61-65

Chapter 61: Heart Upgrade, Encirclement and Pursuit

*[Ding!]*

*[You bravely confronted a minor leader of the Cult of the Evil God, Hideki, and obtained a random skill from your opponent: Earth Style · Mud Flow Slope (Beginner, C).]*

*[You courageously counterattacked a subordinate ninja trying to harm you and acquired a random skill from them: Earth Style · Rock Theft Rod (Beginner, C).]*

*[You valiantly counterattacked a group of enemies who tried to harm you, leaving them speechless.]*

*[The counterattack was powerful, triggering a critical reward.]*

*[Due to special equipment: Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Earth), the obtained ninjutsu skills have been converted into heart upgrade progress.]*

*[Current progress: Wind (6%), Fire (52%), Lightning (0%), Water (88%).]*

*[Sword techniques gained from fighting off the group of rogue ninjas have been consolidated into: Basic Swordsmanship of the Ninja World (Proficient, D) (detailed description available).]*

*[...]*

Another series of subtitles flashed before Shinji's eyes.

He casually swung the ninja sword in his hand a few times, noticing that what had once been an awkward grip now felt far more fluid and natural.

Basic Swordsmanship of the Ninja World forms the foundation of all sword techniques in this world.

It includes fundamental moves such as quick-draw slashes, downward strikes, circular slashes, kesa-giri (diagonal cuts from the shoulder), reverse kesa-giri (diagonal cuts from the hip), left and right horizontal slashes, upward slashes from the left or right, reverse wind (upward strikes from below), and thrusting attacks.

Mastering these fundamentals would provide a solid boost in proficiency when performing advanced techniques like the Cloud Style, Konoha Style, or Uchiha Style swordsmanship.

It would also prevent embarrassing moments like his earlier blunder—when his first swing against Kakuzu’s horn misfired due to his lack of swordsmanship.

Glancing at the detailed description, Shinji suddenly understood. So that’s how it works?

His clunky "Brute Force Brick-Flying Sword Technique" could finally retire.

As for the heart upgrade progress, it essentially reflected his chakra nature training levels.

Fire and Water, his natural chakra natures, already had higher proficiency due to his prior experience. Additionally, the ninjas of the Land of Hot Springs primarily used Water Style jutsu, contributing to its high progress.

Wind Style, on the other hand, likely gained progress from his earlier use of Wind Style: Gale Void Wave.

From the looks of it, reclaiming his original chakra nature skills wouldn’t be too difficult for Shinji.

Especially Fire Style.

Honestly, he couldn’t wait to use the Fire Style Chakra Mode again. It was like having a self-destruct superweapon in his arsenal.

Furthermore, if his mind remained clear and his body held up, he could fully control the Forbidden Jutsu: Physical Transformation to regenerate an original heart. At that point, he could consider replacing his absurdly mismatched Earth-style heart.

But for now...

In the short term, he only had one opportunity left to use the Forbidden Jutsu: Physical Transformation in combat.

And Shinji had already decided—he was saving it for the leader of the Cult of the Evil God.

---

The cult’s reinforcements were on their way.

After a quick glance at the subtitles, confirming the new skills he had gained, Shinji didn’t linger on them.

Instead, he began scavenging the broken city walls for ninja tools, looting the pouches of ninjas who were either dead or playing dead on the ground.

However, before he could finish his cleanup...

A series of dark shadows swiftly approached.

Straightening his back, Shinji narrowed his eyes.

Twelve Cult of the Evil God members in high-collared, black robes with fitted waists appeared before him. Each wore a leather scripture box strapped to their forearms.

They stood on the crumbling wall, scanning the chaotic battlefield. Their eyes turned icy as they reached for their weapons—pitch-black spears, which they aimed directly at Shinji.

The leader of the group, his expression as emotionless as a machine, spoke in a cold, mechanical tone:

“Was this your doing?”

“Tch.”

Shinji let out a dissatisfied sound, annoyed that his cinematic animation had been interrupted.

His face darkened, adopting a brooding expression reminiscent of a certain younger Uchiha brother.

“What, planning to kill me?”

“Frankly, your ignorance is astounding.”

Suddenly, Shinji’s eyes snapped open.

Two pitch-black tomoe swirled in his blood-red Sharingan as he glared at them with icy disdain.

“Before these eyes, your every move has already been laid bare!”

Faced with a level of arrogance surpassing the norms of the ninja world, the Evil God cultists couldn’t help but flinch.

The leader of the cult’s elite squad raised his hand and coldly commanded:

“Kill him!”

At his word, murderous intent filled the air.

The twelve cultists split into three teams.

Four charged forward with spears raised, ready to slash at Shinji.

