26-30

Chapter 26: Jugo

Early the next morning, the two headed toward Tenbin Village.

"Boss, this guy named Jugo sounds tough. How about letting me take the first shot?"

"Sure."

"Great! After getting beaten by you for so long, I finally have someone to vent on."

Suigetsu grinned, clearly excited.

"Don't be so overconfident. This guy's strength is no joke."

"Boss, he's around your age, like twelve, right? I doubt he's as freakishly strong as you. As long as he's not you, I'm sure I'll win against anyone our age."

Suigetsu smiled confidently.

After being suppressed by Kimimaro for so long, he was eager to finally let loose.

Kimimaro shook his head slightly but said nothing more.

He thought it best to let Suigetsu experience Jugo's strength for himself.

Tenbin Village.

A small, ordinary village.

But it had gained some notoriety because of one person.

That person was Jugo.

"Boss, are you sure we're in the right place? This place looks deserted—doesn't seem like anyone's lived here for a while."

The village ahead had about a hundred houses, but strangely, not a single person was inside.

It looked like no one had lived there for at least three months.

Kimimaro glanced at the map and said, "No, this is the place. But it seems like everyone here has already moved out. For an entire village to relocate, something major must have happened.

"It wasn't a sudden event, though. The people left calmly, packing up everything neatly without leaving anything valuable behind."

"So, what do we do now?"

"We'll split up and see if there's anyone nearby who can tell us what happened."

"Got it."

The two went in opposite directions to investigate.

Walking along a country path, Kimimaro soon spotted an old man tending to a field.

"Young man, don’t go any further," the old man said before Kimimaro could even ask a question.

Kimimaro stopped and looked at the old man.

"There’s a monster living in the cave ahead. If you go, you'll die."

"A monster?"

"Yes, a creature people call Tenbin. It often goes berserk, turning into a violent monster that destroys everything. If it sees a person, it kills them. If it sees an object, it destroys it. It's terrifying.

"This place used to be called Tenbin Village, but because of that monster, everyone moved to our village."

Hearing this, Kimimaro wasn’t afraid. In fact, he knew he was in the right place.

"Thanks for the warning."

"It’s no trouble. Now that you know, just take a different path."

Kimimaro nodded slightly and went to find Suigetsu.

Jugo's cave wasn't hard to find, and they quickly arrived at the entrance.

"Boss, the monster you mentioned is in there, right?"

"Should be. I can feel an incredibly violent chakra coming from inside."

Kimimaro’s sensing abilities were still quite basic, but the fact that he could feel Jugo’s chakra from this distance showed how chaotic it was.

"Then there's no mistake! Hehe, time for Suigetsu to teach this monster a lesson!"

Suigetsu charged in, and Kimimaro followed closely behind.

The cave was dark and gloomy.

They could faintly hear growls that didn’t sound human.

"This monster sounds pretty creepy," Suigetsu remarked, pausing to listen.

"Stay back! If you come any closer, I’ll kill you!"

A voice full of killing intent echoed from deep within the cave.

"So he’s in here after all!"

Suigetsu and Kimimaro headed toward the source of the voice.

"Stay back!" Jugo's voice rang out again, this time even more agitated.

"You must be the monster?" 

Suigetsu finally caught sight of Jugo.

Although he was just a twelve-year-old boy, he was tall and muscular, standing a full head taller than Suigetsu.

His wild orange hair shot up, giving him a fierce look.

Black symbols covered the left side of his body, giving him a terrifying and sinister appearance.

He was crouched inside a wooden cage, hugging his knees as if trying to suppress something within.

"I’ll kill you!"

Without another word, Jugo's feral instincts took over the moment he saw Suigetsu, and he charged forward!

Suigetsu was stunned; he hadn’t expected the boy to attack without any warning.

Crack!

Jugo shattered the wooden cage in an instant, sending wood splinters flying.

At the same time, his left fist tightened, and his once orange left eye turned black with a golden pupil.

His left fist, now transformed, was covered in gray spikes, looking like a monster's fist.

He threw a punch!

"So fast!"

There was no time to dodge.

