"All-Killing Ash Bones?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly… this is the first time he had heard this term.
Menma didn't explain. Instead, he gently picked up the sleeping Kimimaro.
The young Kimimaro still had some baby fat on his face. His cheeks were slightly flushed from prolonged illness, and fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
"This is the second one. The next one must be mine!" Orochimaru licked his lips discontentedly, his tone tinged with jealousy.
'Shura is too overbearing. It Not only had he taken away a child with the Ice Release from the Yuki Clan, but now he was also taking the prodigy of the Kaguya Clan.'
"The first one." Menma tossed a Flying Thunder God kunai at Orochimaru's feet: "Haku doesn't belong to Kirigakure. Besides, I found him myself."
"Hmph, I'm starting to regret bringing you here." Orochimaru said darkly.
Ignoring Orochimaru's complaints, Menma activated the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport over an extremely long distance.
But a moment later, Menma returned to the Kaguya Clan's dungeon.
"Let's go." Menma said to Orochimaru, who looked resentful, "The Kaguya Clan's compound is now full of the elderly, women, and children. If you want to kidnap kids, this is the perfect opportunity."
This somewhat eased Orochimaru's mood.
For the rest of the night, Orochimaru and Menma moved through the Kaguya Clan's territory, abducting some of the younger Kaguya Clan's children.
Whenever they encountered the remaining elders or women, Orochimaru would kill them without hesitation, then seal their bodies away in sealing scrolls.
"These people won't survive past tomorrow anyway." Orochimaru sneered and explained, "It makes no difference who kills them."
Meanwhile, Menma took the opportunity to collect several secret technique scrolls belonging to the Kaguya Clan.
While these techniques required the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai, for Menma, they could serve as research material for developing the [All-Killing Ash Bones] as a precursor technology.
While Menma and Orochimaru were busy plundering the Kaguya Clan's children and their secret techniques-
An unprecedented rebellion erupted within Kirigakure!
Nearly all of the Kaguya Clan's combat forces mobilized, with the Kaguya Clan's head personally leading an elite unit straight toward the Hokage Building.
However, Yagura had long since ordered Anbu to monitor the territories of each major clan. Any unusual movements were to be reported to him immediately.
Therefore, the moment the Kaguya Clan's Ninjas left their territory, the monitoring Anbu detected them and promptly reported to their Mizukage.
Yagura ordered Fuguki to lead all Anbu's members into action while simultaneously issuing commands to the major clans and Civilian Ninjas to suppress the rebellion.
Target: the Kaguya Clan!
"Tch, what a bunch of fools who don't know their place." In the Mizukage's office in the Mizukage building, Yagura sat stiffly in his chair like a puppet, while a low, mocking chuckle came from the shadows behind him.
Obito, clad in his dark blue robe and wearing his tiger-striped mask, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the escalating battle in the distance. He almost wished every Ninja in Kirigakure would die!
"Hey hey, Obito." A venus flytrap-like figure emerged from the ground, and White Zetsu chirped excitedly, "The fighting down there is so intense! It feels like their shit is about to come out!"
"Call me Madara-sama!" Obito snapped coldly without turning his head.
"Sure thing, Obito-sama!" White Zetsu replied, still grinning cheekily.
Obito snorted and turned away.
The battle below continued. Without even requiring Yagura to step in, Kirigakure's Anbu had already repelled the Kaguya Clan's first assault.
Soon after, the major clans, though reluctant, complied with the Mizukage's orders, fearing that refusal would earn them the wrath of their volatile leader.
Thus, they dispatched their Ninjas to join the suppression effort.
The Civilian Ninjas had long held grievances against the lunatics from the Kaguya Clan. Therefore, upon receiving the order to quell the rebellion, they became the most zealous participants in the operation.
"How are Nagato and Konan doing lately?" Obito's voice came from behind his mask.
"It's still the same as usual." Zetsu shrugged: "The Six Paths of Pain aren't complete yet, and we still haven't found suitable candidates for the organization's new members."
Obito silently observed the battlefield below, thinking about the several members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist who had already defected. He thought he could find an opportunity to recruit them as pawns.
Just as Obito was deep in thought, White Zetsu suddenly gave a warning: "Someone is coming."
Obito immediately melted into the shadows, and Zetsu submerged into the ground.
Tap, tap, tap-
Footsteps approached from the distance. A Ninja with a large sword strapped to his back and a Kirigakure's forehead protector tied diagonally around his spiky hair pushed the door open.
Bandages covered half of his face, but they couldn't hide the sharp glint of killing intent in his eyes.
It was none other than Momochi Zabuza, known as the [Demon].
However, at this time, Biwa Juzo had not yet defected, and the Kubikiribocho was still in the possession of Biwa Juzo.
As a Ninja from Kirigakure's Anbu, Zabuza only carries an ordinary ninjato.
Hidden in the shadows, Obito frowned slightly. Controlling Yagura like a puppet, he lifted his head to look at the spiky-haired Ninja at the door.
"Zabuza, why aren't you suppressing the Kaguya Clan's rebellion? What are you doing here?" Yagura's violet pupils were cold as he questioned him.
Though Yagura had a youthful, doll-like face that made him look like a teenager, he was actually old enough to have a child.
If one considered that Yagura's grandson would be two or three years older than Boruto, then Yagura's son should be around seven years old now, which is about the same age as Itachi.
"Mizukage-sama, I have urgent intelligence regarding the Kaguya Clan's rebellion." Zabuza took out a scroll from his ninja tool pouch and walked forward slowly.
Tap tap tap-
Just as he was about to reach the Mizukage's desk, Zabuza suddenly tossed the scroll upward, instantly flickering forward and slashing down with his ninjato!
Crack!
The ninjato cut the table and Yagura in half!
But Zabuza's instincts told him the Mizukage wouldn't die so easily!
Sure enough, the bisected Yagura dissolved into a puddle of water.
'Water Clone Technique!'
The real Yagura stepped out from the shadows, his violet eyes cold and lifeless as he stared at Zabuza, who had already hefted his ninjato again.
"Heh, I knew it wouldn't be that easy." Zabuza was not discouraged after failing to achieve his goal. Instead, his bloodlust surged, eyes burning with the thrill of battle.
He had finally found this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Anbu around the Mizukage had all gone to suppress the rebellion of the Kaguya Clan, and even Fuguki was not there.
If he couldn't succeed now, he'd never get another chance.
So, Zabuza bet everything on this fight!
"So, you're rebelling too?" Yagura pulled out his weapon, a hooked iron staff.
"Isn't the Mizukage's position supposed to go to the strongest?" Zabuza grinned wildly, his eyes flashing with madness: "As long as I kill you, I'll get to be Mizukage for a change!"
Before the words even finished, the clash of steel erupted… sparks flying as ninjato and iron staff collided!