Darker, Deeper, More Cruel

Yuhara felt that Orochimaru at this moment had not yet grasped the elements that constituted the "ultimate secret" of the ninja world. However, this top disciple of the Third Hokage had unconsciously begun to collect these elements.

This was actually a natural progression. Wood Release was incredibly powerful, the standard method by which the First Hokage dominated the ninja world, so Orochimaru wanted to study it. He discovered individuals who could use Nature Energy and learned the truth about Sage Mode, so Orochimaru wanted to study Nature Energy.

As for the Three Great Dojutsu, Orochimaru was not interested in the Byakugan. Secondly, he didn't understand the Mangekyo Sharingan yet and, without seeing Uchiha Itachi, wasn't particularly concerned about the Sharingan. The third, the Rinnegan, was currently just a legend.

Things that ordinary ninjas would never encounter in their lifetime were essentially within reach for a high-level player like Orochimaru if he just stretched out his hand. However, even though Orochimaru's first contact was with the "tattoo era," he would eventually yearn for the "contact lens era."

So, the key issue now was "Kano," or rather, in whose hands was Tenzo Yamato?

No, it didn't really matter who had him. As long as Orochimaru understood that Wood Release was viable and replicable, he had essentially mastered the method of using the First Hokage's Cells. If an experiment could succeed once, it could succeed a second time. Just like how after the experiment on Yuhara's body succeeded, Orochimaru let him go without a second thought.

To Orochimaru, everything else was illusory; only knowledge was real.

Yuhara pondered, thinking he might witness an "upgraded" Orochimaru. But then again, maybe not. What if Orochimaru discarded things like Wood Release and Sage Mode as worthless? It wasn't entirely impossible, right?

After a quick glance at the contents of the scroll, Yuhara rolled it back up and put away all the valuable items... This wasn't a library or a reading room; it was a dungeon with unaddressed dangers. Even with Yuhara's bold nature, he couldn't possibly engage in reading and research here.

According to Hotaru's plan, if Yuhara managed to obtain these items, he should hand them over to Konoha and gain some benefits. Ordinary people would find it difficult to understand what Orochimaru was up to. Even if they somehow grasped the significance of these materials, they would report him due to the sheer scale of Orochimaru's actions.

However, Yuhara was no ordinary person. Since these documents held considerable value, he would definitely keep them.

After retrieving the items hidden at the marked location on the map, Yuhara didn't search the underground space further. He trusted the professionalism of the Anbu Ninja; anything useful would have long since been taken by them.

All in all, it was a successful exploration. Yuhara then began to retrace his steps. The time was around eight or nine in the evening. He had acted relatively early because he felt that moving too late alone would make him more conspicuous, and at this hour, there were still plenty of pedestrians on the street.

Tap, tap, tap. The clear light scattered, shadows flickered, and footsteps echoed. For a brief moment, Yuhara had the illusion that he was patrolling the area like Orochimaru.

And just then, as Yuhara's right foot landed and his left foot hadn't yet lifted, an arm suddenly emerged from beneath the ground. Before Yuhara could react, in the blink of an eye, only his head remained above ground...

His entire body below the head was buried in the earth.

Earth Release: Beheading Operation of the Inner Heart. The characteristics of this jutsu were very obvious, often used by a certain "fifty-fifty" ninja.

Clang! The oil lamp Yuhara was carrying fell to the ground, shattering easily. The flames spread with the splashing lamp oil.

A ninja, completely wrapped up and wearing an oil-painted mask, appeared before Yuhara.

Yuhara was captured in an instant. In a sense, this was the greatest crisis he had faced since Orochimaru's experiment, as the entire Konoha might become his enemy.

Yuhara thought he had been extremely cautious. He had waited a long time before returning to this underground space. He hadn't expected that this location would still be under surveillance.

In this narrow passage, Yuhara had become helpless prey.

"Answer my question. Who are you? Why did you come here?"

The ninja asked Yuhara in an incredibly cold voice.

"Anbu? Root?" Yuhara asked, simultaneously concentrating his chakra with all his might.

Judging solely by the mask's design, this ninja seemed more likely to be from Root. Anbu Ninja masks were typically animal-shaped and had a simpler design, which was distinguishable from Root's. However, this was not a certainty.

"Answer my question."

Yuhara's response was far from standard, so the ninja unhesitatingly delivered a swift kick to Yuhara's head!

Bang!

A loud sound echoed in the passage. Yuhara's neck dramatically twisted to one side... He really wished the national soccer team had such kicking power.

This person was truly ruthless.

Fortunately, Yuhara had no intention of holding back.

Huh?

Before the ninja could retract his foot, he sensed something unusual. The sensation wasn't like kicking flesh and blood, but like kicking a metal plate... Well, not "like." He looked down and saw that half of Yuhara's face, along with one shoulder, was covered in something black as he was buried in the earth.

Then, a standard small sphere with a silver metallic sheen appeared before his eyes.

"Oh no..."

The ninja realized something was wrong, but Yuhara's attack was far faster than his movements. He could only instinctively raise his arms and cross them in front of him, but such a simple defense was completely ineffective.

Secret Technique: Mercury Lamp!

In such a confined space, the enemy had no way to dodge an attack of this range.

Countless sharp, thin threads instantly sprang out, and then, under Yuhara's control, the "Mercury Lamp" spun around. This left the ninja completely disfigured.

Yuhara's uniqueness lay in the fact that he didn't need hand seals when attacking, nor did he even need his hands or feet. Who would normally expect that?

"Whether you are an Anbu Ninja or a Root Ninja, you should have killed me immediately instead of trying to gather information." Yuhara wasn't boasting; he was genuinely shaken, his heart pounding at an incredible speed.

This enemy moved silently. If his first attack had been a killing blow, Yuhara wouldn't have been able to evade it.

But there was no "if."

Propelled by the "Sword Crate" on his back, he slowly emerged from the ground like a caterpillar, leaving only a large hole behind.

Yuhara reached up and pinched his chin, feeling his gums were a bit loose. Blood flowed from his mouth, but he kept his lips shut, swallowing the blood along with the metallic taste.

He wouldn't leave his bloodstains at the scene.

He then retracted the mercury, and without even touching the corpse, he quickly left the area... trying his best not to leave any traces.

In just a few months, Yuhara's methods had changed significantly. On one hand, he had become somewhat numb. On the other hand, the incident with Jian Dong had also had an impact. In short...

Even when facing a legitimate Konoha ninja, Yuhara showed no hesitation in killing.

PS:

Requesting collections, monthly passes, and recommendation tickets on this Monday.

Data is crucial during the new book period. We earnestly request your support.