Suigetsu crossed his arms in front of him to form a defense.

In the next instant, Jugo’s fist landed!

Boom!

With one punch, Suigetsu’s arms exploded into streams of water, scattering across the ground.

He was sent flying, crashing into the cave wall.

"What the... What kind of monster is this?"

Suigetsu was dumbfounded.

Thanks to his water-based abilities, physical attacks didn’t hurt him much, so the blow looked worse than it actually was.

Still, Jugo's monstrous strength left him in shock.

"Hahaha! You can take a hit! Now let me enjoy the thrill of the hunt! I’ll kill you!"

Jugo laughed maniacally as he launched another attack.

His gray monster fist swung wildly.

But this time, Suigetsu had enough time to dodge.

"I’ll kill you! Kill you!" Jugo's face twisted with rage, completely consumed by his monstrous instincts.

Each punch created gusts of wind that made Suigetsu shiver.

Kimimaro watched from the side, taking in the scene.

"What incredible strength. Physically, this guy far surpasses me," Kimimaro thought, noticing that Suigetsu was being completely overpowered.

"I can't let this go on, or I'll be a laughingstock," Suigetsu muttered, stepping back as his right hand swelled.

"Water Style! Great Water Arm Jutsu!"

His enlarged right hand formed a fist, ready to meet Jugo’s monstrous punch head-on.

Boom!

The two forces collided!

Thud!

Once again, Suigetsu was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall.

Jugo stepped back, steadying himself.

"This guy... is unbelievable," Suigetsu muttered in disbelief.

Even with the strength boost from his jutsu, he had still been overpowered.

Jugo’s raw strength was simply absurd.

He was the kind of opponent Suigetsu hated facing.

"Hahaha! Die!"

Jugo charged again, like an unstoppable machine.

Seeing Jugo’s iron fist coming, Suigetsu panicked.

"Boss! Help me!"

"Binding Spell Number One: Sai!"

Jugo suddenly felt an invisible force bind his limbs, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground with a thud.

(End of Chapter)

**Chapter 27: Curse Mark**  
Kimimaro took action.  

The sneak attack with the binding spell worked very well against a ninja like Jūgo.  

Seeing Jūgo fall to the ground, Suigetsu breathed a sigh of relief.  

Having a leader is great—someone to save you in critical moments.  

Of course, Jūgo’s punch wouldn’t have killed him, but the pain was still real.  

He certainly didn’t have a masochistic tendency.  

"Boss, this guy's strength is ridiculously powerful. Where exactly is this power coming from?"  

Suigetsu was curious.  

Among his peers, it was rare to see someone this strong.  

Kimimaro shook his head slightly. This kind of thing couldn’t be explained in just a few words.  

For now, they had to deal with Jūgo.  

"Boss, can your technique hold him?"  

Watching Jūgo struggle, Suigetsu felt a bit worried.  

"Not for long."  

He had practiced this technique quite well, but a low-level binding spell couldn’t lock down someone as strong as Jūgo for long.  

"What?"  

Suigetsu was startled. The next moment, the black markings on Jūgo's body changed.  

The black markings, which had originally only covered the left side of his body, now spread across his entire form.  

Jūgo’s appearance had completely transformed.  

The human look vanished, replaced by gray, monstrous skin.  

His arms became stronger and broader, and six cylindrical objects grew from his back.  

With a powerful struggle, he broke free from the binding spell and stood up.  

"Bastard! I’ll kill you all!"  

Jūgo roared, and the six cylinders on his back emitted blue streams of energy.  

"It’s over, boss. He’s turned into a complete monster," Suigetsu said in shock.  

Kimimaro, unhurried, opened his right hand, and a bone sword flew out from his palm into his grasp.  

"Four-Way Slash!"  

The bone sword swung out, and white sword light appeared.  

Kimimaro slashed four times, forming a square of sword light.  

The sword light aimed precisely at Jūgo’s limbs.  

Thud, thud, thud, thud!  

The bone sword cut across Jūgo’s skin, producing a sound like striking stone.  

"So hard."  

Kimimaro frowned slightly. A simple test had revealed how astonishing Jūgo's defense was under the fully activated Curse Mark.  

