"What do you want to know?"
Kabuto was very cooperative.
He knew perfectly well that he was no match for Souma.
This boy looked barely fourteen, yet in reality he was more terrifying than many jōnin.
Even when facing Kakashi, Kabuto had never felt this level of despair—this complete loss of resistance.
In all of Konoha, only the youth standing before him inspired such helplessness.
So Kabuto chose obedience.
"What is Orochimaru planning?" Souma asked.
"I don't know," Kabuto shook his head, then added, "Recently I've been staying in Konoha to research ninjutsu. Orochimaru-sama mostly contacts me one-way. The original plan was to destroy Konoha, but he didn't explain the details."
"He's probably changed his plan by now."
Souma narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"Jirōbō is dead. Kimimaro has been captured. Of the Sound Five, only three remain. Carrying out the original plan would be extremely difficult."
Kabuto agreed.
As a veteran infiltrator, he understood one fundamental truth—
There was no such thing as a perfect plan.
Every strategy had to adapt to circumstances.
Orochimaru had survived two great ninja wars. He wouldn't stubbornly push a doomed plan forward.
That would be stupidity.
"As his right-hand man, you really don't know the follow-up arrangements?" Souma asked skeptically.
Kabuto sighed.
"I know it sounds unbelievable. If our positions were reversed, I wouldn't believe it either. But it's the truth."
After a brief pause, he continued,
"However, I do know Orochimaru-sama's ultimate target—
He wants to kill the Third Hokage."
"Arrogant."
Souma scoffed.
"This isn't the Konoha of the past. Killing the Hokage now is a fool's dream."
Kabuto didn't respond.
Partly because he truly didn't know more, and partly because he wanted to hear Souma's thoughts.
Given Orochimaru's goal, how would this genius respond?
Kabuto squinted slightly.
"Orochimaru-sama may not match you in creativity," he said slowly,
"but there's one thing he does better than you."
"And that is?"
"He isn't bound by rules."
Kabuto shrugged.
"He researches forbidden techniques freely. Those are the most terrifying things of all."
"Forbidden techniques?" Souma asked.
"Yes. Just the ones I know—there are two."
Kabuto began listing them without hesitation.
"One is the Living Corpse Reincarnation, Orochimaru-sama's path to immortality."
Souma remained silent.
"The other was originally created by the Second Hokage, but Orochimaru-sama refined it. It allows him to summon the dead from the Pure Land and force them to fight for him."
"Edo Tensei."
Souma calmly supplied the name.
Kabuto nodded.
Souma let out a cold laugh.
"So you believe trampling over life without restraint is what makes someone powerful?"
"Maybe. Maybe not," Kabuto replied casually.
"Does it really matter?"
"It does."
Souma's tone turned serious.
"People have emotions and intellect. We should have boundaries. Unless absolutely necessary, using living people as experimental material is unacceptable. That's where I fundamentally disagree with Orochimaru."
He looked directly at Kabuto.
"You don't have to accept my beliefs. But since you're in my hands now, you will follow my rules."
"…Understood."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Kabuto's eyes.
In his view, Souma was strong—but too idealistic.
Such a person could never truly defeat Orochimaru.
Especially not with another shadowy organization manipulating events from the dark.
Souma, however, continued.
"There's another reason I reject Orochimaru's forbidden techniques."
He paused.
"The soul is the most mysterious domain of all—especially the souls of the powerful. They possess terrifying strength on their own."
Kabuto listened intently.
"I haven't studied Edo Tensei directly," Souma said,
"but I have researched the Spirit Transformation Technique."
Kabuto stiffened.
"The technique that lets the soul leave the body."
"Correct."
Souma smiled faintly.
"Not everyone can reach that level. But once you understand soul mechanics, Edo Tensei can be reverse-engineered."
He sneered.
"Ever heard the phrase 'easy to invite, hard to send away'?"
Kabuto frowned.
That… sounded exaggerated.
"You don't understand souls or spiritual power," Souma said calmly.
"That's why you think this way."
He continued,
"Let's use a simple example—the Uchiha clan."
Kabuto nodded.
"The Sharingan is a kekkei genkai deeply tied to spiritual power. Their clan possesses countless secret techniques. Beyond the three-tomoe stage, there's an even more terrifying power."
Souma's gaze sharpened.
"You really think you can control them?"
"…If we avoid them, Edo Tensei is still useful," Kabuto replied.
But inwardly, he was already convinced.
The Uchiha were indeed dangerous.
And—
The Second Hokage should also be avoided.
Kabuto's heart sank.
Orochimaru-sama's other target… wasn't it the Second Hokage?
