A few days later.
When Kabuto returned to Konoha, the sky above the village was clear and brilliantly blue, dotted with drifting white clouds.
'The Land of Fire really is a much nicer place than the Land of Rice Fields.'
Kabuto sighed inwardly.
Pulling his collar tighter against the breeze, he quickly made his way toward the Hokage Building.
'I should report to the Hokage as soon as possible.'
Following behind him were several children.
They were the talented youngsters Kabuto had found according to Kiyohara's instructions.
Finding children with genuine potential required exceptionally sharp observation.
One had to know exactly which children deserved to be tested. Otherwise, simply screening the population would waste an enormous amount of time.
Fortunately, Kabuto had not disappointed Kiyohara.
He had brought back quite a number of promising candidates.
"Hokage-sama."
After knocking on the office door and hearing the voice inside tell him to enter, Kabuto stepped into the Hokage's office.
"Kabuto."
Kiyohara looked toward Kabuto, as well as the timid children standing nervously behind him.
In an instant, his Sharingan activated.
Its crimson pupils easily saw through the flow of chakra inside each child's body.
Judging from what he saw, every one of them possessed a respectable amount of chakra.
The most fundamental requirement for becoming a shinobi was possessing enough chakra.
Without it, one could not even become a taijutsu specialist.
Even Rock Lee only lacked talent when it came to controlling chakra for ninjutsu. That was why he could not use ninjutsu or genjutsu.
However, he could still perform basic chakra control techniques such as walking on walls and water.
According to the official data books, Lee even possessed slightly more chakra than Shikamaru.
"These really are excellent seedlings, Kabuto."
Kiyohara nodded approvingly.
There were five children in total, each only a few years old.
There were both boys and girls, dressed in different styles that clearly showed they had come from different regions.
The one who attracted Kiyohara's attention the most was a little girl with crimson hair.
Her hair color strongly resembled that of the Uzumaki Clan.
Her tiny face was filled with nervousness.
'A survivor of the Uzumaki Clan?'
No.
Kiyohara quickly dismissed the thought.
The girl's chakra reserves were not especially impressive, nor did she possess the extraordinary life force characteristic of the Uzumaki.
Remembering that Kabuto had brought her back from the Land of Rice Fields, Kiyohara immediately thought of someone.
'Tayuya.'
"What are your names?"
Kiyohara asked directly.
The children instinctively glanced toward Kabuto.
After seeing him nod, they slowly answered one after another.
"Tayuya."
"Kidomaru."
"Kotarouda."
Listening to their introductions, Kiyohara confirmed that the red-haired girl really was Tayuya.
In the anime, Tayuya had been one of the Sound Four. She excelled in genjutsu and summoning techniques, using the melody of her flute to command three enormous demonic summons.
She was also one of Orochimaru's personally selected elite subordinates, skilled in Curse Marks, barrier techniques, and sealing arts.
Unfortunately, after the Konoha Crush, the Sound Four were completely wiped out.
They had been like flower buds that withered before ever fully blooming.
Had they been given enough time to mature, their future achievements would certainly have surpassed what they had accomplished in the original timeline.
Later, Kabuto himself had even absorbed the cells of the Sound Four into his own body, using their Bloodline Limits and techniques during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.
That alone proved just how exceptional their talent truly was.
"Hokage-sama."
Kabuto stopped before the desk, lowered one knee to the floor, and respectfully bowed his head.
Behind him, the children exchanged uncertain glances.
Several of them were unsure whether they should kneel as well, leaving their movements awkward and uncoordinated.
"You may stand."
Kiyohara gestured casually.
Kabuto rose to his feet and stepped slightly aside so the children could stand clearly before Kiyohara.
"I found these children throughout the Land of Rice Fields and the surrounding regions. They are all orphans who lost their families because of war or poverty. Each of them possesses either a special Bloodline Limit or an exceptional natural talent.
Following your orders, I brought them all back."
Kabuto raised a hand and pointed toward the children.
"The most outstanding among them is Tayuya. Her chakra nature is extremely unusual. She possesses an innate affinity for genjutsu, and she also seems capable of controlling certain things through sound.
I tested her. Using nothing more than an ordinary bamboo flute, she was able to lull a wild cat into a deep sleep."
When Tayuya heard Kabuto praising her, she lifted her chin slightly.
A trace of pride flashed across her crimson eyes.
But the moment her gaze met Kiyohara's, that confidence instantly disappeared.
