31-35

**Chapter 31: The Onset of Illness**

Nighttime.

In the room.

Kimimaro sat cross-legged on the bed, and before his eyes, a transparent window appeared, visible only to him.

In the section of the character photo gallery, a new picture had appeared.

It was a picture with Kabuto Yakushi.

After spending a month together, Kimimaro had already completed his photo with Kabuto.

After all, Kabuto was considered one of the major villains later in the story, so the reward was decent.

"Teigu, Transformation Mastery—Gaia Foundation. When activated, it allows the user to transform into anything, making it an extremely effective tool for disguise, perfect for assassination and reconnaissance."

Kimimaro read the description behind the photo, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"This really suits Kabuto, the spy."

The Gaia Foundation was essentially an upgraded version of the transformation technique.

As long as he didn’t give himself away, even a Kage-level ninja couldn’t see through the disguise of Gaia Foundation.

Of course, it required a certain level of skill.

Standing in front of the mirror, Kimimaro thought for a moment, and Gaia Foundation activated!

In the next moment, his appearance shifted from a handsome youth to a gloomy middle-aged man.

Looking at the image of Orochimaru in the mirror, Kimimaro couldn't help but marvel at how identical it was.

Even the aura was about 70-80% similar.

If he could improve his skill, there would be no way to tell the difference.

"This is way more useful than the standard transformation technique."

The three basic ninja techniques—Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu.

Almost every ninja knew these techniques, as they were among the first taught in ninja academies.

The key feature was that they were easy to learn, but the effects were quite ordinary.

The Transformation Jutsu, even at the highest level, could easily be seen through by stronger opponents.

The Substitution Jutsu could be considered a lifesaving skill, allowing the user to avoid one fatal blow, but it took too long to prepare and was difficult to use in battles against strong opponents.

In battles between Genin, where both sides moved slower, it could be used effectively.

The Clone Jutsu, however, only created an illusion, and even a Genin could see through it if they focused. It was mainly useful for scaring civilians.

With Gaia Foundation, if Kimimaro wanted to move around the ninja world under a different identity, it would be a breeze.

Even impersonating someone else would be easy.

If he could also learn the target's signature techniques, it would be even better.

Kimimaro quickly formed an idea.

However, there was no rush for now.

In the following days, he divided his time into three parts.

One part was spent training with Jūgo.

Another part was spent discussing medical ninjutsu with Kabuto Yakushi.

The last part was dedicated to practicing with Gaia Foundation.

Gaia Foundation and God’s Hand were both Teigu, belonging to the same class of items.

And both were support-type Teigu.

Once he mastered them, their effects would be extraordinary.

The original rule with Teigu was that a person could only use one.

But since these were rewards from the Dimensional Travel Agency, they weren't exactly the same as the original Teigu.

Neither God's Hand nor Gaia Foundation had a physical form. They both fused into Kimimaro’s soul, so he could use them with just a thought.

As a result, the restriction of only being able to use one Teigu at a time was removed.

Kimimaro was clearly planning something, and he valued this new Teigu highly, wanting to improve his mastery of it as quickly as possible.

During this time, his relationship with Kabuto was also quite pleasant.

Aside from being a spy, Kabuto was also a medical ninja.

Moreover, Kabuto truly loved medical ninjutsu.

This was because the person he respected most in his life—Nonou Yakushi—was a medical ninja.

The reason he studied medical ninjutsu was because of her.

Unfortunately, the gentle woman he once saw as a mother was long gone.

She had died as a result of Danzo's schemes.

Medical ninjutsu was Kabuto’s only way to remember her.

When Kabuto learned that Kimimaro was also a skilled medical ninja, his affection for him instantly rose to fifty percent.

After spending more time together, Kabuto began to admire him even more.

"Kimimaro, your medical ninjutsu is among the top five in the entire ninja world. It's hard to believe you've only been studying it for two years."