Six stayed back, forming seals to unleash ninjutsu.

The final two etched a triangular pattern within a circle, their faces darkening with creeping black lines as they prepared the cult’s secret curse technique.

---

At this moment,

Shinji could only manage to grab half of the twelve ninja tool bags on the ground. He packed them into two ninja pouches and strapped them to his waist.

In total, he had 34 shurikens, 8 crudely made kunai that were clearly unsuitable for parrying, a ninja sword, and a katana.

Additionally, there was a sleeve holster containing 40 senbon needles.

As he saw the twelve elite members of the Jashin cult advancing toward him, Shinji took a deep breath.

Without a second thought, he leaped off the city wall in one great bound.

Earlier, he had faced three similarly dressed Jashin cult elites in a village.

Just three of them had almost cost him his life.

By all rights, he should fight to the death here.

But the current situation was completely different.

Now, he possessed the formidable defense of the Earth Release: Earth Spear technique. Combined with his knowledge of their capabilities, as long as these cultists didn’t possess any powerful Lightning Release techniques or other secret arts that counter Earth Spear,

they had no way to kill him!

Under circumstances where their strengths weren’t extremely mismatched, staying here to engage them in a prolonged battle would only waste too much chakra. Even if he managed to meet the final boss, he might end up being judged as deliberately throwing the fight or seeking death on purpose.

So, after completing his objective of collecting ninja tools, he resolved to stick to his plan.

With that thought, Shinji took another great leap!

He landed feet-first on the city wall, sliding downward to slow his fall. He then immediately straightened himself and began running along the wall.

The sound of the wind whistled past his ears, mingled with sharp, piercing explosions.

He flipped in mid-air, hurling two shurikens laced with threads of Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear technique. The shurikens embedded themselves into the nearby mountainside.

With a sudden tug of the threads, he narrowly dodged four pitch-black spears flying toward him. Maintaining a precarious posture, he used the threads to glide to the ground and continued sprinting.

This method of rapid terrain-based movement was precisely why Shinji dared to take such risks on the city wall.

How could running possibly be faster than flying?

A grin spread across his face as he saw he was about to reach the rendezvous point he had arranged with Mei Terumi.

However,

as he turned the corner around the mountain wall ahead,

the smile on Shinji's face froze instantly.

He slammed on the brakes, coming to an abrupt halt.

His Sharingan widened in shock.

Because the twelve Jashin cult elites who had just been on the city wall were now standing right in front of him!

And there were even more of them!

Sixteen Jashin cult elites now stood in a straight line.

They hurled sixteen pitch-black spears at him with lethal force!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 62: Instant Slash, Molten River and Flowing Rock

Sixteen black spears shot forward suddenly!

Shinji's pupils contracted sharply as he decisively closed his eyes, relying on his intuition to predict the trajectory of the incoming spears.

In the next moment, he immediately used Earth Style: Earth Spear, channeling earth chakra to the areas of his body about to be struck.

*Localized Hardening!*

Clang! Clang! Clang!  

The sixteen powerful black spears struck Shinji’s body, producing metallic clangs reminiscent of weapons clashing.

Although the attack caused no injuries, the force pushed his feet backward, carving two grooves over a meter long into the ground.

Shinji opened his eyes, frowning slightly.

“Damn, my momentum's been stopped. And…”

Earth Style: Earth Spear, a B-rank instant-cast jutsu known for extreme defense, had its drawbacks.

When he hardened his body, it inevitably caused a momentary stiffness.

No time to think further—the sixteen elite cultists of the Cult of Jashin were already drawing their black spears again, preparing for a second volley.

Almost simultaneously, footsteps sounded behind him.

Twelve more elite cultists, previously stationed on the city wall, had now reached his rear. They boxed him in, trapping him between the entrance of the underground cavern and the outer city wall’s flat terrain.

In this kind of terrain, with no strategic advantage, he couldn’t use wires to maneuver or accelerate. He had no choice but to charge head-on.

But why were the twelve cultists who were on the wall now in front of him?

“Shadow clones, or a transformation jutsu?”

Shinji frowned slightly, then fixed his gaze on the sixteen cultists ahead.

With his two-tomoe Sharingan, which already had observational capabilities, he scrutinized them carefully.

Sure enough, he noticed something unusual.

The twelve cultists on the wall had seemed perfectly normal earlier—chakra flow steady, no apparent anomalies.

But among the sixteen in front of him, twelve appeared to have a layer of chakra coating them, like a disguise. It was likely the remnants of a transformation jutsu.

To confirm his observations, he quickly glanced at the subtitles of his *Steel Heart* ability.

