" Lord Naoki, watch out!"
Kimimaro bowed slightly with the utmost seriousness, but this was not to express humility; rather, it was to lower his center of gravity and immediately bring the battle into the close-quarters combat that the Kaguya Clan excelled at!
No sooner had he finished speaking than Kimimaro drew his arm bone from his left arm, using the power of the Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse) to change its shape into a handy bone sword. His figure transformed into a white streak and attacked Naoki Senju.
"The speed is good, but approaching rashly without conducting a long-range probe is not a wise move."
To Kimimaro's horrified gaze, the invincible white bone sword was blocked by a layer of blood-red Chakra. Then, in the next moment, Kimimaro felt a tremendous force grab his neck and slam him to the ground.
A mouthful of blood, sweet and metallic, rushed into his mouth. Kimimaro barely managed to hold back from spitting out blood, but if it weren't for the protection of the bone armor on his back, this single blow would have left him severely injured.
Even so, Kimimaro felt a slight shift in his internal organs... That power was truly terrifying; he absolutely could not confront it head-on.
" Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch "
The targeted bone spurs forced Naoki Senju to loosen his restraints, Kimimaro instantly rose from the ground and approached Naoki Senju from behind.
But this time he was smarter and didn't get within a meter of Senju Naoki Senju's body, thus avoiding being caught as if he were handed over.
" Shikotsumyaku - Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets "
Kimimaro's ten fingers were torn apart by flesh and blood, yet strangely, not a single drop of blood flowed out. His finger bones, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, shot towards various parts of Naoki Senju's body.
Kimimaro never intended to truly defeat Naoki Senju, because the fact that Naoki Senju treated Lord Orochimaru as an equal already proved his immense strength. However, it would be enough to inflict damage and force out some of Naoki Senju's trump cards!
This would prove that he has enough value to be used by Lord Orochimaru!
This time, Naoki Senju didn't even turn around before a sturdy tree trunk burst from the ground, blocking all of Kimimaro's finger bones.
With a crisp sound of trees being struck, Kimimaro's attack was completely blocked, but Kimimaro's true attack was far more than that.
Kimimaro placed his right hand behind his head, making a loose clenching gesture. His back bulged and undulated, making it hard to imagine the earth-shattering changes that had taken place within Kimimaro.
" Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Clematis: Flower "
His pristine white spine was covered with jagged bone spikes, and the several-meter-long bone whip moved with effortless ease in Kimimaro's hands, easily wrapping around Naoki Senju with a gentle swing.
" The Dance of the Clematis: Flower - Vines"
This time, however, the bone whip, which Kimimaro had placed high hopes on, failed to even touch the enemy's Kakuzu, merely wrapping around the tree trunk in front of him several times.
The situation in the battle changed in an instant. Kimimaro had no time to figure out where Naoki Senju was ambushing him. He could only increase the force, snap the tree trunk in half, and then dance around in place with his bone whip.
" The Dance of the Clematis: Flower, the Demon Lily."
The bone whip slashed across Kimimaro's body as he spun. Although the bone whip wasn't particularly lethal, no one wanted to take a direct hit from its grotesque bone spikes.
Kimimaro spun around anxiously, searching for any trace of the enemy, but one circle, two circles, three circles... he found nothing.
Watching Kimimaro's energetic performance, Naoki Senju grew a little tired of it. The Three-Tails ' Chakra surged from his body, forming a blood-red Tailed Beast Cloak on his skin.
Such dark and unique Chakra would be hard for Kimimaro to miss, even though he wasn't good at Sensory Ninjutsu. But the moment he stopped spinning to launch an attack, a claw formed from the Three-Tails 'Chakra grabbed Kimimaro like a chick in his hand.
" Orochimaru, your subordinates still need more training; their strength is far from sufficient."
Naoki Senju threw Kimimaro directly in front of Orochimaru, and then the Tailed Beast Cloak on his body gradually retracted back into his body.
Since Orochimaru wanted to test his strength, we might as well grant Orochimaru's wish. With the Three-Tails Jinchūriki and Wood Release, in the vast Shinobi World, Naoki Senju is already in the top tier of strength. Unless he follows Sasuke Uchiha to break into the Five Kage Summit, no one can threaten his life.
" Naoki-kun is right. Kimimaro's strength is indeed insufficient, and the blood disease of the Kaguya Clan also means that he is destined to never reach his peak."
Having his arrogance dampened, Orochimaru seemed much more subdued. No wonder Mizukage Mei Terumi of Kirigakure, was so eager to form an alliance with Konoha; she had already been defeated...
However, Mei Terumi is not the type to willingly submit to someone else... Orochimaru's thoughts raced, and the success rate of the ' Konoha Crush Plan ' could be increased even further.
Orochimaru chose to behave himself, so Naoki Senju felt embarrassed to continue humiliating him. After all, the Old Man Third still needed Orochimaru, his "filial disciple," to deal with him. Tsunade wouldn't take action herself, nor would she allow Naoki Senju to do so, so Orochimaru had to do it for her.
"Bloodstain disease... I remember Sister Tsunade seems to have done some research on this. Let's have Sister Tsunade take a look, but the success rate isn't guaranteed."
Orochimaru, who had been mingling among the Konoha High Command for over a decade, also responded in unison:
"When the plan goes smoothly, I will take Kimimaro to visit Tsunade."
The little fox and the cunning snake exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly. Orochimaru's Cursed Seal was a demonstration of his progress and achievements, while Naoki Senju's deliberate exposure of the Three-Tails was also a display of his own strength. Only by being wary of each other could they maintain a temporary peaceful coexistence.
After Naoki Senju Kimimaro scrambled to his feet and knelt on one knee before Orochimaru.
" Lord Orochimaru, I have failed in my duties. Please punish me."
Orochimaru's golden snake eyes swept indifferently over Kimimaro. Although Kimimaro was indeed a highly talented 'tool,' he was just a tool. Now that the mission had failed, the tool was no longer needed.
However, since there is hope for a cure for Kimimaro's bloodstain disease, it is still a valuable tool and has some value in being preserved...
As for its uses... a woman's body is really not very convenient. She is weak for several days every month and suffers from unbearable pain. Orochimaru has tried many methods, but they can only alleviate some of the pain and cannot completely cure it... even Kabuto Yakushi doesn't know this.
Furthermore, there isn't a suitable Kekkei Genkai yet, so Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai is a good alternative.
"Alright, you've done a good job with your mission. There will be no punishment this time. Focus on recovering and prepare to receive the second stage of the Cursed Seal."
Kimimaro respectfully accepted, his admiration and loyalty to Orochimaru growing even stronger. To be bestowed with the second-stage Cursed Seal by Lord Orochimaru was such a great honor!
Kabuto Yakushi in the shadows, saw Kimimaro wagging his tail and begging for mercy like a dog, and a disdainful smirk curled his lips...