"I heard you only studied medical ninjutsu for four years yourself, Kabuto-senpai."

Kabuto shook his head and said, "No, I had already established a foundation before joining Orochimaru-sama’s camp.

Following Master Kinoe four years ago only strengthened my training in that area. To be honest, I’ve been learning medical ninjutsu for almost ten years now."

At this point, Kabuto seemed to drift into memory.

"I see... *Cough, cough, cough...*"

Kimimaro suddenly began coughing violently, covering his mouth with his right hand. Soon, he felt a warm sensation pooling in his palm.

He removed his hand to see bright red blood blooming in his palm.

Kimimaro frowned slightly.

His Kekkai Genkai illness had started to flare up.

Over the years, he had been using medical ninjutsu to suppress the illness, but the results had been less than ideal.

The Kekkai Genkai illness was slowly consuming his body.

At this rate, he had only about five years left to live, which meant he’d barely make it to the age of twenty.

Though he had five more years than in the original timeline, it still wasn’t enough.

Kabuto, noticing this, said, "I’ve seen the data on your Kekkai Genkai illness. There's never been a successful cure. The difficulty is immense. What’s your plan?"

Recognizing Kimimaro's skill in medical ninjutsu, Kabuto didn’t want to see him die.

It would be a waste to lose someone like Kimimaro.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Kimimaro calmly said, "I haven't decided yet. But if heaven wants to take my life, it won’t be that easy."

"Good luck. I hope you're still alive when I return. It’s rare to find someone like you who can discuss medical ninjutsu with me. It would be a shame if you died."

"You’re leaving?"

Kimimaro was surprised.

Kabuto had only been back for less than two months, and now he had to go spy again?

"Yeah. Orochimaru-sama just gave me my orders. I’ll be leaving tomorrow. This mission is likely to take some time."

Kabuto had long since grown accustomed to this kind of life.

Kimimaro didn’t ask where he was going. The fewer people who knew, the better.

But he already had a guess.

Kabuto was most likely headed to the Hidden Leaf Village.

After all, Kabuto held the record for taking the Chūnin Exams seven times without becoming a Chūnin.

And since the Chūnin Exams were held twice a year, that meant he’d been at it for three and a half years.

Based on the current timeline, if Kabuto was heading to the Hidden Leaf now, the seventh Chūnin Exam would coincide with the Konoha Crush arc.

"Going undercover again, huh? Well, you'd better be careful, or you might end up dying before I do."

Kabuto flashed his signature smile, adjusting his round glasses.

"Ah, perhaps."

(End of chapter)

**Chapter 32: Leaving the Village**

Through his research on Jūgo, Orochimaru had perfected the curse seal, and the condition of the Sound Four's curse seals was improving as well. However, it would still take time for them to fully master this power.

Under Orochimaru's design, the curse seal currently had two stages.

The first stage, known as Level One, covers the entire body with black runes, with the pattern varying from person to person. In this state, the curse seal increases the user's basic abilities by three times, an already astounding boost.

The second stage, known as Level Two, occurs when the black runes completely cover the body, transforming the person into a monstrous form, with their power increasing tenfold. However, this was still not Orochimaru’s most satisfactory version of the curse seal.

The Sound Four only possessed ordinary curse seals, but Orochimaru envisioned higher-tier seals: the Heaven Curse Seal and the Earth Curse Seal. These seals were of the same level but had different functions. The Heaven Curse Seal granted the ability to fly, while the Earth Curse Seal allowed the user to move underground. Their power amplification effects were even more impressive than the ordinary curse seals, but the fatality rate was also higher. Anko's curse seal had originally been a failed version of the Heaven Curse Seal.

Now, with the cells of Jūgo, Orochimaru was confident that he could perfect both of these curse seals.

One important side note: the greatest side effect of Orochimaru's curse seal was that it carried his chakra, which would erode the bearer of the seal. If the erosion became too severe, it could be fatal, and the user would also be controlled by Orochimaru. Only someone stronger than Orochimaru could reverse this control, as seen in Sasuke.

