Konoha: Gu Master

Shinho clasped his hands together, interrupting the ongoing chatter.

Nearby, countless vines extended from the surrounding trees, resembling a barrage of arrows, enveloping the area.

Fire Pupil Gu!

Shinho glanced around briefly.

A scorching heat surged into the air.

Flames ignited out of nowhere, spreading rapidly.

The vines were soon consumed by the fire, burning fiercely.

Not only that, but the surrounding forest was also caught in the blaze.

"What kind of Fire Release jutsu is this?" Tsunade exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

In theory, Fire Release was supposed to counter Wood Release, but in practice, it usually didn't.

Ordinary Fire Release techniques were incapable of overcoming Hashirama Senju's Wood Release.

"This isn't Fire Release," Shinho replied calmly.

The weakened version of Hashirama didn't pose much of a threat to him.

A golden light flashed as Shinho's body disappeared.

The shadow phantom of dragon and elephant appeared in the air, and the next moment, Hashirama was sent flying backward.

An explosive force erupted in his abdomen, leaving a deep, gaping hole.

The ground cracked, forming a human-shaped crater.

Hashirama lay within, his condition uncertain.

However, his abdominal wound was slowly healing.

"If it's not Fire Release, then it must be a mutated Gu worm," Tsunade concluded as she observed the changes in the battle.

The scene in front of her left her stunned.

The once-unbeatable Hashirama was suddenly taken down with a single punch.

"What level of strength has this kid reached?" Tsunade muttered in disbelief.

Unfortunately, this was only a discounted version of Hashirama.

Otherwise, she would've genuinely wanted to see Shinho's limits.

"We need to find the caster behind the Reanimation Jutsu," Tsunade reminded hastily as she saw Hashirama rise to his feet, completely unscathed.

Shinho nodded slightly.

After regaining his balance, Hashirama formed hand seals again.

Before him, trees regrew rapidly, forming an intricate network of branches that transformed into layers of dense vines.

"Don't you want to have a word with Grandpa First?" Shinho asked nonchalantly.

Multiple Sword Shadow Gu!

Shadows flickered, and sword projections bloomed like a black peacock.

One sword light after another pierced through the vines.

In an instant, they were reduced to tiny fragments of wood, scattering to the ground.

"I do," Tsunade replied without much hesitation.

It had been far too long since she'd last seen Hashirama.

They'd always shared a close bond.

Her penchant for gambling and love for good sake were habits she picked up from him.

"I have a way," Shinho said with a mysterious smile. "You just need to wait."

Tsunade's heart warmed slightly at his words.

But in the next instant, Hashirama was sent flying once again.

"…"

Tsunade was left speechless.

Though it was a reanimated body, the soul was still that of Hashirama Senju.

Shinho glanced at her briefly.

By now, Shinho's interest had waned.

Fighting a weakened version of Hashirama was no longer engaging.

Immobilization Gu!

Shinho closed the distance swiftly.

At such close range, Hashirama was struck and immobilized, frozen in place.

Tsunade exhaled in relief.

Watching her grandfather get pummeled was a complex experience.

Without further dialogue, Shinho turned his attention to Tobirama.

Since Tobirama couldn't use the Flying Thunder God Technique effectively, he was unable to keep up with Might Guy, who had activated the Eight Gates.

Countless streams of water formed walls around Tobirama, but they were shattered in the next moment by a streak of blue energy.

Tobirama was sent flying, the entire left side of his body pulverized.

"The blue light—he's at the Seventh Gate," Tsunade observed, regaining her composure. "It's not as fatal as the Eighth Gate, but prolonged use of that will put a heavy burden on the body."

Shinho extended his palm.

Immobilization Gu!

At this moment, Tobirama lay on the ground as his body recovered and unable to move, making it easy for Immobilization gu to take effect.

"Uncle Guy!" Shinho called out, "Deactivate the Eight Gates now!"

"Yes!" Might Guy responded loudly.

The blue energy dissipated from his body, and he stumbled, falling to the ground and panting heavily without regard for his image.

"I'll check on him," Tsunade said as she walked over, crouched down, and extended her hands.

Kabuto realized he and Orochimaru had completely misjudged Shinho.

Shinho's strength far exceeded their expectations.

To think that he could defeat both Hashirama and Tobirama so easily was beyond belief.

Looking back, their earlier boasting now seemed utterly ridiculous.

Kabuto sighed deeply.

What was Orochimaru's current situation?

He could only hope Shinho's words had been truthful.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed.

"Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto instinctively looked up, his face lighting up with joy.

