3/4

The teen took one glance at Naruto and dismissed him entirely. He was a pale boy, and not in a Sasuke or Itachi kind of way. The deep circles under his eyes and the way his ribs were showing confirmed that he was very sick. His eyes widened momentarily and we all followed his gaze. The barrel was smoking.

*********************************Epic Fights Soon!**************************************

Kakashi Hatake was never a man for emotional outbursts. After arriving home from a very successful S-Rank mission that involved him slaughtering an entire crime syndicate along with their Jonin strength boss, he was feeling pretty good. So why, may you ask, was he glaring daggers at the man who was now his village leader and military commander? Well, that would be because Kakashi Hatake was no longer a Jonin Captain, seeing as how one of his members was currently in a program to rehabilitate and bring back the human emotions that had been repressed. The other two were also out of the village, on their own S-Rank mission… For an indefinite amount of time… right into the lair of their village's greatest traitors. No reason AT ALL to be ready to ring the boy's throat.

"Lord Fifth, with all due respect, what in the sage's left hairy testicle possessed you to even think that this mission would be even remotely smart?" Kakashi's fake cheerful tone was further hidden behind the fake, cheerful 'eye' smile he had become famous for. Even if said eye was now twitching.

"They brought up some good points, and I trust them. Simple as that. It was a decision I made as Hokage, not elder brother or even comrade." Itachi Uchiha replied in his mild tone. Eyes dancing with amusement at the elder genius' attitude. It made Itachi happy that Sasuke and Sakura's time spent with the man wasn't in complete vain. He seemed to be coming out of the shell he wrapped around himself once Minato and Kushina died.

"I realize this, but they're both not even a year out of graduation! They aren't ready for something like this!" Kakashi's emotions finally winning the battle. His voice was laced with anger and concern.

"Is anyone ever truly ready for a mission like this this, Kakashi? Was I ready, at the same age that they are right now might I remind you, when I had a very similar mission thrust upon my shoulders? At least they didn't have to murder 300+ people before making their escape." Itachi replied evenly. That gave Kakashi pause. He had a point, when WAS anyone ready for this kind of mission. Hardened Jonin have been known to crumble under the pressure while young teenagers have flourished. It was not a matter of age or experience, but the core of one's character. His thoughts were interrupted by his military leader. "Plus, their return will be much easier to explain and even widely more celebrated once they come home. Have faith, Kakashi. You did well by them. Not just in their strength in battle, their strength in spirit is strong too."

Kakashi nodded slowly, seemingly finding nothing else he could say to get his leader to order him to blow this entire operation up. "I understand, and you are correct. I would not have been ready for such a mission at their age, I can say that much. I suppose I must stop comparing a person's capabilities to my own. Now, permission to at least pursue and make sure none on the retrieval team are vitally injured?" Kakashi saluted.

Itachi nodded. "Shizune and her team of medics will be departing in 30 minutes. Meet them at the gate, provide combat support and keep the medics alive if a confrontation breaks out. Dismissed, Jonin Hatake." Kakashi saluted once more and was gone in a gust of wind.

He arrived at home and quickly grabbed his emergency mission scroll and headed for the gate. This is the one mission he wouldn't arrive late for. If he were lucky, he may be able to catch his students and offer them a few words of advice before their fate was left to chance.

*******************************Quick Interlude, Kaka is Anger*****************************

The smoke increased in volume, steadily but at a rapid pace. With a sound like a branch snapping, the top of the barrel shot into the sky and the smoke began to fade. A figure rose from the barrel and stretched its entire body. The smoke finally cleared enough for the details to be made out. Bubblegum pink hair, emerald eyes, and slightly tanned skin. Still Sakura. A monster didn't just pop out of the barrel, breathing fire and ripping necks from shoulders.

I breathed a sigh of relief at that, not knowing what to expect. Just as the last of the smoke cleared, I thought I saw a single black rose petal disappear under Sakura's color, but it may have been my imagination. Sakura's gaze swept the area. She smiled brightly at Sasuke who, though blushing slightly, returned her smile with a small one of his own. Her gaze next found the enigmatic newcomer and she looked at him in open curiosity. Finally, her gaze landed on Naruto and me. I began to smile at Sakura, but that was quickly snuffed out by her ferocious glare aimed our way.

"Naruto Uzumaki! Kenta Yamanaka! What the hell are you two doing here! I thought our intentions were made very clear!" She chastised the two of us. Naruto looked sheepish, I stared back with my own glare now in place.