"Kabuto told me your Kekkai Genkai disease has started acting up again. How are you holding up?" Orochimaru asked, his expression slightly grim after hearing Kimimaro's cough, which left a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

Kimimaro replied, "I'm barely managing to suppress it, but the situation isn’t optimistic."

"What do you plan to do?" Orochimaru asked, clearly concerned for Kimimaro. Despite having anticipated this, he still felt sorry for him.

"I want to leave the village for a while and travel around the ninja world, to see if I can find another solution. Staying here won’t help me improve in my current state," Kimimaro expressed.

"That’s fine. Your fate should be in your own hands. The Sound Village is too small to be your final destination," Orochimaru said.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru."

"But I’ll give you two years. Whether or not you find a solution, you must return. By then, I will need your help with something important."

Two years? Is he already preparing for the Konoha Crush plan? Kimimaro thought quickly but answered, "I’ll return in two years."

Orochimaru smiled his usual smile and left. Over the years, he had come to see Kimimaro as a kindred spirit, and so he didn’t want to confine him to the Sound Village. With Kimimaro’s current strength, he would be more than capable of traveling the ninja world.

Leaving the Sound Village was something Kimimaro had been considering for a while. With his current issues resolved, he planned to leave the next day. The sooner, the better.

However, there were two matters to address before his departure: Suigetsu and Jūgo.

"Boss, you’re leaving the village? Take me with you! I’m bored to death in this place!" Suigetsu exclaimed excitedly.

Kimimaro wasn’t surprised by this reaction. Suigetsu wasn’t the type to sit idle. Jūgo, on the other hand, was, but even he wanted to follow Kimimaro since he had come to the Sound Village for the sole purpose of following the white-haired youth.

"Sorry, but I plan to go alone this time. You both need to stay here."

"What? Boss, that’s so unfair! You’re going off to have fun by yourself?" Suigetsu complained.

"Why?" Jūgo asked quietly, clearly disappointed.

"I’m not going on a mission or a vacation. I’m searching for a way to cure my Kekkai Genkai disease. It would be inconvenient to travel with others."

"Your Kekkai Genkai disease? So the rumors about all the Kaguya clan geniuses having a disease are true? No wonder you’ve been focusing all your energy on medical ninjutsu for the past two years," Suigetsu said, shocked. Jūgo also looked surprised.

"My disease is severe. With my current medical abilities, I’ll only live until twenty. I need to find a solution while I still have time. Orochimaru has given me two years, and I think that will be enough."

"I’ll go with you to protect you," Jūgo offered.

"Me too, Boss! I’ll protect you!" Suigetsu added.

Kimimaro smiled and shook his head. "I don’t need your protection. You two should stay here and train. Jūgo, whether you can control the power of your curse seal depends on the strength of your chakra. The Sound Village has plenty of resources to help you train. In two years, you should be able to control it. If you came with me, there wouldn’t be enough resources or time for your training."

"As for you, Suigetsu, you’re too playful, always thinking about reclaiming the Seven Swords of the Mist. If you came with me, I’d probably have to clean up the mess you’d make after two days. If you truly want to revive the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, you need to train harder. With your current strength, which isn’t even at the jōnin level, how do you plan on retrieving the seven swords?"

Kimimaro’s words convinced both Jūgo and Suigetsu to abandon their plans to join him. With the conversation over, Kimimaro gathered chakra in his hand and touched Jūgo’s forehead with a sword-like finger.

"Silent Barrier!"

A cool sensation spread through Jūgo’s mind, while Kimimaro’s face turned pale. He had used all of his chakra to cast this technique. After ten seconds, he withdrew his hand, his body slightly shaking from weakness. Suigetsu hurried to support him.

"Boss, are you okay?"

