"Our target this time is Orochimaru's subordinates. Pay attention to their necks—each of them bears the same curse mark as Sasuke. When they enter Curse Mark Mode, their power skyrockets, so be careful when engaging them."
Kiyosuke gave a brief reminder before sending his subordinates to search the surrounding area.
Mist hung low all around them—typical of the Land of Water, wasn't it?
Damp, sticky, and absolutely miserable.
Kiyosuke instinctively frowned at the clammy air. Shaking his head, he decided to slack off somewhere for a bit.
He could leave the actual searching to his team.
Yawning, Kiyosuke started looking for a quiet place to nap—when suddenly, he heard a rustling from the bushes. Turning his head, he spotted a young boy with pink eyes stepping out, cradling a magenta crystal in his hands. Inside the crystal bloomed a single camellia.
That face… why did it look so familiar?
Feeling curious, Kiyosuke asked,
"Hey, kid. Where are your parents? This isn't exactly a playground."
That crystal… could it be Crystal Release Sealing Technique?
Looks like this kid isn't ordinary.
"S-sorry."
The boy hurried off.
Kiyosuke scratched his head, then called out, "Akamaru."
"Woof!"
Akamaru barked, tongue lolling, and trotted over.
"Remember that kid's scent. Follow him quietly. If you spot any other shinobi nearby, come back and report."
"Woof!"
With another bark, Akamaru disappeared into the grass, tail flicking as he pursued the boy.
Not long after, he returned. Kiyosuke signaled Kiba over to interpret.
"Akamaru says there are several shinobi around that boy—but none of them have headbands," Kiba translated.
"They might be our targets then," Kiyosuke said with a grin. "Akamaru, lead the way. Let's go find them."
"Got it."
They set out after Akamaru, and before long, arrived at a lakeside clearing. There, they spotted the boy holding the crystal—and a group of shinobi standing around him.
One of them wore a long cloak that hid his entire body, face concealed, yet the man's presence felt oddly familiar.
Kiyosuke activated his sensory perception, and a wave of all-too-familiar chakra washed over him.
At the same time, the cloaked man seemed to sense him too. He turned his head, revealing a pale face and golden, serpentine eyes.
Pushing up his glasses, the half-snake, half-man Kabuto said calmly,
"It seems we've got company. Yukimaru, was it you who brought them here?"
The boy—Yukimaru—instantly hid behind a woman.
"Don't scare him, Kabuto. I'm not one of your lackeys," the woman said sharply. Crystalline blades jutted out from her arm, glittering dangerously. Clearly, she and Kabuto didn't get along.
"Now, now, Guren," Kabuto said with a sickly smile. "I'm Orochimaru-sama's vessel now—or rather, his consciousness sleeps within me. Once he awakens, I'll become his true container. Perhaps then, you'll even have a chance to become one yourself."
That smile was repulsive.
"Kiyosuke, isn't that Kabuto? What the hell happened to him?" Kiba asked, grimacing.
"When I killed Orochimaru, I didn't deal with his remains properly. Looks like this guy used some special method to merge himself with Orochimaru," Kiyosuke explained.
Hinata frowned. "What's the point of doing that?"
"Who knows? You can't expect to understand a madman's logic."
"Not coming out?" Kabuto chuckled softly. "Then let's flush them out."
A few of his shinobi immediately charged toward their hiding spot.
"Move," Kiyosuke ordered.
"Fang Over Fang!"
Kiba and Akamaru were the first to attack—spinning into a tornado that tore through two enemy shinobi instantly.
"Eight Trigrams: Empty Palm!"
"Parasitic Insects!"
Hinata and Shino's coordinated attacks followed, swiftly wiping out the rest of the ambushers.
Kiyosuke stepped out from the bushes, his tone mocking.
"Kabuto… looks like you've stopped being human."
"Well, if it isn't the esteemed Kiyosuke-sama. What an honor to meet you here," Kabuto said with a laugh that barely hid his mania.
"During my long years of research, I discovered that humans have limits. So I decided to transcend humanity—first into a serpent, and eventually… into a dragon!"
His golden eyes gleamed with fanatical light.
"Kiyosuke-sama, surely you understand me, don't you? Your power, your body—you've already surpassed the human domain. You must see things the way I do!"
"I'd rather stay human," Kiyosuke said coolly. "Don't lump me in with your twisted ideals. I just want a warm home, a wife, and kids. You, on the other hand, don't even know who you are—how could you compare yourself to me?"
His words struck Kabuto like a blade.
Ever since childhood, Kabuto had been a spy from Sunagakure. After losing his memories and ending up in Konoha's orphanage, even his name and identity were gifts from its director.
Later, to ease the orphanage's burden, he joined Danzō's ranks, living as a double agent across nations.
Years of espionage had eroded his sense of self. He no longer knew who he was, or why he was alive. When he accidentally killed his beloved caretaker, Nonō Yakushi, his world collapsed.
Then came Orochimaru—whose twisted ambitions gave Kabuto a new purpose.
But after Kiyosuke killed Orochimaru, that purpose vanished once again.
So he chose to stop being human and become something like Orochimaru himself.
He had believed Kiyosuke would understand him. Now he realized this man was just another foolish human.
"Heh." Pushing up his glasses, Kabuto sneered. "Looks like even Kiyosuke-sama's vision is disappointingly narrow."
Then, turning to Guren, he said coldly, "That man is the one who killed Orochimaru-sama. If you truly wish to avenge him, then do it—now."
"So it's him?" Guren glared daggers at Kiyosuke. "You were Orochimaru-sama's disciple! Why did you kill him? Did he mean nothing to you?"
"Oh, come on," Kiyosuke laughed. "You say that like he didn't try to kill his own teacher, the Third Hokage. Isn't surpassing your master what every disciple should aim for? Looks like you're just another of Orochimaru-sensei's brainwashed followers. Still dreaming of becoming his next vessel? Trust me—if you'd seen that transfer ritual, you'd only feel disgust."
He'd witnessed Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation once before. Once was enough.
Just remembering it made his sanity drop a few points.
He couldn't imagine what kind of sick mind had invented that jutsu.
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