Chapter 86: No Chance

To Orochimaru, so long as he remained alive, everything else was meaningless. With his abilities, even if he lost everything, it wouldn't matter—he could always take it back.

But for the people of Konoha, there were far too many things worth protecting. Orochimaru exploited this perfectly, forcing his enemies to hold back for fear of collateral damage. They couldn't bring their full strength to bear against him.

And just as Orochimaru predicted, despite being deliberately targeted, even though he was at a disadvantage in battle strength, he still hadn't been pushed into a desperate situation. Now he just needed to wait for the perfect moment to break through the encirclement and escape.

...

Shukaku's unrestrained true form had already emerged. Even though Gaara hadn't entered the Feigning Sleep Technique yet, his sheer size gave him an overwhelming advantage—far beyond what a few genin could hope to handle.

Mizuki spotted Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno taking cover nearby, staring in shock at the colossal figure of Shukaku in the distance.

"Did Gaara actually capture Sakura to use her against Naruto?" Mizuki muttered inwardly. "While the general plan seems to be intact, so many details have changed."

In reality, even if he had arrived on time, he probably wouldn't have made any real difference—this level of power wasn't something he was suited to confront head-on.

Yet despite that, Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara continued fighting harder and harder. It seemed like saving Sakura had merely been the trigger—the fundamental reason lay in them both being jinchuriki, sharing similar experiences but holding vastly different ideologies, which naturally led to unavoidable conflict. With Naruto's deep-rooted sense of justice as Ashura's reincarnation, it would've been strange if he and Gaara hadn't clashed fiercely.

Not long after, a surge of chakra erupted, and Gamabunta, the giant scar-covered toad, appeared.

"Is that Naruto?" Sasuke murmured in disbelief, looking up at Naruto standing atop the towering amphibian.

"Teacher Mizuki, is this the power you mentioned—the one beyond normal limits?" Sakura asked.

Mizuki nodded slightly. "It depends on how you see it. Let's just say his potential is enormous. Whether he can realize it or not remains uncertain. Just like your Sharingan—do you even truly understand its potential?"

Frankly, Mizuki wasn't particularly eager to interact with Sasuke Uchiha. He was the kind of person who'd never show gratitude, no matter how much you did for him. While expecting anything in return for a favor might seem opportunistic, someone who chased revenge recklessly, without a second thought, wasn't a pleasant conversation partner.

"Teacher Mizuki, you know a lot about the Sharingan?" Sasuke asked. For someone like Sasuke, who had no clan left to rely upon, Kakashi Hatake was practically the only source of guidance regarding his Sharingan. Every opportunity to gain insight was precious, and Sasuke refused to let any slip away.

Mizuki shook his head and said, "The Uchiha clan is too exclusive. Nobody outside the clan can know much about the Sharingan. You should ask Kakashi more about it."

Sasuke bowed his head in disappointment.

"Teacher Mizuki, should we go help?" Sakura Haruno suggested.

"You two stay here. Sasuke's injured and can't move well. Someone needs to take care of him. I'll handle this alone."

[Gaara didn't bind Sakura with sand, so one opportunity to collect chakra was missed; another would come if Gamabunta severed Shukaku, the One-Tail's, right arm with a single slash; the last resort would be forcibly initiating and sealing the extraction of the tailed beast chakra after Gaara lost mobility, though that method carries great risk.]

Mizuki carefully approached the battlefield where the two fought, making sure to stay along the line connecting them and Sakura. Naruto knows Sasuke and Sakura are positioned here, so he will definitely try to avoid attacks heading in this direction.

However, the power of Shukaku, the One-Tail, was simply too overwhelming. Even from a distance, the whirlwinds generated were strong enough to uproot entire trees. If one weren't careful, death or serious injury would inevitably follow.

[Such a massive summoned beast consumes enormous chakra. Even Naruto Uzumaki's original body doesn't have sufficient reserves. Only at the level of Nine-Tails' leaking chakra could such a summoning be possible. As for the chakra required for Sage Mode, it's almost unimaginable. Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze, and Naruto Uzumaki learning it could perhaps be explained as favored by destiny itself. But then how did Kabuto Yakushi manage? Although that *Snake Sage Art* looks like an inferior product, clearly incomplete practice, he at least succeeded somehow. How did he do it? Don't even mention ridiculous explanations like using Orochimaru's cells - even Orochimaru himself couldn't master it. Could his cells really serve as a medium for successfully practicing *Snake Sage Art*? That sounds extremely implausible. I really don't understand how Kabuto managed it.]

Looks like besides those favored by fate, there are truly gifted individuals in this world too. Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi, especially Kabuto, who managed to secure a place for himself when battle readiness skyrocketed later on, undoubtedly possessed exceptional talent.

[It would be amazing to find a few geniuses like this to work with.]

Thinking about the only potential assistant available, Sakura, Mizuki felt a headache coming on. Although he had personally taught her some basics—especially training her in modern ways of thinking—he believed she had the potential to succeed within his power system. Mizuki had considered teaching her some core knowledge before, but the girl's heart was completely focused on Sasuke Uchiha. She just seemed unreliable somehow. Regarding matters like teacher-student inheritance and family secret techniques, from his past life's perspective, these concepts weren't worth considering. Yet he couldn't predict how native inhabitants of this world might view such things. What Mizuki truly wanted were one or more collaborators rather than traditional apprentices or disciples who would merely follow his framework step-by-step. He sought potential "collaborators" like Kabuto Yakushi, Sakura Haruno, or even Orochimaru.

[Should I go looking for Danzo Shimura?]

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