41-45

*Chapter 41: The Three-Colored Amaterasu*

“A bunch of small-fry like you actually made it this far? You guys must have some serious luck!”

The three Oto-nin smirked as they eyed Sasuke, who stood at the front.

They’d been ordered by Orochimaru to take out Sasuke.

What they didn’t know was that their boss had already been driven off by Kazama.

If they had, not even eating a bear’s heart or a leopard’s gall would’ve given them the guts to show up here.

“Hmph! I was just itching for a fight, and you idiots walked right into it!”

Sasuke’s eyes lit up at the sight of the enemy ninja.

He’d been dying to show off his skills in front of Naruto and Sakura, maybe flex a little.

He wanted them to see him in a new light.

So, before the three Oto-nin could even make a move, Sasuke charged at them first.

“Well, look at this guy! Pretty bold, huh? Daring to attack us?”

The Oto-nin had been gunning for Sasuke from the start, so seeing him come straight at them only made them sneer.

They unleashed their signature soundwave attack.

Sasuke barely had time to process what was happening before his ears were assaulted by a deafening roar, his world spinning.

Then, it felt like his entire body was pummeled by countless strikes.

Finally, he crashed hard to the ground.

All that flashy action, and he ended up looking like a total fool.

“How’s that, kid? Tried to show off and ended up showing your ass instead, huh? Haha!”

The Oto-nin’s mocking laughter sent Sasuke into a humiliated rage.

He immediately activated his two-tomoe Sharingan.

“Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!”

“Oh, getting serious now, are we?”

The three Oto-nin didn’t flinch as Sasuke’s fireball roared toward them.

With their soundwave attack, they completely shattered his Katon.

“Man, you’re pathetic! And you call yourself an Uchiha? More like the Shit-Eating Clan!”

“You bastards! How dare you insult my family!”

Sasuke had always taken pride in being an Uchiha, so their insults made his blood boil, his whole body trembling with fury.

But his skills just weren’t enough to take on these three.

After a few exchanges, he was beaten back, retreating again and again.

“This is the strength of genin in the Chunin Exams? They’re this strong?”

For the first time, Sasuke realized just how small his power was compared to other genin.

All this time, Kazama had been carrying them, shouldering the heavy load.

Without him, they wouldn’t have even made it past the first stage!

“Damn it! How dare you mess with my teammates! Get your filthy hands off them!”

Naruto, never one to stand by, unleashed his go-to move: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

Sure, he and Sasuke bickered all the time, but when push came to shove, Naruto wouldn’t let his teammates get bullied.

“Heh, another fearless runt stepping up to die!”

“You jerks! I’ll take you all down!”

With a furious roar, Naruto sent dozens of shadow clones charging at the Oto-nin.

But he hadn’t yet mastered the finer points of Kage Bunshin.

The result? Just like Sasuke, he ended up beaten to a pulp, face swollen and bruised.

“Again! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!”

Naruto was the durable type, so he summoned even more clones, ready to overwhelm them with a war of attrition.

But before he could act, the enemy pinpointed his real body and sent him sprawling with a single blow.

“Nothing but trash!”

The Oto-nin gloated, stepping on Naruto and Sasuke’s faces as they lay defeated.

“Please, let us go! I’ll give you the Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth right now!”

Seeing Naruto and Sasuke taken down so quickly, Sakura was trembling in fear.

“Well, well, I didn’t notice there was a little cutie here!”

One of the Oto-nin approached with a sleazy grin.

“Our mission is to kill Sasuke. Let’s finish the job and get out of here!”

“Relax, let me have a little fun first!”

At those words, Sakura fainted from sheer terror.

“She’s out? Even better—more fun for me! Haha!”

“You bastards!”

Naruto and Sasuke tried to intervene, but their injuries were too severe—they couldn’t even move.

“You two just stay there and watch me show off what a real man can do! Haha!”

“Amaterasu!”

At that critical moment, a three-colored flame erupted out of nowhere, instantly reducing the Oto-nin to nothing.

