Kimimaro fell silent.
Though his face was calm, his mind churned. He wasn't arrogant—he understood perfectly well that someone who could defeat Orochimaru could easily crush the rest of them.
Still, Tayuya wasn't wrong.
For Kimimaro, Orochimaru was everything—his master, his purpose, his reason to live. If he couldn't prove his worth, if he couldn't stand proudly before Orochimaru again in Konoha, he'd rather die on the battlefield.
"...I want to challenge you," Kimimaro said quietly, his voice low but firm.
Mission Triggered: Defeat Kimimaro.
Reward: 30% of Shikotsumyaku.
Accept?
Kitazawa's eyes gleamed.
Shikotsumyaku?
That was the Kaguya clan's bloodline—one of the rarest and most lethal Kekkei Genkai in existence. In pure combat value, it rivaled the Byakugan or Sharingan. The Kaguya clan of the Mist Village had once been feared as peerless warriors before their downfall.
The system granting 30% now meant he could likely complete the entire bloodline after two or three more missions. Faster than getting the 100% Byakugan, and certainly quicker than getting Senju bloodline purity.
Before he could answer, another voice spoke.
"I'll challenge you too."
Jugo's tone was steady but resolute.
He owed Kimimaro his life. When his rage-driven madness once consumed him, it was Kimimaro who saved him—and from that moment on, Jugo followed him unquestioningly.
Mission Triggered: Defeat Jugo.
Reward: Earth Release Cursed Seal.
Accept?
Kitazawa's lips curved upward, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Three missions in one day… not bad at all.
The rewards were equally enticing.
The Earth Release variant wasn't as potent as the Heaven Seal, but it was far safer—and invaluable for Kitazawa's future plans.
He didn't intend for cursed seals to empower geniuses—they didn't need them. They were meant for the ordinary shinobi who had already reached their natural limits, soldiers who could turn the tide in desperate battles.
Still, Orochimaru's design needed refining; the side effects were too severe. If Kitazawa could stabilize the seal's chakra resonance, it could become a reliable power boost instead of a death sentence.
He looked at the three of them and smiled. "Alright then. Come at me."
The fight wasn't just about completing missions. He wanted to gauge their real abilities—especially since the trio would soon transfer to the Genius Class in Konoha.
He only knew their strengths from the original story, where they were already teenagers. Right now, at seven or eight years younger, they would be far less skilled.
Time to find out how much potential they truly had.
Tayuya moved first.
"Summoning Technique!"
She bit her thumb, slammed her hand onto the ground, and the air filled with the stench of blood and smoke.
Three Doki—grotesque, humanoid demons—emerged with guttural roars, their deformed bodies twitching unnaturally.
Without missing a beat, Tayuya lifted her bamboo flute to her lips.
"Demonic Flute: Sound Manipulation!"
The haunting melody filled the air, twisting chakra threads around the Doki like invisible strings.
The three creatures charged.
The first—armless—rushed forward headlong. The second swung a massive wooden club, while the third raked the air with jagged bone claws.
But faster than all of them was Kimimaro.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!"
Bone spears shot from his fingers, whistling through the air like bullets.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Kitazawa clapped his hands, raising a sturdy wall of earth before him. The finger-bones struck it in rapid succession, embedding themselves deep into the surface and cracking the barrier with spiderweb fractures.
Kitazawa smirked slightly. So this is the power of Shikotsumyaku… impressive.
For anyone else, that wall would have been shredded.
With a resounding boom, Tayuya's armless Doki slammed through the cracked earth wall, bursting through the dust cloud.
The club and bone claw descended from above, aimed squarely at Kitazawa.
He met them head-on, fists flashing. His blows connected with the weapons, sending a shockwave through the ground.
The two Doki were hurled backward like ragdolls, crashing into the dirt.
"What—?!" Tayuya gasped, lowering her flute for a moment, disbelief written across her face.
But there was no time to react.
Jugo roared and charged, his arm swelling grotesquely as the Curse Mark began to spread across his skin. The remaining Doki lunged beside him.
"Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere!"
Kitazawa inhaled sharply, then exhaled a compressed orb of wind chakra.
The air rippled—then detonated.
BOOM!
