91-95

*Chapter 91: Interlude - The Flaming Greatsword!*

At the very moment the forbidden technique, Corporeal Rebirth, reforged his heart anew—

Shinji’s eyes snapped wide open with fury. He clutched his heart with one hand and took a powerful step forward! His gaze bore into the agonized Tohgou Hayato in front of him.

"Fire Release: Chakra Mode, activate!"

Blazing fire chakra erupted violently from Shinji, forming an almost tangible inferno of chakra flames around him.

“Burn your soul!”

“Surpass your limits!”

The power emanating from his heart surged through every corner of his body in an instant.

In that fleeting moment, the flames intensified!

Dark streaks of chakra intertwined with the flames, crackling and roaring as the inferno grew even fiercer. The blood pool beneath them began to evaporate inch by inch, transforming into a hazy crimson mist.

In the darkness of the cavern—

A brilliant sun suddenly ascended!

“RAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Standing within the blinding radiance, Shinji roared furiously, his hands pressed together in a seal. The raging winds dispersed the blood mist, blowing it outward in all directions.

“This power... Could it be that forbidden technique?!”

Uchiha Fugaku turned in shock, his eyes locking onto the figure of Shinji standing amidst the fire. For a moment, Fugaku was utterly frozen, his gaze unyielding.

“This is reckless!”

“And yet… he’s actually mastered it!”

Soon, Fugaku’s expression shifted again, this time with urgency.

“This is bad. With only two-tomoe Sharingan, he can’t use Izanagi. He’s going to die!”

To master this technique required an extraordinary talent for fire chakra manipulation—a gift so rare that even among the Uchiha, few could achieve it.

Watching this unfold, Fugaku, who bore the heavy responsibility of becoming the next leader of the Uchiha clan, couldn’t help but clench his fists tightly. A deep sense of regret surged through him.

This regret gnawed at his heart, leaving him restless, his mind torn between blazing anxiety and the weight of an unmovable stone.

If only he had acted sooner, Shinji wouldn’t have been forced into such dire straits.

Had he been too cautious?

On the other side—

The fierce wind sent Orochimaru’s long hair flying back and his robes fluttering wildly. Standing in the gale, he looked up in astonishment at the sun rising from the blood pool, golden serpent-like pupils reflecting his disbelief.

“What is this power? What kind of technique is this?”

“Instantly igniting all of one’s chakra... Chakra feeding on chakra... Sacrificing every inch of flesh and bone as kindling for this inferno...”

“Hiss—” Orochimaru couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath, his astonishment palpable.

In the reflection of his golden snake-like eyes, the silhouette of the boy within the blazing sun roared with hands clasped tightly.

This boy had unleashed a brilliance born of mortal resolve, a technique completely contrary to Orochimaru’s own philosophy—one that erupted before his very eyes.

It shook him to his core.

How could anyone be so foolish? To burn themselves entirely for the sake of others?

Even the Will of Fire taught by his teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, paled in comparison to such determination.

But quickly, Orochimaru was reminded of his purpose in coming here. His eyes narrowed sharply as an ominous thought crossed his mind.

“The forbidden technique Corporeal Rebirth… It won’t be able to keep up with this rate of combustion!”

“This boy is going to die!”

“I need to find a way to keep him alive—and extract every detail of this technique from his mind.”

Orochimaru’s thoughts raced, his brow furrowed deeply as he began calculating what technique he could use to save the boy.

Meanwhile—

Underground, White Zetsu stared up at the scene, utterly shocked. His dry throat clicked as he swallowed hard.

“Now I understand what Lord Madara meant. This kid, no matter how talented, could never act as Lord Madara’s emissary.”

“He’s far too reckless!”

“If I try injecting him with chakra now, my spores won’t even get close—they’d burn to ash. Even if I gave him chakra, it would all turn into fuel for the flames.”

Despair filled White Zetsu’s face as he watched Shinji execute the forbidden technique—a self-destructive act of pure madness.

“Lord Madara, how am I supposed to save a monster like this?!”

---

Standing amidst the flames consuming his own body—

Shinji looked at the lifeless form of Hidan, his head bowed in silence. A crushing weight of despair unfolded within his heart.

Hidan’s last words—

That single “big brother” tore at him, an anguish sharper than any blade.

Because Shinji knew better than anyone—he wasn’t worthy.

Entrusted with the faith of others, he had marched toward death, spouting lofty words with selfish motives. From the beginning, his goal had been self-serving—a convenient way to defect and stage his own death.

Yet, this boy in front of him had believed in him.

Hidan had followed him, determined to witness everything, even staking his own life on Shinji’s resolve.

Without hesitation, Hidan had leapt off the cliff.

With torn hands, he climbed back up, buying time for Shinji.

And when Shinji struck, Hidan truly thrust the spear into his own abdomen without a second thought.

He wasn’t made of stone—Shinji saw everything.

But now, when he had finally decided to rewrite this tragedy,

Hidan had fallen before him.

This was the price of lacking resolve. The cost of trying to amend one’s mistakes too late.

At this moment—

Silence, regret, killing intent, fury, and sorrow churned violently in Shinji’s chest, twisting and transforming into a deeper darkness.

In the next instant—

Shinji’s eyes were filled with nothing but ferocity! His hands formed seals as he clasped them tightly, drawing his blade.

A six-foot-long Flowing Flame greatsword appeared in his hand, and with a single swing, a brilliant cascade of fiery sparks erupted!

Shinji glared furiously at Higashiyama Hayato, who had fled into the distance in the blink of an eye. His bloodshot eyes glimmered with rage, and a sinister grin spread across his face.

“Run?”

“You think you can still run?”

“Hahahahahahahahaha!”

“Let’s see how far you get!”

