Chapter 97: Orochimaru and Haku
Sasori saw this, leaped up wretchedly, and the Divine Air Strike orb shot past beneath his feet, pulverizing a sand dune over ten meters away.
Frustrated by having his attacks thwarted twice, Sasori channeled a huge amount of chakra into the Third Kazekage puppet, causing its body to tremble slightly. In the next instant, the surrounding iron sand began to float, vibrating at a strange frequency.
Seeing this, Pakura shouted in alarm, "He's going to use the Iron Sand World Method! Get clear!" The Iron Sand World Method was the Third Kazekage's ultimate trump card, a forbidden jutsu specifically developed to suppress Shukaku.
Neji-kun heard her but merely chuckled, lightly clenching his fist.
Sasori, who was watching Neji-kun intently, saw the change and immediately maneuvered the Third Kazekage puppet in front of himself while simultaneously gathering iron sand even faster. The puppet's defense was exceptional, capable of blocking most A-rank ninjutsu. After blocking Neji-kun's attack, he could complete the Iron Sand World Method, trapping the area within a fifty-meter radius. With the puppet's ability to fly, its superior mobility, and the environmental advantage, he could still fight.
"What the?!"
Just as Sasori was strategizing, he froze. He felt a terrifying suction force acting on the Third Kazekage puppet out of nowhere. The chakra threads snapped instantly, and the puppet was violently pulled away.
By the time Sasori reacted, the Third Kazekage puppet was in Neji-kun's hands. The swirling iron sand immediately collapsed, scattering uselessly on the ground.
His perfect masterpiece stolen, Sasori was enraged and bewildered, staring at Neji-kun with furious eyes. 'This person is unbeatable.'
In less than a second, Sasori made up his mind. "Plan B," he said to Hiruko beside him.
Hiruko swallowed hard. "Understood."
In the next moment, Sasori took out a solid red scroll. He pulled it open, and a swarm of red shadows flew out, filling the sky. They were all human puppets, some wielding swords, others carrying giant shuriken.
Secret Red Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets! Sasori had once used this technique to destroy a small country.
Simultaneously, Hiruko summoned several grotesque chimera beasts to protect himself.
"Getting serious now?" Neji-kun's expression was calm. The power gap was too large; he wasn't particularly concerned, approaching the fight with the mindset of a cat playing with mice.
With a thought, the nine Chakra Receiver Rosary beads emerged from between his eyebrows, circling rapidly in his palm. In terms of area of effect, the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion clearly surpassed the Golden Wheel.
Just as he prepared to unleash the Silver Wheel and crush them both...
Sasori's hundred puppets moved. But instead of attacking Neji-kun, they scattered in all directions. Sasori's true body was hidden among them, indistinguishable to the naked eye. Hiruko, meanwhile, mounted his chimera and soared into the sky, fleeing into the distance.
Neji-kun chuckled. "Running away? Quite cautious. Makes sense. After so many years as a rogue ninja, you wouldn't survive without being careful."
WHOOSH!
Neji-kun swung his arm, hurling the silver storm in his hand towards Sasori's puppet army. The Silver Wheel's powerful suction instantly swallowed dozens of puppets, annihilating them. Then, Neji-kun created a shadow clone and sent it after Sasori, whose fate was uncertain. His real body shot into the sky, chasing after the fleeing Hiruko.
The Chimera Technique could help him achieve Kekkei Mōra; he had to secure it. Of course, the technique had obvious flaws. Neji-kun had no intention of crudely fusing Kekkei Genkai like Hiruko, turning himself into some inhuman monster. Becoming a slave to power, a monster, wasn't worth it.
In Tenseigan Chakra Mode, Neji-kun's flight speed far exceeded the chimera's. Before long, he appeared directly above it.
"Go!"
Three Chakra Receiver Rosary beads, guided by repulsive force, flew in a triangular formation towards the chimera. At the same time, an invisible attractive force bound the beast tightly. The Tenseigan's control over attraction and repulsion could be as violent as fire or as fluid as water.
