346-350

*Chapter 346: Is That a Kaleidoscope Sharingan Ability?*

As Tōka and Hotaru were successively swallowed by the zombie tide, White Wave of the Tsuchigumo clan, who was observing the scene through his night vision binoculars from a distance, was ecstatic. He immediately turned to Kazuma and said, "We’ve got the people. Now, as per our agreement, hand them over to me!"

As he spoke, he gestured to his subordinates behind him.

White Wave’s men, including Benten, began to refine their chakra, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

"Be patient!"

Kazuma shot a displeased glare at the purple-haired brat’s impatience. "Tenmoku, Fubuki, Fudō, Fuuen, all of you stay in line. This isn’t the time to fight over the spoils yet! Those two brats weren’t captured by me."

Those words fell on deaf ears for White Wave.

Instead, his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. He believed Kazuma was trying to hoard the prize for himself. He was already signaling his subordinates to attack Kazuma’s group, planning to kill off these treacherous fools and reclaim Hotaru and the forbidden jutsu Fury of the Raging Hair for himself.

Not only did White Wave distrust Kazuma, but Kazuma’s own men, Fubuki, Fudō, and Fuuen, also doubted their leader. They knew full well that Kazuma was a master of betrayal and deception. His claim this time was highly suspect, leading them to suspect he intended to enjoy the spoils solo.

However—

This time, Kazuma was telling the truth.

He was seething with rage. Those two girls really weren’t captured by him. The Dead Soil Jutsu he used to summon zombies had clear ranks; the lower-tiered cannon fodder couldn’t execute complex commands. Only a select few high-tier undead could carry out tasks like capturing targets alive.

But before the high-tier undead could act, the prey had simply disappeared. Kazuma had no evidence to prove the girls weren’t taken by him.

This was infuriating!

Especially as he noticed the meaningful glances from his subordinates—ones filled with "We understand, boss" and "Shall we strike first?" This only intensified his frustration as he desperately tried to think of who could have snatched the prey and how to calm White Wave and his men.

If there had to be a fight, at least wait until the targets were secured!

Fighting now over prey they didn’t even have would be laughable if word got out.

Unfortunately, Kazuma lacked a 200 IQ brain. Despite furiously wracking his mind, he couldn’t devise a solution in time, wasting precious brain cells in vain.

At the brink of an imminent clash—

An unexpected turn of events occurred.

Far away, a commotion interrupted the impending infighting. Both groups sensed the ominous malice and terrifying killing intent emanating from the distance. At the center of the zombie tide, an enormous jade-green skeletal figure emerged, towering above the forest like a mountain, imposing and immovable.

At that moment—

The clouds parted, and moonlight spilled down like a silvery river, draping the jade-green figure in a shimmering veil and enhancing its otherworldly beauty.

Without needing binoculars, the moonlight alone illuminated its details. On closer inspection, the figure resembled a massive humanoid skeleton, with jade flames wrapping around its bones.

"That’s..."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes, staring at the figure.

White Wave, who had been ready to act, was also thrown off by the unexpected development. His greed-fueled mind cooled slightly as he noticed something amiss, signaling his men to hold off on the fight.

Something felt wrong.

He couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was wrong, but his instincts screamed of irregularities.

"Tenmoku, what’s going on? Where are Tōka and Hotaru?" Kazuma demanded, addressing Tenmoku, who was using sensory techniques to monitor the battlefield. The undead summoned by the Dead Soil Jutsu couldn’t relay detailed information about the battlefield; he relied on Tenmoku for that.

However—

Tenmoku’s answer sent chills down everyone’s spines.

"Didn’t your clone already take them away, Kazuma?"

White Wave’s men bristled with anger, but White Wave himself frowned deeply. He waved his hand to calm his subordinates. The eerie inconsistency struck him again. Was Kazuma playing games, or had Kazuma himself been duped?

"Who are you?"

Kazuma dropped his staff and revealed the four-bladed iron claw hidden in his sleeve, pressing it against Tenmoku’s throat. His killing intent locked onto Tenmoku as he realized something was seriously wrong. He hadn’t sent any clones.

The Dead Soil Jutsu was a chakra-intensive technique.

He didn’t have the chakra to spare for clones while maintaining the jutsu. If he did, he wouldn’t have produced only a few "elite units." In essence, there was no inherent rank among the undead summoned by the Dead Soil Jutsu. If enough chakra was provided, any undead could regain sentience and use the ninjutsu and combat skills they had in life.

But chakra was limited.

He could only supply select premium materials with extra chakra, creating so-called elite units.

Back to the point—

Tenmoku’s statement made Kazuma realize his old ally had either betrayed him or was no longer Tenmoku at all.

"Who I am isn’t important." Tenmoku opened his eyes, gazing at the iron claw at his throat with a smile. "If I were you, I wouldn’t waste time questioning my identity. Instead, you should be thinking about how to handle the wrath of the Wind of Death. By the way, Tenmoku has already exposed your location."

As soon as the words were spoken, Tianmu fell straight from the tree. Fortunately, Hema reacted swiftly, not hesitating to consider if it was a trap. He reached out and grabbed the unconscious Tianmu in time.

Meanwhile,

the emerald-green Susanoo bathed in moonlight vanished in the distance.

But—this was not good news.

Hema sensed that the reanimated corpses summoned with the Soil of the Dead technique were being eradicated at an alarming speed. Even worse, the clearing path seemed to head straight for their position, leaving him little time to think.

He could already see numerous humanoid figures flying high into the sky not far ahead.

These were all corpses he had summoned.

“Was it you causing all this trouble?” A voice brimming with murderous intent carried on the wind. “Hand over my students, and I’ll grant you a quick death. Otherwise, I’ll show you what it truly means to be torn limb from limb.”

To punctuate the threat,

Hema and his companions, including White Wave of the Tsuchigumo clan, clearly saw a zombie shredded into countless tiny pieces in the blink of an eye as a gust of ‘wind’ swept past. The horrifying display of Wind Release sent chills down their spines. Such skill was downright terrifying!

As the zombies in front of them were annihilated,

the figure of Uchiha Chihaya emerged in their view.

“Still not handing them over, are you, scum?” Chihaya’s crimson Sharingan locked onto Hema and the Tsuchigumo clan. While most of them were strangers to her, she recognized Hema, a wanted criminal. But…it didn’t matter. At this point, even if the Heavenly King himself stood in her way, she’d wield her blade against him.

The only reason she hadn’t already struck was a faint hope that Fujiwara and Hotaru might still be unharmed. That slim chance kept her talking longer than usual.

