Danzō's tone softened.
"This time, I was wrong. But that brat has no way out anymore. I've gathered fifteen Jōnin—every one of them elite Root shinobi."
"And Aburame Tatsuma is among them. I promise you this—once we get that brat's corpse and study his Kekkei Genkai, all experimental data will be handed over to your Anbu. I'm sure you're also quite interested in mass-producing the Smoke Release, aren't you?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing, tacitly approving of Danzō's unilateral actions.
He held high expectations for Kairen's Kekkei Genkai, believing it could become a sharp blade for leading the charge in battle.
But compared to the prospect of mass-producing a Smoke Release Kekkei Genkai, that seemed far less profitable.
...
In Orochimaru's laboratory.
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh. He had stationed seven or eight snake operatives around the Senju compound, so the moment Danzō made a move, he received the intel.
He sneered, "Danzō… what do you intend to do with my body? I can't allow you to succeed!"
In an instant, Orochimaru used the Body Flicker Technique, heading straight toward the direction where Root shinobi were gathering.
In this grand game of chess, Orochimaru was also one of the players.
...
The Forest of Death lay to the far west of Konoha. It stretched ten kilometers in radius, surrounded by more than forty-four locked entrances—hence it was also known as the 44th Training Ground.
Kairen soared through the skies, activating his Byakugan. He easily spotted over a dozen chakra signatures. Among them, one tiny flicker of chakra glimmered weakly, like a candle on the verge of going out.
A ninja riding atop an Ink Hawk from the Super Beast Imitation Drawing technique spotted Kairen and directed the hawk closer, smirking coldly.
"Kairen, it seems you still can't let go of that girl. I'll be honest with you—those two girls you're so worried about are poisoned. In three hours, the toxins will erupt, and they'll die in agony."
"You have two choices. Either obediently become a puppet of Root, or kill yourself right now. If you do, we'll give those two girls the antidote."
Kairen's gaze turned icy. He would never believe Root's lies. If he killed himself, Root would surely kill Shizune too.
Seeing Kairen's cold expression, the Root ink-ninja's tone darkened.
"Kairen, think carefully. Defying Root has only one ending—and it's not a good one."
"Too much talking!"
Kairen's cold reply cut through the air like lightning as he shot forward at blinding speed.
The Root artist-ninja saw Kairen charging toward him. He manipulated the Ink Hawk beneath his feet to flip and dodge gracefully, evading Kairen's aerial strike.
"Fire Release: Multiple Fire Gun!"
Kairen thrust his hand behind him, and in an instant, twenty fiery projectiles burst forth simultaneously.
Without even checking the results, Kairen dove straight toward the area where Root's forces were stationed within the Forest of Death.
...
Shimura Naoto stood quietly, tapping the bark of a large tree as he waited patiently for Kairen to arrive.
He glanced at Shizune, tied up beside him with ropes.
Her face was delicate—he thought to himself that once she grew up, she would surely become a beautiful woman.
"Not bad-looking at all. Once we kill Kairen, you'll make a fine little slave for me."
He reached out, intending to stroke her face.
Shizune closed her eyes. Her face had gone pale—the poison inside her body was eating away at her organs like venomous insects.
Seeing Naoto's lecherous gesture, her expression dimmed. She hated how weak she was—how she had become nothing but a burden to Kairen.
The sound of explosions from the sky drew Naoto's attention. He pulled his hand back and immediately saw Kairen descending from above, wings unfurled.
"Hmph! Brat, I knew you wouldn't abandon your little sweetheart. You've come running straight to your death!"
Kairen formed hand seals.
"Smoke Transformation Genjutsu!"
In an instant, thick white smoke billowed outward, obscuring the Root ninjas' vision. From Kairen's gourd, a torrent of liquor sprayed out, swirling like a nest of serpents.
It quickly coiled around Shizune, lifting her high into the sky.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Kairen took the chance to form a shadow clone. The clone transformed into a hawk, carrying Shizune away into the distance.
"Genjutsu Release!"
A Root shinobi skilled in illusions swiftly formed hand seals, dispelling Kairen's Smoke Transformation Genjutsu.
In that moment, killing intent surged through the forest. More than a dozen cold eyes locked tightly onto Kairen.
Shimura Naoto sneered.
"So what if you saved that girl? The antidote is still in our hands. If you want it… kneel, and beg me!"
Damn bastard! If my system were fully activated, I'd dig up every grave in your Shimura clan.
Kairen clenched his fist, his Byakugan observing the Root shinobi below. He quickly pinpointed the Jōnin who had poisoned Shizune earlier—his entire body was covered in hidden mechanisms, surely filled with venomous needles.
Shimura Masao waved his hand.
"All together! Kill this brat! I want his corpse on the dissection table!"
"Swish, swish, swish—"
Wind whistled as every Root shinobi charged toward Kairen at once.
Kairen tightened his fists, his brain racing. He couldn't afford even the slightest graze—every weapon Root carried was coated with poison. A single cut could doom him.
His eyes locked on the poison-user below. Dozens of shuriken flew upward, hidden among several giant Fūma Shuriken.
For a brief moment, Kairen regretted not learning a defensive jutsu. If he had mastered something like Rotation, he could have easily deflected all of these.
But regret was fleeting—he still had his Liquor Release battle style, not unlike Gaara's sand defense.
"Fiery Liquor Technique: Release!"
Liquor gushed from Kairen's gourd, forming a massive barrier of alcohol around him. The incoming shuriken plunged into the liquid, their speed blunted and impact neutralized.
Kairen swung his hand, and the liquor condensed into a dragon-shaped torrent, surging downward toward the enemy. Embedded within it were the very shuriken thrown by the Root shinobi—if any were caught in the flow, those spinning blades would tear their flesh apart.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A Root shinobi skilled in Water Release quickly formed hand seals, spewing out a dragon-shaped torrent to clash against Kairen's liquor dragon.
"Light it up!"
Kairen snapped his fingers. The alcohol ignited instantly, transforming the liquor dragon into a blazing Fire Dragon. The scorching flames vaporized the opposing Water Dragon in a burst of steam, filling the area with dense, hot mist.
From behind his sunglasses, Aburame Tatsuma—the top Jōnin of Root—watched with a faint glow reflecting off the lenses.
Calmly, he analyzed, "Chakra Nature Transformation—turning water into alcohol, then mixing it with fire for combustion… what an unimaginable display of ninjutsu talent."
But Root's shinobi were not to be underestimated.
Next to him, an Earth Release shinobi formed hand seals.
He spat out pebbles that expanded midair, transforming into massive stone shells that rained down like cannonfire.
Kairen flapped his wings, twisting through the air with several sharp turns, narrowly evading the barrage of stone shells.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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