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NBB Chapter 73: Legacy of the White Fang
🕑 Added 2025-06-16 01:47:36 +0000 UTCAs the smoke and dust gradually cleared, three white-haired figures casually strolled into view.
“Hatake Kakashi, Jiraiya… and that one…”
Upon seeing the trio of white-haired arrivals, Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame’s expressions grew even more grim.
“So it is you—Konoha’s White Fang!”
But just then, the previously silent Sasori suddenly struck without warning. Under his control, Hiruko (the puppet) instantly shifted into attack mode!
“Hm?”
Kitagawa Gen, who had just reappeared via Flying Thunder God and joined Kakashi and Jiraiya—after lamenting Obito’s absence and grumbling about once again missing out on Orochimaru—froze when he heard that shout.
He had just turned his head to say something to Kakashi when, suddenly, he noticed a barrage of senbon flying toward them—each one glinting with a ghostly green hue.
Under the fading light of dusk, the senbon emitted an eerie green gleam—clearly laced with poison.
“Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!”
Jiraiya and Kakashi instantly formed hand seals. Two earthen walls shot up from the ground, shielding them.
In the blink of an eye, both walls were riddled with needles—bristling like hedgehogs.
But the next moment, a bladed tail suddenly pierced through one of the walls—
It shattered the solid barrier effortlessly, smashing it to pieces—and then shot straight toward Kitagawa Gen behind it!
At that instant, Gen seemed to realize something. He glanced at the short blade in his hand, then quickly at his white hair.
“…Wait, they think I’m the White Fang?!”
...
"Has he lost his mind?"
Kisame looked bewildered as he watched Sasori suddenly launch an attack. Uchiha Itachi, standing nearby, seemed to be deep in thought.
"No surprise there. He must’ve mistaken that kid for Konoha’s White Fang… After all—"
The same short sword. The same white hair. Another shinobi from Konohagakure.
But most importantly… that blade—
The very weapon that had killed Sasori's parents!
“Inheriting the weapon means inheriting the name. I suppose it makes sense.”
Kisame nodded in agreement. He himself bore the title of one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—so it wasn’t exactly unjust for that kid to carry such a burden.
Still, whether that kid deserved it or not didn’t change the fact that this whole mess was now his problem.
Sasori had already started fighting Kitagawa Gen, and both Kakashi and Jiraiya clearly trusted the boy—because now they were both staring straight at him.
“Kakashi, that guy seems to have a grudge against your father,” Jiraiya muttered under his breath, lips pursed slightly.
“Could he be from Sunagakure?”
Back in the day, Hatake Sakumo had slaughtered enemy shinobi so ruthlessly in the Sand that he’d practically traumatized an entire generation.
“Now’s not the time to be discussing this, Jiraiya-sama.”
Kakashi wasn’t entirely sure of the full story either, but he was certain it had something to do with that sword. With his Sharingan focused sharply on Uchiha Itachi, he spoke in a low voice: “Itachi has a Mangekyō Sharingan. I’ll handle him.”
“Fine. Then I’ll take shark-face.”
Jiraiya nodded, though he still couldn’t help but add a word of caution.
“Be careful. We’re on Iwagakure’s turf—we can’t afford to drag this out. Get as much intel as possible and wrap this up quickly, understood?”
“I understand.”
Kakashi gave a slight nod, then charged straight at Uchiha Itachi. His kunai was already crackling with bright blue lightning.
'This is bad…'
Itachi cursed inwardly. If it hadn’t been for the sunlight reflecting off that kunai, revealing the Flying Thunder God mark on it, he might have been finished right then and there!
But using Susanoo was hardly good news for him either—he was already beginning to feel a dull ache swelling behind his eyes.
“Our last fight ended without a conclusion.”
Kakashi’s voice was cold and composed as he slipped in close, his kunai angling straight for Itachi.
“This time, let’s settle it once and for all.”
...
“Shark-face! I’ve got a few questions for you!”
As Kakashi attacked, Jiraiya sidestepped around and confronted Kisame. The latter didn’t hesitate—he drew his massive Samehada blade at once.
“What a pain… But I’ve been curious to test out the so-called power of the Sannin!”
The three pairs had all begun their battles—leaving behind only Deidara, looking somewhat lost.
Wait a minute. Weren’t those three originally here for him?
So how had he suddenly become the irrelevant one?
“…Whatever. Guess I’ll just watch and see what’s going on. Mm.”
Deidara turned his gaze toward Kitagawa Gen.
