61-65

*Chapter 61: Turning Enemies into Friends?*

Suddenly, a coffin slowly rose from the ground! Written on the coffin were four large characters!

Shiro’s pupils contracted sharply!

Previously, when he defeated Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru had already prepared to summon this coffin!

But it had been stopped by Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Who would have thought it would appear here now?

Clearly, Orochimaru had been planning this all along.

The conditions for Edo Tensei are quite strict.

First, you need the cells of the person you're summoning, and second, you need a body prepared in advance.

Only then are the summoning conditions fulfilled!

Although Shiro had stolen this jutsu through his system, the difficulty of the summoning was still immense!

At this moment, Shiro gazed solemnly at the coffin.

Before coming to the ninja world, Shiro had debated who was inside the coffin.

Although most people believed it was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Shiro thought it was probably the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.

After all, the Fourth Hokage had died using the Reaper Death Seal, and his soul was offered to the Shinigami.

It shouldn't be possible to summon him!

Meanwhile, the Fourth Kazekage had been killed by Orochimaru, so it was completely possible to summon him!

Just then, the coffin lid slowly fell open.

Revealing a pale blue cloak inside!

“The Fourth Kazekage!”

"That's right. Let's see if you can handle him!" Orochimaru said with a sinister laugh.

However, before Orochimaru could laugh twice, Shiro suddenly appeared in front of him, throwing a punch without hesitation.

Orochimaru, who had been gloating just moments ago, was completely unprepared for Shiro's sudden charge.

The punch hit Orochimaru square in the face.

He was sent flying several meters away!

Shiro grinned triumphantly.

The ninja summoned by Edo Tensei has unlimited chakra, and their bodies can't be completely destroyed.

The only way to deal with them is to seal them!

But at this point, Orochimaru and Kabuto hadn’t yet improved the jutsu, so to control the summoned ninja, they still had to insert a kunai with a control talisman.

Otherwise, it’s no better than a life-size action figure.

Knowing this, Shiro sent Orochimaru flying!

"Without the control talisman for Edo Tensei, I’d like to see how you give commands!"

Orochimaru gritted his teeth, glaring at Shiro.

"Kid, it seems you know a lot about me! Have you been planning something against me for a while?"

"Why else would I dare come here?" Shiro rubbed his fist, a cocky grin on his face.

"Interesting kid, but you're still too slow!"

As soon as Orochimaru finished speaking, Shiro felt a dangerous presence coming from behind.

He quickly jumped away and looked back, only to see sand flying toward him from all directions.

"When did this happen?"

"From the very beginning!" Orochimaru’s grin grew even wider.

Shiro snorted, chakra gathering in his feet as he sprinted up the walls.

"Orochimaru, how’s that new body of yours working out?"

"You!" Orochimaru’s smug look faded as he glared at Shiro.

"I told you from the start, I know you very well!" Shiro said, vanishing in an instant.

Orochimaru suddenly panicked and began forming hand seals!

But his sealing speed was now barely on par with a Genin’s, and sometimes he even messed up the seals.

“Damn it! This body hasn’t fully fused yet! How does this brat know that?”

“I know more than you think!”

Suddenly, a voice came from beneath the ground, and Orochimaru hurriedly looked down.

A hand reached out and grabbed Orochimaru’s leg!

“Earth Style! Headhunter Jutsu!”

In an instant, Orochimaru was dragged underground, leaving only his head exposed.

Shiro appeared in front of him, grabbing Orochimaru’s jaw with one hand, ready to punch!

“Is this enough?”

Orochimaru’s eyes filled with malice as he glared at Shiro, then suddenly leaped out of the ground.

“You’re... quite good! But I’m curious, why are you after the kid from the Hozuki clan?”

“I’m going to the Land of Water!” Shiro didn’t bother hiding anything and spoke bluntly.

“The Land of Water?” Orochimaru clapped his hands, and the Fourth Kazekage, who had been flexing on the side, suddenly turned into a pile of sludge. Orochimaru, meanwhile, stared at Shiro with interest.