She found Kiyohara terrifying.
"I'm not going to eat you."
Kiyohara chuckled softly.
It seemed Tayuya's instincts were remarkably sharp.
In the anime, she had possessed an even sharper tongue than the young Kakashi.
She constantly insulted others with phrases like "stupid brat," "fat idiot," "bastard," and "moron." Even her own teammates were frequently scolded mercilessly.
Yet standing before Kiyohara, she did not dare behave that way.
Her usual arrogance had completely vanished.
"This boy is Kidomaru."
Kabuto pointed toward the tall, slender boy standing behind Tayuya.
His skin was dark, while his silver-gray hair stuck out wildly in every direction.
The most eye-catching feature, however, was his forehead.
Through the strands of hair hanging before it, several tiny holes could be faintly seen.
"He has six arms."
Kabuto explained.
"He can secrete spider silk that is even tougher than steel wire. It's the secret technique passed down through his clan."
"The Tsuchigumo Clan."
Kiyohara nodded.
Among the five children, besides Tayuya, Kidomaru was the only one he immediately recognized due to his distinctive appearance.
Out of the five, there were two people he already knew.
Although he did not recognize the remaining three, judging from their chakra and potential, they were no less promising.
"My lord."
Kidomaru was clearly much more intelligent than the others.
He took the initiative to address Kiyohara.
Having once belonged to the Tsuchigumo Clan, he understood the customs and etiquette of the shinobi world far better than ordinary children.
"Now that you've come to Konoha, I won't concern myself with whatever identities you once had."
Kiyohara shook his head.
He had fought members of the Tsuchigumo Clan before.
Their abilities were indeed impressive.
They could freely produce spider silk and command spiders with great skill.
Kabuto then proceeded to introduce the final three children.
One boy and two girls.
Unlike Tayuya and Kidomaru, none of them possessed especially distinctive physical traits.
All three had simply become homeless orphans after losing their families during the chaos of war.
Kiyohara examined each of them carefully before finally withdrawing his gaze and looking back at Kabuto.
"Kabuto, you've done an excellent job."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Kabuto's lips.
Behind his glasses, delight shone in his eyes.
He adjusted his spectacles before lowering his head once again.
"I merely fulfilled my duty."
"Did you gather any other intelligence?"
Kiyohara asked.
Kabuto's expression immediately became serious.
He stepped forward half a pace.
After glancing briefly at the children and receiving Kiyohara's silent permission to continue, he lowered his voice.
"I discovered traces of Orochimaru in the Land of Rice Fields."
Kiyohara's eyebrows rose ever so slightly.
"Orochimaru has established a temporary base deep within the mountains. I infiltrated the surrounding area to investigate.
He's conducting some sort of experiment there.
I couldn't approach closely enough to determine the exact details.
However, judging from what I observed around the outer facilities, he appears to have obtained cell samples from a very unusual clan."
Kabuto paused briefly.
"Members of that clan are born with the ability to absorb natural energy.
They don't require training.
They don't need to study Sage Arts.
From birth, they can naturally enter a state similar to Sage Mode.
However, that ability comes with a terrible price.
Their emotions are extremely unstable.
Once they lose control, they transform into monsters driven only by destruction."
The name immediately surfaced in Kiyohara's mind.
'Jugo's Clan.'
Orochimaru's Curse Mark research had originally begun because he discovered Jugo and his people.
'So the one in the Land of Rice Fields should be Jugo of the Scales.'
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Although everyone simply called him Jugo, he was actually part of an entire clan.
His people lived near Ryuchi Cave.
Because they constantly absorbed the natural energy surrounding the cave, they were highly prone to berserk transformations.
Later, Orochimaru discovered Jugo.
The earliest Curse Marks were created by studying his cells.
He eventually learned how to automatically integrate the natural energy present in the air and earth into the Curse Mark itself, allowing users to undergo Curse Mark Transformation.
In reality, this was simply another form of Sage Transformation.
However, this transplanted power carried an enormous cost.
Its success rate was extremely low, and it inflicted irreversible damage upon the host's body.
Only after Kiyohara later improved the technique were those side effects significantly reduced.
"Orochimaru is currently using the cells of that clan to perfect his Curse Mark."
Kabuto continued.
"I saw a large number of cultivation tanks surrounding his laboratory.
Every one of them contained Curse Mark samples.
Some had already matured, while others were still undergoing testing.
His progress is much faster than I originally expected."