"I’m fine. I set a Silent Barrier in your mind, Jūgo. With the chakra I left behind, it will last for two years. Whenever you’re about to lose control, it will immediately bring you back to your senses. So you can train in peace over the next two years."

(End of chapter)

Chapter 33: Orochimaru's Gift

For Jūgo and Suigetsu, Kimimaro truly considered them his friends.  
So, if he could help them, he wouldn’t hesitate.

Using the **Still Shadow** technique at full strength once wasn’t a big deal for him, but it was enough to deeply move Suigetsu and Jūgo.

Following such a leader was always the right choice.

Kimimaro had already paved the way for Jūgo for the next two years, and Jūgo, moved by this, decided to accept it. He had now fully embraced Kimimaro's words as his guiding principle.

As for Suigetsu, even though he still wanted to leave the Sound Village, with Kimimaro speaking so decisively, he had no choice but to accept it too.

The next morning, after recovering his chakra, Kimimaro was ready to leave alone.

He didn’t notify anyone because he disliked farewell scenes.

However, at the village gate, someone was already waiting for him.

"Orochimaru, why are you here?" Kimimaro asked, surprised.

Orochimaru didn’t respond and simply tossed him a scroll.

Kimimaro caught it and saw a line of words written on the ancient-looking scroll.

"A summoning scroll... Rashomon? Is this for me?"

Kimimaro was even more surprised.  
**Rashomon** was a defensive summoning jutsu. There were five levels of gates, each increasing the defense with every added gate. It was a jutsu from the First Hokage and extremely useful.

"Write your name in blood on it, but make sure to return the scroll to me afterward," Orochimaru said with a smile.

"Alright," Kimimaro didn’t hesitate. He immediately bit his finger, opened the scroll, and wrote his name.

The name written before his was Orochimaru, and above Orochimaru’s was **Hashirama Senju**. Beyond that, the names were unfamiliar.

The blood-etched names carried an eerie beauty.  
Kimimaro rolled up the scroll and returned it to Orochimaru.

"The hand signs for the Summoning Jutsu are **Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Ram**. Use blood as a medium, and once the hand signs are formed, you can summon this defensive summoning jutsu. Give it a try."

Kimimaro nodded, using the dried blood on his hand to perform the hand signs. He controlled his chakra output, and his right hand slammed down on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu! **Rashomon**!"

A dark red gate erupted from the ground, engraved with the menacing visage of a hellish demon. The metallic texture of the gate added a sense of mystery.

The towering gate, over several stories tall, was enough to leave anyone in awe.  
The strongest defensive summoning technique, **Rashomon**!

Kimimaro withdrew his chakra, and Rashomon vanished into a puff of white smoke.

"Not bad," Orochimaru said, nodding in satisfaction. After collecting the scroll, he turned to leave.

But just as he passed by Kimimaro, he suddenly said, "Don’t die easily on the road. I’m still waiting to see your path to immortality."

Kimimaro froze in place, and by the time he snapped out of it, Orochimaru was already gone.

"Thank you."  
Kimimaro felt genuinely moved by Orochimaru’s concern for him.

With the strength of his **Shikotsumyaku** (Dead Bone Pulse), ordinary attacks couldn’t harm him.  
However, against powerful jutsu, it wasn’t always certain.  
The **Rashomon** technique filled the last gap in his defenses. Orochimaru clearly anticipated this and gave him the technique at just the right time.

After two years of working together, their relationship had evolved into one of both mentor and friend, a harmonious bond.  
Filled with gratitude, Kimimaro set off on his journey to seek medical help.

The Land of Rice Fields, where the Sound Village was located, was a small country sandwiched between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. Its territory was less than one-twentieth the size of the Land of Fire.

With a ninja's speed, he could leave the country in a day.  
Kimimaro’s first destination was the Land of Lightning, not because of the Cloud Village but because he had received new intelligence from the Sound Village's information office.

