Both ends of the narrow alley were sealed off by hundreds of black-skinned warriors.
This was an elite force—archers with precision-crafted bows, and shieldbearers clad in heavy armor. Around their waists, each wore a belt marked with the kanji for "thunder."
Their target stood before them in the alley: a grand sedan chair, silent and unmoving.
"Brothers! The traitor with the gloomy face has already fled the capital. This is our chance to restore the true throne!"
"Follow me—cut down that usurper, avenge our daimyo, and reclaim our glory!"
"Kill!"
At the command, hundreds of arrows flew in unison, raining death upon the sedan chair, riddling it until it resembled a hornet's nest.
The dark-skinned general behind the line of shields looked pleased.
"I thought we'd have to scheme harder. I didn't expect this scum to be so easy."
Riding forward on horseback, he approached the ruined sedan and gazed at it, eyes brimming with tears.
Father... I never truly surrendered. Now I have avenged you. Rest in peace.
He wiped his tears.
Then a voice rang out.
"Am I really that easy to kill?"
The general froze.
From within the shredded sedan emerged a figure blacker than ink—his skin like coal. He calmly pulled the arrows from his body, as if removing thorns.
Everyone stood in stunned silence. The general's eyes widened in disbelief.
Feiduan grinned, licking the blood from his lips. "I knew you were planning something."
In full view of the stunned crowd, he took one of the arrows he had removed and drove it into his own heart.
The next moment, the general screamed, clutching his chest, collapsing to his knees.
"My lord! Have mercy! Please, spare my life!"
"Spare you?" Feiduan's face twisted into a crazed smile. "I gave you a chance. You just didn't take it."
"Scream all you like! Just die slowly!"
From dawn until midday, the alley echoed with screams. Some tried to flee but were dragged back and tortured to death by Feiduan.
The general had never imagined that the new daimyo of the Land of Lightning would be so terrifying—and so merciless.
Around one in the afternoon, Feiduan, still blood-splattered and unsatisfied, strolled into the Daimyo's residence.
A girl was waiting in the courtyard, her expression wrinkling with disgust at the sight of him.
She had fiery red hair, star-like eyes behind thick black glasses, and bounded around energetically.
The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki Orochimaru had brought.
Just thinking of Orochimaru made Feiduan shiver. He still feared being tortured by that man.
"Remnants of the previous daimyo attacked us. I handled it. Where's Lord Orochimaru?"
Once arrogant, Feiduan now addressed Orochimaru with utmost respect. He feared being tossed back into that pitch-black water tank.
"He's in the lab, researching the Sharingan and Byakugan," Karin replied.
Then she added seriously, "I overheard something—apparently his master is upset."
"Why?"
Karin scratched her head. "A few of his experiments aren't going well, so his master scolded him."
She turned her eyes to Feiduan. "Hey, do you know who Orochimaru-sama's master is?"
Feiduan thought of the blond boy whose image was fading in his mind. Probably him.
But he dared not speak carelessly. Orochimaru was too terrifying.
"Why don't you ask Orochimaru yourself?"
"If I dared, would I be asking you?! Ugh, who cares."
Karin rolled her eyes.
She'd been stuck in the Daimyo's residence for a week since Orochimaru brought her here. No one cared about her. Orochimaru was locked in research, and Feiduan was crazy.
And inside her... the octopus monster raged constantly. It threatened to kill her every time it stirred.
"Sigh... why would the village send me to Orochimaru? What were they thinking?"
She and Feiduan walked side by side. Soon, they were heading down to the lab.
Even though she followed him now, Karin was still afraid of Orochimaru. His presence was oppressive, his aura suffocating. In front of him, Karin dared not speak much.
They passed through the hall, descended the stairs, and entered a secret underground chamber, filled with advanced research equipment.
"Lord Orochimaru!" Karin and Feiduan bowed.
Silence.
Time passed.
They exchanged glances and slowly looked ahead.
Orochimaru sat at a desk, scribbling notes. Before him was a vat filled with glowing green liquid.
Inside the vat was a man.
A blind man.
Feiduan recognized him.
Uchiha Itachi.
A powerful figure in the Akatsuki, one Feiduan never dared confront. That Orochimaru had captured him... terrifying.
Feiduan had made up his mind to follow Orochimaru the moment he saw him dragging Itachi like a dead dog.
Finally, Orochimaru's hoarse voice broke the silence.