Kiyohara fell silent for a moment.
In truth, none of this surprised him.
Once Orochimaru defected, seeking out Jugo's Clan had always been inevitable.
Without the restraints imposed by a hidden village, Orochimaru would naturally become far more radical in his experiments.
"You've worked hard."
Kiyohara finally spoke.
"The information you've brought back is extremely valuable."
He opened one of his desk drawers and removed several scrolls.
Placing them on the table, he gently pushed them toward Kabuto.
Inside were the techniques for the Mystical Palm Technique, along with several Water Release medical ninjutsu.
"This is your reward."
Kabuto accepted the scrolls and opened one.
The pages were densely covered with detailed writing and intricate chakra pathway diagrams.
Every section explained the techniques thoroughly, from chakra concentration methods and meridian pathways to basic healing procedures and advanced Water Release medical ninjutsu.
With Kabuto's talent, he would inevitably have gained access to these techniques someday.
However, considering his current age and the fact that the world was not in the middle of a major war, opportunities to earn enough merit for such rewards were incredibly scarce.
Without exceptional achievements, he would have had to spend many years slowly building his qualifications.
No one knew how long it would have taken before he could study medical ninjutsu of this level.
Yet now...
Those precious scrolls were already in his hands.
Kabuto carefully rolled the scrolls back up, held them respectfully with both hands, and solemnly bowed.
"Thank you very much, Hokage-sama."
"You've earned them."
Kiyohara replied.
His gaze remained fixed upon Kabuto.
"However, I'll have to trouble you with another mission."
Kabuto raised his head.
"Please give your orders, Hokage-sama."
"Return to the Land of Rice Fields. Continue operating undercover. Find a way to persuade... or quietly bring back several members of the that clan from Orochimaru."
Kabuto's eyes widened slightly.
He immediately understood Kiyohara's intentions.
That clan's natural Sage Transformation physique was unlike anything else in the entire shinobi world.
If they could be brought back to Konoha, not only would the village's collection of Bloodline Limits become even richer, but they would also provide invaluable research material for Kiyohara's Curse Mark studies.
More importantly, if Kiyohara could completely unravel the secret behind Sage Transformation, he might eventually develop a far safer and far more efficient Curse Mark.
By drastically reducing its side effects, he might truly succeed in creating a completely harmless Curse Mark that could be used as nothing more than a standard secret technique.
"I understand."
Kabuto nodded.
He carefully stored the scrolls inside his robes.
"I'll seize the first opportunity I can to bring members of that clan back to Konoha."
Kiyohara gave a slight nod.
He then raised one hand and lightly clapped.
A figure silently emerged from the surrounding shadows.
It was Yugao.
She wore the standard ANBU uniform, her face completely hidden beneath an animal mask.
Long strands of violet hair flowed gracefully from beneath the edge of the mask as she quietly appeared within the office.
"Yugao, take these children to the Shinobi Academy and complete the procedures for transferring them into the school. From today onward, they are Konoha's shinobi academy students."
Yugao gave a slight bow before turning around and beckoning to the children.
Tayuya was the first to step forward. The red-haired girl held her head high, desperately trying to put on an expression that said she was not afraid in the slightest.
Kidomaru followed behind her. With his six arms, he was just as quiet and reserved as the other children.
Click.
The door closed.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Kiyohara leaned back into the Hokage's chair.
Kabuto really was exceptionally skilled at infiltration and undercover work.
He had grown up beside Nono from a young age, subtly influenced by everything around him.
Moreover, the current Nono could be considered to have partially returned to the shinobi world, and she had taught Kabuto quite a few things that were genuinely useful.
What he had learned was not limited to medical ninjutsu. He had also inherited Nono's accumulated skills in intelligence gathering, disguise, and covert infiltration from the time when she had operated as the "Wandering Miko."
Combined with his own calm temperament and meticulous mind, sending him to investigate Orochimaru was undoubtedly more suitable than sending anyone else.
After taking care of this matter, Kiyohara set off for the Forest of Death.
Recently, Kiyohara rarely went to Training Ground Three. Instead, he preferred coming to the Forest of Death.
Ordinary villagers did not dare approach this place. To the genin, it was regarded as the ultimate proving ground for their graduation examination. But to Kiyohara, it was simply a secluded place where he could train without being disturbed.
Sunlight filtered through layer upon layer of tree canopies, scattering across the ground covered in decaying leaves.
