Second Match, Sasuke's astonishing resolve!

Amid the towering mountains of the Land of Fire, a tall man in an Akatsuki Robe strode forward. A gray hood tightly covered his face, but could not conceal his stern demeanor. A sharp gleam flickered in his dark green eyes.

Another man followed casually behind him, also wearing an Akatsuki Robe. His silver hair was slicked back, and a blood-red, triple-bladed scythe hung on his back.

They were Kakuzu, the North Star of Akatsuki, and Hidan, the Three of Akatsuki—the pair known as the immortal duo!

At the latest Akatsuki gathering, Pain had ordered Kakuzu to visit Deidara's hideout and reattach his severed arms. Reluctantly, Kakuzu had traveled across mountains and rivers from the distant Land of Commerce.

After walking along the winding mountain paths for a long time, they stopped outside a cave covered with sealing tags.

Kakuzu deftly formed hand seals.

Rumble!

The seal unraveled, and the enormous boulder rumbled upward!

Kakuzu walked inside and snapped, "Deidara, get your ass out here!"

Deidara emerged from the darkness. "Kakuzu, you're finally here! My arms are practically growing maggots!"

"Hmph, isn't that perfect? Eat them raw with those freakish mouths on your hands!"

"Hey, hey, give me a break! I'm not into eating weird things like Orochimaru. My mouth work is reserved for the art of explosions!"

Unwilling to waste any more words on Deidara, Kakuzu immediately released the black threads of the Earth Grudge Fear Technique from his shoulders and stitched Deidara's severed arms back on!

The stitching went smoothly. Deidara flexed his arms. "Thanks, Kakuzu. I owe you one..."

Kakuzu said, "Spare me the useless chatter! Keep your promise and bring me Sasuke Uchiha's head!"

Deidara said, "You don't have to tell me! Once I've developed a new technique to deal with him, I'll settle the score!"

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes slightly. "A new technique? Can you really come up with more tricks for that explosive clay?"

Deidara said confidently, "Of course. Art has infinite possibilities, and I've already got an idea! Once I overcome Lightning Release, art's only weakness, Itachi's little brother will be nothing!"

Hidan sauntered over with his hands behind his head, looking around. "Speaking of which, where's Tobi?"

Deidara shrugged helplessly. "Tobi heard Kakuzu had killed his partners before and got so scared he went into hiding. What a spineless guy..."

Hidan spread his hands. "Well, I feel like that guy and I get along surprisingly well. I'll invite him to join the Jashin Cult again next time!"

Time was money, and Kakuzu had no intention of wasting any more money.

"Hidan, we're leaving..."

Deidara tried to keep them there. "We hardly ever get together. Can't we chat a little longer?"

Kakuzu's retreating figure was cold. "I'm busy."

After leaving Deidara's hideout, Kakuzu headed north.

Hidan looked around. "This doesn't look like the way back, does it?"

Kakuzu, who prized money above all else, said, "This is the road to the Fire Temple. Its abbot, Chiriku, used to be one of the Land of Fire daimyo's Twelve Guardian Ninja. His head is worth thirty million ryo. Since we came all the way to the Land of Fire for Deidara, we might as well make a big score while we're here!"

Hidan reveled in bloodshed. "A temple, huh? Gods and Buddhas are heretics in Lord Jashin's eyes! Their blood will surely please Lord Jashin!"

And so... disaster struck the Fire Temple three years ahead of time!

The incident shook the Land of Fire.

Upon receiving the news, Kabuto returned to Blue Moon Island.

"We've located Kakuzu and Hidan. They attacked the Fire Temple and killed its abbot, Chiriku. They're now carrying his body to a bounty exchange in the southern Land of Fire!"

Orochimaru could not help remarking, "That was rather too conspicuous. Are they afraid we won't find them?"

Kabuto Yakushi said, "However, while I was investigating their whereabouts, White Zetsu seemed to discover mine as well!"

Orochimaru's slit pupils darkened slightly. "White Zetsu... those omnipresent creatures have formidable reconnaissance abilities. We used your identity to lure Sasori before, but if we're going to deal with Akatsuki from now on, we'll inevitably have to confront these products of the Infinite Tsukuyomi..."

Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses and said apprehensively, "If they warn Kakuzu and Hidan in advance and have them change their route, we might make this trip for nothing..."

Orochimaru sank deep into thought.

"Obito takes precedence over Nagato when it comes to commanding White Zetsu. White Zetsu will certainly notify Obito first, and only inform Nagato after receiving Obito's permission."

Kabuto Yakushi's gaze sharpened. "Are you saying... Obito has a reason to withhold the information? Surely the lives of Akatsuki's members affect his own interests as well?"

Orochimaru's gaze was profound. "Obito and Nagato have fundamentally different goals. Their greatest disagreement is reflected in Sasori's and Kakuzu's respective roles. The order in which Akatsuki's members died in the previous life offers clues. Besides, Obito has always planned to use Sasuke's hatred for his own ends. So he does have reasons to withhold the information, though I can't be completely certain. In any case, we'll stick to our course and adapt to whatever comes..."

"Understood."

Kabuto Yakushi asked, "How are Sasuke-kun's preparations coming along?"

Orochimaru smiled. "Let's go take a look together."

Beneath Blue Moon Island's great waterfall, Sasuke sat bare-chested, letting the cascading water wash over him.

Karin sat on the riverbank with her chin in her hands, gazing dreamily at Sasuke.

Orochimaru approached. "Karin, do you want to jump in and go three hundred rounds with Sasuke-kun?"

With her thoughts exposed, Karin jumped to her feet, her little hands rattling her glasses as she blushed furiously. "N-n-n-n-no, I don't!! Don't make it sound like I'm only obsessed with Sasuke's body!!!"

Orochimaru gave a noncommittal smile and stood beside Kabuto.

By then, the white cursed markings had covered every inch of Sasuke's skin!

Kabuto Yakushi activated his Sharingan to check. "Ah! That's already Stage One, isn't it?"

Orochimaru smiled. "Indeed. His ability to enter Stage One proves that the results of the First Battle far exceeded our expectations!"

Through her conversations with Orochimaru over the past month, Karin had learned a little about the White Cursed Seal and knew about the Ten Battles plan.

However, she knew nothing about Sasuke's rebirth or his goal. Still, the heaviness, world-weariness, and repression in his chakra—qualities that did not match his age—made her realize he was hiding something from her.

When it came to important matters, Karin was an intelligent woman. She knew Sasuke would tell her if he wanted to, so she did not ask. Instead, she chose to learn everything through her own eyes and stand behind him, silently watching over him.

Beneath the waterfall, Sasuke opened his eyes. He knew the Second Match was approaching.

He voiced the decision he had carefully considered. "I've decided to try fighting the Second Match without using the Sharingan's power!"

Orochimaru was surprised. "Aren't you going to ask who your opponents are first?"

Sasuke rose. "It doesn't matter who they are. To defeat my enemies, I first have to defeat myself!"

What fearsome resolve!

Admiring him inwardly, Orochimaru said solemnly, "Without the Sharingan, you won't be able to use your specialty, Chidori. You've already found a solution, haven't you?"

Sasuke raised his palm.

Whoosh!

Azure Chakra rapidly poured into his palm, spinning and compressing... until it formed a dense sphere of Chakra!

Kabuto Yakushi suddenly felt a twisting pain in his abdomen. "That technique!"

"Oh? The Rasengan? Now I'm truly looking forward to this..."

Astonishment gleamed in Orochimaru's slit pupils.

"Now then... let's set off for the bounty exchange in the southern Land of Fire—the Second Match!"