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Chapter 56: Battle Against Kimimaro (Please Vote!)

Temari finally realized the situation.

Although Shiro had rescued her, Gaara was still in the heart of the Bone Forest!

Given the density of the bones, the situation looked grim.

"Damn it!"

Temari hurriedly took out her fan, bit her thumb to draw blood, and smeared it across the fan.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

With a forceful swing, a giant white weasel holding a huge scythe appeared and charged toward the Bone Forest!

Clang!

The white weasel crashed into the bones and was flung away, leaving only a faint scratch on the bones, which healed in an instant.

"How can it be so tough?!"

Temari stared in disbelief at the Bone Forest, suddenly feeling so weak and powerless—she couldn't even protect her own brother!

Just then, a pile of yellow sand flew over quickly.

She could vaguely see blood dripping from the sand!

"Gaara!"

Temari’s face lit up with joy, and she lightly fanned the ground with her fan.

A gust of wind lifted her into the air as she jumped onto her fan.

"Gaara! Are you okay?"

"Run!"

"It's too late!"

Kimimaro's voice came from nearby, but Temari couldn't see him anywhere!

Suddenly, one of the bone spikes beside her twisted.

It gradually took on a human shape and lunged straight at Gaara!

"Watch out, Gaara! Run!"

Hearing Temari’s warning, Gaara instinctively dodged to the side.

A bone spear scraped past his chest, sending a spray of blood into the air!

"Oh? You managed to dodge, but how will you avoid the next one?"

Kimimaro sneered as he pressed the bone spear against Gaara's chest. With just a small push, Gaara would be done for!

Temari gritted her teeth and swung her fan again.

"Wind Style! Great Weasel Scythe!"

A powerful wind swept toward Kimimaro.

Clang!

Kimimaro didn't even bother to dodge. Several bone spikes erupted from his body, blocking all the damage!

Kimimaro slowly turned his head, his cold eyes locking onto Temari.

"Don’t worry, you’re next!"

Temari stumbled back a few steps and fell to the ground, her eyes filled with terror as she looked at Kimimaro.

"God of the ninja world, please save Gaara. I’ll do anything if you—"

Before she could finish, a figure appeared and punched Kimimaro right in the face, sending him flying.

Temari's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the figure in a daze.

She clasped her hands together and began praying with joy.

Shiro glanced back at her innocently, realizing his timing might have caused some misunderstandings again.

But now wasn’t the time for explanations.

Kimimaro slowly stood up, frowning as he looked at Shiro.

"A curse mark? No, it’s different from a curse mark!"

"You're mistaking this S-rank ninja art, the Strength of a Hundred Technique, for a curse mark? Tobirama Senju would be rolling in his grave!"

"Whatever it is, killing you will solve it!" Kimimaro snorted and charged with his bone spear.

Shiro panicked, knowing he couldn’t clash head-on with Kimimaro!

Even though he had mastered the Strength of a Hundred Technique, he hadn’t stolen Tsunade’s Creation Rebirth.

He couldn’t endlessly regenerate or recover!

Plus, he was running low on chakra with only a little left, and there wasn’t much time before he could use the Strength of a Hundred Technique again.

But he did have one advantage!

Kimimaro was already terminally ill, barely holding on through sheer willpower—he was practically one foot in the grave.

All Shiro had to do was hold out until Kimimaro collapsed!

In the blink of an eye, Kimimaro was right beside Shiro.

He raised the spear high and stabbed toward Shiro’s heart.

Thanks to his advanced taijutsu and speed mastery, Shiro reacted quickly and easily dodged Kimimaro’s attack.

"You Leaf Genin are this fast?" Kimimaro frowned.

Shiro grinned. "Remember this for next time—when you see a Leaf Genin, run as far as you can!"

Shiro formed hand seals and took a few steps toward Kimimaro.

"Lightning Style! Chidori Stream!"

In an instant, lightning arced all around Shiro, enveloping Kimimaro.

Kimimaro’s body convulsed, struggling to retreat, his eyes now filled with fear as he looked at Shiro.

"You're strong, but I have to kill you today!"

"Is that so? Then let me show you a forbidden jutsu every Leaf Genin knows! Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Suddenly, over a dozen shadow clones appeared around Shiro.

Under normal circumstances, he could summon even more, nearly rivaling Naruto Uzumaki’s numbers.

