161-165

Chapter 161: Sword Finger White Lightning!

Kimimaro's terrifying strength was always displayed before Naruto in an understated manner.

This left Naruto shocked and feeling somewhat powerless.

Could he really save Sasuke from Kimimaro's hands?

Naruto clenched his fists, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

"Let's end this."

Kimimaro's figure merged into the bone forest, causing Naruto to lose his target.

"Where is he?"

The next moment, he emerged from the giant bone cone beside Naruto!

A palm strike descended!

"Oh no!"

Naruto exclaimed. The attack came too suddenly, leaving him no time to react.

Is it over?

Yes, it should be over.

He was no match for Kimimaro.

Moreover, Naruto's heart was filled with hesitation, no longer as determined as before.

He closed his eyes, seemingly giving up.

But at that moment, yellow sand appeared before him.

"When did you learn to give up?"

A hoarse voice sounded, startling Naruto. He abruptly opened his eyes.

Gaara had arrived beside him at some unknown point.

Kimimaro's attack was blocked by a shield formed from yellow sand.

"Gaara!"

Naruto was surprised and delighted to see Gaara here.

Gaara ignored Naruto and looked at Kimimaro, who was close by.

"We meet again."

Kimimaro greeted Gaara softly, unconcerned about the yellow sand blocking his path.

Gaara crossed his arms and silently observed the white-haired boy before uttering a few words.

"Otogakure, Kimimaro."

Meanwhile, Temari and Kankuro also arrived in time. Temari went to help Shikamaru, while Kankuro went to aid Kiba Inuzuka.

The Sand intervened!

The tide of the battle shifted once again.

"The Sand has also arrived? It seems that after the last incident, Konoha's fighting strength is indeed quite lacking. However, the Sand just allied with us, Otogakure, against Konoha, and now they've become Konoha's allies? How fickle."

Kimimaro's words were filled with mockery.

Gaara frowned slightly. He knew the Sand's current situation was awkward.

But he didn't dwell on it.

Sand swirled around Gaara and surged toward Kimimaro.

"Sand Drizzle!"

The sand condensed into spheres in mid-air, then transformed into a torrential downpour of yellow sand!

Kimimaro raised an eyebrow. In the time they hadn't seen each other, Gaara's strength had improved considerably.

He was indeed worthy of being the future's youngest Kazekage.

Faced with such an attack, Kimimaro didn't choose to confront it head-on but instead quickly retreated, temporarily avoiding the onslaught.

"Naruto, I'll handle this. Go save Sasuke."

Gaara said coldly.

"Alright! I'll leave it to you, Gaara."

Naruto knew Gaara's strength and immediately went to rescue Sasuke.

However, facing the mountain of crystal, it would be difficult for him to break through with his current power.

"You should know that you're no match for me."

Kimimaro steadied himself and said in a low voice.

"That was the old me. Now, I'm different."

"Your strength has improved?"

"No, I've found my own path. Understanding this, I fear no one!"

Gaara formed hand seals!

A massive amount of chakra erupted at this moment.

"Desert Tsunami!"

Gaara had prepared in advance, instantly transforming the surrounding rocks into sand.

A sand wave, ten meters high, swept over!

"That's quite impressive."

Kimimaro looked at Gaara, who was suspended in the air by sand, and then at the overwhelming sand wave, a smile appearing on his lips.

The sand wave crashed down!

Completely engulfing Kimimaro!

A sea of sand formed!

Gaara frowned. Based on his understanding of Kimimaro, the opponent's strength was definitely not limited to this.

As expected, the next moment, a tremendous surge erupted beneath the sea of sand.

Gaara pressed his hands on the sand sea and shouted, "Sand Waterfall Funeral!"

Terrifying pressure instantly infused the sand sea.

This technique was enough to crush everything within the sand sea.

But unfortunately, Kimimaro wasn't within its range.

Boom!

With a loud explosion, the sand sea burst open!

A deep pit appeared!

Kimimaro stood unharmed in the sand pit.

Gaara's face was filled with shock.

