame, pain, hatred... instantly overwhelmed his already not very solid dam of rationality.
"You—!" Young Sasuke jerked his head up, his eyes instantly turning crimson, the two black tomoe spinning wildly, almost dripping blood!
He forgot fear, forgot the gap in strength, and in a hoarse voice, like a wounded beast, growled, "You know where that bastard is?! Where is he?! Tell me!!!"
Facing Young Sasuke's almost devouring gaze and surging killing intent, Menma was unmoved. He even floated up an inch, looking down at him from an even more lofty position, his tone carrying a light, teasing air: "Of course I know, but..."
He deliberately paused, enjoying the spark of madness and hope mixed in Young Sasuke's eyes that ignited in that instant, then slowly uttered the second half: "Why should I tell you?"
"Bastard!!!" Extreme rage completely drowned Young Sasuke's rationality.
He even forgot to form hand seals, forgot tactics, relying solely on a surge of reckless courage and the flames of revenge. Pulling out a kunai and several shuriken, he roared and was about to pounce!
"Sasuke! Calm down!" Sai shouted, while simultaneously manipulating the ink Kirin hovering in mid-air to let out a roar, its massive body fiercely charging at the floating Menma, trying to buy time for Sasuke and also stop his suicidal impulse!
At the same time, several shuriken, thrown at crafty angles, shot from Young Sasuke's hand, cutting through the air towards several of Menma's vital points!
However, facing Young Sasuke's attack, Menma didn't even raise a hand.
He simply casually turned his body and swayed in the air. The fiercely charging ink Kirin brushed past him, crashing through a wall behind. And those several sharp shuriken didn't even touch the edge of his black robe, flying uselessly into the night sky.
The next moment, Menma's figure closed in again. In the tiny opening created by Young Sasuke's failed attack, he raised his right foot.
Bang!
A dull thud rang.
Young Sasuke didn't even see how the other had kicked. He only felt a completely irresistible, tremendous force slam viciously into his chest and abdomen!
He was like a pedestrian hit head-on by a truck at full speed. His vision went black, his internal organs felt displaced, and his body flew backwards uncontrollably, a mouthful of blood spurting out before he could stop it!
"Sasuke!" Sai quickly manipulated the ink Kirin to change direction, trying to catch him.
However, when the ink Kirin touched the flying young Sasuke, the terrifying force carrying him had not completely dissipated. It dragged the ink Kirin and Sai himself backward, plowing deep grooves into the ground, and they didn't barely stop until they had slid back over ten meters!
Sai's throat sweetened... he also suffered serious internal injuries. His gaze at Menma was filled with terror.
'So strong!' Adult Sasuke watched keenly from the side, his heart growing even heavier.
This mysterious person, whom Sai and the others called 'Shura', displayed unfathomable strength. Moreover, dealing with Young Sasuke and Sai was like a cat playing with mice… effortless.
What made him even more wary was that the other seemed to show a peculiar interest in Young Sasuke, or rather, in the Sharingan.
He knew he couldn't wait any longer!
Taking advantage of the moment when Shura's attention seemed drawn to the flying Young Sasuke, Adult Sasuke moved!
He instantly exploded the little Chakra he had left, holding the sword with his one arm, his figure turning into a blurred afterimage. He silently advanced to Shura's back from an extremely crafty angle!
The Ninja Sword he had taken from Young Sasuke turned into a flash of cold light, thrusting straight at the vital point in Shura's back!
This strike was fast, precise, and ruthless, condensing his rich combat experience and killing techniques, striving for a one-hit kill or to force out the other's defensive methods!
However—
Ding!
Adult Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply!
The sharp Ninja Sword in his hand had stopped forcibly in mid-air, less than ten centimeters from the back of the other's black robe!
In front of the sword's tip, it was as if an indestructible transparent wall had appeared!
No matter how he urged his strength, the sword blade did not budge, unable to advance another inch!
'This is... some kind of absolute defense?!' Adult Sasuke's heart shook violently, but his rich combat experience made him react instantly.
If you can't land a hit, retreat a thousand miles!
He unhesitatingly let go of the sword, using the momentum to leap back, while his only intact right hand quickly formed hand seals before his chest.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Blazing flames spewed from his mouth, instantly expanding into a gigantic fireball several meters in diameter. With scorching hot air, it slammed into Shura, who was still facing away from him and seemed defenseless!
Since physical attacks are useless, try Ninjutsu!
Boom—!
The scorching fireball also collided with the invisible barrier a few feet from Shura's body, violently exploding!
Flames shot into the sky, heat waves rolled, distorting the surrounding air.
However, the explosion's flames and shockwave were also firmly blocked outside by that invisible wall, unable to harm Shura in the slightest, not even stirring his black robe.
'This defense... could it be...' A long-buried name flashed through Adult Sasuke's mind.
'Shinra Tensei? No... Shinra Tensei requires time to activate, and his defense is more like Gaara's passive defense...'
