Character Binding Technique: Control

"An attack from above? Iwagakure's pursuers?"

Kabuto was startled.

His body was nimble, and he flipped sideways with ease, dodging the Kunai.

At the same time, he swung his chakra-coated, razor-sharp Chakra Scalpel toward the shadow attacking him from the cliff face.

But before Kabuto's Chakra Scalpel had even finished its swing,

he suddenly realized that his entire body had become immobile!

It was as if he had been frozen in place, unable to move even an inch.

"What's going on?"

"What's happened to my body?"

"Why can't I move? Who's immobilized me?"

Panicking, Kabuto hurriedly glanced toward Orochimaru.

Only then did he realize that the one who had immobilized him was the strange man in the distance wearing a spiral-patterned mask!

At that moment,

the figure that had leaped down from the cliff landed steadily on the other side.

Waving a Kunai, the figure stabbed toward Kabuto once more.

The next moment,

"Ninja Art: Character Binding Technique: Control!"

From afar, Natsume casually cast the jutsu again, swiftly writing the character for "control" in the air.

Of course, it was the "control" in "control."

In an instant, the shadow in the distance was also immobilized by the character.

The figure froze in place, just like Kabuto.

Seeing Natsume wave his hand and effortlessly control the two people in the distance,

Orochimaru grew somewhat curious about this strange jutsu.

"What kind of jutsu is this?"

"It's a type of control jutsu. It can easily control enemies weaker than me, or slightly restrict someone stronger."

Orochimaru's eyes lit up.

"There's actually such a remarkable secret technique? It seems even more sophisticated than Konoha's Yamanaka Clan's Mind Disturbance Jutsu!"

"It's nothing special. It's only good for picking on the weak."

"Powerful chakra and an exceptional physique can easily break the control of the Character Binding Technique."

"And against someone like you, with all your tricks and your ability to shed your skin and escape, it's not very useful either."

Natsume replied nonchalantly.

A support jutsu like this was never meant to deal with the strong.

Only the blade in one's hand and one's own strength were true assets for defeating the powerful.

Still, he had to admit,

the Character Binding Technique was pretty handy in a situation like this.

At least exchanging for the jutsu hadn't been a waste.

Orochimaru pursed his lips, but didn't seem too wary.

After all, aside from mysterious soul-based jutsu,

there were almost no jutsu in the world that could kill him...

He was more curious about where a kid like Natsume had learned such strange jutsu.

He had practically seen every jutsu and forbidden technique in Konoha.

Yet he had never come across anything like this.

Orochimaru: "Where did you learn this jutsu?"

Natsume: "In a dream."

Orochimaru: (￣ー￣)

A moment later,

Natsume lightly pushed off with his toes and landed in front of Kabuto and Nonō.

"I told you to stay calm. Why wouldn't you listen?"

After a sigh,

Natsume released the restraints around their heads, restoring their ability to speak.

"T-Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"

"Are you from the Uchiha Clan?"

"What exactly do you want?"

Staring at the three tomoe in the mysterious man's right eye beneath his mask, Kabuto questioned him despite his fear.

He was too strong!

Even the little of his presence that this man let show made Kabuto's scalp tingle and his legs tremble.

Why would such a powerful person target him?

At the same time, on the other side,

a clear female voice suddenly rang out.

"You're from the Uchiha Clan?! You..."

Kabuto was startled and looked toward the assassin across from him, who was also immobilized.

"That voice... it sounds so familiar! You..."

Just then,

the gentle moonlight gradually shone over them, illuminating the matron standing in the darkness.

When Kabuto saw that the attacker was actually his matron, the Wandering Shrine Maiden, Nonō,

he was even more shocked and couldn't believe it!

"M-Matron!"

"How could this be? Why are you here?!"

Nonō was also shaken:

"Who are you? Why do you recognize me?"

After all, not many people knew she was the matron of the Orphanage.

What was more, the person before her was the target Root had ordered her to assassinate!

The mission report had said he was merely a spy from Kumogakure. He shouldn't have known her!

"Matron, it's me, Kabuto! You gave me my name!"

"How could you have forgotten me?"

"Why? Why are you trying to kill me?"

Nonō stared at Kabuto in disbelief. "Kabuto? Kabuto doesn't look like this. You're not him!"

Clearly, the Wandering Shrine Maiden still didn't know that Root had deceived her.

The photograph Root had sent her of Kabuto had long since been switched for one of someone else.

That was why she couldn't recognize him.

"Enough! You two can explain everything to each other on the way back."

"We've got more guests coming!"

This tearful reunion was quite touching. Unfortunately, the Iwagakure pursuers were rapidly approaching in the distance.

With no time to spare, Natsume had to interrupt their reunion.

Then Natsume turned to Orochimaru.

Pointing at the two of them, he gave his instructions.

"Orochimaru, I'm leaving these two to you."

"Make sure you get them back safely."

"Mm... And don't even think about making them your next experiments."

"If they die, I'll destroy all the test subjects in your lab!"

"Go ahead and try..."

In an instant,

the Three-Tomoe Sharingan visible beneath Natsume's mask transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

A tremendous wave of mental force surged out and bore down on Orochimaru.

It seemed capable of freezing a person's very soul.

Orochimaru quickly looked away and shuddered, afraid the Sharingan's genjutsu would affect his mind.

This kid really knew how to exploit someone's weakness!

Kabuto was highly adaptable and had great potential.

But compared with all of Orochimaru's test subjects, he still fell short.

In short, Kabuto wasn't worth completely falling out with Natsume over!

As for Nonō, she was even more dispensable.

Still, this Wandering Shrine Maiden has a pretty good figure and face. Could it be that Natsume's just into that sort of thing?

I've heard precocious children are often starved for a mother's love.

It's not impossible!

Tsk, tsk, tsk!

Orochimaru's mind wandered with idle thoughts.

Of course, he was only joking.

He didn't dare underestimate Natsume, the ruthless "kid" who killed without batting an eye.

"You sure know how to boss people around!"

"Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll get them back safely..."

Orochimaru grinned wickedly.

His hands swiftly transformed into two snake arms, which coiled around Kabuto and Nonō.

The next moment, he leaped away with them.

They quickly disappeared into the night.

A moment later,

two Iwagakure shinobi arrived.

Leading them was Kitsuchi, who had been ordered to hunt down the spy.

"Hmm? There's only one person?"

"I sensed three or four presences here just now. Judging by this, the spy already escaped?"

"Wait, that outfit..."

"Someone from Akatsuki?!"

Kitsuchi and the other shinobi landed and looked at Natsume, standing alone in the distance.

They couldn't help murmuring in confusion.

According to Iwagakure records, only members of the Akatsuki organization dressed like this.

This rogue shinobi organization called Akatsuki had gradually become active over the past few years.

They had even appeared in the shadows of quite a few assassination missions.

However, they had never directly challenged the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

So the major villages didn't consider them much of a threat.

Still, who would have thought

they would run into one of them tonight?

And alone at that!

Could he have been the one who took the spy away?

Natsume stood where he was, loosening up while waiting for Kitsuchi to approach.

Other people might not know this,

but Natsume knew very well.

In fact, this unassuming-looking Kitsuchi was quite powerful.

He was just the right opponent to help Natsume warm up and test his current strength.