"The orders given were that you two weren't to be declared missing ninja until and if you made it across the border. Don't speak to me in that tone, Haruno, I'm still your superior officer." I remarked coldly, teal eyes boring into her. She flushed slightly from embarrassment before that quickly turned to anger.

"Shove off, Yamanaka. You're as arrogant and pompous as Ino always said you were, and that promotion going to your head just proves it. You are honestly so delusional that you don't even know the real reason I'm accepting Orochimaru's offer, do you?" Her scathing reply came. Her chakra didn't fluctuate, this wasn't a bluff for present company.

I frowned. "Your potential death isn't the real reason? The please, enlighten me, oh wise one." My sarcastic sneering voice replied. I was getting an increasingly bad feeling by the second.

"Let me ask you, Yamanaka, do you know how many active duty shinobi we have on roster?" She asked, just as vicious as before.

"1,136 Genin, 6,729 Chunin, 513 Jonin, unknown number of ANBU due to security reasons. We also have nearly double that number of each rank in reserves for times of war to be recalled." I rattled off the information as easily as breathing.

She nodded. "Did you also know that of the 7,865 active duty Genin and Chunin corps, over 80% of them are first or second generation civilian born? But when we get to the Jonin ranks only 7% fit that same criteria? If you are civilian born, your chances of making it to the top are less than 10%. Why do you think that is?" Her tone now an icy accusation.

I shrugged. "Get to the point Haruno. If you're going to moan and bitch about a conspiracy"

"I am not! Don't you date put words in my mouth, Kenta Yamanaka!" She shrieked, the seal at her neck noticeably pulsing in reaction to her anger. "It isn't a conspiracy! You clan kids have no idea the challenges and roadblocks we civilian born shinobi have! We don't have the same opportunities as you! We come to the academy already years behind you clan kids. We have to work two to three times as hard as you just to keep up, let alone catch up. And finally, when we get to the end and prove that we can do everything you all can do, they spit on the civilian kids again. In your excitement, did you forget that 60% of our graduating class was sent back to the academy? Did you think that was a lie?!"

I stared at the pink haired girl in shock. Not once was any of this every brought to my attention. Naruto's open mouth stare meant he was in the same boat as me. Even Sasuke was staring at the girl as if she were a stranger.

"Out of 18 kids that were sent back that day, 17 of them were all civilian. 15 of those were all orphans with no other plans for the future. The 1 kids who wasn't a civilian was a Nara. Maybe a 5th or 6th cousin to Shikamaru. She was offered an apprenticeship with the Cryptography department the next day. Does that not seem unfair to you? Civilans make up the vast majority of our shinobi army, yet we're undertrained and underprepared compared to you and your kind. We're the first thrown to the wolves and we're lucky if we come home alive!" Her chest was heaving, the curse seal pulsing dangerously on her neck.

Naruto spoke up. "I get what you're saying Sakura, but it's not like they couldn't try again next semester though, right? Our class just had a lot of clan kids, I heard the rumors, it was more than usual you know?!"

"I understand that Naruto, but the fact remains that civilian are nothing more than numbers and fodder to be thrown to the wolves when war breaks out. The commanders send us to our deaths, make a counter strategy depending how they reacted, then send in their perfectly trained clan shinobi to win the battle. History shows us time and again this is how our wars are fought." Her emerald eyes were blazing and her chakra was too. This, this was the real reason Sakura wanted to leave. She wasn't faking leaving the village on a mission, she actually was!

"Yeah but, the 4th Hokage was civilian! Pervy-Sage was civilian! Captain Genma! There's loads of strong civilian born shinobi!" Naruto pleaded with the pink haired girl, but she only shook her head.

"Naruto, you can't use an outlier as a means of justification for the sake of your argument. Jiriaya was taught by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Minato Namikaze showed enough promise that after failing the entire genin team, Jiraiya took him on as his personal apprentice. Had Minato not shown that flash of brilliance, he would have been sent back just like his two teammates. Had that happened, he would have been another civilian in the ranks. We all might not even be having this conversation had he not shown that little spark." She smiled sadly. "That right there should have been the eye opener, Naruto. That should have shown that any civilian, even given the right training and enough hard work on their end can be just as strong as our clan counterparts. But it isn't. I won't be just another statistic. I won't let my fate be decided for me. I will take my fate into my own hands and run with it." She declared, the fire back in her eyes.

