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Midorima attempted to separate from Shizune when, suddenly, a barrage of finger bones shot toward them. Reacting swiftly, Midorima pushed Shizune aside, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Are you okay?" Midorima quickly turned to Shizune, relieved to see she was unharmed. "Get out of here. Now."
"I—" Shizune scrambled to her feet, her gaze fixed ahead. A white-haired child stood on a tree branch, staring down at her and Midorima with cold detachment.
"Go!" Midorima snapped. "Finding Tsunade is the most important thing right now. Or have you forgotten about the curse mark on you?"
"Right… Be careful." Seeing his resolute expression, Shizune didn't argue further and turned to leave.
Midorima watched Kimimaro, thinking, This kid really showed up at the perfect time.
Going back to Tsunade with Shizune wouldn't have been difficult, but he still needed to make another trip to Danzō's residence—he had to get his hands on those two Sharingan. Otherwise, all the suffering he'd endured would have been for nothing.
The real challenge had been figuring out how to shake off Shizune. After all, his current situation was delicate. This was Konoha. If Tsunade asked where he'd been, he couldn't exactly say, Oh, I was stealing Sharingan.
Kimimaro's appearance had solved that problem neatly. Shizune would go to Tsunade, and he'd head to Danzō's estate.
Everyone gets a bright future.
"You're not running? Why chase me?" Midorima smirked at Kimimaro. "If the Konoha ninja notice us, I might still have a chance to survive. But you? You're dead for sure."
"Betraying Lord Orochimaru… It is my duty to execute you!"
"Wrong! First, you can't kill me. Second, me escaping actually benefits you. After all, no one's left to 'compete' for Orochimaru's attention." Midorima barely suppressed a gag as he said it.
Honestly, he found blind loyalty utterly foolish.
But considering Kimimaro's circumstances, he could understand it.
"Lord Orochimaru ordered me to kill you," Kimimaro said coldly.
"He said that, but he also knows you can't do it." Midorima shrugged.
"That remains to be seen!" Kimimaro's skin darkened, his shirt tearing apart as a long tail sprouted from his back.
The second stage of the Earth Curse Mark.
In this state, Kimimaro's power surged dramatically.
"You know Orochimaru gave me the Curse Mark, right?"
"I do. What of it?"
"If I activate the second stage, I'll be flying in the air. How are you going to hit me?" Midorima spread his hands. "Listen to me—just run. Orochimaru knows you can't beat me. He won't blame you. But if the Konoha ninja capture you, whether you like it or not, they'll find a way to extract every piece of intel on Orochimaru—his lab locations, his research. Don't underestimate Konoha. I doubt you want to be the one who leads them straight to him. Orochimaru's already turned this Chunin Exam into a disaster. Plenty of people want him dead—they just don't know where to find him."
Kimimaro's expression flickered. Midorima pressed on.
"As long as you're alive—even if you're unconscious—they'll still get what they want. Hell, even if you die, they'll interrogate you."
After all, there's always the Impure World Reincarnation.
Kimimaro's eyes darted back and forth before he finally released the second stage.
"I'm not afraid of you. I just refuse to be a burden to Lord Orochimaru. But this isn't over." Kimimaro pointed at Midorima.
Midorima waved him off. He wasn't worry.
He just didn't want to fight Kimimaro here.
The Konoha ninja were currently distracted by the giant snake and Itachi, but once they had a free moment and saw the two of them going at it, they'd be more than happy to swoop in and claim the spoils.
Letting others profit from your struggle? Not happening.
Once Kimimaro left, Midorima bolted toward the nearest exit.
His next destination: Danzō's estate.
---
Shizune sprinted to the edge of the Forest of Death, her breath ragged. The moment she spotted a rescue ninja, relief flooded her, and her legs gave out. She collapsed, unconscious.
The medic-nin who saw her froze in shock before rushing over to check on her.
When he recognized her face, he let out a sharp cry.
"What's wrong?" another medic treating a nearby injured ninja asked.
"It's—it's Lady Shizune!"
"Huh? I heard someone used the Impure World Reincarnation up ahead…"
"What Impure World Reincarnation? She's breathing! It's faint, but she's alive! You go inform Lady Tsunade—I'll handle things here."
---
Hiruzen and his team arrived at the command post outside the Forest of Death.
Upon learning that someone had used the Impure World Reincarnation to "revive" Shisui, Hiruzen's entire demeanor darkened. Standing by the third-floor window, watching the giant snake wreak havoc in the forest, he slammed his fist against the frame.
"Orochimaru… What are you planning!?"
"We need to reinforce them immediately," Danzō muttered, his gaze shifting uneasily.
He had never imagined Orochimaru would cause such chaos. For the first time, a sliver of fear crept into his mind—what if Orochimaru was captured and exposed him too?
If I'd known it would come to this, I never would've brought him in…
Danzō clenched his fists, his brow furrowed.
"Danzō, you're coming with me to the Forest of Death," Hiruzen said, turning to him.
"Me?" Danzō stiffened. "My injuries haven't fully healed yet."
Tsunade scoffed. "I offered to treat you. You refused."
"None of your business." Danzō's forehead glistened with sweat.
This woman just loves causing trouble at the worst possible times… How infuriating!
Tsunade smirked, about to retort, when a medic-nin burst into the room, his eyes locking onto her.
"Lady Tsunade! You're here?"
"The Hokage is present! Have you no sense of decorum?" Danzō barked.
The medic immediately bowed. "My apologies, I was just—"
"It's fine," Hiruzen waved him off. "You wouldn't rush in like this unless it was urgent. What is it?"
"Yes. We've found Lady Shizune…"
The moment those words left his mouth, Tsunade and Danzō's eyes snapped toward him.
One burned with desperate hope; the other held a terrifying intensity, as if the medic were prey caught in a predator's sights.
"How is she?" Tsunade demanded.
"She's weak and unconscious. We're still stabilizing her."
Instantly, Tsunade's eyes grew hot.
She didn't know how she'd endured these past days—she had already braced herself for the news of Shizune's death. Yet now, against all odds, Shizune was alive.
This was the greatest gift she could have received.
Tsunade met Hiruzen's gaze. Seeing his slight nod, she didn't hesitate—she bolted from the command room.
Danzō's face twisted in barely concealed panic.
Orochimaru… What the hell have you done?! If Shizune's alive, then what about me?!
"Danzō, you're coming with me. I don't need you to fight—just assist with battlefield coordination."
Danzō's expression was that of a man forced to wear a mask of agony. But under Hiruzen's expectant stare, he had no choice.
He nodded.