CHAPTER 46

"Crystal Release: Crimson Fruit!" Guren enveloped herself in a thick crystalline dome, deflecting Raiga Kurosuki's bolt of lightning with a brilliant shimmer.

"Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Blade Dance!"

With a sweep of her arms, she summoned a massive crystal dragon from above, its jagged fangs and claws gleaming as it lunged at Raiga.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon Tornado!"

Raiga countered immediately. He slashed his twin swords—the Kiba, famed blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—creating a spiraling lightning dragon wreathed in wind that shot forth to clash with Guren's crystal beast.

Watching this spectacle, Kimimaro couldn't help but mentally complain.

Why do so many ninjutsu attacks take the form of dragons? It's like the laws of nature in this world favor anything shaped like a beast... and power actually scales with theatrics.

Despite the impressive scale of Guren's jutsu, Kimimaro had already identified a key flaw.

Crystal Release has its merits—durability, sealing potential, and even limited reconnaissance when scattered properly. But offensively, it's lacking. All her attacks are essentially hardened constructs—either impaling or encasing. The only truly potent ranged technique she has is the "Crystal Release: Crystal Light Shuriken" and possibly the "Crystal Release: Crystal Lance," but those still rely on physical force.

He recalled the "Arrow of Light" Guren had used once—it had been devastating, piercing a summoned creature in one shot—but its chakra demand was too great to use freely.

She needs elemental power. If she could combine Crystal Release with a complementary element, like Wind or Fire, the result could be incredible. I'll ask her thoughts on it later.

Raiga's lightning dragon tore through part of the crystal construct, forcing Guren to retreat and fortify her position.

"It seems I have to step in," Kimimaro said calmly, stepping forward as white bone armor began to spread across his body like a natural exoskeleton.

"Guren, fall back. I'll handle this."

Guren nodded reluctantly. She could feel the pressure building. Raiga's enhanced Kiba blades—amplifying lightning release—were too much for her current form of combat. And her chakra reserves were already being stretched.

Kimimaro leapt forward, bones jutting from his arms and forming deadly spears as he closed the gap with Raiga.

Lightning crackled around Raiga's body. "A bone-user, huh? Think your bones can stand up to my thunder? Let's test that theory!"

Electricity surged toward Kimimaro, but it was partially grounded by his dense skeletal armor. While ordinary bones within the human body could conduct under intense current due to fluid content, Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku was different—his bones were denser, drier, and under perfect control.

The voltage scorched parts of his body but didn't halt his advance.

"You rely too much on your lightning," Kimimaro said coldly. "For someone who carries the title of Seven Ninja Swordsmen, you lack true swordsmanship."

With that, he engaged Raiga in close combat—and utterly dominated him. Raiga tried to keep distance with lightning bursts, but Kimimaro's attacks pierced through the electric haze.

"Damn you! You think you're immune just because you're a pile of bones?! I'll show you power—Lightning Fang Art: Twin Lightning Pillars!"

Raiga raised both swords and slammed them down, summoning two massive lightning bolts from the sky.

But Kimimaro responded instantly.

"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison!"

Thick wooden columns erupted from the ground, forming a defensive structure around him. The lightning clashed with the Wood Release and diffused—though Kimimaro couldn't form the True Several Thousand Hands like Hashirama, basic Wood Release techniques were more than enough to shield him.

"Wood Release?! What the hell are you?"

"Nothing you need to know." Kimimaro appeared from the splinters, bones protruding like lances from his arms. "This ends now!"

Raiga gritted his teeth. Instead of continuing the fight, he activated his escape technique—his body merged with lightning and vanished in a brilliant flash, speeding toward his hideout.

"You just wait! I'll be back!"

Kimimaro didn't chase. "Tch… he ran. I thought he'd at least fight until the end."

He looked around. Where's Ranmaru? If Raiga fled, he'd likely go retrieve his companion.

But when Raiga arrived at the spot where Ranmaru usually hid, the space was empty.

"Ranmaru?! Where did you go?!"

Back at the group's camp, Kimimaro turned as Karin and Jugo approached, Hanabi walking beside them.

"Kimimaro, look what we found." Karin grinned.

Behind her, Jugo was carrying a small boy with short brown hair and distinct red eyes.

"Where did you three go?" Kimimaro asked.

"I sensed an unusual chakra signature earlier—different from Raiga's. It was faint but had a unique structure, like it was disrupting Byakugan perception. Hanabi noticed it too."

"This is?"

"I'm… Ranmaru," the boy said nervously. "Are you going to hurt me?"

Kimimaro crouched, observing the boy's crimson eyes—eyes capable of disrupting dojutsu like the Byakugan and casting powerful illusions, according to rumor. They weren't exactly Ketsuryugan or Sharingan, but something else entirely… something rare.

Red eyes…? Kimimaro's mind clicked. I've been searching for a rare dojutsu, and here one appears without effort. A gift from fate?

Ranmaru, innocent and trusting, soon began talking. With only a little encouragement, he poured out his story—his life with Raiga, his powers, his past.

Kimimaro's smile was faint but satisfied.

Looks like we found more than just the Kiba blades today.

However, seeing the pity in the eyes of Karin, Hanabi, and even Guren as they looked at Ranmaru, Kimimaro felt a bit awkward about simply extracting a tube of his blood.

"…Let's take him with us. We're going back."

Ranmaru was physically frail, usually carried around by Raiga Kurosuki. Now, Jūgo gently hoisted him onto his shoulder, while Suigetsu carried the unconscious Karashi like a sack of rice.

Karashi, still dazed, had never expected his "invincible" boss to lose so decisively.

Upon returning to Granny Sansho's curry shop, Karashi was promptly "punished" by his mother — with a heaping bowl of extra-spicy curry.

"Young man, thank you so much!" Granny Sansho beamed at Kimimaro. "I'll make you a fresh batch of Life-Enhancing Curry, and teach you how to cook it while I'm at it."

She led Kimimaro into the kitchen, where she and Karashi began demonstrating the preparation process.

"It seems that besides the technique, a few key herbs are crucial," Kimimaro observed as he watched.

"You're right. These herbs are extremely rare," Granny Sansho said with a sigh. "I don't have much left. Even if you learn the recipe, it's not easy to make this often. The herbs grow in very specific conditions, and most ninjas don't have time to cultivate them during missions."

Kimimaro rubbed his forehead lightly. "Let's see how effective it really is. What happens if someone eats it?"

"Those who try it for the first time will feel their vitality surge — as if their life force has been strengthened," she explained. "After the first time, it mainly serves as physical recovery. Karashi and I have already eaten it, so it doesn't do much for us anymore. But the boy you brought back is very weak — if he eats it, he should be able to live like a normal child."

"…That effective?"

Kimimaro's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. It was essentially like raising one's maximum health for the first use. Afterward, it worked as a potent recovery meal — a non-chakra-dependent alternative to medical ninjutsu. That made it incredibly valuable.

If it really worked that well, the rarity of the herbs might be worth addressing after all.

"Let's try it first."

He took a freshly made plate of Life-Enhancing Curry and brought it to Ranmaru.

Ranmaru blinked as the aroma wafted up to him. "It smells really good… is this for me?"

"Yes," Kimimaro nodded. "Granny Sansho said this special curry can help you regain your strength — maybe even live like a normal person again."

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