Unlike the “Wind of Death” she had once been, who killed with swift, artful precision that bordered on artistry in the eyes of onlookers, Chihaya now hesitated, restrained by the slim thread of hope.

“It wasn’t us who captured them—someone else—”

Before Hema could finish,

Chihaya’s patience snapped, and she resolutely swung her vacuum blade.

Words were meaningless now. If Hema was telling the truth, they were useless to her. If he was lying, it meant either they weren’t willing to hand over her students or they couldn’t.

Either way, it was better to use the blade than words. These scum needed to suffer before they gave her the answers she sought.

“Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!”

The burly man standing behind Hema reacted quickly. Or perhaps they had all been on high alert, ready to act at a moment’s notice. The earth wall he conjured shot up, attempting to block Chihaya’s strike.

“Boom!”

The slash tore through the earthen barrier like it was rotten wood—or rather, it exploded through it. The sheer power of the strike was beyond imagination, not just cutting the wall but obliterating it with an explosive force.

Fortunately,

more than one person had responded to Chihaya’s attack.

“Seal of Characters: Rock!”

Though naive, White Wave of the Tsuchigumo clan was undeniably a prodigy. The character “岩” (rock) materialized in his palm as he manipulated the earth below to rise once more, intercepting the unrelenting slash.

Another thunderous explosion followed, reducing his defense to rubble. Against such terrifying power, all barriers seemed as fragile as paper, easily torn apart.

However, the two defenses bought Hema and his group precious time to retreat. Unable to block the attack, they chose to evade, leaping away from the area as the slash destroyed a swath of trees, stripping the crowns from nearly a dozen of them and leaving only bare trunks behind.

“This level of destruction… Is it the power of a Mangekyō Sharingan?”

Hema set down the unconscious Tianmu, a deep frown etched on his face as he stared at the devastation. Considering the earlier appearance of the emerald-green Susanoo, he speculated that this destruction was caused by a Mangekyō Sharingan technique.

Though not a full-fledged member of the Akatsuki,

Uchiha Obito had shared much information with him. Moreover, the secrets of the Mangekyō Sharingan were no longer obscure. During the Warring States era, the Uchiha clan dominated the battlefield with their Mangekyō Sharingan, making Susanoo a well-known symbol of “destruction and death.”

As the Warring States era ended and the Uchiha clan declined after Uchiha Madara’s departure, records of the Mangekyō Sharingan were gradually archived and forgotten. But in recent years, with the rise of Uchiha Fugaku and others, these files had regained importance.

However,

whether Hema’s guess was accurate mattered little at the moment. Mangekyō Sharingan or not, they couldn’t afford to meet Chihaya’s gaze head-on. The real question was what to do next. Fight Chihaya? Or retreat?

His original goal was to capture the girl, Uchiha Tōka, a bargaining chip against the Sixth Hokage of Konoha.

But after all his efforts, he was still empty-handed. Worse, he had wasted many of the corpses he had painstakingly gathered. The Soil of the Dead technique consumed its summoning medium upon destruction, making re-summoning impossible.

This battle had been costly, with no returns to offset the losses. It was a losing deal.

Before Hema could decide,

Chihaya attacked again. Her terrifying slashes surged forward relentlessly. Hema, burdened by Tianmu, could only rely on his subordinates—Fudō, Fuen, and Fūbu—to defend. Thankfully, all three were skilled in Earth Release, with Fudō and Fuen particularly adept.

Even so, their combined efforts could only fend off Chihaya’s second slash.

The third strike broke through.

“Ahhh!”

Fuen, the female ninja, was caught in the aftermath of the shattered earth wall, half her body obliterated by the residual force of Chihaya’s slash. Her short, agonized scream abruptly ended in the night air—a prelude to more carnage.

Chihaya’s crimson eyes gleamed coldly, the eight-bladed windmill pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan spinning ominously.

Unfathomable killing intent poured forth.

Chapter 347: Shinadobiko

The awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan was something Uchiha Chisaya never anticipated. Despite spending a long time pondering over how to unlock it, poring over clan records, and consulting the three Uchiha members who had already awakened their Mangekyō Sharingan, she learned that extreme emotions were the key to this profound power.

However, knowing is far easier than doing.

Knowledge alone doesn’t guarantee success.

Chisaya’s temperament—marked by an unshakable calmness—had always been an asset on the battlefield. Yet, this same trait had become her stumbling block when attempting to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan. Since a young age, she had followed alongside figures like Uchiha Ranzan, staying close to the clan's leader, Songen. This left her few opportunities to experience the kind of profound emotional loss necessary to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Her circle of friends was small and consisted exclusively of formidable warriors. As for her family, her parents and elders either held influential positions in the clan or were non-combatants, safe from harm.

For years, Chisaya remained on the cusp, perpetually unable to cross the threshold, standing outside a firmly locked door.

Until today—

Watching Fujika and Hotaru fall victim to heinous acts, Chisaya experienced a surge of rage and hatred so intense that it shattered her emotional barriers. This overwhelming storm of emotions stimulated her fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan, triggering the seamless awakening of her Mangekyō Sharingan.

In a fleeting moment, a jade-green Susano’o flickered into existence.

It wasn’t that something was wrong; rather, her newfound ocular power was still limited. The strain of summoning the Susano’o was too great, and her reserves of ocular energy were insufficient to sustain it. In contrast, the Mangekyō Sharingan’s abilities, or dōjutsu, required far less energy to employ.

Her Mangekyō Sharingan technique was named:

Shinadobiko

According to Songen’s classification, Mangekyō dōjutsu fall into two broad categories: reality-altering abilities and perception-based powers. Shinadobiko belonged to the former. Its ability, Tempest, allowed even a simple breath to create winds strong enough to shatter trees. A focused exhalation could unleash destructive gusts akin to a speeding truck, and these winds could be infused into her blade or fists for devastating results.

While this seemed weaker compared to Songen’s Ishikagahime, it had minimal energy consumption. Additionally, the true potential of any dōjutsu lay in the wielder’s creativity and skill.

For Chisaya, Shinadobiko was an ideal match for her strengths. Her mastery of wind-style ninjutsu and kenjutsu (swordsmanship) formed the foundation of her combat style. With Shinadobiko enhancing her techniques, what once could cut through tree trunks now effortlessly pulverized half-meter-thick stone walls.

And this was only the beginning.

Having just awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan, Chisaya was still exploring its capabilities. Even in this early stage, she was already overwhelming adversaries like Kazuma and the Tsuchigumo Clan's Shirou.