Although Orochimaru appeared weak and pale, the fact that he could walk unaided was proof that he was not critically injured.

But what was going on?

Why had Shinho spared them?

"From now on, Otogakure will serve under Lord Shinho," Orochimaru declared calmly.

"...?"

Kabuto froze.

Had Orochimaru been placed under genjutsu?

Without hesitation, he grabbed Orochimaru's wrist and channeled chakra into it.

The simplest way to break genjutsu was to disrupt the flow of chakra.

"I'm not under genjutsu," Orochimaru said, his gaze lowering slightly. "This is merely a temporary measure to ensure our survival."

Kabuto's expression shifted to one of realization.

So that was it.

Though it seemed uncharacteristic of Orochimaru, it wasn't entirely implausible; he was, after all, highly pragmatic.

"Thank you for your efforts, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto said, taking a deep breath.

He had always admired Orochimaru.

That vast knowledge and overwhelming power were what he aspired to.

But now, having to endure such humiliation left Kabuto feeling disoriented.

Not long ago, they had ruled over Otogakure as they pleased, yet in less than half a day, they'd become prisoners.

And it was all because of the Sixth Hokage, Shinho Aburame.

"You two, come here," Shinho suddenly called out.

Kabuto and Orochimaru froze momentarily.

"Let's go," Orochimaru said nonchalantly.

Kabuto was taken aback by his composure.

Such an unshakable attitude—it was truly fitting for Orochimaru-sama!

"What's going on?" Tsunade asked as she quickly moved to stand in front of Shinho, her face filled with vigilance as she stared at Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Sensei, there's no need to worry," Shinho reassured her. "I've reached a cooperative agreement with Orochimaru."

"Cooperation?" Tsunade frowned, openly skeptical, "Orochimaru is a highly cunning and treacherous fellow. Collaborating with him is the fastest recipe for disaster."

"Heh, you're still the same as ever, Tsunade," Orochimaru's sadid in his raspy voice.

Although Orochimaru was under the control of the Slavery Gu, apart from being loyal to Shinho, everything else about him remained unchanged—his personality, behavior, and mannerisms were all intact.

"Kabuto, restore the self-awareness of the two Hokage," Shinho instructed.

Kabuto glanced at Orochimaru before approaching Hashirama Senju. He carefully removed the kunai with the sealing talisman embedded in Hashirama's head.

Hashirama's eyes gradually regained their clarity.

"Grandfather!" Tsunade rushed forward, no longer paying attention to Orochimaru. "How are you feeling?"

Hashirama held his forehead, wincing slightly. Although he had lost control over his body during the reanimation, he retained all his memories.

"Little Tsunade, you've grown so much," Hashirama said with a sigh, his voice filled with emotion.

From their earlier battle, he could see Tsunade's significant progress, including her mastery of techniques that somewhat resembled Wood Release. 

Yet, what intrigued him even more was Shinho.

"I'm practically as old as you now, Grandfather," Tsunade muttered, tugging at the corners of her mouth awkwardly.

After speaking, she realized something: this situation felt surreal.

"That's true," Hashirama chuckled, then asked with genuine curiosity, "At your age, you should be a grandmother by now, right? Where are your children? Are they back in Konoha?!"

"…"

Tsunade's expression froze. Instinctively, she glanced at Shinho.

"OH!! Is it him?" Hashirama's eyes lit up as he noticed her reaction. He waved enthusiastically at Shinho. "Come over here!"

"He's not!" Tsunade quickly blocked Hashirama's line of sight.

"Brother, don't you see the issue here?" 

After watching them for a while, Tonirama spoke, his sharp eyes gleaming.

"Granduncle!" Tsunade clenched her fists instinctively.

"What do you mean, Tobirama?" Hashirama scratched his head, looking puzzled.

"Stop!" Tsunade interrupted hastily, pulling the two of them aside. "Let's discuss this over there!"

Without waiting for a reply, she dragged them away.

…

"How's the situation in Otogakure?" Shinho asked casually, withdrawing his gaze from the trio.

"Everything is as usual," Orochimaru responded, his tone involuntarily respectful. "They remain loyal to me and, by extension, to you."

Kabuto watched in shock. Orochimaru-sama had sacrificed far too much!

In that moment, Kabuto silently vowed to find a way to free them from Shinho's control.

"Good," Shinho nodded slightly. "I'll need a detailed report on Otogakure."

"I'll take care of it," Kabuto volunteered immediately, his tone firm. "I can have it ready by tonight!"

"Very well." Shinho observed Kabuto.

Diligent, are we?

