46-50

Chapter 46: Awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan  

“Ding! Successfully fused ten Sharingan! Congratulations, Host, you’ve obtained the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!”  

“Ding! Congratulations, Host, you’ve obtained Izanagi!”  

“Congratulations, Host, you’ve obtained Izanami!”  

“Congratulations, Host, you’ve obtained Kotoamatsukami!”  

“Holy crap! Not only did I get the ultimate cheat techniques like Izanagi and Izanami, but I also got the strongest genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami?! Doesn’t that mean anyone within the range of my dōjutsu is basically my puppet now? This is too awesome, too insane, too… freaking unreal!”  

Kazama was so hyped he could barely string words together.  

But the system’s next words were like a bucket of cold water dumped right on his head.  

“Ding! Friendly reminder, Host: Both Izanagi and Izanami are forbidden among forbidden techniques. Using either one will result in permanent blindness.”  

“What?! So these techniques are one-and-done?!”  

“Correct. As for Kotoamatsukami, since the Host is not Uchiha Shisui himself and lacks the cells of the Shodaime Hokage to enhance physical resilience, using Kotoamatsukami will have a cooldown of fifteen years!”  

“Damn it! So Izanagi, Izanami, and Kotoamatsukami are just for show?!”  

Kazama was speechless, his excitement crashing hard.  

He’d been dreaming of using these three techniques to dominate the Naruto world, crushing every shinobi in his path and boosting his power to the max.  

But these restrictions were way too brutal.  

Sure, Kazama still had his equally OP Strange Flames and the Fen Jue system, which could absorb and nullify any attack. But man, he really wanted to spam Izanagi, Izanami, and Kotoamatsukami without limits!  

“System, isn’t there any way around this?”  

“If the Host wishes to use these three techniques without restrictions, you must obtain the Strange Flame known as Fallen Heart Flame. This flame can refine your qi and temper your bones, constantly enhancing the chakra in your body and strengthening every cell. With it, your physique could rival—or even surpass—that of the Shodaime Hokage!”  

“Fallen Heart Flame?! That’s practically a cultivation cheat code! I’m about to get Wind Fury Dragon Flame soon, and after that, it’s Volcanic Stone Flame, Fire Cloud Water Flame, Sea Heart Flame, and then Fallen Heart Flame. There’s a few flames to go, but that’s no big deal for me. Especially now, during the Chūnin Exams—I can just absorb attacks from all the ninja there to speed up getting Fallen Heart Flame. And when I do… haha!”  

Kazama couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the thought.  

“The Chūnin Exams should be at the third stage now, the one-on-one battles. Alright, time to head back to the arena and start absorbing enemy ninjutsu in the fights!”  

Just as Kazama made up his mind and prepared to leave the Root hideout, he suddenly remembered Zabuza and Haku, who were outside fighting Danzō’s goons.  

“How’s their fight going?”  

At that moment, Zabuza and Haku were in rough shape, battered and bloodied by Danzō’s underlings, Yamanaka Fū and Aburame Torune.  

It looked like they were about to meet their end, but they still refused to back down.  

“Hmph! You two traitors from Kirigakure dare to cause trouble at Root? Let’s see how I take your pathetic lives!”  

Just as Danzō’s two lackeys raised their blades to finish off Zabuza and Haku, a massive red skeleton appeared out of nowhere, blocking their attack.  

It enveloped Zabuza and Haku, shielding them completely.  

This towering red skeleton was none other than Kazama’s Susanoo.  

Now that Kazama had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he could use Susanoo as much as he wanted, with zero side effects.  

“You… you’re Sanada Kazama!”  

Danzō’s two goons were stunned when they saw Kazama appear.  

Sanada Kazama was already on Root’s kill-on-sight list, and they never expected him to just waltz right in. 

Chapter 47: Winning Over Danzo’s Subordinates 

“Give it up! Danzo’s dead now, so there’s no need for you to keep fighting for him.” 

Kazama spoke calmly, effortlessly deflecting attacks from Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune. 

“Utter nonsense! Danzo-sama is a master of unparalleled strength. There’s no way a kid like you could defeat him! Prepare to die!” 

With that, Aburame Torune unleashed his trump card. 

“Secret Technique: Poison Dust Jutsu!” 

“Amaterasu!” 

Kazama countered with a tri-colored Amaterasu infused with otherworldly flames, instantly incinerating the poisonous dust in midair. 

“Mind Transfer Jutsu!” 

“Tsukuyomi!” 

Before Yamanaka Fu could complete his technique, Kazama pulled both him and Torune into the illusionary world of Tsukuyomi. 