Kiyohara stood in a relatively open clearing. Surrounding him were trees that had been destroyed during his previous practice of "Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands" and had since grown back.
The trunks of the newly grown trees were a little thinner than those of the surrounding ancient trees, and their bark still carried a faint green hue.
Kiyohara raised his right hand, palm facing upward.
A stream of water surged from the center of his palm, winding around his wrist and slowly rotating.
The water possessed a peculiar texture somewhere between liquid and solid. A faint blue radiance flowed across its surface.
This was his Water Release after integrating the Three-Tails' chakra. It was more viscous than ordinary Water Release and contained a density of chakra comparable to that of a tailed beast.
He clenched his hand.
The stream of water instantly solidified, transforming into a crystal-clear water blade.
The blade was long and slender, its edge razor-sharp. Under the sunlight filtering through the gaps between the leaves, it refracted rays of multicolored light.
Kiyohara gripped the water blade and swung it horizontally through the air in front of him.
The instant the water blade cut through the air, a surge of pale-white Wind Release chakra suddenly emerged from its surface.
Wind wrapped around water, while water enveloped the wind. The two different types of chakra intertwined across the blade.
A sharp buzzing sound rang through the air, as though something had been torn apart in that instant.
Fine crystals of ice drifted down from the blade.
Kiyohara stopped moving and lowered his head, looking at the water blade that had already changed in appearance within his palm.
A thin layer of frost covered the surface of the blade.
It was the fusion of Wind Release and Water Release.
The embryonic form of Ice Release!
Kiyohara's heart stirred slightly.
It was not as though he had never tried synthesizing Kekkei Genkai in the past.
Water Release and Wind Release could be combined to create Ice Release, while Fire Release and Earth Release could be combined to create Lava Release.
He had already committed the combination formulas between these basic nature transformations to memory several years ago.
However, the results of his attempts had never been ideal.
The only exception was Wood Release. After obtaining Ashura's chakra, Kiyohara had successfully developed it.
As for the other bloodline limits, no matter how precisely he controlled the ratio of chakra, or how repeatedly he adjusted the timing and method of fusion, the two different natures of chakra would always repel each other at the final moment, like magnets with opposing poles.
As time passed, Kiyohara gradually stopped focusing on this path.
There were so many powerful bloodlines in the shinobi world that there was no need for him to stubbornly focus on developing this particular route.
He could also wait patiently for the "Last Will" and inherit new futures from it.
However, after adapting to the Three-Tails' chakra, Kiyohara discovered that the Three-Tails' chakra was changing his affinity for Water Release.
It was not simply an increase in the amount of chakra.
It was a change occurring at the cellular level.
It was like how a fish did not need to learn how to swim, and a bird did not need to learn how to fly.
When it came to Water Release techniques, Kiyohara could perform them as naturally as a fish swimming through water, as though he had been given wings.
Because of this, he had more energy available to control the other type of chakra, Wind Release.
Kiyohara raised his right hand again.
This time, he formed hand seals while simultaneously mobilizing the Water Release and Wind Release chakra within his body.
The two types of chakra traveled separately along his network of meridians. They converged around his chest before simultaneously surging toward the palm of his right hand.
Water poured out from his palm, while wind flowed in through his fingertips.
Under the influence of the wind, the water began to rotate, forming a vortex roughly the size of a fist.
The vortex spun faster and faster, becoming tighter and tighter, while the chakra density at its center rapidly increased.
Then, the surface of the vortex gradually began turning white.
A thin layer of frost spread outward from the center, like the process of a lake freezing over in the middle of winter compressed into merely a few breaths.
Crack.
A ball of swirling cold wind floated above Kiyohara's palm, slowly rotating.
Kiyohara looked at the ball of cold wind, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly.
Just as he had expected.
His fused bloodline, combined with the enhancement provided by tailed-beast chakra, had greatly reduced the difficulty of developing a bloodline limit.
If an ordinary shinobi trying to synthesize a Kekkei Genkai was like rubbing two sticks together to start a fire, then his current state was more like using a lighter.
All he needed to do was flick the switch, and the fire would ignite.
Of course, this was only the beginning.
For now, he could only manipulate the cold wind.
Once Kiyohara could condense it into a true crystalline state of ice, it would mean that he had completely learned Ice Release!
Kiyohara waved his hand.
The ball of cold wind shattered in his palm, transforming into countless fragments of freezing wind.
"The remaining tailed beasts... it is time to speed things up as well."
...