The world's top medical ninja, **Tsunade**, was seen in a small town in the Land of Lightning three days ago.  
Although she had disappeared again afterward, there was a high chance she was still in the Land of Lightning.

Tsunade was known for wandering the world, so her movements weren’t fast.  
In three days, it was unlikely she had left the country.

Kimimaro's main goal for this trip was to find Tsunade.  
If anyone in the world could cure his **Kekkei Genkai Disease**, he believed it would be her.  
So, he had to try.

But then again, why would Tsunade save the last survivor of the **Kaguya clan**?  
Kimimaro’s unique Kaguya physiology couldn’t be changed.  
Even if it could, he couldn’t alter it while expecting Tsunade to treat him correctly.  
Even if she was skilled, she couldn’t treat someone based on false information.

If Orochimaru hadn’t been a rogue ninja from Konoha, maybe he could have used his connections to get Tsunade’s help.  
But, unfortunately, he was.

So, Kimimaro could only rely on his own methods.  
Originally, he had no solution, but ever since he got the **Gaia Foundation**, he had an idea.

After leaving the Land of Rice Fields, Kimimaro found a secluded spot and began his plan.

"Transformation... **Gaia Foundation**, transform!"

Using the power of the Gaia Foundation, Kimimaro’s face underwent a dramatic change.  
His youthful features vanished, replaced by a completely different face.

He now bore a striking resemblance to both Tsunade’s younger brother **Nawaki** and her former lover **Dan**.  
The only thing unchanged was his white hair, still connected to his illness, so he didn’t alter it.

Other members of the Kaguya clan didn’t have white hair—it was usually black.  
The white hair was an external manifestation of Kimimaro’s **Shikotsumyaku**.

As his bones grew, the twelve-year-old boy now looked eighteen.  
If Tsunade were here, she would surely be shocked.  
This person standing before her would give her a feeling of familiarity, resembling both Nawaki and Dan.

And with Kimimaro’s maxed-out **Gaia Foundation**, she wouldn’t be able to tell it was a fake face.

"Sorry. To survive, I have no choice but to deceive you, Lady Tsunade," Kimimaro whispered, feeling a bit guilty.

After thinking it over, he realized this was his best chance of stirring Tsunade’s compassion.  
At the very least, it would attract her attention.  
She couldn’t possibly ignore someone who resembled both her deceased brother and lover.

Of course, Kimimaro wasn’t relying solely on his face; he had other means.  
Apart from compassion, there was also fame and dreams to appeal to.

But for now, that’s a story for another time.

At this moment, the eighteen-year-old standing there wasn’t Kaguya Kimimaro but the wandering medic-nin, Kimimaro.

With a new identity and a new face, Kimimaro set out again.  
Destination: **Land of Lightning**!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 34: The Wandering Doctor, Mr. Jun

“Have you heard? There’s been a wandering doctor around lately, with incredibly skilled medical ninjutsu. He’s treated a lot of people. Just last month, he cured the strange illness in Sugi Village. Ten days ago, he even healed the mayor.”

“Of course I’ve heard. I also heard this wandering doctor is really young, and just as handsome as me.”

“Pfft, you shameless fool! If he looked like you, would anyone still call him handsome? Don’t disgrace the poor guy.”

“You just can’t admit how good-looking I am. Still mad that the girl you had a crush on liked me instead, huh?”

“Get lost. Talking to you makes my blood boil.”

“Haha, got you all worked up, didn’t I? Don’t be so petty. Come on, have a drink.”

In a small tavern in the Land of Lightning, two men were drinking and chatting about the latest gossip.

That conversation quickly passed.

Meanwhile, at the table next to them sat two others: one with an impressive figure and the other holding a tiny pink pig.

It was none other than Tsunade and her apprentice, Shizune, enjoying some drinks.

“Lady Tsunade, it seems there’s a remarkable new medical ninja in the ninja world. Who could this young wandering doctor be?”

This wasn’t the first time they’d heard of this so-called young doctor.