But with his chakra depleted, a dozen was his limit!

"Shadow clones? That brat used this technique too, and had way more than you. But what’s the point? Judging by the state you're in, you’re running low on chakra, aren't you? I guess Tayuya and the others were somewhat useful after all!"

Kimimaro smiled indifferently, not taking the charging clones seriously at all.

Shiro smirked and raised a hand in front of him.

"My clones are different—they explode!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the clones near Kimimaro began to swell.

When they reached their limit, they detonated with a bang!

Boom!

The explosion tore through the Bone Forest, and the smoke formed a massive mushroom cloud in the sky.

Through the haze, a figure could still be seen standing.

"No way! He survived that?!" Temari clenched her fists, her face filled with despair.

She had come to protect Shiro, but he had protected her over and over again.

Temari’s eyes hardened with determination.

Even if she had to die, she had to make sure he lived!

"Shiro, take Gaara and run! I’ll hold him off!"

Temari grabbed her fan, ready for her last stand.

"Shut up, woman! I’ll handle him!"

Temari's heart skipped a beat.

As the one responsible for Gaara, she had become the vessel for the fear and hatred of the Wind Country’s people toward him.

No one had ever spoken to her like this!

Not even Gaara or Kankuro!

But Shiro had scolded her several times, and she didn’t hate it at all.

"Such a strong presence… I must eliminate him for Lord Orochimaru!" A weak voice came from within the smoke.

Kimimaro charged toward Shiro at full speed.

"It’s over! Dance of the Seedling Fern!"

"It’s over! Tsukuyomi!"

End of Chapter

*Chapter 57: Temari's Panic*

Kimimaro was about to strike Shiro.

Suddenly, the sky around them turned blood-red, and Kimimaro found himself bound to a cross.

At that moment, a figure appeared, wearing a cold, sinister smile.

"Orochimaru-sama, why are you here? Give me more time, I’ll definitely kill that brat!"

"No! You're useless now, you can die," Orochimaru said, pulling a sword from his mouth and stabbing Kimimaro directly.

Orochimaru deliberately avoided fatal areas, stabbing Kimimaro dozens of times before Kimimaro finally closed his eyes!

When Kimimaro opened his eyes again, he was still tied to the cross.

Terrifyingly, his own corpse lay not far away!

"Kimimaro, you're no longer useful. Just die already!"

Kimimaro felt intense pain in his abdomen and turned to see Orochimaru’s sinister smile.

...

"Am I really useless?" Kimimaro murmured to himself.

Shiro stared in disbelief at Kimimaro.

Normally, people trapped in Tsukuyomi would endure hours of agony within the illusion.

But instead, Kimimaro smiled.

It was as if he had found peace and fulfillment!

Kimimaro stopped breathing, smiling as he collapsed to the ground!

Shiro covered his eyes with one hand, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

To be this much of a sycophant was truly unprecedented!

Thankfully, the Tsukuyomi succeeded in time.

Kimimaro's bone spear had been less than an inch from Shiro’s chest!

With Kimimaro dead, Shiro finally relaxed.

Suddenly, he felt dizzy, and his body involuntarily fell to the ground.

In just one breath, Shiro slowly regained consciousness.

As he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Temari's face.

Looking around, he realized he was being held in a princess carry by Temari!

Embarrassed, Shiro immediately began to struggle.

As a man, it should be him carrying someone, not the other way around!

No matter how much Shiro struggled, Temari didn’t let go.

She gently set him upright, helping him stand.

"I saw you fall, so..." Temari’s face flushed as she hurried to explain.

"I know, I overused my chakra," Shiro said, reaching into his ninja pouch to grab some military ration pills.

Without them, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Uchiha Sasuke, or even Orochimaru, in the upcoming battles!

However, after searching his pouch, Shiro couldn’t find a single pill.

"No way, did I finish them all?"

He remembered that Tenten had stuffed his pouch full before they left. He had over ten ration pills!

But somehow, he had eaten them all without realizing it, no wonder his stomach felt bloated.

Seeing Shiro rummaging through his pouch, Temari hurriedly pulled out her own, blushing as she offered it to him.

"Shiro-kun, you’re looking for ration pills, right? I still have a few!"

Shiro grinned and took her pouch without hesitation, quickly eating all the ration pills inside!

"Temari... could you come check my wounds?" Gaara’s weak voice called from nearby.