"I’ll kill you!"  

Jūgo continued muttering, his gray iron fists smashing out.  

However, the iron fists had transformed, from simple fists to axe-shaped weapons. At the same time, an additional cylinder appeared at his elbow.  

As the axe-fist struck out, the cylinder emitted a blue stream of energy!  

Boom!  
The energy flow accelerated!  
The speed and power of the punch increased dramatically!  
Axe Smash!  
The sword light rose again!  

Spinning Shield!  

Crack!  

The iron axe-fist slammed into the shield of sword light, producing a crisp sound, shattering the sword light.  

At the same time, the iron axe-fist’s assault was blocked.  

The two of them retreated several steps, regaining their balance.  

Kimimaro narrowed his eyes. He could feel how powerful Jūgo’s strength was.  

Though Jūgo’s fighting style was brutish, his raw power was overwhelming.  

Even a typical jōnin didn’t possess such strength.  

Moreover, Jūgo had never formally trained; his strength came purely from his unique Curse Mark and sage-like body.  

Unfortunately, he couldn’t control this power on his own. Otherwise, he would be even stronger.  

This was a natural advantage.  

Frustrated by his failed attacks, Jūgo grew increasingly enraged.  

He muttered about killing them, drool spilling from his mouth.  
Describing Jūgo as a monster at this point wouldn’t be an exaggeration.  

"The power of the Curse Mark is indeed impressive. If fully controlled, the strength it offers is explosive," Kimimaro remarked.  

The Curse Mark was like a simplified version of Sage Mode, a fallback Orochimaru had developed after failing to master true Sage Mode.  

It was still being refined.  

Jūgo would be key to perfecting the Curse Mark.  

The incomplete mark Orochimaru left on Anko years ago only caused her pain and didn’t grant her the abilities seen in other bearers.  

That was because Jūgo’s cells hadn’t been part of the research at that time.  

In Kimimaro’s view, even Sasuke’s Heaven Curse Mark wasn’t fully perfected.  

There was still a significant gap between it and true Sage Mode.  

What’s more, Orochimaru’s will was embedded in the mark, making it a hidden threat.  

"Looks like I have a new research topic," Kimimaro thought, his interest in Jūgo growing.  

Earthquake Flame!  
Jūgo smashed the ground with his fist, causing the earth to crack!  
The entire cave began to shake.  

"Boss! We can’t let this continue, the cave is going to collapse! This guy’s a lunatic," Suigetsu shouted.  

He could tell that Kimimaro was testing Jūgo, not going all out.  

But if things went on like this, Jūgo’s berserk tactics would bury them all alive.  

Without another word, Kimimaro launched an attack.  

With a light step, his bone sword thrust toward Jūgo!  

This sword carried an unstoppable momentum!  
Kimimaro moved at extreme speed.  

Like a bullet, he shot toward Jūgo!  
Demonic Sword Strike!  

The bone sword’s white light shone brilliantly.  

Suigetsu’s eyes widened.  

"No way! The boss is finally serious! What speed!"  

Bone Sword Pierce!  

Before Jūgo could react, the sword had already pierced his right hand.  

"Argh!"  

The terrifying force pinned Jūgo’s right hand to the wall, drawing a scream from him.  

Kimimaro released the bone sword and stepped back.  

But even injured, Jūgo didn’t stop his attack.  

Steel Arm Bind!  
Jūgo’s left arm instantly elongated, growing larger, as he grabbed Kimimaro in his palm.  

He squeezed tightly, trying to crush Kimimaro into pulp!  

But this was the kind of attack Kimimaro feared least.  

Dance of the Larch!  

Sharp bone spikes emerged from Kimimaro’s body, turning him into a white porcupine!  

Though Jūgo’s left arm had become incredibly tough under the natural energy, it was still pierced by the bone spikes!  

"Argh!"  

With another scream, Jūgo’s left hand became a bloody mess!  
Blood dripped from Kimimaro’s body onto the ground.  

In pain, Jūgo could only release his grip.  

Kimimaro took the opportunity to jump away, landing to the side.  