*Chapter 42: The Revenge Officially Begins*

“What the hell kind of jutsu is this?! It’s freaking terrifying!”

The two remaining Sound ninja froze, their hearts gripped by the icy breath of death. Just moments ago, their comrade was alive and kicking—now reduced to nothing by a single blaze.

“This technique is called Amaterasu! But it’s far beyond your ordinary Amaterasu!”

Kazama, having successfully fused with the Qinglian Earth Core Fire, spoke calmly as he lifted the unconscious Sakura into his arms.

“Kazama!”

Naruto’s voice rang out with excitement from nearby as he spotted Kazama. Even Sasuke, who usually scoffed at Kazama’s antics, couldn’t hide his relief.

Without Kazama earlier, Sasuke had felt it firsthand—navigating the Forest of Death without him was like wading through quicksand.

“Quit acting so damn high and mighty!”

The two Sound ninja, though scared out of their wits, refused to take Kazama seriously. They figured their fallen comrade had just been careless, letting Kazama get the drop on him.

Now that they were on guard, there was no way Kazama could beat them.

“Amaterasu this, ‘not ordinary’ that—shine your mom’s face, you poser!”

“Yeah, can’t even name your own jutsu properly, and you’re trying to flex on us Sound ninja? Eat crap!”

Kazama smirked coldly at the Sound ninja’s arrogance, even as they stood on death’s doorstep.

“Killing you two clowns would be child’s play. But since you hurt my teammate, I’m gonna show you what real terror looks like before you die!”

“Tch, scare your mom, you punk! We’re born fearless—what’s so scary about you?”

As the two oblivious Sound ninja kept hurling insults at Kazama, a faint red skeleton flickered into existence around him.

Tendons, armor, wings on its back, and legs formed rapidly, completing a towering, mountain-like figure. Its aura was even more overwhelming than a Tailed Beast’s, making the vast Forest of Death seem puny in comparison.

“Just how strong has Kazama gotten?!”

Back in the village, the Third Hokage, watching the Chunin Exams through his crystal ball, was drawn in by Kazama’s jaw-dropping display.

“This kind of power… even I might not be able to match it!”

As the Hokage gaped, cracks began spiderwebbing across his crystal ball.

“Is this the power of a god, the Susanoo that brings certain death to anyone who lays eyes on it?”

Sasuke, an Uchiha himself, stared in awe at his clan’s forbidden technique. But this Susanoo was far larger, far more terrifying than the one Kazama had used in the Land of Waves.

“This is the Perfect Susanoo!”

As if answering Sasuke’s shock, Kazama’s low voice echoed.

The two Sound ninja below, insignificant as ants, collapsed to the ground, their eyes hollow with fear.

“Killing chickens doesn’t require a butcher’s blade, but I, Kazama Sanada, love using a butcher’s blade for chickens!”

With a flash, two massive Susanoo swords crashed down.

The apocalyptic force obliterated everything in its path.

Forget the two Sound ninja—the entire Forest of Death was leveled in an instant.

“Is this kid insane?! It’s just a Chunin Exam—put on a show and call it a day! Did he really need to make this big a mess?”

The Third Hokage sighed, exasperated.

He quickly led a squad of Anbu to the Forest of Death, erecting a barrier to contain the Perfect Susanoo’s devastating power and protect the Hidden Leaf Village.

“Lord Kazama’s signal!”

Zabuza and Haku, who had been waiting on the outskirts of the village, seized the chaos to slip into the Hidden Leaf.

Kazama’s use of the Perfect Susanoo wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision—it was a calculated move.

He’d unleashed it to sow chaos, giving Zabuza and Haku the perfect chance to infiltrate the village.

Because Kazama’s revenge against Danzo was finally set to begin.

*Chapter 43: Preparing to Absorb Izanagi*

“Next up, Mokuton Bunshin!”

While the power of his Susanoo still lingered, Kazama quickly summoned a Wood Release clone to continue the Chunin Exams, keeping up appearances.

