Outside
Because the Kamui Dimension used the Sharingan as a medium, Momoshiki could still move freely even if Furina wasn't outside.
As long as the eyeballs were carried, it didn't matter if they were open or closed.
Momoshiki stood in the heavy snow, studying the turtle for a long time, finally finding the timeline where Kimimaro could best be saved.
He paid the price of not checking the plot's timeline, researching for a long time, only to realize it was just a slight shift from Haku's timeline.
It took him a while to remember that Kimimaro had once met Haku and Zabuza, and that was before he met Orochimaru. At that time, Haku had also just been picked up not long ago.
After confirming the timeline, Momoshiki activated the turtle, and the surrounding space instantly transformed into the familiar穿越 (time-traveling) state.
This time, the travel was relatively short, so it only took a few blinks and a breath to arrive, not as long as 20 years.
After coming out, Momoshiki observed his surroundings with his Byakugan.
Not far away, a large group of ninjas in various outfits surrounded a small mountain of corpses.
The number of people was very large, squeezed together, and the smell of blood permeated the air, looking incredibly horrifying.
These corpses were all wearing uniform clothing, indicating that a clan had been massacred.
That's right, it was Kimimaro's clan.
This was also why Momoshiki didn't call Furina out.
Even if she had seen all sorts of corpses on the way here, Furina probably couldn't handle a small mountain piled with bodies.
It would easily give her psychological trauma.
Momoshiki, however, didn't care. If all these art styles turned into real-life appearances, he would definitely throw up everywhere.
But since it was anime, he was already used to it. It wasn't like he hadn't seen this pile of corpses in Naruto before.
Thinking this, his Byakugan once again observed the vicinity for a while. Not far away, a white-haired boy was walking listlessly.
The boy's clothes were identical to those of the people in the pile of corpses, indicating he was from the same clan.
However, his face showed no grief from the massacre, only numbness and emptiness. His body was tattered and stained with a lot of blood.
This was also normal. Kimimaro had been used his entire life, treated as a weapon. Everyone was the same to him, so he had long been accustomed to it. It was just that a clan had died out, no big deal.
Kimimaro, holding this thought, sighed with a hint of confusion. Seeing a wild flower growing by the roadside, he stared at it blankly.
Somehow, he seemed to be attracted. He walked over, squatted down, and admired it with some fascination.
But soon, his admiring gaze gradually turned to loss, and he spaced out for a while.
At the same time, a figure too familiar to be unfamiliar appeared.
Orochimaru, in the shadows, watched him like a snake, his eyes sinister, appreciative, and very dangerous.
"The aura of Shikotsumyaku, truly perfect..."
Snakes were best at exploiting human hearts, and Orochimaru was no different. He had long understood this boy's mind and knew how to coax him into becoming a loyal follower with a few words, willing to sacrifice his life for him.
Possessing this level of Shikotsumyaku and this level of physical strength, he was simply the most suitable reincarnation vessel and an excellent experimental subject.
"The time is almost right."
Orochimaru muttered, then put on a harmless appearance and slowly walked over. Just as he was about to reach Kimimaro's back, the surrounding space suddenly changed.
"What?!!"
Orochimaru clearly hadn't expected it. He was instantly startled by the distorted spatial aura, and quickly retreated several steps, adopting a defensive stance.
The scene had already changed. He had clearly been moved to another area. There was no one around, it was very quiet, and the air was filled with killing intent.
"Who?!"
His vertical, snake-like pupils constantly scanned his surroundings, and the cold aura on his body became more and more obvious.
He had already checked the surroundings just now. There was nothing near Kimimaro; it was absolutely impossible for anyone to be hiding.
But the current situation clearly told him that not only was someone hiding, but that person's strength far exceeded his own, to the point where he couldn't detect them at all.
Thinking this, a human presence suddenly came from behind him. Orochimaru's neck twisted 180 degrees, meeting a pair of Byakugan so white they made his heart pound.
The air was still for two seconds. Orochimaru's expression was incredibly rich.
First shock, then vigilance, then confusion, and finally excitement.
This was Byakugan! And not just any Byakugan!
As a mad scientist, Orochimaru could naturally easily feel the terrifying power contained in these Byakugan, and the purity of these Byakugan.
Even the entire Hyuga clan probably didn't have such a thing.
This was beyond the scope of what ordinary Byakugan could understand. These eyes contained the true secret of the Byakugan!
Orochimaru felt no fear at all. Instead, he grinned, maniacally licking his lips.
He made no moves, nor did he make any statements. He just looked at Momoshiki with a sinister smile.
He was a smart man. He could naturally feel the killing intent in Momoshiki's eyes, and he knew that Momoshiki had no intention of letting him live, so negotiation was not important.
After all, Momoshiki wouldn't listen to anything he said. It was better to observe and research the Byakugan more.
"Heh heh~"
Seeing through Orochimaru's thoughts, Momoshiki sneered contemptuously.