At the same time, he formed a sword hand with his right fingers, bent his legs, and leapt up, placing his sword hand on Jūgo’s enraged forehead!  

"Calm!"  

The power of the Silence Seal activated!  

Jūgo felt a cool sensation flood his mind.  

His murderous intent and violent energy faded away under this force.  

The power of the Curse Mark receded like a tide.  

The monstrous traits disappeared from Jūgo’s body, and he returned to his former self—a simple, honest boy.  

However, both of his hands were now covered in injuries and blood.  

Kimimaro withdrew the bone sword. Jūgo, weakened, collapsed but was caught by Kimimaro.  

"Who… who are you?"  

Jūgo looked at the handsome boy in front of him in surprise. This was the first person who had ever stopped his killing.  

(End of Chapter)  

---  

**Chapter 28: Telepathy**

“Kaguya... Kimimaro.”

Kimimaro slowly uttered the name he had carried throughout his life.

And that name, at this moment, would be etched forever in Jūgo's mind.

“Kimimaro...” 

Jūgo murmured softly.

“Come with me, be my companion.”

“No... I'm not a good person. My existence only brings misfortune. I'm a monster. Someday, I’ll lose control and kill my own comrades.”

Jūgo hung his head, his large frame appearing pitiful.

“Everyone around me is a monster. Look at him, does he seem normal to you?”

Kimimaro pointed at Suigetsu, standing nearby.

Hearing this, Suigetsu had only one thought in his mind:  
“Boss, do you even know what 'polite' means?”

Jūgo glanced at Suigetsu. Sure enough, this guy had just been hit by him, yet all he did was splash water without even getting hurt. Definitely not normal.

Kimimaro pointed to himself next.

“Do I look normal to you?”

Inwardly, Jūgo silently agreed with him.

No normal person fights using their own bones, let alone has the strength to defeat him.

“As for killing your comrades, don't worry about it. I'm not that weak. And Suigetsu, with his strange body, won't die easily at your hands either.”

Jūgo fell silent.

Kimimaro knew Jūgo’s heart had already started to waver.

He had never had any companions before, so now that he’d met people who weren’t afraid of him, he longed for it deep inside.

“Jūgo, I'll find a way to help you control that power. And if you can't control it, I’ll control it for you.”

At this point, Kimimaro stared intently into Jūgo's orange eyes, his expression serious.

“I’ll become the cage for your body, so that your soul can regain its freedom.”

As Jūgo gazed at Kimimaro’s handsome face and recalled his extraordinary skills just moments ago, he knew that this boy had the power to control him.

Since that was the case, there was no longer any need to hesitate.

“Alright, I'll follow you, Kimimaro.”

Kimimaro smiled slightly and extended his right hand toward Jūgo.

“Welcome aboard, Jūgo.”

Jūgo, with his injured right hand, grasped Kimimaro’s.

**“Achievement unlocked: Telepathy.”**

**Telepathy:** A power allowing communication akin to mental connection, originating from *Fairy Tail*.

This ability was quite similar to Jūgo’s ability to communicate with birds and beasts.

As Kimimaro looked at Jūgo’s hand, much larger than his own, he couldn't help but marvel at his size.

At only twelve years old, Jūgo was already 5'7" (170 cm).

In time, Jūgo would reach a height of 6'7" (202 cm), unmatched by anyone of his generation.

A strange thought passed through Kimimaro’s mind, and blue chakra began to flow from his right hand. His left hand layered over it, increasing the intensity of the chakra.

**Mystical Palm Technique!**  
Two years of training had brought Kimimaro's medical skills to a high level.

At the very least, his proficiency now exceeded Karin’s in this area.

Within ten seconds, the wound in Jūgo's right hand, caused by the bone sword, had stopped bleeding and started healing.

Seeing this, Jūgo’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The chakra, full of vitality, mesmerized him.

In no time, his right hand had fully recovered.

“Jūgo, let me heal your left hand too.”

Soon, all the injuries that Jūgo had sustained during their fight were healed.

During the healing process, Kimimaro couldn’t help but admire Jūgo’s body, which was indeed like that of a Cursed Seal Sage.

