As Naruto and Sasuke continued their pursuit, further away, Logan was nearing the border of the Land of Fire.
From afternoon through the entire night, he had stumbled his way across a considerable distance. Recognizing the landscape, Logan confirmed his location based on his past experiences.
'With Itachi covering me, there shouldn't be any big issue. But I wonder what are going to happen to those two brothers." Logan mused while advancing. With Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, Logan knew that even if he couldn't win, he could always escape safely. Logan's main concern was Itachi and Sasuke's meeting.
Their encounter happened a bit earlier than in the original work, but Logan believed the initial confrontation wouldn't differ too much… Just minutes ago, he had heard the piercing sound breaking the night, the familiar noise unmistakably belonged to the Chidori. It was clear that Sasuke had wasted no time attacking upon seeing Itachi.
Logan, who had watched the anime, could vividly imagine the tragic love-hate battle between the brothers. He sighed, 'Itachi was willing to make himself the object of Sasuke's hatred just so Sasuke could grow stronger, but it was destined to end in tragedy.'
Logan planned to talk with Itachi about it when they met, and perhaps they could discuss these matters.
'Hopefully Sasuke won't be too stubborn. Itachi definitely won't hold back. If he grabs Sasuke's head and says 'Foolish little brother' before unleashing Tsukuyomi, that would be rough.' Logan jumped onto a tree branch and then leapt to an even higher perch.
Logan had never been caught in Tsukuyomi and certainly didn't wish to experience it. Everyone who had suffered under its influence could attest to how excruciating the Genjutsu was through their external reactions.
As Logan's strength gradually recovered, by the time he reached the border of the Land of Fire, his rejuvenated state might just coincide with Itachi and Kisame's withdrawal. They would then regroup after taking a detour.
Once the pursuers were shaken off, Logan's overt connection with Konoha might just end there.
His movements became less clumsy. After reaching a higher spot, he found no further open space to traverse. He was too familiar with navigating the dense native forests, effortlessly darting upwards, pushing aside crisscrossed branches, and gradually clearing his vision.
After breaking through the thick canopy, he perched on a tree far taller than the others around.
"This is…"
A vast expanse of forest lay beneath him. The moonlight was dim, and the pitch-black sea of trees lay quietly, with soft ripples stirred occasionally by a gentle breeze.
What caught Logan's attention was the view where the horizon met the sky in the distance. From this high vantage point, he could tell he was indeed close to the Land of Fire's border.
Despite the hazy outlines in the distance, Logan's sharp eyes recognized the familiar silhouette.
Valley of the End.
"A significant 'landmark,' huh?" Logan murmured, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
This was the site of the legendary battle between Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara, a valley flanked by colossal statues of the two Ninja, with a waterfall and river in between.
This place played a pivotal role in the Naruto story, symbolizing the beginning of all conflicts, bridging the past and the future. It was the perfect backdrop for a full-circle narrative.
The location evoked many thoughts for Logan. He had once come to pay respects, but his current circumstances were vastly different.
Sensing something, Logan glanced back in the direction he had come from. Someone was approaching, and the movement of shadows below indicated something passing through the dense forest.
Uncertain of who was pursuing him, Logan utilized the moonlight. A few leaves were swept away by the swiftly moving air currents. Ahead lay the Valley of the End, beyond which was the Land of Fire's border.
'What a coincidence.'
'Itachi said that he would hold off Jiraiya, so he would most likely manage it, after all, he had the strength for it. Which means, it was probably Naruto who had caught up.'
'Sasuke may have been lying unconscious after being hit by Tsukuyomi.' Logan guessed. He jumped off the treetop and plummeted into the forest, continuing onward.
'If it's just Naruto… well, that should still be quite easy.'
Logan had set himself up with a flag, and when he reached the head of the Madara's statue at the Valley of the End, his senses told him that two people were following behind.
"Sasuke's here too, huh." Logan muttered with a smirk, 'Well, it seems that Itachi hadn't bullied him.'
The roar of the waterfall soon drowned out all other sounds, making it difficult to focus on any noise from behind. Logan arrived at the valley, where a glimmering stream flowed past his feet. He followed it, and as the rushing water grew louder, he finally took in the full view of the Valley of the End. Glancing back, he noticed that the two kids had not yet caught up.
Everyone had been running for a long time, so exhaustion was natural. Logan stepped onto a protruding rock and swiftly climbed to the top of Madara's statue.
'From here, it would be even harder for them to track him. Konoha would likely halt Team 7's mission upon crossing the border into another nation.' Logan stood atop the statue, a much higher vantage point than the previous treetop, where the dark sky seemed even closer, 'Was it nearing dawn?'
Logan gazed out over the vast scenery, standing on the borderline between Konoha and a foreign country. He thought about something but chose not to continue forward.
'Maybe I should wait for those two.' Yu Xiaobai thought silently. Even if his strength hadn't fully returned, his movement capabilities far exceeded those of the two Genin. When they eventually confronted him, they would definitely fight to the bitter end. Now that he had reached the Valley of the End ahead of them, he could avoid this hassle, but at the last moment, something compelled Logan not to take the easy way out.
No one getting hurt and everyone leaving quietly would be ideal. But as Logan looked down at the ground beneath him, he couldn't shake the feeling that if he fled this battle, something would be lost. Sometimes, facing each other directly is the best way to avoid regrets, whether it's a confession, a conversation, or a farewell. For Logan, this confrontation was his form of expression.
'Ah, there's one more thing.' Suddenly, Logan found a good reason.
He removed his forehead protector.
The strap slipped from his grip, and holding the symbol of his identity in his palm, Logan pulled out a kunai and murmured to himself, "Can't forget the formalities..." Then, he aimed at the symbol of Konoha Village.
Logan fell silent, gazing at it for a long while before finally carving a clear, deliberate slash across the forehead protector.
"Phew." Logan exhaled, completing this simple yet emotionally taxing task. From this point on, the mark of a Missing-nin was etched into his identity.
Logan lifted his head, gazing in the direction of the waterfall cascading down the valley. The faint rustling of leaves was drowned out by the roar of the water, while the setting moon cast its final dim light over the night. From the edge of the forest, two figures emerged.
Logan tightened the strap and retied the forehead protector that now bore a fresh scar.
Naruto and Sasuke finally stepped out of the forest. They had almost lost hope. Despite their best efforts to move as fast as possible, they were still too late in reaching the border. Yet, to their surprise, the person they had chased all night stood calmly atop the statue.
"Hattori-sensei!" Naruto called out.
The two of them panted, teeth clenched, as they looked up at the figure, backlit by the pale moonlight, who responded with a faint nod.