46-50

*Chapter 46: The Two-Tails Jinchūriki*

The dark cave was not unfamiliar to Kimimaro.

Whether it was the place where he had once been imprisoned or the cave where Jūgo secluded himself, it had always been a place like this.

He sniffed the air and caught a whiff of a sharp, metallic scent—blood.

The person should be here.

He pulled a flashlight from his backpack, ready to dispel the darkness and see more clearly.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound broke the silence beside him.

It was the sound of a blade slicing through the air.

An ambush!

Instinctively, Kimimaro dodged, his flashlight acting like a sword as he slashed forward.

Clang!

The flashlight was shattered by the incoming weapon, but Kimimaro had already determined the direction of the assailant.

"Binding Spell #30! Triple Beak Piercer!"

Three sharp, yellow beams of light shot forward!

Whoosh!

The yellow light flashed by, hitting the target!

Crack, crack, crack!

Three distinct snapping sounds followed as the yellow beams pinned themselves into the wall.

Left hand, right hand, waist!

The blade used in the ambush was now completely immobilized by the yellow light beams.

With the aid of the yellow glow, Kimimaro could finally make out the appearance of his attacker.

"It’s you!"

The person who had ambushed Kimimaro was none other than Guren.

Hearing his voice, Guren looked up.

Seeing that it was Kimimaro, she too was a bit surprised.

"It seems fate brought us together again so soon. But why did you ambush me?"

"I thought you were a pursuer."

"A pursuer?"

Kimimaro glanced at Guren, quickly noticing the wounds on her body.

He had just treated her a few days ago, and now she was already injured again.

Moreover, the wounds appeared far more severe this time.

"It seems you’ve gotten yourself into some serious trouble."

Kimimaro waved his right hand, dismissing the Triple Beak Piercer, and the cave darkened once more.

Guren, exhausted, collapsed. Kimimaro hurriedly supported her, helping her sit against the wall.

He glanced at some dry branches nearby, likely prepared by Guren herself.

With a flick of his right hand, a bolt of white lightning shot from his finger and ignited the dry branches.

Flames flickered, brightening the cave considerably.

"You followed the markings to get here?"

"Correct."

"I didn’t expect you to be the one to show up."

"We don’t have many people from the Sound Village stationed here in the Land of Lightning, and I’m one of the few who can operate here. You’re lucky I saw the markings."

Kimimaro shook his head with a smile and extended both hands to begin treating Guren’s injuries.

Guren remained silent, lost in thought.

"So, what happened that left you in this state?" Kimimaro asked, curious.

Guren’s injuries were different from before. Previously, she had mostly been wounded by sharp objects, but this time, she had severe burn marks.

It was clear that she had encountered a fire-style ninjutsu user.

A fire-style attack of this caliber was rare even among shinobi.

"In the Land of Lightning, I encountered the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii."

"The Two-Tails Jinchūriki? You sure know how to pick your fights. It’s impressive you’re still alive. Why did you provoke her in the first place?" Kimimaro remarked.

Even now, he knew he couldn’t defeat the Two-Tails Jinchūriki.

While Yugito wasn’t a perfect Jinchūriki, she could still transform using the power of her tailed beast through sheer will.

She was just a step away from becoming a perfect Jinchūriki.

Of course, her strength wasn’t that extreme at the moment, but she could easily take down any ordinary jonin.

For Guren to have fought her and survived, it was nothing short of a miracle.

"Orochimaru-sama sent me to retrieve someone, but she took them. When I found out, I chased after her. I thought she was just an ordinary Cloud ninja, but I didn’t expect her to be the Two-Tails Jinchūriki," Guren said, clenching her fist in frustration.

"Kimimaro! Help me take back Yūkimaru. Orochimaru-sama specifically requested him. We can’t let him fall into the hands of the Hidden Cloud!" Guren said, growing more agitated.

Originally, she hadn’t planned on telling Kimimaro about Yūkimaru, but given her current state, she had no hope of retrieving him on her own.

Now, she could only rely on the person she disliked the most—Kimimaro.

She had left the markings, hoping to receive assistance from any Sound Village ninja nearby.

She hadn’t expected Kimimaro to be the first to arrive.

"Yūkimaru? Where is he now?"