Taking a forceful step forward, Shinji twisted the hilt of his sword. The Flowing Flame surged, enveloping the blade and reshaping it into a massive forty-meter-long greatsword blazing with violent flames!

Swinging the fiery greatsword, Shinji bent his knees, pivoted on his foot, and thrust forward with explosive force!

A circular slash followed, flames erupting in a fiery sea within the massive forty-meter radius of the strike.

Higashiyama Hayato’s eyes widened in terror. He was stunned to find there was no escape.

All he could do was duck to avoid the greatsword’s blade and drop flat to the ground.

But the next moment, he was engulfed in a raging sea of fire!

Thick black smoke billowed upward as wild flames consumed everything.

Even with the powerful resistance to ninjutsu granted by the Cult of Jashin’s immortal body, Higashiyama Hayato found it increasingly difficult to breathe in such an environment. His head began to spin.

“Cough, cough!”

He coughed violently and hastily began weaving hand signs, preparing to unleash a Water Style jutsu.

But suddenly, the sound of howling wind tore through the air beside him.

Startled, he looked up to see the giant, flame-clad sword descending mercilessly straight toward his head!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Three successive strikes sent shards of rock flying!

The greatsword hammered Hayato’s skull, forcing him deep into the ground.

The Cult of Jashin’s immortal body boasted exceptional resistance to ninjutsu, but under such extreme physical onslaught, the Flowing Flame was merely a decoration. The damage dealt was entirely blunt force!

“No! I can’t die here!” Hayato’s face was filled with fear as he glared at the sky, roaring in desperation.

“My ritual, my curse—they’re far from complete!”

At that moment, his head was nearly embedded in his chest from the blows, yet he still clung to life.

With his hands weaving seals at lightning speed, he formed the Snake Seal and shouted:

“Water Style: Water Formation Pillar!”

He tilted his head back and released an enormous surge of chakra, spewing out a torrent of water like an ascending waterfall. The massive column of water surged toward the greatsword above.

But Shinji suddenly threw his head back and burst into uproarious laughter:

“Hohoho, hahahahaha, ahahahahahahaha!”

His laughter was full of mockery.

“Not enough! It’s nowhere near enough!”

“What is that? Sand? You think you can stop me with that?!”

“Hahahahahaha!”

“Trash! Don’t make me laugh!”

Laughing maniacally, Shinji leaped high into the air. Twisting the forty-meter greatsword, he slashed down in a spinning arc!

Under the extreme violence, amidst the gradually burning flesh, the water column—barely three meters in diameter—was utterly insignificant against the colossal forty-meter greatsword. It was like an insect trying to stop a chariot.

Boom!

The greatsword slammed down again.

The blazing blade, like a hot knife through butter, instantly evaporated the water column.

In an instant, white steam rose and spread, engulfing the area.

Without any resistance, the sword struck the ground, carving a twenty-meter-long gash into the surface!

The entire cavern rumbled and trembled as if an earth dragon had awakened.

Higashiyama Hayato bore the brunt of the strike, his head smashed deeper into his chest. Bones and organs shattered beyond measure.

Yet somehow, he vanished from the spot.

“Earth Style: Subterranean Voyage again, huh?” Shinji sneered coldly.

“Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”

“With these eyes, where do you think you can hide?!”

His crimson Sharingan gleamed through the mist, darting left and right.

The next moment, Shinji’s gaze locked onto a corner near the cavern’s exit, underground. Dispelling the Flowing Flame greatsword, he gripped the six-foot fiery blade and pointed it forward!

The fiery blade extended abruptly, its searing edge stretching over twenty meters as it pierced the ground, dragging Higashiyama Hayato out!

Lifting him upward, pulling back, and stabbing forward!

The blade pierced Hayato’s chest, pinning him firmly to the cavern wall.

Then, Shinji surged forward with the fiery blade, drawing a nearly molten shuriken from his waist and flinging it.

Controlling wires with his fingers, he yanked them down sharply.

Hayato’s eyes widened in horror, recognizing the three razor-sharp threads. Desperately, he ripped himself off the fiery blade, tearing his chest apart as he dodged.

“You’re wrong again!”

Shinji sneered, discarding the burning wires. He gripped his blade with both hands and struck down ferociously!

One slash cleaved Hayato in half, cutting through the air!

Then, seven more strikes in rapid succession!

A diagonal slash, a reverse wind strike, an upward diagonal slash, a horizontal cut followed by a straight downward chop, a rising slash, and a spinning slash to finish!

In mere moments, Shinji reduced Hayato to a pile of shredded remains, as if playing Fruit Ninja.

“No!!!”

A faint, anguished wail of despair echoed in the distance.

Having completed his work, Shinji’s eyes burned with fury as he took a step forward and twisted the sword’s hilt.

Roaring at the top of his lungs:

“RAAAHHH!!!”

“Still making noise, huh?!”

“I’ll scatter your ashes to the wind! Let’s see if you survive this!”

Once more, the six-foot blade transformed into the Flowing Flame greatsword. Raising it overhead, he drove it into the ground with all his might!

The raging flames, forming a hammer-like sword, slammed into the ground along with Hayato’s remains, creating a deep pit.

Channeling all of his remaining chakra into the sword, Shinji unleashed an inferno that filled the pit.

Boom!

A massive explosion followed, and text appeared before his eyes:

*[Ding!]*

*3K2 Combat Experience: Cult of Jashin Storyline Complete.*

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 92: Near-Death Crisis, Curse Mark of Heaven

*At the scene.*

With the last trace of chakra infused into the blazing Flowing Flame Greatsword, Shinji knelt on the ground, gripping the hilt tightly.

At this moment, his body had been entirely charred into a mass of scorched remains, devoid of any trace of flesh and blood.

His entire body had transformed into something akin to carbon fiber—far from human tissue. From a distance, he appeared like a shimmering black crystal.