"It had no effect at all? How did he do it?"

Although Gaara had guessed that this technique wouldn't take down Kimimaro, he didn't expect the opponent to remain completely unscathed.

Beneath the sand sea, Kimimaro had activated the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Protected by the blue chakra shield, he naturally remained unharmed.

"It seems that not only has your heart calmed down, but even the Shukaku within you has become quiet."

Kimimaro stood in the pit, looking at Gaara outside.

"Why did you help me before?"

Gaara asked his question.

"Well, it was just on a whim."

"A whim?"

Gaara frowned.

"Time's up. I think our battle should end here."

Kimimaro suddenly became serious, as if he had noticed something.

"Don't think you can easily defeat me like before."

Gaara looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy.

"Sorry, but this is as far as you can go now."

Kimimaro extended his right hand, his index finger pointing at Gaara.

"Sword Finger White Lightning!"

A bone protruded from his index finger.

White lightning entwined the bone, but strangely, the bone wasn't white but black.

The Clow Card of the Sword!

The bone's shape changed, revealing a sharp tip.

Whoosh!

The black bone, carrying white lightning, shot toward Gaara!

A sand shield immediately appeared before him, but it was like paper in the face of the Sword Finger White Lightning, instantly shattering!

The Sword Finger White Lightning pierced a small hole in the sand shield and directly hit Gaara!

His sand armor fell apart!

This strike hit Gaara's chakra point directly!

The flow of his once vast chakra was disrupted.

The black bone pierced through his body!

Blood splattered!

Then Kimimaro's voice sounded again.

"Binding Spell Thirty: Tri-Headed Skull!"

Three beak-shaped beams of light followed closely behind the Sword Finger White Lightning.

The next moment, Gaara's wrists and waist were bound by the Tri-Headed Skull!

His body was forced back several steps before crashing into a giant bone cone.

Three yellow beams of light instantly embedded themselves into it.

Movement sealed!

Chakra flow cut off!

Blood trickled from the corner of Gaara's mouth.

This technique again!

This was the third time Gaara had been bound by the Tri-Headed Skull.

Each time, the technique's power was different.

And this time, its power was the strongest.

Most importantly, his chakra points were sealed.

This meant he couldn't mobilize his chakra to break free from the predicament.

Point sealing was clearly a technique of the Hyuga clan. Why did Kimimaro also know it?

And he even released it in this form.

Gaara's mind was filled with questions.

But he knew one thing: he had lost to Kimimaro once again.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 162: Preparing to Retreat

"Sasuke!"

Naruto punched the pyramidal crystal, but the massive structure only shook slightly, showing no signs of shattering.

"Damn, it's so tough."

Realizing the crystal's incredible hardness, Naruto immediately abandoned the idea of breaking it with his fists and started forming hand seals.

Shadow Clone Technique!

With the help of his shadow clones, a blue chakra sphere gradually formed in his right palm.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto shouted, slamming the Rasengan into the crystal.

The Rasengan and the crystal ground against each other, sparks flying.

"I must save Sasuke!"

Crimson chakra surged into the Rasengan.

Crack!

The crystal emitted a cracking sound.

The next moment, the three-meter-tall crystal shattered, revealing the one-meter-tall wooden barrel within.

"Yes!"

Naruto rejoiced, his demon fox eyes fading.

But at that moment, the wooden barrel exploded with a boom!

Sasuke's figure slowly emerged.

"Sasuke?"

Looking at Sasuke, Naruto felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

The aura emanating from him was completely different from yesterday's Sasuke.

Not only had he become stronger, but there was also a sinister aura, and even his appearance had changed.

Black markings covered his entire body, and his skin turned gray.

The whites of his eyes turned black, and his irises became golden.

His hair not only grew longer but also turned blue.

A black cross-shaped pattern appeared between his eyes and the bridge of his nose.

The most bizarre thing was that he had a pair of hand-shaped wings on his back.

This was no longer within the realm of humans.

"Hehehe... So this is the power of the Cursed Seal Level 2? It's truly powerful."