I snorted. "You, of all people, sure have a lot of god damn nerve slandering the village you grew up in. Lady Tsunade personally requested you as her apprentice and you spit in her face. You complain about civilians being sidelined? Look at Ami! First generation just like you, and she made Chunin in 8 months. She's a Chunin and you're throwing a pity party. If you're looking for sympathy, you won't get it from me." Both Sakura and Sasuke's chakra reacted to my words. My smirk widened.

"For a whiny little bitch like you who complains about his clan being shoehorned into support roles and desk jobs, you sure are full of yourself and a complete ass, Kenta Yamanaka." Sakura's retort catching my attention. "So what you're saying is civilians are destined as average shinobi at best, forced into a backline medic position, or are lucky enough to have an influential teammate recruit a personal trainer for them? No thanks, Yamanaka, I do not agree with any of that."

My emotions broke and the mask holding them in place shattered. I could take many things, but this obvious bad mouthing of my village was not one of them. "Listen here, let me give it to you straight, Sakura." Her name left my mouth dripping with disdain, surprising even me for a moment before I recovered. "I will tell you why the average civilian doesn't climb the ranks like those born into a clan. It isn't because of who they're born to, it isn't because their parents push them to be great. It's because they decided by their own free will to become strong. I know, I know, it sounds mad, doesn't it? Who would have thought the secret to being a strong shinobi would be working your ass off until you pass out from exhaustion, only to get back up and push a little more!" My teal eyes bore holes into her glaring emerald orbs.

"Yes, my parents decided to begin my training prior to my entrance into the academy. 7 whole months before my first day. I know, that's lifetime." The sarcasm lacing my voice palpable. "From the time I was 5 years old until yesterday, I train myself to bone-tired weariness. Did I have opportunities presented to me that civilians don't have? Absolutely. Did I take advantage of those opportunities, you bet your fucking ass I did. That's the difference between you and I. The 2nd cousin of one of the six noble clans actually trains his ass off to improve."

"You, on the other hand, began to train seriously a whopping 5 whole months ago. How are you not at my level yet?" I asked in mock concern. "Here's the real reason you would have never succeeded. You were waiting around for someone to offer you their assistance instead of going out and asking for yourself. That's. It. That's the difference between you and Ami. Sure, did my dad pull some strings and get Anko to train her? Yes. Was Anko her only trainer? Fuck no."

That seemed to surprise Sakura a bit. "She asked my mother, the Chunin and Jonin friends Anko introduced her to, Cpt Genma, his friends. Every single person she thought could help her she asked for help. You know how many of them agreed? All of them. Cpt Genma and Anko are only pieces of the puzzle that make Ami so strong. She is serious about her training and realized very quickly the real secret between Clan and Civilian Shinobi… Networking. What, were you expecting something else?" Sakura's look of disbelief was so priceless. I wish I had a Sharingan so I could sear it into my memory.

"That's it Sakura. So go on with your delusion that Konoha simply recruits civilians as cannon fodder. If that will help you sleep at night. However, it doesn't matter if you come back with us or continue down the path the traitor set for you… If you don't learn how to network properly, you won't be much better off. In the Shinobi world our time is limited. No one is going to waste their time on a worthless cause. That's the real reason 18 got sent back to the academy. Jonin have too many duties to attend to that training a bunch of kids with no real desire to learn is a waste of everyone's time. Had you shown the initiative, you'd be just as strong if not stronger than Ami by now. Ami is a stellar kunoichi and will one day be among the elite, but I won't let my brotherly feelings cloud the truth that your potential is even greater." I finished with a sneer in her direction. I was done trying to convince her.

"Whatever, Kenta. I'm sure that's the little lie you were fed growing up so us civilians actually had some semblance of hope. We're done here." Sakura turned her back on me and began to walk away, Sasuke quickly shaking himself out of his stupor and following. I took a step forward, and the sickly boy blocked my path.

"Move it" I growled, not in the mood. "I have some sense to beat into that ungrateful bitch."

He shook his head. "I am sorry. Master Orochimaru is awaiting their arrival. Delaying them further will surely invoke his wrath. I will eliminate you both so you do not cause My Master any further troubles in the future." He got into a stance. It was loose and flowing, but there wasn't a single opening to exploit. I knew that this kid would be the toughest challenge I've faced to this day. Even tougher than Gaara.