As expected, the subtitles reported that 28 elite cultists from the Cult of Jashin harbored hostility toward him.

In other words, all 28 were real people.

Including the crowd from the wall earlier.

Shinji took a deep breath, unable to suppress a wave of shock.

This was highly unusual.

How could such a small Cult of Jashin grow so powerful in such a short time?

Gathering so many shinobi in the Land of Hot Water on such short notice—besides the Five Great Nations, Shinji could think of only one other:

The village known as the *Land That Forgot War*.

Takigakure.

Had the Cult of Jashin completely drained Takigakure’s resources?

Yet, in the original story, Shinji remembered only one cultist ever being mentioned: Hidan.

Narrowing his eyes, he exhaled deeply. There was no time to delve into such mysteries. He quickly began devising a strategy.

Caught in a pincer attack, if he only focused on defense, he’d eventually be worn down. Forget fighting the final boss—he wouldn’t even get close to it, much less die as he wished.

To break through, he had no choice but to charge forward head-on.

But the Earth Spear, which would stiffen his body, was out of the question.

That left only one option:

He had to take a gamble!

Shinji's eyes hardened. Without hesitation, he drew the katana from his left hip.

A technique capable of slashing down flying projectiles mid-sprint—Shinji had seen it before!

That’s right, it was the *Swift Wind Slash*.

It was the same technique Uchiha Setsuna had used on the night they left for the Land of Hot Water.

That crescent-shaped arc of light.

---

Soon, Shinji formulated his battle plan.

It was simple—no frills, no tricks.

Straight into a fight for survival!

He’d gamble everything on whether he could replicate that unforgettable slash, the one even his Sharingan hadn’t fully captured!

If he succeeded, he’d break through the enemy formation and head for the boss room for a one-on-one showdown like a true warrior.

If he failed, well... he’d live with the regret.

He adjusted his stance, closed his eyes, and gripped the hilt of his katana with both hands. The tip of the blade dragged along the ground, scraping forward with a deliberate sound.

For a moment, his mind blurred.

It felt as though he’d returned to that night by the campfire, where the three-man team sat in silence.

This time, though, he stood in Uchiha Setsuna’s place.

Watching indifferently as two kids argued, then slowly reaching for the blade on his back at the peak of their clash.

*Draw the blade. Step forward. Slash!*

Crack!  

Shinji dashed forward with his katana, surging with energy.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!  

---

Sixteen pitch-black spears tore through the air, crossing a fifty-meter distance, and shot forward ferociously!

Opening his eyes, the twin tomoe in Shinji's gaze spun rapidly.

Shinji leapt high into the air. Relying purely on instinct, he swung his blade in a downward arc, executing a powerful strike as if cleaving a mountain in two!

The blade slashed downward, leveraging the momentum of one of the incoming black spears to twist mid-air into another flip.

Clang!  

Sparks scattered everywhere!

The grip of the blade in Shinji's hand trembled slightly, sending a faint numbness through his fingers. He felt as though he was getting closer to something, but it wasn’t quite there yet. The concentrated arc of light that had just begun to form immediately dissipated.

It was likely due to the uneven distribution of chakra along the blade.

Landing again, he instinctively rolled across the ground, dodging seven or eight more incoming black spears.

The spears embedded themselves into the earth as Shinji grabbed the hilt of his bladeless weapon and launched himself forward in another rapid charge.

By now, twelve elite cultists of the Evil God had already taken their positions behind him.

A sudden prickling sensation surged at the back of Shinji’s head. Without hesitation, he ducked low.

A Wind Release: Wind Blade shot past him.

Immediately afterward, a barrage of ninjutsu and black spears came hurtling toward him.

Clenching his teeth, Shinji deftly flung four shuriken backward.

The shuriken pulled along entangling chakra strings, which wrapped around one of the black spears, creating an opening for him to roll out of harm's way.

Seeing this, the lead cultist narrowed his eyes and barked an order:

"Volley! Two consecutive rounds!"

Then, he drew a black spear himself. Narrowing his gaze at Shinji, he infused the spear with Lightning Release chakra, preparing for a lethal strike.

As soon as the command was given,

a rain of spears poured down on Shinji in two relentless waves.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Shinji dashed forward into the storm of black spears, gripping his hilt with both hands. Channeling chakra through the blade with Sword Art: Chakra Infusion, he lit up the blade with a bright arc of moonlight-like blue.

Draw the blade, step forward, and strike!

Again!

Suddenly, a system prompt appeared before his eyes:

*[You have mastered Uchiha Style: Instant Void Slash (Entry-Level, B).]*

At that moment,

behind the elite cultists, a girl with auburn-red hair emerged from the city wall. She leapt into the air, forming hand signs with remarkable fluidity.