Even if Kimimaro hadn’t healed him, Jūgo would have likely recovered on his own in just a few days.

His healing ability might even surpass Naruto’s.

“Thank you,” Jūgo said after recovering.

“There’s no need to thank me. We’re comrades now.”

“Wow! Boss, your medical ninjutsu is this strong now?” Suigetsu exclaimed.

It was the first time Suigetsu had seen Kimimaro use medical ninjutsu, and he was stunned by how effective it was.

“It’s only beginner level,” Kimimaro replied.

“Boss, if this is beginner level, then most of the medical ninjas in the ninja world might as well hit themselves with a block of tofu.”

Kimimaro said nothing in response.

Suigetsu then turned to Jūgo and said, “Big guy, now that you're one of the boss’s subordinates, remember I got here first, so I’m your senior. You’ll have to listen to me from now on, got it?”

Suigetsu was secretly thrilled.

Having a powerhouse like Jūgo on his side would make life much easier.

“No. I’ll only listen to Kimimaro. You’re too weak.”

Suigetsu immediately turned pale.

“You!”

“Alright, Suigetsu, don’t bully Jūgo. He may seem simple, but he’s not stupid,” Kimimaro said, a little helplessly.

“Yes, Boss,” Suigetsu sighed, disappointed that his plan to boss Jūgo around had failed.

Both Suigetsu and Jūgo had remarkable potential.

In the original story, their talents had been somewhat wasted.

But now, as Kimimaro’s comrades, their futures would take a different course.

“Let’s go. Time to leave this place.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“Mm.”

Kimimaro led the way, with Suigetsu and Jūgo following closely behind.

As Kimimaro walked forward, Jūgo finally left the cave where he had confined himself for so long.

The sunlight outside shone on his face once again.

In the past, whenever he left the cave, he was always afraid of losing control and hurting the plants or people around him.

But this time, as he stepped outside, the fear was gone.

Because he knew that the seemingly frail boy beside him had the power to control him.

At that moment, he felt lighter than ever before.

Jūgo closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside the cave.

His breath was calm and peaceful.

Just then, a small bird landed on his shoulder, chirping happily.

Jūgo opened his eyes, looked at the bird, and smiled warmly.

“Boss, is this guy schizophrenic or something? He was so violent just now, and now he’s as calm as if he’s one with nature,” Suigetsu remarked curiously.

“It’s because of the power inside him. That’s why he displays different personalities. This is the real him,” Kimimaro explained.

“That power is a bit too overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Great power often comes with risks and consequences. It’s not unusual.”

As Kimimaro looked at the reborn Jūgo, he realized how similar the two of them were.

Both had grown up in cages.

The difference was, Kimimaro had been imprisoned by his clan, while Jūgo had imprisoned himself to avoid harming others.

They had both longed for companionship, and for freedom.

Now, they both seemed to have found what they wanted.

Kimimaro understood exactly how Jūgo was feeling.

It was just like when he had first stepped out into the sunlight after the night of the clan’s destruction. 

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 29: Kabuto Yakushi

Sound Village.

"Kabuto-sama, you're back!"

Otoei looked at the boy wearing round glasses in front of him, clearly surprised.

"Otoei-senpai, long time no see."

The boy with glasses adjusted his frames slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

But that smile seemed somewhat forced.

"Kabuto-sama, this mission took you quite a while, didn’t it?"

"Ah, there were some complications, which delayed things a bit. Where’s Orochimaru-sama?"

"In the lab, but he’s meeting with Kimimaro and a new experimental subject right now."

"Kimimaro?"

Hearing this unfamiliar name, Kabuto Yakushi was a bit surprised.

"He’s an exceptionally talented newcomer from the past two years. You’ll admire him once you meet him, Kabuto-sama."

"I see, thanks for the information, Otoei-senpai. I’ll go find Orochimaru-sama now."

"Of course, Kabuto-sama."

Kabuto headed toward the lab. As he pushed the door open, he saw the familiar figure of Orochimaru, and his face immediately showed respect.

But what surprised him was the presence of two other young boys in front of Orochimaru.