With a gut-wrenching screech, blood rained from the sky. Neji-kun used the attractive force to pull Pakura, who was falling, towards him.
Only then did Neji-kun notice her delicate features were tinged purple-black; she was clearly poisoned. He checked her breathing—barely there.
THUD!
Hiruko crashed wretchedly to the ground. Before he could recover, Neji-kun flickered behind him. One hand clamped down on Hiruko's shoulder, immobilizing him. From the palm of his other hand, a small green orb emerged and was slammed into Hiruko's forehead.
Cursed Mandala Sealing Heart!
Having dealt with Hiruko, Neji-kun immediately rushed towards the direction Sasori had fled.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of metal clashing echoed incessantly. The shadow clone was fighting Sasori, who was controlling a dozen puppets. Sasori's Hiruko puppet had been destroyed by the Silver Wheel, revealing his true form: a red-haired boy who looked eleven or twelve.
Honestly, Sasori was quite good-looking, only slightly less so than Neji-kun. To be so handsome and still turn himself into a puppet... he was truly ruthless.
Neji-kun descended from the sky, carrying Pakura, and landed directly in front of Sasori. "The antidote," he demanded coldly.
Neji-kun couldn't cure Sasori's poison. While poison became less effective later in the story, it was still potent against Kage-level and below shinobi in the earlier stages.
Sasori, seeing the murderous rage radiating from Neji-kun, hesitated for a moment before spitting out a small vial.
It contained only one small pill. Neji-kun wasn't worried about tricks. He gave the pill to Pakura. Thinking for a moment, he channeled some of his own chakra into her. Under the combined effect of the antidote and the Dragon Vein chakra's healing properties, the purple tinge on Pakura's face visibly faded, although she remained unconscious.
Neji-kun breathed a sigh of relief, handed Pakura to his shadow clone, crossed his arms, and glared coolly at Sasori.
Hiruko's Chimera Technique was unique. Sunagakure was the only village with a systematic tradition of puppetry, and Sasori was undoubtedly its greatest master. Although Neji-kun looked down on traditional puppetry, the village needed it, and the Hyūga clan needed it.
After a moment's thought, a green orb flew from Neji-kun's palm and slammed straightforwardly into Sasori's core. However, the mental connection failed to establish. The Cursed Mandala Sealing Heart, which had never failed before, was ineffective.
Neji-kun looked at Sasori's core with interest. The core possessed senses, allowing Sasori to perceive the outside world, but it couldn't be controlled by genjutsu. In this state, Sasori was likely immune to 99% of illusions.
Neji-kun pondered, then glanced at Hiruko, who was standing blankly nearby. A slight smile touched his lips. Hiruko received Neji-kun's command, stepped forward, and said respectfully, "Sir."
Seeing this baffling scene, Sasori's heart pounded. "Hiruko, you—"
Land of Water, Kirigakure.
Orochimaru, dressed in a kimono, strolled smilingly down a street. Although Kirigakure was known as the Bloody Mist, for a powerhouse like Orochimaru who had roamed the world for decades, it was actually safer than the other great nations. Chaos was a form of protection. Here, he didn't need to worry about spies from other countries.
Orochimaru had infiltrated Kiri to collect Kekkei Genkai samples. He had been in the country for four or five years and had reaped considerable rewards.
Recently, the turmoil in Kiri had escalated; they were at war again. Orochimaru couldn't fathom where Kiri got the courage to challenge Kumogakure, the strongest village. But he didn't care.
During the years of chaos, many bloodline clans like the Kaguya and Yuki had been wiped out, with survivors scattered. A few years ago, Orochimaru had unexpectedly found a young survivor with the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai: Kimimaro, a genius who amazed even him. Orochimaru had initially planned to use Kimimaro as his next vessel, but later discovered the boy had a terminal illness and abandoned the idea.
Orochimaru hadn't left Kiri yet because he was searching for descendants of the Yuki clan. He hadn't been in the Land of Water when they were exterminated, so he wasn't sure if he'd find any.