Dog – Boar – Tiger – Ox – Rat – Rooster!

"Lava Release: Melting Monster Technique!"

She seamlessly followed up with another hand seal and slammed her palms into the ground. Her crisp, bell-like voice echoed through the battlefield:

"Earth Release: Fissure Palm Strike!"

In an instant,

the ground split apart starting from beneath her palms, extending toward the feet of the cultists. The earth fractured and broke as surging torrents of water erupted from below, lifting rock and soil high into the air.

A steaming, highly corrosive river of lava burst forth!

(To be continued…)  

*Chapter 63: Entering the Mist, A Thousand Snakes Hunting Sparrows *  

The ground shook violently.  

A massive fissure split open, and rivers of molten lava swallowed nearly half of the elite Heretic Cultists in an instant.  

They didn’t even have time to scream before being melted away.  

The remaining cultists, who narrowly avoided the attack, were horrified. They immediately used Body Flicker Jutsu to escape the range of this combined technique and regrouped nearby.  

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shinji swung his blade sharply.  

Uchiha Style: Instant Void Slash!  

A crescent arc of light gleamed like the moon.  

In an instant, his long blade cut through six spears, three Fire Release fireballs, and one Wind Release blade. However, as it struck the seventh spear, the sword snapped with a sharp crack.  

Even so, this level of achievement was more than enough.  

Shinji tilted his head slightly, narrowly avoiding the last black spear aimed at his face.  

Then, without hesitation, he turned and ran. There was no need to consider how to fight through sixteen elite cultists now.  

As he reached Terumi Mei, she quickly formed hand signs: Ox → Snake → Ram.  

Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!  

She parted her cherry-red lips and exhaled, unleashing a dense fog so thick that one could barely see their hand in front of them.  

Terumi Mei’s Hidden Mist Technique was far superior to the future Silent Killing specialist Zabuza. It was so advanced that, even in the presence of Edo Madara’s Rinnegan, she could buy her allies precious time.  

The thick mist spread rapidly, instantly robbing the Heretic Cultists of their vision.  

“What is this?”  

“The fog is so thick—I can’t see anything!”  

“Is it the Hidden Mist Village? How did they find us?”  

“Could it be that our plans were exposed?”  

Seeing this, the cult leader furrowed his brow. The Lightning Release spear in his hand lowered slightly.  

He immediately shouted to steady his troops:  

“Don’t panic!”  

“Wind Release users, blow away this fog now!”  

“Everyone else, guard the cave entrance! Don’t give them a chance to exploit this!”  

The mist continued to rise, spreading until it engulfed half the castle.  

Sunlight scattered through the fog, giving the ancient fortress a dreamlike quality as its blurred outline shimmered with golden edges.  

Even with Shinji’s Sharingan active, his visible range was severely limited.  

Just then, a delicate hand grasped his wrist, pulling him along as they moved swiftly from one spot to another.  

“Come on! We’re heading inside the castle. I’ve found where they’re keeping Hidan,” Terumi Mei said as she ran, explaining what she had discovered.  

“Also, this place is even more dangerous than we thought.”  

“The Heretic Cultists are gathering reinforcements outside. Lagging behind are three squads, and one of their leaders is a jonin from the Hot Spring Village. But what’s strange is that the leader isn’t wearing a rogue ninja headband.”  

“That’s odd,” she continued. “The core members of this organization all seem to come from the same village. What are they? The Heretic Cult, or the Hot Spring Village?”  

Shinji pondered her words for a moment but couldn’t determine what was amiss. He shook his head.  

“Let’s stick to the plan for now.”  

With that, the two climbed the castle’s inner walls through the mist.  

Finally, they managed to evade their pursuers and achieve the first step of their mission.  

However, waiting for them on the inner wall was an unexpected figure.  

This individual wore a unique combat outfit, with a purple rope tied at the back of their waist. Long black hair framed a pale face, adorned with golden slit pupils and violet eye shadow extending to their nose. They wore teal-blue magatama earrings.  

As the pair reached the wall, the figure let out a raspy laugh:  

“Hmm, hmm, hmm...”  

“What a curious sight—a Hidden Mist ninja teaming up with a Uchiha to infiltrate this place.”  

Shinji and Terumi Mei’s pupils constricted simultaneously.  

This man was none other than one of the legendary Sannin, known throughout the ninja world—Orochimaru.  

Orochimaru! 

Orochimaru was clearly smiling, but his gaze was so cold and sinister it felt like being plunged into an icy prison. His eyes slowly swept over the two of them, like a venomous snake patiently watching its prey, ready to strike.  