Amegakure.
The rain was still falling.
This village, perpetually shrouded beneath a curtain of rain, was like a forgotten corner of the world.
Puddles deep enough to cover the ankles had accumulated along the streets. Occasionally, figures dressed in black robes hurried past, kicking up strings of murky splashes.
At the highest point of the village stood a strangely shaped tower.
The tower looked as though it had been constructed from countless twisted faces piled upon one another, with every face carrying a different expression.
And at the very top of the tower, Orochimaru stood before a window, gazing at the gloomy curtain of rain outside.
Today, he was wearing a light-gray kimono, with a purple cord tied around his waist. His long black hair fell loosely over his shoulders, with several strands hanging down across his chest.
It had already been some time since he had defected from Konoha.
He had left that village bathed in sunlight. He had abandoned the rules and morality that had bound his hands.
He was free.
But the price of freedom was that he had lost Konoha's resources.
The laboratories, funding, equipment, manpower, and everything else all had to be rebuilt from scratch.
He was like a snake driven from its nest, forced to search for a new place to settle in this perpetually rainy and gloomy land.
For some time, he had been staying in the Land of Rice Fields, intending to establish his own hidden village.
Today, however, he had once again come to the Land of Rain.
Because Orochimaru had discovered that the Akatsuki might be an excellent target.
This mercenary organization, composed of S-rank missing-nin, possessed almost everything he needed: funding, intelligence, and protection.
He was also deeply interested in this organization.
He had encountered several members of the Akatsuki before, and now he had discovered that there were many new faces among them.
Footsteps came from behind him.
Pain.
The apparent leader of the Akatsuki, and the man who possessed the legendary Rinnegan.
"Orochimaru."
Pain's voice sounded almost like that of a corpse, without the slightest fluctuation.
"What are you looking at?"
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curved slightly upward, forming an ambiguous smile that was neither quite a smile nor quite a sneer.
"The rain."
He turned around, his golden vertical pupils radiating a cold, eerie light in the dim surroundings.
"This village is truly interesting. The rain has continued for so many years and has rarely stopped. I was wondering, is this rain being maintained by your technique, or is the rain itself a part of you?"
Orochimaru had vaguely sensed that there was something unusual about this rain.
He had just arrived in the Land of Rain, and he had not alerted anyone along the way, yet his presence had still been discovered!
Pain did not answer his question.
His gaze passed through the curtain of rain outside the window and settled on the distant, hazy horizon.
"You came to join the Akatsuki?"
Pain asked.
Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils stared at Pain's purple eyes.
The Rinnegan.
The foremost of the legendary Three Great Dojutsu, the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
Before coming here, Orochimaru had not known that such a thing existed.
"If I join, what can you give me?"
Orochimaru asked.
A hint of greed appeared in his eyes as he stared at those legendary eyes.
"Whatever you want."
Pain's answer was brief.
"The Akatsuki can provide many things. You are short on money, aren't you, Orochimaru?"
Pain spoke calmly.
The Nagato controlling him knew very well that someone like Orochimaru, who was constantly conducting research, required an enormous amount of money.
Orochimaru remained silent for a while before laughing.
"That sounds quite good."
He licked his lips.
"Then I'll join."
Pain nodded, as though he had known this would be his answer from the beginning.
He turned around and walked toward the door.
When he reached the doorway, he stopped.
Without turning his head, he said something.
"There is someone who wants to see you."
The moment his words fell, the space beside Orochimaru suddenly began to distort.
It was not a distortion caused by ninjutsu.
It was space itself that was folding.
The light bent, and everything seemed to flow toward the same point.
A vortex appeared out of thin air, and a black silhouette slowly emerged from its center.
A tiger-striped mask.
A crimson Sharingan.
Orochimaru's vertical pupils contracted slightly.
It was the same person who had attacked the village back then.
"How interesting."
There was undisguised excitement in Orochimaru's voice.
"So it really is... 'Madara.'"
Although everyone in the village referred to this person simply as the Masked Man, Orochimaru had keenly noticed something.
Obito stood before him. His tiger-striped mask concealed most of his face, revealing only one crimson Sharingan.
"Orochimaru."
Obito spoke directly, without any pleasantries.
"How much of the 'Impure World Reincarnation' technique have you mastered?"
Orochimaru's expression changed slightly.
Did this man even know that he had infiltrated the Forbidden Techniques Archive?
'It seemed the Akatsuki's intelligence network was truly terrifying.'