"Lower lifeform."
A spark of fire appeared in Orochimaru's eyes, literally. His skin began to fester, emitting a putrid smell, and then started to char.
A pale hand rested on Orochimaru's shoulder. Orochimaru's entire being, as if tumbling in a furnace of ten thousand degrees, instantly vaporized.
Not even a trace of residue was left.
The cut-off space was filled with faint traces of Orochimaru's aura.
Momoshiki closed his eyes and felt it.
To be honest, Orochimaru truly lived up to his reputation for having an absurd number of life-saving techniques. Even facing the sun so closely, he could still easily survive.
Although this body was considered erased from the world, Orochimaru's consciousness had already transferred to an underground laboratory tens of thousands of meters away, successfully evading all damage.
At this time, Orochimaru in the laboratory showed no anger or unwillingness. Instead, he was frantically excited, letting out eerie laughter.
Trading a Shikotsumyaku and a nearly废 (useless) body for the highest level of data collection on the Byakugan, he had truly made a huge profit.
Although he desperately wanted to research Momoshiki, this humanoid creature with no human aura, Orochimaru knew that the current timing was clearly impossible. He could only find a way later.
"Such a beautiful creature Who exactly are you"
As if seeing his beloved, Orochimaru felt he had touched eternal life. His heart pounded with excitement, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
...
Momoshiki waved his hand, and these strange smells instantly dissipated. Orochimaru's body was completely erased from the world, not even a scent remaining.
Then his eyes switched to Rinnegan again, activating Takami-Musubi Space, restoring the space that had been cut and distorted.
Thus, he silently arrived behind Kimimaro.
At this time, Kimimaro had no idea what had happened behind him. He was just staring blankly at the flowers on the ground.
"You're very similar to me..."
Kimimaro's eyes were vacant and confused. He didn't know what he was saying.
"What's the use of blooming in a place like this... You won't be seen, you won't be needed, so why grow so hard?"
Long periods of suppressed life, training as a weapon, and constant fighting and killing had led to a somewhat twisted state of mind that was beginning to be uncontrollable.
His right hand began to twist, and a sharp bone spur grew from his palm.
The bone spur began to deform, twisting into a dagger.
Kimimaro gripped the bone dagger, aiming it directly at the flower.
Just as he gritted his teeth and was about to stab it, a slender white hand with articulated knuckles gripped his wrist.
Kimimaro froze, not resisting. He stared blankly at the person who had appeared beside him at some unknown point.
"Do you feel that living has no meaning anymore?"
Momoshiki's expression didn't change much; he still looked indifferent.
"?"
Kimimaro blinked, meeting Momoshiki's gaze, and stared blankly at his pure Byakugan for a moment.
He nodded as if possessed.
"Living doesn't necessarily have meaning, but only by living can you find meaning."
Momoshiki wasn't very good at comforting people, so he directly copied Orochimaru.
He remembered Orochimaru saying something like that.
"Just like you found this flower, and I found you."
"Why?"
Kimimaro looked at Momoshiki in confusion, not understanding what finding him meant.
A weapon that only killed, bringing only war and disaster wherever it went, what was there to pity? It would be better to die sooner.
This was Kimimaro's thought.
"Are you asking what meaning there is in me finding you?"
Momoshiki tried his best to look gentle and softened his tone, making him lower his guard a little.
"Hmm." Kimimaro nodded, wanting to hear Momoshiki's answer.
But it was somewhat unexpected.
The hand holding his wrist slowly loosened, then gently stroked his face, just as he stroked his own carvings.
"I don't like to deceive, so I will tell you truthfully, your abilities are a large part of the reason."
"So it's still like this..."
Kimimaro seemed to have expected it. He didn't feel much disappointment in his heart. He placed his hand on Momoshiki's hand that was stroking his cheek, seemingly wanting to remove it.
But he didn't move for a long time, just pressed his hand against Momoshiki's back.
Children of this age, even if raised without humanity, rarely concealed their true inner thoughts. Kimimaro was like this.
His actions already showed that at this moment, he was just clinging to this warmth, not wanting this hand to leave.
"Heh heh~"
Momoshiki's lips curled slightly, a few pixels upwards.
"Don't be disappointed. I am different from your clan. I won't treat you as a weapon, I won't restrict your freedom, and I won't hinder you from finding the meaning of your life."
Saying this, Momoshiki's thumb gently wiped away some dirt from his face.
"People come into this world with meaning. This meaning cannot be deprived by anything, nor does anything have the right to deprive it."
"?!"
Kimimaro's eyes widened slightly, looking at Momoshiki in surprise, very unexpected that he would say that.
His pupils seemed to capture a glimmer of light, no longer looking so vacant.
"Kaguya Kimimaro, that's your name, right?" Momoshiki said meaningfully.
"Hmm."
Kimimaro nodded.
Momoshiki's smile became even more obvious.
