Annihilate the Nation!

Two weeks later.

Kaminazuki was fiddling with something in Orochimaru's lab when he stopped at a faint rustling sound.

A slender white snake crawled onto the desk and spat out a scroll.

"Kaminazuki-kun, my saliva has no taste and is very clean. Lord Orochimaru never minds."

The white snake didn't leave, speaking in a childlike voice that was hard to place as male or female: "Even if he did, at least don't show it in front of me..."

Kaminazuki glanced at it: "Aren't you leaving?"

The white snake sighed humanely: "Because Kaminazuki-kun can't use summoning jutsu, I spent a whole week crossing war zones to bring you precious intel."

"By the rules, you owe me at least two chickens."

One of the conditions for snakes from Ryūchi Cave to accept a summoning contract was to receive a sacrifice each time they helped.

For snakes like Manda, who required human blood, Orochimaru would only summon them on the battlefield. Other snakes generally required animals.

But usually...

Kaminazuki frowned: "Why don't you just find Teacher Orochimaru for this kind of thing?"

The white snake shook its head: "From today onwards, Lord Orochimaru has instructed me to follow you. You will be responsible for my sacrifices from now on."

Orochimaru only had two such white snakes; they were special ninja snakes he had raised from eggs.

Anything they swallowed could be transmitted to the stomach of another white snake.

Following him...

No way, is Teacher Orochimaru so poor he can't even afford to feed a snake?

Does it eat more than I do?

The white snake clearly saw the meaning in Kaminazuki's eyes and buzzed: "It's not what you think..."

"Lord Orochimaru said you would need me after reading the scroll."

Kaminazuki turned his gaze back to the scroll.

As soon as they returned to the village, Sakumo received a battlefield summons. Kaminazuki had asked him to bring Earth Grudge Fear to Orochimaru for research.

It wasn't about giving his master a good thing out of filial piety, but rather...

He didn't know how to charge the thing. If it went without Chakra for too long, he'd starve the Earth Grudge Fear to death.

He couldn't squeeze out his own Chakra, and Sakumo's attempt also failed.

When Sakumo's Chakra came into contact with Earth Grudge Fear, the already low-activity Earth Grudge Fear twitched a few times and almost died.

He couldn't go back to Kakuzu either; if he asked him for after-sales service, it would definitely mean risking his life.

As expected, Orochimaru, even while on the battlefield, had solved Kaminazuki's problem.

"After my analysis, Earth Grudge Fear is essentially a fused product of mutated Chakra and flesh, a result of biological modification and life-plundering technology.

It differs from ordinary life forms; even ninjas with a single elemental affinity will have trace amounts of other Chakra natures within them, such as the Yang release that constitutes bodily activity, and Yin release sourced from spiritual energy.

This heart, after being modified by Earth Grudge Fear, can only accommodate Fire Release Chakra in a specific way. You need to find a Fire Release ninja who can learn this jutsu...

I have replenished the Chakra for Earth Grudge Fear and sealed it in the scroll.

You can have Little White help you unseal it. Next time, you'll have to find a trustworthy ninja to replenish the Chakra.

Kaminazuki, this jutsu does indeed have the potential for eternal activity, but it is too wicked. The heart serving as a reserve core needs to be replaced.

For such a forbidden jutsu, if not for your special physique, I wouldn't want you to use it. I hope you maintain your original heart and don't be..."

I know you're worried about me, afraid I'll go down a dark path.

But hearing these words from you feels so out of character...

It can't be helped, Nawaki isn't dead yet.

Orochimaru-sensei, who hasn't become overly obsessed with ninjutsu, is still the Third Hokage's best student and the undisputed candidate for Fourth Hokage.

--

--

--

"That kid's reply?"

In a cave within the Land of Rain.

Tsunade stood with her hands on her hips and let out a soft huff: "Doesn't he know you're on an important mission? Giving you more work to do—he really doesn't know how to be considerate of his students at all!"

Beside the campfire, Orochimaru retrieved a scroll from the mouth of a white snake and smiled faintly: "Relying on one's teacher is a good thing; I believe Sarutobi-sensei would say the same."

"That old geezer... tch!"

The mere thought of Sarutobi Hiruzen rejecting her proposal to assign a medical ninja to every squad made Tsunade bristle with irritation.

She was completely unaware that she, too, was failing to consider Sarutobi Hiruzen's own difficulties.

She spat on the ground and continued.

"You did warn him that such a thing needs to be used with caution, right?"

The three of them were operating together, and Orochimaru had even sought her help during his research; had it not been for Tsunade's involvement, they wouldn't have resolved the issue so quickly.

Compared to the Yin Seal passed down by Grandma Mito, the technical complexity of Earth Grudge Fear regarding Chakra storage was still a bit lacking.

"Yeah, that thing requires way too much Chakra. I still haven't recovered," Jiraiya said from the side, his face slightly pale as he grilled a fish.

He was the one who had been charging the Earth Grudge Fear.

Even as a child, Jiraiya's Chakra reserves far exceeded those of his peers; excluding special bloodlines or Jinchuriki, he was at the absolute ceiling.

It was precisely because of this advantage that he was able to be taken on as a disciple by the Third Hokage.

"Kaminazuki is a good child; he won't do anything extreme because of this technique."

Orochimaru looked at the scroll, where Kaminazuki had asked him to approve an early graduation.

The corners of his mouth curled upward.

"Perhaps it won't be long before he can join us on missions."

"Since you like disciples so much, why don't you go back and take Nawaki as one? He's noisy as hell all the time!"

Tsunade said helplessly: "To think he doesn't even want a teacher as excellent as me and insists on you instead—that brat really doesn't know what's good for him!"

"Isn't that just because you're too fierce... haha, never mind that, eat your fish!"

Jiraiya handed over the grilled fish, and Tsunade's expression shifted; Jiraiya's expression shifted at the same time.

Is she going to hit me for this? She's too short-tempered!

It wasn't because of Jiraiya.

A Katsuyu crawled out from behind Tsunade, its soft, melodic voice sounding heavy: "Lady Tsunade... something has happened."

--

--

Konoha.

Kaminazuki tossed an Earth Grudge Fear mask idly in his hand as he walked through the streets of the clan district.

The fully charged Earth Grudge Fear is only enough for three ultimate moves. I should develop some methods that consume less...

If hearts have an expiration date... once this one is spent, what kind of Fire Style ninja's heart would be suitable to replace it?

Aside from the Uchiha, the most famous Fire Style family seems to be the Sarutobi clan...

Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart must be of high quality!

Hmm... that won't do. It's too early to move against the Sarutobi clan; that guy's strength is not something Kakuzu can compare to.

I'll leave it for now. Perhaps I'll find something on the battlefield.

Early graduation required a Jonin's guarantee. Orochimaru had mentioned it to him long ago, but Kaminazuki hadn't wanted to graduate before.

He didn't want to do it because he would be assigned tasks like catching cats and dogs or escorting nobles.

Now that war was about to break out, graduation meant a direct path to the battlefield, free from those annoying chores.

Just as he was thinking this, countless members of the Uchiha Police Force rushed out of the building not far from Kaminazuki.

What happened?

Kaminazuki locked onto one of them and leaped over to grab him.

"You—"

Upon seeing who had grabbed him, Fugaku shouted: "No time to stop! If you want to know, follow me!"

Kaminazuki immediately let go.

As they moved, Fugaku's face was grim.

"The Land of Whirlpools... has been destroyed!"