stolen from Orochimaru
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Underground Passage
Natsume stood at the edge of the forest, scanning for signs of Orochimaru's hidden base. Finding it was no easy task, but he had his ways.
"Water Release—Water Severing Wave!"
He formed a sequence of seals and released a high-pressure jet of water from his mouth. The stream, sharper than any blade, sliced through rock and earth as if they were paper, carving a tunnel into the ground.
---
Inside the Base
Jugo, standing near the base's observation area, turned his head abruptly at the sound of something cutting through the earth.
"That noise… what's going on?"
In the original timeline, Jugo had been found by Kimimaro, whose kindness and strength led him to Orochimaru. But this timeline was different. Natsume's interference had disrupted events.
Kimimaro, Natsume recalled, was currently in the Land of Whirlpools—a region Natsume intended to claim for its strategic and historical value. Kimimaro's talent and loyalty were worth the effort.
"I'll check it out," Jugo said, glancing at Guren.
"Be careful," she warned.
Jugo nodded and headed toward the sound.
---
Jugo stepped into the dim hallway and spotted Natsume emerging from the newly carved tunnel. His eyes widened as his body reacted instinctively to the overwhelming natural energy radiating from Natsume.
The curse mark on his body activated, spreading dark patterns across his skin. His pupils narrowed, and his form became more beast-like—a transformation brought on by the berserk nature of his power.
Natsume raised an eyebrow. "Ah, I see. Curse mark transformation. Pretty impressive… if not so ugly."
With a feral roar, Jugo lunged.
Natsume sighed, clenching his fist. "Senjutsu-enhanced Strength."
In one powerful punch, Jugo was sent flying down the corridor, crashing into a glass wall with enough force to shatter part of it.
Guren ran to him, horrified. "Jugo! Are you okay?"
Jugo groaned, blood dripping from his mouth. "Guren… run. Take Uchiha Shin and escape. This guy… he's on a completely different level."
Natsume stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Anyone can leave—except for Uchiha Shin."
---
Guren's eyes narrowed. This guy is dangerous, but I can't let him take Shin.
"Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Labyrinth!"
The ground beneath Natsume's feet sparkled as pink crystals grew rapidly, encasing him in a transparent prison.
Guren exhaled, relieved. "That should hold him for—"
Crack!
The crystal shattered almost instantly.
"What?!"
Natsume brushed the shards off. "Your Crystal Release is unique, but against me? It's like paper mache."
Guren gritted her teeth, forming more seals. "Crystal Release: Shuriken Wild Dance!"
Pink crystal shards shot toward Natsume in rapid succession. One arrow-shaped shard, glowing with chakra, was aimed directly at his chest.
Natsume sidestepped effortlessly, appearing behind her.
"Water Release—Water Severing Wave!"
The high-pressure water sliced through her barriers as if they were nothing. Guren barely had time to react before a powerful kick from Natsume sent her crashing into the wall.
---
Natsume loomed over her, his Sharingan glowing ominously.
"Where is Uchiha Shin?"
Guren, bloodied but defiant, glared up at him. "I won't tell you! Kill me if you want, but I won't betray Lord Orochimaru!"
Her unwavering loyalty to Orochimaru was evident, but Natsume didn't have time to waste.
"I see," he said, activating his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Guren's eyes glazed over as she fell under his genjutsu.
"Room One of the arena," she said in a monotone voice.
"Thanks for the information." Natsume activated his unique genjutsu technique, Kokugan. It erased specific memories, ensuring she wouldn't recall anything about their encounter for the next year.
As Guren snapped back to consciousness, she looked around in confusion.
"What… what happened?"
Jugo growled, still recovering. "You traitor! You told him where Shin is!"
"No, I didn't!" Guren protested, her confusion mounting.
Natsume ignored their argument, already walking toward the arena.
---
Room One: Uchiha Shin
Natsume entered a large chamber filled with reinforced glass enclosures. Inside, he spotted children, all part of Orochimaru's twisted experiments.
In the center of the room stood Uchiha Shin, his Sharingan spinning as he prepared for a fight.
"You must be the infamous dealer," Shin said, smirking.
"Infamous? Hardly. Let's keep this brief," Natsume replied.
Shin lunged, his kunai aimed at Natsume's back.
Casually, Natsume caught his wrist mid-strike and countered with a senjutsu-enhanced kick that sent Shin sprawling across the room.
Shin groaned, struggling to stand. "How… how are you this strong?"
"Your Sharingan isn't developed enough to challenge me," Natsume said dismissively.
Desperate, Shin activated his Sharingan and attempted to cast genjutsu.
Natsume chuckled. "A basic three-tomoe genjutsu? Laughable."
Effortlessly dispelling the technique, he delivered a knockout punch to Shin, leaving him unconscious on the floor.
---
Natsume glanced back at the chaos he'd left behind. Guren and Jugo were still alive, though barely. The experimental subjects were unharmed.