Just then, a fierce-looking man leaped from the shadows, brandishing a long sword. "Hand over your valuables!"
Orochimaru had recently performed his Living Corpse Reincarnation, taking the body of a young girl. He currently looked like a delicate, easily bullied beauty of fifteen or sixteen, which had attracted the thug's attention.
Orochimaru flicked his slender tongue, licking his rosy lips. The bizarre action made the swordsman pause.
"Targeting me?" Orochimaru's magnetic voice purred. "Such a naive fool."
The thug, enraged, shouted, "You're asking to die!" As he spoke, the sword inexplicably slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground. He felt his strength draining rapidly. Looking down, his eyes widened in horror. A viper, thick as his wrist, had somehow clamped onto his ankle.
"You're a ninja—" The thug collapsed, convulsing violently.
Orochimaru stepped calmly over him, not sparing him a second glance. Since changing bodies, he had encountered many idiots like this, all civilians. Ninja could sense the terrifying, cold aura he exuded. Civilians only saw a cold but fragile young girl and targeted him. This itself showed the extent of the chaos in the Land of Water. The Bloody Mist policy persecuted ninja, and the lives of civilians were equally turbulent. The current situation reminded Orochimaru of the Land of Rain during the Second Great Ninja War. The parallels were striking.
"Big sister, please spare him."
Just as he was about to leave the street, a soft, young voice called out.
'Someone else?'
Orochimaru paused, surprised, and turned towards the voice. A small, raggedly dressed child sat beside a garbage bin, cradling a stray cat. Large eyes calmly met Orochimaru's.
"I didn't even sense your presence. How unexpected." Orochimaru studied the child with interest, licking his lips again.
Perhaps Orochimaru's gesture frightened the child. They hugged the cat tighter, curling into a ball, chakra unintentionally leaking out.
"Chakra? You're a ninja too?" Orochimaru froze. He stepped closer, examining the child intently. The chakra felt cold, but different from his own陰 (Yin) coldness; this was an extreme, icy coldness. 'Could it be...'
A suspicion formed in Orochimaru's mind. "What's your name?" he asked softly.
The child trembled. "My name... is Haku."
After studying the child for a long time, Orochimaru was almost certain. This was a descendant of the Yuki clan he had been searching for.
He extended his hand, his voice soft and alluring. "Meeting you is my good fortune, and meeting me is yours. Don't waste heaven's blessing. Come with me."
Orochimaru's words seemed to hold a strange magic. The child stared at him, slowly reaching out. Then, glancing at the struggling thug on the ground, they quickly retracted their hand.
"That person—"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly. A child too kind was not suited to be a ninja. If Haku weren't a descendant of the coveted Yuki clan, Orochimaru wouldn't have given them a second look.
"Heh heh, I was just teaching him a lesson." As he spoke, Orochimaru recalled the viper biting the thug.
Haku watched the man struggle to his feet and stumble away, then sighed in relief.
Orochimaru extended his hand again. "Little one, come with me."
Haku stood up, still holding the cat, and took Orochimaru's hand. Then, remembering something, they blushed. "Big sister... um... I'm a boy."
Orochimaru glanced at Haku, surprised, then licked his lips again and smiled. "What a coincidence. So am I."
Haku: "..."
After walking a few steps, Orochimaru suddenly thought of Jūgo. Jūgo possessed a natural Sage Body, capable of absorbing natural energy. However, absorbing too much drove him into a berserk state, turning him into an indiscriminate killing machine. After finding Jūgo, Orochimaru had begun researching the 'Cursed Seal.' Years of study yielded two types: the Cursed Seal of Earth and the Cursed Seal of Heaven. Kimimaro and the Sound Four had received the Earth Seal. But he hadn't found a suitable candidate for the Heaven Seal; even Guren, his longest-serving subordinate, couldn't handle it.
Orochimaru looked down at Haku, murmuring to himself, "Perhaps this kind, interesting child... might be able to bear the Cursed Seal of Heaven."