“Looks like you’ve left that decaying Konoha behind too. Instead of going to the Land of Water, why not stay here with me? I can make you even stronger!”

Shiro snorted.

If he stayed here, Orochimaru’s next target for body possession wouldn’t be Sasuke; it’d be him!

Not to mention, if he hung out with both Orochimaru and Kabuto, those two schemers would surely end up killing him!

“I’ll pass. I’ve got other things to take care of!”

Since Orochimaru had called off the Edo Tensei, it was clear he had no intention of killing Shiro anymore.

Shiro relaxed immediately.

But he kept his Sharingan active the whole time!

“Enough talk. Where’s the kid from the Hozuki clan? I’m taking him with me!”

“In that case, follow me!”

Shiro shot Orochimaru a surprised look.

He had expected Orochimaru to send Kabuto at most, but Orochimaru was coming in person!

Though he didn’t know what Orochimaru was planning, as long as he stayed alert, nothing should go wrong!

The two of them walked down a narrow path, and Orochimaru seemed very casual.

“Kid, what do you think the meaning of life is?”

Shiro frowned, unsure why Orochimaru would suddenly ask this, and answered mischievously:

“Life doesn’t have much meaning. But as long as you’re alive, you can find interesting things to do. Like how you met me, and I met you!”

Orochimaru paused, stopping in his tracks, and looked back at Shiro.

This was something Orochimaru had once said to Kimimaro, something no third person should know.

Yet Shiro had just said it, leaving Orochimaru a little surprised.

“Interesting kid. I find myself appreciating you more and more. You should stay; I feel like you and I will have much more in common!”

Seeing Orochimaru’s admiring gaze, with no sign of deceit, Shiro couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

But there was no way he’d stay.

After all, the words he just said were copied straight from Orochimaru. If he stayed too long, he’d eventually slip up!

At that point, a furious Orochimaru would be more than Shiro could handle!

“Don’t you think staying in one place for too long will make life less interesting? You and Kabuto have each other to study things with, but I’m different!”

“That’s true!” Orochimaru laughed heartily, then locked his snake-like eyes on Shiro.

“No matter when, you’ll always be my friend! After all, it’s rare to meet someone who thinks like I do!”

Shiro forced a smile. Orochimaru’s words, though sincere, weren’t something Shiro dared to trust easily.

**End of Chapter**

*Chapter 62: Marry You When I Grow Up (Please Vote)*

As the two of them reached the door, Orochimaru suddenly asked again, "This time, I killed the Third Hokage. Do you really not hate me at all?"

Others might not know Orochimaru's true intentions, but Shiro understood very well.

Orochimaru's attack on Konoha Village had three main reasons.

First!

Since he couldn't obtain Uchiha Itachi's body, he chose Uchiha Sasuke's body instead.

Second!

As a disciple of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Orochimaru's actions had never been acknowledged. Orochimaru wanted to prove to his master, Sarutobi Hiruzen, that his choices were correct.

Third!

The Third Hokage was already old, and Orochimaru wanted him to die like a hero, rather than wasting away on a sickbed.

"Why would I hate you? Didn't you create a hero?" Shiro said, looking clearly into Orochimaru's eyes.

Orochimaru froze for a moment, then a slight smile crept onto his lips. "You're quite an interesting kid," he said, clapping his hands. He then turned toward the woods and said, "Kabuto, cancel the mission."

Not long after, Kabuto jumped down from a tree, adjusting his glasses with his middle finger. "Lord Orochimaru, since the mission is canceled, can we bring over the experimental subjects now?"

"Bring them over. Shiro isn't an enemy; he's a friend," Orochimaru said with a nod.

Shiro let out a sigh of relief.

Good thing I answered correctly, he thought. Otherwise, there might have been an ambush along the way, and escaping it would be a different story altogether.