I bolted forward, trying to use my speed to slip by the teen. Had my dodge been a hair's width slower, my neck would now be open from ear to ear. The speed I had to move at to dodge the short, white sword he had drawn from seemingly nowhere mere centimeters from ending my short life.

"I told you, you will not get past me. My life is ending, for my last act, I will ensure that Master Orochimaru's next vessel will arrive unharmed and on time." He drawled emotionlessly.

"Naruto, go after them, I'll take this guy on." I stated, voice more confident than what I actually felt.

Naruto's wide eyed gazed narrowed on me. "No way, Kenta. This guy is out of even your league. I can even tell that. We'll work together, take him down then go get those two and drag them back."

I shook my head. "This is going to be a long, drawn out fight. By then Sasuke and Sakura will be halfway across Rice Paddy. Go now, I won't die. Promise." I sent him a small, tight smile.

Naruto attempted to argue further, but I just gave him 'the look' that I had been giving him the entire time I've known him. It was my look that said "I know what I'm doing. Trust me and do as I say." He nodded hesitantly and took off for Sasuke and Sakura. The pale boy moved to intercept him but I quickly fired off a laser right in his path. The small beam of light sheared off the top half of his sword and forced him to disengage with Naruto. Naruto continued on unhampered. The sickly teen watched him quickly disappear into the distance before turning his full attention back on me.

"It does not matter. Those two are more than enough to engage and defeat that boy if he catches them before they cross the border. Since it is just us, may I know your name? I heard the Lady Sakura say it multiple times, but I feel that a proper introduction is in order. I will be taking your life, so it is the most honorable course of action. My name is Kimimaro. Kimimaro Kaguya."

I snorted. "Had you not told me your last name I'd think you were a samurai with your talk of honor. Though we hadn't introduced ourselves, you knew of my last name, which means that you offering your full name puts you at a disadvantage."

"As does me knowing your name. I know what to expect from a Yamanaka. Your clan techniques require careful planning and coordination to pull off. Though I have no idea what that attack you used to interrupt me stopping that other boy was, it does not matter. A member of your clan does not pose any threat to me. I say this not in arrogance, but as fact, for my clan was bred and raised for battle, while yours was raised for support." His tone and chakra never once changed. Every word spoken was the truth, at least in his eyes.

"Very well, my name is Kenta Yamanaka, and I will make sure that you warn all your little ghost friends in the afterlife that the Yamanaka are a clan to be feared." I said, my confidence in myself finally matching the confidence in my voice.

*********************************Storm V Bone*****************************************

"Neji Hyuga!" A voice called out. Neji turned and quickly snapped a salute. Kakashi Hatake and Shizune Kato were rapidly approaching; a few older teens close on their heels. Kakashi called a halt and the 3 teens rapidly sunk to the ground and began taking in large lungful's of air. Shizune frowned and glared at the three, before her attention returned to the boy in front of her.

"Neji, are you alright? Are you injured?" Shizune asked, eyes glancing the boy up and down for noticeable external injuries.

Neji shook his head. "Nothing but bumps and bruising. At least nothing else feels more severe than that." He replied primly and respectfully.

She nodded but her gaze still snapped to the teens still gasping on the ground. "Susime, diagnostics technique and basic first aid, now!" Shizune snapped. The brown haired girl glared at her balefully before doing as commanded.

Neji let sat on the ground at the medic's request and turned his attention to Kakashi and Shizune. "How is Lady Fú? She is not with you, did you perhaps miss her?" The boy asked, voice laced with concern. Shizune shook her head but Kakashi answered.

"Fú will be well. She suffered a severe but non-life threatening injury. Using her own unique healing abilities, she's still wrapped in a cocoon of her own making, recovering inside. A guard and medic were left with her to ensure she is 100% well once she hatches like a beautiful butterfly." Kakashi's joking tone was both reassuring as well as soothing. Neji hadn't realized how tense he had been since being separated from his comrades.

"A fractured rib in the upper chest cavity, rib number 3 I believe. Minor and moderate contusions on abdomen and lower back. No other serious injuries though. I do not believe my diagnostic technique was deep enough to accurately assess, but his right kidney may also have some blunt force tramatic injury." The one called Susime replied. Shizune nodded and did her own scan and smiled at the girls's diagnosis. Shizune quickly healed the fractured rib and left Susime to deal with the rest of the injuries.