Orochimaru thought to himself.
Obito's Sharingan clearly caught the subtle change in Orochimaru's expression.
Just as he thought.
Obito silently confirmed it in his heart.
Black Zetsu's intelligence had not been wrong.
Originally, he had known nothing about this matter.
The Impure World Reincarnation technique was a forbidden technique developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama. It could summon the souls of the dead back from the Pure Land and bind them to the bodies of sacrifices, turning them into immortal and undying soldiers.
The existence of this technique was itself one of Konoha's highest secrets. Within the shinobi world, it had only appeared briefly before quickly disappearing without a trace.
But the pressure Kiyohara had brought upon Obito was simply too great.
On the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, Obito had personally witnessed Kiyohara suppressing the Nine-Tails with Wood Release and using those Mangekyo Sharingan to completely neutralize his own dojutsu.
The sense of oppression Obito had felt from Kiyohara was even stronger than what he had experienced years ago when facing the Iwagakure army at Kannabi Bridge.
Kiyohara's strength was increasing.
And the speed at which he was growing far exceeded Obito's imagination.
If things continued like this, Obito would never be able to realize the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Therefore, he had to find a new way to break through the deadlock.
He had dispatched White Zetsu to infiltrate Konoha and gather intelligence through various channels.
The news of Orochimaru's defection was one of the pieces of information brought back by a White Zetsu.
Black Zetsu had somehow obtained even more detailed intelligence.
He told Obito that while Orochimaru had been in Konoha, he had once come into contact with the forbidden technique scrolls left behind by the Second Hokage.
And the Impure World Reincarnation technique was recorded within those scrolls.
A technique capable of resurrecting the dead.
If he could master this technique, he would be able to summon those powerful individuals who had already passed away back into the living world.
Madara.
Hashirama.
And all the other shinobi who had left glorious names in the history of the shinobi world.
They would form an immortal army that could sweep away every obstacle standing in his path.
Including Kiyohara.
Originally, resurrecting Madara could only be accomplished through the "Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique."
Now, however, he undoubtedly had another option.
"Where did you learn about this technique?"
Orochimaru asked.
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized that he had asked a pointless question.
If the person before him really was the so-called Uchiha Madara, then of course he would have come into contact with Tobirama.
Obito did not answer his question.
"You only need to answer mine. Have you mastered this technique or not?"
Orochimaru stared at him for a while.
Then, he temporarily abandoned his plan to summon a snake.
"Yes."
Orochimaru licked his lips, a trace of fanaticism flashing through his golden vertical pupils.
"But there are conditions. The DNA of the deceased and a living human sacrifice are both indispensable. Neither can be missing."
"I'll take care of the DNA."
Obito spoke indifferently.
"The sacrifices won't be a problem either."
Obito added.
"The quality of the sacrifice will affect the condition of the reincarnated body."
Orochimaru added another reminder.
"Is that so?"
Obito nodded slightly.
Just then, a mass of black substance slowly rose from the shadows behind Obito.
The substance attached itself to half of a White Zetsu, forming a strange two-faced figure, half black and half white.
"Orochimaru."
Black Zetsu spoke.
"One of the legendary Sannin has actually come here as well."
"Heh heh."
Orochimaru chuckled, his gaze shifting back and forth between Black Zetsu and Obito.
"I'm nothing more than a stray that has only just fled its master."
Orochimaru said.
"Still, I'm rather curious. You went to so much trouble to obtain this technique. Who exactly are you trying to resurrect?"
What puzzled Orochimaru was why they needed this technique in the first place.
Black Zetsu and Obito merely stared at Orochimaru expressionlessly.
"Looks like I asked something I shouldn't have."
Orochimaru understood that they had no intention of answering him.
But some secrets were better left unknown for the time being.
Knowing too much too early was not necessarily a good thing.
Snakes were patient creatures.
He could wait.
The "Impure World Reincarnation" technique was still at the stage where it needed further refinement, which meant that there were plenty of things he could secretly manipulate.
When the time came, it would be difficult to say who was the chess piece and who was the chess player.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the corner of the room.
Shinno had also accompanied Orochimaru here.
"Orochimaru, your reputation really does travel far."
Shinno spoke indifferently.
It seemed that the people of the Akatsuki intended to accept Orochimaru into their organization.
There was a trace of self-mockery in Shinno's voice as he said this.