It was clear that Orochimaru's influence was still immense. 

Kabuto, Guren, and the others were all willing to go to great lengths for him, whether that meant braving fire and water or enduring humiliation.

But Shinho remained unfazed. 

Strength reigned supreme, and that remained the ultimate truth of the Shinobi world.

Among Otogakure's ninjas, Kabuto had the highest potential, especially if he mastered Sage Mode. 

For now, though, he was still far from being a true threat.

Shinho closed his eyes, using the waiting time to tally his gains.

..

[Achievement Unlocked: "Snake Captor." Reward: Strenuous Gu.]

[Strenuous Gu (Rank 4): A Gu worm that forces the enemy to exert far more effort for every action, doubling their energy expenditure.]

This was the achievement reward for defeating Orochimaru. Though Strenuous Gu was a Rank 4 Gu worm, its effects were remarkable—especially for Shinho, whose strength centered around the killer move Djinn Transformation. 

By deploying Strenuous Gu, he could drain his enemies' strength effortlessly.

From a tactical perspective, it was akin to enhancing his own power relative to the enemy.

..

[Achievement Unlocked: "Master of Otogakure." Reward: Restraining Sound Gu.

[Restraining Sound Gu (Rank 5): Produces an invisible soundwave that locks the target in place, akin to an unbreakable iron chain.]

..

This achievement triggered when Shinho subdued Orochimaru with the Slavery Gu. While its effect resembled the Immobilization Gu, its higher rank meant it could immobilize the majority of shinobi in the ninja world. 

Only individuals like Madara Uchiha might pose a challenge.

However, like the Immobilization Gu, it required a direct hit to be effective. If the target's speed was sufficient, they could evade it.

But with the Golden Aroura Gu and Rainbow Light Gu enhancing his speed, Shinho had the advantage.

..

[Achievement Unlocked: "Talking Corpses." Reward: Asura Zombie Gu.]

[Asura Zombie Gu (Rank 5): A transformation-path Gu worm that allows the user to transform into one of the six flying zombies, the Asura Zombie.]

..

This achievement was unlocked after Shinho's battle with Hashirama. While the Asura Zombie Gu was powerful on its own, its true value lay in its role as a component for the killer move Six-Armed Heavenly Zombie King.

Killer moves combined multiple Gu worms to unleash power far surpassing what any single Gu worm could achieve. 

For example, Shinho's current Djinn Transformation paled in comparison to the Six-Armed Heavenly Zombie King.

The Six-Armed Heavenly Zombie King was a pinnacle-level killer move that combined strength-path and transformation-path techniques. 

It used Borrow Strength Gu as its core and six flying zombie Gu worms as its support.

The transformation enhanced the user's physical strength tenfold, eliminated pain sensations, and granted extraordinary regenerative abilities. 

Additionally, the Borrow Strength Gu allowed the user to draw on the power of nature—sky, earth, water, fire—making their strength inexhaustible.

However, such power came at a cost. The transformation could only last for half an hour. 

Beyond that, corpse energy would invade the user's body, damaging their life essence irreversibly. 

There was also the risk of turning into a zombie permanently, losing the ability to generate true essence and stagnating cultivation.

While the side effects were severe, it remained a potential game-changer in critical moments. 

For Shinho, though, it was still a distant goal—he had only obtained one of the necessary Gu worms so far.

…

Shinho opened his eyes.

Orochimaru and Kabuto still stood beside him, waiting silently.

After a moment's thought, Shinho said, "Orochimaru, you will accompany me back to Konoha."

"Yes," Orochimaru replied without hesitation.

"This…" Kabuto's face tightened. 

Returning to Konoha would be unimaginably dangerous. But seeing Orochimaru's calm expression, he swallowed the rest of his words.

"Otogakure will remain intact," Shinho continued. "From now on, any secret experiments will be conducted here."

Orochimaru had spent years establishing Otogakure. Its facilities were highly advanced, and its remote location made it an ideal base for experiments that weren't suited to be made public.

Shinho didn't mind if Orochimaru conducted human experiments—as long as the test subjects were scum. And in the ninja world, there was no shortage of such people.

Kabuto breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried that Otogakure would be merged into Konoha, which would have made any covert operations far more difficult.

"For more specific arrangements, I'll decide after reviewing the report tonight," Shinho concluded, waving a hand dismissively.

"Yes," Orochimaru replied.

Moments later, Tsunade approached Shinho, her expression uncharacteristically hesitant.

"My grandfather and Granduncle want to see you," she said. "Remember—don't say anything stupid!"