Meanwhile, his real body slipped away from the Forest of Death while no one was paying attention.

“Kazama-sama!”

Zabuza and Haku let out a sigh of relief when they saw him appear.

Konoha was crawling with skilled ninja, and without Kazama by their side, the two of them wouldn’t have been able to take a single step.

“The Third Hokage and most of Konoha’s ninja have been lured to the Forest of Death. No time to waste—let’s move!”

“Got it!”

Zabuza and Haku immediately followed close behind Kazama, heading toward Danzo’s Root headquarters.

Originally, Kazama had planned to act during the chaos of Orochimaru’s attack on Konoha.

But after beating Orochimaru half to death, Kazama wasn’t sure when—or if—Orochimaru would make his move.

Plus, while the Qinglian Earth Core Flame had helped delay the blindness in his Mangekyo Sharingan, it was only a temporary fix.

He needed to get his hands on Danzo’s Sharingan as soon as possible to fuse them into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Kazama already had a plan.

He’d go all out from the start, forcing Danzo to use Izanagi.

Then, he’d seize the opportunity to absorb the power of Izanagi, which would grant him the power of Izanami.

After all, Izanami and Izanagi were two sides of the same coin.

Once he used Izanami to seal Danzo’s fate, he could fuse the remaining ten Sharingan.

Zabuza and Haku would handle Danzo’s subordinates, leaving Kazama free to focus entirely on Danzo.

“Listen up! Your job is to keep the enemy busy and stop them from helping Danzo. If things get too dangerous and your lives are at risk, pull back immediately.”

“Don’t worry, Kazama-sama! We’ll get it done!”

Hearing Kazama prioritize their safety—telling them to retreat if their lives were in danger—Zabuza and Haku were deeply moved.

For ninja, dying to complete a mission was their duty.

But Kazama’s words didn’t make them more likely to flee. Instead, they became even more fiercely loyal to him.

“Orochimaru’s here too!”

Kazama suddenly sensed both Danzo and Orochimaru at Root’s headquarters.

“Looks like Danzo’s one of the masterminds behind the plan to destroy Konoha!”

“You didn’t even tell me Konoha had a monster like that! I nearly got wrecked!”

Hearing Orochimaru’s complaints, Danzo let out a cold smirk.

He knew the “monster” Orochimaru was talking about was none other than Sanada Kazama.

Kazama’s antics in the Forest of Death had made him the talk of Konoha.

“What, a mere Sanada Kazama scared you this badly? Is this really Orochimaru, one of the Sannin?”

“Cut the crap! I’m asking you—how are we supposed to pull off our plan to kill the Third Hokage with a monster like Sanada Kazama around?”

“Don’t worry. You stick to the original plan. I’ll handle Sanada Kazama.”

“You? Handle him?”

As soon as Sanada Kazama arrived, he unleashed an Amaterasu infused with three Strange Flames: the Yin-Yang Dual Flame, the Nether Poison Flame, and the Qinglian Earth Core Flame.

Orochimaru, who’d already suffered at Kazama’s hands, saw this Amaterasu was even stronger than before.

Fear gripped him, and he bolted without a second thought.

“Danzo! This monster’s all yours! Haha!”

“You bastard!”

Cursing under his breath, Danzo dodged Kazama’s three-colored Amaterasu with lightning speed.

*Chapter 44: Toying with Danzo, Leveling Up Like Crazy*

Kazama’s Amaterasu, infused with three different flames, was far beyond anything Danzo could handle.

Desperate, Danzo hurriedly summoned a Wood Release clone, barely managing to block Kazama’s tri-colored Amaterasu.

“That’s right! Danzo’s got the First Hokage’s cells grafted into him, so he can use Wood Release. I only know Wood Release: Clone for now. Since he’s still alive, I’ll force him to hit me with his Wood Release techniques. That way, I can absorb them and unlock even stronger Wood Release ninjutsu. Plus, his Wind Release is no joke either. Perfect—make him use everything, and I’ll absorb it all!”