Shizune was quite curious about this person.

A wandering medical ninja traveling through the ninja world?  
As a fellow medical ninja, it was natural for Shizune to be intrigued.

Tsunade took a sip of her drink, also a bit curious.

“No idea. But he sounds interesting.”

“Lady Tsunade, should we go meet him?”

“Meet him?”

“Yes, such an impressive medical ninja might be a good sparring partner. You’ve often said that the only way to improve medical ninjutsu is by exchanging techniques with other masters.”

Hearing this, Tsunade looked thoughtful.

In recent years, her progress in medical ninjutsu had indeed slowed considerably.

There were three reasons for this.

First, her hemophobia had prevented her from conducting many blood-related medical studies.

Second, her medical ninjutsu had reached a bottleneck, making significant breakthroughs difficult.

And lastly, she hadn’t had peers of equal skill or specialists in different medical fields to exchange ideas with.

Shizune’s medical skills were certainly within the top five in today’s ninja world.

But as Tsunade’s shadow, Shizune had learned everything from her, so their discussions weren’t particularly refreshing.

A skilled medical ninja did indeed pique her interest.

Tsunade had heard about the strange illness in Sugi Village.

A month ago, she even treated a patient from that village.

The disease wasn’t easy to cure.

Tsunade had to put in a fair amount of effort to come up with a remedy.

But by the time she brought her cured patient back to Sugi Village, everyone there had already been healed.

The healer? That young wandering doctor.

From that moment on, Tsunade remembered this person.

Over the past month, she’d heard more and more about this young doctor, and her curiosity grew.

Now that Shizune brought it up, she decided to go with the flow.

“Alright, go find out where we can meet this young doctor.”

“Got it! I’ll go right away.”

Seeing Tsunade agree, Shizune was delighted.

In truth, she wasn’t all that eager to meet this young doctor.

The real reason she brought it up was to distract Tsunade.

In a few days, it would be the anniversary of her uncle Dan Kato’s death.

Every year, Tsunade would drink herself into a stupor and spend days in a miserable state.

It was terrible for her health.

If something could distract her around that time, maybe she could avoid it this year.

Holding the little pig, Tonton, Shizune left the tavern.

Gathering intel was a basic ninja skill.

Even as a medical ninja, this was something she had to learn.

Besides, as Tsunade’s disciple, how could she be just an ordinary medical ninja?

“A wandering doctor... Dan, that was my dream when I was younger. Back then, you promised we’d travel the ninja world together as wandering doctors. And now...”

Tsunade murmured to herself, raising her glass and downing it in one go.

A single tear glistened as it fell.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Land of Lightning, a disguised Kimimaro was tending to a patient in a small village.

“Granny, your leg injury isn’t serious anymore. Just take it easy for the next couple of days and avoid moving around too much. Cough, cough...”

Kimimaro coughed twice as he spoke.

His pale complexion revealed that he wasn’t in the best condition.

“Thank you, Mr. Jun. But it looks like you’re not well yourself.”

“It’s an old illness, nothing serious. I won’t be dying anytime soon.”

Kimimaro smiled as he replied.

“Sigh, a kind person like you having a chronic illness... life really isn’t fair.”

The old lady sighed in sympathy for him.

“Everyone has their fate. Maybe this is my trial. One day, I’ll cure myself.”

“I’m sure you will. You’re such a good person, helping others even in this chaotic world. You’ll be rewarded for your kindness.”

“Thank you, Granny. I hope what you say comes true. Since there are no more patients, I’ll carry you home. I remember your house is a bit far from here.”

“That’s too much trouble for you! You don’t look well. I can go back on my own.”

“It’s no trouble. Don’t be fooled by how I look, I’m actually quite strong. Besides, it’s better if you don’t walk too much with that leg injury.”

“Well... if you insist, Mr. Jun. Thank you.”

Kimimaro carried the old lady on his back and headed toward her home.