Sasuke looked at his hands, feeling the increased power within his body, and was extremely excited.

Soon, the power of the Cursed Seal Level 2 within him receded like a tide.

He returned to his original appearance.

He had just grasped this power and couldn't use it proficiently yet.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto called out Sasuke's name again.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and said coldly, "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to rescue you and take you back. Sakura is still waiting for you."

"Go back? Rescue me? Hahaha! That's hilarious, Naruto. Do you want me to go back to Konoha and continue playing those boring ninja games with you?"

"Sasuke, you..."

"You've got it wrong, Naruto. I wasn't captured; I went to Orochimaru willingly. Only Orochimaru can give me what I want. Konoha can't, Kakashi can't, and you and Sakura definitely can't."

Sasuke's voice grew increasingly cold.

"Sasuke, what are you saying! How could you turn to Orochimaru? He's a bad guy!"

"Does it matter?"

Sasuke's indifferent words made Naruto feel even more estranged.

At that moment, Kimimaro arrived.

"Congratulations, Sasuke. It seems the technique was successful, and you've mastered the power of the Cursed Seal Level 2. But to fully control it, you'll need more time to adapt."

Sasuke looked at Kimimaro.

Even with his recent breakthrough, Kimimaro remained an insurmountable mountain in his eyes.

"Sasuke, I will take you back today!"

Naruto persisted.

"What a bothersome guy."

Sasuke's eyes showed impatience.

"Do you want me to help you deal with him?"

Kimimaro asked.

"No need. Let me finish this guy off. Naruto, follow me!"

Sasuke headed in a certain direction, and Naruto followed closely behind.

"No matter where you go today, I'll stick with you!"

The two left, one after the other, completely ignoring Kimimaro.

"Is Sasuke heading to the Valley of the End?"

That was a good place to check in; Kimimaro wanted to see it too.

But for now, he still needed to deal with another trouble.

Within the range of his sensory perception, Kakashi was rapidly approaching.

He should arrive here in one minute.

Kimimaro's gaze shifted to the other battlefields.

Jirobo and Tayuya were both severely injured by Choji, who had transformed into a butterfly, and were lying on the ground.

Sakon and Ukon had just defeated Kiba and were now entangled with Kankuro.

Kidomaru was completely overwhelmed, facing the combined efforts of Shikamaru, Temari, and Shino.

Fortunately, Neji stepped in to help, stabilizing the situation.

If this continued, the battle wouldn't end quickly.

"It's about time to retreat."

Kimimaro moved his feet and rushed to the nearest battlefield.

"Lord Kimimaro!"

Sakon and Ukon saw Kimimaro approaching and immediately stopped fighting, their faces filled with respect.

"Take Jirobo and Tayuya and return to the village. It's time to go back."

"Yes, Lord Kimimaro!"

Sakon and Ukon never hesitated to carry out Kimimaro's orders.

They immediately rushed towards Tayuya and Jirobo.

"This guy is here. Did Gaara lose?"

Kankuro was startled and looked into the distance.

Indeed, Gaara was imprisoned on the bone cone, unable to move.

"Can you handle this guy?"

Kiba asked.

"What do you think? Even Gaara was defeated by him in a minute."

"This is trouble. We've almost exhausted our chakra, and now we're facing this guy."

Kiba felt that things were looking grim.

Kankuro couldn't help but retort, "Hey, be confident. Even if our chakra was full, we wouldn't be a match for him."

"..."

Kimimaro looked at the two in front of him and, without wasting any words, extended his right hand. A bone flute emerged from his palm.

Then, he placed the flute to his lips.

"Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains!"

The flute's sound echoed!

The sound-based genjutsu was instantly released!

Not only Kankuro and Kiba in front of him but also Shino, Shikamaru, and Temari in the distance were within the genjutsu's range.

Kimimaro intended to take them all down at once.

"Not good! This is the same genjutsu Tayuya used earlier. No, it's much more powerful!"

Shikamaru immediately made a judgment, but it was meaningless.