“Killing you two would be child’s play,” Kazama said. “But since you haven’t committed any great evils, I’m sparing your lives. I killed Danzo to avenge the Sanada clan, not to make an enemy of Konoha. Now, I’m giving you two choices: one, be tortured to death in my Tsukuyomi genjutsu; or two, swear loyalty to me from this day forward. Danzo treated you like tools, but I’ll treat you as comrades, standing by your side through thick and thin!” 

Hearing Kazama’s words and feeling the terrifying weight of his power, Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune realized he wasn’t lying. It seemed Danzo really had been defeated by this guy. 

And truth be told, Danzo had never treated them well. 

As the saying goes, people climb to higher places, just as water flows to lower ones. 

With that in mind, Fu and Torune immediately pledged their loyalty to Kazama. 

“Excellent! From now on, you’ll work alongside Zabuza and Haku. It won’t be long before Orochimaru leads his forces to attack Konoha. You’ll seize the opportunity to intercept Orochimaru’s subordinates, while I take on Orochimaru himself!” 

“Yes, sir!” 

After giving his orders, Kazama invoked the Yang Flame power of his Yin-Yang Dual Flames. 

In an instant, Zabuza and Haku’s injuries were completely healed. 

Seeing Kazama’s flames work such a miracle—restoring the wounded to full health in mere moments—Fu and Torune’s respect for him deepened even further. 

The four of them then set out to carry out Kazama’s commands. 

Meanwhile, Kazama returned to the third stage of the Chunin Exams. 

Once his clone was out of sight, Kazama himself appeared beside Naruto. 

As he dispelled his Wood Release clone, Kazama received a message from it that left him torn between laughter and frustration. 

It turned out Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke had already completed their exams. 

Naruto, in particular, had used the Thousand Years of Death Barrage—a technique Kazama had taught him—to defeat Inuzuka Kiba, even curing Kiba’s constipation in the process. 

But Kazama? He was so strong that no one dared to challenge him. 

“Damn it! I was hoping to absorb other ninjas’ jutsu during the matches to unlock the Fallen Heart Flame!” 

Just as the Third Hokage was about to declare the preliminary exams over, a scruffy-looking ninja stepped forward. 

“Why hasn’t anyone fought Sanada Kazama? Isn’t this just letting him advance automatically? I’m not okay with that!” 

The other competing ninjas snickered at the guy’s foolishness. 

It wasn’t that no one fought Kazama—it was that no one dared to. 

“So, are you saying you want to challenge Sanada Kazama?” asked the proctor, Moonlight Gale, barely suppressing a laugh as he approached the ninja. 

“That’s right! I, Hyuga Heppei, will take on Sanada Kazama in a duel!” 

“Who the heck is this Hyuga Heppei? He’s got the guts to challenge a monster like Sanada Kazama?” 

The crowd buzzed with curiosity about this mysterious Hyuga Heppei. 

Chapter 48: The Plan to Destroy Konoha  

“Word is, this guy’s a son-in-law who married into the Hyūga clan. Loves picking on easy targets,” someone in the crowd whispered, kicking off the gossip. 

“Oh yeah? He’s probably got Sanada Kazama pegged as a soft persimmon since he hasn’t made a move yet,” another chimed in. 

“I heard he’s been married into the Hyūga for a while but still hasn’t… you know, sealed the deal,” someone else snickered. 

“Haha! What a waste of a son-in-law gig!”  

The crowd was buzzing with chatter when Kazama stepped onto the arena stage.  

He was practically itching for a fight when he saw someone willing to challenge him.  

“Sanada Kazama, at your service. Let’s have a good match!”  

“Good match? Pfft, save it! The Hyūga clan doesn’t waste time teaching punks like you. Let’s see how fast I can thrash you!”  

Hyūga Heppei clearly thought Kazama was an easy mark, launching into a flurry of rapid attacks right off the bat.  

“Whoa, damn! No wonder he’s still a bachelor—look at that hand speed!”  

The crowd below erupted in laughter.  

“Boring,” Kazama muttered.  

Hyūga Heppei seemed to only know how to throw kunai and shuriken, with no real ninjutsu to back it up. Kazama was done wasting time.  

Plus, this guy had mouthed off earlier, so Kazama figured he’d teach him a lesson.  

In a flash, he used Shunshin no Jutsu to zip behind Heppei. Before the guy could even react, Kazama hit him with a Thousand Years of Death, sending him flying out of the arena.  

After that little spectacle, the crowd couldn’t help but notice Kazama seemed even stronger than before. They were all quietly relieved they weren’t the ones who’d faced him.  

But just then, chaos broke out. Up in the stands, the Fourth Kazekage suddenly took the Third Hokage hostage.  

