71-75

Chapter 71: Returning to the Village

In the woods outside the Land of Waves:

Kimimaro's hands glowed with a light blue chakra as he healed Haku's wounds.

Haku's burns and sword wounds were severe. Without timely treatment, they could easily leave permanent damage.

However, these injuries were minor to Kimimaro.

Zabuza watched from the side, his left hand touching the stump of his right arm, his expression gloomy.

He, who had once shaken the ninja world as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, had lost his right arm. The blow was undeniable.

However, his primary concern now was Haku's condition.

Fifteen minutes later, Kimimaro finished the treatment.

The wounds on Haku's body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"How is he?" Zabuza asked nervously.

"Don't worry, he's fine. He just needs a few days of rest to fully recover."

"That's great!" Zabuza's heart leaped with joy.

Haku also opened his eyes in a daze.

"Lord Zabuza..."

"Haku, you're awake? How are you feeling?"

"I feel okay... I'm not dead?" Haku gradually regained consciousness, realizing he was still alive.

"He saved you." Zabuza pointed to Kimimaro.

"Kimimaro?" Haku didn't expect that the person who wanted to kill them would end up saving them.

"This was just a trade, so there's no need to thank me." Kimimaro said, shouldering the Executioner's Blade.

"What are you doing? That's Lord Zabuza's sword!" Haku was a little agitated.

"Sorry, it's mine now. As payment for healing you, Zabuza has given this sword to me."

"What?" Haku looked at Zabuza in shock.

"Haku, the Executioner's Blade is useless to me now. Besides, even if I didn't give it to him, he could take it by force." Zabuza said, covering the stump of his right arm, the loss in his eyes evident.

"Lord Zabuza, your right arm..." Haku then noticed that Zabuza had lost his right arm.

"Don't be sad for me. As long as you're still by my side, what difference does it make whether I have a right arm or not?" Zabuza even showed a rare smile.

"Lord Zabuza..." Haku was deeply moved.

Kimimaro, however, was completely speechless.

Were these two performing a scene from a tragic romance?

"Ahem... I can make another deal with you." Kimimaro coughed, interrupting this awkward scene.

"What other deal do you want to make?" Zabuza asked warily.

"I want you to join the Hidden Sound Village and never betray it for the rest of your lives."

"Join the Hidden Sound Village? What do we get in return?"

Kimimaro pointed to the severed arm.

"I can reattach your right arm, and I guarantee it will be exactly the same as before."

This condition... Zabuza's heart stirred.

If he had any other choice, he wouldn't want to be a one-armed man.

Zabuza wasn't like the future Sasuke; losing his right arm meant losing most of his strength.

In this situation, facing the pursuit of the Mist's Anbu Black Ops, he and Haku wouldn't survive for long.

"Are you sure you can do it?"

"One hundred percent sure."

"Deal!"

"Straightforward."

"When will you reattach it?"

"Right now."

Kimimaro picked up the arm and walked to Zabuza's side.

"Suppress the chakra in your body. There can't be even a trace of leakage, or the arm won't reattach properly."

Zabuza quickly complied.

The treatment began.

"Chakra Thread Sewing!"

Indiscernible chakra threads appeared on Kimimaro's right hand.

Two chakra threads shot out, binding Zabuza's remaining arm, pulling it up forcefully, exposing the wound.

He held the severed arm in his left hand, aligning it with the wound.

Blue chakra needles condensed in his right palm.

Kimimaro focused, then both his hands moved simultaneously!

His hands moved as if playing a beautiful melody, swift and full of artistry.

Between the ups and downs, threading the needle, it was all done in one go.

Countless chakra threads appeared on both wounds, connecting them.

Kimimaro grabbed one chakra thread with each hand, and a third thread was held between his teeth.

He pulled all three at the same time!

A flash of white light, and the severed arm perfectly rejoined the wound!

Muscles, blood vessels, nerves, bones, and everything else once again became a whole.

"It's done, try it out."

Upon hearing this, Zabuza immediately activated his right hand.

A miraculous scene unfolded!

The newly reattached arm actually moved.

And there was no sense of stiffness at all.

Zabuza threw a punch, hitting a nearby tree, and the tree burst open.

The power was the same as before!

"That's great! Lord Zabuza!" Haku was overjoyed.

"What amazing medical ninjutsu." After the surprise, Zabuza was amazed.

He had never heard of such medical ninjutsu.

Perhaps even Tsunade wouldn't know it?

Where did this young man from the Kaguya clan learn all this?

The Hidden Sound Village?

