Sasuke lunged forward in a blur, intent on capturing the target in one swift move.
Seeing no intent for dialogue from the youth, Madam Gao waved her hand. An invisible force struck Sasuke, slamming him backward into the corridor wall with a dull thud.
Madam Gao was far from a normal civilian; she possessed powerful telekinetic abilities, allowing her to move objects and people through space. With a flick of her wrist, she had simply tossed Sasuke aside.
Sasuke dropped to the floor, rising quickly to brush the dust from his clothes. Rock Lee arrived at that moment, and seeing Sasuke thrown back, he assumed they were facing a formidable foe. Just as he was about to engage, Sasuke stopped him.
"Rock Lee, Madam Gao is the prey I'm bringing back. Do not interfere."
Hearing this, Lee didn't object. He stepped to the side, signaling he would stay out of the fight.
Sasuke straightened his collar, his expression turning icy. "You're certainly different from the trash downstairs... but this won't be enough to save you."
The words had barely left his lips when Sasuke charged again. This time, his speed was doubled, his momentum far more aggressive.
Seeing the boy strike again, Gao had no time for words. She immediately channeled her mental energy, weaving an invisible telekinetic barrier to halt his advance.
Sasuke, mid-sprint, instantly sensed the invisible resistance in the air. He let out a sharp cry: "BREAK!"
With a ferocious whip-kick, he shattered the unseen wall as if it were glass. He reached out to grab Gao's shoulder; because he didn't know the extent of her physical durability, he hesitated to use direct lethal force. He feared a single punch might kill the old woman outright, resulting in a failed mission.
Madam Gao let out a muffled groan, her body reeling back. The shattering of her telekinetic shield had dealt her significant internal backlash.
Her barrier wasn't just for show—it could normally withstand the weight of several tons, yet this boy had kicked through it as if it were a paper screen.
As she stumbled back, Gao drew a hidden blade from her cane, slashing toward Sasuke's outstretched hand. Though she was a martial arts master with a surprisingly robust physique, her speed was leagues behind Uchiha Sasuke's.
Sasuke's hand shifted mid-air, snatching Gao's wrist with a crushing grip.
Snap.
The bone shattered instantly. The longsword clattered to the floor, and in one fluid motion, Sasuke executed a back-throw, slamming her violently into the ground.
During the contact, Sasuke realized that while she looked ancient, her body was actually sturdier than the Hand thugs he'd met earlier. He decided to stop holding back so much, no longer fearing he would accidentally kill her with a light touch.
Gao hit the floor but didn't make a sound. The pain of a broken wrist and a shattered spine was nothing compared to the tortures she had endured in her long life.
Grimacing against the pain of her broken concentration, she flared her telekinesis once more. A heavy sofa nearby was hoisted into the air and hurled toward Sasuke.
Sasuke saw the desperate counterattack and simply delivered another whip-kick, exploding the sofa on contact. Foam and wood splinters filled the air.
Realizing her attacks were futile, Gao used a "carp leap" to spring back to her feet. "Who are you? Why do you attack me and the Hand?"
Sasuke replied with disdain: "You talk too much."
Flickering out of sight, he reappeared at her side and threw a heavy punch. He felt the invisible force flare up again—her telekinesis had surged to block the blow.
Though she blocked the hit, Gao was reaching her limit. The over-exertion caused blood to leak from her nose.
Sasuke gave her no room to breathe. He rained down a barrage of punches, finally ending it with a devastating Strong Fist that completely pulverized her telekinetic defense, sending her flying into the wall.
BOOM!
Gao crumpled to the floor, coughing up a mouthful of blood before sliding into unconsciousness.
Sasuke walked over and checked her pulse. Confirming she was still breathing, he let out a sigh of relief. This fight had been incredibly frustrating; because Hayate wanted her alive, Sasuke had to suppress his ninjutsu and limit his physical strength, constantly worrying about overdoing it.
"Sasuke, now that the fight is over, let's take her back," Rock Lee suggested.
Before Sasuke could answer, Iruka arrived. "Let me check her first."
Iruka stepped forward and systematically dislocated Gao's jaw to ensure she wasn't hiding poison in her teeth. He then stuffed a strip of cloth into her mouth and bound her limbs tightly with ninja wire to prevent any chance of suicide or signaling if she woke up.
"There," Iruka said, standing up. "Now there won't be any accidents on the way back."
Sasuke didn't mind the extra caution. In matters of field procedure, Iruka was indeed the most experienced. Sasuke hoisted the bound woman onto his back; he intended to deliver her to Lord Hayate personally.
"Lee, Sasuke, since the mission is a success, let's return to the Agency," Iruka ordered. He turned to the ninja hound. "Pakkun, thank you for your hard work today. You can return to the Summoning Realm."
Pakkun nodded, vanishing in a poof of white smoke. The three ninjas began their descent.
Outside the Building.
Matt Murdock had arrived at the base of the tower. He could sense the lack of life inside, but the scent of blood was overwhelming. He moved cautiously into the lobby.
His radar sense picked up three figures descending from the top, along with a fourth person being carried on someone's back.
At this stage in his career, Matt was still a novice vigilante. He didn't know who Madam Gao was or the depths of her evil; to his ears, he only detected three fast-moving individuals and a bound, gagged person.
He assumed it was a kidnapping.
As the two groups met in the lobby, Matt Murdock blocked their path. "Drop the person you're holding. Hell's Kitchen is no place for your crimes."
The ninjas frowned at the masked man. Sasuke, in particular, immediately clocked Murdock as a member of the Hand. After all, the man's black tactical suit looked remarkably similar to the Hand's "odd costumes" to a ninja's eyes.
Remembering Hayate's order to kill anyone who blocked their path, Sasuke spoke coldly: "Rock Lee, handle this guy. Make it quick so we can leave."