"Oh no! Kimimaro was already terminally ill, and now, after falling for Yakushi Kabuto's trick and fighting you for so long, Kazama-sama, I'm afraid…"
Orochimaru's voice trailed off as he helped Kimimaro to his feet.
Kimimaro's face was pale as gold leaf, his breathing shallow and fading. It was clear he was on the brink of death.
"You can't heal him either?" Kazama asked.
Orochimaru gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Kazama-sama, you may not know, but Kimimaro's illness is a curse of the Kaguya clan. No one can cure it…"
"Yōka!"
Just as Orochimaru was lamenting Kimimaro's impending death, Kazama channeled the power of Yōka, the yang flame from his Yin-Yang Dual Flames, into Kimimaro's body.
"Kazama-sama, there's no need to waste your energy. I've tried every method, and nothing…"
Orochimaru's words faltered as he noticed Kimimaro's complexion gradually turning rosy. His breathing steadied, and the wounds from the battle began healing at a visible rate.
"This… My goodness! Kazama-sama, you're incredible!"
Orochimaru was utterly floored, his admiration for Kazama boundless.
"Orochimaru-sama, was it you who saved me?"
Upon waking, Kimimaro immediately tried to bow deeply to Orochimaru in gratitude, but Orochimaru quickly stopped him.
"It was Kazama-sama who pulled you back from the edge of the underworld. Hurry and thank him!"
"What?!"
Shocked by Orochimaru's words, Kimimaro's heart skipped a beat. He turned to Kazama and attempted a deep bow, only for Kazama to gently pull him back up.
"It's a small matter, not worth mentioning. You and Orochimaru are my comrades—how could I stand by and let you die?"
Kimimaro's eyes welled with tears, moved by Kazama's words. He'd once wondered why Orochimaru would submit to Kazama. But now, seeing Kazama's immense strength and boundless compassion, Kimimaro felt an urge to climb mountains or brave seas of fire for him.
"Kazama-sama, that flame of yours is extraordinary—it can even bring someone back from the brink! What's it called?" Orochimaru asked, his curiosity piqued. As someone obsessed with research, he was naturally drawn to such mysterious phenomena.
"It's a strange flame of the heavens and earth, called Yin-Yang Dual Flames!"
Kazama held out his hands, revealing two entwined flames—one black, one white. Even Orochimaru, with all his vast knowledge, was captivated, let alone Kimimaro.
"The black one is Inka, the yin flame. It kills without a trace!"
Kazama directed a wisp of Inka toward a pile of bones left from Kimimaro's earlier Sawarabi no Mai. In an instant, the entire bone forest was reduced to nothingness.
Orochimaru and Kimimaro instinctively stepped back, stunned by the sight. Kimimaro, in particular, knew the bones from his Sawarabi no Mai were harder than steel—yet Kazama's Inka had effortlessly turned them to ash. He shuddered, realizing that if Kazama had used this attack during their fight, he'd already be long gone.
"The white one is Yōka, the yang flame. As long as there's a single breath left, it can sustain life endlessly. But it's not truly a resurrection flame—if someone's already completely dead, even Yōka can't save them."
"I see!"
Orochimaru and Kimimaro nodded vigorously, hanging on to Kazama's every word like eager students.