Chapter 40 Meeting Kimimaro
The clash between the Sound Four and Yuto had ended in moments.
So when Orochimaru walked out with Kimimaro, he was met with a grisly scene—only Tayuya's body was left somewhat intact, while the other three were nothing but mangled flesh.
At Orochimaru's feet, Ukon's severed head rolled helplessly, trembling with fear.
"Orochimaru-sama, save me!"
Ukon cried out in terror. Without a host body, even with the curse mark's power, he wouldn't last long.
Orochimaru's face darkened, cold enough to drip poison. In just the span of a few breaths, the subordinates he had painstakingly cultivated were gone.
In their second-stage cursed form, the Sound Four could trouble even Orochimaru himself—hence why he had trusted them to confront Yuto. He had only wanted to test Yuto's recovery, never expecting them to be wiped out instantly.
"Yuto-dono, killing my people in my own domain… don't you think I deserve an explanation?"
Orochimaru's voice was low, seeping menace. His aura turned chilling as he stared across at the approaching Yuto.
Beside him, Kimimaro bent slightly at the knees, ready to fight.
"An explanation? And why should I give you one?"
Yuto's tone was light, his smile faint as he walked closer.
The Sound Four might have been supporting roles in the original tale, but they were far from ordinary fodder. Their role in the Konoha Crush was significant, enabling Orochimaru to kill the Third Hokage. Their early deaths would certainly alter the flow of events.
But that was Orochimaru's concern, not his.
To Yuto, what people called "plot" was simply the current of fate.
Even if the Sound Four were dead, he knew Orochimaru's resourcefulness could find other pawns to weave the Four Purple Flame Formation.
Still, thoughts of "fate" brought a flicker of contemplation to his eyes. Once, he would have dismissed the notion. But after encountering Hashirama and Madara, he found himself wavering.
His revival had coincided perfectly with the story's beginning. By the intelligence from Kirigakure, Naruto Uzumaki had only just become a genin, still running D-rank missions like weeding.
Originally, Yuto had intended to awaken during the Second or Third Great Ninja War, even laying down contingencies. Yet fate had denied him that choice.
The clans he had planned to use—the Hozuki, the Taketori—had been wiped out in his absence. Had he risen earlier, it never would have happened. But something unseen, some vast current, had delayed his return.
Black Zetsu, the soul of the Sage of Six Paths, the Death God of the Reaper Death Seal, the prophetic elder toad of Mount Myōboku—too many beings tugged at the strings of this world.
This shinobi world was far from simple.
A smirk tugged at Yuto's lips. It was becoming more entertaining.
He stepped forward. In an instant, he vanished, reappearing a short distance before Orochimaru.
"Oh? And here we still have half a one."
Casting a glance at Ukon's head on the ground, Yuto lifted his foot and brought it down.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. He raised his hand for an instant, but then slowly let it fall, expressionless once more.
Clashing with Yuto now would be folly. Even with his trump card—Hashirama's cells—Orochimaru knew the risk too well. To use it would mean the final break between them, and consequences he did not wish to face unless absolutely forced.
But Kimimaro at his side thought differently. To him, no insult to Orochimaru could be endured.
With a flick of his wrist, a bone blade slid free from his palm.
His body dipped, taut as a spring, and in the next breath Kimimaro launched forward, the bone blade thrusting straight for Yuto's chest.
Yuto's eyes flickered. From the moment Kimimaro had stepped forth, he had already noted the last scion of the Kaguya clan.
Orochimaru's gaze remained calm. For anyone else, a reckless attack against Yuto would end in instant death. But Kimimaro was different. Yuto's connection to the Kaguya clan was not lost on him.
The air cracked with the whistle of bone. Kimimaro's blade closed the final gap—and stopped dead.
His eyes widened in shock. The weapon had touched Yuto's chest but hadn't pierced so much as the fabric of his robe. No matter how much force he poured in, the bone would not advance a single fraction.
"Speed, power, both commendable," Yuto said evenly. "But your stamina falters. Has the Kaguya bloodline limit already eroded your body this much?"
Kimimaro froze, stunned. His condition was known only to Orochimaru and a handful within the Sound. How could this man possibly know?
Across from them, Orochimaru's snake-like pupils glimmered with a sharp light. Excitement curled at his lips as he licked them.
Kimimaro's illness had long vexed him. Countless methods had been tried, none effective. The disease was tied inseparably to the clan's bloodline limit—unless that limit itself was erased, the sickness would never vanish.
And if there was anyone alive who understood the Kaguya bloodline, it was Yuto, the First Mizukage. Orochimaru had scoured every record he could find: the clan's past leader, Kaguya Setsuya, had never suffered such a fate. No chronicle ever mentioned his body failing him.
Which meant Yuto knew truths others could not.
"Care to join Kirigakure?" Yuto asked suddenly, with a faint smile.
(End of Chapter)
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 8 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 64 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/anish_44
{Please join patreon. I am posting 4 chapters per day there, for any tier you join, you can read 4 chapters for all series i work on. and i currently badly need financial support to keep myself afloat. I will continue to do my best to provide you with good chapters daily. So i hope you can help me escape these troubled times.}