Kazuma’s underlings—Unren, Fudō, Benten, Daikoku, Bishamon, and Hotei—were swiftly defeated, falling one by one to Chisaya’s relentless blade.

These weren’t clean cuts—

Her strikes pulverized them into unrecognizable mush.

Only Unpu, who had mastered a unique secret technique, managed to escape instant death. But even he was barely clinging to life, left with no strength to fight back. Against Chisaya’s devastating onslaught, any form of resistance was as futile as trying to extinguish a wildfire with a bucket of water.

Kazuma, clutching the Heaven’s Eye, had no solutions left.

Even if he abandoned the Heaven’s Eye, Kazuma knew he had no chance against Chisaya in a direct confrontation. Although he had mastered the forbidden technique Wrathful Manifestation, it required a stable environment and an extended charge time—impossible to achieve in the chaos of close combat.

“We can’t keep going like this. Shirou! Buy me some time!” Kazuma roared.

“Damn it! Do you think that’s easy?!” Shirou snapped, filled with both anger and fear.

His anger stemmed from their desperate predicament. His fear, however, was directed squarely at the woman responsible for it.

Having mastered the Word Bind Technique, a secret of the Tsuchigumo Clan passed down through generations, Shirou had believed his life was unassailable. While he never harbored illusions of defeating an entire ninja village singlehandedly, he hadn’t expected to be utterly helpless against one exhausted woman.

This harsh reality was a stark contrast to his fantasies of invincibility, and fear began to take root.

“If I go down, you’ll never get what you want!” Kazuma bellowed again.

This time, Shirou hesitated but ultimately conceded.

If Kazuma could unleash Wrathful Manifestation, it might indeed be enough to turn the tide against Chisaya. Shirou decided to stake everything on buying time for Kazuma to charge his technique.

“Two minutes. No—one or two minutes, tops.”

Clenching his teeth, Shirou made his stand.

Unfamiliar with the true power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shirou placed blind faith in the Tsuchigumo Clan’s forbidden techniques. He stopped retreating and extended his palm, revealing a jet-black kanji for “rock” etched into his flesh.

“Word Bind Technique: Rock Binding!”

Unlike the previously used "Word Bind: Rock", "Rock Bind" is a more advanced application of Word Binding techniques. While "Word Bind: Rock" and typical Earth Release jutsu are one-time abilities, "Rock Bind" allows for sustained manipulation over time.

For instance:

A rock wall surged from the ground, only to be sliced apart by Uchiha Chisaya's blade in an instant. Yet, in the very next moment, a second wall rose, then a third, a fourth… an endless series of earthen barriers emerged, causing some trouble for Uchiha Chisaya, who had yet to fully master her ocular jutsu.

Taking advantage of this opening,

Kama... immediately unleashed his trump card.

Seeing Kama stay instead of escaping, the relieved Tsuchigumo Byakuro focused all his energy on the battle at hand. He had no hopes of defeating the monstrous woman before him but aimed to buy at least two minutes at any cost.

Ten seconds. Thirty seconds. Fifty seconds. One minute and fifteen seconds...

"Boom!"

With one swing, Uchiha Chisaya obliterated not only all the earthen barriers in her path but also shattered the ground beneath her, creating a deep crater. Her mastery over the ocular jutsu "Shinadatobiko" continued to improve. Judging by her strength from a minute and fifteen seconds ago, Byakuro might have been able to last the full two minutes.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Chisaya was in a state of continuous growth in power.

Thus, Byakuro failed to endure the two minutes and was soundly defeated. Luckily, he was quick-witted enough to dodge Chisaya's terrifying blade, avoiding being turned into a pile of meat. Yet, this did nothing to lift his spirits.

Nervously, he turned his gaze toward Kama.

This was their last hope.

If Kama couldn’t turn the tide, their fates were sealed here today.

“Take this!”

Kama roared, a radiant white light shining from his chest.

One minute wasn’t much time. It wasn’t nearly enough to gather the power to destroy a town—barely enough to turn one person into ash. Still, Kama wasn’t aiming to wipe out the entire forest. All he needed was to kill Uchiha Chisaya.

As for the mysterious third party hiding in the shadows, they could wait. If Uchiha Chisaya wasn’t dealt with, there was no need to think that far ahead.

The destructive white light surged toward Uchiha Chisaya like lightning under Kama’s control.

In response, Uchiha Chisaya’s jet-black five-pointed star Sharingan rotated slowly.

Instead of dodging, she chose to channel all her strength into her vacuum blade. Swinging with all her might, a visible blue-white slash wave collided head-on with the destructive white light, illuminating the night in a dazzling flash.

The deafening roar that followed felt like the heavens splitting apart.

Waves of scorching wind swept outward, and the aftermath of the clash took nearly ten seconds to settle. The dust and debris obscured Chisaya’s position, leaving Kama and Byakuro anxiously waiting for it to clear.

Then, with a howling gust, the dust was blown away.

Uchiha Chisaya stood unscathed, unmoving in her original spot. Her slash had perfectly neutralized Kama’s forbidden technique, “Wrath of Heaven”, leaving her unharmed—not even a strand of hair out of place.

For Tsuchigumo Byakuro, this result was devastating.

It wasn’t just that Uchiha Chisaya survived.

More crushing was the realization that the so-called invincible family technique, one he had long believed could crush any foe from Konoha, Kumo, or Iwa, was not truly invincible. He had always thought this forbidden jutsu would one day enable him to dominate the ninja world.

But now, faced with the reality before him, Byakuro’s belief was utterly shattered.

The “Wrath of Heaven” was powerful, but it wasn’t enough to conquer the ninja world. The past wielder of the technique, Eikyou the Wanderer, likely chose to remain on Mount Katsuragi not out of kindness or a reluctance to bring chaos to the ninja world, but because he knew—this technique alone was not enough.

Such thoughts swirled in Byakuro’s mind, enveloping him in despair. All his efforts seemed meaningless now, a lifetime of ambition reduced to nothing.

“Not bad… but still not enough,” Uchiha Chisaya remarked, raising her vacuum blade high.

“Hahaha!” Kama suddenly burst out laughing. Looking at Uchiha Chisaya, he shouted, “Look above you! It’s too late now. Drop your sword if you don’t want to perish here with us!”

Above?

Chisaya frowned slightly.

At that moment, multiple flashes of lightning shot skyward—four columns of light in total, their sources revealing themselves as four figures spaced around the battlefield. The dark clouds overhead grew rapidly, swallowing the once gentle moonlight, as the rumble of thunder echoed ominously.

It was unmistakably another forbidden technique.

