"Of course he must die!" Black Zetsu declared firmly.
"But what if he's prepared?" Kabuto couldn't help but ask. In addition to his cautious character, he also knew that Naruto was not an ordinary Shinobi.
That man always had backup plans for his backup plans, and he is extremely cautious.
He is an absolute lunatic who prepared for everything. Kabuto refused to believe he wouldn't be ready.
"You've already been exposed once. He knows you exist, so naturally, he sees you as a threat." Kabuto calmly analyzed, "With Uzumaki Naruto's personality, he's probably already making moves against you right now."
"Perhaps. But I don't plan to face him directly this time. You… will be the one to kill him.." Black Zetsu said, "Even if he's a sage, he'd never expect you to have grown this strong."
"To be honest, even I'm surprised. You've surpassed Orochimaru himself. What he couldn't accomplish… you can…."
With a bang, Kabuto suddenly lashed out, his serpent tail smashing toward Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu barely dodged in time, leaping aside as the tail struck the cave wall with devastating force.
The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing through the stone before the entire section collapsed.
With a bang, the underground cavern crumbled, part of the mountainside gave way, debris raining down.
Two figures shot out from the wreckage at this time. Black Zetsu, who is slightly disheveled, shook off the dust and stood amidst the trees, glaring at Kabuto.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"No one has the right to slander Orochimaru-sama. He isn't dead. One day… he will return." Kabuto's smile was disturbingly fervent.
Black Zetsu was speechless, 'These lunatics were getting crazier by the minute. Obito had refused to listen and insisted on taking the Rinnegan to his death. Now, this Kabuto was even worse… each one more deranged than the last.'
'In any case, someone must inherit the Sharingan. Yakushi Kabuto will accept it sooner or later.'
…
"Will this really work?" Choji asked, his arm wrapped in bandages. He's looking at Sakura who was putting a cast on his foot, and then glanced at Naruto, who was standing nearby watching the show.
"It definitely works. It works every time." Naruto grinned, "You weren't out watching the chaos yesterday… you were gathering rare medicinal herbs for your wife in the mountains and got injured."
"I even have the herbs right here. You don't have to look for them. Just go there in one step. How about it, good brother, am I considerate?"
Hearing this, Choji gave him a deadpan look.
"Isn't that a bit too dramatic? How would I even get hurt like this?"
"You've got Sakura backing you up, so what are you worried about?" Naruto rolled his eyes, "If you want it to be more realistic, I can just break your leg right now."
"Get lost! How can you be so cruel!"
"How could I? You're the one being wishy-washy." Naruto tapped the cast on Choji's arm, "Remember, a broken bone will take a month to heal."
Shinobi had far better physical resilience than ordinary people, and even if they break their legs, it only takes half a month to a month to fully recover.
"Naruto, I still think this is a bad idea." Choji said nervously.
"Then go ahead and tell her the truth. Say you were so full you spent the whole day watching the chaos and forgot her birthday." Naruto said with his hands crossed.
"See how your wife reacts. Give it a try."
"Forget it, forget it, I'll just listen to you." Choji muttered, with a look of resignation, "So what do you need my help with?"
"Nothing much, just a small favor." Naruto waved it off vaguely, "About that Multi-Size Technique… do you think I could, uh…?"
"You want to learn the Multi-Size Technique?" Choji was stunned and shook his head repeatedly, "Even if you can learn it, my dad would kill me if he found out!"
"Are you stupid?!" Naruto took advantage of Choji's in a plaster cast and couldn't move, and tapped his big head with his finger, "Who said anything about teaching me the whole thing? I just want part of it."
"Part of it, got it? I'll tweak it and blend it into my own Ninjutsu. Who's going to notice?"
"Part of it?" Choji squinted, his gaze slowly drifting downward.
"Where the hell are you looking at?" Naruto smacked him in anger, "I've got more than enough already! You think I'm like Kiba with his little…!"
"No, I just don't get it. Why do you suddenly want to learn this?" Choji was a little confused, "If you don't need it, what's the point?"
"It's useful, it's useful, but I'm too lazy to explain it to you." Naruto said perfunctorily, "Anyway, who went through the trouble of getting you that snow lotus last time? Who covered for you when your wife checked up on you?"
"Who was it, huh? Who?"
"You, you! Fine! I'll do it!" Choji couldn't take it anymore and reluctantly agreed.
"That's more like it." Naruto smirked, then turned to Sakura, "Make his cast extra thick so he doesn't get caught."
Choji: "…"
…
Boom!
The aftermath of the battle destroyed the wooden house, and a wave of scorching heat rushed over. The walls couldn't hold any longer, crumbling apart piece by piece.
Flames roared and crackled overhead, the terrifying shrieks of the shockwaves echoing through the forest. The distant cries calling for Karin were drowned out by the explosions, and for a moment, all sound vanished.
The burning house turned into hell, and Uchiha Sasuke stood in the sea of fire, in that scene like a nightmare, his eyes devoid of any life.
Yet he still gripped his sword, standing tall, his remaining aura radiating. A cold voice whispered in his ear, like a venomous serpent slithering through damp earth.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you belong to me! You will always be mine. You can't escape…no matter where you go, I will come back for you."
"I won't die. I'll always be watching you from the shadows!"
"Uchiha Sasuke… wait for me!"
Orochimaru's mad laughter echoed through the forest like a deadly melody. Sasuke's heart beat slowly, once, twice… then suddenly roared, like an engine roaring to life, Thump… thump… thump!
He jolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a pale glow over him.
'Strange… I haven't dreamed in a long time. Why Orochimaru?' Sasuke couldn't figure it out, 'Why the man I had already killed? Orochimaru was supposed to be dead.'
'Could it be that Orochimaru is not dead?'
A knock sounded at the door, and Karin's voice came from outside.
"Sasuke? I… I heard some noise just now."
"I'm fine."