In Kazama’s eyes, Danzo was no longer a threat but a walking power-up pill, ripe for the taking.

“Who would’ve thought a failure from the Sanada clan could have this kind of strength?!”

Even as Danzo was forced to retreat step by step, he still refused to take Kazama seriously.

To him, the Sanada clan was trash, and Kazama, the clan’s dead-last, was the trashiest of all.

“You’re the one scrambling like a rat. So who’s the real trash here?”

Kazama deliberately let the Amaterasu flames chase Danzo, careful not to actually harm him.

His goal? Humiliate Danzo and goad him into unleashing more ninjutsu.

That way, Kazama could absorb them and gain even stronger techniques.

“You little punk! You think I’m some weakling just because I haven’t gone all out?!”

Danzo, humiliated by being pushed around by a kid like Kazama, exploded with rage.

No longer caring whether he could actually beat Kazama, he unleashed every trick in his arsenal, determined to take him down.

“Wood Release: Piercing Tree Barrage!”

Danzo’s right arm morphed into a massive tree, surging toward Kazama with terrifying speed.

This technique was a perfect blend of offense and defense, capable of both attacking and shielding against counterattacks.

Against a normal opponent, it’d leave them half-dead at best.

But Danzo was up against Kazama, who could absorb and nullify any ninjutsu.

His Wood Release, impressive as it looked, couldn’t touch Kazama.

So Kazama didn’t even bother dodging. He stood there, letting Danzo’s Wood Release hit him full-on.

Ding! Successfully absorbed Wood Release: Piercing Tree Barrage! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Wood Release: Root Explosion Burial! This technique summons a giant tree to encircle and instantly detonate around the enemy!

Ding! Absorb five more ninjutsu to obtain the sixth flame, Wind Fury Dragon Flame!

Not only did Kazama gain a new Wood Release technique, but he was also one step closer to his sixth flame. He could barely contain his excitement.

“Your Wood Release is pathetic. Let me show you my Wood Release! Root Explosion Burial!”

Danzo was still reeling, confused why his Wood Release hadn’t hurt Kazama.

Now, seeing Kazama unleash a Wood Release technique even stronger than his own, he was utterly floored.

How could Kazama use Wood Release?!

Danzo only had it because of the First Hokage’s cells grafted into him. So how the hell was Kazama pulling this off?

Danzo’s mind raced with questions, but he had no time to think.

Kazama’s Wood Release was already roaring toward him.

“Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!”

Danzo hurriedly countered with a Wind Release technique to block it.

“Perfect timing!”

Kazama charged forward, absorbing Danzo’s Wind Release into his body without hesitation.

Ding! Successfully absorbed Wind Release: Vacuum Wave! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Vacuum Chain Wave!

Ding! Absorb four more ninjutsu to obtain the sixth flame!

“You can absorb ninjutsu?!”

Danzo finally grasped just how terrifying Kazama was.

A ninja who could absorb ninjutsu was practically invincible.

No matter how Danzo attacked, he couldn’t land a single hit.

“I don’t just absorb ninjutsu—I can turn my enemy’s techniques into my own!”

“Impossible! How could a nobody like you have such a broken ability?!”

Danzo spiraled into madness, unable to accept that he, enhanced with the First Hokage’s cells, was losing to someone he considered trash.

“Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!”

With a furious roar, Danzo fired off bullet-like bursts of Wind Release chakra.

“I told you, you’re powerless against me. But since you insist on throwing ninjutsu my way, I’ll gladly take it!”

Ding! Successfully absorbed Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Wind Release: Vacuum Great Bullet!

Ding! Absorb three more ninjutsu to obtain the sixth flame!

“Check out my Wind Release: Vacuum Great Bullet!”

If Danzo’s Wind Release was like a bullet, Kazama’s Vacuum Great Bullet was a cannonball—and not just one, but a relentless barrage.

In mere moments, Danzo was battered and bloodied.

Kazama was ecstatic. In just a few exchanges with Danzo, he’d gained a slew of new skills.