From a bird’s-eye view, one could see that the lightning pillars were extensions of the chakras from these four individuals. Their energies resonated, feeding the storm clouds above, where rolling thunderclaps spoke of an impending cataclysm.

Meanwhile, atop a tree branch, Sōgen gazed at the spectacle. Watching the lightning pillars and the turbulent clouds, he couldn’t help but let out a genuine sigh of admiration.

What a sight.

Even he hadn’t seen such pure destructive energy often.

“Still… I think that’s enough,” he murmured. “Overusing these eyes can be troublesome. Resting them afterward is a pain. Let’s wrap this up.”

As his soft words faded into the wind, so did his silhouette, vanishing without a trace.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 348: Forbidden Lightning Release Technique – Thunder’s Dream, Thunder’s Wrath*

"What... is this?"

The one who spoke was Ninja of the Earth Spider clan.

At that moment, he was as tense as a duck whose nest had been invaded by firecrackers. Panic and unease consumed him entirely.

He had believed that Hema’s ultimate trump card was the forbidden technique passed down through the Earth Spider clan for generations, Rage of Heaven. When this technique's attack was blocked by Uchiha Chisaya, he was utterly hopeless. But in the very next moment, Hema pulled out yet another trick.

This new technique, however, did not bring Bai Lang any solace.

Because he was within the range of its destructive power.

"Forbidden Lightning Release Technique: Thunder’s Dream, Thunder’s Wrath."

Hema declared the name of the technique with unsettling ease. This forbidden jutsu was something he had obtained from one of his former comrades in the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Long ago, he had chosen to abandon a mission targeting Chiriku to instead seize this very technique from a group of moderates. The sheer destructive potential of this technique was said to be enough to reduce the entire Hidden Leaf Village to ashes.

However, just like Rage of Heaven, such destructive forbidden techniques come with significant limitations and cannot be used easily. Thunder’s Dream, Thunder’s Wrath required the flawless cooperation of four skilled shinobi. The training was exceedingly difficult, and even during execution, a single mistake from any one member would render the technique incomplete.

"Its power is enough to obliterate everything within the range of the thunderclouds in an instant. Even if you cut me down here and now, as long as I issue the final command before my death, you and your disciples will join me in death."

Hema’s mocking and crazed gaze fixated on Uchiha Chisaya, who held a blade poised to strike.

Mockery was all he had left. He had the courage for mutual destruction, but at the same time... he was not yet ready to give up on life. If he could achieve his ambitions before death, then he could accept it without regret. But as things stood, his plans were unfulfilled, and he was unwilling to die just yet.

He even began scheming about how to deceive Uchiha Chisaya into staying within the technique’s range. If he could escape the destruction zone himself, then he could unleash the full might of the forbidden technique without hesitation. Letting his enemies perish alongside Uchiha Chisaya would be a victory worth celebrating.

Even if he would be left utterly alone afterward.

As long as he kept his ambitions alive, he could continue to fight.

"Where are Fujika and Hotaru?"

Uchiha Chisaya did not strike.

Even though she suspected Hema might be stalling for time with his tricks, the slim chance of her disciples being involved stopped her blade from falling. As for his threats of mutual destruction... those held little weight for her now.

"They’re..."

"They are in a very safe place."

A sudden voice interrupted Hema’s words.

"Sougen?"

Uchiha Chisaya looked in surprise at the man who appeared beside her.

"You’ve been following us this whole time?"

"Anyone could see that this was a trap. Naturally, I took precautions. But... I was expecting a bigger catch. Turns out, it’s just small fry. What a disappointment."

"And Fujika and Hotaru?"

"This was a test for them. I only stepped in at the last moment to get them out of harm’s way. Honestly, that’s not ideal. It might leave them with the wrong impression — that I’ll always be there to save them. But don’t tell them I was here. They were unconscious when I got them out."

"They’re not fools."

"Well, it’s worth a try. If it doesn’t work, no harm done."

The two conversed as if Hema were not even present. Uchiha Chisaya even lowered her blade, her dismissive attitude enraging Hema to the extreme.

Driven by fury, Hema steeled his resolve. If he couldn’t destroy Konoha, taking a Hokage with him to the grave would be a worthy end.

However, when he issued the command for the technique, nothing happened.

"Why hasn’t it descended?"

Hema was bewildered. He had activated the Soil of the Departed to control the four former comrades needed for the jutsu, and the technique was on the verge of activation. Yet, the destructive thunder never struck.

"Idiot! Look at the sky!"

Sougen sneered.

The sky?

Hema instinctively looked up. His pupils shrank in shock. The dark thunderclouds, which had been crackling with destructive energy, had been swept away. The fierce winds had dispersed the clouds, and the tranquil light of the full moon bathed the earth in a silvery glow.

"How... how is this possible? The lightning pillars are still there. Why isn’t it working?"

Though the four towering lightning pillars remained, the technique could not activate. Without thunderclouds, the destructive thunder could not descend.

"Is this also your dojutsu?"

Sougen turned to the bleeding-eyed Uchiha Chisaya, ignoring Hema, whose fate was already sealed.

"Shinatsuhiko. That’s the name of my dojutsu," Chisaya replied weakly. "My left and right eyes have different abilities. What I used earlier was the right eye’s power — close-range wind manipulation. This time, it’s the left eye’s ability: long-range storm control... I overestimated myself. The right eye doesn’t consume much chakra, but the left eye drains far more than I expected."

Her voice trembled with exhaustion.

Dispersing the thunderclouds had pushed her to her limit. Her left eye throbbed with needle-like pain. If not for her immense willpower, she might have cried out in agony. Still, she felt a sense of triumph.

She was no longer stagnant.

The last time Peiru launched an invasion on the Hidden Leaf Village, Chihaya and Kakashi’s team were still out investigating leads, missing out on that battle entirely. She regretted it afterward, but upon learning about what happened that day, she realized that even if she had been in the village, she wouldn’t have been much help.

Compared to Sougen and Shisui,

she was still too weak.

Thankfully, the days of being able to do nothing but watch others fight were behind her. Now, she could finally stand on the same battlefield as Sougen and Shisui, right?

And besides, knowing that Fujika and Hotaru were unharmed brought her no small amount of relief.

Because of that, even the sharp pain in her eyes felt insignificant compared to the joy in her heart.

“At this point, Chihaya, that’s enough,” Sougen said. “Overusing your ocular powers can cause serious damage to your eyes. It can be treated, sure, but it’s a tedious process... Anyway, don’t recklessly use your Mangekyō Sharingan again until your vision stabilizes.”

“I understand.”

Uchiha Chihaya didn’t argue and simply blinked her eyes.