What kind of place was that?

To be able to train such a genius?

It seemed like a good idea to go to that place and see.

Maybe by joining the Hidden Sound Village, he and Haku wouldn't have to live in such constant fear.

Moreover, he also wanted to know who was controlling the Hidden Sound Village.

"Let's go, back to the village." Kimimaro said.

"Okay." Zabuza was very obedient, seemingly having no intention of turning against them.

Kimimaro was very satisfied with this.

If Zabuza really did turn against them, he wasn't afraid.

During the previous treatment, he didn't just reattach Zabuza's arm.

Having followed Orochimaru for so long, if he hadn't learned any means of controlling people, he would have been wasting his time.

The three of them set off once again.

Hidden Sound Village.

After two years away, Kimimaro actually missed this place a bit.

When he left two years ago, seeking a cure for his illness, his heart was filled with uncertainty.

Now he was back, and although his illness wasn't cured, he had found a way to treat it.

The two moods were naturally completely different.

"This is the Hidden Sound Village? It's a bit different from what I imagined." Zabuza was quite shocked as he looked at the village in front of him.

This small village, established only a few years ago, was not much inferior to the Hidden Mist Village.

Haku looked at this place with a bit of longing in his eyes.

After wandering for several years, how could he not want a stable home?

If he could really join a powerful village, it would be an excellent choice for him.

Of course, all of this depended on Zabuza's willingness.

No matter what place it was, it couldn't replace the sense of belonging Zabuza gave Haku.

Otogi, who hadn't been seen for a long time, seemed to have received the news of Kimimaro's return early on and was already waiting for him here.

"Otogi-senpai, long time no see."

"Good boy, you've grown taller."

Otogi looked at Zabuza and Haku, frowning slightly.

"Who are these two?"

"They also want to join the Hidden Sound Village, so I brought them back. This is the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza, and this is the orphan of the Yuki clan, Haku."

"Demon? Yuki clan? You're quite good at finding people, kid."

"It's all for the village."

"Lord Orochimaru will be happy to know you have this dedication. I'll take care of arranging things for them. Lord Orochimaru is already waiting for you in the laboratory, you go first."

"Okay. Thank you, Otogi-senpai."

"Don't be so polite with me."

Kimimaro left, leaving the matter to Otogi.

When Zabuza heard Orochimaru's name, a lightning bolt flashed through his mind.

"Orochimaru? The leader of the Hidden Sound Village is actually one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 72: The Sound Ninja Four

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo during the Land of Waves mission. You have received the reward: Ice Fang Magatama."

The Ice Fang Magatama, originating from "Dragon Quest," is a crystallization of the power of the Ice Fang White Tiger. It can unleash ice-type attacks and also integrate the power of the Magatama into the body of a demon machine, unleashing even greater power.

On the way to find Orochimaru, Kimimaro looked at the latest photo reward that appeared in the system, his face filled with a strange expression.

"Is this the beginning of preparing me for building Gundams in the future?"

Kimimaro didn't expect the photo reward for the Land of Waves mission to be this.

He wondered if there would be Magatama of other powers as rewards in the future.

Currently, he didn't have a Gundam, so he couldn't unleash the full power of the Ice Fang Magatama.

However, ice-type attacks shouldn't be a big problem.

"With the Gaia Foundation and the Ice Fang Magatama, if I were to impersonate a member of the Yuki Clan, who wouldn't believe it?"

Kimimaro immediately felt that he could create another alias.

After the traveling doctor, Mr. Kimi, his new alias would be called...

Forget it, he would think about it when he needed to use it.

Now wasn't a good time to test the abilities of the Ice Fang Magatama, so Kimimaro temporarily suppressed his curiosity about its power.

Outside the laboratory, Kimimaro stopped.

He sensed four powerful chakras lurking nearby.

Needless to say, they were after him.

"Come out."

"Hehe, as expected of someone Orochimaru-sama values, you were able to detect our presence."

A cold laugh sounded, and four figures surrounded Kimimaro.

He knew all four of them.

The Sound Ninja Four!

Jirobo, Kidomaru, Tayuya, and Sakon and Ukon.

They were the first successful subjects of the Cursed Seal experiments.

From the current situation, it seemed they had fully adapted to the power of the Cursed Seal within them. Each one was full of vitality, showing no trace of the weakness they had two years ago when they were soaking in containers.

Jirobo and Tayuya still looked like normal humans, but Kidomaru and Sakon and Ukon were not.

Kidomaru had six arms, resembling a human spider.