"He’s probably already been taken to the Hidden Cloud Village by the Two-Tails Jinchūriki."

Kimimaro rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "You want me to go with you to the Hidden Cloud Village to snatch him back? Are you out of your mind?"

"Are you scared? For Orochimaru-sama, what’s a little danger? Even if I die in this mission, I’ll have no regrets!"

Guren’s loyalty to Orochimaru was unwavering, her resolve unmatched by most.

"I’m afraid of dying."

"You! How can you face Orochimaru-sama with that attitude?"

"Calm down. Your wound has reopened."

"You!"

The intense pain from her injury forced Guren to calm down a bit.

"As Orochimaru-sama’s subordinates, your value isn’t in throwing your life away. Can’t you use your brain for once? Always so reckless. No wonder Orochimaru-sama didn’t take you back to the Sound Village," Kimimaro said.

Guren froze, stunned by his words.

Could that really be the reason Orochimaru had sent her to the Land of Lightning?

Seeing Guren quiet down, Kimimaro said nothing more and continued treating her injuries.

He stabilized the burns with the Mystical Palm Technique, while the wounds from the blade were sewn shut with chakra threads.

"All done."

In about ten minutes, Kimimaro finished treating her.

Guren, regaining her composure, couldn’t help but think, "Isn’t this guy supposed to be from the Kaguya clan, renowned for combat? How is he this good at medical ninjutsu?"

She had never seen a medical ninja as skilled as Kimimaro.

"Kimimaro."

"Hmm?"

"Does Orochimaru-sama really think I’m reckless and that’s why he didn’t bring me back to the Sound Village?"

Kimimaro hadn’t expected Guren to take him seriously.

Her obsession with Orochimaru ran deeper than he had imagined.

"I was joking."

Guren lowered her head, deep in thought.

Kimimaro shook his head slightly. She was completely brainwashed by Orochimaru. There was no saving her.

"Thank you for the treatment," Guren said as she stood up, ready to leave.

"You’re going to the Hidden Cloud Village alone?"

Guren remained silent.

"That’s a suicide mission."

"If I fail, I die without regret."

"…"

Kimimaro was speechless. Guren just wouldn’t listen.

"Fine, I was planning to go to the Hidden Cloud Village anyway. I’ll help you, but you’ll follow my lead."

"Do you have a plan?"

"I fear death. I don’t take on missions I can’t handle. Let me show you how to use your brain instead of brute force."

Tsunade had given him a prescription, but two of the ingredients were still missing.

These two herbs were the hardest to find.

To locate them quickly, he would need to visit the Hidden Cloud Village’s medical department.

Kimimaro had already planned to go there for a heist, and having Guren with him might not be such a bad idea.

With a revised plan, the operation could be even more foolproof.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 47: Pikachu*

Hidden Cloud Village.

One of the five great ninja villages in the ninja world.

After the decline of Konoha, Hidden Cloud grew rapidly.

Its internal unity was strong, with little infighting.

For ten years, not a single rogue ninja had appeared.

Just this fact alone was enough to make the other four ninja villages envious.

Konoha and Hidden Mist, known for their rogue ninja problems, had no comments on this.

Hidden Cloud Village was built atop a mountain, surrounded by mist and frequently echoing with thunder, hence the name Hidden Cloud.

On this day, a young man arrived at the entrance of Hidden Cloud Village.

“So, this is Hidden Cloud Village? It’s certainly on a different level compared to the Sound Village, which has only been around for a few years,” thought Kimimaro, who had used Gaia Foundation's power.

At this moment, his identity was that of a civilian coming to issue a mission in Hidden Cloud Village.

Originally, he had planned to enter the village as "Mr. Jun," but after some thought, he realized that if he used that identity, the Raikage likely wouldn’t let him leave easily.

This time, he intended to come quietly and leave quietly.

If he attracted the Raikage's attention, escaping would be much more difficult.

So, entering the village under the guise of issuing a mission was the most convenient option.

Like Konoha, Hidden Cloud's gates were guarded by two chunin.

Surrounding the gate, barriers extended in all directions.

It was almost impossible to enter Hidden Cloud Village through any other entrance.

“Hello, my name is Gintoki from Pallet Town, and I’d like to issue a C-rank escort mission.”

