Kakashi, Yamato, Yukimi

Menma pursued the study of the various ninja clans' Kekkei Genkai with near-obsessive dedication.

Back in the Limited Tsukuyomi World, he had also enjoyed collecting all kinds of Kekkei Genkai from the Shinobi World to study their genes, attempting to unravel the secrets of the Otsutsuki Clan.

As everyone knew, any clan in the current Shinobi World that possessed special abilities could trace its ancestry back to the Sage of Six Paths.

The Uchiha Clan's renowned Sharingan, the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, and the Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku were all weakened versions of Otsutsuki Kaguya's various abilities.

However, compared to the deranged live-subject experiments conducted by Orochimaru and other Shinobi World scientists, Menma had maintained his bottom line even in the Limited Tsukuyomi World and never performed experiments on living people.

On one hand, he could not accept the false world of Limited Tsukuyomi. On the other, he did not want his own bottom line to be shattered and descend into madness.

Taiwan Novel Network had a vast library, t̲̲̅̅w̲̲̅̅k̲̲̅̅a̲̲̅̅n̲̲̅̅.c̲̲̅̅o̲̲̅̅m̲̲̅̅ was worry-free.

This struggle continued until Menma launched the Fourth Shinobi World War against the Five Great Nations.

After robbing Orochimaru and raiding several of his secret bases, Menma found experimental research materials concerning the Iburi Clan in Orochimaru's laboratory logs.

It reminded Menma of this minor ninja clan, which had appeared for only three episodes in the original anime before being wiped out.

This Smoke Transformation ability was a Kekkei Genkai Menma had never encountered in the Limited Tsukuyomi World, and it stirred his desire to collect it.

It was not some malicious collection. He merely wanted this clan to serve him and provide some cell tissue and blood for him to study the Smoke Transformation Kekkei Genkai.

"Lord Asura, these are the historical records of our Iburi Clan. They're all here." In a stone chamber deep underground, Gota introduced the clan's treasured collection to Menma.

Though Gota claimed that he could not believe Orochimaru had betrayed his promise, he had tacitly agreed to temporarily cooperate with Menma while waiting for Orochimaru to arrive.

So when Menma proposed looking through the Iburi Clan's history, Gota did not stop him and simply handed it over.

Looking at the sparse historical scrolls within the stone chamber, Menma roughly understood that the Iburi Clan did not place much importance on history or inheritance. They had few historical scrolls, with most things passed down orally.

Or perhaps survival itself had become a problem for the Iburi Clan. They could not guarantee food, medicine, or daily supplies, so the importance of these historical scrolls had naturally diminished greatly.

That was also apparent from the Iburi Clan's generally plain, ragged clothing.

Even Gota, their clan head, did not possess a suitable weapon. When fighting Kakashi, he had used nothing more than a woodcutter's blade.

In the dim stone chamber, Menma's fingertips brushed over scrolls thick with dust.

"I don't like owing people anything." Menma then took out a scroll and tossed it to Gota behind him.

"This Sealing Scroll contains enough food for a hundred people for one week."

Hearing that it was food, Gota caught the scroll with both hands and said joyfully, "Thank you."

Menma said nothing. He merely picked up a dust-covered scroll, opened it, and immersed himself in the sea of the Iburi Clan's history.

To Menma, it was merely a supply scroll he carried with him, filled with foods that were easy to preserve. The taste was naturally nothing special; it was mainly for emergencies.

But for the Iburi Clan, if they rationed it carefully, this food could sustain the entire clan for one or two months.

When Gota returned to find his clansmen with the scroll, he happened to see Yamato fighting a silver-haired ninja wearing a mask, while the surrounding clan members were also trying to attack him.

"Are those Konoha pursuers?" Gota immediately transformed into a cloud of smoke and rushed forward.

In the Kakashi Anbu Arc, Gota's taijutsu combined with his Smoke Transformation had displayed combat power equal to Anbu ninja Kakashi's. Kakashi had only won in the end by luring Gota out of the underground cave, stirring up strong winds in the forest, and blowing apart Gota's smoke form, ultimately causing Gota's death.

So when Gota joined the battle in smoke form, he immediately used the Smoke Smothering Technique, entering Kakashi's body through his nostrils.

Kakashi, who had been fiercely fighting Yamato's kunai with his family swordsmanship, instantly felt as though his internal organs were being scorched by smoke and fire. Smoke even flashed before his eyes.

"Aaargh!" Kakashi painfully dropped his weapon and clutched his head, sometimes scratching at his ears and cheeks, sometimes clutching his lungs as he screamed in agony.

"Wait!" Seeing this, Yamato hurriedly used the ninjutsu Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall, wrapping Kakashi up and forcing Gota to spare him.

"Why did you save him?!" After emerging from Kakashi's body, Gota dispelled his smoke form and questioned Yamato.

"He's a Konoha ninja. He can't die yet." Yamato quickly found an excuse. "Perhaps I can interrogate him for information about the Konoha pursuers and Orochimaru."

Using Wood Release, Yamato commanded several pieces of wood to bind Kakashi, making it seem as though he intended to interrogate him.

Gota frowned in thought, then slowly nodded. "Then I'll leave him to you. I'll go report to that lord."

As he spoke, Gota turned and left, handing the food storage scroll to a woman responsible for gathering food for the clan.

After Gota and the others left, Yamato let out a breath and walked toward Kakashi, who was bound by Wood Release. "Sorry. This is the only way I can keep you alive for now."

Kakashi's internal organs still retained the burning heat from the smoke, and pain wracked his entire body. Sweat streamed down his forehead as he looked at Yamato before him.

Yamato had once been ordered to assassinate the Third Hokage and had been defeated by Kakashi. But Kakashi believed that a ninja capable of using Wood Release was vital to the village, so he spared Yamato and reported his information to the Third Hokage.

And this time, Yamato had saved Kakashi's life as well.

"Who are they?" Kakashi asked between gasps. "That 'lord' he mentioned just now... is it Orochimaru?"

Although Kakashi had found this tree hollow by accident, the Iburi Clan clearly had deep ties with Orochimaru.

Yamato shook his head. "Orochimaru hasn't arrived yet. It's Asura."

"Asura seems to want the Iburi Clan to serve him, so he's waiting here for Orochimaru."

"Asura..." Kakashi's Sharingan trembled slightly.

He recalled that strange figure wearing a white Three-Eyed Fox Mask.

Though he had never fought Asura, the fact that Asura had directly defeated the two Hyuga clan head brothers and caused havoc in Kumogakure showed just how unfathomably powerful he was.

And how had such a powerful man learned of Orochimaru's defection?

"Tenzo!" Just as Kakashi and Yamato were exchanging information, Yukimi returned.

"Who is she?" Kakashi looked at the girl about their age, then glanced at Yamato.

"Her name is Yukimi. She's the Iburi Clan's only child. The other children... were all taken away by Orochimaru for experiments." Yamato introduced Yukimi to Kakashi.

Though it was their first meeting, the sense of familiarity between them made their relationship feel like that of old friends reunited after many years.

"Taken away by Orochimaru..." Kakashi did not need to think to know that those children had likely already died in the laboratory.

Yukimi did not yet know the specifics. She merely instinctively worried about this boy who looked so much like Tenzo. "I'll take you out. If that lord comes asking questions, both of you will be in trouble."

Kakashi's expression beneath his mask softened once more. This kind-hearted girl, who lived deep underground yet retained such a sunny, cheerful personality, reminded him of his departed companion—

Rin Nohara.