Only then did Temari remember that she wasn’t alone with Shiro.

She hurried over to Gaara.

Gaara lay on the ground, covered in a dozen or so wounds, bleeding profusely.

Gaara's pupils were fluctuating wildly, and Shukaku seemed ready to burst out at any moment!

Temari wasn’t a medical ninja, but she could treat small wounds.

However, seeing the thumb-sized gashes on Gaara's body, she was at a loss!

Such large wounds couldn’t be treated with simple bandages or basic healing techniques.

They needed a specialized medical ninja!

But they were in the middle of nowhere. Where could they find one?

"Gaara, hold on! I’ll take you to the nearest village now!"

Temari lifted Gaara onto her back, but the movement immediately aggravated his wounds, causing the blood to flow even faster!

"You little fool! What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?" Shukaku barked.

Temari had never heard Shukaku sound so worried before.

If Gaara died, Shukaku might survive, but he would suffer significant harm.

So Shukaku was extremely nervous!

"But we’re in the wilderness! Where can I find a medical ninja?" Temari cried out in desperation.

"That’s your problem! If you keep dragging Gaara like this, he won’t make it far before dying on the road!"

Temari looked around helplessly, not daring to put Gaara down, but also afraid to keep carrying him.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

She glanced over at Shiro but quickly shook her head.

Shiro was already amazing enough.

He was handsome, skilled in ninjutsu, and strong in taijutsu!

If he knew medical ninjutsu too, that would be too much to expect.

But she couldn’t help asking anyway.

"Shiro-kun, do you know any medical ninjutsu?"

"Lay Gaara flat for me, and I’ll treat him once I’ve recovered a bit of chakra."

"Oh, no problem! I was just asking out of curiosity... wait, what did you just say?" Temari, who had been feeling down, suddenly jolted, quickly turning to Shiro.

"I said, lay Gaara flat. How else am I supposed to treat him?"

"Oh! Right! I’ll do that immediately!" Temari, flustered, scrambled to comply.

She had never imagined that Shiro, whom she once thought was just a pretty face, would turn out to be so extraordinary!

He was practically her ideal man!

"I wonder if Shiro-kun can cook," Temari thought to herself, shaking her head at the thought.

In the world of ninjas, Shiro was already perfect!

If he could also cook, that would be almost otherworldly, as if sent by the gods of ninjutsu themselves.

"If you have time to daydream, why not help stop Gaara’s bleeding?" Shiro said.

"Right! Sorry!" Temari blushed again, quickly tearing off pieces of her clothing to press against Gaara’s wounds.

The bleeding finally started to slow.

But if it didn’t stop soon, it was only a matter of time before Gaara would die.

Shiro sat leisurely on the ground, waiting for the ration pills to take effect, glancing casually at Gaara.

Suddenly, he couldn’t help but twitch his mouth in disbelief!

"Seriously? You’re using your own clothes to stop the bleeding? Why not use Gaara's?"

---

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 58: The True Hero*

Shiro wiped the blood from his face.

This was too intense! Luckily, Gaara was nearly unconscious; otherwise, this scene would definitely have increased his blood flow and hastened the loss of blood.

Shiro quickly took off his shirt and threw it to Temari.

"Put this on. Otherwise, I can't focus on healing you!"

"Oh," Temari blushed and nodded, but there was a trace of joy in her eyes.

She held the shirt like a treasured possession, careful not to get Gaara’s blood on it.

Shiro walked over to Gaara.

At this moment, Gaara’s face was pale, his breathing uneven, and even his pupils were beginning to dilate!

Shiro’s heart raced. He didn’t have time to recover his chakra, so he hurriedly activated his healing technique.

If Gaara and Temari were merely risking their lives against Kimimaro, Shiro would’ve been sitting on the sidelines, watching it like a show.

But the first rule of Gaara and Temari’s mission was to protect Shiro!

You could say they were fighting for him.

If he left them to die, Shiro wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

"Kid, hurry up! Gaara can't hold on much longer. If you save him, I'll owe you one!"

Shiro had no time to deal with that pesky tanuki. Shukaku was either sealed or on its way to being sealed most of the time, only showing up during the final battle.

A favor from Shukaku wasn’t worth much.

But that didn’t stop Shiro from treating Gaara.

Gaara was destined to become the Kazekage, and Shiro figured he might need to visit the Land of Wind someday. Making connections wouldn't hurt.