The powerful genjutsu instantly invaded his mind.

Shino thought to himself, "This is Kimimaro's genjutsu."

Shino had fallen victim to this genjutsu in the Forest of Death. Now, trying to break free, he found its power far greater than before, even the parasitic bugs on his body were trapped within the genjutsu.

Within three breaths of the flute's sound, everyone collapsed.

Sakon and Ukon had already returned to Kimimaro's side with Tayuya and Jirobo, and Kidomaru and Neji also arrived.

"Lord Kimimaro, should we take all these people or kill them?"

Kidomaru inquired.

Before Kimimaro could answer, a figure blocked their path.

Or rather, two figures.

A man and a dog.

It was Kakashi and his summoning ninja dog, Pakkun.

"Kakashi, these people are in bad shape. One of them is barely clinging to life."

Pakkun sniffed the air and reported everyone's condition to Kakashi.

Kakashi's expression turned grave. He hadn't expected the situation to be this dire. He looked at the few people in front of him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 163: Black Coffin! (Please subscribe!)

The Sound Ninja Four.

It was they who had set up the powerful barrier for Orochimaru and the Third Hokage, preventing the ANBU from entering.

Each of them was quite strong, making it difficult for Shikamaru and the others to win.

Neji Hyuga, seemingly under the control of a secret technique, possessed top-tier strength among Konoha's genin, rivaling that of a chunin or even a special jōnin.

The most formidable opponent was their leader, Kimimaro!

Every time he attacked, he held back, making him appear unfathomable.

Kakashi naturally didn't believe he could easily defeat him.

They were outnumbered.

The only good news was that, apart from Kimimaro, the others were in poor condition and likely didn't have much fighting strength left.

"Kakashi, Naruto's scent is getting further away. He must be chasing Sasuke."

Pakkun spoke again.

"I know, Pakkun. You go ahead and see if you can wake up the others who are under the genjutsu. I'll handle this."

"Okay."

Pakkun rushed towards Shikamaru and the others.

Kimimaro saw this but didn't stop him. He said to those beside him, "You all go back first. I'll stay here and experience the legendary Copy Ninja Kakashi."

"Yes! Lord Kimimaro!"

The Sound Ninja Four obeyed and quickly left.

Neji glanced at Kimimaro and followed them.

Kakashi didn't stop them from leaving. His full attention was now on Kimimaro.

This was the enemy he had to deal with now.

"What is Orochimaru trying to do? Use Sasuke as a vessel?"

Before the fight even started, Kakashi threw out his question.

"I have no right to question what Lord Orochimaru does. I merely help him with some things."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, knowing Kimimaro wasn't unaware, but simply didn't want to say.

"It seems I'll have to take you back to Konoha's interrogation room."

Kimimaro raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised by Kakashi's confidence.

Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing his crimson Sharingan. His right eye remained closed.

"Three-tomoe Sharingan, not bad eyes. I do want to have a good spar with you, but I'm also rushing to see a good show, so this battle must be quick."

"That's not up to you!"

Kakashi flicked his right index finger, and a kunai appeared in his hand from his ninja tool pouch.

Close combat!

Knowing Kimimaro's powerful close-combat abilities, Kakashi actually chose close combat?

Kimimaro was a bit surprised, but with a flip of his right palm, a bone sword was already in his hand.

Clang!

The kunai and bone sword clashed, and the two locked eyes.

The three tomoe slowly rotated - genjutsu!

Kimimaro instantly understood Kakashi's plan. This close combat was to use genjutsu against him.

For many ninja, genjutsu was a weakness.

There were few genjutsu experts in the ninja world, so people generally didn't pay much attention to it.

In this situation, powerful genjutsu often became a trump card.

A one-hit kill.

Kakashi knew Kimimaro also used genjutsu, but the Sharingan's genjutsu was on a completely different level from ordinary genjutsu.

Therefore, he was quite confident in his own genjutsu.

The three tomoe kept spinning, and powerful ocular power tried to invade Kimimaro's brain nerves.