This bizarre form was the result of the secret technique Earth Grudge Fear's stitched threads replacing the burned-away flesh, forming a temporary structure, only to be continuously incinerated.

In the end, this strange appearance emerged.

This eruption lasted longer and burned more fiercely than during his battle with Kakuzu on the cliff.

Using Earth Grudge Fear, his body was stitched together by threads.

Through the forbidden technique Body Regeneration, his flesh and blood regenerated instantly, only to be drained and fed into the flames.

The dark chakra collected by the Zero Tails continuously sustained the Dark Awakening state, supporting the operation of Body Regeneration.

Finally, the Fire Release: Chakra Mode ignited everything, burning it all to ashes.

Shinji didn’t have time to see what he had become. Instead, his focus was locked on the fiery pit in front of him. With a thought, he opened his system panel to check the details.

He had to confirm whether Higashigata Hayato was truly dead.

*[Ding!]*

*[You fiercely counterattacked the evil cult leader Higashigata Hayato, who sought to kill you.]*

*[The counterattack was overwhelming, resulting in the target's death. Critical rewards triggered.]*

*[You acquired the opponent's random skill: Immortality (Time-Limited, Incomplete, A+).]*

*[Skill crit triggered. The skill is now solidified as an innate trait: Immortality (Incomplete, S-).]*

*[Your Steel Will level has increased.]*

*[Warning: You are being watched by a creature lurking in the crevices of the world. Heavenly Law has automatically shielded you from this gaze.]*

*[Warning: Immortality does not mean true invincibility. You are currently at the brink of death. Take immediate action to save yourself.]*

After reading the information on the panel, Shinji let out a sigh of relief.

Killing Higashigata Hayato avenged his comrade Hidan.

In the future, the Akatsuki organization, deprived of Hidan's strength, would undoubtedly face some difficulties in their mission to capture tailed beasts, though the overall impact would be minimal.

At the very least, this indirectly prevented Shikamaru’s anguished cry and Asuma’s tragic death in their initial encounter.

He had lessened the burden on the protagonist team.

The bigger picture was intact, so his death here wouldn’t be in vain.

As for the panel’s warning that he was on the verge of death and needed to save himself—

Ha! What a joke!

He had no allies here.

Orochimaru, lurking nearby, was itching to dissect him. Who else would even think of saving him?

Not even the King of Heaven himself could stop him from meeting his end now!

“Finally… finally…”

“I’ve finally reached this moment.”

Shinji’s lips curled into a faint smile. With a sense of fulfillment, he began to close his eyes.

But then—

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the cave’s entrance.

A staggering figure emerged—a person bristling with needles like a porcupine, carrying a massive scroll on their back.

When the figure saw Shinji, burned to a crisp, their scarlet Sharingan spun wildly, evolving into a full three-tomoe Sharingan.

“Shinji!”

Uchiha Seiichiro stared in disbelief at the scene before him. Tears streamed down his face as he collapsed to the ground.

With trembling hands, he reached out to touch Shinji’s charred body, his voice trembling with grief and anger.

“How… how did this happen?”

“Am I too late?!”

Shinji raised an eyebrow involuntarily, causing a fragment of charred skin to fall from his forehead.

Upon seeing that it was a fellow Uchiha and not someone like Tsunade, Shizune, or Lady Chiyo, he finally relaxed.

This was good.

Seiichiro couldn’t save him, but he could collect his remains.

This way, his body could be brought back for Tobi to admire his former appearance, sparing it from Orochimaru’s meddling.

That was enough.

With this in mind, Shinji gave Seiichiro a gentle smile. He raised his charred hand, intending to pat Seiichiro on the shoulder.

However—

Before his hand could reach its mark, it lost all strength midway, merely brushing Seiichiro’s forehead before sliding down his face and landing on the ground.

Shinji lost consciousness completely, his eyes finally closing.

---

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Eight figures descended simultaneously, landing beside Shinji.

The eight Uchiha looked at the scorched boy in front of them, momentarily at a loss.

Killing enemies was their expertise, but saving lives? That was asking too much.

“Captain, what should we do?” one Uchiha asked, frowning as he looked at Fugaku.

“This kid still has a faint pulse. We have to save him!”

Uchiha Fugaku rubbed his temples. "I know what you're saying, but we're out in the middle of nowhere. Where are we supposed to find a medical ninja to bring here?"

"Besides, these injuries... sigh."

At that moment, hearing Fugaku’s words, Uchiha Seichiro, who was kneeling on the ground holding Uchiha Tsushi's body, suddenly raised his head.

The three pitch-black tomoe in his Sharingan spun wildly. His bloodshot eyes fixed fiercely on Fugaku as he demanded:

"Why? Why won’t you save him?"

"You clearly arrived a long time ago, didn't you?"

"How could you just stand there and watch a member of your clan die miserably before your eyes?"

"How could you be so indifferent?"

"What is the purpose of your strength, if not to protect your own?"

Seichiro’s eyes bulged in rage as he roared:

"Answer me! Our esteemed next clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku!"

Under Seichiro’s rabid questioning, Fugaku opened his mouth to explain:

"I—"

But as soon as he began, he fell silent again.

Of course, he had his reasons.

He wanted to see if Uchiha Tsushi would awaken those forbidden eyes.

But he hadn’t expected that this boy would instead fling open another door to the forbidden.

At this moment, anything he said would feel pale and powerless.

Meanwhile, the eight other Uchiha present all turned their crimson Sharingan eyes toward Fugaku, their gazes tinged with questioning.

They were waiting for an explanation.

Fugaku had clearly been capable of stopping the battle earlier. Even if he’d simply sent one Uchiha to intervene, using genjutsu to control that rogue ninja from the Land of Hot Water, it would have been enough. If he had acted in any way, this young boy would not have ended up in such a tragic state.