After all, when you're out in the world, the more friends you have, the more paths open up!

As Shiro's healing technique took effect, Gaara's condition began to stabilize.

However, the healing technique could only treat his wounds; it couldn't do anything about Gaara’s blood loss.

So Gaara still looked extremely weak.

At least his life was no longer in danger.

Gaara struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Shiro.

"Thank you. I owe you one."

"Good, I'll remember that! You guys rest here and wait for help. I need to go after Sasuke!" Shiro dusted off his pants and prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Temari hurried over and blocked his path.

"You’re already in this state, and you're still going after him? What if something happens?" Temari asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Seeing Temari’s determined gaze, with no sign of retreat, Shiro felt a headache coming on.

But then he remembered Temari's love for peace, and an idea sparked in his mind.

"You think I’m just chasing Sasuke?"

"Isn’t that the case?"

"Orochimaru used to be part of a mysterious organization. I suspect this incident might be related to them!

"And I recently encountered someone from that organization! Their goal is very clear—they’re after the Jinchuriki."

As Shiro spoke, he glanced at Gaara.

Gaara fell into deep thought because he himself was the Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku! If this organization was targeting Jinchuriki, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

"What are they collecting Jinchuriki for?" Gaara asked, his weak face turning serious.

Infinite Tsukuyomi! But do you really think I’ll tell you that? Shiro thought, coughing twice and letting his expression turn cold.

"The tailed beasts contain vast amounts of chakra. It’s said that if all nine are gathered, they can merge into the Ten-Tails! What that organization plans to do with the Ten-Tails is unknown. But I must stop them!"

Temari shivered. Even a single tailed beast could destroy a small ninja village!

Years ago, the Nine-Tails wreaked havoc on the Hidden Leaf Village, and even the Fourth Hokage died in that battle!

If the Ten-Tails were formed, its destructive power would be unimaginable! The entire ninja world could be dragged into chaos.

"I’ll go with you! I can’t let you bear this alone!" Temari said, looking up at Shiro with admiration.

She had never imagined that such a perfect man would have such grand ambitions!

This man wasn’t just fighting for the Hidden Leaf—he was fighting for the entire ninja world!

At that moment, Temari was filled with respect for Shiro, even more than she had for the previous Kazekage.

"You want to come with me? This mission is top secret. If you leave now, you'll become a rogue ninja immediately! I’m a loner, but you wouldn’t want to drag Gaara and Kankuro into this, would you?"

Temari paused.

If she became a rogue ninja, Gaara and Kankuro would be heavily scrutinized and could lose their freedom—or even their lives!

As Gaara's sister, Temari could never allow that to happen.

"You are the true hero. If you ever need my help, no matter the time, the place, or the request, I will be there!" Temari said with sincerity, though her face flushed when she realized how that sounded.

But she didn’t explain herself. Instead, she continued to gaze at Shiro.

Hearing Temari's words, Shiro's heart skipped a beat!

Any request? That means…!

Shaking his head frantically, Shiro reminded himself that this was no time for romance. If he couldn’t stop Madara Uchiha, then nothing else would matter!

"Alright, I’ll definitely come find you if I need anything!"

With that, Shiro popped a soldier pill into his mouth and turned to leave.

"Gaara, do you think Shiro will come back?"

"Temari, you’ve been acting strange today."

Shiro popped more soldier pills into his mouth and let out a belch. He couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. He was probably the only person in the ninja world to have overeaten on soldier pills.

Still, feeling his chakra quickly recovering, he felt more confident.

Just then, Shiro noticed someone lying on the ground in the distance, arms and legs spread wide.

Covered in wounds but seemingly unaware, the person stared blankly at the sky.

"Naruto! Where’s Sasuke?!"

At the sound of Shiro’s voice, Naruto's eyes lit up. He struggled to his feet.

"Shiro, you finally made it! I couldn’t stop Sasuke. You’re the only one who can now!"

Looking at the dejected Naruto, Shiro couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

He was supposed to be the protagonist, but Shiro’s presence had repeatedly overshadowed him.

Especially since Naruto’s future wife, Hinata Hyuga, was starting to have feelings for Shiro!

Shiro felt a bit guilty.

He began to plan how he could make it up to Naruto in the future.

"Don’t worry, leave it to me!"

"Yeah! Shiro, I know you can bring Sasuke back!"