That realization made him uneasy.
"How about a bet?" Souma suddenly asked.
"…What?"
Kabuto looked up.
Souma adjusted his spiritual state, reviewing everything he knew about Spirit Transformation. With a flick of his finger, he tested something casually.
"If Orochimaru really uses Edo Tensei," he said lightly,
"Do you think I can teach him a painful lesson?"
"No bet."
Kabuto rejected it instantly.
He wasn't gambling with a monster like Souma.
If Souma dared to bet, it meant he had confidence.
And Kabuto couldn't afford the price.
Taking a deep breath, he said,
"Let's speak plainly. I've told you everything I know about Orochimaru. What do you want from me?"
"First—the Chūnin Exams."
Souma sat down casually.
"The Third Hokage assigned you as a temporary teammate for my companions. But frankly, I don't trust you."
Kabuto frowned, then sighed.
"That's fair. You could restrain me with a curse mark or some other method. I'll work for you, then leave."
"Relax. I won't let you go yet."
Souma smiled.
"As for restraints, I have a few ideas. If you cooperate willingly, that would be ideal."
His eyes narrowed.
"So—will you cooperate?"
Kabuto tensed.
"What… are you planning?"
At this moment, Kabuto feared Souma more than Orochimaru.
Orochimaru wouldn't kill him.
Souma?
Kabuto couldn't tell.
He had studied human nature for years, yet this boy was unreadable.
Power?
Souma already stood near the peak of Konoha.
Ambition?
He showed no interest.
The only thing he truly cared about was research—yet he refused forbidden techniques and freely disseminated what he created.
Almost as if—
He cared about the process, not domination.
Was it really for ordinary people?
Kabuto hesitated, then hurriedly said,
"My medical ninjutsu is serviceable. I can be useful—"
"Don't worry," Souma interrupted calmly.
"My techniques carry no risk."
His tone turned icy.
"But if you betray me, I can kill you effortlessly."
In the next instant—
Souma's aura transformed.
Kabuto saw it clearly.
A Buddha-like form, a glowing 卍 on his chest, restrained golden radiance enveloping his body.
The most terrifying part was how fast it happened.
This Sage Mode—
Kabuto had only heard of such perfection in legends.
And the legends spoke of one man.
The First Hokage.
Kabuto's breathing stopped.
Several seconds passed before a single thought surfaced—
Thank goodness I didn't try anything.
If he had resisted earlier, he'd be dead—or worse.
Souma absolutely had that power.
"…Alright," Kabuto said hoarsely.
"I'll cooperate. Just… be careful."
He understood his position.
Without some form of restraint, Souma would never let him go.
A finger touched Kabuto's forehead.
Pain stabbed deep into his mind.
Instinct screamed—
If Souma wanted, that strike alone could have killed him.
This was a direct attack on the soul.
Kabuto trembled.
Before he could react, Souma sealed the energy away.
"Done?" Kabuto asked shakily.
"Not yet."
Souma formed hand seals and placed his palm on Kabuto's chest.
A sealing pattern spread outward.
Kabuto didn't recognize it.
Souma kindly explained.
"You might not know this seal," he said cheerfully,
"but Orochimaru certainly does."
"It's the Flying Thunder God formula. Once placed, it never disappears."
He smiled.
"Coincidentally—I learned it."
A light tap.
Kabuto felt a chill in his chest as a leaf appeared over the seal.
"Do you know what this means?"
"…I do."
Kabuto forced his voice steady, but fear had already leaked into his eyes.
With the formula in place, Souma could kill him at any moment.
Combined with the spiritual strike earlier—even dodging teleportation wouldn't save him.
"For now, this is enough," Souma said calmly.
"After the Chūnin Exams, we'll discuss things further—your dream of joining the research institute, ninjutsu development, all of it."
Carrot and stick.
"Understood."
Kabuto lowered his head, no longer pretending enthusiasm.
"I hope our cooperation goes smoothly."
Souma smiled.
"So do I."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and forced a smile back—
A strained one.
Souma brushed the dirt from his clothes and walked out of the forest, leaving Kabuto standing alone, tangled in fear and confusion.
In truth, Souma hadn't fully mastered Flying Thunder God.
He understood it, could use it—but his space-time control was unstable.
Short-range teleportation of small objects was his current limit.
But on exam day, Genma and the other ANBU would be present, with pre-constructed formations.
The effect would be the same.
And—
He still had another layer of insurance.
The exam site would be the Forest of Death.
Even if not inside Aburame territory—
Souma planned to let the kikaichū cross the boundary.
To monitor Kabuto.
And to protect Tenten and Kazusa.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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