If he weren’t worried about Danzo’s reinforcements showing up, Kazama would’ve kept toying with him longer.

Danzo, meanwhile, had had enough of being Kazama’s punching bag.

In a desperate move, he unraveled the bandages on his right arm, revealing ten Sharingan eyes embedded in his flesh.

*Chapter 45: Absorbing Izanagi, Unleashing Izanami*

“Is he about to use Izanagi?”

This was exactly what Kazama needed from Danzo.

“Alright then! Let’s turn up the heat!”

As Kazama activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, Susano’o instantly enveloped his body.

But he didn’t go full Perfect Susano’o this time.

They were in the heart of Konoha, after all.

A massive Perfect Susano’o would definitely catch the attention of Konoha’s ninja.

If they didn’t know what was going on and rushed to help Danzo, Kazama would be in a tight spot.

“Not only do you have the Mangekyo Sharingan, but you’ve even mastered Susano’o? Orochimaru was right—you really are a monster!”

“Danzo! Playtime’s over. Today’s the day you die!”

Kazama didn’t waste another word. He unleashed every ninjutsu he’d mastered so far.

“Sanshoku Amaterasu!” (Three-Color Amaterasu)

“Raiton: Kirin!” (Lightning Release: Kirin)

“Suiton: Tenkyu!” (Water Release: Heavenly Weep)

“Futon: Shinku Dai-gyoku!” (Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere)

“Mokuton: Jukon Bakusai!” (Wood Release: Tree Root Burial)

“Suna: Sabaku Taiso!” (Sand: Grand Sand Mausoleum)

Since these techniques were powered by Susano’o, their strength was amplified dozens of times over.

“Hmph! It’s not about how many ninjutsu you use, kid. Today, I’ll show you the Uchiha clan’s forbidden technique—the jutsu that alters fate itself!”

With those words, Danzo smirked and activated Izanagi.

As Izanagi took effect, every ninjutsu Kazama had just unleashed turned into a dream.

Not a single one touched Danzo.

But Kazama wasn’t fazed. Using his Funketsu system, he successfully absorbed Izanagi.

Ding! Izanagi absorption successful. Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the Fate-Deciding Technique: Izanami!

Ding! Absorb two more ninjutsu to unlock the sixth Ika (Strange Flame).

“Activate Izanami!”

Almost simultaneously, Kazama triggered Izanami—a technique that would cost him the sight in his left eye.

He knew Danzo would counterattack the moment Izanagi was used.

But if Danzo fell into Izanami’s trap, Kazama would have to let Danzo land a hit on him while Izanami was active.

BOOM!

Sure enough, Danzo’s ghostly figure flickered behind Kazama in an instant.

With a single strike, he sent Kazama flying.

“Feel my power now, brat?”

“You’re the one who’s done, Danzo!”

Despite being knocked down, Kazama stood back up.

And then he unleashed the exact same ninjutsu as before.

“I already told you, these attacks don’t work on me!”

Danzo moved to cast Izanagi again.

But the result was the same. Their battle had become a looping cycle.

Every fight played out identically—the same moves, the same words.

“What the hell is going on? I used Izanagi! Why is this happening?!”

Danzo roared, teetering on the edge of collapse as the endless loop consumed him.

“Because you’re caught in my Izanami! If Izanagi is the jutsu that changes fate, then Izanami is the one that decides it!”

“No… impossible!”

Danzo looked like he’d lost his mind hearing Kazama’s words.

No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t escape the fate-deciding jutsu.

His mind was trapped in an endless cycle.

His physical body stood frozen, barely breathing, no different from a corpse.

“My fallen clansmen… I, Sanada Kazama, have finally avenged you!”

Leaving Danzo’s right eye and arm behind, Kazama used his Ika to burn Danzo’s body to nothingness.

“Next up: evolving my Mangekyo Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Then I’ll crush every enemy in my path, collect more Ika to boost my power, and work toward becoming Hokage!”

With that, Kazama began the process of fusing his Sharingan.

---