Without warning, an invisible aura of killing intent began to spread through the air.  

Under this oppressive aura, Shinji only furrowed his brows slightly before regaining his composure.  

Judging from the timeline, after the Second Great Ninja War, Orochimaru must have witnessed the deaths of Tsunade’s younger brother Nawaki, Dan Kato, and his own parents. This had likely left him deeply aware of the fragility of life and fueled his desperate pursuit of immortality.  

By now, he had probably infiltrated Konoha’s forbidden jutsu archives, scouring through numerous forbidden techniques.  

At the same time, he had found his path.  

The key to his method was the Living Corpse Reincarnation, but to perfect it, Orochimaru needed the forbidden body regeneration technique—Flesh Regeneration, which could be obtained from Shinnō.  

However, at the moment, there were no signs of hostility from Orochimaru toward them. It seemed that they weren’t his primary concern.  

His target was Shinnō.  

Orochimaru shot a cold glance at the two of them. He wasn’t particularly interested in why an Uchiha was here.  

After all, it wasn’t exactly a secret that the Uchiha Clan took on missions outside the village, maintained their own family ninjas, and had long been tasked with guarding the Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water.  

What piqued his interest more was the peculiar interaction between this young Uchiha and a scion of the Mist Village’s prominent clans.  

Still, he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. Without wasting words, he turned to Shinji and asked coldly: 

“I received intelligence that a doctor has been following you.”  

“A man with gray hair, wearing a yellow cloak and a hat.”  

“Tell me where he is.”  

Hearing this, Shinji thought to himself, Just as I expected. However, no matter what, Shinnō had saved his life. Naturally, he wouldn’t betray him.  

He simply locked eyes with Orochimaru, sneering as he replied: 

“I don’t know.”  

As the deputy leader of the Root organization, Orochimaru was inherently at odds with the Uchiha in terms of allegiance.  

Furthermore, if Orochimaru attacked him now, it would most likely be seen as an impulsive act.  

After all, this man was unpredictable, prone to both violence and scientific obsession. If one day he suddenly decided to grab an Uchiha for experimental purposes, no one would find it surprising.  

Because of this, Shinji wasn’t afraid of being killed on the spot.  

I’ve got insurance. I can afford to talk tough!  

Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing this. A dangerous glint began to shine in his golden pupils.  

[Orochimaru thinks you’re courting death.]  

“Is that so?” he murmured with a cold laugh, extending his long tongue to lick the corner of his lips. His gaze toward Shinji became more and more intriguing.  

“I hope you’ll still be this confident later.”  

Shinji shook his head with a slight smile. Activating his Sharingan, he calmly stared back at Orochimaru.  

“I’m not the kind of person who gives in easily.”  

“What’s the matter, Orochimaru? Are you planning to make a move on me?”  

As Shinji’s words fell, the tension in the air quietly began to rise. The atmosphere grew increasingly stifling, as if the room was about to explode at any moment.  

Hearing Shinji directly call him by name without even adding “Sama” (a term of respect), Orochimaru’s smile grew colder and even more enigmatic.  

His golden slit-pupil eyes no longer showed any other emotion—only an icy stare, as though he were inspecting a corpse.  

[Orochimaru is considering opening your brain for research.]  

 (Chapter End) 

 Chapter 64: Skylark vs. Serpent – The Zero-Tails Scroll

Thick fog, rolling and churning, so dense you couldn’t see your own hand in front of you.

On the mist-covered city wall,

two sides stood in tense confrontation.

Mei Terumi turned her head in surprise, looking at Shinji, her eyes slightly widening.

The opponent was none other than Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin!

Even under the faint killing intent emanating from him, she felt her body trembling slightly.

Yet Shinji showed no trace of fear. Instead, he dared to retort with a cold, sharp tone.

This boy—does he even know the meaning of fear?

Shinji stared coldly at Orochimaru, his left hand resting on his pouch of ninja tools, while his right-hand fingers gradually darkened.

At this point in time, Orochimaru was still following in the footsteps of his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, focusing primarily on traditional ninjutsu.

He was not yet the nearly immortal Orochimaru of the future.

Could Shinji defeat him? Definitely not.

But if you asked whether Shinji could put up a fight? Without question, he could!

“Heh, interesting.” Orochimaru looked down coldly at Shinji.

Raising his hand slightly, he prepared to unleash the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands technique.

Just then,

Orochimaru suddenly whipped his head around, staring toward the cliff outside the castle.

A massive boulder tore through the dense fog, hurtling directly toward Orochimaru's head with a thunderous crash.

Orochimaru’s pupils narrowed, and he immediately extended his hand, launching the Hidden Shadow Multiple Snake Hands technique.

