Chapter 33: Chapter 33
Danzo glanced at the stone, now inert and lifeless, as if mocking him in silence. A strange idea crossed his mind—what if he tossed this stone into one of Konoha's public toilets? Even in death, Hiruzen seemed intent on hindering him, and Danzo's frustration simmered beneath the surface.
"I'm setting out now to bring Tsunade back," Jiraiya said firmly. "I'll leave the village in your hands for now."
Danzo offered a terse nod as Jiraiya departed. If this was Hiruzen's decision, Jiraiya, as his student, wouldn't contest it. Once Jiraiya was out of sight, Danzo finally allowed himself to sit in the Hokage's seat. Yet, an unsettling emptiness gnawed at him.
Why can't I feel any satisfaction? Even now, Hiruzen still manages to ruin my plans.
He reached for the stone and slipped it into his pocket, deciding to visit the hospital to check on Sasuke's condition. But when he arrived, the bed was empty.
Even with his remarkable self-control, Danzo couldn't mask his irritation. His voice thundered through the hospital corridors. "Where is he? Don't tell me a comatose shinobi walked out on his own! Are you all blind?!"
His fury was no longer about Sasuke; it was the culmination of mounting frustrations, directed at the hapless medical ninja standing before him.
"Long time no see," Kabuto said smoothly, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched Sasuke awaken.
"You betrayed the village," Sasuke said coldly, his tone accusatory.
Kabuto tilted his head, his expression unbothered. "Why do you say that? Why couldn't it be that the village betrayed me?" he retorted.
Sasuke's lips parted to respond but faltered. "There's no reason for the village to..." His voice trailed off, uncertain.
"You see? You don't even know yourself," Kabuto chuckled, slipping a pill into Sasuke's mouth before he could resist.
"What are you trying to do?" Sasuke demanded, his voice strained.
"I didn't capture you for myself," Kabuto replied. "Orochimaru-sama wishes to meet you. He has a question for you: do you crave power?" His voice lowered, almost conspiratorial. "The kind of power that can rival Naruto's."
Sasuke's eyes lit up with a mixture of hope and determination. The promise of power—the power to avenge his clan, the power to surpass Naruto—was too tempting to ignore. Kabuto watched the shift in Sasuke's expression with satisfaction. Another one had succumbed to the allure of strength.
On the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, the landscape was slowly transforming. It had taken Might Guy, Rock Lee, Naruto, and Neji five days to clear the rubble. Their combined expertise in taijutsu had made the grueling task a fitting training exercise.
Naruto had declared the site as the foundation for a new Konoha. Alongside Uzumaki Chito, Guy, Lee, and Neji, he envisioned this place as the birthplace of a renewed village.
Naruto's massive chakra reserves fueled countless shadow clones, each tirelessly contributing to the work. However, as the clones dispelled, the accumulated exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him. His body sagged under the strain, barely able to remain standing.
"Lord Chito, Naruto is pushing himself too hard," Might Guy said, his concern evident. "Even Lee and I can't endure this level of intensity."
"It's his choice," Uzumaki Chito replied calmly. "If he wants to become Hokage, he must pay the price for that ambition."
"But at this rate, his body will collapse!" Guy protested.
"Even if he dies, I can retrieve his soul and bring him back to life," Chito said dismissively.
Guy had no response. Uzumaki Chito's abilities were beyond comprehension, his power bordering on divine. Guy briefly considered asking if Chito could resurrect his father, but he dismissed the thought. What right do I have to ask for such a favor?
Seeing through Guy's hesitation, Chito's tone softened. "Naruto is working hard, but even he needs rest. In a few days, take the children out to see the world."
"Understood," Guy replied with a bow.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, still grappling with the loss of his arms, weighed his options. He considered resorting to the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique to secure a new body, but Uzumaki Chito's existence gave him pause. Chito's apparent immortality provided a living example that Orochimaru couldn't ignore. Perhaps there was another path to eternal life. For now, he resolved to seek out a skilled medical ninja to aid his recovery.
Naruto, though eager to continue training, reluctantly accepted Uzumaki Chito's advice. "Overtraining can hinder growth," Chito warned. "A developing body needs balance."
Soon after, Naruto and his team prepared for a mission to the Land of Sound—Orochimaru's territory. Uzumaki Chito had given Neji a lead on the Tenseigan's secrets, suggesting Orochimaru might hold the answers.
Chito had also presented a darker, more ruthless option: to annihilate the entire Hyuga clan and collect all their Byakugan. With that, Neji could create an unrivaled Tenseigan. But Neji had refused. No matter how flawed the Hyuga clan was, there were people within it he wished to protect. He chose the path of seeking Orochimaru instead.
After a long journey filled with lighthearted banter, the group arrived in the Land of Sound. Following the coordinates Orochimaru had left behind, they located his hidden laboratory. Inside, they found only a handful of his assistants.
Stepping forward, Neji addressed them. "Is Orochimaru here? We need to meet with him."
The assistants, though cautious, relaxed slightly. Only those associated with Orochimaru could have found this lab.
One of them smirked and replied, "Orochimaru-sama? He's likely at a casino right now."