A Blank

In the Naruto World, there were different schools of thought on absorbing Natural Energy.

The mainstream methods were the training styles of Mount Myoboku and Ryūchi Cave.

The former used Toad Oil to heighten the skin's sensitivity to Natural Energy, while the latter involved being bitten by the Great Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave, who then injected Natural Energy into the person.

The methods differed, but the logic was the same—

People who were insensitive to Natural Energy and unable to sense it on their own were made to come into contact with it passively.

Once they grew familiar with its fluctuations, they could set aside the Toad Oil and other aids, absorb Natural Energy on their own, and enter Sage Mode.

But Lin Qing didn't need to be guided through the process.

Ripple Qigong was, after all, a power that used breathing to make the body resonate with the world around it.

After Lin Qing reached Phase Two Ripple, he had mastered a number of changes, such as controlling water, generating intense heat, and enhancing metal objects. These were all ways of using Ripple to influence nature.

With only a slight adjustment to Ripple's frequency, Lin Qing could absorb Natural Energy.

"...Doesn't that mean, Brother Qing, you can enter Sage Mode now?!"

Sasuke asked in surprise.

Lin Qing shook his head. "You forgot. I don't have chakra. But..."

He drew in a breath.

Crackle—

Sunlight Yellow Ripple surged in his palm.

It was stronger than before. His strength, speed, and reflexes had all improved slightly, and Lin Qing felt a connection to all things in the world.

He could "touch" the breath of everything around him.

Not only that, Lin Qing could faintly sense subtle, indescribable changes taking place within him, deep inside his cells.

He didn't know whether these changes were good or bad.

At least he hadn't turned into a stone man.

Seeing Sasuke's envious little gaze, Lin Qing smiled. "Don't rush. Once I've got the hang of it, I'll make sure you learn it too."

Sasuke nodded firmly.

Kimimaro folded his arms.

Jugo was clutching his head and sobbing. Without the dismembered limbs scattered across the ground and the blood and flesh spattered over him, one might have thought he was the victim.

"I killed them... It was all because of me... I'm sorry..."

Jugo wept under his breath.

A man with dissociative identity disorder, Jugo was overcome with guilt now that his conscience had returned.

He spun around and grabbed Kimimaro by the shoulder with his bloodstained hand.

"Take me back. Lock me up. I really don't want to kill anyone again."

Kimimaro didn't mind that the reeking blood had soaked his snow-white robe. He held out a towel. "Wipe yourself off."

"Please! Lock me up!"

Kimimaro remained unmoved.

"Wipe yourself off."

He and Jugo were close friends, and their friendship was beyond question.

Kimimaro would have granted any other request Jugo made. But not this one.

Because Lord Orochimaru had ordered him to let Jugo out to kill.

"Jugo's blood during his calm periods. I've already examined it. Kimimaro, take him out to kill people. I need to conduct a two-way control experiment."

Kimimaro didn't understand what a "two-way control experiment" was, but since it was Lord Orochimaru's order, he would carry it out without question—even if it meant his friend had to suffer.

As for the ordinary people who had died?

They had lost their lives, but Jugo, who had killed them, was suffering. So...

Didn't that even things out?

Besides making Jugo keep committing massacres to strengthen the Cursed Seal, Kimimaro had another task.

Five figures appeared.

They wore black shirts and trousers, with no Forehead Protectors. Their faces were hidden behind snow-white masks, making it impossible to tell which village they belonged to. But through the openings in the masks, one could see their cold, lifeless, emotionless eyes.

Ninja from Root.

Judging by their skills, all five were jonin.

This was Kimimaro's second task.

In recent years, the major ninja villages had all been building up their strength. Danzo naturally wanted to improve Konoha's power as well, so...

He needed money.

But the Daimyo of the Land of Fire refused to approve military funding.

To make the Daimyo of the Land of Fire realize how important Konoha was, Danzo had joined forces with Orochimaru to deliberately incite massacres and unrest, using them to pressure the Daimyo into providing more funds.

In other words, they were cultivating bandits to make themselves indispensable.

Meanwhile, there were far too many bounty hunters in the Land of Fire.

