"Whether I am Kabuto or not, what does it have to do with you?"
A strange smile appeared on 'Kabuto's' face. "What you should be thinking about is how to get out of here."
"Kabuto, aside from Takumi, kill all the others. They are useless!"
A hoarse voice came from behind 'Kabuto'.
Everyone focused their gaze and were shocked to find that Orochimaru was right there.
"Orochimaru!"
Naruto shouted, "I've finally found you!"
As he spoke, he was about to charge forward.
But Takumi grabbed him. "Don't go. That's fake."
Takumi's words made everyone freeze.
But looking at that figure and hearing that voice, it clearly was Orochimaru himself.
Moreover, there were no signs of a Transformation Technique being used.
However, they still trusted Takumi very much and did not recklessly continue to charge forward.
Takumi stepped forward. "Although I don't know why you are disguising yourselves as Kabuto and Orochimaru, our current target isn't you. If you can tell us Orochimaru's whereabouts, I might consider sparing your lives."
"Hah, arrogant words."
'Kabuto' sneered and instantly charged forward.
Takumi's figure flashed, and he directly punched 'Kabuto', sending him flying heavily into the wall.
This punch not only critically injured the opponent but also shattered the disguise on their body.
Everyone focused and saw that it was actually the woman who had transformed from short, ugly, and stout to tall and beautiful earlier… Kagero.
Everyone was shocked.
"A fake Kabuto? Then where's the real one?"
Naruto was completely dumbfounded.
He hadn't expected this to actually be fake.
So where was the real Kabuto?
…
Meanwhile.
Kabuto, hiding in the shadows, was secretly delighted upon seeing Takumi's punch just now!
'The plan succeeded!'
Kabuto couldn't help but reveal a strange smile.
He knew about the secret technique of the Fuma Clan.
Although Takumi's attack had severely injured Kagero just now, it had also given Kagero the chance to execute the secret technique.
And that technique could link Takumi's and Kagero's hearts together.
If the opponent crushed their own heart, Takumi's heart would die along with it!
Now, Takumi's life was essentially in their hands!
'No matter how powerful your abilities are, if your heart is bound, you can't possibly escape!'
Thinking this, Kabuto Yakushi grew excited.
He hadn't expected that just being placed here by Orochimaru to monitor things would result in capturing Takumi himself.
Now, he should become Orochimaru's most important confidant!
...
"Don't move!"
Below.
Kagero got up from the ground, gasping for breath.
Takumi's punch just now had nearly killed her outright.
"Take a good look. See what's on your body."
Hearing her words, Sasuke immediately activated his Sharingan and saw the Chakra Threads wrapped around Takumi's body.
And those Chakra Threads were connected to Kagero.
What made Sasuke feel even more uneasy was that the Chakra Threads penetrated deep into both their bodies, entangled with some organ inside… he didn't know which one.
"Now your heart is connected to mine. Do you know what that means?"
Although in extreme pain, a look of triumphant joy appeared on Kagero's face. "Once my heart stops beating, yours will stop too."
"You are now under my control."
Sakura and the others' expressions changed drastically, looking at Takumi with worry.
However, when they looked at Takumi, they all turned into dead-fish eyes.
"Is that so?"
Takumi picked his ear and blew on his fingertip indifferently.
His calm expression made it seem as though it wasn't his heart that was being controlled.
"Hey! Did you understand or not?"
"I said, our hearts are already connected!"
"If my heart stops beating, yours will stop too!"
Kagero panicked.
But Takumi remained as composed as ever.
'Why is he so calm? Does he have a way to counter this technique?'
Kabuto, hidden away, was also suspicious upon seeing Takumi's performance.
Logically, the Fuma Clan's heart-connection technique was a secret art meant for a limit-one-for-one exchange.
But Takumi's current attitude… this complete lack of concern made Kabuto doubtful.
Originally, he had planned to use this method to bring Takumi to Orochimaru.
But now, it seemed he needed to observe further.
Kagero was also thrown off by Takumi's attitude, even getting somewhat angry: "Hey! I said! Did you understand or not! My heart is already connected to your…"
"Alright, alright, you've said so much. Who knows if what you're saying is true or false."
Before she could finish, Takumi said dismissively, "Why don't you give it a try?"
'Give it a try?'
'Is he not afraid of dying here?'
Kagero's mind was filled with absurdity!
'Is this person not afraid of death?!'
"You asked for this!"
Kagero gritted her teeth, then plunged her hand into her own chest, pulling out the heart entangled with Chakra Threads!
"If I crush it, your heart will stop along with it."
"Then go ahead and crush it."
Takumi seemed like a bystander watching a show, just missing some popcorns.
He egged her on: "If you don't crush it, how will I know if what you're saying is true or false."
Sakura and the others looked at Takumi worriedly.
As Takumi had said, when facing an unseen Ninjutsu, one should be skeptical of its effects.
But one should also take the enemy's words seriously!