Kimimaro addressed the Hidden Cloud guard.

“Mr. Gintoki, if you want to issue an escort mission, you can do so at the mission hall. That yellow building over there is the mission hall. Once inside, someone will assist you.”

“Thank you.”

Kimimaro stepped through the gates of Hidden Cloud Village and immediately felt a sensing ability briefly scan over him.

It was the sensory ninjas of Hidden Cloud checking to see if he had chakra within him.

If he were a ninja, they would increase surveillance.

If not, the surveillance would be lessened.

Ninja resources were limited, and they couldn’t afford to monitor every outsider who entered the village closely.

The sensory scan passed over Kimimaro, and it was clear the sensory ninja found nothing unusual about him.

Gaia Foundation didn’t just disguise appearances—it could also mask chakra fluctuations.

At the moment, Kimimaro was entirely a civilian.

Walking through Hidden Cloud Village, Kimimaro’s mind flashed with the map of Hidden Cloud Village given to him by Guren.

Guren had been sent by Orochimaru to Hidden Cloud’s base in the Land of Lightning, so her understanding of Hidden Cloud far exceeded Kimimaro’s.

This map would save him a lot of trouble.

The yellow building was the mission hall, and the white one was Hidden Cloud’s hospital. The medical herb storage area was next to the hospital, heavily guarded and difficult to infiltrate.

Kimimaro’s eyes scanned Hidden Cloud Village as if he were a curious tourist, drawing no attention from the locals.

Soon, he arrived at the mission hall, issued his mission request, and paid the fee.

The money was provided by Guren.

“Mr. Gintoki, your mission has been accepted. Tomorrow, we’ll assign the appropriate ninja to accompany you to the mission site.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Mr. Gintoki, you’re free to explore our village for the day. If you’d like a tour guide, you can apply at the guide office next door. It’s only 500 ryo for a full day.”

“Uh… I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

“Alright. It was a pleasure to assist you.”

After leaving the mission hall, Kimimaro couldn’t help but admire how business-savvy Hidden Cloud Village was.

Having people stay an extra day while waiting for mission arrangements was a clever way to boost the village’s tourism.

They even had tour guides ready.

Impressive.

Kimimaro found an inn and settled down for the time being.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said suddenly.

Kimimaro held up his fingers in a peace sign and quickly took a photo at one of the village’s scenic spots.

“Congratulations, tourist! You’ve completed a photo at Hidden Cloud Village. Your reward: Pokémon Pikachu!”

Upon hearing this, he immediately perked up.

“Pikachu? Pokémon?”

Making sure no one was watching, Kimimaro quickly opened the interface and found the photo he had taken in Hidden Cloud Village.

Behind him in the photo, there was a red-and-white Poké Ball.

He lightly tapped it.

The Poké Ball materialized in his hand.

The newly appeared Poké Ball was only about three centimeters in diameter.

With a gentle touch, the Poké Ball expanded to ten centimeters.

“It really is a Poké Ball.”

Excited, he immediately tossed the Poké Ball.

“Alright, I choose you! Pikachu!”

The moment the ball was thrown, it opened, and a burst of white light emerged.

As the light faded, the true form was revealed.

Covered in yellow fur, with long ears that had black tips.

It had large, round black eyes and two red circles on its cheeks.

The most eye-catching feature was its lightning-shaped tail.

This was none other than Pokémon’s Pikachu!

“Pika!”

Pikachu softly called out, its face filled with curiosity.

It seemed confused as to why it had appeared here.

It soon noticed Kimimaro standing in front of it.

A sense of familiarity suddenly emerged.

“Pika Pika!”

Pikachu called out excitedly.

“To think it really is Pikachu.”

Who wouldn’t want their own Pikachu?

Looking at Pikachu’s adorable appearance, Kimimaro gently patted its head.

It felt incredibly pleasant.

Suddenly, Kimimaro’s eyes narrowed, and he quickly picked up the Poké Ball, returning Pikachu inside. Then, he sat down on a chair.

After completing this sequence of actions, a hidden gaze fell upon his room.

But soon, it disappeared.

“The people of Hidden Cloud Village are certainly cautious. Even after confirming my identity, they still observe me from time to time. If Pikachu were to show up here, it would draw too much attention. I’ll have to study it further once I leave.”