Along the way, villagers greeted him warmly, each with a kind smile on their face.

In just seven days, he had treated all the patients in this village.

Everyone he treated was cured, so the villagers were very grateful.

After escorting the old lady home, Kimimaro returned to his temporary residence.

He had been on the road for two months, constantly searching for Tsunade’s whereabouts, but had found little useful information.

During these two months, he stopped in every place he visited for a few days to treat people for free.

In this world, medical ninjas were a scarce resource.

Even ninja villages didn’t have enough medical ninjas, let alone common villages.

Kimimaro felt that his journey so far had been incredibly virtuous.

And the reputation he was building along the way would serve his purpose.

With that reputation, it would be easier to approach Tsunade when he finally found her.

Kimimaro wasn’t about to let any opportunity slip by.

“It’s about time I left here and continued gathering information on Tsunade.”

Kimimaro glanced around, preparing to pack his things.

Just then, a young man came running up.

“Mr. Jun! There’s news!”

“Oh? What news?”

“Big money! Didn’t you ask me to find out about big spenders? I went to the gambling den in town yesterday, and they told me that the big spender was there all day yesterday and lost over 10 million ryo.”

Kimimaro’s eyes lit up.

(End of chapter)

**Chapter 35: The Crystal Style Girl**

Under the cover of night, a white figure hurriedly moved along.

"I didn’t expect to receive news of Tsunade at a time like this. It seems persistence truly pays off."

This person was, of course, Kimimaro.

After learning Tsunade's whereabouts from a young villager, he immediately set out.

But just as he left the village and stepped onto a small path, he suddenly heard the sounds of a battle.

"What’s this…?"

Kimimaro immediately stopped in his tracks and moved to the side.

Not far ahead, several figures appeared.

Leading the group was a girl with dark blue hair. She was already wounded in multiple places, with blood seeping from her injuries.

Behind her were three ninjas dressed in the uniforms of the Hidden Mist’s ANBU.

“Damn it. At this rate, I won’t be able to escape. They're just wearing me down until I’m too exhausted to resist. I have no choice but to fight!”

The girl muttered under her breath and formed hand signs.

"Crystal Style! Crystal Shuriken Jutsu!"

Pink crystal shurikens materialized in her hands and were immediately thrown.

*Whoosh!*

The shurikens spun through the air toward the three ANBU.

“Scatter!”

With a quick shout, the three Hidden Mist ANBU split up, and the crystal shurikens struck a tree, cutting it cleanly in half.

The power of the attack was impressive.

The three Hidden Mist ANBU surrounded the girl, cutting off all her escape routes.

"Give it up. With your wounded body, you can't escape from the three of us. Hand over Yūkimaru and come back with us to the Mist, and maybe you’ll get to keep your life."

One of the ANBU, wearing a dog-head mask, spoke coldly.

"Dream on!"

The girl was resolute and immediately formed more hand signs.

"Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Mirror!"

After completing the signs, she pressed her wrists together, and a circle of red light shot out, transforming into a green crystal mirror.

The girl quickly formed more hand signs.

"Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Clone Jutsu!"

Two identical figures stepped out of the crystal mirror.

The two clones stood beside her, forming a formation to guard against attacks from three directions.

Then, the crystal mirror shattered into dust and disappeared.

"How ridiculous. You think that’s enough to defeat us? Since you refuse to cooperate, don’t blame us for being ruthless!"

The three Hidden Mist ANBU attacked.

A fierce battle was inevitable.

Kimimaro silently observed the scene from behind a tree.

"Crystal Style? Is that Guren?"

Guren.

The orphan taken in by Orochimaru.

She possessed the rare Kekkei Genkai—Crystal Style.

Though she hadn’t been in the Sound Village for some time, as she was assigned to another base, Kimimaro had never met her.

While he had never seen her in person, he had read her file.

Guren was around Kimimaro's age, and her Crystal Style abilities were formidable.