Her eyes reverted to pitch black.

The raging demonic winds that swirled in the sky abruptly calmed. The storm clouds dispersed by the winds began gathering again, but even so, Houma showed no trace of delight. His vacant, dazed expression made it clear he had lost all control.

The thunderclouds rumbled and churned ominously, brimming with destructive power. Standing below them, anyone could feel the sheer energy seething within. However, with no one to pull the trigger, that power would never descend.

And similarly,

the ninja Tsuchigumo Byakuro had ended up in the same situation as Houma.

Unbeknownst to them, both men had been caught in Sougen’s genjutsu. The only exception was Houma’s subordinate, a being called Bufeng—a strange creature with only its hair still alive, seemingly the result of some forbidden or secret technique, likely crafted by someone with a twisted desire for immortality akin to Orochimaru.

The pursuit of immortality wasn’t Orochimaru’s alone.

In fact, the road to eternal life was already littered with countless predecessors’ remains. Orochimaru was but one of them—though perhaps the most extraordinarily gifted one.

Bufeng had managed to evade Sougen’s genjutsu but was ultimately no match for capture. Though weak and easily subdued, his forbidden technique or secret art held significant value. Since it was unknown to the Hidden Leaf, it warranted further study. Sougen used Super Beast Imitating Drawing – Predatory Seal Technique to temporarily seal Bufeng within a painting, planning to hand him over to specialists in the village later.

With that nuisance dealt with,

all that remained were Houma and Tsuchigumo Byakuro.

“While the odds of someone lurking nearby are slim... I still don’t want anyone to uncover this secret too soon.” After moving Houma and Byakuro in front of him, Sougen activated a high-level barrier to encompass the surrounding space.

Not only did the barrier block sound, but it also prevented even the Sharingan from seeing inside. Only the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan could penetrate its confines.

Inside the barrier,

Uchiha Chihaya wiped the blood from her face and carefully examined the unconscious Fujika and Hotaru, confirming that the girls were completely unharmed—not even a scratch on their faces. Only then did she fully relax. As for Yayoi, there was no need to worry about her. The girl’s resilience was remarkable, surpassing even Chihaya herself.

“Chihaya-sensei, what is Master doing?”

“I’m not sure. By the looks of it... it’s a bit like the Yamanaka Clan’s memory-reading technique.”

“Memory reading? The Sharingan can do that?”

“It can, but rather than forcibly extracting memories like the Yamanaka Clan, it uses genjutsu to induce the target into revealing memories themselves. Technically, it doesn’t have the same precision as the Yamanaka’s technique, so... I don’t really know.”

Chihaya and Yayoi whispered to each other.

Meanwhile, the man they were discussing—Sougen—had his hand on Houma’s head, activating the Human Path ability of the Rinnegan, known as Mental Subjugation, to forcibly extract Houma’s memories. He had set up the barrier specifically to prevent any White Zetsu nearby from discovering his use of Rinnegan’s abilities.

“So, he’s already lost contact with ‘Uchiha Madara’? How boring.”

Memory extraction complete.

Unfortunately, this incident had no connection to Obito Uchiha. Everything had been Houma’s own doing. After scouring Houma’s mind thoroughly, Sougen discarded him and moved on to Byakuro’s memories. Byakuro’s memories, however, were even cleaner than Houma’s, containing no trace of Madara or Obito.

“Useless trash.”

Sougen didn’t hold back, directly extracting Byakuro’s soul. In the moment Byakuro’s soul was pulled from his body, its faintly glowing humanoid shape became visible even to Chihaya and Yayoi.

This power...

definitely needed to remain hidden.

“Here! Have a little treat.”

Sougen activated another ability.

A pitch-black mouth abruptly opened in midair, and a deep purple tongue, serpent-like, seized the soul from Sougen’s hand, swallowing it whole before vanishing without a trace.

“What was that...?”

The gaping black maw was not a Human Path ability. While the Human Path could read memories and capture souls, it lacked the power to consume them. Soul devouring was a function of the Hell Path, channeling forces from the Netherworld to consume the souls of the dead.

And in doing so, Sougen instinctively grasped the true name of that dark mouth: Great King Enma’s Maw.

It bore some resemblance to the Shinigami summoned by the Reaper Death Seal. Without the appropriate countermeasures, souls devoured by this Netherworld entity could not be summoned back—even by forbidden techniques like the Impure World Reincarnation.

“The Netherworld... fascinating.”

As Sougen pondered the sensation of wielding the Hell Path’s powers, he speculated about how the Rinnegan connected to the Netherworld. What mysteries lay within? These secrets seemed to point directly toward the Ten-Tails and the God Tree.

If not for the restrictions of Tsuchigumo’s forbidden art—which would collapse upon the user’s death—Sougen might have experimented by consuming another soul.

Back in the village, he primarily studied the powers of the Deva and Outer Paths. Although he had dabbled in the abilities of the other Paths, they were a lower priority. This was his first time using the Hell Path to devour a soul, and the experience was intriguingly novel.

“Looks like it’s all over,”

Hidden nearby, White Zetsu observed the deep blue barrier. Without the Byakugan, he couldn’t see what was happening inside. Still, the mere fact that the Sixth Hokage was present made the outcome for Houma and Byakuro obvious.

Totally doomed.

“Good thing Obito declined this time. I didn’t expect another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan to awaken in the Uchiha Clan. No, this must be reported immediately.”

Staring at the sealed barrier,

White Zetsu didn’t wait for it to be lifted. He didn’t need to. Houma and Byakuro were clearly done for. While curious about what was happening inside, he neither had the ability nor the courage to investigate. Reporting this development took precedence.

Another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan awakening—

that was no trivial matter.

(Chapter End)

Chapter 349: The Wind Never Stops

After extracting the memories of Kazuma and Shirokumo Byakuro, the investigation into the massacre no longer held any necessity. Kazuma, the mastermind, had been brought to justice, and Tenmoku, his accomplice, was also captured alive. With this, all six radical defectors among the original Twelve Guardian Ninja had been accounted for.

Four were dead, and two had become prisoners.

The minor spies who assisted Kazuma in gathering intelligence could easily be dealt with by the Anbu.

However, Uchiha Chisaya, leading her group of kunoichi, decided to proceed to Mount Katsuragi. While the mission was essentially complete, they had already come this far, and it would be prudent to make sure nothing was overlooked. Even for Hotaru’s sake, climbing the mountain to ensure no loose ends remained wasn’t a hardship.

Meanwhile, Sougen didn’t linger. He escorted Kazuma, Tenmoku, and the other captives back to the village.