Kimimaro thought to himself, then began planning his next moves.

“The first step of entering Hidden Cloud Village is complete. Now, I just need to silently locate the herb storage and find where Yūkimaru is being held.”

With the information Guren provided, finding these two places wouldn’t be difficult. But he needed to complete both tasks in the shortest time possible, so he had to act simultaneously.

There was only one of him, but he had two places to go. The Shadow Clone Technique was the perfect solution.

With Kimimaro’s current strength, creating a shadow clone with sufficient combat ability and that could last for some time was no problem at all.

“When night falls, I’ll head to the commercial street of Hidden Cloud Village and create two shadow clones. One will return to the inn, and the other will search for where Yūkimaru is being held. My real body will sneak into the herb storage.”

A plan was slowly taking shape in Kimimaro’s mind.

“Before night falls, I need to scout the area to ensure everything goes smoothly later. A map is just a map, but reality is reality. Only by walking through the area can I ensure nothing goes wrong.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 48: Success and Escape*

Late at night.

Outside the Yun'in Hospital, Kimimaro carefully hid in the bushes.

“This is it.”

Having already scouted the location, he quickly found where the medicinal herbs were stored.

But there were two Chūnin guards at the entrance. It was impossible to sneak in undetected; he had to wait for an opportunity.

Just then, a medical ninja walked out of the herb storage room and left.

It seemed like they had finished their work for the day and were heading home.

Kimimaro narrowed his eyes, knowing his chance had come.

He quietly followed the person, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Medical ninjas typically don’t have high combat ability, so it was easy for him to knock them unconscious. He then hid them in a secluded spot.

With a quick transformation, Kimimaro took on the person’s appearance.

The fearsome power of the Gaia Foundation became evident.

Anyone with the power of the Gaia Foundation could infiltrate anywhere, as long as people were present.

After transforming, Kimimaro boldly walked toward the herb storage room.

The Chūnin guards at the door didn’t stop him at all; they even respectfully bowed.

It was clear that the medical ninja Kimimaro had dealt with held a high status.

The herb storage room was deserted in the middle of the night.

“Infiltration, successful.”

Kimimaro smirked slightly as he began searching for the herbs he needed.

He quickly found the last two ingredients.

However, he didn’t just take those two herbs. He also took some unrelated but valuable ones.

This way, even if someone discovered the theft, the people of Yun'in wouldn’t know the thief’s true intentions.

After gathering a sufficient amount of herbs, Kimimaro took out a storage scroll and sealed them inside.

Storage scrolls were considered a luxury in the ninja world, and most ninjas couldn’t afford them.

The one in Kimimaro’s possession had been acquired from Guren.

It was his reward for helping her.

Kimimaro wasn’t particularly close to Guren, so he made sure to get some benefit for his efforts.

As the leader of the Otogakure base in the Land of Lightning, Guren had quite a few valuable items.

“With the herbs secured, next up is taking away Yūkimaru. I wonder if my shadow clone has found the exact location.”

Kimimaro put away the storage scroll and casually left the herb storage room, ready to meet up with his shadow clone.

Elsewhere, his shadow clone had already found the Yun'in prison.

“Yūkimaru should be held here. If I want to rescue him, I’ll need to be smart about it.”

The shadow clone observed the area for a while, gathered enough information, and then dispelled itself.

The moment it vanished, all the information the clone had collected flooded into Kimimaro’s mind.

“Found him? Perfect timing—time to start the rescue plan.”

Kimimaro arrived at the prison entrance. The Gaia Foundation’s power activated again, and he transformed into the likeness of Yugito Nii.

At the same time, he created another shadow clone to keep watch.

At the prison entrance.

“Lady Yugito? What brings you here?”

The guarding ninjas were shocked to see Kimimaro disguised as Yugito Nii.

“The boy I brought in—he’s still here, right?”

“Yes, Lady Yugito. We’ve made sure to handle him with care.”

“Good. Lord Raikage wants to see him. Bring him out; I’m taking him away.”

“Yes, Lady Yugito.”

One of the guards went inside while the others continued to stand at attention.

“Lady Yugito, Big Brother B recently mentioned planning another concert. Are you going to attend?”