Sakon and Ukon were twins, but apart from their heads, their bodies could merge into one.

Usually, Sakon controlled the body, making them look like a humanoid monster with two heads.

If they encountered a powerful opponent, Ukon would participate in the battle, and one body would become two.

"What do you four want, blocking my way?"

Kimimaro frowned slightly and said softly.

These four people standing here were definitely not here to welcome him.

"We want to see how capable you are, whether you're qualified to be our leader."

Tayuya said as she pulled out her weapon, a purple flute.

In the past two years, with the Cursed Seal, the Sound Ninja Four's strength had greatly improved, and they had developed a sense of arrogance.

In the Sound Village, apart from Orochimaru, they didn't take anyone else seriously.

But not long ago, Orochimaru announced that after Kimimaro's return, he would become their leader, forming the Sound Ninja Five.

This was unacceptable to the proud Sound Ninja Four.

So, with Orochimaru's permission, they deliberately came here to fight Kimimaro.

If they lost, there was nothing to say, they would obey orders.

But if they won, Kimimaro could only be their subordinate, not their leader.

"Do we need all four of us to deal with him alone?"

Sakon showed a disdainful expression, clearly not thinking it was necessary for all four of them to fight Kimimaro together.

"After all, he's someone Orochimaru-sama values. We can't underestimate him."

Kidomaru said, leaping up, spider silk shooting out from his feet and sticking to the ten-meter-high ceiling.

"Let me test his strength first!"

Jirobo didn't waste any words and charged forward with a punch!

His fist, the size of a sandbag, was filled with terrifying power.

"Rock Smash!"

Among the Sound Ninja Four, Jirobo was the weakest, but he had the greatest strength.

This punch could easily shatter a stone wall.

Kimimaro didn't dodge or evade, extending his right palm and easily catching Jirobo's fist with a slap.

Immovable like a mountain!

Jirobo was startled, looking at Kimimaro who was close at hand.

Those green eyes stared at him coldly, sending a chill down his spine.

"Do you... also want to dance?"

Bang!

Before Jirobo could react, Kimimaro kicked out, hitting him right in the abdomen.

A tremendous force struck!

Jirobo was instantly sent flying backward!

Bang!

His massive body crashed into the wall.

The power of that single strike left everyone astonished.

This seemingly slender young man possessed such astonishing strength.

"My turn!"

Sakon charged forward, attacking at close range!

"Multi-Punch!"

His right fist shot out, rapidly approaching Kimimaro's face.

At that moment, several afterimages appeared around his right fist!

No, they weren't entirely afterimages; two of the punches were real!

Multi-Punch, the name said it all.

Kimimaro extended both hands, ignoring the afterimages and catching all the real fists!

The afterimages disappeared!

Seeing this, Sakon wasn't surprised but delighted.

Because he still had two more fists!

"Let's see what else you can use to block!"

His left fist struck!

Multi-Punch!

One turned into two, with countless afterimages!

This strike aimed for Kimimaro's ribs.

Sakon thought this attack was guaranteed to hit, but what greeted him were several white bone spikes.

"Ah!"

Sakon screamed and retreated repeatedly.

His fists slammed onto the bone spikes, creating two bloody holes, blood gushing out.

Kimimaro took the opportunity to kick him away as well.

"Indeed, we can't underestimate him."

Seeing Kimimaro repel two people in a row, Kidomaru's expression turned serious, and he prepared to attack.

He formed hand seals, bringing his hands together and pulling out a spider web. His third hand pressed onto the web.

"Summoning Jutsu: Giant Spider!"

A massive spider web covered the entire ceiling, and a giant spider appeared on the web.

The giant spider spat out white eggs.

Kidomaru slashed at the eggs with a knife!

A large opening appeared!

Countless small spiders emerged!

Each small spider, carrying white spider silk, fell down.

Their target: Kimimaro!

Seeing the overwhelming swarm of small spiders, Kimimaro frowned slightly. In the next moment, a white bone sword instantly flew out from his palm.

Bone sword in hand, he danced!

Dance of the Camellia!

Kimimaro leaped into the air, weaving through the swarm of spiders, swinging his sword again and again.

His speed was so fast that it was astonishing.

"So fast!"

Kidomaru's pupils shrank; he had never encountered an opponent with such incredible speed.

With each swing of the sword, not a single spider could survive and land on the ground.

The more Kimimaro killed, the more spiders appeared.

The force from his jump dissipated, and he landed on the ground.

He threw the bone sword in his right hand!

A piercing strike!

Seven small spiders were skewered by the thrown sword, pinned to the wall beside them.