As the Hokage, he couldn’t afford to spend too much time away from the village.

Especially since this trip had been carried out discreetly, hidden from many in the village. If word got out, he would face a storm of complaints for days. It was better to return as soon as possible. However...

As the saying goes, “The tree may long for peace, but the wind never stops.” Some events unfold in ways no one can foresee.

---

The Land of Waves

A small, inconspicuous nation among the many minor countries in the ninja world. Although located on the sea, it is far from the Water Nation's islands and relatively close to the eastern coast of the Fire Nation. Historically, despite its poverty, life in the Land of Waves was manageable, and its geography had spared it from the chaos of the great ninja wars, a streak of remarkable fortune.

However, it was perhaps this very avoidance of war that attracted unwanted attention. Someone set their sights on this peaceful nation, aiming to turn it into their private haven.

This someone was Gato, one of the wealthiest individuals in the ninja world. Using both legitimate and illegitimate methods, he took control of all maritime transport channels in the Land of Waves. For this isolated island nation, losing control of maritime trade was equivalent to losing its lifeblood.

Yet, not everyone was willing to bow to Gato’s tyranny.

A master bridge builder, an elder named Tazuna, planned to construct a bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the Fire Nation. Predictably, Gato opposed this project and hired assassins to kill Tazuna. However, the old man proved unexpectedly resourceful, evading the first wave of hired killers. Realizing the danger, he paused construction and sought the protection of Konoha ninja.

At the time, Sougen was accompanying Team One on a mission to Mount Katsuragi, leaving Konoha unaware of his true whereabouts. Meanwhile, Kakashi’s Team Seven took on what was initially rated as a C-rank mission. Based on Tazuna’s description, the threats seemed to come from low-level rogues, hardly a challenge for even rookie shinobi.

Thus, the mission was rated as C-rank.

It’s worth noting that Gato was originally on the Konoha Police Force's radar. In the past, when funding was tight, there were plans to extort money from this “fat pig” to ease the budget crunch. However, investigations revealed that Gato had deep connections with many high-ranking officials in the daimyo's government, making such a move overly complicated.

Ultimately, the plan was shelved. The files still gather dust in the Police Force archives.

---

“Idiots, a bunch of useless idiots! What’s the point of keeping you around? I can forgive your inability to deal with the big shinobi villages, but you can’t even kill an old bridge builder? Why do I pay you scum?”

Atop a hill in a small coastal town in the Fire Nation's eastern region stood a villa—Gato’s headquarters.

The short, stocky man with tinted glasses was livid, cursing his incompetent subordinates. Though he had berated them a week ago, news that Tazuna had hired Konoha ninja and resumed construction had sent Gato’s temper spiraling again.

Of course, yelling alone wouldn’t solve the problem. Tazuna was now under Konoha’s protection, which meant hiring other Konoha ninja to handle the matter was out of the question. This wasn’t about morality or ethics; it was Konoha’s policy not to take jobs that would pit their ninja against each other. For Konoha, harming fellow comrades was an unforgivable sin.

As for hiring ninja from the Cloud or Mist villages, that was also out of the question. Konoha’s overwhelming dominance deterred these villages from risking open conflict. Any attempts at deception could provoke severe retaliation.

Fortunately, Gato wasn’t entirely without options.

While he presented himself as a legitimate transportation magnate, his true fortune came from smuggling illegal goods, including contraband and forbidden items. His connections to the underworld ran deep. Frustrated by his minions’ repeated failures, he reached out to this shadowy network and hired professionals to resolve the situation.

“Sir! They’ve arrived!”

A swordsman dressed as a ronin rushed over.

“Finally!” Gato’s spirits lifted as he waved off his useless henchmen. “Clear out! Don’t clutter the place. You, go spread the word—everyone is to stay sharp. I have important guests to host.”

This time, he hadn’t hired just any mercenaries.

His recruits came from the notorious Akatsuki, a feared organization from the underworld. Gato, no fool, knew that in the ninja world, power ruled supreme. All his wealth meant nothing to true warriors. His decision to target the Land of Waves—a country without its own ninja—stemmed from the assurance that he wouldn’t face such individuals there.

---

When Gato entered the villa’s grand hall, two figures awaited him. They wore black cloaks adorned with red clouds and conical hats with wind chimes.

One was seated, revealing pallid, corpse-like hands, reminiscent of bodies stored in a morgue—a sight Gato knew well from his dealings in illicit goods.

The other crouched in an unsettling posture, their bulky, hunched form almost beastlike. Though unnerved, Gato’s experience with the unusual and the macabre helped him maintain composure.

“You two must be from Akatsuki…”

“Spare us the pleasantries. Give us the details,” interrupted the crouched figure in a hoarse, grating voice that made Gato wince.

Swallowing his pride and irritation, Gato explained, “The target is an old bridge builder named Tazuna. He’s under Konoha’s protection, working on a bridge between the mainland and the Land of Waves. Kill him, and the ninja are yours to handle however you see fit.”

“Konoha ninja…”

“Any intel on them?”

"I only know a few names. The leader is a Jonin called Kakashi Hatake. As for the others, there’s a... uh... what were their names again? One of them is Sasuke Uchiha, and the other two are..." Gato trailed off, waiting for his assistant to remind him of the names.

"Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno."

Once he finished speaking, the man sitting in the chair let out a chilling, sinister laugh.

"Naruto Uzumaki... interesting."

"What’s the deal, you snake? Got a problem with that name?"

"No, not really. I’ve just heard of him."

"Tch, always so cryptic. Snake, if I catch you slipping, I swear I’ll kill you."

As they spoke, the two of them were already heading toward the outer room, completely ignoring Gato.

Gato stood frozen in place, only snapping out of it when their figures disappeared through the doorway. He then roared angrily, "What are you all standing around for? Get to the bridge and keep an eye on things!"

In front of these Akatsuki elites, Gato didn’t dare take a single deep breath. He knew these were genuine killers with no hesitation, unlike the ninjas of the great villages, who often had bonds and restraints. Anger these people, and even as their employer, he might not escape unscathed.

The underworld is called the underworld for a reason.

It operates without surface-level rules or order—a chaotic world full of trash and scum. There’s no such thing as decent regulations here. The one undeniable truth is survival of the fittest. The whole place is a mess. If it weren’t for his own lackluster subordinates and the sunk costs of monopolizing the Wave Country’s sea trade routes, Gato wouldn’t have had to bite the bullet and hire the infamous Akatsuki.

Normally, his band of wandering swordsmen and rogue ninjas were enough to deal with problems. But after doing so many shady jobs for so long, a time comes when a problem arises that his pack of hounds just can’t handle.