The guard seemed relaxed and struck up a conversation.

“No talking during work. If Lord Raikage finds out, you’ll be in big trouble.”

Kimimaro wasn’t in the mood for chatting. The more they talked, the higher the chance of making a mistake.

Hearing that, the guard immediately went silent.

Kimimaro waited at the entrance, feeling increasingly tense as time passed.

The longer it took, the worse it would be for him.

Fortunately, his watchful shadow clone hadn’t sent any warning, indicating that the area was still safe.

Five minutes later, Yūkimaru was brought out.

He looked drowsy, clearly having just been woken from sleep.

“Lady Yugito, the boy is here.”

“Good. You can return to your duties now. I’ll handle it from here.”

“Yes, Lady Yugito.”

Kimimaro grabbed Yūkimaru by the hand and quickly led him away.

“Lady Yugito sure is busy, working for Lord Raikage even this late.”

“Yeah, Lady Yugito and Big Brother B are both the pride of our Yun'in Village.”

“I wonder who that boy is, to have both Lady Yugito and Lord Raikage take such interest in him. Taking him for research at this hour?”

“Must be some powerful bloodline limit user.”

“Probably.”

Once they were out of sight, Kimimaro immediately changed course, heading toward the main gate of Yun'in Village.

With the target in hand, the last hurdle was leaving the village.

He had prepared for this, too.

Guren wouldn’t have dared to infiltrate Yun'in Village alone without some advantage.

Her greatest confidence came from her knowledge of Yun'in Village.

The map she had provided was one.

Her understanding of the village’s defensive layout was the other.

“Where are you taking me? I want to find Sister Guren.”

Yūkimaru looked at the “woman” holding his hand and spoke up.

“Be quiet for a bit, and maybe I’ll consider your request.”

Yūkimaru quickly covered his mouth and fell silent.

Before long, Kimimaro arrived at the village’s main gate.

The gate guards had changed shifts, and it wasn’t the same faces from the daytime.

“Lady Yugito, heading out this late?”

“I have some business to attend to. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Understood. Could you please show your pass, Lady Yugito?”

“Sure.”

Kimimaro reached into his ninja tool pouch, as if to pull something out.

But at that moment, his gaze suddenly sharpened!

“Look out!”

Kimimaro shouted as he stepped in front of the two gate guards.

Clang! Clang!

A pair of kunai deflected two crystal shuriken that had been thrown.

“Who’s there?!”

Kimimaro looked toward the direction the crystal shuriken had come from, but the attacker was already gone.

“Enemy attack!”

The two gate guards panicked.

“Hurry, notify the Anbu!”

“No need, I’ll handle this. I’ve been itching for a fight. You two stay here, and if there are more attackers, notify the Anbu immediately.”

“Yes, Lady Yugito!”

Kimimaro, still disguised as Yugito, immediately took Yūkimaru and ran after the fleeing enemy.

“Lady Yugito sure enjoys a good fight. But can she really treat this as a game? Should we notify the Anbu now?”

“I don’t think so. If Lady Yugito finds out, she’ll beat us up. Better to wait.”

“True... let’s hold off for now.”

Because of Yugito Nii’s usual behavior, the guards didn’t suspect anything.

Yugito had always been carefree, even in dangerous situations. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have blocked the exit and fought Hidan and Kakuzu head-on in the original story.

If she had called for backup, she might not have been beaten so badly.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 49: Pursuit!*

Outside of the Hidden Cloud Village, Kimimaro had found the person responsible for the earlier ambush while escorting Yūkimaru.

That person was Guren, who had been waiting outside.

As soon as Yūkimaru saw her, a smile lit up his face, and he threw himself into her arms.

"Guren-nee! I finally found you. After I woke up, I was captured by her and locked in a strange prison. I thought I would never see you again."

Seeing Yūkimaru's innocent and cheerful demeanor, Guren's heart softened.

"It's okay now, you're back with me."

"Mm!" Yūkimaru nodded happily.

Guren then looked at Kimimaro.

"I can't believe you actually pulled it off. Is your transformation technique really that effective? The people of the Hidden Cloud Village didn’t see through you?"

Guren's curiosity was piqued by Kimimaro's current form.