Even though Orochimaru had said this, Shiro didn’t dare to be careless. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry—one wrong move could cost him his life!

Soon, Kabuto brought a group of children over.

The youngest was about five or six years old, and the oldest no more than twelve or thirteen.

Among them, a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl with bright red hair particularly caught Shiro's attention.

"Karin!"

As soon as Shiro spoke, the red-haired girl stopped in her tracks, looking at him in confusion.

"Oh? Do you know this girl, Shiro?" Orochimaru asked.

Shiro smiled bitterly. Know her? It’s more than that! He was very familiar with her.

In the future, Karin would be part of Sasuke’s Hebi Team. She could heal herself completely with just a bite. She was practically a walking pool of healing!

"Yes, I know her."

"Do you want to take her with you?" Orochimaru asked.

Shiro was tempted.

With Karin around, he would never have to fear injury again. One bite, and any wound would heal instantly! Plus, Karin had strong sensory abilities, which could help detect dangers early.

However, Shiro shook his head.

"No need."

He had already planned to take Suigetsu, and if he added Karin, it would be too much to manage.

But her abilities were indeed very tempting. Shiro then said, "Please take good care of her, Lord Orochimaru. I might come back for her in the future."

"Alright! Kabuto, take the other kids inside. I'm taking this girl as my disciple," Orochimaru said.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto replied.

Karin watched as the other children were dragged away, screaming. She blinked at Shiro with wide eyes.

Karin understood clearly that because of a single sentence from this boy, her future would be vastly different from the other kids.

She quietly walked up to Shiro, and when he wasn't paying attention, she bit his neck.

After about three seconds, she let go slowly.

"Shiro-kun, when I grow up, I want to be your wife!" Karin said.

Shiro covered the bite mark on his neck, unable to stop himself from twitching.

I only wanted to save her, he thought. How did I end up with a one-sided marriage proposal?

If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn’t have said anything.

"Shiro-kun, she’s into you. Are you sure you don’t want to take her with you?" Orochimaru chuckled.

"No, the journey I'm on is too dangerous. It’s better if Lord Orochimaru teaches her well."

"Alright, then. I’ll take care of your fiancée for you," Orochimaru said, laughing.

Shiro rolled his eyes, not wanting to continue the conversation. After Kabuto returned, they hurriedly left.

After walking for about half a day, Shiro and Kabuto arrived at Orochimaru's northern base.

When the guards at the entrance saw Kabuto, their expressions immediately became serious.

"Lord Kabuto, what brings you here?"

"I’m here to fetch someone. The boy from the Hozuki Clan—give him to this man," Kabuto replied.

The guards were stunned, casting a glance at Shiro.

He looks like he's only twelve or thirteen, they thought. Yet Lord Kabuto addressed him as "sir." He must be someone important, definitely not someone they should offend. They quickly ran back inside the base.

Soon, a white-haired boy was dragged out by the guards.

This boy's muscles looked like they were about to melt.

Shiro smiled bitterly and tossed a prepared water bottle to Suigetsu.

When Suigetsu heard the sound of water, he immediately perked up, gulping it down in large swallows.

Before long, his body, which had been melting, began to solidify again, and his eyes regained their clarity.

"You’re Hozuki Suigetsu, right?" Shiro asked with a smile.

Suigetsu slowly turned his head, staring at Shiro for a while before suddenly charging at him, swinging a fist toward his face.

"That's right, it's me!" Suigetsu shouted.

Kabuto smirked and took a step back, amused by the scene.

Shiro smiled bitterly. He hadn’t missed Kabuto’s movements. Though Orochimaru had acknowledged him, Kabuto still held a grudge from their previous fight.

Shiro reached out and grabbed Suigetsu’s arm.

Suigetsu smirked as well. His arm, now in Shiro's grasp, instantly turned into water, and his fist continued toward Shiro.

Shiro quickly stepped back, dodging Suigetsu’s punch with a nonchalant smile.