The blast hit like a cannon, tearing through the ground and striking both targets. The Doki was launched backward, dissolving into smoke before it even hit the earth.
The sheer pressure of the wind forced Jugo to skid backward, digging his heels into the ground to keep from being blown away.
Kitazawa stood calmly amid the dust cloud, lowering his arm.
These kids… they've got potential. But right now, they're nowhere close.
Jugo's pupils contracted as the roaring wind sphere neared. He crossed his arms to block instinctively.
The impact tore through his sleeves, blood spraying as deep cuts opened along his forearms. The force drove him backward several steps before he managed to steady himself, breathing hard.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
It seemed neither Jugo nor Tayuya had yet received the Earth Release Cursed Seal. Tayuya's youth likely explained it—her strength was still limited to the Demonic Flute and her summoning technique.
As for Jugo, without natural energy in the area, he couldn't enter his berserk Sage state. In his normal form, he was little more than a skilled taijutsu user.
Kitazawa's gaze shifted to Kimimaro.
He now stood in a strange, graceful stance—white bones jutting from his palms, elbows, and knees, giving him the appearance of a living weapon.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!"
Kimimaro vanished from sight, reappearing in front of Kitazawa like a gust of wind. His limbs blurred, bones slicing through the air in a seamless, deadly rhythm.
"Good taijutsu," Kitazawa murmured, drawing Zangetsu in one smooth motion.
Clang!
Sparks erupted as Zangetsu met Kimimaro's dual bone blades.
Kimimaro twisted and kicked, the bone protruding from his leg turning the strike into a spear.
Kitazawa slid back lightly, evading the blow, then swept his blade in a wide arc. Blades of flame erupted from Zangetsu, whistling through the air.
Kimimaro crossed his arms, slicing the fire in three with his bone blades, the flames dispersing harmlessly.
But before Kitazawa could counter, a shrill flute note pierced the air.
Tayuya's melody echoed through the field—Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Manipulation!
Her three Doki surged forward once more, eyes glowing with malevolent chakra.
"Compound Ninjutsu: Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!"
Kitazawa's hands blurred through a flurry of seals. A roaring dragon of electrified water materialized beside him, crashing forward.
The dragon tore through the Doki like paper, sending them flying before lunging toward Tayuya herself.
Her face drained of color. She leapt aside at the last instant—
—but Jugo flashed forward, intercepting the dragon with a powerful punch.
Electricity burst outward, crackling across his body and freezing him mid-motion. He screamed as lightning danced over his limbs.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Camellia!"
Kimimaro appeared again, drawing a bone sword from his forearm. His movements were fluid—a dance of death. The blade blurred in a flurry of strikes, each faster than the last.
But Kitazawa dodged every attack effortlessly, his motions minimal, precise, almost lazy.
Kimimaro's eyes widened. It was the first time anyone had ever avoided his Dance of the Camellia so cleanly.
Still, he didn't stop.
Earth Release: Cursed Seal!
Black markings spread across his body like veins, chakra flaring violently. Dust whipped around him as the sheer pressure split the ground beneath his feet.
"Jugo, Tayuya—get back!" he shouted.
And then—he was gone.
In a flash, Kimimaro appeared before Kitazawa, his speed several times greater than before. The bone sword swung with killing intent.
Clang!
Zangetsu intercepted the strike, but the force behind it rattled Kitazawa's arm.
This power… was on a completely different level.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Blade!"
Zangetsu began to hum, vibrating violently. A surge of lightning exploded along the blade.
With a single motion, Kitazawa pressed down—and the shockwave sent Kimimaro flying.
"Kimimaro!" Jugo shouted, dashing forward to catch him. The impact still forced him back several paces, boots carving trenches into the dirt.
"How… how can he be this strong?" Tayuya muttered, lowering her flute.
She hadn't witnessed Kitazawa's battle with Orochimaru; she'd only heard the aftermath. But seeing him now—unstoppable, effortless—she finally understood the sheer difference between them.
"I'm fine," Kimimaro rasped, pushing Jugo aside. His eyes blazed with resolve.
"Earth Release Cursed Seal: Stage Two!"
His skin darkened to a sickly brownish-black, strange markings crawling across his face. His back arched as six ivory spikes erupted from it, and a long bone tail lashed behind him.