But this ocular power could only flow in front of Kimimaro's eyes, unable to enter them.

"Not good, I didn't expect his genjutsu resistance to be so strong."

Kakashi thought to himself, feeling uneasy, and immediately pulled back.

Kimimaro followed up with a sword strike!

Demon Sword Invasion!

Dark sword lights flashed continuously, chasing Kakashi!

Kakashi retreated repeatedly, but found the sword getting closer and closer to him.

"Earth Style! Earth Flow Wall!"

Unable to dodge the attack, he used Earth Style to block it!

An earthen wall carved with a dog's head emerged from the ground, attempting to block the sharp sword.

But the moment the sword's edge touched the earthen wall, it sliced through it like tofu!

Unfortunately, behind the earthen wall, Kakashi's figure had already disappeared.

Kakashi's favorite fighting style was to first probe the opponent's information and then formulate a battle plan to defeat them in one fell swoop.

However, his chakra couldn't guarantee his endurance, so his probing needed to end in a very short time.

Otherwise, it would be awkward if his chakra was depleted after figuring out the information.

Byakugan activated!

Kimimaro's vision instantly expanded.

The vanished Kakashi was immediately located.

Kimimaro pretended not to know, but his mouth started moving.

"The cursed seal spreads over your body, and your fate is sealed. Flow, stagnate, crumble away! The time has come, crawl forth, iron princess! The bones of my body break free from their prison, and pierce through the flesh and blood. Dance, dance, dance! You will become a part of me!"

Kimimaro's words became increasingly urgent, making Kakashi, hiding in the shadows, feel very uneasy.

The next moment, he burst out from the ground!

"Raikiri!"

Blue lightning crackled on his right hand.

At this moment, his right hand was an unparalleled blade that could cut through thunder!

Kakashi appeared behind Kimimaro and thrust his Raikiri fiercely!

Kimimaro didn't dodge or evade, and chanted the final incantation.

"Way of Destruction Number Ninety! Black Coffin!"

Black dots appeared around Kakashi.

These black dots connected at an extremely fast speed.

Dots became lines!

Lines became planes!

A black cube completely enveloped Kakashi.

He only felt his vision go dark, and Kimimaro's figure disappeared, replaced by darkness.

His Raikiri became a tool for illumination.

Kakashi was startled and, without any hesitation, smashed his Raikiri towards the Black Coffin!

Not aiming to kill, but to break the technique!

But before the Raikiri could touch the Black Coffin, countless sharp blades emerged from within!

"Ah!"

A scream came from the Black Coffin.

A slight smile appeared on Kimimaro's lips.

The Black Coffin dispersed!

Kakashi lay on the ground, covered in blood, unable to fight anymore.

At this moment, he looked at Kimimaro with disbelief in his eyes.

Just now, in that instant, he felt that if Kimimaro wanted to kill him, it would be effortless.

His terrifying strength was undeniable.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"You and I are not mortal enemies. I believe there will be a day when we cooperate."

After saying this, Kimimaro disappeared from Kakashi's sight.

"Kimimaro... Why did I feel an even more terrifying aura from him than from Orochimaru? What is he trying to do? Cooperate? Does he want to cooperate with Konoha?"

Kakashi was puzzled, but at this moment, he didn't have much energy to think.

The countless sharp blades that emerged from the Black Coffin had pierced his body, leaving him severely injured and naturally unable to think.

Kakashi's vision went dark, and he fainted.

Apart from Naruto and Pakkun, the Sasuke Retrieval Team was completely wiped out.

At the Valley of the End.

Sasuke had stopped.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 164: The Pillars of Konoha

"Chidori!"

"Rasengan!"

At the Valley of the End, the Rasengan and Chidori clash for the first time.

The sky changes color.

The two techniques cancel each other out.

But it's not over yet.

Naruto's demon fox claws, Sasuke's cursed seal fist.

The final collision!

Both subconsciously held back, not aiming for vital points.

After the impact, heavy rain poured down.