"So, this is the Hydrification Technique, huh?"

"That's right! Today, I’m going to knock you out!" Suigetsu shouted.

"Knock me out? Not only do I know about your Hydrification Technique, I also know its biggest weakness, which is this!" Shiro said, raising his right hand. Lightning crackled from his fingers, electric arcs jumping around him.

Suigetsu immediately jumped back in fear, retreating several steps.

"Stop! Damn it, stop!"

"Can we talk now?" Shiro asked with a grin.

"Fine! Just turn that thing off!" Suigetsu shouted.

Shiro smiled smugly and deactivated his Chidori.

"Alright, let’s go. I’m going to help you end the Bloody Mist era and revive the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"

"What? Are you serious? If so, I’m in!" Suigetsu exclaimed.

"Everyone, please vote for me! It really matters. Three updates coming today!!"

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 63: Fiancée (Asking for Recommendation Votes)*

Shiro and Suigetsu Hozuki sat on a large boat.

Suigetsu was playing with the newly acquired Decapitating Knife, his face full of excitement.

Shiro, on the other hand, lay near the side of the boat like a dead fish.

"You said before that you'd help me restore the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Is that true?"

"Yes, yes."

"And ending the Bloody Mist era, that's true too?"

"Yes, yes!"

Shiro responded weakly.

At first, when they had just left Orochimaru's base, Suigetsu was a bit cautious and didn't want to talk much with Shiro.

But after Shiro took Suigetsu to the Land of Waves and got the Decapitating Knife, Suigetsu became a chatterbox.

He kept asking the same two questions over and over.

If it weren't for Shiro's seasickness, he would've made Suigetsu taste a dose of Chidori!

At that moment, a sailor approached Shiro. Seeing the large Decapitating Knife in Suigetsu’s hands, the sailor took a step back in fear.

The sailor then apologized profusely, "I'm sorry, sirs. Due to the heavy storms earlier, the ship has sustained some damage. We need to dock for repairs. I hope this doesn't delay your journey?"

Hearing the word "dock," Shiro's eyes instantly lit up.

Grabbing the sailor's hands tightly, he practically begged, "Please, dock!"

"Certainly, good sir."

The sailor had never seen such a desperate request to dock before, but considering they were both ninjas—though young, not ordinary people—he didn't dare refuse.

Plus, one of them was from the Leaf Village.

Leaf Village ninjas are no ordinary ninjas.

After half an hour of being tossed around, land slowly appeared before Shiro’s eyes.

Unable to wait for the ship to dock, Shiro leaped off, running quickly across the water's surface.

"Hey! Shiro-kun, don’t be in such a hurry!" Suigetsu called out several times, but seeing Shiro had no intention of coming back, he jumped down too.

However, Suigetsu wasn't as skilled at walking on water as Shiro.

The large waves nearly swept Suigetsu into the undertow several times.

Fortunately, Suigetsu could use the Hydrification Technique, which barely allowed him to make it to shore.

Once ashore, Suigetsu found Shiro lying on the beach in a starfish position, a blissful expression on his face.

"No way, you're a ninja, and you get seasick like that?"

Though Shiro looked weak, it didn’t stop him from glaring fiercely at Suigetsu.

"You don’t get it. Seasickness has nothing to do with being a ninja. Those pirates who spend all day at sea, talking about becoming Pirate King, can't even swim!"

Suigetsu gave Shiro a confused look.

As a ninja from the Land of Water, he had never heard of pirates who couldn’t swim.

But seeing how serious Shiro looked, Suigetsu began to doubt whether he’d seen too little of the world.

"The ones you're talking about must be outliers. That doesn't count."

Shiro turned suspiciously toward Suigetsu.

He began to wonder if pirates in this world really couldn't swim.

The two of them stood in awkward silence.

Just then, a woman walked over and circled around Shiro three times, glancing at him constantly.

"Are you a Leaf Village ninja?" she asked.