In the next moment, white bone spikes emerged from Kimimaro's joints, making him resemble a hedgehog.

Dance of the Larch!

Now, he was like a spinning top. Any spider that approached him was swept away by the sharp bone spikes.

With a tap of his feet, Kimimaro shot straight up into the air!

His target: the giant spider on the ceiling.

Whoosh!

An incredibly sharp bone drill spiraled through the giant spider's abdomen!

The giant spider died instantly.

"What!"

Kidomaru was shocked; he hadn't expected his technique to be broken so easily by Kimimaro.

The terrifying explosive power brought by those white bones sent shivers down his spine.

Kimimaro's momentum didn't diminish as he plunged his left hand into the ceiling, hanging his entire body there.

His green eyes stared directly at Kidomaru.

"You seem to be having a lot of fun."

His cold tone made Kidomaru's heart tremble.

At that moment, black markings crawled onto his body.

Cursed Seal Level 1!

It seemed that only this could dispel the chill he felt.

"Oh? So this is the power of the Cursed Seal? Interesting. I wonder to what extent you can unleash its power."

Kimimaro finally showed some interest.

The Sound Ninja Four in their normal state were simply no challenge for him.

The power of the Cursed Seal was the true value of the Sound Ninja Four.

Kimimaro was also eager to see how powerful the Cursed Seal developed by Orochimaru was.

"This guy is terrifyingly strong."

This thought popped into Kidomaru's mind and wouldn't go away.

Just then, the sound of a flute pierced the air!

Tayuya finally made her move!

The melodious flute music reached Kimimaro's ears, and the scene before him instantly changed.

The ceiling vanished, replaced by a crimson space.

Ropes shot out from all directions, binding Kimimaro's limbs completely.

For a moment, he felt as if his body was being corroded!

"Demon Flute: Phantom Sound Chains!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 73: The Siege

"So this is the sound genjutsu?" Kimimaro looked at the scene before him with interest, feeling the power that corroded the flesh.

Sound genjutsu!

In the entire Naruto world, only a few people could use this type of genjutsu.

This kind of genjutsu was even more difficult to defend against than visual genjutsu.

Because sound was pervasive.

It was extremely difficult to completely isolate oneself from sound.

Of course, compared to the Toad Song of Mount Myoboku, Tayuya's Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains was inferior.

But the potential of sound genjutsu was indeed not low.

"Interesting, but sound genjutsu is useless to me. The Silence!"

The Clow Card of Silence activated!

Looking at the motionless Kimimaro, Jirobo, who had just emerged from the stone wall, sneered, "I thought he was so powerful, but I didn't expect him to fall for it so easily. Once caught in this genjutsu, it's not easy to break free."

As soon as Jirobo finished speaking, Tayuya's flute playing stopped abruptly.

Pfft!

A mouthful of blood spurted from Tayuya's mouth.

Genjutsu backlash!

Tayuya's eyes revealed an expression of disbelief.

Jirobo was also taken aback.

This was a slap in the face too quickly.

Kimimaro landed on the ground unharmed, coldly scanning the four of them.

"Don't waste time, use the cursed seal together. In your normal state, you're no match for me."

Hearing this, the four looked at each other.

They had realized that Kimimaro's strength was on a completely different level from theirs.

If they didn't use the power of the cursed seal, they had no chance of winning.

"Everyone, don't hold back anymore, let's go all out!"

Kidomaru shouted, his appearance changing again.

Black runes covered his entire body, and his skin turned dark red.

His face turned into an Asura face, with a third eye growing on his forehead.

He opened his mouth and spat out sticky gold, forming a large bow.

Spider War Bow!

Kidomaru drew the bow and aimed at Kimimaro, but didn't release the bowstring.

He was waiting for the right moment.

The feeling of being targeted made Kimimaro quite uncomfortable, but he didn't immediately attack.

Tayuya's skin also erupted with black runes, quickly covering her entire body. Her skin color turned dark, and several white bone horns grew on her head.

Her originally beautiful face turned ugly.

Jirobo and Sakon/Ukon also activated their Level 2 state at the same time.

Sakon and Ukon even separated, one on the left and one on the right, surrounding Kimimaro in the middle.

All four members of the Sound Four had activated their strongest state.

The brief exchange just now made them realize Kimimaro's power, and they no longer had any contempt in their hearts.

"Now this is getting interesting."

Kimimaro smiled slightly, not showing any fear, but instead, a bit more fighting spirit.