Sasuke looked coldly at Naruto, who was lying on the ground, unconscious.

Rain fell on him.

Water droplets slid down his cheeks, whether it was rain or tears.

"Naruto..."

The Konoha headband gently slipped from Sasuke's forehead, falling beside Naruto.

A scratch from the demon fox claws ran across the entire Konoha symbol on the headband.

The rain fell harder.

"It seems you've finished."

Sasuke was taken aback, turning to look at the speaker.

It was Kimimaro, who had been watching from the side.

"You've mastered the power of the Cursed Seal Level Two quite well."

Kimimaro praised.

"How do I compare to you?"

"I don't have the power of the Cursed Seal."

Sasuke was surprised.

The Sound Four all had it, but Kimimaro didn't.

"Why?"

"Lord Orochimaru offered it to me, but I refused. The disadvantages of this power outweigh the benefits for me. With a little more time, I can master a more perfect Cursed Seal power."

Sasuke was silent.

The gap between him and Kimimaro was not just in strength.

There was also vision and knowledge.

He got Orochimaru's fish, but Kimimaro wanted Orochimaru's fishing rod.

At this moment, Sasuke seemed to understand how his future training path should go.

"Let's go, we should head back. Lord Orochimaru is waiting to see you."

Sasuke didn't speak, just followed behind Kimimaro.

The battle was over.

In the rain, Naruto lay quietly on the ground at the Valley of the End.

In the corner, Zetsu's figure appeared.

"We saw something interesting. Why don't we take the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back now?"

White Zetsu said coldly.

"It's not the time yet. The tailed beasts' seals need to be released in order. Taking the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back now won't allow us to seal it. And if Konoha discovers that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is missing, they will definitely come out in full force, and then the Akatsuki organization will be in danger. Don't forget, Jiraiya has already noticed the Akatsuki organization."

Black Zetsu directly rejected White Zetsu's proposal.

"What a pity, we wasted such a good opportunity."

"At least we discovered an interesting guy."

"Kaguya Kimimaro?"

"Yes. This person is not simple. The Kaguya clan has never produced such an outstanding member. He may be helpful to the Akatsuki organization's future plans."

"Doesn't this guy want to leave Orochimaru and join the Akatsuki organization for safety? We can take this opportunity to recruit him. The Akatsuki organization is really short of people right now.

That bastard Kakuzu, several of his teammates have died, including even elite Jonin level shinobi.

Sasori of the Red Sand is the same, always likes to turn his teammates into puppets. The Akatsuki organization's members have been depleted by them."

White Zetsu couldn't help but complain.

"The next operation is in three years. In these three years, we not only need to solve the Akatsuki organization's funding problem but also need to gather enough core members. Otherwise, it will be impossible to capture all nine tailed beasts in a short time."

"But is this guy reliable? He doesn't seem like an easy person to deal with."

"It doesn't matter. As long as he has the strength and is willing to work, that's enough. Isn't that what Obito meant?"

"Then it depends on when he leaves Orochimaru."

"Yes. Someone's coming, let's go."

Black Zetsu and White Zetsu both glanced at the unconscious Naruto before slowly melting into the ground.

The next moment, Jiraiya appeared beside Naruto.

He looked at Naruto, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes.

Seeing Naruto in front of him reminded him of his former self.

More than ten years ago, when Orochimaru defected, he also wanted to chase him back.

But out of softheartedness, he failed.

That pathetic look was exactly the same as Naruto's now.

"Naruto, I know you've tried your best."

Yes, in order to chase back a close friend, how could one not try their best.

But the harder you try, the more powerless you feel.

It's not that you don't have the ability to defeat them, but that you don't have the ability to change their mind about leaving.

And that heart that wants to kill you.

"Pervy... Sage... What about Sasuke?"

Naruto slowly woke up.

"He's gone. That cold heart of revenge, your friendship couldn't melt it."

A hint of loneliness appeared in Naruto's eyes.

"What about the others? Are they okay?"

Naruto remembered the fierce battle everyone was in before he left and quickly asked.