"I won't say flattering words, but I will treat you like family, giving you care you've never experienced. And not just me, you will have many people who care about you, many people who can bring you warmth."
"So, are you willing to follow me?"
"Warmth..."
Kimimaro froze slightly, staring blankly at Momoshiki, subconsciously swallowing.
Could these things that usually only existed in his imagination truly be possessed?
He forgot to speak for a moment, and also gave up any movements.
The scene in front of him was too fake, not real. Kimimaro was scared. He was afraid it was just a dream. He was afraid that if he said one more word or moved a little, he would wake up.
Seeing Kimimaro's current appearance, Momoshiki chuckled, realizing it was a crucial step.
He leaned down slightly, and with his other hand, gently flicked his little nose bridge.
"Do you feel it?"
Kimimaro nodded blankly. The feeling of being cared for was truly wonderful, making his fair little face blush slightly.
"Then do you still think this is an untouchable dream?"
Kimimaro shook his head, gripping Momoshiki's hand with a serious expression.
"Very good. Then what is your choice?"
"I am willing to follow you," Kimimaro said solemnly, his pupils trembling slightly, clearly still immersed in excitement.
Worthy of being the world of Naruto. A few words could trick such an innocent and tragically backgrounded little fellow who hadn't seen much of the world.
"Then it's settled."
Momoshiki reached out and gently tapped Kimimaro's forehead, then pulled him up from his squatting position.
Kimimaro, even after standing up, still held Momoshiki's hand, clearly unwilling to let go.
Momoshiki didn't mind this, just thought about Kimimaro's plot in his mind.
Oh, right, he seemed to have some kind of illness, didn't he?
He had been mixing up all sorts of anime he watched all day, and couldn't remember for a moment.
But it didn't matter. No matter what illness it was, it was nothing but an ant in front of Momoshiki. At worst, he would just get a new body.
Thinking this, Momoshiki slightly squatted down, meeting Kimimaro's gaze.
"Your body has a hidden illness, right?"
"Illness?"
Kimimaro tilted his head. Clearly, his concept of illness wasn't very clear now. He just knew his body felt a little uncomfortable.
Seeing Kimimaro's confused look, Momoshiki understood in his heart, and just smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, my abilities can heal you. It might be a little painful, but you'll have to endure it."
"Hmm."
Although he didn't know how it would be cured, or how painful it would be, Kimimaro didn't care.
Just that brief moment of warmth was worth sacrificing his life for Kimimaro, let alone pain.
Physical pain was nothing compared to mental pain.
Thinking this, Momoshiki's hand gently rested on Kimimaro's forehead, enveloping it with chakra, and performed a full scan.
Kimimaro was very obedient and didn't move at all. His expression seemed to be ready to welcome pain like being cut into a thousand pieces.
After his entire body was scanned, Momoshiki roughly understood.
Shikotsumyaku, controlling bones for combat, regenerating weapons from bones, or changing terrain, consumed too much of his own body.
Kimimaro's body indeed harbored an illness. It was originally curable, but because of Shikotsumyaku, it had already become a fatal, incurable disease.
To completely cure it, he could only replace every part of his body, or directly change his cell structure, making Kimimaro an existence beyond human.
These things were quite simple for Orochimaru. Never mind other things, just transferring consciousness to a new body could be easily done.
But Orochimaru wouldn't do that. Without Shikotsumyaku, Kimimaro would be meaningless, and no longer needed. It would be better to squeeze out his last bit of value.
It was cruel, but also realistic.
Fortunately, he met Momoshiki now. This tragic ending was destined to be changed.
Momoshiki's finger moved, his fingertip skin broke open, and Otsutsuki blood touched Kimimaro's skin. Under precise manipulation, it began to drill into his body like a fish entering water.
"Ugh..."
Kimimaro immediately felt a pain like a drill boring into his head. Then the pain gradually amplified, beginning to affect his soul.
This was completely unbearable for a child. Even an adult would faint on the spot. But Kimimaro endured it without making a sound.
It had to be said that his physical and mental strength far exceeded ordinary people, otherwise he wouldn't have created a giant bone forest while weakened by his illness.
Centered on Kimimaro's forehead, Otsutsuki cells began to gradually spread, like an infection source, assimilating all human cells.
So Kimimaro's skin also visibly turned white, and spread outwards.
Perhaps because he was still essentially human, he didn't have the paper-like whiteness of an Otsutsuki, only a few shades whiter than his original skin.
Commonly known as impure bloodline.
"Ugh, ah, ah..."
Kimimaro couldn't help but cry out in pain. This was truly too painful, worse than being scraped by a knife or bitten by ants. His toes gripped the ground tightly, his hands clenched into fists, gritting his teeth.
He desperately wanted to endure this pain.
Hold on... hold on... a life with family is right before my eyes...
These thoughts constantly swirled in his mind, and some blood oozed from the corner of Kimimaro's mouth.
The speed of Otsutsuki cell proliferation became faster and faster, quickly covering most of his body,
===
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