That’s when you have no choice but to seek outside help.

---

*Wave Country, West Coast*

Today was a rare clear day. The usual thick mist was gone, and bright sunshine illuminated the expansive half-constructed bridge stretching across the sea. On the bridge, workers from the Wave Country were busily moving about, with Tazuna among them.

As the designer and foreman, Tazuna didn’t really need to work on the frontlines. But that was just his style. Right now, he was desperate to finish the bridge before the Leaf ninjas left. To hire them to protect against Gato’s goons, he’d emptied his pockets and the country’s coffers.

It wasn’t just him who was broke.

The entire Wave Country was out of money.

This small, impoverished nation was barely able to sustain itself even before Gato took control of its sea trade, squeezing out every last drop of wealth. Even the daimyo was now scraping by. There wasn’t a single coin left to hire the Leaf ninjas for a second round of help.

---

"Kakashi-sensei, are we just going to sit here and watch?" Naruto asked, sitting in the shade of some construction materials. He had the itch to run over and help.

"Ha! Don’t say dumb stuff, Naruto. Our mission is to protect the bridge and its workers, not to build it. Stick to what we’re supposed to do. We don’t know anything about construction, so helping out would probably just make things worse," Sasuke replied before Kakashi could.

"Sasuke’s right," Kakashi added. "We’re ninjas, not builders. Focus on what we’re here for. If an enemy attacked while you were busy helping and too tired to fight, what then? Of course, that’s just a hypothetical—I know your stamina is impressive. But staying focused on the mission is what we need to do."

"Fine," Naruto groaned, drawing out the word dramatically. He wasn’t serious about helping anyway—he just wanted to complain out of boredom. He understood the logic. Really! It’s just... why couldn’t he be an exception for once? Oh well.

But yeah, it was so boring! This month-long protection mission had started off exciting enough, with a couple of battles against small fry. But now? Nothing. No attackers, no action, just sitting around. Even training was done in shifts, and they couldn’t stray far from the bridge.

Speaking of which,

Naruto and Sasuke had their training time cut short to shore up the team’s combat readiness. In contrast, Sakura now had plenty of time to train.

"Ah, to be young," Kakashi muttered under his breath.

Only the young would struggle with boredom on an easy mission like this. If it were some thirty- or forty-year-old Chunin, they’d probably love such a laid-back job. It was only natural for young prodigies like Naruto and Sasuke to crave action and excitement. For most ninjas, though, this was just a job.

Here’s hoping today goes as smoothly as yesterday, Kakashi thought silently.

---

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 350: Orochimaru, the Snake Full of Evil Schemes*

“Uzumaki Naruto—what’s so special about that name?”

Having left Gato’s mansion, the two Akatsuki members—Orochimaru and Sasori, partners for this mission—were heading toward the partially constructed bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland.

The mansion was perched atop the highest hill behind the town.

From there, one could see the large bridge that aimed to link the Land of Waves with the mainland, still under construction.

In truth, they had already spotted the bridge before entering the mansion. Knowing their target was there, they didn’t need directions or a guide. It wasn’t like they could miss it—anyone with functioning eyes or even basic orientation could find it without issue.

“What are you planning, Orochimaru?”

Sasori questioned sharply.

“What a thing to say! You make it sound as if I’m up to no good.”

“Hmph! Don’t pretend. A snake like you, oozing with malice from head to tail, couldn’t possibly have any good intentions. Spill it—what scheme are you plotting? If you don’t make it clear, I won’t hesitate to fight you here and now.”

Sasori’s disdain for Orochimaru was palpable, undisguised and unrestrained.

The scorn and loathing he felt for his partner were written all over his face.

“...”

Under his wide-brimmed hat, Orochimaru’s expression showed a trace of mock regret. “I’d love to spar with you, Sasori, but this opportunity is rare. Let’s save our match for another time. For us, time is precious. If I’m not mistaken, Uzumaki Naruto is the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.”

“The Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki? Uzumaki... So what’s your plan now?”

Sasori found it difficult to take Orochimaru’s words at face value. No matter how sincere or composed he appeared, Sasori was convinced there had to be something sinister beneath it all. Orochimaru, after all, was a creature of treachery and deceit, exuding corruption with every word and action.

That said, the part about the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki seemed true.

Both the previous and current Nine-Tails’ hosts were Uzumakis, so this wasn’t surprising. Plus, Orochimaru, with his deep roots in Konoha, was likely privy to sensitive information. It didn’t seem like he was lying about this.

The question was: what did Orochimaru want with the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki? It was clear he was scheming.

“Don’t forget our mission—to hunt tailed beasts. That’s what we’re supposed to do,” Orochimaru said with a sly smile, his earlier regret vanishing as if it had never existed.

“You’re targeting the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki?” Sasori’s eyes narrowed. “Have you lost your mind? Capturing a Jinchūriki is indeed our goal, but didn’t Pain say we’re still in the intelligence-gathering phase? If you act now, you’ll provoke a conflict between Akatsuki and Konoha.”

“It’s not the right time because without Pain’s involvement, storming Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails is nearly impossible. Konoha’s defenses are formidable,” Orochimaru sighed lightly. “But who would have thought they’d let the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki wander out of the Land of Fire?

“This is a golden opportunity. If we miss it, we might really have to launch a full-scale assault on Konoha later—a suicidal task I’d rather avoid. If we capture the Jinchūriki now and hide him somewhere, Konoha will be powerless to retrieve him, no matter how strong they are.”

Orochimaru’s explanation made a certain twisted sense.

However, Sasori remained skeptical.

Unbeknownst to Sasori, Orochimaru had leaked Akatsuki’s secrets multiple times over the years, selling valuable information to the highest bidder. His knowledge about the Rinnegan and other critical matters had already reached Uchiha Zongxian, among others. Orochimaru even suspected that Sasori, who had been Zongxian’s prisoner for five years, might still be in contact with him—or even be his spy within Akatsuki.

“You’re determined to go through with this?” Sasori stared coldly at Orochimaru. “Fine. Just remember, if anything goes wrong, you’ll face the consequences alone. Don’t drag me into it. I have no interest in taking the blame for your schemes.”

Not that Sasori had much loyalty to Akatsuki.

To him, the organization was just a temporary shelter. Having embarked on his quest for eternity, he didn’t care about Akatsuki’s fate. He had joined out of convenience, not commitment.

That said, Sasori wasn’t blind to the mistrust Pain and the others held toward him and Orochimaru.