"Don't worry, they'll all survive. Tsunade sent a medical team to meet them, and they've all been sent back to Konoha for treatment."

"That's good..."

The weak Naruto fell into a coma again.

Jiraiya sighed and picked up Naruto, returning to Konoha.

Konoha Hospital.

The Genin who went on the mission were all injured and had collectively fallen under genjutsu. Their situations weren't good.

But under Tsunade and Shizune's treatment, they were all out of danger.

"What kind of technique caused these strange injuries? And who did it?"

After waking Kakashi up, Tsunade asked her questions.

She had never seen such wounds before.

All-around cuts, dense and neat, with extremely high lethality!

If the opponent had used a little more force, Kakashi's vital points would have all been hit.

At that time, even Tsunade wouldn't be able to save him.

"It was Kimimaro. He used a strange technique, I've never seen anyone use it before. It should be a ninjutsu he created himself. The name is... Black Coffin."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

It was Kimimaro again.

That brat, helping Orochimaru do bad things again.

"Next time I see that brat, I'll definitely give him a good beating."

Tsunade thought to herself.

"Lady Tsunade, about Sasuke..."

"I won't label him a missing-nin for now, but if he does anything to harm Konoha in the future, then he won't be able to escape the missing-nin status."

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade, for giving Sasuke a chance."

"Even if I give him a chance, it may not be useful. I've only met this child once, but the hatred in his eyes is deeper than anyone I've ever seen. It's impossible for him to turn back."

"Maybe Naruto can do it."

"Naruto? He needs to get out of his own shadow first. This incident was quite a blow to him."

"He has grown a lot."

"Young people always have to experience things to grow. It's just that for Naruto and the others, the price this time was too high. But it did let me see Konoha's potential.

I originally thought there weren't many promising young people in Konoha. But the Genin sent out this time were all good. Give them some time to grow, and they will all become the pillars of Konoha in the future."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 165: The Badge and the Magatama

*Otogakure (The Village Hidden in Sound).*

"Lord Orochimaru, I've brought him back," Kimimaro said, appearing before Orochimaru with Sasuke in tow.

"Well done," Orochimaru replied, his gaze fixated on Sasuke.

Having fully embraced the power of the Cursed Seal, Sasuke was a far cry from his former self. This transformation pleased Orochimaru immensely.

Though Itachi's genjutsu had been dispelled, Orochimaru still held Sasuke in high regard. Having been toyed with by Itachi for so long, he was eager to witness the spectacle of a brotherly feud.

"Sasuke, welcome," Orochimaru greeted.

"None of that matters. I only want the power to defeat Itachi," Sasuke retorted coldly, showing no respect for Orochimaru.

Orochimaru, unfazed, was accustomed to such attitudes from those with talent. He had always been tolerant of the gifted.

"Rest assured, you shall have everything you desire. Kimimaro, take charge of Sasuke's arrangements. You've been guiding Neji's training lately; adding Sasuke might accelerate their progress."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," Kimimaro acknowledged.

Orochimaru, not yet fully recovered, couldn't personally train Sasuke, but entrusting him to Kimimaro was just as effective. Kimimaro was well-versed in all things Otogakure.

Sasuke had no objections. He was aware of Kimimaro's strength and was more curious about how much Hinata Neji had improved during his month-long stay. Their previous encounter had been too brief for a proper assessment. Now, an opportunity presented itself.

Kimimaro led Sasuke away, arranging his accommodations first.

"Sasuke, you were injured in your battle with Naruto, and the Cursed Seal's side effects haven't fully subsided. Rest today, and tomorrow morning, I'll take you to train."

There was no need to rush; sharpening the blade wouldn't delay the woodcutting.

After settling Sasuke, Kimimaro returned to his room to review the rewards from his recent mission.

"Congratulations! You have successfully taken a photo with Sasuke during the 'Sasuke Retrieval' event. Reward: Friendship Badge."

The Friendship Badge, originating from Digimon, materialized as a blue emblem in Kimimaro's left palm. It resembled a spiral shuriken with two blades removed.