Shiro was startled for a moment, taking almost three seconds to react. He removed his headband with a smile, "Yes, how can I help you?"

The woman hesitated briefly before continuing, "Do you know a ninja named Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya had once traveled far and wide, collecting research material, so it wasn’t surprising if he had come to this island.

"I do. Why? Did he harass some girl here?"

The woman immediately waved her hands frantically, though a hint of joy appeared on her face.

"No! By the way, are you Jiraiya-sama’s apprentice?"

Shiro looked at the woman suspiciously.

Technically, he had learned the Rasengan from Jiraiya.

So, in a sense, it wouldn’t be wrong to say he was half of Jiraiya's apprentice.

"Sort of. What's the matter?"

The woman clapped her hands excitedly.

"Great! Miss Shizuka has been waiting!"

"Shizuka?" Shiro repeated the name, feeling it sounded oddly familiar.

"Shizuka of Nadeshiko Village?" Shiro jumped up in disbelief.

"Looks like it's you. Miss Shizuka is nearby. I'll go get her."

"Wait! I'm not really Jiraiya's apprentice. I just know him!"

According to Shiro's memory, Shizuka was a female ninja from Nadeshiko Village.

Nadeshiko Village was a matriarchal society.

It was inhabited only by women.

The village had an unwritten rule: The village leader could challenge a strong person. If the challenger won, the other party had to marry into the village.

Jiraiya had once fought the leader of Nadeshiko Village to a draw, with the agreement that the next generation would finish the match.

The next village leader was Shizuka.

On Jiraiya's side, Naruto was supposed to fight, but Shiro had unintentionally complicated things with his nonsense.

And now, Shiro had accidentally run into them!

"No need to explain. You can clear things up when Miss Shizuka arrives."

Shiro watched the woman run off, his face twitching uncontrollably.

If this keeps going, he didn't know if Naruto would come after him, but he was sure he would die in this mess.

"Suigetsu, do you think there's still time to head back out to sea?"

Suigetsu gave Shiro a puzzled look. Shiro had begged to come ashore, and now he was desperate to leave again.

"I think the boat needs repairs, so we won’t be able to leave for a while."

Shiro’s face turned ashen.

It seemed this unfortunate fate was unavoidable.

Before long, two women came running over. Once they reached Shiro, they began sizing him up.

Shiro felt like a monkey in a zoo, being observed.

"So, you're the Leaf Village ninja's apprentice?" Shizuka asked.

"Can I say I'm not?" Shiro smiled bitterly, making a last-ditch effort.

"No! This is a matter of honor from the previous generation. You have both the responsibility and obligation to settle it, not run from it! Don’t make us look down on the Leaf Village ninjas!"

Shiro’s face twitched. Now they were bringing the entire Leaf Village into it. It looked like there was no way out.

Suigetsu quickly tugged at Shiro's clothes and whispered, "Who is this woman?"

"If this keeps going, she might end up as my fiancée."

Chapter complete.

*Chapter 64: The Confused Timeline (Asking for Votes)*

Suigetsu was startled, his eyes darting back and forth between Fushiko Shizuka and Shiro. Both were only about twelve or thirteen years old, but they were already engaged, which was something Ghost Lamp Suigetsu found hard to accept.

"Uh... Can you say that again? What’s your relationship, exactly?"

"I feel like this shouldn’t count. This is a problem from the older generation, and it doesn’t need to involve us. Don’t you agree, Miss Shizuka?" Shiro said with a smile to Fushiko Shizuka.

Before Shizuka could respond, her guard, Chouha, stepped forward. Her muscular build frightened Suigetsu, who took several steps back.

"Are you saying that our Fushiko Village doesn’t keep its promises or follow its rules?"

Even though Chouha didn’t show any intimidating expression, just standing there, she exuded a strange sense of pressure.

"Fine, let’s duel!" Shizuka said resolutely.

"Isn’t she your fiancée? Why is she suddenly challenging you to a duel?" Suigetsu whispered to Shiro.