"Hmph, enjoy it while you can. Soon you'll know how powerful the cursed seal Lord Orochimaru bestowed upon us is!"

Seeing that Kimimaro could still smile, Sakon felt extremely annoyed.

Kimimaro was completely looking down on them.

Jirobo charged forward again!

With his strength increased tenfold, he recklessly crashed into Kimimaro!

His right shoulder transformed into an incredibly powerful ramming weapon, capable of shattering a person's internal organs.

"Die! Domu!"

Jirobo shouted, his momentum and attack reaching their peak.

Kimimaro clenched his left fist and punched Jirobo's charging right shoulder!

"The Power!"

He shouted inwardly, activating the Clow Card of Power!

The power in his left fist suddenly surged!

It was as if it possessed a thousand pounds of force!

The left fist emitted a white light, slamming onto Jirobo's right shoulder, which had concentrated all his strength.

Crack!

A crisp sound, and Jirobo's expression changed.

"Ah!"

Then a scream came from his mouth.

The bones in his right shoulder were shattered!

The immense force continued, quickly affecting his entire body.

Jirobo felt like he had crashed into a speeding train, his entire body flying backward faster than his Domu charge!

Boom!

Another hole appeared in the wall.

Smoke and dust rose, and Jirobo lost consciousness, falling into a coma.

One strike!

Another one-hit knockout!

Jirobo had activated his Level 2 state, his strength increased tenfold, but his second encounter with Kimimaro didn't change anything.

Instead, he was injured even more severely and tragically than the first time.

In the contest of strength that Jirobo was most proud of, Kimimaro had won a landslide victory.

"Good opportunity!"

Just as this attack ended, Kidomaru released the sticky gold arrow that had been aimed for a long time!

This was the perfect chance!

Whoosh!

The sticky gold arrow swept through the air with a whistling wind!

The spiraling arrowhead brought even greater penetrating power.

Boom!

Where the arrow passed, there was a startling sonic boom!

The fired arrow reached behind Kimimaro in an instant.

Unavoidable!

The next moment, a bone sword emerged from Kimimaro's right palm. Without any hesitation, he turned around and slashed!

"The Sword!"

The white bone sword was instantly dyed with black light, slashing at the incoming sticky gold arrow!

An astonishing scene unfolded!

The pitch-black blade actually split the sticky gold arrow in half!

Split into two!

After being split, the sticky gold arrow swiftly passed by Kimimaro's side!

"How is this possible!"

Kidomaru's eyes widened.

He could accept Kimimaro dodging his arrow, but he couldn't accept the scene before him.

A sword splitting an arrow!

How fast were his reflexes?

Moreover, his arrows were made of extremely hard sticky gold.

Their strength was definitely not comparable to ordinary weapons.

At such a speed, Kimimaro actually split it with a bone sword?

Bone swords were indeed sturdy, but how could they have such a sharp blade?

This scene filled Kidomaru's heart with doubts.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Tayuya formed hand seals and summoned her summoning creatures - the Three Ghosts!

One was the Club Ghost, the second was the Talon Ghost, and the third was the Bandage Ghost.

Their massive five-meter-tall bodies brought a sense of oppression.

Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Dance!

The melodious flute sound echoed once again, and the Three Ghosts began to attack along with the melody!

The club slammed down, the talons slashed out!

The Bandage Ghost charged forward!

The Three Ghosts' coordination was extremely seamless!

This time, Kimimaro chose to dodge.

Secret Technique: Sideways Shuffle!

But at this moment, Sakon and Ukon finally launched their attack.

Left and right pincer attack!

The two simultaneously spun their bodies, transforming into spirals, and attacked Kimimaro from both sides!

The Bandage Ghost charged from the front, the Talon Ghost's blades from behind, the Club Ghost's club smashed down from above, and Sakon and Ukon's spiral attacks from the left and right.

In an instant, all of Kimimaro's escape routes were sealed.

"Their coordination is quite good. It seems the Sound Four isn't just a group name like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Their teamwork has been honed to a considerable level."

Kimimaro rarely gave a positive evaluation of the Sound Four.

However, that was all.

"Silence Barrier!"

The flute sound in the Three Ghosts' ears instantly disappeared.

Losing the flute sound that controlled them, their attacks immediately stopped.

Flash Step!

Taking advantage of this gap, Kimimaro tapped his toes and disappeared from the encirclement.

At the same time, he appeared on top of the Club Ghost, kicking it down!

Bang!

The Club Ghost fell to the ground, and Sakon and Ukon's attacks directly hit it.

"What's going on?"