Shiro shook his head helplessly. Not only would he fail to bring Sasuke back, but he would also disappear for years!

But he couldn’t bring himself to say that.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 59: Punching Little Brother (Seeking Recommendation Votes)*

Naruto Uzumaki gave in after some bargaining, and several military ration pills were obtained.

The previously deflated ninja tool pouch puffed up once again.

After continuously consuming the pills, Shiro had recovered a small portion of his chakra!

Even if he couldn't handle the top-tier fighters, at least no chunin could be his match!

"Sasuke Uchiha, I've finally caught up to you!"

Shiro spotted Sasuke Uchiha running in the distance, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He powered up his legs, pushing his speed to another level!

Suddenly, Shiro appeared in front of Sasuke, a calm smile on his face.

Sasuke was startled by Shiro's sudden appearance and took several steps back.

"Shiro! Are you here to take me back too?"

Shiro shrugged nonchalantly.

Shiro had never planned to take Sasuke back.

At Orochimaru’s place, Sasuke would undergo the best development.

If he stayed in Konoha under Kakashi Hatake’s tutelage, at best, Sasuke would become an elite jonin!

But later, during the era when Kage-level ninja roamed everywhere...

An elite jonin wouldn't be worth anything!

However, Shiro had always been a little bitter about Sasuke's sudden departure.

"Sasuke, what's your purpose for leaving Konoha?"

"Why? Isn't it obvious? Orochimaru can make me stronger!" Sasuke grinned smugly.

Ding dong! Task choices triggered!

1. Leave in defeat! Reward: Curse Mark of Heaven!

2. Explain things to Sasuke! Reward: Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!

3. Attack Sasuke! Reward: Lightning Style: Chidori Senbon!

Shiro smiled faintly.

No matter the reward, Shiro's only choice was number three!

Not for any reason other than how infuriating Sasuke was.

"I choose three!"

"Looks like I’ll have to use force!" Shiro said as he cracked his knuckles.

Sasuke didn't seem scared; in fact, he looked excited.

"I'll see how strong Konoha’s so-called hero is! And today, you're going to tell me everything about Itachi!"

Shiro twitched.

No wonder people always say, "When the rain clears, Second Brother thinks he's invincible again!"

It seems that saying has some truth today!

"Is that so? Let's see!"

"Then come at me!"

As Sasuke spoke, numerous curse marks crawled out from behind his neck, quickly covering his entire body.

Then, a pair of wings sprouted from his back, resembling hands upon closer inspection!

"This is the power Orochimaru gave me. Today, you’ll witness my strength!"

Shiro twitched again.

Even Orochimaru himself had been knocked down by Shiro three times.

Though it was mostly through sneak attacks and opportunism, it didn't diminish Shiro's glorious battle record!

And now Sasuke, who had gained just a bit of Orochimaru’s power, was acting this arrogant!

"If I don't teach you a lesson today, I'll take your surname!" Shiro roared, stomping both feet hard.

He shot forward like a bullet!

"I'll let you taste the move you taught me!"

Sasuke sneered and formed hand seals, arcs of electricity jumping all over his body.

"Lightning Style: Chidori Current!"

"Too slow!" Shiro's face filled with disdain as he threw a punch directly at Sasuke's face!

Before Sasuke could complete his Chidori Current, Shiro's punch landed squarely on his face, sending him flying dozens of meters!

"How is this possible? How are you so much faster than when we last fought?"

"Scared now? Too late for that!"

Shiro had no intention of giving Sasuke a chance to catch his breath. If he didn’t scare him thoroughly today, who knows when Sasuke would rebel again!

Shiro jumped into the air, slamming down toward the ground with full force!

Boom!

With his mastery of advanced taijutsu, intermediate Sage Body, and monstrous strength, he created a massive crater in the ground!

If Sasuke hadn’t reacted quickly, he might have been KO’d with one punch!

However, the only reason Sasuke managed to dodge was that Shiro slowed down deliberately.

Otherwise, with Sasuke’s current strength, even in his curse-marked state, he wouldn’t have been able to evade!

"Shiro, I was wrong! I shouldn't have listened to those people! I'll go back with you to learn ninjutsu!" Sasuke pleaded in fear.

Sasuke knew very well that Shiro's real strength lay in his genjutsu and ninjutsu, and his taijutsu was just a secondary skill.