"Feiduan. The Raikage will come for supplies soon. I may be in the Land of Snow with Karin. Be respectful."
"Yes! I'll make sure she never comes back!"
Orochimaru turned sharply, glaring. "Idiot! I said be respectful. The Raikage is one of us. He outranks you."
Feiduan trembled. "Y-Yes, understood."
Seeing his fear, Karin chuckled.
She gathered her courage. "Lord Orochimaru, what are we doing in the Land of Snow?"
"Don't ask what you shouldn't."
"Yes sir..."
Orochimaru turned back to Itachi, frowning.
"Sorry, Itachi. I wanted to make this easier on you. But Lord Naruto is rushing my research."
"Your future may be painful. I hope you understand. Not that it matters. Just like the people you slaughtered—their wishes didn't matter either."
In the vat, Itachi's lashes trembled. His head drooped weakly.
.
.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host. Your servant has completely seized the Land of Fields. You may now absorb incense energy from it.]
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host. Your servant has completely seized the Grass Kingdom. You may now absorb incense energy from it.]
—
Sunlight streamed into Classroom 404.
Uchiha Izumi smiled down at Naruto Uzumaki, who rested his head on her lap. She gently massaged his temples.
"What's wrong, Naruto-kun? You seem a little down."
Though Naruto's face looked calm, Izumi could feel something off.
"I'm a little depressed," Naruto muttered.
"Why?"
"The fox is gone... I can't find her."
"Huh?" Izumi blinked. "What fox?"
Naruto wasn't sure she'd understand the transformation, so he skipped the details and simply told her the gist.
Izumi gently pulled his head against her stomach, chuckling.
"So while I was away, you found yourself a fox?"
Naruto nodded.
"And now that you want to play with her again, she's disappeared?"
Naruto sat up, frustrated.
Where could such a massive, nine-tailed, beast-eared girl have gone?
A few days ago, after leaving the Land of Lightning, Naruto decided to test the Nine-Tails' transformation.
Uzumaki Chiana's appearance alone was enough to excite him. Add fox ears and tails, and he was smitten.
But now she was nowhere to be found. Even the system wouldn't answer his questions.
She hadn't betrayed him. She was part of him. So why...?
Izumi hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Isn't this your space? Can't you sense if she's still here?"
Naruto said nothing.
Because he couldn't feel her at all.
"Hehe... then let me be your fox."
Izumi blew warm air into his ear and nibbled on his earlobe. "Describe her. I'll transform."
Naruto looked back, startled by her smile.
"Aren't you jealous?"
"Of course I am," Izumi pouted. "But you're my master, remember? I can be jealous after I make you happy."
She adjusted her pose, stretching her long legs over his lap. She wore a sheer white silk outfit, no shoes, only translucent stockings.
Naruto swallowed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and taking one of her feet in his hand.
"You're incredibly sexy, Sister Izumi."
"Nonsense! You're the pervert, not me."
Izumi bent her legs to make it easier for Naruto.
Her feet were flawless—silky, pink-soled, smooth as porcelain. Even among kunoichi, her feet were rarer than gems.
Only one other matched her: Uzumaki Chiana. Her body was newly formed, untouched by hardship.
But she was missing now.
What a pity.
"You really are a perv," Izumi teased, ruffling his hair.
"What's wrong with that?!"
Naruto hated having his head touched and swatted her hand away.
They began to wrestle, teasing each other.
"You asked for it!"
Naruto flipped her over and rained playful slaps.
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
"Naruto-kun, stop!"
"Still want to misbehave?"
"Be gentle~! It hurts!"
Neither noticed the large tree in the flowerbed humming softly.
Uzumaki Chiana, who had merged with the tree, swayed in the wind.
"Who is this girl?"
She watched them affectionately fight beneath her.
"Let's count: blonde pigtails, dark-skinned beauty, and now this little black-haired one."
"That's three already! Is Naruto... a playboy?!"
"No! You should be devoted, Naruto!"
She wanted to leap out and scold him, but didn't dare.
Naruto had been searching for her—she knew it.
But as part of his chakra, she was undetectable. The system couldn't find her either.
She would wait. In two hours, Naruto would leave to train Tensō no Jutsu with Mabui.
That would be her chance to return to her form and sneak out.
[Passive Selection Triggered!]
[Uzumaki Chiana is hiding from the host. Please make your choice.]
...
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