He didn’t recognize them.

These must be the newcomers and the experimental subject Otoei mentioned.

Orochimaru seemed to be giving them significant attention; otherwise, he wouldn’t be meeting them here personally.

As a professional spy, Kabuto had keen observation skills and could assess many things in a single glance.

The heavyset boy with orange hair seemed to trust the elegant white-haired boy deeply.

That thought passed briefly through Kabuto's mind.

Kimimaro, too, was surprised to see Kabuto.

This spy master had finally returned to the Sound Village.

He wondered what kind of mission kept him away for two whole years.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto called out.

"So it’s you, Kabuto. After two years of infiltrating Sasori of the Red Sand, I was beginning to think you wouldn’t return."

Orochimaru turned around and looked at Kabuto, then chuckled lightly.

Hearing this, cold sweat ran down Kabuto’s back, and he immediately knelt on one knee before Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru-sama, Sasori of the Red Sand isn’t an ordinary man. Gaining his trust took a lot of time. Please forgive me."

"Hehe, it’s fine. I know how tricky Sasori is. It’s okay as long as it’s useful."

"Thank you for your understanding, Orochimaru-sama."

Kimimaro, hearing this, suddenly understood that Kabuto had been acting as a spy under Sasori, which explained his long absence.

"You may leave for now. Report the intelligence later; I have other matters to attend to at the moment."

Orochimaru was eager to study Jūgo, whom he had just obtained.

Even if Kabuto carried vital information about Sasori and the Akatsuki organization, it wasn’t as urgent as this.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

As Kabuto turned to leave, Kimimaro suddenly spoke up.

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

Kabuto stopped, puzzled, and turned back.

In a flash, Kimimaro made a move, pulling out a bone chain and binding Kabuto tightly.

Kabuto, facing Orochimaru, hadn’t been on guard.

Caught off-guard by Kimimaro's sudden attack, Kabuto couldn’t react in time.

Though bound, Kimimaro didn’t proceed with further aggression.

Still, Kabuto, completely confused, looked at Orochimaru, thinking this was his command, so he didn’t resist.

"Orochimaru-sama, what’s going on?"

Even Orochimaru was surprised by Kimimaro’s sudden move, let alone Kabuto.

"Kimimaro, what are you doing?"

"Orochimaru-sama, this person is a spy—one being controlled by someone else."

"Hmm?"

Orochimaru was even more taken aback, while Kabuto remained in confusion.

"There’s a chakra needle sealed in the back of his head, positioned at the memory center. It blocks part of his memory and allows someone to control him."

Kimimaro calmly explained the reason.

He had spent the last two years focusing mostly on medical ninjutsu and had become quite knowledgeable in that field.

When Kabuto turned earlier, he immediately sensed something was off, which is why he made a move to bind him.

Of course, it was easier said than done, as noticing such a subtle issue required advanced medical skills.

There were probably fewer than five medical ninjas in the entire shinobi world capable of detecting such an anomaly.

Kabuto, being the controlled party, naturally hadn’t noticed anything wrong.

Kimimaro's progress over the last two years was evident.

Sakura could push her medical ninjutsu skills to the second-best in the shinobi world in three years; Kimimaro wasn’t far behind.

Hearing this, Orochimaru walked over to Kabuto, placing his right hand on the back of Kabuto’s head.

A moment later, Orochimaru let out a cold smile.

"As expected. Sasori of the Red Sand is quite clever. Not only did he uncover your identity as a spy, but he also tried to turn the tables on me."

"Orochimaru-sama, I don’t know what’s happening."

Kabuto was feeling anxious.

Without saying anything more, Orochimaru quickly formed a series of hand seals.

"Release!"

Chakra surged, and Orochimaru’s right index finger pressed against Kabuto’s forehead while his left hand pulled a thin needle from the back of Kabuto’s head.

As soon as the needle was extracted, it dissolved into nothing.

Kabuto felt a sharp pain in his head and let out a cry.

"Ah!"

Sealed memories came flooding back immediately.

In a dark room, his identity had been exposed by Sasori.

He had no chance against Sasori and was swiftly subdued.