Seeing the completely motionless Three Ghosts, Tayuya was puzzled.

"Tayuya, watch out behind you!"

Kidomaru exclaimed, and only then did Tayuya realize that Kimimaro was standing behind her at some point.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 74: Buzzing Octave

Doyō abruptly turned her head, locking eyes with Kimimaro's emerald green gaze. A chill instantly ran down her spine.

At such close proximity, she had no chance of dodging Kimimaro's attack.

Sharp Claw!

The bone sword slashed left and right, severing all the bone horns on Doyō's head, then flipped over for another strike!

The white bone sword pierced through her lower abdomen, the blade instantly submerged halfway.

Kimimaro added a kick to the hilt.

With a surge of tremendous force, Doyō, along with the sword, was violently thrown back several meters, pinned to the wall by the bone sword.

"Ah!"

A scream erupted, her appearance utterly miserable.

The cursed seal dissipated, returning her to her original form, but she was already on the verge of death.

Kimimaro's ruthlessness shocked Sakon and Ukon, who still had some fight left in them, as well as Kidōmaru.

"Only three of you remain."

His cold tone, coupled with the gruesome state of Jirōbō and Doyō, made Sakon and Ukon, along with Kidōmaru, gulp involuntarily.

Fear began to spread.

The absolute disparity in strength left them feeling somewhat hopeless.

Their coordinated attack, in front of Kimimaro, seemed so feeble.

While they were in shock and fear, the white-haired boy's assault struck again!

Flash Step!

His astonishing speed was on full display; Kimimaro was ready to end the battle.

Even with his three eyes, Kidōmaru couldn't fully capture his movements. His gaze could only follow the blurry shadow, barely confirming his position.

Sakon and Ukon couldn't even see an afterimage.

"What kind of speed is this?"

The three of them were startled. In the next moment, Kimimaro's index fingers were already pressed against Sakon and Ukon's lower abdomens.

"Twin Finger White Lightning!"

Finger bones infused with lightning power shot out from his fingertips!

At such close range, the power of Twin Finger White Lightning went berserk!

Boom!

Two identical bloody holes appeared on two identical bodies.

Pfft!

Sakon and Ukon simultaneously spat out blood, half-kneeling on the ground, their breaths weak.

Instant kill!

Kimimaro turned his head, looking at the last one remaining.

Kidōmaru!

The strongest among the Sound Four.

However, to Kimimaro, he was just a slightly more skilled Chunin.

Kidōmaru's expression was grave, his eyes filled with unshakeable fear.

"You're the only one left."

His right hand opened, the bone sword protruding.

Kimimaro's feet moved, swiftly closing the distance!

"Angry Strike!"

The bone sword thrust forward!

Aiming for Kidōmaru's lower abdomen!

Kimimaro's speed was so fast that he couldn't dodge.

The tip of the sword pierced his lower abdomen, but Kimimaro frowned.

Because the sword couldn't penetrate further.

A triumphant smirk appeared on Kidōmaru's lips.

"My Sticky Gold Armor isn't that easy to break!"

Kidōmaru opened his mouth, and a sharp blade formed from Sticky Gold shot out.

The blade attacked!

Kimimaro retracted his sword, dodging!

His movements were clean and swift; the blade grazed past him, nearly tearing his robe.

"Sticky Gold Armor, huh? I'm curious to see just how tough it is."

After dodging, Kimimaro didn't retreat but advanced instead!

Flames even appeared on the bone sword in his right hand!

"Buzzing Octave!"

A crimson sword light enveloped the bone sword, and he unleashed a flurry of attacks on Kidōmaru!

A fire-element single-handed sword eight-strike combo!

Each strike landed on Kidōmaru, producing a clanging sound.

The scorching flames assaulted him, and Kidōmaru could clearly feel his Sticky Gold Armor cracking.

Eight strikes concluded!

With a crack, the Sticky Gold Armor on Kidōmaru shattered into golden sand, falling to the ground.

The Sticky Gold Armor was actually broken by Kimimaro's relentless strikes!

Kidōmaru's eyes widened as if he were looking at a monster.

"Seems like it's not that tough after all."

Kimimaro gave his indifferent assessment.

Sticky Gold Armor?

Nothing special.

His gaze fell upon Kidōmaru once more.

"D-Don't come any closer!"

Kidōmaru was completely panicked.

He involuntarily retreated.

His last resort had been shattered by the opponent in the most brutal way; how could he not panic, how could he not fear?

But Kimimaro had no intention of ending the fight here.

The Sound Four should all lie here neatly.