Soon, the badge faded and vanished. Like the Courage Badge before it, Kimimaro tried to activate it but found no response.

"It seems my strength is insufficient, or perhaps I haven't met a certain condition to utilize the power of these badges," Kimimaro concluded.

He then turned his attention to another message.

"Congratulations! You have successfully taken a photo at the 'Valley of the End' landmark. Reward: Light Magatama."

The Light Magatama, from Ronin Warriors, represented the power of light. With this addition, Kimimaro now possessed two such Magatama.

These Magatama contained limited energy and would shatter upon overuse, making them consumables. Kimimaro wouldn't use them lightly unless necessary. They were better suited for when he unlocked Gundam-level powers. Using them now would be wasteful.

Having reviewed his rewards, Kimimaro began planning his next move.

"My tasks in Otogakure are mostly complete. Next, I'll head to the Akatsuki organization. It's filled with powerful individuals, so survival there demands immense strength.

"My current abilities should suffice for self-preservation, but to achieve my goals, I need more. Both the skills I've acquired and my inherent ninjutsu require vast amounts of chakra.

"Therefore, increasing my chakra reserves is the most efficient way to enhance my strength. However, due to my previous encounter with Danzo, the Yin Seal has been undone and is currently rebuilding.

"Even with prior experience, it'll take two years. During this time, I won't have unrestricted access to my chakra."

With ample chakra, Kimimaro's power could at least double. Techniques like the Eight Gates required substantial chakra to reach their full potential. The Cursed Seal's power was also tied to one's chakra reserves.

Of course, Kimimaro hadn't fully developed his own Cursed Seal yet. He intended to merge the Cursed Seal and the Yin Seal into a single entity for greater convenience, though this would increase the difficulty.

Nevertheless, he was confident in his ability to succeed.

Acquiring a tailed beast was the ideal way to obtain vast chakra, but heading to the Akatsuki with a tailed beast sealed within him was akin to walking into a tiger's den.

So, this option had to be temporarily discarded.

"Chakra..." Kimimaro muttered, lost in thought.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, at the Otogakure training grounds, Neji and Sasuke clashed fiercely.

Kimimaro observed silently from a nearby tree.

On one side was Neji, freed from the Caged Bird Seal and wielding the full power of the Byakugan.

On the other was Sasuke, empowered by the Heaven Cursed Seal and possessing three tomoe Sharingan.

Both had made tremendous strides in their abilities.

Their current battle was a deadlock.

"Chidori!" Sasuke unleashed a surge of blue lightning.

"Rotation!" Neji countered with a spinning chakra shield for all-around defense.

Boom!

The collision resulted in a massive explosion, sending both combatants stumbling back, blood trickling from their lips.

"So this is the power of the Cursed Seal. Truly formidable," Neji marveled, wiping the blood from his mouth. He felt immense pressure.

"I didn't expect Neji to progress so much in such a short time. Is this the result of training in Otogakure?" Sasuke wondered, increasingly convinced that coming to Otogakure was the right decision.

Sharing similar backgrounds and motivations for revenge, a sense of camaraderie developed between them.

The battle remained evenly matched. To break the stalemate, Sasuke prepared to activate his Cursed Seal's second state.

However, Kimimaro intervened, landing between them with a Shunpo.

"That's enough. Your sparring ends here. Sasuke, you haven't fully mastered the second state of the Cursed Seal. It's best to use it sparingly.

"The more you rely on it, the faster the seal will erode you. Don't become overly dependent on power that isn't your own. Otherwise, your training progress will be halved."

Sasuke heeded the advice and deactivated the Cursed Seal.

Neji, observing Sasuke's seal, felt a pang of envy. He knew the Cursed Seal was the reason he couldn't defeat Sasuke. Without it, he believed he had a chance.

"Your foundations are similar, and you both possess dojutsu. From now on, you can attend all training sessions together.

"Having a companion will accelerate your progress. If you get injured during training, Kabuto and Lady Otohime will heal you."

(End of Chapter)