Kitazawa tilted his head, expression wry.
"The cursed seal is powerful," he said under his breath, "but… that second form is truly hideous."
Even Sasuke's transformation, he recalled, had looked painfully out of style.
Kimimaro raised his hands. The finger bones shot forth like bullets, faster and stronger than before.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A wall of solid earth rose instantly in front of Kitazawa—only to be shredded moments later by the high-velocity projectiles.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A second barrier formed behind it, rippling like a shield. The bone bullets struck the water wall, slowed, and finally stopped.
Kimimaro burst through the water in a whirl of white and brown.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!"
His entire body erupted with bone spikes, turning him into a living weapon as he lunged forward.
"Konoha Dragon God!"
Kitazawa spun on his heel. Chakra erupted around him, twisting violently until a colossal tornado surrounded his body.
The whirlwind sliced through the air, each rotation crackling with cutting power.
The two attacks collided with a thunderous explosion. The sheer pressure made the air tremble.
Kimimaro's face twisted in pain as the wind sheared against his bones, the force shaking his entire frame. Though his bones were as hard as steel, his flesh and blood weren't.
Blood spattered the ground as he was thrown backward, crashing hard and skidding to a halt.
When the dust cleared, he was covered in wounds, his once-pale skin streaked with crimson.
Kitazawa slowly stopped spinning. The tornado dissipated around him like fading mist.
His chest rose slightly as he exhaled. "First time trying that one… not bad," he murmured. "A mix of Wind Release and taijutsu—guess that makes it a Nin-Taijutsu."
He glanced at Kimimaro, who was struggling to stand.
"If you keep fighting," Kitazawa said calmly, "you'll die. And then you won't be able to save Orochimaru."
Kimimaro froze, the words cutting deeper than any blade. After a moment, he released the Cursed Seal, his body reverting to normal.
"Hmph. I'll definitely defeat you someday," Tayuya muttered, tucking her flute away.
She knew the gap between them was insurmountable—but her pride wouldn't let her stay silent.
Kitazawa chuckled lightly and stepped forward, hands glowing with soft green chakra.
He crouched beside Kimimaro and began healing his wounds.
"Save your strength," he said quietly. "You'll need it for what's coming next."
A cascade of glowing system prompts appeared before Kitazawa's eyes.
Mission Complete: Defeat Tayuya.
Reward: Demonic Flute — Illusory Sound Locking.
Reward issued.
Information flooded into his mind, sharp and detailed.
Demonic Flute: Illusory Sound Locking—a B-rank genjutsu. Anyone who hears its melody falls into illusion. Within it, the victim's limbs are bound by ropes, their body frozen, their mind tormented by phantasms so real they leave lasting scars.
Its structure was reminiscent of Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique, but sound-based genjutsu were exceedingly rare. Few shinobi had countermeasures for it, which made it far more insidious.
Mission Complete: Defeat Kimimaro.
Reward: 30% of Shikotsumyaku.
Reward issued.
A strange sensation rippled through Kitazawa's body. His bones hardened, becoming denser—like tempered steel beneath his skin. Theoretically, they could withstand direct weapon strikes now.
But that was all. He couldn't yet manipulate or extract his bones like Kimimaro. The foundation had been laid; the rest would require further missions tied to the Kaguya heir.
Mission Complete: Defeat Jugo.
Reward: Earth Release Cursed Seal.
Reward issued.
Kitazawa stood silently, letting the flow of knowledge settle into him.
The Earth Release Cursed Seal, unlike the other two rewards, came with an overwhelming amount of information. It wasn't merely a jutsu—it was a fusion of sealing arts and natural energy theory.
It worked by pre-implanting natural energy into the body through a sealing formula. Once activated, it flooded the user's system, drastically amplifying strength, speed, and chakra output.
But, as always, power came with a price.
Natural energy was volatile, corrosive by nature. Sage training in the three great holy lands proved as much—fail to control it at Mount Myōboku, and you'd turn to stone; at Ryūchi Cave, you'd become a snake.
The Cursed Seal mimicked that principle. Use it too long, and your body lost control, consumed by rampaging nature energy. Duration depended on the user's constitution and willpower.