"Neji, Susime, you will wait right here until we come to collect you, understood?" Kakashi asked back in his serious voice. Neji gave a sharp salute and Susime nodded, eyes never leaving the task she had begun. "Good, we'll be back as soon as we are able."

With that, Kakashi, Shizune, and two incredibly exhausted beginner medic's leapt back into the canopy of branches, two Genin found alive and well, four more to go.

*********************************Storm V Bone*****************************************

I dodged the thrusting jab once more, the sword of bone narrowly passing by my cheek as I gracefully slid out of harm's way once more. Kimimaro frowned at me, confusion evident in his face.

"Why do you not fight back? Am I not a worthy enough opponent? Or are you buying time for reinforcements, knowing your power isn't enough to defeat me?" He asked, genuinely curious. Oh boy, this was going to be way easier than I thought.

I shrugged. "To be quite honest, I'm kind of disappointed." His frowned deepened but he didn't say anything else. "You claimed to be the strongest of the sound 5, personally trained to be Orochimaru's next vessel. Up until 10 months ago you were strong and healthy and then you suddenly fell ill? That's a strange coincidence. That's almost exactly when Sasuke Uchiha had graduated from the academy and passed his secret testing. Hmmm…"

"What are you getting at?" The boy asked, a slight hint of irritation in his voice, the first emotion since we met.

"Oh? Oh! Nothing, just musing out loud. Oh, you know who else Orochimaru told had an incurable disease? Yeah, Itchai, Sasuke's brother. Itachi asked him for help since he couldn't really go to anyone else and Orochimaru told him no dice. Which is really, really, funny because Lady Tsunade informed Lord Fifth that his treatment is ahead of schedule. The virus that was eating away at him as been completely halted. With the process of replication halted, the medicine can now begin to eradicate the rest of the virus. He'll be completely cured in less than a year."

Kimimaro's irritation in his voice and chakra vanished. "It does not matter. Even if this Tsunade woman was able to cure me, I would not accept. My entire being belongs to Master Orochimaru. Mind, Body, and Soul."

I grimaced. "Dude, you're like a few years older than me. I knew Orochimaru was a freak, but I didn't think pedophilia was on the list of shitty qualities about the snake."

His chakra spiked, I smiled in victory, internally of course. Can't show my hand yet. "Though I wasn't offering a cure. No, I was just pointing out the fact that Orochimaru never even bothered to look for treatment for you from his Ex-teammate. She's only been in Konoha for about 6 weeks, had he actually seen value in you like you think he does, he would have at least tried." I shrugged and flashed him a smile. "Nope, I think he gave you up the minute he knew Sasuke would be taking missions and potentially being vulnerable."

Kimimaro's cheek twitch, his chakra was roiling in barely surpressed anger. I few more pokes here, a few more there. Oh man, this dude was the easiest nut to crack yet. A man of honor AND a zealous devotion to Orochi-Pedo? He was handing me the keys to his house and leaving the money on the table.

"You are wrong. It is mere coincidence. My Master became interested in obtaining Sasuke's body many years ago." His eyes narrowed at me and his muscles were tense. He was ready to strike. I stood in perfect imitation of a certain lazy classmate of mine.

I shrugged. "Oh, was that before or after he proved his utter lack of power he claims to have? Yeah, you see I heard Sasuke was second choice. Itachi was his first, oh yeah he wanted him bad. Tried to take him and Itachi sent him scurrying back to his little hole with his slimy tail between his legs." I body-flickered across the field, Kimimaro's patience was done. Too bad for him neither was I.

"Oh? Did I strike a nerve? Don't like hearing how your Master's only claim to fame is the abomination on your neck? The rest of his accomplishments were from riding the coattails of greater men and women and his own teammates." I flickered away again, laughing. "Even his sad excuse for a dream is pathetic. Learn all the techniques in known existence? What? Too unoriginal and powerless to make his own techniques? All that he has he owes to the Snake Clan." I dodged a flurry of rapid thrusts aimed at critical areas. Kimimaro's chakra was so volatile, I could do it with my eyes closed. His chakra laced every single attack, making them stand out like a beacon in my mind's eye.