If the heart really were to be crushed...
Even with Takumi's strength, he probably couldn't survive, right?!
In an instant.
The entire basement was filled with a tense atmosphere.
Everyone nervously watched the two.
Kagero remembered Kabuto's orders, so she couldn't bring herself to do it.
But Takumi didn't want to wait any longer.
"Do you need my help?"
Takumi took a few large strides to stand before Kagero, then grabbed her heart. "Should I give you a hand?"
"Wait!"
Kagero was completely panicked.
'Holy crap!'
'This isn't how it was supposed to go!'
'Why aren't you following the script?'
But Takumi hesitated not at all, directly… with a squelch, he crushed Kagero's heart!
"Ahhh!!!"
The moment Takumi crushed Kagero's heart, Sakura and Ino turned away, not daring to look, closed their eyes, and let out screams.
Sasuke and Naruto kept their eyes fixed on Takumi, afraid something unexpected would happen to him.
Yet, no unexpected situation occurred.
It was just that with her heart crushed, Kagero's eyes quickly dimmed, losing their life.
And Takumi…
remained perfectly calm and unharmed!?
"Ho…"
Sasame was dumbfounded, almost cursing.
As a member of the Fuma Clan, she of course knew how powerful this secret technique was.
But now, seeing with her own eyes Takumi being hit by it and completely unscathed completely overturned her common sense.
"H-how is this possible?"
Sasame uttered an incredulous exclamation.
"Great!"
"Wow, no way!"
Sakura and Ino, not hearing the expected scream from Takumi, hurriedly opened their eyes.
Finding Takumi standing there perfectly fine, they let out joyous cheers.
Meanwhile, Kabuto, observing from the sidelines, looked as if he had seen a ghost.
'What the heck?!'
'What's going on?!'
'Not dead? No, forget dead, this guy is completely fine!'
'Did the technique fail?'
'No, I've seen it so many times, it definitely shouldn't fail!'
Kabuto couldn't figure it out. He had seen this limit-one-for-one Ninjutsu of the Fuma Clan many times, and it had hit every time without fail.
But now, it didn't work on Takumi?
"I told you, I'd be fine."
Takumi turned back, revealing a perfect smile.
To be honest, he really had to thank the Immortality obtained from previous simulations to be able to counter this technique.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to avoid it either!
"As expected of the person I have my eye on, Takumi-kun. The strength you display truly astonishes me."
The hoarse voice of 'Orochimaru' brought everyone back to their senses.
Sasuke and the others then remembered there was still an enemy present.
They immediately braced themselves, taking out kunai, shuriken, and other weapons.
'This idiot is really getting into the role.'
The hidden Kabuto complained helplessly.
This fake Orochimaru, did he really think he was the real deal?
Dammit, your fake teammate is dead, and you're still acting!
Don't you know to retreat!
"You're also fake, right."
Takumi without hesitation exposed 'Orochimaru's' disguise.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
'Orochimaru' extended his long tongue to lick his lips, doing his best to imitate Orochimaru's mannerisms.
"If it were the real Orochimaru, he wouldn't stand before me alone."
"Because he wouldn't dare."
'Orochimaru' froze, then his expression suddenly turned fierce. "Don't you dare slander Orochimaru-sama!"
He violently tore off the disguise wig and mask on his head, revealing his true appearance.
"Arashi-nii!"
Sasame exclaimed, her eyes full of both surprise and joy and worry.
She hadn't expected that the Arashi she had been searching for for so long was right before her eyes.
"Is it him?"
Takumi looked back at Sasame.
Sasame nodded. "He is my brother."
Takumi turned back, frowning slightly.
The state of this Arashi across from him was very not right.
His Chakra was chaotic, not at all like a single person.
It felt like many people blended together.
"Arashi-nii!"
Sasame joyfully rushed forward.
But Arashi stretched out his hand to stop her.
"Brother?"
Sasame was puzzled.
"I am no longer your brother, Fuma Arashi."
Arashi lowered his head slightly, his voice gentle but giving off not the slightest warmth.
As he spoke, his body suddenly swelled.
The clothes on his upper body instantly tore apart, revealing numerous large lumps on his back.
Two faces emerged from the lumps on his back, unmistakably those of Jigumo and Kamikiri.
"This! How can this be?"
Sasame covered her mouth in disbelief, retreating step by step.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, fear appearing in her eyes.
"This isn't my brother... This isn't..."
Sasame kept shaking her head, unwilling to accept the reality before her.
The others were also startled by this sudden change.
But compared to being startled, they were more disgusted.
Arashi's current appearance was like a haphazardly formed mass of flesh, with three heads on it.
No wonder Sasame, as his sister, was terrified.
"I have fused with the flesh and Ninjutsu of the Fuma Jonin, reborn as the strongest Shinobi."
Arashi's face was contorted, like a complete monster. "Let me show you my strongest Ninjutsu, Sasame!"