Because of these hyena-like scoundrels, Konoha was receiving fewer missions, while the Daimyo and the Conglomerates had more options. So Danzo planned to take the opportunity to kill off a batch of bounty hunters.

Five Root jonin.

Jugo, who wielded the power of the Cursed Seal.

And Kimimaro, who possessed the Kekkei Genkai, Shikotsumyaku.

This was a trap targeting bounty hunters.

"Can we finish up now?" Kimimaro asked.

The Root ninja held two heads in his hands. They belonged to bounty hunters who had come looking for them.

They had massacred six villages along the way. If Orochimaru's control experiment had gathered enough data, they could head back.

"Not yet."

The Root ninja said coldly, "I haven't received Lord Danzo's orders."

That meant the Daimyo was still watching and hesitating.

Until the Daimyo approved the funds, they would have to keep killing.

"Then let's go," Kimimaro said.

The group set off. Suddenly, the sobbing stopped.

Kimimaro turned around.

The tear tracks on Jugo's face had vanished. His eyes were cold as he raised a finger and pointed at the vast sky.

The scene froze.

Lin Qing shook the photo.

Everyone leaned in, meeting Jugo's cold gaze.

Jiraiya raised his brows. "Well! That pose, that look... He's got some nerve!"

Lin Qing hadn't expected their target to notice Hermit Purple spying on him. The man clearly had some skill. Lin Qing used the same trick again, summoning Star Platinum to bring out the details in the photograph.

Kimimaro and the others had already walked some distance away, so the photo only captured Jugo and the corpses scattered across the ground.

"White Box Village."

Jiraiya pointed at the clothes on the corpses. "This village is famous for its chrysanthemum tea. Their clothes are embroidered with chrysanthemums too. It's about a day's journey from here."

Having a local along really helped. Otherwise, even if Lin Qing got in touch with Hayato Kamihara, the time it took carrier pigeons to travel back and forth would mean all their information was delayed.

Considering the injured in Hope Village, Lin Qing decided to split up.

Lin Qing, Jiraiya, and Sasuke would go after the wanted criminals.

Lin Qing and Sasuke would travel openly, while Jiraiya stayed hidden, so Orochimaru wouldn't see him and deliberately avoid coming out.

Xiaotao, Mayuri, Haku, and Amber would stay behind to care for the injured.

After buying every instant camera in the shop, the three of them set out in pursuit.

They pressed on without sleep or rest. They all knew that even a couple of hours spent resting or sleeping could mean another village's innocent people died.

Jiraiya had expected Lin Qing and Sasuke to complain. He hadn't expected even the youngest, Sasuke, to grit his teeth and keep going. Eventually, even Jiraiya couldn't bear to watch.

"Let's take a break."

After a long silence, Sasuke said, "I don't want to see another massacre wipe out a whole clan."

He smiled at Jiraiya, carefree.

"Fewer poor bastards like me, please."

Then he activated Ripple again and ran on ahead.

Jiraiya was moved. The anger pent up inside him condensed into a single sentence:

"Fuck Danzo."

Lin Qing kept summoning Hermit Purple to spit out photos and adjust their route.

At last, he spotted two figures at the edge of his vision, one tall and one short. The ground was already littered with corpses, and many injured people were crying out in despair.

They'd found them!

"Star Platinum!"

Star Platinum appeared in an instant. Lin Qing tossed it the Blade of Ruin and leaped into the air.

"Ora!"

Star Platinum roared, swung the Blade of Ruin in a wide arc, and slapped it flat against the soles of Lin Qing's feet as he soared overhead.

The enormous force struck him. Lin Qing shot forward like a missile. With a boom, he broke the sound barrier with his own body.

Star Platinum threw the Blade of Ruin again.

It landed perfectly in Lin Qing's hand. Sunlight Yellow Ripple flowed into the blade, and golden energy hissed from its back.

A greatsword, golden energy, a terrifying body...

The features were unmistakable.

"Lin Qing!"

For the first time, Kimimaro's cold gaze changed.

He recalled Lin Qing's past feats, trying to find a way to counter him. But facing the man charging toward him like a demon, even Kimimaro, who prided himself on his cool head, found that it was...

A blank!