Chapter 48: The Three Forces

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The Land of Fields, bordering the northern edge of the Land of Fire, was once the birthplace of Otogakure—the Hidden Sound Village. In recent years, however, with the decline of the Sound Village, it has faded from the attention of most shinobi.

A small, insignificant nation like this has instead become fertile ground for the roots of evil to take hold.

Deep within the dense forest, surrounded by wetlands and swamps, lies a secret fortress. Its entrance leads underground.

The walls are ancient and weathered, their texture exuding a sense of age. Snake-shaped candelabras are symmetrically placed along both sides of the corridor, their dim light barely illuminating a five-step radius. Every thirty steps, another pair of candelabras stands, the interplay of light and shadow adding an eerie atmosphere.

The corridor twists and turns like a labyrinth, filled with hidden traps and mechanisms. Those who rashly venture in often find themselves unable to return.

The maze leads to the deepest part of the underground fortress—a massive human experimentation lab.

The lab is vast, yet the dim tones make it feel oppressively confined.

Transparent glass containers line the walls, each filled with a strange liquid that suspends various experimental subjects: humans, snakes, half-human-half-snake hybrids, and grotesque, malformed creatures of all kinds.

Rustle! Scratch!

At the center of the lab, a man busily worked over an experiment table.

His figure was cloaked in a dark robe, with his head concealed beneath a hood.

Hiss, hiss. Two white snakes extended from beneath his robes, flicking their tongues toward the space behind him.

"Heh, heh, heh," a sinister laugh echoed, chilling the silent air. "The world outside is starting to get lively again."

"Well, I suppose it's not surprising. After all, when you've spent so much time in the darkness, talking to yourself becomes a reasonable pastime."

"That Naruto... Not only did he defeat your trusted subordinates, but he also took the eyes that should have belonged to you."

"Those eyes are crucial to your future plans, aren't they? That's why you're hesitating, afraid of losing everything."

"I know. Your original plan was to stir up conflict at the Five Kage Summit, wasn't it?"

"You intended to stop hiding in the shadows and, with the power you've amassed, openly seize the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails!"

"It's a very logical strategy—efficient and direct!"

"I even prepared a little surprise for that moment."

Swish! As he spoke, a pair of vertical pupils flashed, glancing toward a coffin in the corner.

"But since you've changed your plans, I can't reveal my trump card too early."

Shaking his head, he muttered, "What a pity. I was really looking forward to seeing the ridiculous expression on your face beneath that mask."

"But at this point, it doesn't matter anymore. After all, this war has nothing to do with me. My only goal is to take Sasuke back from you."

"Compared to cooperating with you—a roundabout, unpredictable method—I've found a much better bait for Sasuke. Yes, for the sake of revenge, Sasuke will inevitably go after Danzō."

He lowered his gaze to the experiment table before him. "Though it seems... I may have gone a bit overboard."

On the table lay Danzō, now transformed into a genuine monstrosity.

The face of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was grafted all over his body!

Each of Hashirama's faces had its eye sockets filled with Sharingan!

Heh, heh, heh. A sinister chuckle accompanied dangerous words. "No longer just a single arm... I've implanted Shin Uchiha's anti-rejection cells throughout Danzō's body to enhance his compatibility with Hashirama's cells!"

"Then, through negotiations with Shin, I obtained one hundred of his clones. Using cloning technology, I mass-produced Mangekyō Sharingan—two hundred in total—and implanted them all!"

"Additionally, Danzō's new right eye... is a special surprise I've reserved for you."

Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Hahahahaha!!

Throwing back his hood, Kabuto Yakushi revealed his face and tilted his head back in maniacal laughter. "Go ahead, Sasuke, seek your revenge! I'll ensure that you taste an unprecedented defeat at Danzō's hands. When your resolve is crushed, when you fall into confusion and despair, you'll seek even greater power! Naturally, just like three years ago, when you turned to Orochimaru-sama, you'll come to me!"

"And then, under my guidance—not as Orochimaru-sama, but as someone who has surpassed him—I will forge a being that transcends even the legends of the Uchiha! Yes, Sasuke, in my hands, you will surpass that legend. You will surpass Uchiha Madara!"

As his laughter faded, Kabuto adjusted his glasses with a finger. The reflection of light on the lenses obscured his eyes, and in the silence, he revealed his true purpose.

"In doing so, I will prove to the world the meaning of my existence."

---

The obsessions and madness of individuals did not disturb the quiet rain-soaked village.

In the tower of Amegakure, the Hidden Rain Village...

After receiving treatment, Konan's fever had subsided, and she now rested peacefully.

"Phew." Shizune composed herself and stepped out of the room.

Naruto smiled and said, "Thank you, Shizune-san."

Shizune nodded faintly but spoke seriously. "Naruto, I need to talk to you."

Naruto interrupted her. "If it's about why I left the village, I'm afraid I can't tell you."

Hearing this, Shizune's expression darkened.

Naruto added, "I can only assure you that I won't do anything to harm the village."

"Tsunade-sama has already woken up. After learning what happened in the village, she's practically overwhelmed! I don't understand—why, this time of all times, are you unwilling to discuss anything with us? You know, no matter how reckless you've been in the past, Tsunade-sama has always stood by your side!"

Shizune spoke urgently, closely observing Naruto's reaction. Yet, she found no trace of the emotional response she had hoped for.

Naruto's eyes held only clarity and depth. Calmly, he explained, "This isn't something that can be resolved through discussion. Without absolute evidence to convince everyone, even gaining the trust of a few would lead to significant resistance later on."

"Rather than dragging others into the pressure with me, it's more efficient for me to act alone."

"This is a conclusion I've reached after careful consideration. Even if it's not the best approach, it's at least the most cost-effective one."

Naruto placed a hand on Shizune's shoulder.

Swish!

In a flash of light, he transported Shizune to the outskirts of Konoha, handing Tonton back to her.

Shizune looked bewildered. She could no longer see through Naruto.

After a moment, she asked, "What happened to you? Can you tell just me? I promise I won't tell anyone else."

Naruto smiled. "Shizune-san, just go back."

Sigh. Realizing she would get no answers, Shizune sighed softly, holding Tonton as she walked toward the village in the distance.

As she left, Naruto called out, "Oh, by the way, deliver a message to Granny Tsunade for me."

Tap.

Shizune stopped in her tracks.

Naruto's gaze glimmered with cold light as he said, "Tell her that no matter what happens, I will not allow Danzō to return to Konoha alive. She should prepare to resume the position of Hokage."

Shizune remained silent. After a moment, she continued walking.

Once Shizune was gone, Naruto slowly turned his gaze to the side and extended his hand.

Banshō Ten'in!

"Argh!!!" A White Zetsu hiding in the shadows screamed as Naruto pulled it toward him.

Naruto smiled faintly. "Well, what a coincidence. You guys really are everywhere, huh?"

White Zetsu growled, "Why are you flying around at night instead of sleeping?!"

Naruto replied, "That's my question for you. But I have a faster way to get answers."

Crunch!

Naruto gripped the White Zetsu's head, his left eye—his Rinnegan—glowing as he closed it.

Human Path!

In mere seconds, Naruto extracted all the information about Akatsuki's plans from White Zetsu's mind.

"So that's their next move..." Naruto opened his eyes. "Akatsuki's deployment, huh?"

Whoosh!

With a pull of his hand, he extracted a glowing white orb from White Zetsu's head.

The consequence of the Human Path: the loss of one's soul.

"Looks like I'll need to prepare my own countermeasures."

Swish! With a swirl of his cloak, Naruto disappeared into the misty dawn.