But he had done nothing.

“Hah... hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!”

Looking at Fugaku’s silence, Seichiro let out a bitter, deranged laugh. His laughter carried the same piercing agony as having one’s fingernails ripped off.

Tears streamed down his face, but his bloodshot eyes gleamed viciously, like those of a vengeful specter.

"Now I understand, Uchiha Fugaku. I finally understand why, even though you are the strongest man in the Uchiha clan, the Great Elder has been so hesitant to name you as the next clan leader."

"You’re unworthy!"

"Did you hear me? You’re unworthy!" Seichiro cursed furiously.

"If someone like you becomes our leader, it will be the greatest disaster in Uchiha history!"

"I would rather pledge allegiance to this two-tomoe brat than ever support you again!"

"Compared to him, your willpower is as weak and worthless as dung!"

"Uchiha Fugaku, you’re nothing but a pile of dog crap! Dog crap! DOG CRAP!"

With that, Seichiro struggled to his feet and launched a heavy punch straight at Fugaku’s face.

*Bam!*

The blow smashed into Fugaku’s nose, distorting his face and sending him sprawling to the ground.

Seichiro leaped on top of him and began raining down punches on the face that appeared fierce but was, in truth, weak and spineless!

The other Uchiha immediately moved to restrain Seichiro, pulling him away as one of them spoke gravely:

"Orochimaru is still nearby. We’ll report this to the Great Elder when we return to the clan. Seichiro, don’t let outsiders see us make fools of ourselves."

"And what about Tsushi?" Seichiro roared, his eyes bloodshot and filled with anguish.

"What about him?! You’re so quick to protect this heartless coward, but who’s going to save Tsushi?!"

"Huh?!"

"Answer me!"

For a moment, no one spoke. The eyes of every Uchiha turned toward Uchiha Tsushi, whose body lay charred and motionless on the ground.

The atmosphere grew so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Then, breaking the silence, the sound of calm footsteps echoed.

A man with golden serpent-like eyes, his gaze full of mockery, stepped out from the shadows, passing by a kunai embedded in the ground.

The firelight illuminated his pale and handsome face, giving him an otherworldly, sinister appearance.

Orochimaru curled his lips into a slight smile and spoke in his hoarse voice:

"If you can’t save him..."

"Why not hand the boy over to me?"

His words made all eight Uchiha frown simultaneously. Even Fugaku climbed back to his feet, standing protectively in front of Uchiha Tsushi as he glared coldly at Orochimaru.

"What are you planning, Orochimaru?" he asked icily.

"Stay away from this child!"

"Heh..." Under the intimidating stares of eight Sharingan, Orochimaru showed no fear. Instead, he responded indifferently:

"The boy still has a breath of life left."

"I have a method that might save him, though I can’t guarantee its success."

Hearing this, Fugaku’s brows furrowed as he asked in a low voice:

"What method?"

"How confident are you that it will work?"

Orochimaru glanced at Uchiha Tsushi’s body on the ground, his serpentine eyes gleaming with amusement as he rasped:

"It’s a power beyond the ordinary. I call it—"

"The Cursed Seal of Heaven!"

"As for how confident I am?"

"Unfortunately, I don’t have any successful cases yet."

"In other words, the chances of saving him are..."

"Zero."

---

*Chapter 93: Showcasing Abilities, A Medical Miracle!*

Hearing those words, the gathered Uchiha clan members fell into a heavy silence.

They didn’t know what this so-called “Heaven’s Curse Mark” was, but they certainly understood what “certain death” meant.

Looking at the critically injured boy, they thought: If things are already this bad, why not try the impossible? It’s still a shred of hope, isn’t it?  

With that thought, even Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes revealed a flicker of consideration.

Orochimaru scanned their expressions, sneering inwardly. These fools are taking the bait, just as expected. He let out a sinister chuckle and said:

“Of course, it won’t come free of charge.”

“I’ll intervene, but if the boy dies, his body must be handed over to me.”

After a pause, Orochimaru added, almost casually:

“You can take the eyes if you wish.”

“What did you just say!?”

The Uchiha clan members glared at him furiously.

Fugaku’s face darkened, and he barked:

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible! We would never hand over the body of an Uchiha clansman to you!”

At that moment, however, a pair of bloodshot eyes suddenly snapped upward. Uchiha Seijuro roared in fury:

“Body? That’s Shinji you’re talking about!”

“He’s still alive!”

“Uchiha Fugaku, are you just going to stand by and watch him die again?!”

With that, he shot a cold glare at Fugaku and said in an icy tone:

“I’m his teammate. The decision here lies with me!”

“Seijuro, you—” Fugaku frowned and clenched his fists, trying to reason with him. But hearing the phrase “stand by and watch him die” left him speechless.

Seijuro didn’t even glance back at him. His disappointment in Fugaku had reached its peak.

Turning away, he fixed his crimson, ice-cold Sharingan—spinning with three tomoe—on Orochimaru. He spoke decisively:

“This is an opportunity right in front of us. Even if it’s a gamble with no chance of winning, I’ll take it!”

“Orochimaru, save Shinji !”

“If he doesn’t make it, you can have the body. But if you dare desecrate his remains in any way...”

Seijuro’s voice dropped to a deadly tone as he threatened:

“I swear, I won’t rest until I’ve hunted you down!”

As Seijuro’s words echoed, the other seven Uchiha simultaneously activated their Sharingan and glared at Orochimaru.

Their gazes all carried the same unspoken warning:

You can save him, but if you fail and try anything suspicious, don’t blame us for showing no mercy to a ‘doctor.’  

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and chuckled, unfazed by their threats.

Brushing past the eight Uchiha, he walked up to Seijuro and looked down at the barely breathing Shinji.