"Obstructing me comes with a price. One Finger White Lightning!"

Whoosh!

The lightning finger bone accurately pierced Kidōmaru's lower abdomen.

"Ah!"

The fourth scream marked the end of the Sound Four's defeat.

Clap, clap, clap.

Applause rang out as Orochimaru, who had witnessed the entire scene, emerged from the laboratory.

"Hehe, Kimimaro, you truly haven't disappointed me. Your strength has grown even further. Even with the four of them working together, they couldn't force you to go all out."

"The cursed seal power developed by Lord Orochimaru is also quite remarkable."

"They're still far from enough. The truly powerful Earth and Heaven Cursed Seals haven't found their masters yet."

Orochimaru looked at Kimimaro with great interest.

If it were Kimimaro, he should be able to perfectly assimilate both the Heaven and Earth Cursed Seals.

However, Kimimaro wasn't interested in either of them.

Otherwise, Orochimaru would have implanted the cursed seal in him two years ago.

Their relationship was both teacher and friend; he wouldn't force Kimimaro unless necessary.

"Lord Orochimaru must already have suitable candidates in mind, right?"

"The orphaned Uchiha from Konoha might be suitable for the Heaven Cursed Seal, but whether he's truly qualified still needs my verification. As for the Earth Cursed Seal, I think it's most suitable for you."

"I still don't have much interest in such things right now. I just want to cure my bloodline disease as soon as possible."

"Judging by your expression, have you found a treatment method?"

"I have a lead. But whether it will succeed or not, I don't know yet."

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"What method is it?"

"I need to keep it a secret for now."

"Hehe, then I'll wait to see the miracle you create."

Kimimaro didn't reveal it, and Orochimaru didn't press further.

"These four will be your subordinates from now on. After today's battle, they should be completely convinced by you."

Orochimaru pointed to the battered Sound Four.

"Their abilities are indeed quite interesting. Since they're my subordinates, I'll take care of their injuries."

Kimimaro formed hand seals, creating three shadow clones.

Including the original, there were four in total, each tending to one of the Sound Four.

Although their injuries looked severe, Kimimaro hadn't aimed for vital points.

Therefore, the treatment wasn't complicated.

Five minutes later, all their wounds had healed.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up once again.

In two years, Kimimaro's growth had completely exceeded his expectations.

The Sound Four's injuries improved, and they looked at Kimimaro with awe.

"We greet Lord Kimimaro!"

The four simultaneously knelt on one knee, filled with respect.

They now held both admiration and fear for Kimimaro.

Kimimaro nodded slightly, then turned to Orochimaru.

"Lord Orochimaru, Otoki-senpai said you were waiting for me. Is there something you need me to do?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 75: Truly Strong

"Indeed, do you remember two years ago when I said there was an important task for you?"

"I do. Has the time come?"

Orochimaru nodded slightly.

"I've planned an operation against Konoha, called the Konoha Crush Plan! And at the beginning of this plan, we need someone's life as a stepping stone."

"Whose?"

"The Fourth Kazekage."

Orochimaru said something that would shock the ninja world in an extremely calm tone.

Assassinate a Kage!

No matter which village's Kage, they are all extremely powerful beings.

To kill such a strong person, not only strength is needed, but also a dead end, so that the Kage has no way to escape.

Otherwise, if a Kage-level powerhouse focuses on escaping, even if someone is slightly stronger, it would be very difficult to kill them.

As a Kage, how could they not have life-saving means.

Even Orochimaru, without any help, did not have a 100% certainty of killing the Fourth Kazekage.

After all, the Kazekage has always been a master of defense.

Coupled with the Fourth Kazekage's ability to control gold dust to fly, the difficulty of hunting him down is even greater.

"The Fourth Kazekage? I didn't expect Mr. Orochimaru to have such a big appetite. That's not an easy character to deal with."

"Precisely because he's not easy to deal with, I need your help."

The two looked at each other and smiled at the same time.

"Mr. Orochimaru has asked, and I have no reason to refuse. However, I want to know the other details of the Konoha Crush Plan. Such an interesting thing, if I only participate in the initial siege, it would be a bit too monotonous."

"Oh? It's rare for you to have such an interest."

Orochimaru didn't expect Kimimaro, who was一心 pursuing a cure for his illness and longevity, to be interested in the Konoha Crush Plan.

He faintly felt that Kimimaro might have his own purpose.

But he didn't mind.

As long as it doesn't affect the Konoha Crush Plan, Orochimaru doesn't care what Kimimaro wants to do.

