Chapter 98: Danzo and Kabuto’s Cooperation

"Wait for me."

As soon as he spoke, Naruto vanished in a flash, reappearing moments later with a struggling White Zetsu he had captured lurking in the outskirts of Konoha.

White Zetsu thrashed violently. "How did you find me?! What are you planning to do?!"

Naruto had activated his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode while teleporting across long distances, allowing him to sense multiple White Zetsu clones infiltrating the village. Initially, he intended to capture any one of them, but he detected an unusual concentration of hostility. Curious, he decided to investigate further.

Three figures, disguised as Konoha shinobi, walked the streets radiating nothing but pure hatred. Naruto instantly appeared before them, his golden chakra cloak flickering with power.

"You three! I can tell at a glance—you're not human!" he declared.

Without hesitation, he launched twin Rasengan, obliterating two of them. As expected, their bodies twisted into lifeless wood—the signature transformation of White Zetsu.

"Hmph, same trick again," he muttered in disgust.

Turning to the remaining Zetsu, he felt a sickening certainty—the original Konoha shinobi these creatures had mimicked were already dead. White Zetsu possessed the ability to absorb a person's chakra, replicating them perfectly to fool sensory ninjas. That meant these impostors were attempting another infiltration.

Naruto's expression darkened. "Shinra Tensei!"

With a single pull, the last Zetsu flew into his grasp, fingers tightening around its throat. Without a word, he teleported away.

Orochimaru's Laboratory

Upon arrival, Orochimaru gave Naruto a sharp-toothed grin. "Naruto-kun, your efficiency never ceases to amaze me."

Naruto wasn't in the mood for flattery. "Hn. Just watch."

Without hesitation, he slammed a hand onto White Zetsu's head. His Rinnegan pulsed as he activated the Human Path.

"Soul Extraction!"

White Zetsu shrieked, convulsing as Naruto ripped through its chakra network, extracting every last piece of intel stored within.

Minutes later, Naruto exhaled, eyes glinting with cold fury. "An attack on Konoha? The audacity…"

He turned to Orochimaru. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Orochimaru, who had been preparing the Edo Tensei ritual in the meantime, chuckled. "No matter. Just toss it over."

Naruto flung the lifeless husk of White Zetsu onto the prepared seal. The body was paralyzed, its soul connection severed. Perfect for a reanimation sacrifice.

With precise hand seals, Orochimaru's voice echoed through the chamber. "Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation!"

A chilling scream filled the air as sealing symbols crawled over Zetsu's decaying body. The sacrificial flames consumed the corpse, leaving behind a familiar figure—Itachi Uchiha.

Or so they thought.

Naruto's frown deepened. "What's going on?"

Orochimaru examined the ritual site, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting… Someone has beaten us to it."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Kabuto. It has to be him."

A slow smirk spread across Orochimaru's face. "That slippery snake never fails to impress."

At that moment, the door creaked open. Nagato entered, his Rinnegan scanning the chamber. "Naruto. Kisame's body is secure. How is the ritual progressing?"

Orochimaru shrugged. "A minor setback."

Naruto cracked his knuckles. "It doesn't matter. We'll handle it later. For now, let's convene."

Kabuto's Secret Base

In a dimly lit chamber, Danzo Shimura's eyes snapped open. His body convulsed, feeling alien yet powerful.

Kabuto observed him like a scientist admiring an experiment. "Ah, you're awake."

Danzo moved unnaturally fast, leaping from the operating table and lunging at Kabuto with fanged jaws.

Kabuto remained unfazed, activating a pre-set seal barrier.

Boom!

Danzo slammed into the invisible force, thrashing wildly, his body mutating. His hands elongated into claws, his eyes gleamed obsidian black, and his mouth dripped with unnatural hunger.

"Blood… Fresh blood…!" Danzo growled, his voice no longer entirely human. His form had become monstrous—bat-like wings twitched on his back, and his once-proud Sharingan now burned with an unquenchable thirst.

Kabuto's smirk deepened. "I see. You're already feeling the effects. The power of the experiment is taking hold."

Danzo's mind was clouded with primal instinct. He needed blood. The urge was suffocating. He couldn't think—only hunger remained.

Kabuto tilted his head. "Luckily, you brought some of your subordinates. Let's see how well this transformation works."

He unsealed the cave entrance, stepping aside.

Danzo howled as he vanished into the night.

Outside the Cave

Aburame Torune and Yamanaka Fu scoured the perimeter. Their patience had worn thin—Danzo had ordered them to wait, but it had been days.

Fu's eyes narrowed as he activated his clan's sensory jutsu. "I found Danzo-sama's chakra… but something's off."

Torune frowned. "What do you mean?"

Fu hesitated. "It's him, but… different."

Torune tensed. "Something's coming. Fast."

A dark blur moved through the trees. Before Fu could react, Danzo materialized behind him, sinking his fangs into his neck.

"Gaaahh—!" Fu's scream cut through the night as his body convulsed. His limbs twitched, his chakra drained at an alarming rate.

Torune's eyes widened. "Danzo-sama?! What are you doing?!"

Danzo didn't respond—only drank deeper. Fu's struggles weakened until his body shriveled, reduced to a dried husk.

Torune was frozen in horror. His instincts screamed that this thing was no longer their leader.

Danzo lifted his head, crimson-stained fangs bared. His voice was distorted, guttural. "More… I need more…"

Torune barely had time to react before Danzo lunged at him next.

Instinctively, he activated his nano-poison technique, covering his body in lethal microbes. If Danzo touched him, it would be instant death.

But Danzo didn't slow down.

Rip! Danzo's claws shredded through Torune's defenses, his fangs sinking deep into his neck.

Torune gasped, the world spinning. "H-How… My poison… Should've… worked…"

Danzo drank greedily. Within moments, Torune's body, too, was nothing more than a withered corpse.

The mutated shinobi stepped back, exhaling sharply. As the stolen blood coursed through him, his grotesque features faded. His wings retracted, his claws dulled, his eyes returned to normal. He was Danzo once more.

His mind cleared, realization dawning. He looked at the lifeless bodies of his most loyal subordinates.

For the first time in his long, ruthless life, Danzo felt something foreign.

Horror.

He clenched his fists, forcing himself to ignore the dread curling in his gut.

This was power.

And power was all that mattered.

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