Coming to the Land of Rain from the Land of Rice Fields together with Orochimaru had been a decision he had made only after careful consideration.
Back in Konoha, he had infiltrated the village under the identity of an ordinary physician while secretly assisting Orochimaru with his human experiments.
However, after Danzo's death, their source of funding had been cut off. At the same time, Konoha's supervision had become increasingly strict, making it meaningless for him to remain there.
The Akatsuki was different.
The organization gathered some of the most powerful missing-nin in the shinobi world, and every one of them possessed their own unique techniques and intelligence channels.
More importantly, the organization's leader possessed the Rinnegan.
That legendary dojutsu held immeasurable value for the research he was currently conducting.
"Are you also interested in joining the Akatsuki?"
Obito asked.
After coming all the way here, there was essentially only one reason for doing so: joining the Akatsuki.
This was the core territory of the Akatsuki. Ordinary shinobi could not enter this place at all.
"Of course."
Shinno did not deny it.
"Then welcome to the Akatsuki."
Obito said.
The Impure World Reincarnation was currently one of the most promising methods he could find for dealing with Kiyohara.
He could not defeat Kiyohara for the time being.
But he could call in reinforcements.
If Orochimaru could truly use this technique perfectly and summon those legendary powerhouses back into the world of the living, then...
Kiyohara.
Would you still be as calm and composed as you were on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack?
The strongest shinobi of the modern era versus the strongest shinobi in history.
Who would ultimately emerge victorious?
Obito was very curious.
Who was the true challenger?
...
Konoha, Hyuga Clan Main Family Dojo.
The floor of the dojo was covered with pale-yellow tatami mats. Sunlight streamed through the windows and fell upon the two figures moving back and forth across the dojo.
Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi, the two brothers, stood facing each other, separated by no more than three steps.
Both of them wore the traditional white training clothes of the Hyuga Clan, with the clan crest embroidered onto their sleeves and collars.
Their appearances were extremely similar, making them almost impossible to distinguish at first glance.
They had the same black hair, the same pale white eyes, and the same stern, rigid expressions.
The only difference was that Hiashi was slightly taller than his younger brother, with broader shoulders and a wider back.
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
Hizashi moved first.
He stepped forward half a pace with his right foot, lowered his center of gravity, and thrust his right palm violently toward the air in front of him.
In that instant, the air before his palm was compressed to the extreme, forming a semi-transparent cannonball of compressed air that could be seen with the naked eye.
This was the Hyuga Clan's secret technique, an ultra-fast palm strike.
Using the Byakugan as a precise targeting mechanism, the user could see through the opponent's movements, lock onto vital points, and release an extremely high-speed palm attack.
Hiashi's Byakugan had already been activated. The veins around his eyes bulged prominently, resembling a dense network spreading across his temples.
The instant the air cannon entered his field of vision, his body tilted several centimeters to the left.
The vacuum projectile grazed past his ear and struck the wall behind him.
A fist-sized depression appeared in the wall above the tatami mats, with cracks spreading outward from the impact point.
Taking advantage of the momentum from his sideways movement, Hiashi stepped forward with his right foot and thrust out his right palm at the same time.
Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!
It was the same Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, but Hiashi's vacuum projectile was even faster than Hizashi's.
Hizashi had no time to dodge.
He could only raise both arms and use his forearms to forcibly block the attack.
Bang!
A dull impact echoed throughout the dojo.
Hizashi's body slid backward several steps, leaving two shallow drag marks across the tatami mats.
He shook his numb arms.
"Your Vacuum Palm is becoming stronger and stronger Big Brother."
"You're not bad yourself, Hizashi."
Hiashi replied.
He then used another technique.
"Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms."
His two palms struck repeatedly at a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to follow. Every single strike precisely targeted the chakra points throughout Hizashi's body.
From top to bottom, from outside to inside, one palm followed another without interruption.
Hizashi's Byakugan simultaneously tracked the trajectory of each movement, seeing through Hiashi's attacks.
His body began responding.
His own palms met Hiashi's, and he countered with the same "Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms."
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Their palms continuously collided in midair.
In barely one or two seconds, both of them had completed all thirty-two strikes.
The two brothers each took a step backward, once again widening the distance between them.
Hizashi breathed slightly harder, a thin layer of sweat appearing across his forehead.
Hiashi's breathing, meanwhile, remained steady. Only the rise and fall of his chest was slightly faster than before.
"Big Brother's Thirty-Two Palms are still faster than mine."
