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The Ryūchi Cave was now behind them, but the essence of it still clung to the air around Naruto and Orochimaru as they emerged into the dense forests surrounding the sacred mountain.
The trees seemed to part for them, and a subtle reverberation of power pulsed from Naruto's body, blending with the natural energy that still lingered in his veins.
Naruto glanced sideways at Orochimaru, who had his hands behind his back, a faint smirk on his pale face. The Snake Sannin was unusually silent, deep in thought. But Naruto didn't mind. He had much to process himself.
They soon arrived at the outskirts of the Sound Village. Hidden beneath layers of illusion and terrain traps was Orochimaru's secret laboratory. With a swipe of his hand, the barriers shifted, and they walked through the misty corridor leading into the serpentine heart of the hideout.
Inside, dim lamps flickered with blue flames, casting long shadows on the stone walls. Rows of glass chambers lined the halls, filled with half-formed clones, strange artifacts, and forbidden scrolls.
Karin Uzumaki peeked from behind a steel column, her crimson hair catching the light, but quickly withdrew when she saw the two approaching.
Naruto stepped inside the central lab chamber and clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's get started."
Orochimaru turned to him, his voice slithering like velvet, "You seem... unusually generous today, Naruto-kun. Giving me the entire cloning blueprintājust like that?"
Naruto smirked and waved his hand. A scroll appeared, floating mid-air before it gently landed in Orochimaru's hands. "I'm not doing this out of charity. Consider it an investment. You help me now, and once this phase is overā¦ you'll have more access to things beyond your wildest dreams."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he unrolled the scroll. His pupils narrowed. "Thisā¦ this structureā¦ It's far beyond anything I've seen. Chakra binding at a cellular levelā¦ Bloodline syncing without degeneration. This isā¦ revolutionary."
"And dangerous," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Handle it well, or it'll burn your entire lab to ashes."
Just then, a faint cough echoed from the side chamber.
Kimimaro walked in slowly, his body wrapped in bandages, skin pale and breaths shallow. His eyes held a quiet determination, but his body looked like it could collapse at any second.
Naruto's gaze softened, then turned serious. "It's time we fix that."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "You believe you can cure the terminal illness?"
"I won't just cure it," Naruto said, stepping forward. "I'll give him something you can't imagine."
With a flick of his fingers, emerald light burst from Naruto's palm. Threads of energy wrapped around Kimimaro, who fell to his knees as if in shock. The energy burrowed deep into his bones, restructuring, reinforcing, rewriting.
Magic circuits and Body Enchantment merged with his Kekkei Genkai in perfect harmony.
Kimimaro gasped. The pain vanished, and his body felt... weightless.
He looked up, trembling. "Whatā¦ did you do to me?"
Naruto smiled and extended a hand to help him up. "I gave you a gift. A new body and exoskeletonāimmune to most illnesses. You won't suffer from your own power anymore."
Orochimaru was watching silently, eyes shimmering with awe and envy. "Thatā¦ was not ninjutsu. Nor medical ninjutsuā¦ What was it?"
"Body Magic," Naruto replied casually. "Something not from this world. You can just think of it as a lost artā¦ or perhaps, a forbidden one."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his curiosity ignited like wildfire. "Naruto-kunā¦ I must study this magic."
"You will," Naruto said, tightening his cloak. "Once this is over, I'll open the gates of knowledge for you. I'll let you return to Konoha, letting your sins be buried under the weight of your future contributions."
A deep silence fell.
Then Orochimaru spoke with rare sincerity. "You truly believe that? That Konoha would forgive me?"
Naruto turned, his golden eyes glinting. "No. But I'll make them."
He began walking toward the exit of the lab, but Orochimaru's voice stopped him.
"There's still the matter of the Third Hokage, Naruto-kun."
Naruto paused, his smile returning. "Ahā¦ yes. The grand performance."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "I'm supposed to kill him during the invasion, remember? It's the climax of my revenge."
Naruto turned halfway, his tone casual yet deliberate. "You won't."
"Then who?" Orochimaru asked suspiciously.
A single name fell from Naruto's lips.
"Jack."
The temperature in the room dropped.
Orochimaru froze, his expression twisting. "You can't meanā¦ that Jack?"
Naruto nodded slowly. "The one who destroyed half of the Rain compound. The one who sent you fleeing from the Akatsuki with just his shadow."
Orochimaru stepped back. "Why would he help you?"
"Because I asked nicely," Naruto said with a grin. "And maybeā¦ just maybe, he wants to see Konoha bleed."
Orochimaru's mouth opened, but no words came out. Jack was a ghost, a monster. A name spoken in whispers even by the most elite of the Akatsuki. For Naruto to have his cooperationā¦
He wasn't just powerful. He was terrifying.
But how could Orochimaru have the idea that Naruto and Jack were basically one person? He was just a clone of Naruto, sent to take over Akatsuki.
Naruto walked up to Karin, who had been standing in the shadows the whole time. He ruffled her hair gently, making her blush.
"You'll be staying here, Karin. Under his care."
Her eyes widened. "Eh!? What!? But why? I want to come with youā"
Naruto placed a finger on her lips and chuckled. "No buts. This is the safest place for you right now."
He turned to Orochimaru, his voice laced with warning.
"If a single scratch appears on herā¦ if she sheds even one tear because of youā¦ then not even your snake holes will save you from me."
Orochimaru raised his hands in mock surrender. "Understood. I'll treat her like a princess."
"You better," Naruto muttered. He leaned closer, whispering in Karin's ear. "Be a good girl. I'll be back soon."
Her face turned red as a tomato, and she could barely nod.
With that, Naruto turned on his heel, his coat fluttering behind him like a shadow's kiss. As he approached the exit tunnel, Orochimaru called out one last time.
"What's next, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto didn't turn around, but his voice echoed in the corridor like a thunderous prophecy.
"Nextā¦ we will wait for the right time to strike."
And then he vanished into the darkness, leaving behind a stunned Sannin, a healed prodigy, and a girl with a heart caught between fear and longing.
--- ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ ---
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