But even with just his secondary skill, Shiro was beating Sasuke, the strongest fighter, without giving him a chance to fight back!

What was the point of continuing?

But Shiro had no intention of stopping and instead sped up.

"What's the point of realizing your mistake now?"

Without any preparation, Sasuke took a punch straight to the face.

As Sasuke rolled uncontrollably, Shiro appeared again and punched him in the face a second time!

One punch after another landed on Sasuke's face, all striking the same spot!

Tears started streaming down Sasuke's face.

He didn’t understand why Shiro kept hitting his face, and why every punch landed on the same spot!

Fortunately, Shiro was holding back each time; otherwise, Sasuke would have been finished!

After thoroughly venting his frustration, Shiro’s anger finally subsided.

But when he thought about Sasuke’s confident smile earlier, he couldn't help but throw a few more punches!

"Do you understand your mistake now?"

"I do!"

"And what was it?"

"My mistake was listening to Orochimaru and defecting from Konoha!"

Hearing Sasuke's answer, Shiro's anger flared up again. He rushed over and started punching him again, shouting, "Is that really your mistake?"

"So, what was my mistake?"

"Your mistake was leaving without telling me! Do you really think I’m worse than Orochimaru?"

Sasuke stared at Shiro in shock.

So that's why he got beaten up so badly. But Sasuke didn’t dare voice any complaints.

One more word, and who knows how much more he’d get beaten!

"So, Shiro, you don't mind if I go to Orochimaru’s place?"

"Why would I mind? Given your current situation, only by going to that creep Orochimaru can you receive the best training! That’s the only way to grow and stand at the pinnacle of the ninja world! Staying in Konoha would only hold you back!"

"I don't care about standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world. All I want is to kill that man! Shiro, as a member of the Uchiha clan, don’t you hate him even a little?"

Shiro sneered.

After all, he was someone who had transmigrated here. Even if he had really ended up in the Uchiha clan, there was no way he would feel any hatred.

Besides, Shiro wasn’t actually an Uchiha.

The Sharingan was just a product of the system!

So how could he feel hatred?

"Quit babbling and take me to Orochimaru’s place. And hand over all your military ration pills!"

*End of Chapter*

*Chapter 60: Negotiations with Orochimaru*

Shiro arrived outside Orochimaru’s base but had no intention of entering with Uchiha Sasuke. After all, Sasuke had his own path to follow.

Shiro’s purpose here was simple—he just wanted to ask Orochimaru for someone.

As he watched Sasuke enter the base, Shiro settled down in a tree to wait. After all, dealing with one of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, without enough chakra would be reckless. Even though Orochimaru had just changed bodies and was still in a weakened state, Shiro had to be cautious.

Early the next morning, Shiro stretched on the tree branch, feeling the surging chakra within him. Confidence filled him once again. However, his internal pathways were still not fully healed, and he couldn't yet use his signature technique, Flying Thunder Destruction.

Now that his condition had reached its peak, Shiro knew he couldn't delay any longer. If he waited for Orochimaru to fully adjust to his new body, walking in would be suicidal.

Orochimaru's secret base was inside a tree hollow. Shiro confidently walked in and soon saw a figure, who seemed to have been waiting for him.

"Shiro-kun, we meet again!" said the figure.

"Yamato? How did you know I was here?" Shiro asked.

Pushing his glasses up with his middle finger, Kabuto sneered, "You were snoring so loudly outside, as long as I'm not deaf, it's impossible not to notice!"

Shiro felt embarrassed. Yesterday had been exhausting, and his chakra had been depleted several times. He hadn't expected to snore in his sleep. Fortunately, Orochimaru and his people hadn’t ambushed him, or he would’ve been in serious trouble.

"Since you know I’m here, where is Orochimaru?" Shiro asked.

"Lord Orochimaru has been expecting you. Follow me," Kabuto replied.

After a moment's hesitation, Shiro steeled his nerves and followed. If he was too afraid to face a weakened Orochimaru, how could he ever confront Uchiha Madara or even Kaguya Otsutsuki in the future?

Walking down the dim corridor, Shiro followed Kabuto to a small door. Kabuto gestured for him to continue alone. "Orochimaru is waiting inside. Go on in!"

Shiro snorted softly, activating his Sharingan before cautiously entering. The room beyond the small door was much more spacious than the corridor outside, though still dimly lit.

