Inside the underground base, Orochimaru's expression suddenly shifted.
Itachi noticed immediately and was about to speak when Orochimaru cut him off.
"Members of the Akatsuki are here. It seems leaving won't be so simple."
Upon hearing this, the two immediately moved, preparing to head topside and confront the enemy.
Kimimaro stepped forward to follow them, but Orochimaru raised a hand to stop him.
"Kimimaro, the enemies this time are far too dangerous. You need to evacuate."
Kimimaro clenched his fists, frustration clear in his eyes.
"No, Lord Orochimaru! Let me buy you some time. You two escape first. I can use the Dance of the Seedling Fern!"
Itachi remained silent, unsure how to respond.
Orochimaru's expression darkened. Without warning, he appeared behind Kimimaro and bit down on his collarbone.
Three tomoe spun and condensed.
"I hadn't planned to give you the Cursed Seal of Heaven... but if you can endure its power—"
A searing pain spread from the bite. The cold, sinister chakra devoured Kimimaro's body, clouding his consciousness.
His legs gave out. Within seconds, he collapsed.
Itachi was stunned by Orochimaru's sudden action. His voice was laced with disbelief and anger.
"Orochimaru, what the hell are you doing?! He's just a kid! How could you—"
Orochimaru simply shook his head, gazing at Kimimaro's fallen figure with a rare mix of pity and sorrow.
"Kimimaro's bloodline is powerful, but it's also eating away at his body."
"If he can endure this, there's hope for a cure in the future. If not... this is the only path left to him."
"Use Reverse Summoning to get him out of here."
The next moment, Orochimaru's demeanor changed completely. His face twisted into a cruel grin as aggression returned to his eyes.
The cold-blooded genius of the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars—the fearsome Shinobi who once played with life and death—had returned.
"Akatsuki... Perfect. Let's settle old scores and new grudges all at once. I've got some new jutsu I've been dying to try out…"
Itachi fell silent again. Now that he understood Kimimaro's condition, the way he looked at Orochimaru shifted.
So... you were trying to save that child after all.
The two emerged from the base, stepping into the open.
Suddenly, a swarm of paper shuriken flew toward them from above.
With swift, fluid movements, Itachi formed hand signs, gathering chakra into his lungs. He exhaled sharply.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive orange fireball erupted from his mouth, engulfing the incoming paper and reducing it to drifting black-and-white ash.
Shhhhhh!
Countless tiny senbon needles burst through the flames, aimed directly at Itachi.
Itachi flipped backward several times to evade.
Senbon hidden in the shuriken?
I was careless. I didn't have my Sharingan activated...
Orochimaru raised his right hand, and with a sharp sweep of his sleeve, dozens of venomous snakes erupted forward.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
The serpents whipped through the air, intercepting the poisoned senbon mid-flight.
Taking the opportunity, Itachi activated his Sharingan—three tomoe spinning into perfect clarity.
Together, the two repelled the ambush.
From their elevated vantage point, they saw the attackers clearly.
Black cloaks adorned with red clouds.
Akatsuki...
So this was the organization Uchiha Hikaru had warned him about.
Hikaru said you should never face them outnumbered—but right now, it was two versus two. And he had Orochimaru at his side.
Besides... he still had the Mangekyō.
A dry wind stirred Orochimaru's long black hair.
He smirked, gaze cold and mocking.
"Konan. Sasori. Long time no see. Former comrades from Akatsuki, how nostalgic."
"Sending two full-fledged members just to find me? What's the matter? Missed me that much?"
"Thinking of inviting me back?"
Konan's face twisted with revulsion.
This disgusting snake. She'd tracked him across two abandoned bases, and now that she'd finally cornered him, he still had the nerve to act this infuriating.
Sasori's hatred was deeper.
While both of them sought immortality, Orochimaru's path was perverse—seeking physical immortality by stealing bodies. A grotesque mockery of art.
True immortality was the puppet body. Eternal. Untouched by decay.
To Sasori, Orochimaru was a walking insult to his life's work.
He extended both hands, and thin, nearly invisible chakra threads shot out, connecting to the puppet beside him.
Ten blue threads lit up in the air—controlling the deadly puppet Fei Liuhu.
Konan followed, her skin beginning to flake apart into thousands of tiny sheets.
She transformed completely into her angelic paper form—wings spread, body weightless.
"Dance of the Shikigami."
Sheets of paper spun into a massive wheel, rapidly rotating as it sliced through the air, aiming straight for Orochimaru and Itachi.
From left and right, they were pincered—puppet and paper closing in from both sides.
Itachi's hands moved quickly—signs flashing—his chakra condensing and heating in an instant. This time, it wasn't the standard fireball.
A blazing dragon of flame erupted from his throat, roaring through the air.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
The speed of the attack was at least five or six times faster than before.
The spinning paper wheel met the oncoming inferno.
The wind pressure from the wheel tried to snuff the flames—but it was no match. The chakra concentration of the Dragon Flame Jutsu was leagues above a basic Fireball Jutsu.
Especially when used by an Uchiha.
The paper wheel was gradually consumed, torn to ash by the fire.
The flame dragon twisted and flared, roaring forward toward Konan.
Sasori reacted instantly.
He yanked the chakra threads connected to Fei Liuhu, causing the puppet to slide in front of Konan.
He flexed his index finger downward—activating the mechanism.
"Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield Seal!"
A shimmering blue chakra barrier emerged just as the fire dragon collided with it, exploding against the shield in a burst of heat.
The red iron shell behind it glowed red-hot from the flames.
Itachi had blocked the combined assault of both Konan and Sasori with a single jutsu.
"It's not that I can't use large-scale ninjutsu," he said coldly, "I just don't like wasting chakra."
He cast a glance at Orochimaru—half-arrogant, half-amused.
Orochimaru simply chuckled.
Still so competitive… after all, he was just a thirteen-year-old boy.
Still proud. Still a prodigy.
...
✨ Hey everyone! If you're enjoying this fic, I'd love it if you could drop a shameless 5-star review — it really helps more readers find the story and keeps me motivated to pump out more chapters! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And if you want to go the extra mile (you absolute legends ❤️), consider joining my Patreon.
--------
Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
---------------------
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Your Support is Truly Appreciated 🫂