"His pathetic failed attempt on invading Konoha hinged on a technique he stole from one of the greatest masterminds and developers to ever live. Once that failed, he was barely able to escape the fury of his 70 year old teacher. He heard about the success a man half his age has had with a single implanted Sharingan, so being as "genius" and "forward-thinking" as he is, he wants Sasuke and his eyes to copy the copy ninja. Orochimaru is pathetic. He hides in the ground like the snake he is, never coming out into the light of day for longer than necessary. He knows that if he does, his old teammate, Lord Jiraiya, The Dead Last of his class, would absolutely destroy him. Hell, even Tsunade would turn him into a snake skin wallet, and she hasn't seen combat in two decades!" I roared with laughter while silently praying that not a single word of this ever got back to Orochimaru. I would be a dead man, then revived and murdered over and over for as long as the snake lived.

"ENOUGH! YOU WILL NOT SAY ANOTHER WORD ABOUT MASTER OROCHIMARU!" His curse seal resonated with unhinged anger. Black markings spread out over his body. Lateral and horizontal lines began to cross and connect all over the boy's body. I tensed in anticipation. He was in my pocket, mentally, now I just had to keep him on his toes and this battle would be mind.

My eyes widened in shock, the body-flicker that saved me from getting skewed in a dozen places coming only as a reaction without thought. He was 30ft away and then in my face. He had to be as fast a Lee was without his weights. I underestimated him and it almost cost me, that wouldn't happen again.

Kimimaro turned towards me, while his face was back to a smooth mask of indifference, his chakra was just as wild and bloodthirsty as it was before his transformation. "Another word, and I don't hold back anymore." Was all he said before vanishing again. I was ready this time. Our deadly, high speed dance began, I managed to stay a step and a half ahead of the boy, always moving just before he lashed out to end my life. His irritation was once again marring his face, unable to so much as catch a thread of my clothes.

"Why do you not fight?! I knew your clan was considered backline support, but surely they have some more fight than this!" He growled out. His anger and irritation tasted delicious to my metaphorical chakra tongue. It was time to twist the knife.

"I know you, Kimimaro Kaguya. The possible last remaining member of the feared Kaguya clan. A clan that was so interbred and mentally deranged that the only thing they knew was fighting and bloodlust. A clan that single handedly reignited the bloodline purges. A clan that even beyond that grave has an astronomical body count. Is the blood of your mother/sister finally calling you to battle? Was your father your brother or your uncle? You try so hard to suppress that animalistic urge to give into your blood rage. However, everyone that's bred any type of animal knows that once the inbreeding goes too far, the entire tree needs to be wiped out and begun anew." I smirked viciously at the boy. His already sick and pale pallor became nearly translucent. In a bellow of anger he charged blindly. My eyes flashed in victory. He lunged, faster than before, but just as telegraphed as the previous hundreds of attempts.

I pushed a tiny amount of charka into the 6th and last seal on my right glove. As Kimimaro's arm passed by me, and his momentum carried him forward. His eyes widened as he watching me step into his guard this time. As fast as I could, I jammed the poison coated needle upward, directly into the extremely vulnerable and often overlooked soft tissue of the underarm. The needle sank in several inches before the boy's bloodline could react to such an unusual spot. I body-flickered away as soon as my needle felt the resistance of the bone quickly forming to halt its progress.

It didn't matter, this fight was over.

He yanked the needle out and tossed it to the ground. "A clever trick. Had you used an actual weapon you may have caused fatal damage had you struck an artery or vein. That is the first time an opponent has attack such an area in such an unorthodox way. Clearly you are more skilled that I gave you credit for. It matters not, though, I will not allow you to pierce my flesh ever ag-"His eyes widened in shock, pain, and slight fear. He glanced down at the perfectly spherical hole that was still slightly smoking in his left bicep. His eyes met mine.

"You aren't the only one with a bloodline here. Though unlike yours, mine is a trump card and versatile. Yours is a one trick pony. I now only have to sit and wait. Depending on your natural constitution as well as whatever tricks that disgusting seal on your body offers you, as well as the location you were compromised, your heart will stop in 5 to 15 minutes. That needle wasn't just to give you a pinch. It was laced with my most potent toxin: Morrigan's Vengeance.

The boy laughed. "My master has made me immune to nearly every single toxin known to man."

I laughed harder. "I'm a Yamanaka. A hobby of mine in crossbreeding flora, especially those with poisonous properties. That poison is made from 4 plants found only in my own personal greenhouse. Trust me, you're already dead. Your body just needs time to realize it." I smirked, going for the jugular. "I'll make sure to leave a note on your corpse for dear old master. I will say, are you ready for this?" I laughed and pantomimed writing out a letter.

"Dear Orochi-Pedo,