Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

The entire study trembled and burned violently under this force.

But the wall of light didn't even tremble slightly.

"..."

Mitomon En stared blankly at the scene, his eyes filled with despair.

In the instant he was stunned, Sasuke's figure had already pierced through the sea of ​​fire and appeared in front of him.

He raised his right hand and calmly pressed it against Mitokado Homura's face, which was already contorted with fear.

Sasuke's voice was cold, "Back then, forcing Itachi to make that choice was something you and Danzo planned together, wasn't it?"

Mitokado En's body trembled violently; he wanted to shake his head, to deny it.

But the tightening grip of Sasuke's palm and the icy coldness in his eyes left all his words stuck in his throat.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."

Sasuke's lips curled into a cruel smile as he slowly drew out the jet-black longsword with his other hand.

"Then, as punishment..."

"Let you experience firsthand the pain felt by those people who died because of your decisions."

He plunged the blade of "Indra" inch by inch into Mitokado En's chest.

It did not immediately penetrate the heart.

The dark flames, following the blade, burrowed into his body, beginning to gnaw at his meridians and internal organs inch by inch from the inside.

"Uh... Ahhh..."

Mitomon Yan let out a bloodcurdling scream that was unlike anything in human form; the burning pain that came from the very soul was far more intense than any physical injury.

"This is their suffering."

Sasuke's voice echoed in his ears like a devil's whisper, "Feel it well."

"Before your filthy soul is completely burned away."

.........

Outside the study, Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi stood quietly in the shadows of the courtyard.

Hearing the heart-wrenching screams coming from the study, Orochimaru smiled on his pale face.

"What a beautiful symphony!" he exclaimed hoarsely.

The pharmacist adjusted his glasses, a subtle, complex emotion flashing in his eyes behind the lenses.

He gazed at the study, its light flickering in the firelight, and asked in a low voice, "Lord Orochimaru, Sasuke-kun...?"

Orochimaru didn't respond to his words, but silently stared at the study.

After a long while, the screams in the study finally stopped.

The flames gradually died out.

Sasuke slowly emerged from the charred ruins. He glanced at the two people in the courtyard but said nothing.

"Is it over?" Orochimaru seemed a little unsatisfied.

"Ah."

Sasuke nodded slightly, and then his gaze fell on the long sword that had just finished its "feast".

Kabuto followed his gaze, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He saw that on the black hilt of "Indra," the Uchiha fan-shaped clan crest, which had been incomplete before, was now completely intact.

At first, it was just like a crescent moon, but now the missing part has been filled by a pattern that burns like a flame.

As a result, the fan-shaped family emblem began to resemble a complete moon more and more.

"Sasuke-kun."

Kabuto's voice was a little hoarse, "Your knife..."

Sasuke didn't answer, but simply ran his fingertips lightly over the new patterns, feeling the increasingly intimate resonance with his soul.

"Let's go."

Chapter 167 Manipulation, Mei Kirigakure (8k+, supplementing yesterday's chapter)

The border of Konoha gradually receded into the distance behind us.

"Where are you going next, Sasuke?" Orochimaru walked up to Sasuke and asked curiously.

Sasuke's steps did not falter, his dark eyes reflecting the endless road ahead.

"Let's stick to the original plan for now."

He pondered for a moment, then replied calmly, "Go collect the other tailed beasts."

This answer brought a smile to Orochimaru's face.

"That's a great idea."

He licked his lips and offered Sasuke the best solution, "In that case, I have a good idea of ​​where to go, how about the Land of Water?"

"The Three-Tailed Isobu there is still ownerless. It has neither been sealed nor has a fixed Jinchūriki, making it our easiest target."

Orochimaru changed the subject, his tone becoming meaningful, "The Hidden Mist Village has been quite interesting lately. Their Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, is dead, and they haven't been able to elect a new Mizukage yet."

"A new Mizukage?" Sasuke paused slightly, turned his head, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

“That’s right.” Orochimaru’s smile became even more amused. “There have always been rumors that the previous Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was controlled by some kind of powerful genjutsu for a long time and became someone else’s puppet.”

"This led to the infamous 'Village of Blood Mist' period."

"A village's shadow was controlled by illusion magic for so long, and even had brutal policies implemented that shook the village's foundations, only to be discovered after his death..."

Sasuke snorted inwardly, feeling even more contempt for the village. He coldly commented, "The ninjas of this village are truly useless."

But what he cared about more was something else.

"To be able to manipulate a 'Kage' level powerhouse with illusions for so many years..."

With the Uchiha clan long since "erased," who else in the ninja world could do such a thing?

The answer is almost unique.

"It's that masked man from the Minato Gate, the one who calls himself Uchiha Madara," Orochimaru said for him.

"..."

Sasuke's eyes instantly turned cold.

All the clues seem to point to the mysterious being who appeared during the Nine-Tails' rampage and indirectly caused the Uchiha tragedy.

It seems I absolutely have to go to this water kingdom.

........

On the border of the Land of Fire, there is a seaside town shrouded in sea fog all year round.

This is the ferry crossing to the land of water. The salty sea breeze blows across the dock, bringing with it the sound of distant waves and the cries of seabirds.

The ferry's whistle echoed in the distance, announcing the imminent start of the next journey.

On the dock, three figures sat quietly on a bench waiting for the ferry.

"The Land of Water..."

Orochimaru gazed at the distant, hazy sea, his voice tinged with a touch of melancholy, "It's been so long since I've been here."

He turned his head to the side, his snake-like eyes landing on Sasuke.

"Speaking of which, Sasuke-kun, what's it like being the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki?"

Sasuke glanced at him, made no attempt to hide anything, and calmly replied, "The most obvious one is chakra."

"So large that it could be squandered at will."

"Oh?" Orochimaru's interest grew even stronger. "That fox lent you its power so easily?"

He had great doubts about this.

Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage of the Uzumaki clan, was only able to suppress him through her own powerful strength and sealing techniques.

The second-generation Jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki, even though she was also a member of the Uzumaki clan, never truly tamed the Nine-Tails.

What method did this kid use?

not to mention......

Orochimaru's gaze swept subtly over Sasuke's abdomen, where there was absolutely no trace of any sealing technique.

Faced with Orochimaru's question, Sasuke did not answer, but simply raised his hand and gently brushed his eyes.

"It seems to be because the Nine-Tails inside me is made of pure Yin-attribute chakra."

"I can feel that its power can enhance the effect of my illusions to a certain extent."

Sasuke paused, then spoke of the phenomenon that puzzled even himself, "At times, it even seems to cause some changes in my eyes, though I'm not sure if it's just my imagination."

As for deeper aspects, such as the ability to forcibly use the Nine-Tails' chakra cloak or even to undergo "tailed beast transformation," he did not easily reveal these things to others.

"I see......"

Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully. Although he had never heard of the tailed beasts' chakra having such an effect, he could only attribute it to the special nature of the Uchiha bloodline.

"Speaking of which, aren't you going to find Itachi?"

Orochimaru turned his head to the side, observing Sasuke's reaction with great interest.

In recent days, he has never missed any information about the Akatsuki organization, and he will send any news or developments to Sasuke as soon as possible.

But strangely, that organization seems to have been quite well-behaved lately, and hasn't sent any new people over.

Sasuke calmly shook his head: "Deidara is dead, but Akatsuki didn't immediately send anyone to hunt me down, which says it all."

"Oh?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, clearly not able to immediately follow Sasuke's train of thought.

Sasuke didn't explain immediately, but simply raised his head and looked up at the gray sky, his eyes reflecting a depth that no one could understand.