Shiro smiled bitterly, walking over to Fushiko Shizuka and speaking seriously, "Matters between a man and a woman should be resolved by their own efforts, not by dueling."

"What do you know? Shizuka has her own burdens!" Chouha snorted coldly, her face showing clear anger.

Shiro sighed inwardly. According to the plot, Fushiko Shizuka shouldn’t have met her first love yet. She should still be yearning for love. Why is her mind so focused on dueling?

"Is it Kazagumo?" Shiro asked tentatively.

Immediately, Shizuka's face darkened, while Chouha's expression became furious. She rushed over, grabbing Shiro’s collar with one hand.

"You knew, yet you said it on purpose? What’s your deal?"

Shiro's heart skipped a beat. Kazagumo was Fushiko Shizuka’s first love, a merchant who was the only one allowed free access to Fushiko Village. The two were planning to elope, but an attack killed Kazagumo, leading Shizuka to lock away her emotions and constantly train to become stronger.

But at this point in time, they shouldn’t have met yet. The butterfly effect!

"I refuse to duel. A marriage shouldn’t be decided by a duel; that’s irresponsible for both people. Also, don’t you think we’re still too young?" Shiro said awkwardly, turning to leave.

"Don’t you see this as our mission?" Fushiko Shizuka quickly moved in front of him, blocking his way.

"You two want a duel, right? Fine, I’ll duel you. Just stop pestering him after that," Suigetsu snorted, drawing his large sword and holding it in front of him.

"I’m not dueling you; I’m dueling the student of Jiraiya!" Shizuka ignored Suigetsu, her eyes still fixed on Shiro.

The young and impulsive Suigetsu wouldn’t stand for it. He charged at Shizuka, swinging his sword.

"You don’t have a choice!"

Shizuka calmly retreated a few steps and threw off her cloak. "If you want to fight, then I’ll deal with you first, then fight him!"

"Fushiko Style! Vacuum Dance!"

Suddenly, countless kunai flew from Shizuka’s hands like a dense rainstorm. Shiro was nearly hit but managed to dodge in time. Suigetsu wasn’t as lucky, getting hit by more than a dozen kunai.

Luckily, Suigetsu could use the Water Body Technique, allowing the kunai to pass through his body. Still, he didn’t look as unfazed as he tried to appear.

Shiro couldn’t help but laugh. Shizuka’s "Fushiko Style: Vacuum Dance" was just a rapid throwing of kunai, no more than a basic shuriken technique. The system hadn’t even given a notification.

But Suigetsu’s Water Body Technique puzzled Shiro. Why hadn’t he been able to copy it yet?

The fight became more intense. Suigetsu struggled to approach Shizuka using his Water Body Technique, while Shizuka, unfamiliar with such an unusual ninjutsu, became flustered.

"Ninja Art! Downward Whirlwind!"

Ding! Ninja Art recognized: Downward Whirlwind!

Shizuka put one hand to her mouth, inhaled deeply, and blew out a powerful gust of wind at Suigetsu. At first, Suigetsu could resist slightly, but soon the pressure became too much, and he was blown away.

He got back up reluctantly, his body dripping like it was melting, similar to when they first met at Orochimaru’s hideout. He was clearly reaching his limit.

"Damn, this girl is tough, but don’t underestimate me!"

Just as Suigetsu prepared to charge again, Shiro held him back. "That’s enough. You’re not strong enough to beat her right now."

The Water Body Technique was indeed powerful, but Suigetsu was only thirteen, and he hadn’t yet mastered his sword. Compared to Shizuka, who had been constantly battling, there was still a gap.

If they continued, Suigetsu could wound Shizuka, but he’d likely be injured as well.

Shiro tossed a water bottle to Suigetsu, then stepped forward. "I’ll be your opponent. But this is just a spar, don’t bring marriage into it."

"Win first, then talk!" Chouha sneered, forming hand seals and slamming her hands on the ground.