But Sasori hadn’t killed him. Instead, he used a secret technique—Brain Control Sand!

Using chakra threads, normally used to control puppets, Sasori had condensed them into a fine needle and inserted it into Kabuto’s memory center, sealing part of his memory.

This allowed Sasori to manipulate him, using him as a spy without Kabuto even knowing it.

It was one of Sasori’s signature techniques.

He had spies in the Hidden Sand Village implanted with the same secret technique.

This kind of technique would be impossible for the average person to detect.

But Kimimaro had seen through it in an instant.

For Orochimaru, a master of secret techniques, undoing this jutsu wasn’t difficult.

In fact, even without Kimimaro’s help, Orochimaru would have noticed something off about Kabuto eventually.

Today, he was simply too excited about acquiring Jūgo to have thoroughly observed Kabuto.

Sasori of the Red Sand had underestimated Orochimaru.

This attempted counter-spy tactic had failed just as it began.

As Kabuto’s memories returned, he quickly understood everything that had happened.

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama. I was foolish to be outwitted by Sasori of the Red Sand."

"It’s not your fault. Sasori is indeed formidable. But now that he thinks he has a pawn, we can use it to our advantage."

Orochimaru let out a cold laugh. The original plan would proceed as intended.

Using Kabuto to approach Sasori would allow Orochimaru to gather intel on the Akatsuki organization. Even though Orochimaru had left Akatsuki, he still wanted to monitor their activities.

He could see that Akatsuki had grand ambitions.

With members capable of awakening the Rinnegan, they might cause upheaval in the entire shinobi world in the future.

Such a grand spectacle was something Orochimaru certainly wanted to be a part of.

"Kimimaro, release Kabuto."

Seeing that the secret technique had been undone, Kimimaro loosened the bone chain.

"Thank you, young brother."

Kimimaro nodded slightly without saying anything.

"You’ve worked hard. Go rest for now."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

The secret technique had just been undone, and Kabuto needed time to recover.

(End of Chapter)

**Chapter 30: The Solution**

Kabuto left, and Orochimaru turned to Kimimaro, as if admiring a masterpiece.

"It seems your medical ninjutsu has reached quite a remarkable level."

"It's just barely usable. If I want to improve further, I'll need to learn from even more skilled medical ninjas."

"At your level now, there aren't many ninjas more skilled than you. Kabuto is a decent medical ninja; you can exchange ideas with him. If even he can't help you, then the only one left would be Tsunade."

When Orochimaru mentioned Tsunade's name, a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya had once fought side by side for decades. The depth of their bond was beyond words.

However, their paths diverged, and in the end, they could only part ways.

But if Orochimaru were to turn back, both Tsunade and Jiraiya would still accept him with open arms.

Unfortunately, he had no intention of turning back for the time being.

"Tsunade-sensei, huh? I truly admire her medical ninjutsu skills. If I ever get the chance, I'd love to learn from her."

"Heh, there will be a chance."

Orochimaru then looked at Jūgo with growing impatience.

"Since your medical ninjutsu has improved so much, let's study the power of the Cursed Seal together."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Kimimaro had promised to help Jūgo control the power of the Cursed Seal, so even if Orochimaru hadn’t mentioned it, he would have done it anyway.

After all, Kimimaro was quite curious about the power of the Cursed Seal himself.

If he could perfect it, the Cursed Seal would become one of his key advantages.

Of course, he wasn’t interested in the kind of Cursed Seal that turned people into monsters.

What he wanted was a perfect Cursed Seal that could help him transform into a sage.

With Jūgo’s cooperation, the research on the Cursed Seal began.

Studying the Cursed Seal wasn’t easy, but thanks to Orochimaru’s previous work, this research went relatively smoothly.

Well, it went smoothly for Orochimaru.

For Kimimaro, the study of the Cursed Seal’s power was just beginning.

The essence of the Cursed Seal was the fusion of natural energy and chakra, forming Sage Chakra.

The power of Jūgo’s Cursed Seal resembled the Sage Chakra from Ryūchi Cave rather than Mount Myōboku.