Hizashi straightened and wiped the sweat from the corner of his forehead with the back of his hand.
Hiashi looked at him, his pale eyes showing no trace of pride or self-satisfaction.
"Your Vacuum Palm has improved considerably, but the continuity of your Gentle Fist still needs work. The transition from the fourteenth palm to the fifteenth is a little too slow."
Hizashi silently nodded.
He did not possess the complete Gentle Fist techniques, so naturally, his movements could not flow together perfectly.
All members of the branch family practiced an incomplete version.
Many of the more powerful techniques could only be learned by members of the main family.
For example, the complete version of the "Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms" was actually the "Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms."
"I'll pay attention to it."
Hiashi said nothing more.
He turned around and walked to the edge of the dojo. From the low table, he picked up a towel and handed it to Hizashi.
Hizashi accepted the towel and wiped the sweat from his face before raising his head and looking at his elder brother.
"I heard that little Neji has quite a talent?"
Hiashi asked.
When his son's name was mentioned, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on Hizashi's usually stern face.
"He really does learn very quickly."
"Is that so?"
Hiashi nodded.
"Once he is a little older, you can let him come to the main family dojo and train together with Hinata."
Hizashi's body paused slightly.
He raised his head and looked at his elder brother. A complicated emotion flashed through his pale eyes.
The main family dojo.
It was a place that only members of the main family were permitted to enter.
Children of the branch family were bound by the "Caged Bird" curse from the moment they were born. They could only train within the branch family's dojo for the rest of their lives.
"Thank you, Big Brother."
Hizashi lowered his head.
Hiashi did not respond.
His gaze passed through the dojo window and settled on the distant sky.
For some reason, he had an inexplicable feeling of unease.
It was as though someone was watching this place.
Hyuga Clan Main Family Residence, Rear Courtyard.
Several camellia trees grew in the courtyard, all of them currently in full bloom.
A gray cat lay beneath the veranda, its tail resting on the wooden floor. Every now and then, it lazily flicked its tail.
A woman sat on a low stool beneath the eaves, holding a tiny bundle wrapped in cloth.
Inside the swaddling cloth was a baby, with only her small, rosy face exposed.
Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows across her eyelids.
Several strands of dark-blue baby hair poked out from the edge of the swaddling cloth, soft strands resting gently against her forehead.
Her breathing was extremely light.
Her tiny mouth was slightly open, occasionally smacking twice, as though she had dreamed of eating something delicious.
The woman lowered her head and looked at Hinata in her arms, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
She extended a finger and lightly poked Hinata's cheek.
Hinata's brows furrowed slightly, and her tiny mouth puckered for a moment, but she did not wake.
"What a quiet little child."
The woman whispered.
Just then, the corner of her eye caught a flash of white.
She raised her head and looked toward the courtyard wall.
There was nothing there.
The sunlight was still bright.
The camellias were still blooming quietly.
The gray cat was still lying beneath the veranda, lazily dozing.
Everything was exactly as it had been a moment ago.
The woman shook her head, thinking that perhaps she had simply imagined it.
She lowered her head again, looked at Hinata in her arms, and continued gently rocking the swaddled baby.
She did not know that on the other side of the courtyard wall, two white figures were standing there silently.
Toneri and his father.
Both of them wore pure-white robes, their hems dragging across the ground and casting long shadows.
"Is this one of the descendants in the lower world?"
Toneri's voice was very low, carrying an innate indifference.
His sensory abilities penetrated the courtyard wall and settled upon the tiny swaddled baby inside the courtyard.
He could "see" the infant.
Her chakra flow was still extremely weak.
However, the color of that chakra was unusual.
Within Toneri's sensory perception, chakra possessed color.
Ordinary people's chakra was pale blue.
Hinata's chakra, however, carried a faint purple hue.
This was proof of her Hamura bloodline.
Toneri's heart trembled slightly.
"Father, I can feel that her bloodline is extremely pure."
Toneri spoke.
Toneri's father nodded.
His sensory abilities were even stronger than his son's, so he naturally saw the purity of the chakra within the infant as well.
Such purity had never appeared in the history of the Moon's branch family.
No.
It should be said that ever since the descendants of Hamura had split into the main family and branch family, there had never again been a Byakugan bloodline of such purity.
"The Hyuga Clan really has preserved the bloodline of our ancestor."
Toneri's father was somewhat delighted.
He had never expected that coming here would bring them such an unexpected gain.
(End of Chapter)