At this point, Shinji was clinging to life by the thinnest thread.

The primary reason was the presence of a tiny creature in his abdomen—a young Zero-Tails.

The small creature continuously absorbed the intense emotions Seijuro’s Sharingan had stirred, converting them into dark chakra, which it fed into Shinji’s body.

“Ha… ha…!”

The exhausted little creature lifted its mask, panting with its tongue out.

Thanks to the dark chakra, Shinji’s body sporadically activated the forbidden technique *Physical Rebirth*, working alongside the slow regeneration provided by his newly gained immortality.

This fragile balance was the only thing keeping him alive.

However, the rate of tissue necrosis in his body far outpaced these regenerative effects.

Orochimaru observed the severely injured Shinji, who somehow still clung to life.

His golden snake-like eyes gleamed with fervor. This boy’s body holds so many secrets…  

The forbidden technique *Physical Rebirth* alone shouldn’t be capable of this!

As for the “Heaven’s Curse Mark” Orochimaru mentioned—he did indeed possess it.

The Heaven’s Curse Mark wasn’t something Orochimaru developed only after meeting Jūgo.

According to the original timeline, Jūgo was brought to Orochimaru by Kimimaro during the Fourth Mizukage’s reign, which began after the Third Shinobi World War. Orochimaru had already defected from the Leaf by then.

However, long before fleeing Konoha, Orochimaru had already implanted the Heaven’s Curse Mark in Anko Mitarashi. This experiment occurred roughly within the next few years. Among ten test subjects, Anko was the sole survivor.

In the current timeline, Orochimaru had only recently taken Anko as his apprentice and hadn’t yet used her for experimentation.

This meant that the Heaven’s Curse Mark, as Orochimaru claimed, had no successful cases yet.

The truth?

Orochimaru had no intention of saving Shinji at all!

He merely wanted to deceive these Uchiha into handing over Shinji body for his experiments.

With this thought in mind, Orochimaru let out a hoarse, cold laugh.

He didn’t think the little brat in front of him could survive. If it weren’t for the fact that the group of Uchiha before him had grown from five to nine members—all of them possessing the three-tomoe Sharingan—giving him a slight sense of unease, he might have already resorted to simply seizing what he wanted by force.

Now, he was merely laying a figurative wreath on a corpse, shedding crocodile tears in a pretense of mourning, and orchestrating a deception.

At this moment, Orochimaru took a deep breath, stretched his neck forward, and stood before Shinji. Without hesitation, he viciously bit down on the boy’s nearly fleshless neck.

As his serpent fangs sank in, dark, intricate markings began to spread across Shinji's body.

A flower-like pattern resembling a three-tomoe Sharingan bloomed outward from the area below his neck.

The *Heavenly Curse Mark* was a curse-sealing technique Orochimaru had developed while attempting to adapt the Senjutsu of Ryuchi Cave. Its primary function was to supply chakra to the bearer, even if their body’s own chakra was depleted. The curse mark could draw upon chakra endlessly.

Under normal circumstances, no human could withstand this influx of natural energy. They would inevitably be corrupted, turning into mindless monsters.

But Shinji was clearly no ordinary person.

When this sinister natural energy entered his body, his instincts as a fighter took control. He forcibly directed the energy to fuel the forbidden technique *Flesh Regeneration*, initiating its process.

The technique *Flesh Regeneration* was notorious for its versatility; it could harness even the most chaotic dark chakra, let alone this energy.

As the energy continued to flow into Shinji’s body, subtle changes began to take place.

**Thump! Thump!

Thump! Thump!

Thump! Thump!**

His charred heart began to beat again, and his scorched body gradually started shedding its blackened surface.

Threads of flesh began to form, slowly reconstructing his body.

The cracked, blackened skin on the surface split open, revealing the raw, blood-red tissue underneath.

Like a snake shedding its old skin, Shinji seemed to be experiencing a rebirth.

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

Orochimaru, who had been acting as a makeshift doctor, was stunned by the scene. His golden, snake-like pupils narrowed sharply, and a look of astonishment overtook his face.

“This... How is this possible?!”

Orochimaru understood the effects of the *Heavenly Curse Mark* better than anyone. Even Danzo had criticized him repeatedly for the countless deaths caused by this technique, urging him to stop wasting time on such a hopeless pursuit.

Even Orochimaru himself had been somewhat disheartened by its failures.

Yet now, standing before him, this brat was actually succeeding?

Watching this miracle of medical science unfold, Orochimaru's expression froze. Cold sweat began dripping down his forehead.

No—why would it work now of all times?!

What he wanted was a corpse. A corpse!

Orochimaru didn’t know whether he should feel pleased, shocked, or disappointed. His cold smirk stiffened awkwardly.

The surrounding Uchiha, equally dumbfounded, began to glance at Orochimaru with newfound respect.

Who would have thought? Orochimaru, with his stern and serious demeanor, had quietly mastered such an incredible medical technique!

Look at this—this was truly miraculous! The *Great Snake Doctor*!

This kindness would not be forgotten by the Uchiha clan.

Meanwhile, in the shadows underground, White Zetsu had been watching intently and noticed something unusual.

Shinji’s body seemed to lack a large amount of chakra at the moment.

Seizing the opportunity, White Zetsu quietly emerged from the earth, extending a white tendril to attach to Shinji. Through this connection, he planted a spore technique, secretly funneling chakra into Shinji’s body.

And so, with the combined efforts of Seichiro, Zero-Tails, Orochimaru, and White Zetsu,

a miracle of medical science was born in the shinobi world!

(End of chapter)  

Chapter 94: Seijiro, I Truly Owe You One!

The sun hung high in the sky.

A warm breeze brushed his face, mingling with the bustling sounds of people and the rhythmic creak of horse-drawn carts on cobblestone roads.