Before the smoke and flames of the explosion had completely dissipated, Shura slowly turned around.
In the firelight and smoke, the three-eyed fox mask looked at Adult Sasuke. Then, he deliberately said in a tone of keen interest:
"Oh? Do you want to dance too?"
These words carried a bit of casualness.
But to Adult Sasuke's ears, they were no less than a thunderclap!
Distant memories were instantly awakened!
Do you want to dance too?
That was on the battlefield of the Fourth Great Ninja War. That figure, like a demon god, had spoken to the Five Kage and the Allied Ninja Forces with ultimate arrogance and mockery.
'Uchiha Madara!'
'How could this mysterious person know that phrase?!'
'What was his connection to Uchiha Madara?!'
Just as Adult Sasuke's mind was shaken by these words, causing a moment of daze—
The figure in the smoke suddenly vanished.
The black figure appeared before Adult Sasuke at a speed faster than flames and smoke could react!
Adult Sasuke didn't even see how the other moved. He only saw a black shadow flash before his eyes, and a sharp gust of wind was already attacking his face!
It was a side kick!
Adult Sasuke's combat instinct instantly activated. He raised his only intact right arm, dangerously blocking the extremely swift swinging kick with the outer side of his forearm!
Bang—!!!
The collision of flesh and blood and arm produced a loud noise like a heavy hammer striking steel!
A terrifying force transmitted from the point of contact. Adult Sasuke felt his right arm instantly go numb, as if his bones were about to crack. He uncontrollably slid backward, his feet plowing two deep trenches in the ground!
'So strong! This isn't the physical strength a human should have!' Adult Sasuke was horrified.
He jerked his head up, trying to use his right eye's Mangekyo Sharingan to cast a Genjutsu, at least to see the other's movements clearly, or create an opportunity!
His Sharingan met the deep holes in the white three-eyed fox mask.
The moment their gazes met—
Hum!
Adult Sasuke's brain felt as if it had been slammed by a heavy hammer!
He saw a...
'Mangekyo Sharingan?'
It wasn't any Mangekyo pattern he recognized.
It was an unseen, vortex-like pattern, slowly rotating behind the mask's left eye hole.
'Why does this person have a Sharingan?'
'Is he also an Uchiha?'
Just as Adult Sasuke's mind was lost, sinking into shock because of this glimpse, Menma moved.
His left hand, fingers spread, easily broke through Adult Sasuke's defense and pressed down on the other's head, which was still wearing the wide-brimmed hat.
Then, he pushed down.
The action was simple, brutal.
Boom—!!!
With a loud crash, Adult Sasuke was slammed into the ground. The ground, centered on his head, suddenly collapsed, and web-like cracks instantly spread for several meters!
Stones flew, dust filled the air!
Adult Sasuke couldn't even make any effective resistance before he was brutally slammed into the ground by this irresistible force. His wide-brimmed hat shattered, revealing his face, covered in dust and blood.
His only remaining right arm lay limp at his side, his bones felt like they had fallen apart, and his Chakra was completely disordered.
Even the Ocular Power maintaining his right eye's Mangekyo Sharingan rapidly drained away, the crimson fading, returning to ordinary black.
Blood seeped from his mouth and nose, his vision beginning to blur.
Adult Sasuke struggled to get up, but the hand was still pressed on his head, as heavy as a mountain.
"Sensei!"
Boruto, who had witnessed all this, was filled with righteous indignation!
He had watched helplessly as his strong, reliable teacher was so easily pressed into the ground by this mysterious masked figure, like swatting a fly!
"Don't you dare hurt my teacher!!!"
Boruto let out a roar. He rapidly rubbed his hands together, a sky-blue Chakra Sphere quickly taking shape in his hands.
Rasengan!
Pouring all his concern for his teacher, fear of the enemy, and unwillingness at his own weakness into this single strike, he charged recklessly towards the black-robed figure standing on his teacher, aiming for the back of his heart!
Menma didn't even move, just raised his face, the white three-eyed fox mask seeming to 'look at Boruto.
[Dojutsu: Ame-no-Minakanushi!]
The next moment, the highly concentrated Rasengan in Boruto's hands rapidly dissipated and shrank, like snow in sunlight, ultimately turning into points of light and completely disappearing.
No explosion, no impact, not even a wisp of Chakra Fluctuation dispersed. It was just erased from existence out of thin air.
"Wha...?!" Boruto, still holding the pose of charging forward and thrusting out the Rasengan, froze in place. His sky-blue eyes were filled with bewilderment and disbelief.
His full-power strike... was just... gone?
"Boruto! Run!"
The immobilized Adult Sasuke, using the last of his strength, screamed out, his voice twisted by anxiety and the pain of his body.
He saw more clearly than Boruto... it wasn't as simple as the Otsutsuki Clan 'absorbing' Ninjutsu!
This enemy was too strong, so strong it was despairing!
This wasn't their Space-Time... he absolutely couldn't let Boruto get trapped here too!