At the same moment, a blood-curdling roar echoed from outside the exam grounds.  

With that terrifying sound, the massive form of Shukaku, the One-Tail, loomed into view.  

“Orochimaru’s making his move early!”  

Seeing Shukaku appear and the Third Hokage held captive, Kazama knew this was Orochimaru’s plan—teaming up with Sunagakure to destroy Konoha.  

The “Kazekage” holding the Third wasn’t the real deal—it was Orochimaru in disguise.  

If things played out like in the manga, the Third Hokage would die after using the forbidden Shiki Fūjin technique in this battle.  

But with Kazama here, there was no way he’d let the Third go down.  

“Orochimaru!”  

Kazama activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, ready to unleash Amaterasu on the snake bastard.  

But Orochimaru, as slippery as ever, had anticipated this and quickly positioned the Third Hokage as a shield.  

“I knew that old geezer Danzō couldn’t take you out, Kazama. Go ahead, try hitting me! Let’s see who goes down first—me or the Third!”  

“Damn it!”  

Seeing Orochimaru use the Third as a human shield, Kazama halted his Amaterasu.  

The Third, calm as ever, called out to him, “Forget about me! Stop Shukaku from destroying Konoha!”  

“Fine!”  

Kazama knew Orochimaru wouldn’t kill the Third right away. So, he decided to deal with Shukaku first, then come back to help the Third take down Orochimaru.  

“This is exactly what you wanted, isn’t it, Orochimaru?”  

After Kazama left, the Third shot a cold glare at his former student.  

“You know me too well, don’t you, Sensei Sarutobi? Honestly, that monster Kazama’s a bit much for me to handle. But now that he’s gone, your time’s up.”  

“Ninpō: Shishi Enjin!”  

At that moment, Orochimaru’s four lackeys sprang into action, casting the Four Violet Flames Formation to trap the Third Hokage. 

Chapter 49: Transforming into Shukaku, the One-Tail 

“You won’t get out of here unless you kill me, Sensei Sarutobi!” 

“Kazama! Konoha’s future rests with you now!” 

As the Third Hokage clashed fiercely with Orochimaru, Kazama had already reached the location of Shukaku, the One-Tail. 

“Damn it! I clearly warned Gaara before, so why is he still helping Orochimaru attack Konoha?” 

Gaara was the Jinchuriki of Shukaku, the One-Tail. 

Since Shukaku had now appeared, it was obvious that Gaara had used the Feigned Sleep Technique, unleashing the full power of the One-Tail. 

“Gaara’s under a genjutsu!”  

At that moment, Kankuro and Temari arrived beside Kazama. 

“Gaara told us what you said to him,” Temari explained. “But when he went to ask the Fourth Kazekage about it, the Kazekage had already been killed by Orochimaru. Gaara stayed behind to cover our escape, but Orochimaru used a genjutsu to control him.” 

“So that’s how it is. Orochimaru really will stop at nothing!” Kazama said, his voice laced with disgust. 

“What do we do now?” Kankuro asked. “The Fourth Kazekage is dead, and the Third Hokage is tied up fighting Orochimaru. Without a Kage-level ninja, we can’t hope to contain Shukaku’s rampaging power!” 

As Gaara’s older siblings, Kankuro and Temari were all too aware of the terrifying strength of the One-Tail. 

“Since Gaara has unleashed Shukaku, I have no choice but to transform into Shukaku myself and face him head-on,” Kazama said. “If I can absorb some of Shukaku’s attack power in the process, it’ll boost my own strength and help me unlock the Fallen Heart Flame faster!” 

With that, Kazama began gathering chakra, preparing to transform into Shukaku. 

Because he had previously absorbed some of Naruto’s Nine-Tails chakra, he had gained the ability to transform into the One-Tail. 

“What are you doing?” Temari asked, bewildered as she watched Kazama focus his chakra. 

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to take on Shukaku one-on-one!” Kankuro blurted out. 

“What? You think I can’t handle it?” Kazama shot back. 

“Come on! That’s a Tailed Beast we’re talking about!” Temari protested. “Even if it’s just the One-Tail, it’s way beyond what any ninja can handle. No matter how strong you are, you can’t fight a Tailed Beast!” 

“Yeah, save your energy!” Kankuro added. 

“If you’ve got time to lecture me, you’d better get out of the way!” Kazama snapped. 

“Why—” 

“Holy crap!” 

Before Kankuro could finish, he was suddenly blasted hundreds of meters away by the sheer force of Kazama’s unleashed chakra. 

“Come forth, Shukaku!” 

With Kazama’s roar, two identical Shukaku appeared before everyone’s eyes. 