Shinji felt an itch on his eyelids.

For a moment, he thought he had returned to the real world—the moment when he had been obliterated by a dump truck slicing through him, leaving him bleeding from all orifices, barely clinging to life.

Hearing the lively commotion around him, a stark contrast to the cavernous silence of his prior environment, his spirits were momentarily lifted. Could it be that he had already been revived?

Had he returned to the very moment before his death? Could he actually be back in the real world?

But something was odd—why hadn’t the system's option menu popped up this time?

He had been ready. If options had appeared, he would have selected the Desolation Prison Finger Strike without hesitation, milking five billion from it as a start!

With these thoughts swirling, Shinji cautiously opened his eyes.

And then, he saw him.

Sitting cross-legged before him, leaning against a massive scroll, was Uchiha Seijiro, nodding off. Drool was dangerously close to dripping onto the collar of his shirt.

In his sleep, Seijiro muttered odd phrases:

"Mm, heh-heh, I’ve got three tomoe now. Don’t run away! Listen carefully to your senior’s wisdom, you little punk.”

Hearing Seijiro’s voice, Shinji’s expression instantly collapsed into a blank stare.

Wait a second—what was going on? Hadn't he been burned to a crisp? How could anyone have saved him?

Who managed to do this? A living miracle worker?

Looking around the room, Ci realized he was in a spacious loft. The sliding wooden door on one side opened to a veranda overlooking the street.

Sunlight streamed through the wooden window, warming the futon and tatami mat he was lying on.

Through the potted oleander and cactus plants by the window, he could see a bustling street outside. Crowds moved along, and rows of distinctive shops lined the road. Merchants driving horse-drawn carts passed one after another, adding to the lively scene.

There were izakayas, dango shops, green tea cake stalls, general stores, seafood restaurants, and even onsen bathhouses.

It was at this moment that Shinji realized—

He wasn’t dead.

And this place?

It was the destination assigned to his squad by Uchiha Satsuna, the Great Elder—

The largest city in the Land of Hot Water, nestled between three great nations: *Yukemuri City.*

Apparently, Uchiha Seijiro had not only completed the mission but had gone above and beyond, dragging him back from the clutches of a sinister cult.

But how?

Even thinking about it, Shinji was baffled. With injuries like his, even Tsunade, the best medical ninja in the entire ninja world, would have called it quits and walked away.

Before Shinji could delve deeper into his confusion, the sound of his movements startled the supposedly asleep Seijiro.

“Huh? Shinji , you’re awake? How are you feeling? Is your body any better?” Seijiro, now fully awake, immediately leaned forward with concern.

Ci instinctively scooted back, expressionless.

What’s with this guy? Why was he suddenly so enthusiastic?

Counting their past exchanges, they hadn’t even spoken twenty sentences in total. He preferred the Seijiro from before they left the village—arrogant, always eager to lecture his juniors.

“Senior Seijiro?” Shinji frowned and gestured around the room. “What’s going on here?”

“Oh, this?” Seijiro began, his tone light.

“This is one of the Uchiha clan’s temporary outposts in Yukemuri City. It used to be run by the Ninja Cat clan, but Captain Fugaku bought it.”

“On the surface, it’s just an izakaya, but in reality, it’s the largest ninja tool store in the city and also the entrance to the underground black market.”

Ci raised an eyebrow. Though he’d heard rumors about the wealth of the great ninja clans, hearing how Fugaku casually acquired such a significant property still surprised him.

A business like this, tied to both ninja and merchants and housing an underground black market, wasn’t valuable for its merchandise—it was the intelligence flowing through it that mattered most.

This implied a much closer relationship between the Uchiha and the Ninja Cat clan than described in the original story.

Having grasped the situation, Shinji frowned again and asked the critical question:

“How long was I unconscious? And what happened during that time?”

“You were out for three days. And it’s all thanks to Lord Orochimaru—he truly deserves his reputation as one of the Sannin. His medical skills are miraculous!”

“What?!”

Ci was dumbfounded. “Wait, are you saying Orochimaru saved me?”

Orochimaru, the legendary battlefield medic with miraculous hands?

Wasn’t Tsunade the healer among the Sannin?

What on earth was going on in this world?

At the mention of this incident, Seijiro grew animated, launching into an exaggerated recount of his “heroic deeds” from three days ago.

From Seijiro’s mix of 3% truth and 97% boastful nonsense riddled with logical gaps, Shinji pieced together the story—or tried to.

But it still didn’t make sense.

Fugaku standing by with seven Uchihas watching helplessly?

A minion openly cursing the young clan leader?

A chunin pointing at Orochimaru and threatening him?

Orochimaru secretly hiding a super-powerful medical ninjutsu?

What was this nonsensical, amateurish plot? Even a third-rate novel wouldn’t dare write something this absurd!

Expressionless, Shinji opened his system panel and checked the subtitles, confident that it wouldn’t lie to him.

Then he saw:

*[Orochimaru believed you were beyond saving and intended to take your body for dissection and research.]*

*[Orochimaru used a taijutsu technique: Bite.]*

【You have acquired: Heaven’s Curse Mark (A-, Incomplete, Extremely Dangerous)】

Looking at the notification, Shinji blinked, quickly piecing together what had happened. He then raised his head, staring in shock at Uchiha Seichiro.

No way, he wasn’t lying?

Seeing the stunned expression on Shinji’s face, Seichiro felt a jolt of electrifying satisfaction coursing through his body, from his toes to the crown of his head. Overcome with excitement, he couldn’t help but start coughing.

“Cough, cough. That’s the gist of it.”

Then, he immediately changed his demeanor. Lifting his chin and looking at Shinji with an air of superiority, he snorted coldly and said:

“In short, the debt from you saving my life earlier? Consider it settled.”