Immediately, Orochimaru roughly explained his plan.

Join forces with Sunagakure to launch an attack on Konoha during the third stage of the Chunin Exams.

To prevent the Fourth Kazekage from changing his mind midway, he needs to be killed and replaced by Orochimaru himself, so as to better control the overall situation.

"The Chunin Exams? That's an interesting thing. Since Otogakure is sending a genin team to participate, count me in."

"You want to participate in the Chunin Exams? That's really a bad taste."

Orochimaru rarely made a吐槽.

"Isn't it interesting? On the way back, I met a Konoha genin team. Maybe in this Chunin Exams, I can see these three friends."

"Konoha genin?"

Orochimaru was a little curious.

Kimimaro then slightly modified the events of the Land of Waves mission and told him.

"Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto... Hehe, Kimimaro, you're really lucky to have encountered such an interesting combination.

Konoha's current top Jonin, an Uchiha descendant, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, all interesting guys. No wonder you're interested in them."

"Uchiha Sasuke is one of your targets this time, Mr. Orochimaru, right?"

Orochimaru nodded slightly.

"His foundation is good, but unfortunately, without specialized guidance, he wasted a lot of time. But even so, he has awakened the Sharingan. With such talent, he indeed has the qualifications to become a vessel."

Hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes lit up.

Sasuke awakened the Sharingan?

Great.

It seems this trip to Konoha will become even more interesting.

"Hehe, it's really something to look forward to."

Orochimaru changed the subject and continued, "Kimimaro, I've already arranged for a three-man team to participate in the Chunin Exams. They have a mission, so it can't be canceled. If you want to participate in the Chunin Exams, you'll need to form your own three-man team."

"That's easy. I'll just take Suigetsu and Jugo with me."

"Then go and prepare. Three days later, we'll set off to meet the Fourth Kazekage."

After their discussion, the two went their separate ways.

Kimimaro took a friendly group photo with the Sound Four and let them go back to recuperate.

Medical ninjutsu is not magic; wounds need rest even after they heal.

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with Jirobo and receiving the reward: Four Violet Flames Formation."

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with Sakon and Ukon and receiving the reward: The Twin Clow Cards."

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with Tayuya and receiving the reward: Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains."

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with Kidomaru and receiving the reward: The Arrow Clow Card."

A big harvest of system rewards.

Kimimaro looked at these four rewards with satisfaction.

"This trip to Konoha should be the most rewarding one since I transmigrated. Compared to that, these are just appetizers."

In these four years, Kimimaro didn't deliberately pursue system rewards.

The reason was simple, the system had clearly stated before that the rewards it gave couldn't cure his bloodline disease.

Therefore, he spent more time on medical ninjutsu, hoping to gain a healthy body through his own efforts.

Survival was his top priority.

Compared to that, system rewards weren't as important.

But this trip to Konoha was different, plenty of rewards were right in front of him, and he wouldn't let them go to waste.

Of course, curing his illness was still his first priority.

The reason he wanted to participate in the Chunin Exams was also for this purpose.

He had already gone over the corresponding plan several times in his mind, and there were absolutely no flaws.

Now everything was ready, all he needed was the right opportunity.

Leaving the laboratory, Kimimaro returned to his room.

Suigetsu and Jugo had already received the news of his return and were waiting for him at the door.

"Boss! You're finally back! If you didn't come back soon, I was going to leave the village to find you."

Suigetsu said excitedly.

"Welcome back."

Compared to Suigetsu's excitement, Jugo was much calmer.

It wasn't that he wasn't happy, he just wasn't as lively as Suigetsu.

The smile on his face was enough to show Jugo's joy at this moment.

"It seems you two have been doing well these past two years."

Feeling the surging chakra within the two, Kimimaro was quite pleased.

In these two years, neither of them had slacked off, and they had made considerable progress.

"Hehe, of course. Let me tell you, my current strength far surpasses what it was two years ago. Maybe even you, boss, are no match for me now."

Suigetsu was full of confidence, and there was even a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes.

"Feeling itchy?"

Kimimaro raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Of course not! I'm really strong now. Boss, if you don't believe me, let's have a fight!"

"Fighting you is no fun. But, if you're feeling itchy, I can find you an opponent."

As Kimimaro finished speaking, Pikachu's little yellow head popped out from behind him.

"Pika Pika!"

"What's this? A summoning animal?"

"Sort of. If you can defeat it, I'll believe you're really strong now."

"Hey, boss, you're underestimating me. Watch how I take care of it!"

(End of Chapter)