Kitazawa exhaled softly, then turned toward the three young Otogakure ninja.
"You're all qualified to join the Genius Class of Konoha's Ninja Academy," he said after finishing Kimimaro's treatment with a healing palm glow.
Tayuya blinked. "Genius Class? So there are others like us?"
"There are," Kitazawa replied with a faint smile.
She frowned. "Can they really compare to us?"
Her tone was confident, almost mocking. After all, she, Kimimaro, and Jugo had survived the blood-soaked experiments of Otogakure. Konoha's so-called prodigies were probably pampered children by comparison.
Kitazawa shook his head. "You wouldn't even make the top five."
"What?!" Tayuya looked at him as if he'd insulted her entire lineage. "Impossible!"
New Mission: In the next Genius Class practical exam, prevent Tayuya from entering the top five.
Reward: Four Violet Flames Formation.
Accept?
Kitazawa's lips curled. Accepted.
At this rate, letting them join the Genius Class was clearly the right choice—four new system missions in a single day wasn't something to complain about.
"You'll see soon enough," he said lightly. "When you join, you'll understand I wasn't exaggerating."
He turned to leave, uninterested in arguing with a stubborn child.
Finding Guren, he asked, "By the way, I remember Orochimaru had an experiment subject named Shin. He wasn't on the list you gave me."
He was referring to Uchiha Shin—though "Uchiha" was a name the boy had chosen himself in admiration of Itachi. Because of Kitazawa's butterfly effect, that meeting likely hadn't happened yet.
"There is such a person," Guren confirmed. "He wasn't included because he's only an experiment subject."
"Capture him," Kitazawa ordered, "and send him to Konoha with the rest of Orochimaru's equipment. Orochimaru will continue his work there under supervision."
Guren's eyes brightened. The idea of Orochimaru continuing his research seemed to reignite her sense of purpose. "Yes, Lord Kitazawa!"
Soon after, Kitazawa saw the boy himself—young, pale, and quiet. Just a child.
He didn't linger. After confirming the transfer order, Kitazawa returned with Kimimaro, Jugo, and Tayuya in tow, leaving Otogakure's rebuilding in Guren's hands.
Without Orochimaru, the village posed little threat. And Guren was loyal enough to keep things stable.
Monday morning.
The gates of Konoha came into view beneath the bright morning sun.
For Kimimaro, the sight stirred no emotion—he had seen villages of similar grandeur back in the Mist. But for Jugo and Tayuya, it was another world entirely.
Wide streets, lively merchants, laughter spilling from ramen shops—everything felt so alive.
Tayuya's eyes darted toward a row of food stalls, the savory smell of grilled skewers wafting through the air. Her stomach growled before she could stop it.
Kitazawa caught her glance and smirked.
"Just say what you want to eat," he said casually.
"I'm not a kid!" she snapped, cheeks flushed, crossing her arms.
He chuckled quietly. So much for pretending not to drool.
As they walked, Kitazawa began to consider logistics. Where should they stay?
Then it came to him—the Konoha Orphanage.
In the original timeline, Kabuto had once served Orochimaru too. Now, under Tsunade's protection, he worked at the orphanage with Nono and Haku.
If anyone could handle this trio, it was him.
"Come on," Kitazawa said, turning down the main road. "We're going to the orphanage."
Tayuya shot one last, longing glance at a nearby dessert shop before following reluctantly. Kimimaro and Jugo trailed silently behind, silent as ever.
When they arrived, the orphanage was quiet. Nono and Haku were out tending to supplies, leaving Kabuto in charge.
Kitazawa sent a shadow clone ahead to fetch him. Moments later, Kabuto appeared, adjusting his glasses.
His gaze swept over the three new arrivals—their Otogakure headbands said enough.
He didn't ask questions. Everyone in the village had heard about Orochimaru's surrender.
"Kabuto," Kitazawa said, his tone steady but commanding, "arrange living quarters for them. They'll be staying here from now on."
Kabuto nodded. "Understood, Kitazawa-sensei."
And as the three former Sound ninja stepped into their new home, a quiet thought crossed Kitazawa's mind.
From enemies… to students.
The game was changing—and he was the one rewriting the rules.
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