Shinji was left completely speechless by this sudden display of Uchiha family arrogance. He nearly choked from frustration.

In the end, all he could do was mutter through gritted teeth, his face contorted in annoyance:

“Damn it, what kind of cosmic joke is this?”

“What did you say?” Seichiro asked, not catching the words as he lifted his head.

“Nothing,” Shinji replied, his expression blank as he glared at Seichiro, his teeth clenched so tightly they were trembling.

“What I meant was, thank you so much, Seichiro-senpai!”

“Hmph! Save your flattery!” Seichiro turned his head away, not wanting Shinji to see the smug grin creeping onto his face. His tone remained cold:

“Don’t think for a second that saying something like that will make me help you.”

Shinji let out a deep sigh, his face filled with resignation.

What now?

What could he even do?

Damn it, after being saved this time, what’s next?

An immortal body, a Zero-Tailed larva, dark chakra, Heaven’s Curse Mark, Forbidden Technique: Flesh Regeneration.

Too tanky, just way too tanky—this is insane!

At this point, he could just stand there motionless and let an ordinary jonin slash at him, and he probably still wouldn’t die, right?

How was he supposed to keep pretending to be weak now?

Just then, Uchiha Seichiro stood up suddenly, slid open the wooden door, and frowned.

“Since you’re awake, come with me. There are a few things you need to handle—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a loud, piercing wail erupted from outside the open door:

“You red-eyed maniacs! If you’ve got guts, then just kill me already!”

“Tying me up and starving me, what the hell are you trying to do?!”

“AAAAAAH! Three days! It’s been three whole days!”

“Shinji, you heartless bastard! When the hell are you going to wake up? I’m starving to death over here!”

---

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 95: War Erupts, Orochimaru Takes a Disciple!

Hearing the voice,

Shinji raised an eyebrow, instantly recognizing it as his younger brother Hidan's voice.

But something didn’t add up. Hidan had already been killed by Higashikata Hayato, who had pierced his heart and sent him to the afterlife.

Before Shinji could think it through,

Qingichiro slid open the wooden door and walked out, veins bulging slightly on his forehead.

"How did this brat manage to chew through the cloth stuffed in his mouth again?"

Hearing the racket and clatter from the room opposite, Qingichiro couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

He quickly opened the door to the room across the hall, pointed at a figure tied to a wooden stake in the middle of the room, and turned to Shinji, saying:

"This is the first matter."

"This little brat keeps spouting nonsense, yelling every day about how you're his 'Evil God big brother' or some such nonsense. But according to the intel we extracted from the other Hidden Hot Water ninja we interrogated—"

"He’s a disciple of that Jonin you fought, Higashikata Hayato."

"Higashikata Hayato is deeply involved with the Cloud Village ambush we encountered earlier. We were planning to just kill this kid."

"But his body is... unique, and he’s connected to you somehow."

"So, it’s up to you to decide what to do with him," Qingichiro said, frowning as he gestured to Hidan on the wooden stake.

Upon hearing this, Shinji pieced it all together.

Higashikata Hayato’s plan was to drive Hidan to despair by killing everyone close to him. The final act would have been to reveal their master-disciple bond, shattering Hidan’s spirit entirely and forcing him to experience agony beyond death itself.

Then, Hayato would have sacrificed Hidan in a ritual to gain true immortality.

In the original path of the ninja world, this sacrificial ritual had coincided with a clash between Shinnō and Orochimaru—two powerhouse shinobi battling it out. Higashikata Hayato ultimately failed, leaving Hidan alive but mentally unhinged.

In this timeline, though, because Shinji had preemptively killed Hayato—scattering his ashes to the wind—the ritual’s reward, which the Evil God intended to bestow upon the last survivor, should have gone to Shinji himself.

However, the almighty Heavenly Path had blocked the delivery of this mysterious gift.

As a result, the immortality ended up with Hidan, whose body was still mostly intact, reviving him and granting him the "immortality" that fate had destined him to possess.

All in all, the outcome wasn’t too bad.

Shinji stroked his chin and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

At this moment, Hidan also seemed to notice the movement nearby. He began squirming on the stake and shouting loudly:

"Hey, hey, hey! Is anyone there?"

"What the hell are you people planning to do to me? Could you at least give me a straight answer?!"

"You’re scaring me here!"

Uchiha Qingichiro looked up at Shinji, his gaze turning cold as he asked again:

"So? What’s your decision?"

Shinji stared at the squirming Hidan, who resembled a caterpillar, and frowned.

"Kill him."

This kind of troublesome connection was far too dangerous.

It severely jeopardized his grand plan of making money and committing insurance fraud!

Hearing this, Uchiha Qingichiro wasted no time. He unsheathed the long blade on his back and stepped forward.

Realizing Qingichiro was serious, Shinji sighed and stopped him.

"Forget it. Feed him something first."

"After that, send him back to the Hidden Hot Water Village. I’m not particularly interested in seeing him right now."

Qingichiro nodded, picked up the gag from the floor, and stuffed it back into Hidan’s mouth.

Then, he slid the door shut and led Shinji downstairs to a private room on the second floor.

After they sat down, Qingichiro’s expression turned serious.

"Now, onto the second matter."

"While you were unconscious for three days, war broke out."

Hearing this, Shinji raised an eyebrow. This was actually good news for him.

Qingichiro continued:

"Two days ago, the Sand Village ended their skirmishes with the Mist Village and officially declared war on the Leaf Village. The two sides are now engaged in a large-scale battle in the Land of Rain."

"The Third Great Ninja War has officially begun."

"The Stone Village and the Cloud Village are also starting to stir. The Lands of Fields and Grass have already descended into chaos."

Shinji took a deep breath and said, "For the Cloud Village, the Blood Pool Clan in Hell Valley is now a crucial bargaining chip."