"Earth Style! Earth Prison!"

The ground shook violently, and trees fell one by one, leaving an open space. Around them, towering rocks rose, encircling Shiro and the others like a Roman arena.

Ding! Ninja Art recognized: Earth Style: Earth Prison!

"Alright, let the match begin," Chouha said, quickly retreating. Suigetsu, realizing the situation, ran to the side.

Ding! Choice mission triggered!

1. Defeat Fushiko Shizuka! Reward: Wind Attribute Chakra!

2. Defeat Fushiko Shizuka with one hand! Reward: 1 Synthesis Attempt!

3. Kill Fushiko Shizuka! Reward: 2 Synthesis Attempts!

Looking at the rewards, Shiro couldn’t help but smile. He had countless ideas for ninjutsu combinations. Could Rasengan and Chidori Senbon be fused to create a ranged Rasengan? Could Lightning Prison and Fireball Jutsu create a sea of fire? Could three different ninjutsu be combined at once?

Most importantly, he wanted to combine Naruto’s forbidden technique with the Shadow Clone Jutsu. He had been saving his last synthesis attempt, afraid to waste it.

Now, at last, a mission had appeared.

But Shiro had no grudge against Shizuka, and they were kind of in a flirty situation. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt her.

"I choose option two!"

"I’ll let you use one hand. Let’s go!"

*Asking for votes, everyone!*

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 65: Sealing the Chakra Points (Please Vote for Recommendations)*

Fujiko Shizuka’s face filled with anger.

She had trained hard for many years and had never failed.

Yet, the man in front of her looked down on her so casually—this was undoubtedly the greatest insult of her life.

Fujiko Shizuka made a silent resolution in her heart.

After she defeated this arrogant boy, she would make sure he regretted it.

“Fujiko Style! Thunderous Wave Gale Fist!”

Fujiko Shizuka leaped high into the air and then struck the ground with force.

Rocks flew everywhere, scattering like bullets in all directions.

Ding dong! Recognizing Ninjutsu: Fujiko Style! Thunderous Wave Gale Fist!

Shiro smirked, amusement crossing his face for a moment.

“Fujiko Style! Thunderous Wave Gale Fist!”

Mimicking Fujiko Shizuka, Shiro leapt high into the air and slammed his fist into the ground.

Chakra gathered into his arm, unleashing a fierce wind that bombarded the earth.

The ground shattered instantly.

Fujiko Shizuka's pupils contracted. She tried to escape but was a moment too slow, and the flying debris hit her, sending her flying.

"How is this possible! Fujiko Style: Thunderous Wave Gale Fist is a secret technique of Fujiko Village. How does this kid know it? And his version is at least three times more powerful than Shizuka's!" Konoha’s face showed disbelief as he muttered to himself.

Despite the pain, Fujiko Shizuka stood up, holding a kunai, her eyes locked on Shiro.

"How do you know my technique? Who taught you? Or have you been spying on Fujiko Village?"

Shiro chuckled and revealed his Sharingan.

"I just learned it. Your technique is now mine. But my techniques are still mine."

Fujiko Shizuka glared at Shiro, unwilling to give in. She shouted, "Fujiko Style! Vacuum Dance!"

As countless kunai flew toward him, Shiro remained calm, forming seals with one hand.

"Lightning Release! Thousand Bird Needles!"

Shiro flicked his hand, sending out countless arc-like lightning bolts that looked like needles.

Shiro could have continued mimicking her ninjutsu, but kunai and shuriken were expensive, and he didn’t want to waste so many all at once.

The lightning arcs collided with the kunai, creating a dazzling light show, and Fujiko Shizuka's kunai fell to the ground.

Several lightning arcs pierced Fujiko Shizuka, causing her to groan in pain.

“I… I can’t move my chakra!”

Fujiko Shizuka stared at her hands in horror.

The ninjutsu she had once mastered now couldn’t be performed, and even some of the chakra within her body was blocked.