It had only been for a split second, but he was certain—there was no way he could’ve mistaken that face.
'This guy… he definitely shares the same vision of art as I do!'
...
"Are you sure you’ve got the right person?"
Kitagawa Gen deftly dodged the tail stinger on Hiruko’s back, raising an eyebrow as he asked with a hint of confusion.
"And if we’re being accurate, my sensei—Hatake Kakashi—is the actual son of Hatake Sakumo. He’s right over there."
"You took his blade. That means you inherited his name."
With a cold snort, Sasori had Hiruko open its mouth wide—dozens of senbon needles shot out in a torrent.
"If Kakashi’s here too, even better. After I finish with you, I’ll deal with him next. You’ll both make fine additions to my collection!"
"Is that so?"
Gen raised one hand, and in an instant, a wall of earth surged up from the ground, intercepting all the poisoned senbon.
But in the very next moment, a short blade crackling with violet lightning burst through the wall and flew straight toward him!
"You're awfully confident for someone who hasn't landed a hit."
And it wasn’t just the blade—Gen’s voice suddenly echoed right beside Sasori’s ear.
[Buzz—]
One slash, and Sasori’s body instantly crumbled!
...
"Yes! That’s it!"
Off to the side, Deidara was visibly thrilled, completely unbothered by the fact that six elite-level shinobi were fighting mere meters away from him—any stray attack could kill him instantly.
...
"Aww, what a shame. When did that guy manage to slip away? What a waste!"
The broken body of Sasori quickly lost its color, and in a matter of seconds, turned into flowing sand.
A sand clone!
After learning that Kitagawa Gen had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, there was no way Sasori would come unprepared.
He knew full well that Hiruko alone couldn’t defeat Gen. That’s why he had to take this seriously—very seriously.
"You're lucky. Before turning you into my next work of art, I’ll let you see one of my finest pieces. This one… is my favorite."
Sasori’s true body now emerged from the other side of the battlefield. Standing beside him was a human puppet—and on the ground lay an open scroll marked with the character for 'Three'.
In an instant, black iron sand spread out and enveloped both Sasori and the Third Kazekage puppet. When facing the Flying Thunder God Technique, defense was everything—if your guard could hold, you had a chance at victory.
"Is that… the Third Kazekage?"
Kakashi and Jiraiya, still locked in combat nearby, both noticed the sudden development. Shock rippled through them.
"The Third Kazekage disappeared before the Third Great Ninja War. His disappearance was the spark that set the war off. Don’t tell me this guy was behind it?"
"This guy really was from Sunagakure?"
A shinobi from the Sand… who assassinated his own Kage—and even turned him into a puppet?
What kind of grudge could drive someone that far?
Just what kind of twisted organization was this? How could it harbor so many monsters?
Still, there was no time to dwell on it. Their opponents were far from easy.
But neither of them doubted Kitagawa Gen—especially not Jiraiya.
"As long as that kid activates Sage Mode and combines it with the Flying Thunder God… even if he can’t win, there’s no one in the ninja world who can stop him from getting away."
There had never been any doubt in his mind about Kitagawa Gen’s abilities—Jiraiya had long recognized just how exceptional the boy was. In fact, he was certain Gen could surpass even Minato.
“The Third Kazekage?”
Kitagawa Gen raised an eyebrow. This kind of defense… felt a lot like Gaara’s.
“So that means… the real culprit behind the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War was you.”
“What do you think?”
Sasori didn’t even bother to explain. Under his control, the iron sand gathered and compressed into countless dense black needles, forming a suffocating curtain of death.
In a flash, a massive wave of iron sand surged toward him, like a crashing tide.
Kitagawa Gen didn’t even flinch. As the iron sand was about to pierce through his body, there was a sudden poof—and the figure before Sasori exploded into smoke.
“A shadow clone?”
Sasori frowned slightly. In the next instant, Gen’s voice rang out from right behind him.
“That’s right. I noticed you’d used a sand clone earlier. I just decided to give you a chance.”
After all, this was the perfect opportunity to gather intel—especially with Jiraiya and the others watching. The Third Kazekage was an ideal specimen to showcase.
Even if he wasn’t entirely sure it would complete the mission, Gen didn’t want to waste a single opportunity.
“Well then…”
As Gen’s lips curled into a faint smirk, and just as Sasori spun around, a surge of natural energy erupted from Gen’s body!
In that instant, a powerful force burst forth—his sleeves fluttering despite no wind, his short hair lifting with the pressure. Crimson markings appeared around his eyes, and his irises turned pure white.