If he ever did kill Orochimaru, it wouldn’t be out of loyalty to Akatsuki—it would be because he could no longer tolerate the snake’s presence. Their animosity stemmed from their clashing philosophies on immortality, with neither able to comprehend the other’s views.

There was no camaraderie between these two; only disdain.

“All for the sake of the organization,” Orochimaru chuckled.

Sasori scoffed at the claim, seeing through the pretense. He debated for a moment whether to report Orochimaru’s plans but decided against it.

A clash between Konoha and Akatsuki wasn’t something he minded. In fact, he might enjoy watching both sides suffer.

“Do what you want. Just make sure Pain knows.”

“I’ll report to the leader once we capture the Jinchūriki.”

As they spoke, the pair approached the half-finished bridge.

—

On the bridge, Naruto and his team were eating lunch. The sun had passed its zenith and was beginning its descent westward, though the heat of the day still lingered.

Kakashi, having finished his meal with a speed that denied any glimpse of his unmasked face, sat atop a pile of construction materials, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.

t was supposed to be just a casual reconnaissance.

However,

he saw two black figures walking on the water's surface.

His heart sank slightly.

As expected, this calm and peaceful time was never meant to last until the mission's end. Trouble, inevitably, had found its way to them. He wondered what kind of trouble it would be this time... His heart nearly stopped when the taller of the two figures wearing a bamboo hat suddenly looked up.

Their eyes met mid-air.

That gaze—cold and venomous like a serpent's—sent a chill rushing from the base of his spine to the crown of his head. Fear tightened its grip, making it hard for him to breathe.

Although he couldn’t make out the figure’s face,

he was certain of their identity.

It wasn’t just the black cloak embroidered with red clouds. The oppressive aura was unmistakable—no one else in the ninja world could evoke such an extraordinary sense of terror. That chilling, slimy, deathly quiet terror made one’s limbs go numb and robbed the breath from their lungs.

“Naruto, Sasuke, prepare to... abandon the mission and retreat immediately!”

The word "confront" never left his lips.

Kakashi knew exactly what that distinctive attire signified. The Sixth Hokage had already informed the village's Jonin about the Akatsuki organization. He had warned them that its members were rogue ninjas of S-rank, as dangerous as Orochimaru, hailing from various villages.

If one encountered members of the Akatsuki,

there was no room for hesitation—abandon the mission and retreat immediately. Mission failure wouldn’t result in punishment; the village would bear all consequences. At this moment, Kakashi felt immense gratitude for the Hokage’s order.

It allowed him to unhesitatingly command Naruto and Sasuke to retreat.

Even without that order, he would’ve made the same choice. The Hokage had entrusted Team Seven to him, warning him to be vigilant during missions because Naruto might attract the Akatsuki's malice.

Thus, Kakashi instinctively assumed the Akatsuki had come for Naruto.

What he hadn’t considered was that Orochimaru and his companion might be after Tazuna, the bridge builder. However, in hindsight, that assumption wasn’t entirely wrong. Orochimaru, scheming as always, indeed had his sights set on Naruto. As for the mission… it was never on his mind to begin with.

“Kakashi-sensei?”

“What’s happening?”

Naruto and Sasuke looked puzzled,

utterly unaware of the gravity of the situation. They couldn’t comprehend why Kakashi-sensei suddenly made such an announcement. Their reactions revealed their inexperience. Despite their talent, they hadn’t yet adapted to the harsh realities of a ninja’s life.

On a mission,

orders must be followed unconditionally, even at the cost of one’s life.

Naruto and Sasuke questioning orders like this… On a battlefield, they’d earn themselves a hard slap from their commander.

“...Forget it. It’s too late. Fall back—retreat onto the sea. Execute the order immediately, no questions!” Kakashi suppressed his frustration. Their hesitation had snuffed out what little chance they had to escape.

Orochimaru and the other Akatsuki member were already near the bridge.

At this point,

turning their backs on the enemy would be suicide.

They could only

adapt on the fly and face whatever came their way.

The only consolation was that Sakura wasn’t present. She had escorted Tazuna’s daughter back to the village and was currently away from the bridge. Otherwise, the situation would’ve been even worse—though it was a harsh truth.

Despite her efforts,

Sakura still had a long way to go to catch up to the others.

“Yes, Kakashi-sensei.”

Naruto and Sasuke, sensing the seriousness in Kakashi’s tone, didn’t argue further. They followed him off the bridge, landing on the water’s surface. Now, they too could see the two figures walking across the waves.

The boys instinctively sensed danger.

Especially Naruto.

Though he hadn’t mastered the Uzumaki clan’s Kagura Mind’s Eye, perhaps due to the Nine-Tails’ chakra, he could faintly sense malicious intent directed at him. This ability was inconsistent—only manifesting when he focused intently on a target—but it showed potential for the future.

Right now,

Naruto could feel Orochimaru’s malice, as well as a suffocating aura akin to a tidal wave. Fortunately, the boys weren’t inexperienced rookies anymore. The attack on the village by Hiruko had steeled them.

Still, they understood their enemy’s caliber.

These were no mere grunts—this was a battle against "whales."

Then—

Kakashi watched the two figures ignore Tazuna and the workers on the bridge entirely, walking directly toward Naruto. His heart sank like a stone.

“Naruto, I’ll hold them off. You run.”

“Kakashi-sensei?”

“Don’t argue.” Kakashi cut him off sternly. “They’re after you, Naruto. Don’t hesitate. Run now. Sasuke, find Sakura and take her back to the Leaf. Report this to the Hokage.”

Even against just Orochimaru, Kakashi didn’t feel confident.

Now, with a second individual potentially as strong as Orochimaru, the odds were nearly zero. But he had to stay and buy time for Naruto and Sasuke to escape.

“Kakashi-sensei, escaping… might not be an option.”

Naruto glanced at the water below.

A massive shadow glided beneath the surface. Judging by its long body, it was a snake—one over a hundred meters long.

“Damn it!!”

Kakashi’s face darkened under his mask.

Escape was now impossible. Splitting up would only ensure they were picked off one by one. Their best chance was to stick together, leveraging Naruto and Sasuke’s raw strength with his guidance. They weren’t weaklings, and he’d ensure they wouldn’t become liabilities.

“Naruto, Sasuke, follow my lead.”

Kakashi gritted his teeth and whispered.

“Planning how to face me, Kakashi?” Orochimaru removed his hat, revealing a pale face and a sinister smile of twisted excitement. “It’s useless! Your struggles are meaningless. The outcome… was decided from the start. But since you won’t surrender quietly, let me play with you for a while.”

(End of Chapter)