"It's nearly complete." Kabuto strode through the dark underground base in the Land of Rice, his voice brimming with pride. Everything had gone according to plan—his efforts hadn't been wasted.
In his eyes, all of this was something he deserved. He had already pushed those forbidden techniques to their limits… but it still wasn't enough. He had an even greater goal to pursue.
They say only kind-hearted people can truly rule the world. But that's a lie.
The world has always belonged to the strong—the weak are consumed by them. That is the law of the jungle. Therefore, to rule the world, one must possess immense ambition and wisdom. Only then can one claim it, maintain it, and shape it as they see fit.
Most importantly, to truly dominate the world, one must have an immortal body—one that never ages, never dies.
Orochimaru had already outpaced everyone else in this area, although his own desire for immortality wasn't particularly intense.
"Time for the final trial… to see just how far my jutsu has advanced." As Kabuto spoke, he entered a room within the hideout.
Inside the room were many captured Konoha ninja. Bound tightly, tubes inserted into their bodies, they were clearly under heavy sedation.
Using his mastery of Medical Ninjutsu, Kabuto could keep them in this unconscious state for long periods—neither dying nor awakening.
This suited him perfectly, as most of these prisoners were Konoha ninja ambushed by Otogakure ninjas on their way to the front lines and brought here as captives.
These Konoha ninja were mostly hot-headed and difficult to control, which was why Kabuto subjected them to this special "treatment."
Besides, he still needed their bodies for his experiments.
At the center of the facility, one Konoha ninja was firmly bound to the floor, completely under Kabuto's control.
The wounds and bloodstains on his body showed he had endured a fierce battle—but now, none of that mattered anymore. He was nothing more than an asset—a tool for Kabuto's ambitions.
Kabuto dripped some blood onto a special scroll spread across the floor. A massive sealing formation unfolded beneath his feet.
Though the Konoha ninja couldn't move, fear burned brightly in his eyes—especially when he heard Kabuto speak the name of that technique. His terror intensified instantly.
Kabuto took cruel pleasure in watching his "specimen" show signs of fear—it gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction.
[Impure World Reincarnation]!
As Kabuto's voice fell, ash began covering the Konoha ninja's body.
He stirred with a flicker of consciousness—just enough to feel the terror and agony of death. He wanted to scream, but no sound could escape his lips.
The other prisoners watched the scene with horror. None had ever seen such a terrifying jutsu before, since Kabuto typically performed these experiments in solitude, away from prying eyes.
A proud grin spread across Kabuto's face as he watched the Konoha ninja writhing in agony.
He waited until the Impure World Reincarnation was complete, then stepped forward and pressed a talisman onto the summoned figure's forehead.
The decaying corpse stirred back to life, its eyes slowly opening.
"…Where… am I? Kabuto?"
"Stand up," Kabuto ordered, his eyes glinting with malice. The soul under his control obeyed, rising to its feet, which amused him in a strange way.
"You should've killed me back then instead of dismissing me as too weak to be worth the effort. Think about it—you went through all that trouble to kill Orochimaru, yet now you're controlled by one of his subordinates. How ironic."
Before Kabuto stood Sasuke Uchiha, burning with fury, his Sharingan instinctively activating.
"You despicable coward!" he barked, fury blazing in his voice.
"Oh, your Sharingan remains intact," Kabuto said excitedly. "That's wonderful news—it fits perfectly into my plan. Now, I believe your teammates are on their way here to rescue you. Go greet them and show them your strength."
******
To fulfill his promise, A had specially prepared a small transport vessel to ferry Naruto to the tip of the Snow Country Peninsula, allowing him to return to Konoha sooner.
Since the ship was crewed by experienced sailors, Naruto could relax and do as he pleased aboard.
Basking in the sunlight and sea breeze, Naruto sat on the deck holding the sword that had accompanied him for over two years. He still hadn't unlocked the seal on the blade—not even the Nine-Tails knew its secret.
He only knew it was a gift from the Sage of Six Paths to Itachi Uchiha, capable of manipulating Yin and Yang chakra, as it contained Madara Uchiha's chakra within it.
It was said that the sword could slice through time and space itself, but Naruto still hadn't discovered how to wield it.
"Nine-Tails," Naruto muttered mentally, trying not to look insane. He didn't realize that Kumo ninja were already accustomed to B's eccentricities—but after all, he wasn't from Kumogakure. "What exactly is this sword's secret?"
"Just channel chakra into it, and it can slice through time and space, though you won't see the tears. You keep wanting to find ways to cross those rifts, but that's impossible—they close faster than you can react. Even if you saw them, you couldn't pass through. Your speed isn't enough. The reason you perceive them at all is because of your Sharingan."
"I'm asking you, not looking for an insult," Naruto sighed helplessly. "I know you get a kick out of watching me fail, but can we save the insults for later—like when I'm resting?"
"You don't have time to rest," the Nine-Tails replied impatiently. Truthfully, it liked resting just as much as anyone else did. But since the war began, Naruto had been constantly fighting without pause—either training or carrying out missions, never getting any real rest. "Snap out of it. Focus on your training."
"Don't think about what you can do. Think about what you see when you wield the blade."
Naruto saw a ripple in the air.
"Do you remember what you saw when that impostor Madara used his spatial ninjutsu?"
The Nine-Tails already knew what he meant. Since Naruto mastered Sage Mode, it had been able to sense everything he felt. It could even see through his eyes.
It could've told him directly, but it enjoyed watching him struggle through intense meditation.
"Do you remember what you saw when you passed through his body? I know you saw something — and you saw it clearly."
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