After landing, Shinju didn't spot any trace of Sasuke. Instead, he noticed a massive coffin strapped to the back of one of the Sound Four.
"A coffin? Don't tell me Sasuke's already dead?"
Shinju's pupils contracted sharply, his voice carrying a chill.
The four Sound ninja exchanged glances. Although they feared Shinju, their loyalty to Orochimaru came first.
In an instant, they made a decision — one of them would stay behind to hold off the Konoha pursuers, while the others escaped with Sasuke.
"Jirōbō, it's up to you this time."
Sakon and the others patted Jirōbō's shoulder.
Jirōbō nodded, handing the coffin over to Sakon with a face full of resolve, as though prepared to die:
"Make sure Orochimaru-sama gets to use this new body!"
"Who said you're allowed to leave?"
Shinju's brow arched, and in the next moment, his body vanished from where he stood!
By the time he reappeared, Shinju was already right in front of Sakon!
"So fast?!"
Sakon's face twisted in shock.
There was no way Shinju had placed a Flying Thunder God mark on them. The only explanation was that the boy had closed the distance using the Body Flicker Technique.
His speed was terrifying.
"Kid, I'll admit you're strong, but you're way too arrogant!"
Before Shinju could respond, Tayuya whipped out a flute from seemingly nowhere and raised it to her lips…
But the next moment, the Sound Four suddenly froze in place!
Startled, they turned their heads — and there was Shikamaru, crouched low on the ground, his shadow stretching out and connecting directly to theirs.
The secret technique of the Nara clan — Shadow Possession Jutsu!
By extending his own shadow and linking it to theirs, he achieved absolute control over their movements!
"Shadow-using brat… you're so damn annoying."
Even immobilized, Tayuya struggled violently, cursing through clenched teeth.
But controlling four elite ninja at once was draining Shikamaru's chakra fast.He quickly shouted to Shinju, urgency in his voice.
"Move! Now!"
Shinju didn't waste words. He drew the short blade from his lower back.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"
Flashes of silver steel mixed with streaks of crimson danced through the air!
By the time everyone snapped out of it, the ground was littered with severed limbs and the agonized cries of the Sound ninja.
"Such speed… he disabled them in mere seconds."
Neji, having just activated his Byakugan, hadn't even managed to follow Shinju's movements.
With the Sound Four incapacitated, Shinju quickly formed seals at incredible speed, summoning wooden vines through Wood Release to bind them tightly.
Then, he strode over to the fallen coffin, short blade raised high.
"Crack!"
But before his blade could land, the coffin shattered on its own, revealing Sasuke within — already partially transformed by the Cursed Seal.
Sasuke's skin had turned a strange grayish-black, his hair now a dark bluish-gray, and a cross-shaped mark of black curse lines spread across his face.
Even after breaking free, Sasuke's transformation wasn't done.
His back muscles bulged unnaturally, as if something inside was about to burst out!
"So this is the Cursed Seal Form, huh…"
Shinju narrowed his eyes, analyzing.
"In a way, it's somewhat similar to Sage Mode."
At that moment, Sasuke raised his head, his gaze locking directly on Shinju.
"Don't stand in my way."
"Leaving Konoha was my decision, Shinju. Please… don't stop me."
Shinju had already suspected something after Naruto's warning, but he didn't expect Sasuke to go this far — defecting from Konoha entirely.
"Naruto… did you hurt him?"
Shinju asked flatly.
Sasuke stiffened for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah."
"I need to get stronger, no matter the cost. Anything — anyone — that stands in the way of my strength… I'll abandon it. Even these so-called emotional bonds!"
As he spoke…
"Crackle!"
Sasuke's hand erupted with intertwining streams of black and white lightning — Chidori, infused with the power of the curse mark!
He thrust his hand forward, aiming straight for Shinju's chest!
"Boom!"
Before Sasuke could land the strike, Shinju's foot slammed into his chest!
"Wham!"
Sasuke's Chidori fizzled out as his body was sent flying backward.
Just before he could hit the ground, Shinju rapidly formed hand seals and summoned a massive Wooden Dragon from below.
"Whoooosh!!"
A green dragon made entirely of wood burst out from the earth, slamming into Sasuke's body and sending him soaring high into the air!
In the next instant, Shinju split into multiple Shadow Clones, who leapt up after Sasuke and delivered a brutal round of "tough love" midair.
Sasuke's screams echoed relentlessly through the forest.
The scene was so intense that even Shikamaru and the others couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"Shinju, maybe… ease up a bit?"
"Keep this up and the guy's gonna die."
Shikamaru tested cautiously.
"It's fine. I'm a medical ninja. Every strike is precisely targeted for maximum pain while avoiding fatal injuries. He won't die."
Shinju smiled calmly as he said it.
Shikamaru and the others all shivered in unison.
(°ー°〃)
Figures… only a medical ninja could be this skilled at torture.
Shinju turned back, adding casually:
"Besides, if we actually let this guy defect from Konoha, he'll become our enemy. Eventually, he'd die by our hands anyway."
Meanwhile, Sasuke, beaten down and unable to move under the relentless assault of Shinju's clones, was seething with rage.
Damn it!
No matter what power he gained, he still wasn't Shinju's match!
What the hell was this guy made of?
He used to be a dead-last dropout with average talent, yet in just a few months, he'd grown into one of the strongest ninja in the entire village — no, in the entire shinobi world!
"Shinju! You'll never understand!"
Sasuke roared hoarsely.
"You're not like me! You've already been swallowed up by this foolish village!"
"But I… I can't!"
"I have to grow stronger! I have to kill that man! Even if it means leaving Konoha!"
Shinju ignored Sasuke's anger, his tone light and almost teasing:
"Actually, if you hadn't tried to leave last night, I was planning to teach you some new jutsu."
Sasuke froze.
(O_o)??
If he could learn Shinju's Lightning and Fire Release techniques… he might've gotten stronger much faster…
Just then, a white blur suddenly shot out from the dense forest nearby.
"Ten-Finger Bone Bullets!"
The figure raised both hands, shouting loudly enough to carry but not deafeningly.
In the next moment—
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Finger bones fired out like bullets, whistling sharply through the air, aimed directly at Shinju!
Shinju swung his short blade fluidly, parrying each one with perfect precision.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The sharp sound of metal striking bone rang out.
When Shinju glanced down, he finally realized…
Those projectiles were all bones?!
And the density… even harder than steel!
The next moment, a white-haired, green-eyed, bare-chested man emerged from the forest, holding a pure-white bone sword in his hand.
"No one will interfere with Orochimaru-sama's plans."
The man's voice was calm and confident, as though any enemy before him was beneath notice.
"Kimimaro?! I thought his illness had worsened… why is he here?"
Bound tightly by Shinju's vines, Tayuya blurted out.
"Probably wants to help Orochimaru-sama accomplish one last mission… while he still can," Kidōmaru muttered.
"Kimimaro! Take Sasuke and run! If you fight that guy head-on, you'll get killed!" Jirōbō shouted desperately.
But Kimimaro simply adjusted his stance, readying his blade. His confidence didn't waver in the slightest.
"Relax. I'm not like you four useless trash."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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