The wind howled across the arena, the sharp sound of fists and feet clashing echoing in dull bursts across the grounds.
Despite the flurry of attacks from Kabuto, Uchiha Shinsuke moved as if he were strolling through a garden. His speed was clearly a step slower, yet he blocked every strike within mere millimeters. He controlled the pace of the battle effortlessly—speeding up or slowing down just enough to guide the fight without letting it slip from his control.
This wasn't just sparring. Shinsuke was carefully adjusting the rhythm to maximize Kabuto's growth through practical experience.
Outside the arena, Orochimaru observed with satisfaction.
In physical training, good form was just the beginning—true development came from facing an opponent. And when that opponent was a master of dojutsu like Shinsuke, the learning process became much more efficient.
Even Orochimaru had to admit: while he could easily crush weaker foes, training someone through prolonged, finely tuned combat like this was best left to a specialist like Shinsuke.
Once he noticed Orochimaru's arrival, Shinsuke gradually increased the tempo of the battle. It wasn't long before Kabuto, drenched in sweat and clearly exhausted, could no longer keep up.
Shinsuke approached Orochimaru and bowed politely. "Lord Orochimaru."
"You did well," Orochimaru said, never one to withhold praise from those who earned it.
A single bottle of Yamato cell fusion fluid wasn't enough to let Kabuto stand toe-to-toe with a Chūnin using only taijutsu. It was Shinsuke's guidance that had brought him this far so quickly.
"It was a good workout for my Sharingan as well," Shinsuke admitted with a genuine smile.
Training Kabuto effectively—dealing real hits without causing injury—was no easy task. For a dojutsu user, that level of control demanded precision and restraint.
"However..." Shinsuke hesitated, glancing at Kabuto. "I'll be unable to train him for a while. Anbu has assigned me a mission."
He paused, then added, "And… truthfully, Kabuto isn't naturally suited for taijutsu. His instincts favor thought over reflex. He might benefit more from ninjutsu training."
"It doesn't matter," Orochimaru replied. "What we need right now isn't combat ability—it's physical development."
He glanced between the two. "That applies to you as well. Developing your Sharingan might boost your power for now, but if you want to go further, your body must be able to keep up."
Shinsuke's heart skipped a beat at those words. He trusted Orochimaru's judgment more than anyone's and nodded seriously.
"I have a new experiment in mind. If the old man starts asking questions, just tell him the basics," Orochimaru instructed casually, then added, "What mission is Anbu assigning this time?"
Shinsuke didn't hesitate. "Kumogakure is sending a delegation for peace talks. We're assigned to guard them."
"Hmph… those two old fossils are really taking their time," Orochimaru muttered, uninterested, then turned to lead Kabuto toward the underground lab.
As they walked away, the Lamp God on his back wore a thoughtful expression.
The shinobi world was changing. Orochimaru hadn't defected, Konoha's strength remained intact, and the Fourth Raikage had already been wounded.
Would Kumogakure still attempt to steal Hinata's Byakugan?
That was something worth watching closely.
…
Night fell, and the moon and stars dimmed.
On a mountain peak near Kumogakure, the faint moonlight was swallowed by thick mist.
Hidden in the treetops, Obito stared at the distant, glowing mountains. A flicker of anger burned in his scarlet Sharingan eyes.
After reinforcing the genjutsu on the Fourth Mizukage and the Three-Tails Isobu, he had rushed straight to Kumogakure without pause. The journey was exhausting, but what greeted him upon return only deepened his frustration.
"The peace talks between Konoha and Kumogakure are set for half a month from now," said Zetsu, emerging from a tree trunk. "Much earlier than expected. The Fourth Raikage won't have time to recover."
Obito remained silent for a moment before replying coldly,
"Have the organization assassinate Kumogakure's peace negotiation team. We need to delay the talks."
"That might be a problem," Zetsu said. "Nagato won't agree. He still doesn't fully support our plan—he just wants to earn money."
Akatsuki was far from unified. Nagato, its nominal leader, held a vision that clashed with Obito's.
While both aimed to gather the tailed beasts, Nagato focused on weakening the Five Great Shinobi Nations and had little faith in the Ten-Tails. He doubted whether it could be wielded effectively as a weapon.
To him, even controlling the Gedo Statue was a challenge. The idea of combining all nine tailed beasts into the Ten-Tails seemed reckless. Instead, Nagato believed that the world could only achieve peace by destroying the current shinobi system and forming a war-powered organization free from national control.
It was a perspective Obito understood but could not openly challenge. He couldn't reveal the truth of the Eye of the Moon Plan—or that only an Uchiha could truly unlock the Rinnegan's potential and tame the Ten-Tails.
The knowledge gap kept their ideologies misaligned. For now, Obito could only yield.
Once the tailed beasts were gathered, Nagato would be of no further use. But until then, his "dream" had to be kept alive.
After some thought, Obito said,
"Leak the news of the Iwagakure–Kumogakure peace talks to Konoha."
"And if Iwa doesn't take action?" Zetsu asked.
"Then use Kirigakure's funds to put a bounty on the peace delegation. Raise the price high enough, and Kakuzu won't turn it down. You'll provide the intel."
"Leave it to me," Zetsu replied, retreating back into the tree.
---
Underground Laboratory
In a dim underground lab, Orochimaru handed a vial of light red fusion fluid to Kabuto.
"Drink it," he instructed coldly.
The Yamato-based serum had lost its effect. To progress further, Kabuto required a new fusion fluid. Though Aoi's potential wasn't fully tapped, her bloodline—enhanced by Tsunade's treatments—was more than sufficient for now.
Given Kabuto's age and training needs, steady growth was more valuable than waiting for a perfect formula.
Without hesitation, Kabuto uncorked the vial and drank it in one gulp.
His body immediately convulsed, shaking like a sieve. Sweat poured from him, but the pain was nothing compared to past experiences.
When the reaction passed, Orochimaru ran a diagnostic scan—and frowned slightly.
Kabuto's chakra reserves had doubled, placing him just shy of full jōnin level.
"A modest improvement," Orochimaru muttered. "Seems Aoi's cells primarily enhance vitality."
After a moment's reflection, he gave new orders.
"Forget the old plan. You don't need to stay here any longer. Go find Might Guy and have him take over your training."
Cultivating Kabuto's soul and the energy of the 'lamp spirit' remained important, but chakra growth was the priority—especially with Sage Mode in mind.
Fortunately, since the initial use, Nagato hadn't summoned the Gedo Statue in combat. He merely used it as storage for the tailed beasts. That bought them time.
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