At the center of the room sat a man, his body wrapped in bandages, his snake-like eyes fixed on Shiro.

"Shiro-kun, what brings you here?" Orochimaru asked.

"I'm here to ask for someone!" Shiro didn’t want to beat around the bush with Orochimaru. He knew that in terms of manipulating people, he was no match for Orochimaru, who was a master of mind games.

"Uchiha Sasuke, perhaps? I've lost five valuable subordinates because of him. Do you really think I’d hand him over to you?" Orochimaru's voice carried a faint killing intent.

"Not Sasuke. I want the boy from the Hozuki Clan in the Land of Water," Shiro clarified.

Orochimaru was momentarily taken aback, staring at Shiro in surprise.

"Interesting kid! I do recall having such a 'collectible.' But why should I give him to you?"

Ding! Quest options triggered!

1. Leave! Reward: Earth-nature chakra.

2. Negotiate! Reward: Advanced Genjutsu mastery.

3. Fight! Reward: Intermediate Sage Body.

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat. The rewards for the second and third options were tempting. Advanced Genjutsu mastery! Shiro had initially planned to become a Genjutsu-type ninja, but his skill tree had veered off course. With advanced Genjutsu mastery, he could get back on track.

And with his Mangekyō Sharingan, combining it with advanced Genjutsu mastery would give Shiro the confidence to stand before a fully-powered Orochimaru. Even if he couldn’t defeat him, he could at least escape using Genjutsu.

On the other hand, the Intermediate Sage Body was equally appealing. In the past, when he didn’t have S-rank jutsu, his chakra consumption wasn’t too fast. But after acquiring the Lightning Style: Lightning Prison, Shiro realized just how quickly his chakra could run out. If he had the Intermediate Sage Body, yesterday’s battle wouldn’t have been so difficult.

Most importantly, with the Intermediate Sage Body, all his abilities—Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu—would improve. Though it didn’t offer as much as the advanced Genjutsu mastery in one area, it was more practical overall.

"I choose option three!" Shiro decided.

With his choice made, Shiro didn't hesitate any longer. A confident smile appeared on his face.

"My bargaining chip is that I’m now stronger than you!" Shiro declared.

Orochimaru paused, then let out a cold laugh. "Interesting boy. Why don't you test that?"

Standing up from his wheelchair, Orochimaru began unwrapping the bandages from his body. Beneath the bandages, his body appeared young, no older than twelve or thirteen.

"Alright! Let's test it then!" Shiro said, instantly moving in front of Orochimaru, raising his fist high and slamming it down without hesitation.

Orochimaru’s pupils shrank. That punch carried a destructive force he couldn’t take head-on. Knowing his body had just been replaced, if it was damaged, it would take years to swap again.

"Impressive speed and strength. But what about this?" Orochimaru said, his body suddenly going limp, slithering like a snake around Shiro’s arm, his mouth slowly approaching Shiro’s neck, hissing.

"Fool!" Shiro scoffed, quickly forming hand signs. In less than a second, blue lightning arced across his body, and the sound of chirping birds echoed throughout the room.

"Lightning Style: Chidori Stream!"

"Not good!" Orochimaru realized too late. He couldn’t dodge in time, and the violent lightning crackled across his body. Shiro could even smell the faint scent of burning flesh.

Orochimaru hastily retreated, but his once pale skin was now charred in places, his snake eyes staring warily at Shiro.

"You truly are a formidable shinobi. Given more time, you might even surpass that man!" Orochimaru remarked.

"Are you talking about Uchiha Itachi? I fought him before," Shiro boasted.

"You fought Itachi?" Orochimaru looked at Shiro in disbelief. He had once tried to ambush Itachi, only for Itachi to see through him instantly. If not for Kabuto’s intervention and the loss of an arm, Orochimaru might not have survived.

And now, this boy claimed to have fought him.

"That’s right, and there was another guy with him named Kisame Hoshigaki. Surviving that battle was sheer luck," Shiro exaggerated.

At first, Orochimaru didn’t believe him, but when he mentioned Kisame, Orochimaru’s doubts vanished. After all, he had only recently received intel on Kisame.

"Enough talk. If you can withstand this move, I’ll give you the 'collectible' you want!" Orochimaru said, beginning to form hand signs.

Ding! Jutsu recognized: Impure World Reincarnation!

(End of chapter)