He considered using the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape but decided against it. Leaving no traces for Orochimaru to track him was the smarter move.
As he walked out of the base, he smirked. Orochimaru would find out about this intrusion soon enough—but by then, it would be far too late.
---
Orochimaru Arrives
Natsume's footsteps left no trace, yet the tension in the air confirmed Orochimaru's approach. This wasn't a coincidence.
The psychic snakes Orochimaru had stationed from Ryuchi Cave had served as his eyes, ready to alert him of intrusions. Anticipating this, Natsume had subdued them before entering the base, waking them only after leaving.
By the time Orochimaru reached the glass-walled hall, Natsume was long gone.
Jugo and Guren, though injured, struggled to their feet as Orochimaru approached.
"Lord Orochimaru!" Jugo called out, his voice strained but respectful.
"What happened here?" Orochimaru asked, his voice deceptively calm, though his piercing gaze betrayed his displeasure.
Jugo spoke quickly. "Guren colluded with an outsider. She revealed Uchiha Shin's location and allowed him to be taken!"
"That's a lie!" Guren snapped, glaring at Jugo despite her injuries. "Someone used a strange jutsu on me! I would never betray Lord Orochimaru!"
"Enough." Orochimaru's voice silenced them both. His golden eyes glimmered with malice as he considered the situation. Guren's loyalty was unlikely to waver, but in the shinobi world, even the strongest minds could be broken.
He sniffed the air, a snake-like sneer forming on his lips. "He left a trail. Foolish."
Leaving a shadow clone to tend to Jugo and Guren, Orochimaru disappeared in a blur.
"Uchiha Shin has potential far beyond his current state," Orochimaru mused to himself, his voice low. "Even if this is a trap, I refuse to let him slip away."
---
Natsume's Escape
By the time Orochimaru set out, Natsume was already leagues away, moving through the Land of Fields toward the Land of Lightning. Orochimaru might have been fast, but even he couldn't match the speed granted by Sage Mode.
As dusk settled, Natsume found a quiet spot near a riverbank and set up a small camp. He created a shadow clone to guard Uchiha Shin, who remained unconscious, and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport to the Land of Waves.
Camping with Shin wasn't exactly his idea of a good night.
---
Land of Waves
At the Daimyo's mansion, Natsume found Uzumaki Ena seated at her desk, reviewing reports from the Chamber of Commerce. Her sharp focus and meticulous nature brought a small smile to his face.
"You're still working?" he asked, stepping inside.
Ena looked up, surprised but pleased. "There wasn't much else to do, so I thought I'd get ahead."
"You're going to burn yourself out," Natsume said, pulling up a chair and sitting beside her.
Ena laughed softly, brushing her hair aside. "And who's going to run the Chamber if I don't?"
Natsume leaned forward, a teasing grin on his face. "Do you know who wrote Departure Watch?"
Ena tilted her head in thought. "Zhuge Liang?"
"Exactly. He overworked himself to death. You don't want to follow in his footsteps, do you?"
(A/N:-Zhuge Liang was a legendary Chinese statesman, strategist, engineer, and inventor during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE)
Ena blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Is that supposed to scare me into resting?"
"If it works," Natsume replied, brushing a hand through her hair.
With a resigned sigh, Ena stretched and closed one of her ledgers. "Fine, I'll take a break."
"Good," he said, standing. "I'll hold you to it."
---
Returning to Camp
After spending a few hours with Ena, Natsume returned to his camp by the river. The crisp night air and cool water eased the tension in his body as he washed up.
The shadow clone had already prepared Uchiha Shin for the next part of their journey. Satisfied, Natsume activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again, teleporting directly to Konoha.
---
Tsunade's Home
Quietly, Natsume slipped under the covers, careful not to wake Tsunade. But the chill of his skin betrayed him.
"Natsume? You're freezing," Tsunade murmured, her voice groggy with sleep.
"Sorry, Sis," he whispered. "Didn't mean to wake you."
Tsunade sat up, placing a hand on his forehead. "You're not sick, are you?"
"I'm fine," he reassured her, though her concern warmed his heart.
Tsunade pulled him into a gentle embrace, her voice soft. "No matter what you're doing, don't push yourself too hard. Promise me."
He nodded, closing his eyes as he let her warmth calm his restless mind.
---
The Next Morning
Natsume woke up to the smell of breakfast and the sound of Tsunade bustling around the kitchen.
"Morning," he greeted, rubbing his temples.
Tsunade turned, her tone playful. "Morning, sleepyhead. I thought someone as energetic as you would be up by now."
Blushing slightly, Natsume chuckled. "Let's not talk about that."
She laughed, her golden eyes sparkling. "Then hurry up and eat. You've got a long day ahead."
As Natsume settled in for breakfast, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Orochimaru would undoubtedly retaliate, but Natsume was ready for whatever came next.
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