"And besides, wasn’t our original mission to head to Hell Valley to reinforce our clansmen there?"

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Shinji declared righteously:

"What are we waiting for? We must set out for Hell Valley immediately!"

From the very beginning, Hell Valley had been Shinji’s goal in leaving the village.

Now, it had become a battleground involving the Cloud Village, the Blood Pool Clan, and the Uchiha. Elite fighters from all factions were gathering there—

The Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Cloud Village elites, and members of the Blood Pool Clan whose abilities were highly effective against his Sharingan.

And there was also one figure who loomed like a ticking time bomb—Oyakata En.

The kaleidoscope-level Sharingan, the Blood Dragon Eye, the Blood Dragon Gundam, the human bomb, and ultimate illusions—all these abilities combined in one person left Shinji unable to fathom just how powerful the opponent might be!

Moreover, in such a situation, there was no need to concoct some excuse for insurance fraud.

Opposing stances, different factions—

All that mattered was battle!

Fight with everything you have, and that's it!

However, at this moment,

Kiyoshiro shook his head and said:

“No.”

“The Valley of Hell doesn’t need us for the time being.”

“Elder Uchiha Setsuna reestablished contact with the clan three days ago and has already gone to the Valley of Hell to oversee things. Furthermore, Captain Fugaku used a mission as a pretext to leave the village and bring top Uchiha experts there. They’re already stationed in the Valley of Hell.”

“Cloud Village’s ambush this time failed to kill the elder. Their plans have completely fallen apart.”

“Now, both Cloud Village and the Blood Pool Clan have temporarily settled down.”

“What?!” Shinji slammed the table and stood up, glaring at Kiyoshiro.

Cloud Village failed just once, and now they’ve calmed down?

Keep fighting, dammit!

If there’s no fighting, then why did he even come to the Land of Hot Springs? To take a stroll?

Kiyoshiro twitched the corners of his mouth, looking at Shinji in exasperation.

At this point, though Shinji had changed somewhat, Kiyoshiro still couldn’t understand the mindset of such an extreme battle enthusiast.

“Calm down. The current peace is only temporary because Cloud Village is taking action on the Land of Fields’ side. This has delayed their efforts here for now,” Kiyoshiro analyzed calmly.

“As long as Cloud Village still covets the Blood Pool, we can’t avoid this war.”

Shinji frowned and sat back down.

Kiyoshiro had a point. After the outbreak of the ninja world war, Cloud Village would definitely prioritize targeting the Land of Fire over the Blood Pool.

According to the original timeline, it wouldn’t be long before Cloud Village assembled its forces to invade the Land of Fire from the Land of Fields.

That invasion would mark the first battle between the young Minato Namikaze and Cloud Village’s A-B duo. After that, the Yellow Flash’s renown would spread across the ninja world.

But Shinji still felt dissatisfied. He looked up at Kiyoshiro and asked, “So, is there really no movement at all in the Valley of Hell?”

This question stumped Kiyoshiro. Rolling his eyes, he asked in annoyance, “What kind of movement are you hoping for?”

Shinji frowned, lost in thought.

What kind of movement?

Of course, the movements of Miyashiro Homura!

At this point in time, his wife should already be dead, and he should have started slaughtering the Blood Pool Clan.

After thinking carefully, Shinji suddenly froze.

It hit him—it was his presence that had changed everything.

The butterfly effect was in full force!

The Blood Pool Clan was being guarded by the Uchiha Clan.

If Miyashiro Homura wanted to kill off his clansmen and leave, he would first have to break through the Uchiha defenses.

But now, Elder Uchiha Setsuna was alive and had even strengthened the defenses of the Valley of Hell, which had intimidated Cloud Village into holding back.

Without Cloud Village sending forces to distract the Uchiha, Miyashiro Homura wouldn’t be able to escape even if he massacred the Blood Pool Clan.

From a godlike perspective, Shinji knew that the Mangekyo Sharingan marked the boundary of Kage-level power. He knew Miyashiro Homura was extremely strong at the moment—too strong.

But Miyashiro Homura himself didn’t know that.

Faced with the Uchiha Clan, who had imprisoned the Blood Pool Clan for nearly a century, Miyashiro Homura was likely feeling uncertain.

Thus, he could only endure and bide his time for now.

Realizing this, Shinji exhaled deeply, as if a fog had cleared to reveal the blue sky.

If that’s the case, all he needed to do was wait.

At that moment,

Kiyoshiro tapped the table to bring Shinji back to reality, then smiled and said:

“One last thing—”

“Shinji,”

“After internal discussions, the clan has agreed to the request from the Third Hokage’s letter.”

“You are no longer just a ninja of the Uchiha Clan.”

With that, Kiyoshiro placed a tray in front of him.

On it lay a Konoha ninja headband and a ninja ID card.

“Congratulations. From now on, you’re one of the Sannin’s disciples!”

Shinji froze in shock, staring blankly at Kiyoshiro.

What the hell is going on now?

A disciple of the Sannin?

Who accepted him?

Had his handsomeness reached the point where even Lady Tsunade heard about it, felt her heart flutter, and decided to take him on as her student?

“What’s going on here?”

Kiyoshiro, however, kept him in suspense, raising an eyebrow with a smile. “At first, I didn’t believe it either.”

“But just like Shisui said, you really are destined to be the bridge between the clan and the village!”

Then he flashed a knowing smile and clicked his tongue in admiration:

“Orochimaru-sama is such a kind person!”

“Three days ago, he expended so much effort to save you that he left staggering and pale-faced.”

“Who would’ve thought that the next day, he’d show up at the Uchiha compound with Root members in tow, negotiating with Captain Fugaku about taking you as his disciple?”

“He said he was impressed by your potential.”

Shinji was utterly stunned, left mentally fried by this reasoning.

(End of chapter)