Eight enormous snakes coiled around the boulder, halting its momentum.

In the next moment, another boulder came crashing in!

The two boulders collided, pushing forward with renewed force, smashing through Orochimaru’s snake technique and continuing their trajectory.

The boulder struck Orochimaru with a brutal impact, deforming his face and twisting his limbs as it crushed him into the ground.

“Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, just... died like that?”

Mei Terumi stood stunned, her face filled with shock as she stared at the flattened Orochimaru beneath the massive boulder.

Injuries like that—there’s no way he could still be alive, right?

“He’s not that easy to kill,” Shinji muttered, frowning slightly as he pulled Mei Terumi back a few steps.

Sure enough, in the next moment, a pair of hands suddenly stretched out from the mouth of the crushed Orochimaru.

The hands pried open the mouth, and a new Orochimaru, drenched in saliva, crawled out from the remains of his former body.

“Tch, only nibbling at the edges of the net, unwilling to be caught,” Orochimaru muttered, squinting at the gaping hole in the fog where the boulders had originated.

“A cautious little skylark, indeed.”

At the end of the opening,

a figure clad in a yellow cloak stood motionless at the edge of the cliff, staring at Orochimaru.

The man tore off his cloak with a sweep of his hand, revealing an impressively muscular chest that seemed to ripple with power.

He raised a single finger, beckoning to Orochimaru as if issuing a challenge.

The hole in the fog quickly closed as the swirling mist surged back in.

“Useless Root operatives…” Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes cold as he murmured to himself:

“Looks like I’ll have to handle this personally.”

With that, Orochimaru turned his gaze back to Shinji, a chilling smile on his face. He said nothing more.

Yet it felt as though everything had already been communicated in silence.

In the next instant,

Orochimaru leaped off the city wall. Mid-air, he bit his finger, forming hand seals before slamming his palm down.

A billowing white mist erupted.

A massive, purple serpent extended its colossal neck, its size rivaling a building, towering far above the city walls.

The enormous shadow it cast instantly obscured the sun.

Under the sheer size of the beast, Shinji and Mei Terumi couldn’t help but swallow hard at the same time.

At that moment, a thought occurred to Shinji,

“Big is beautiful. More is better.”

For the first time, he felt those words made perfect sense.

Soon, Manda carried Orochimaru, slithering away into the fog, vanishing in an instant. The sight reminded Shinji of scenes from the movie The Mist—massive, terrifying shadows lurking within the fog, evoking an indescribable sense of fear.

Not long after, a deafening roar echoed from the distance!

The cry of a serpent in pain mixed with the sound of fire and wind roaring into the sky.

--

In the distance, a chaotic storm erupted, making it unnecessary for the cult members below to disperse the white fog.

The mere aftershocks of the battle from that direction swept across and instantly cleared the mist enveloping the castle.

Finally, Shinji could see a massive red formation rising into the air.

Countless gray snakes ascended densely, coiling and snapping toward a figure radiating an energy aura like that of a Saiyan.

*Secret Technique: Formation of Ten Thousand Serpents!*

This was a true battle between Kage-level powerhouses!

“Phew...”

For some reason, Shinji felt his blood boiling, his body instinctively calling out for combat.

He couldn’t help but feel an urge to find an opponent and exchange blows.

Standing beside him, Terumi Mei frowned slightly, her delicate brows knitted, and she too clenched her fists involuntarily.

Such a battle, such overwhelming power, such an unrivaled presence on the battlefield!

For her, it was equally captivating.

One day, she vowed,

**she too would become such a strong warrior,

standing on the stage of the ninja world, breaking through the long dark night of Kirigakure’s mist, and leading it to greatness!**

But just then—

Thud.  

The sound of something landing reached their ears.

A tall, burly figure suddenly leaped down from the fortress wall.

Both of them instantly became alert, turning their heads to look.

When they saw the figure, their expressions turned to utter shock.

The person standing before them—

Was the very same opponent currently engaged in a fierce battle with Orochimaru not far away!

*Shinno!*

“Surprised?” Shinno said calmly, meeting Shinji’s astonished gaze.

“This is a shadow clone,” he explained.

“Of course, you could also call it... insurance.”

The word "insurance" immediately triggered Shinji, who thought to himself: This old man’s even into insurance schemes?  

Frowning slightly, Shinji looked up at Shinno and asked, puzzled:

“What insurance? What are you talking about?”

Shinno’s expression turned icy as he stared at Shinji and let out a mocking laugh.

“In the ninja world, stealing or learning secret techniques from others will provoke hatred and vengeance akin to the destruction of one’s home or village.”