"Now's not the time for compliments," Kimimaro responded seriously.

Even though they had rescued Yūkimaru and met up with Guren, Kimimaro’s expression remained tense.

His lookout clone had just been dispelled.

Information flashed through his mind.

"We’re not in the clear yet. For some reason, Yugito Nii went to the prison just now and discovered Yūkimaru’s absence. She’s already heading this way. We need to leave, fast."

Guren’s face shifted.

She knew very well how strong Yugito Nii was.

"Let's go!"

Guren immediately took Yūkimaru's hand, ready to flee, but noticed that Kimimaro hadn't moved.

"What's wrong?"

"We won’t be fast enough with Yūkimaru. At Yugito Nii’s speed, she’ll catch up soon."

Kimimaro stepped toward Yūkimaru.

He extended both hands, pretending to form hand seals, then lightly tapped his right hand and whispered, "Mirror Technique!"

A mirror appeared out of thin air.

The Mirror Clow Card activated!

Its ability: replication!

Yūkimaru’s reflection emerged from the mirror and stepped out, standing beside the original, indistinguishable from the real one.

"This…"

Guren was taken aback.

It was similar to her Jade Crystal Clone Technique, but hers could only replicate herself, not others.

How does this person have so many strange abilities?

"So, you two go ahead. I’ll stay behind and cover your escape."

"Are you insane? Yugito Nii is incredibly strong. You’ll die!"

"Don’t worry. I have no intention of dying here. Defeating her isn’t possible, but delaying her and getting out alive? That, I’m confident I can do. Now go, quickly."

Seeing Kimimaro’s determination and then glancing at Yūkimaru, Guren quickly made a decision.

"Fine. But don’t you dare die here. I still need to challenge you to prove to Lord Orochimaru that I’m the only one worthy of being his vessel!"

With that, Guren grabbed Yūkimaru and hurried off.

"You’re the only one who wants to be Orochimaru’s vessel. I have no interest," Kimimaro muttered under his breath before a burst of white light enveloped him.

His appearance changed from Yugito Nii’s to a more androgynous man—Orochimaru!

Facing Yugito Nii in his own form wasn’t the best idea. Using Orochimaru’s face, however, might have a deterrent effect.

Kimimaro erased the traces Guren had left and led the mirror clone of Yūkimaru in another direction.

At the Hidden Cloud Village gates...

Yugito Nii, having realized something was wrong, rushed over.

"Huh, Lady Yugito? What are you doing here? Weren’t you just chasing after the attackers?"

The gatekeeper ninja was puzzled to see her.

Yugito’s face darkened. As she suspected, someone had impersonated her and taken Yūkimaru.

"Idiots, I never left! You’ve been tricked!"

The two gatekeepers exchanged shocked glances, realizing the truth—Yugito Nii from earlier had been a fake!

But how had they not noticed a single flaw?

These gatekeepers were stationed here not only for their combat prowess but also for their sharp perception, which should have allowed them to easily see through any disguise.

But earlier, they hadn’t detected anything.

"Which direction did the imposter go?"

"That way! Just ten minutes ago."

Yugito was about to give chase but paused for a moment.

"Don’t spread the word for now. I’ll capture them as quickly as possible. Damn them for impersonating me and freeing the person I captured. I won’t let them get away with this!"

With that, Yugito took off.

The two gatekeepers exchanged nervous looks.

"Should we report this?"

"Are you stupid? We let the prisoner escape. If we report this now, we’ll be punished immediately. But if Lady Yugito catches them, we might be able to smooth things over. The big problem will turn into a small one."

"Oh, right. Why didn’t I think of that? We just have to wait for Lady Yugito to bring them back. But… do you think she can succeed?"

"Of course she can! Lady Yugito is incredibly powerful. Our only hope is with her now."

The two gatekeepers could only pray that Yugito would succeed.

Yugito, using the power of Matatabi, the Two-Tails, gathered chakra beneath her feet, increasing her speed to the maximum.

Matatabi was a cat, and naturally, cats were incredibly fast.

With Matatabi’s chakra, deep blue flames erupted from Yugito’s feet, boosting her speed even further as she raced ahead!

Soon, she spotted two blurry figures up ahead.

One of them was Yūkimaru!