Despite her young age, she already had power close to that of a jōnin.

Kimimaro wondered why this Crystal Style girl was here on the edge of the Land of Lightning, being hunted by the Hidden Mist’s ANBU. The situation didn’t look good for her.

The three Hidden Mist ANBU were no weaker than her.

One-on-one, Guren might stand a chance, but one against three? It was a near-certain defeat.

Kimimaro quickly picked up on a key piece of information from their conversation.

"Yūkimaru? Could that be the boy who’s possibly the Fourth Mizukage's son?"

Kimimaro's memory stirred. He vaguely recalled hearing of such a person.

“This is getting interesting,” he murmured, turning his attention back to the battle.

"Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Blade!"

A light-colored crystal blade formed on Guren’s right arm, and the same happened with her two clones.

The Hidden Mist ANBU closed in, drawing their long swords.

"Draw and Slash!"

The sound of three swords being unsheathed at the same time rang out with tremendous momentum.

*Clang!*

The crystal blades of Guren’s two clones shattered instantly. The long swords cut through the crystal fragments and struck the clones.

The sharp blades pierced through, and the crystal clones met the same fate—shattered into pieces.

Though Guren managed to block the Hidden Mist ANBU’s swords from the front, her rear defenses were now completely exposed.

"This is bad!"

Guren shouted, realizing her situation had taken a dire turn. Her chakra had already been depleted significantly during the escape.

Now, she didn’t have enough chakra to sustain the Jade Crystal Clone Jutsu, making her clones much more fragile.

Before she could create a chance to escape, her clones were destroyed.

The dog-masked ANBU sneered coldly. "You’ve lost."

With that, he kicked Guren hard in the stomach.

The force sent her flying, slamming her into a tree.

The impact from behind caused her to spit out a mouthful of blood, her energy rapidly diminishing.

"Is this the end? Damn it, I haven’t become Orochimaru-sama’s vessel yet. I can’t die here."

As memories of a certain figure flashed through her mind, Guren struggled to stand.

Blood seeped from her wounds once again, soaking her green outfit.

“Oh? You still have the strength to stand. Impressive. But you shouldn't have opposed the Hidden Mist!"

The dog-masked ANBU tightened his grip on his sword and slowly approached Guren.

"Let me cut off your arms first, and then we'll see how you resist."

Guren’s eyes were filled with defiance, and she continued to form hand signs, though much slower than before.

The dog-masked ANBU sneered as he raised his sword high, ready to strike down.

At that moment, a cold voice echoed through the air.

"Hado #4: Byakurai!"

A white lightning bolt sliced through the night, striking the dog-masked ANBU’s sword.

The electric current surged through the blade, almost reaching his body.

Reacting quickly, the dog-masked ANBU let go of his sword and jumped back, avoiding the worst.

"Who’s there?"

He scanned the area but saw no one.

Where the lightning had originated, the space was empty.

The other two ANBU, startled, immediately prepared for another attack.

But it was already too late.

Kimimaro had set his sights on them.

“Finger Bullets!”

The cold voice rang out again, and two white bone bullets shot through the chests of the two ANBU.

"Ah!"

Two screams echoed simultaneously, and the ANBU collapsed, revealing the white-clad boy behind them.

It was Kimimaro, now free from his Gaia Foundation disguise.

“Corpse Bone Pulse! You’re from the Kaguya clan!”

The face behind the dog mask turned pale.

The Kaguya Clan!

The clan that fought to the death until the bitter end!

The dog-masked ANBU had been present at the night of their clan’s massacre.

That tragic scene was something he would never forget.

The sudden turn of events halted Guren’s hand signs.

She looked at the white-clad boy standing under the night sky.

"You are indeed well-informed, ANBU of the Mist. But knowing that won’t change your fate."

Kimimaro smiled faintly, though the smile brought no warmth to the ANBU. Instead, it sent chills down his spine.

(End of chapter)