“Every technique is a priceless treasure, even a C-rank jutsu.”

“And yet, you dared to steal my S-rank forbidden technique right in front of me.”

“Should I say you have the mind of an utter fool?”

He snorted coldly before continuing, his tone indifferent:

“If you hadn’t jumped into the fight, I would’ve killed you on the cliff.”

“If you die beneath this wall, I’ll retrieve your corpse and take it back for dissection.”

“If you leak my information to Orochimaru here, I will kill you right here as well.”

“What?” Shinji’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Damn, I missed so many opportunities to get myself killed?!  

Shinno shook his head at Shinji’s expression, a hint of exasperation flashing across his face.

“You really are a reckless hothead who doesn’t think things through, kid.”

Sighing, he pulled a yellow scroll from the inner pocket of his large yellow robe and tossed it to Shinji.

“Take it.”

“If you find the Uchiha Clan unbearable, come to the old site of the Sky Ninja Village. Only you are welcome.”

Shinji caught the scroll and glanced at its cover.

The scroll was inscribed with cryptic, indecipherable script.

Looking at Shinno’s inexplicable expression, Shinji couldn’t help but stare at him in confusion and ask:

“Wait a second. What is this? And what the hell are you even talking about?”

Shinno’s face suddenly turned serious.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a low, grave tone:

“This is—”

“The most extreme form of power in the ninja world,”

“A link to all hatred and resentment,”

“A terrifying force that devours the human heart and unveils its darkest depths.”

*“Dark Chakra.”*

*“Zero Tails!”*

---

End of Chapter

Chapter 65: A Thousand Drops of Blood, A Desperate Draw of the Gun!

*Drip.*

*Drip.*

*Drip.*

Inside the underground plaza, a high-ranking member of the Cult of Jashin hurriedly entered. Without hesitation, he knelt on one knee, resembling a ninja reporting to a superior, and urgently spoke:

“Squad leader—ah, no, Your Grace, Bishop!”

“The brat who fought Kakuzu has vanished. It’s highly likely he’s already infiltrated our headquarters.”

“He’s accompanied by a female ninja from Kirigakure. She can use the Hidden Mist Jutsu and a bloodline secret technique. She’s formidable and likely difficult to handle.”

The bishop of the Cult of Jashin shook his head, raising his gaze to the stalactite-covered ceiling above.

“With the defenses set at the entrance, unless it’s an opponent of the Three Legendary Ninja’s caliber, there shouldn’t be an issue.”

“But... but…”

The elite cult member hesitated for a moment, gritting his teeth before reporting:

“One of the Legendary Three, Orochimaru, just appeared outside. He summoned a giant serpent that crushed many of our members.”

The bishop froze for a moment, then took a deep breath. His expression darkened as he coldly asked:

“How many dead?”

The cult elite licked his parched lips, his tone heavy:

“Over twenty of our best... nearly half our strength.”

Hearing this, the bishop closed his eyes, his breathing growing rapid. In a low murmur, he repeated:

“Again...”

“Again...”

“Another sudden disaster... another humiliating powerlessness...”

He abruptly opened his pale purple, bloodshot eyes, his gaze brimming with seething hatred.

His molars ground audibly, and beneath his dark robe, his hand gripped a jet-black spear so tightly that the sharp tip pierced his palm. Blood dripped steadily onto the ground.

Yet, amid this pain, his expression became cold and indifferent once more. He issued orders in a calm voice:

“Go tell your superiors to hold their positions at the entrance.”

“There’s no need for concern here. Soon, it will all be over.”

The cult elite couldn’t help but raise his voice in urgency:

“But, Your Grace! Those two brats might sneak into the castle above. If they use Earth Release to tunnel into the cave—”

“It’s irrelevant.” The bishop shook his head, his tone serene.

“The Kirigakure girl is likely connected to the other Kirigakure fighter who was recovering in the castle. Once she gets what she’s after, she’ll leave.”

“If she dares delve further, someone will take care of her.”

He tilted his head slightly, gazing upward with a sinister smile.

“After all, we’re nothing more than vermin dwelling in this cavern. The true master of this domain won’t allow his secrets to be exposed.”

“Heh heh...”

“As for the other brat,”

The bishop turned slightly, squinting at the central blood pool, where a cross loomed.

Hanging on the cross, his hands nailed in place, was Hidan.

“Hidan, is this the new friend you’ve made?”

“No matter. No matter. Let him come too, to witness the descent of our Dark Lord.”

“Since you’ve already sacrificed kin, comrades, and elders for affection, attention, and pain…”

“Perhaps an extra friend will make it all the more entertaining.”