And beside him, the person who had taken him.

Clad in a gray cloak, they weaved through the rocky terrain while pulling Yūkimaru along.

"Found you!" Yugito growled, forming hand seals.

"Fire Rat Ball!"

She spat out deep blue, rat-shaped flames that flew directly toward the figures.

Kimimaro turned around, revealing Orochimaru’s face.

Yugito was momentarily taken aback.

She knew that face, of course.

It was the face of one of the most infamous figures in the ninja world—Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin who had made his name decades ago.

Was he the one who took Yūkimaru?

Without hesitation, Yugito moved her hands, and the rat-shaped flames transformed into a barrage of blue flame-seeking projectiles.

The blue flames swirled around, closing in from all sides!

Kimimaro grabbed the “Yūkimaru” beside him, tapped his foot, and suddenly sped up, narrowly avoiding the blue flames.

But the flames didn’t simply fall to the ground—they pursued him relentlessly.

Tracking flames!

Kimimaro frowned. It seemed impossible to avoid them.

He reached for the bone sword he had prepared at his waist and swiftly drew it!

The Sword Clow Card activated!

Two years of training had enhanced the power of the Sword Card.

The white bone sword transformed into a pitch-black blade, giving it an even more mysterious appearance.

Four-Directional Slash!

Four sword beams materialized in front of him.

In an instant, the blue flame projectiles were all sliced apart!

"Heh, attacking without warning? That’s a nasty habit," Kimimaro chuckled, wearing Orochimaru’s signature grin.

Of all the people he could imitate, he had perfected Orochimaru’s mannerisms the most.

After two years of living with Orochimaru, Kimimaro had studied every detail of his expressions and gestures. Even Orochimaru’s closest allies would be hard-pressed to notice any flaws in his disguise.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 50: Meteor Strike! (Requesting a Recommendation Vote)*

"Orochimaru, how dare you come to the Hidden Cloud to steal someone, you’ve got some nerve."

Yugito Nii halted, her expression tense.

Facing Orochimaru, very few in the ninja world could remain at ease, not even the jinchūriki.

On one hand, Orochimaru had long been famous with considerable strength.

On the other hand, his methods were unpredictable.

"Hehe, Ghost Maru has always been my person, so how could this be considered stealing? If anyone's stealing, it's you who took him away while my men weren’t paying attention. I'm merely retrieving what belongs to me."

"Is that so? Even if that's true, our Hidden Cloud doesn’t intend to return this boy to you."

"That won't do. I’ve gone through a lot to find him. Yugito Nii, don’t push your luck. I have no intention of becoming enemies with the Hidden Cloud. Otherwise, those two gatekeepers earlier wouldn’t be alive right now."

Kimimaro was telling the truth.

He had the opportunity to kill the two guards earlier, which would have made his escape easier.

But he chose not to, to avoid enmity with the Hidden Cloud.

The Hidden Cloud was a tight-knit village.

The Raikage had even bowed to Tsunade for the sake of his subordinates, demonstrating how much he valued them.

If they killed Hidden Cloud shinobi, there was no telling what extreme actions Raikage might take in a fit of rage.

Kimimaro didn't want to be hunted by the Hidden Cloud.

As it stood, snatching Ghost Maru could still be justified, so Raikage wouldn’t lose his temper.

Yugito Nii, of course, understood what "Orochimaru" was implying.

Making enemies with someone like Orochimaru wasn’t exactly wise.

However, being manipulated in this way left her feeling very upset.

She wasn’t someone who was afraid to cause trouble.

"The person I want, you’ll give to me whether you like it or not! Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, I’d like to see for myself just how strong you are."

Yugito Nii's aura turned fierce.

When Orochimaru made his name, she had still been a child, so she had never witnessed his prowess.

Now, with the chance in front of her, she didn’t mind testing him.

Kimimaro wasn't surprised by this outcome.

No jinchūriki were easily dealt with.

Especially one who had matured into their powers.

At twenty-two years old, Yugito Nii could already harness some of the Two-Tails’ strength. She was formidable enough to hold her own even against Kage-level opponents.

"So, negotiations are off?"

Kimimaro chuckled softly, extending a long tongue like Orochimaru.

"Make your move, Orochimaru!"

