After Sailing with the Pirate King, I Returned to Konoha - 213

Chapter 213: Run, Gaara, Run!

Gaara's escape proved more difficult than expected. Though he easily dealt with the guards who came at the sound of commotion, three days without food or water had severely depleted his chakra. After just a few minutes, he began feeling dizzy.

However, a single obsession in his heart still guided Gaara forward.

The North Secret Base's guard force was even stronger than the South Secret Base's. The prisoners held here had all participated in curse mark experiments. After receiving curse marks, even if they hadn't completely lost reason, most had drastically changed temperaments, becoming highly aggressive like Jūgo. Even without training in ninjutsu, natural energy could give these people enough power to kill with casual movements.

To prevent these prisoners from escaping, Orochimaru stationed most of his elite Sound ninja here. This included the now-trio of Kidōmaru's group, as well as the last Kaguya clan member with the Shikotsumyaku, Kimimaro.

Besides Orochimaru himself, Kimimaro should be this base's strongest combatant. Unfortunately, due to the "kekkei genkai disease" inherent in his bloodline, Kimimaro's body could barely hold on. This was also why Orochimaru didn't list him as the next body for "Living Corpse Reincarnation." Though Kimimaro himself was extremely willing to become Lord Orochimaru's new body, circumstances didn't permit it.

Due to memory loss, Gaara couldn't execute any ninjutsu. But merely using instinct to command fine sand for attacks was enough to easily dissolve those ordinary Sound ninja's pursuit.

Soon, Gaara charged all the way up, returning to the surface. By this time, several high-ranking members of the base received notification and hurriedly chased out. But when they reached the North Secret Base entrance, besides unconscious or dead Sound ninja covering the ground, they only saw Gaara's figure gradually disappearing from view.

"Kidōmaru, Tayuya, Jirōbō, you three follow me to chase after the Jinchūriki."

After saying this, Kimimaro's gaze turned toward a ninja behind him wearing round-framed glasses who looked harmless.

"I'll stay at the base. Someone needs to guard here, and I'll immediately relay this to Lord Orochimaru."

Kabuto shrugged, smiling lightly at Kimimaro. Among Orochimaru's subordinates, both Kabuto and Kimimaro could be called "deputy" level, so no superior-subordinate relationship existed between them normally.

Hearing his words, Kimimaro said nothing more, leading the trio and some Sound ninja to chase in Gaara's direction again.

Gaara had no awareness of eliminating his own tracks. Perhaps pre-amnesia, he'd received such training, but clearly didn't remember now. Precisely because of this, Kimimaro's group quickly caught up to Gaara.

Unlike the confused mess in his mind, Gaara's travel direction was exceptionally determined. Like migratory birds' innate "magnetic field navigation," Gaara didn't need eyes to observe. He knew where he should go.

"Attack, but don't kill him."

Kimimaro still remembered to spare Gaara's life. The ninja beside him immediately swarmed forward, while Kimimaro and Kidōmaru's group observed from the side, preparing to first test Gaara's capabilities.

Ninja battles are intelligence battles. Sacrificing a few Sound ninja fodder to exchange for mission success rate? They wouldn't hesitate one bit.

Due to hunger and weakness, the somewhat dazed Gaara only reacted when enemies approached within four to five meters. And this distance was already enough for those Sound ninja to launch attacks.

Like their names suggested, Sound ninja mostly excelled at "sound"-related ninjutsu. This could be seen from the Sound Trio Orochimaru brought to Konoha.

Clear bell sounds attracted Gaara's gaze. But that was all. His eyes remained as confused as ever; it was impossible to tell if genjutsu had confused him.

Seeing this, the other ninja didn't care anymore and simply attacked together. Kunai, sound waves, air blades—all attacks rushed toward Gaara in one go. This group still remembered their mission, targeting non-vital areas like Gaara's limbs.

The moment before attacks landed, sand moved autonomously, forming armor. Those attacks hitting the sand had zero effect, absorbed entirely. Seems this sand is no simple matter.

Before Sound Ninja could launch another wave of attacks, Gaara's counterattack arrived. He didn't even move, possibly because he lacked strength. Sand formed an extremely thin spike, circling in midair following Gaara's gaze. Then, at lightning speed, it penetrated all the surrounding ninja's bodies.

Quick reactors tried using ninjutsu to block, but whether rock walls or other techniques, all proved vulnerable before those thin sand grains. The only mercy was that Gaara seemed unaware of attacking vitals, striking randomly rather than targeting vulnerable points. The lucky ones only had limbs pierced. Unlucky ones were struck through the skull or heart.

This group only lasted seconds before collapsing, heavily wounded. After doing this, Gaara didn't even glance in Kimimaro's direction, continuing toward the same destination. Just walking and walking, he stumbled, nearly falling. Fortunately, sand automatically formed a large hand supporting his body.

"He seems to only react to enemies entering attack range."

Kidōmaru told Kimimaro. Kimimaro nodded slightly, then spoke, "You go first, Kidōmaru."

Hearing this, Kidōmaru entered the Curse Mark Level Two state. Skin instantly changed color, and six arms and a head grew spikes, with an extra eye appearing at the center of his forehead.

Ever since barely surviving Naruto's hands last time, Kidōmaru's originally proud and frivolous nature had completely changed. Much more cautious, he used his strongest move from the start.

Spitting high-density adhesive gold from his mouth, forming bow and arrow, with spider-silk-like material coiling around them. Bowstring pulled—120% output! The spiral arrowhead instantly pierced the air, shooting toward distant Gaara.

Only when the arrow approached did Gaara notice. But by then it was too late. Sand rapidly wrapped around the arrow, but due to urgency, it couldn't obstruct or slow it much. Gaara's shoulder was pierced. The spiral arrow's barbs caught in his flesh, extremely difficult to extract.

"Ugh—"

Gaara couldn't help but groan. Sand quickly formed blades, severing the spider silk behind the arrow. But because Kimimaro's group was too far away, Gaara didn't turn back to counterattack. He just continued forward in that direction, clutching his wound.

Seeing this scene, Kimimaro said nothing more, leading others to quietly follow behind like hunters, waiting for prey to lose resistance from excessive blood loss. At this current bleeding rate, the opponent can't run far.