After trying several more times, Fujiko Shizuka finally realized what had happened, casting an unwilling glance at Shiro.

Shiro confidently walked toward her.

The Thousand Bird Needles technique was different from other Thousand Bird variants.

Its damage was minimal, mainly causing paralysis.

But its primary function was to temporarily seal the enemy's chakra pathways, creating a "chakra point seal" effect, similar to the Gentle Fist technique.

Sealing an opponent’s chakra points in a battle was half the victory.

Although Shiro wasn’t well-versed in chakra points, the sheer number of Thousand Bird Needles made up for that.

“So, are you ready to give up?”

Fujiko Shizuka was unwilling, but chakra was a ninja’s foundation. Without it, a ninja was just an ordinary person with above-average strength.

“I… I give up!”

Shiro smiled slightly and extended his hand to help Fujiko Shizuka up.

“Even though you carry the burden of fate, there’s no need to bind your heart.”

Fujiko Shizuka’s body trembled slightly as she looked at Shiro’s handsome, sunny face.

Her master had once said the same thing to her.

But after the death of Sagiri, combined with her own bitterness, she had never taken those words to heart.

Now, having lost, and letting go of her stubbornness, the words moved her deeply.

“I understand… Could you help me unseal my chakra points?”

Shiro froze for a moment—he didn’t know how to unseal chakra points!

He barely knew anything about ninjutsu, let alone how to release a chakra seal.

“These seals will wear off after a while. You just need to wait a bit.”

“How long? You understand how important chakra is to a ninja, right?”

Cold sweat ran down Shiro’s forehead.

Who knew how long the seal would last? And judging by Fujiko Shizuka’s expression, she wasn’t going to let it go unless the seal was undone soon.

“Looks like you don’t know. In that case, I’ll stick with you until the seal wears off!”

Shiro’s face twitched. If the boat was fast and the seal took its time to fade, she might end up sticking with him for good.

He was heading to the Land of Water, a place ruled by the infamous Bloody Mist.

Navigating it alone was risky enough, let alone with someone tagging along—it was only a matter of time before something went wrong!

Just as Shiro was feeling overwhelmed, he remembered how Tsunade had used Medical Ninjutsu to undo a seal placed on Shizune.

All he needed to do was find the right spot, and he could remove the seal quickly!

“Point out where you were hit, and I’ll help you.”

Fujiko Shizuka nodded slightly, a blush appearing on her face. After a moment of hesitation, she pointed to her left hand.

Shiro didn’t hesitate and placed his hand over hers, using Medical Ninjutsu to investigate.

Even though Shiro didn’t have Byakugan, he could clearly feel her chakra flowing when his hand made contact.

In one specific spot, a violent surge of lightning chakra was blocking the flow like a roadblock.

Shiro slowly guided his chakra to stimulate the point.

Fujiko Shizuka’s body trembled slightly, and the chakra in her arm returned to normal.

Fujiko Shizuka smiled with joy, though a hint of sadness lingered.

“It’s flowing again. Now, there’s another one here.”

She pointed to her thigh.

Shiro hesitated briefly, then placed his hand over it, using chakra to heal the blockage.

Moments later, the lightning chakra was expelled, and after testing her leg, Fujiko Shizuka smiled.

Next, she walked over to Shiro and pointed to her abdomen.

“Here!”

Shiro gritted his teeth and placed his hand on her stomach.

The abdomen was the core area for chakra flow.

With three Thousand Bird Needles lodged there, it was no wonder her chakra wasn’t moving.

Soon, the lightning chakra was cleared, and Fujiko Shizuka’s face turned red.

As Shiro noticed where Fujiko Shizuka’s fingers were pointing next, a thousand sheep ran through his mind.

Meanwhile, Konoha, who had been standing guard, grabbed Suigetsu by the collar, dragging him away like garbage.

“Wait! Let me take one last look!”

“If you dare, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

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*(End of the Chapter)*

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