Yugito Nii growled, as sharp claws grew from her hands.

Kimimaro didn’t attack immediately, standing still and waiting for her move.

In this stalemate, Yugito Nii hesitated to act rashly.

Facing a master like Orochimaru, a reckless attack might lead to instant defeat.

"What is this guy planning? Why isn’t he making a move? We’re not far from the village. Isn’t he afraid I’ll call for reinforcements?"

Yugito Nii couldn’t figure out what Kimimaro was thinking.

What she didn’t know was that Kimimaro had already prepared a plan.

The shadow clone back at the inn had turned into a monitor, observing the Hidden Cloud.

With no news from the clone, it meant everything was still under control and no reinforcements were coming.

Just as Kimimaro predicted, the overconfident Yugito Nii had come alone.

In this situation, he didn’t mind dragging things out a bit longer.

"Hehe."

Kimimaro smiled, but still didn’t move.

"Ghost Maru" hid behind him, looking frightened.

"Damn it, is he mocking me? He’s not even making a move."

Yugito Nii's anger flared, and she decided not to wait any longer—she charged!

Her claws slashed through the air, leaving a cold gleam in their wake.

She attacked!

Her claws crossed, slashing downward with force!

*Cross Slash!*

Kimimaro gripped his bone sword with his right hand and slashed upward!

*Clang!*

The bone sword intercepted the claws, breaking her attack.

Yugito Nii frowned, retracting her claws back into her hands, causing Kimimaro’s sword strike to miss, while she leaned back to dodge the blow.

In a swift flip, she landed, kicking off the ground and increasing her speed. Her claws reappeared, targeting the opening in front of Kimimaro!

Her movements were clean and fast, so fast that most people wouldn’t have time to react.

But Kimimaro's swordsmanship, passed down from Kirito, was even faster!

He swiftly retracted his bone sword.

Instead of defending, he countered with an attack!

*Diagonal Slash!*

The bone sword swung from the upper left to the lower right!

Sparks flew!

The sword clashed with her claws, producing a piercing screech.

Having failed in her attack, Yugito Nii withdrew again.

She glanced at her claws, noticing a small chip.

It had clearly been caused by Kimimaro’s strike.

"What a sharp sword, it even chipped my claws."

Her claws, formed from the Two-Tails’ chakra, were not as strong as Matatabi’s actual claws, but still more durable than regular weapons.

Yet, Kimimaro’s sword had damaged them.

The sharpness of the Sword of Clow’s enhancement was not to be underestimated.

With a thought, the chip in her claws disappeared.

Yugito Nii launched another assault.

She blurred into afterimages, darting around Kimimaro, searching for an opening.

Her feline agility was on full display.

Kimimaro stood still, his eyes following her, but he struggled to keep up with her speed.

"So fast. Is this the speed boost from the Two-Tails' chakra?"

Kimimaro thought, then decided to stop relying on his eyes to track her.

He closed his eyes.

*Silent Barrier!*

Activating the Silent Clow Card, he entered a state of absolute calm.

Now, he could clearly hear Yugito Nii's breathing.

Her breaths came from all directions, sometimes near, sometimes far, constantly shifting.

Her agility was indeed troublesome.

"Damn it! Is he looking down on me? He even closed his eyes! This guy is too strange."

Yugito Nii’s anger rose. Even her feet sprouted claws as she charged at Kimimaro.

She lashed out wildly!

All four of her claws—two hands, two feet—struck simultaneously, aiming to rip off his limbs!

Just as she closed in, Kimimaro’s black bone sword slashed out!

*Clang!*

The bone sword met her claws, halting her attack. The sword was flung into the air, spinning.

"He blocked it? But it doesn't matter, he’s dead now!"

Her shock turned to vicious determination.

With the sword knocked away, her next strike would be lethal!

The claws on her feet remained unchecked.

But at that moment, Yugito Nii realized Kimimaro had suddenly disappeared.

"He’s above!"

Kimimaro had bent his knees while delivering that last strike.

The sword had been thrown intentionally!

As the bone sword flew up, he followed!

Her foot claws struck nothing but air.

Grabbing the hilt of the spinning sword, Kimimaro used his downward momentum to deliver a powerful strike!

*Meteor Strike!*

(Chapter end)