“Orochimaru, you madman! You actually created two Shukaku?!”  

The Third Hokage’s furious shout rang out, but Orochimaru himself was just as confused by the situation. 

What the hell is going on? Why are there two Shukaku? he wondered, stunned. 

But to keep up his façade in front of the Third Hokage, he forced a cold smirk and resumed their battle. 

“I’m not seeing things, am I? Sanada Kazama’s a Jinchuriki for Shukaku too?!”  

Kankuro, still reeling from being blasted back, rubbed his eyes in disbelief. 

“Idiot! There’s no way there could be two Shukaku in this world!” Temari snapped. 

“Then why the heck can Sanada Kazama turn into Shukaku?!” Kankuro demanded, even more confused. 

“How should I know? That Sanada Kazama’s always been a freak. It’s not that surprising he can transform into Shukaku!” Temari retorted. 

But despite her words, Temari was just as shocked as Kankuro deep down. 

Chapter 50: Transforming into the Two-Tails Matatabi  

She couldn’t wrap her head around it—how could Kazama, who wasn’t a jinchūriki, transform into the One-Tail Shukaku?  

While Kankurō and Temari stood there, stunned by Kazama’s transformation, the Shukaku that Kazama had become was already locked in a fierce battle with Gaara’s true Shukaku.  

Sure, Gaara was the real jinchūriki of the One-Tail, but Kazama had somehow mastered all of Shukaku’s powers.  

After a few rounds, it was actually Gaara’s Shukaku that started to falter.  

On top of Shukaku’s strength, Kazama also wielded six different kinds of strange flames within him. Even Shukaku’s near-invincible defenses were getting scorched and battered by Kazama’s flames.  

“Damn you! You dare copy my look and make it this ugly? I’m gonna make you pay!” Gaara’s Shukaku roared.  

“Is this guy some kind of delinquent? Calling himself ‘ore-sama’ like that, what’s with the attitude?” Kazama chuckled to himself, amused by Shukaku’s trash talk.  

“Tailed Beast Ball!”  

While Kazama was snickering at Shukaku’s tone, a massive Tailed Beast Ball came hurtling straight at him.  

“Perfect timing! Let’s see what kind of power I get from absorbing this!”  

With that thought, Kazama stood his ground, letting the powerful Tailed Beast Ball slam right into him.  

“Yoohoo! Direct hit! Die, you fake!”  

Seeing the Tailed Beast Ball strike Kazama, Gaara’s Shukaku danced with glee.  

But what happened next left the cackling Shukaku frozen in place.  

Not only did the Tailed Beast Ball fail to take Kazama down, but Kazama’s Shukaku form absorbed it into his body.  

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for absorbing the One-Tail Shukaku’s Tailed Beast Ball! You have gained the power of the Two-Tails Matatabi! You can now transform into Matatabi’s true form and use all of its abilities!  

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the sixth strange flame, Wind Fury Dragon Flame! This flame is born in the eye of a fiery tornado, forming a blazing vortex that turns everything in its path into a sea of fire. It is the ultimate fusion of wind and fire, amplifying the Host’s Wind Release techniques to their maximum potential!  

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Volcanic Stone Flame! This flame is the spirit of ancient volcanoes, forged through countless trials. It enhances the Host’s defensive capabilities to the extreme, allowing their physical body alone to withstand a full-powered Tailed Beast attack!  

“Awesome! I never expected absorbing a single Tailed Beast Ball would give me two strange flames! At this rate, getting my hands on the Fallen Heart Flame is closer than ever!”  

Kazama had thought gaining the Two-Tails’ power was lucky enough, but scoring two new strange flames on top of that? His strength was skyrocketing like a rocket!  

“Alright, let’s see how you like my Tailed Beast Ball! Come on out, Two-Tails Matatabi!”  

While Gaara’s Shukaku was racking its brain, trying to figure out how to beat this impostor, Kazama suddenly transformed again—this time into Shukaku’s old rival, the Two-Tails Matatabi!  

“Orochimaru, you bastard! You went and made a Two-Tails Matatabi now?!”  

The Third Hokage, still locked in combat with Orochimaru, caught sight of the Two-Tails appearing before Shukaku. Cold sweat poured down his face as he started yelling at Orochimaru.  

“Hey, old man! Don’t pin this on me! I’ve got no clue where this Two-Tails came from!”  

Orochimaru was already thrown off by the appearance of two Shukakus. Now, with a Two-Tails Matatabi showing up, he was starting to think this place was too dangerous to stick around.  

If a Three-Tails or Four-Tails showed up next… forget Konoha, he’d be the one buried here!