The elite cult member fell silent for a moment before bowing his head and saying,

“If that’s the case, I’ll take my leave.”

“Wait.”

Just then, the bishop turned back, narrowing his eyes and fixing a cold gaze on the member.

“If I remember correctly, your name is Fanzhizhu? You’re the only one from this batch who hasn’t completed the initiation ritual, right?”

“Y-Yes, Your Grace.” Fanzhizhu bowed even lower, trembling.

“Then let’s take care of that now.” The bishop’s expression softened into a warm smile, as gentle as a nurturing elder. He pulled out a test tube and handed it over.

“Cut your finger and drip a single drop of blood into this vial. That’s all. Simple, isn’t it? Come.”

Staring at the vial, the elite cult member swallowed hard, his gaze filled with growing dread.

Suddenly, he leapt back, drawing a short blade from behind him.

Clenching his teeth, eyes glaring, he roared with fury as he plunged the blade into the chest of the evil cult bishop!

“You demon! You’ve lost your mind! You’re sacrificing the lives of everyone who follows you to create a monster!”

“Die!”

Squelch!

The blade pierced through the chest, puncturing the heart, and blood gushed out.

The bishop, however, merely sighed, as if unfazed. Lowering his head slightly, he leaned close to Fang Zhizhuo’s ear and asked calmly:

“Fang Zhizhuo, are you done playing around?”

---

Meanwhile, atop the castle’s inner walls:

“Wait, why are you giving this to me?”

Shinji looked up in shock, staring at Shennong in disbelief.

When he realized the scroll in his hand contained an incomplete sample of Zero-Tails Chakra from Shennong’s research,

Shinji felt as if it was burning his hand. He nearly tossed it away on the spot.

His gaze at Shennong changed, gradually filled with frustration, as though he wanted to grab him by the neck, shake him violently, and demand:

“Dude, I’m already this strong. Why are you giving me a cheat code too?!”

“Why, you ask?” Shennong sneered.

Then his eyes sharpened, and he snapped sternly:

“You fool!”

“You don’t understand just how far you are from a real master.”

“Your foundation in ninja techniques, taijutsu, kenjutsu, ninjutsu, even your chakra reserves…”

“None of it meets the standard of a true jonin.”

“All you’re doing is relying on imagination to piece together your limited skills into something unique.”

After delivering a thorough critique of Shinji,

Shennong continued in a low voice:

“But once your ability is exposed, once your enemies gather intelligence and prepare a countermeasure, you’ll die.”

And Shennong wasn’t wrong.

Shinji’s talents were built on integrating the abilities already present in the ninja world. But as long as they were based on existing techniques, there would always be ways to counter them.

After all, a ninja’s battle is a battle of intelligence.

Like when Kakuzu saw through Shinji’s abilities. He didn’t bother with direct confrontation—he simply outmaneuvered him, leading to Shinji natural defeat.

Still, Shinji furrowed his brows deeply, cold sweat running down his back. His growing unease made him look at Shennong with even greater apprehension.

Shennong’s demeanor reminded him of that unnerving old man, Uchiha Setsuna.

What’s wrong with these people?

The real body’s still fighting Orochimaru, yet he found time to haul himself here overnight just to deliver a scroll?

Shinji sighed in exasperation and asked helplessly:

“Shennong, why do you even care if I live or die?”

Shennong’s eyes flickered for a moment before he chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Then, with a faint smile, he said:

“Because, maybe I’d like to see…”

“A world drowning in despair, brought to its knees by someone’s power, crying out in agony. Ha ha ha.”

“Wouldn’t that be interesting?”

He raised an eyebrow slightly, exhaling deeply.

Then he pressed a hand firmly onto Shinji’s forehead and said:

“Kid.”

“If you want to be a hero, then go all in.”

“Childhood dreams may turn into regret as you grow older.”

“Glowing aspirations fade under the relentless blows of reality.”

“But if there’s a fire in your heart, let it burn, roar, and fight!”

“Don’t leave yourself with regrets.”

“Even if it means death!”

At that moment, Shennong’s expression carried a weight even he couldn’t quite grasp.

He looked to the horizon, as if seeing a hometown he could never return to, and murmured wistfully:

“Because that guilt will cling to you like a festering wound for the rest of your life.”

With that, he shook his head.

Taking a few steps, he grasped the massive tower beside him.

Boom!  

Lifting it as effortlessly as one might hold a javelin,

He leapt into the distance with the tower in hand, landing so forcefully that the ground far away rumbled and shook.

A twisted grin spread across Shennong’s face:

“Orochimaru, you destroyed my home, and now you want my techniques too?”

“Well then, let’s begin round two!”

(End of Chapter)