In Mount Myōboku’s Sage Mode, if you absorbed too much natural energy, you would start to turn into a frog. In severe cases, you could become a stone frog.

In Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Mode, absorbing too much natural energy would lead to madness and, eventually, death.

This was similar to Jūgo’s berserk state.

However, due to his unique body, Jūgo wouldn’t die from this, but he had to release the excess natural energy through berserk episodes.

This gave rise to the power of the Cursed Seal.

Orochimaru’s research involved extracting Jūgo’s cells and injecting them into the Cursed Seal he had previously developed.

By doing this, Jūgo’s cells could improve the recipient’s body, allowing them to adapt to the power of the Cursed Seal.

Of course, not everyone could adapt successfully.

And the price of failure was death.

This made the already high failure rate of the Cursed Seal even higher.

But if someone survived, they would gain the power of the Cursed Seal.

It was a power that could only be obtained by gambling with one’s life.

That said, if you had exceptional talent, the success rate of the Cursed Seal was actually quite high.

Those who died from it were mostly ordinary people.

A month later, the joint research by Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Kimimaro finally came to an end.

The three had thoroughly analyzed Jūgo’s cells.

"Heh, what a fascinating body," Orochimaru exclaimed excitedly after seeing the experimental results.

It was as if he could already see the completion of his perfect Cursed Seal through his research.

After the research concluded, Orochimaru retreated into another lab on his own. The day he emerged would be the day the Cursed Seal was perfected.

"Kimimaro, it was a pleasure working with you. Your medical ninjutsu truly surprised me. Your vast knowledge is something I can’t even come close to. I heard from Tayuya that you’ve memorized all 5,000 books? That's unbelievable."

Kabuto looked at Kimimaro in admiration.

He rarely admired anyone—Orochimaru and Tsunade were exceptions. Now, Kimimaro had joined that elite group.

During their month of collaboration, Kimimaro’s immense medical knowledge had left Kabuto feeling inadequate.

"I just happen to have a talent for memorizing books. Your medical ninjutsu is also quite remarkable, Kabuto-senpai."

Though their exchange was polite, both were sincere.

"I hope we get the chance to work together again."

"We definitely will."

Since they both worked for Orochimaru, there would certainly be more opportunities for collaboration.

After a month of research, both of them were a bit tired, so after their polite exchange, they went their separate ways.

The final development of the Cursed Seal didn’t require their involvement.

And Orochimaru wasn’t going to reveal that part easily.

After leaving, Kimimaro didn’t return to his room. Instead, he went to find Jūgo.

Now that the Cursed Seal research was over, it was time to tell Jūgo some things.

Jūgo’s room was right next to Kimimaro’s, so it was easy to find.

Without Kimimaro around, Jūgo rarely left his room, not even for Suigetsu. Eventually, Suigetsu gave up trying.

"You're back?" Jūgo's face lit up when he saw Kimimaro.

"Yes, the research is complete. I’ve come up with two methods that might help you suppress the power of the Cursed Seal."

"What are they?" Jūgo asked, eager to know.

"The first method is through training. By cultivating enough chakra, you can fuse natural energy with your chakra to form the Sage Chakra that Lord Orochimaru mentioned.

That way, not only can you stop yourself from going berserk, but you can also gain immense power.

The second method is for me to develop a technique similar to a sealing jutsu that controls natural energy. But this method is much harder. It will take time, and I’m not sure if it will succeed."

Developing a new technique wasn’t easy.

Orochimaru had spent ten years researching the Cursed Seal, and only now was it close to being perfected.

If it took that long for someone as talented as Orochimaru, it was clear how difficult it was.

"So, for now, the only thing you can do is train and build up your chakra."

Jūgo nodded slightly.

He knew Kimimaro had done everything he could, but the rest couldn’t be rushed.

Whether it was training or the development of a new technique, both would take time.

Jūgo hadn’t expected a quick solution to his problem anyway.

However, there was one thing still worrying him.

"You can train by my side from now on. You don’t have to worry about losing control during your training," Kimimaro said, sensing Jūgo's concern.

"Alright!" Jūgo smiled.

---

(End of Chapter)