The two pursued their target all the way to a marketplace not far from the Iburi clan’s settlent, where they finally found Kinoe.
"Where’s that little girl?" they asked.
"She’s over there."
Kinoe pointed to a young man devouring grilled corn, completely ignoring his appearance and manners.
"You’re saying she’s controlling that guy’s body?"
Kiyosuke stroked his chin.
"Yes."
He gave Kiyosuke a complicated look. The gap in their strength was simply too great—completely insurmountable.
Kiyosuke placed a hand on Kinoe’s shoulder.
"Tenzō, I really think you should quit Root and join the Anbu with us."
"I follow the orders of Danzō-sama. Also, my codena is Kinoe, not Tenzō."
"Got it, Tenzō. Understood, Tenzō. No problem, Tenzō."
"You...!"
He slapped away the hand on his shoulder, just as a puff of pink smoke floated out from the body of the corn-eating youth. Kinoe imdiately rushed after it.
It was Yukimi’s first ti erging from the underground caves. She was extrely curious about the outside world. But for the Iburi clan, even a simple breeze could kill them. To them, the outside world was a terrifying hell.
This was extrely dangerous behavior.
Kinoe hurried after her. He didn’t dislike this girl.
The other two followed as well. Seeing them, Yukimi shrank behind Kinoe in fear. Outside, she couldn’t take Kinoe with her, and the slightest misstep could an death from the wind.
To the Iburi clan, the outside world was just that dangerous.
Kiyosuke stepped forward, and Kinoe gripped his blade.
"Stop. Don’t co any closer to us."
"You think I’ll stop just because you said so? That would make look pretty la, wouldn’t it? Hey, kid, step aside. I have a feeling this girl’s going to be very important to Orochimaru-sensei," Kiyosuke said.
If he rembered correctly, Orochimaru had once needed the power of this clan. But it had been so long ago that many of the details were already fading from his mory.
"I still can’t let you near her."
"That’s not really up to you."
Kiyosuke shook his head and vanished from Kinoe’s sight in an instant.
So fast!
Kinoe’s heart jumped. In the next mont, his abdon took a solid blow. Kiyosuke appeared, retracted his fist, grabbed Kinoe’s hair, yanked his head down, and drove his knee upward.
Thud!
The strike landed squarely. Kinoe saw stars and felt utterly disoriented.
"You... you..."
"Tenzō!"
Yukimi rushed over to support Kinoe. Kiyosuke, however, grabbed her wrist and brushed aside her hair, revealing the curse mark on her neck.
"Just as I thought—Orochimaru-sensei’s curse mark."
Orochimaru had been researching curse marks for a long ti, though it was only in recent years that he had fully mastered them.
There were the Heaven and Earth Curse Marks, but survival rates for transplantation were extrely low. The one on Yukimi wasn’t either of those—more likely a diluted version, lacking any power-boosting effect. It was simply used to stabilize the Iburi bodies.
All mbers of the Iburi clan had these curse marks to keep their bodies from disintegrating inside the cave systems.
They were also a ans of control—to prevent accidents.
He released Yukimi. She quickly helped Kinoe up and asked in concern:
"Tenzō, are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I’m fine."
Kinoe remained on guard as he looked at Kiyosuke. No wonder he had ended the Third Great Ninja War alongside the Fourth Hokage—he was on an entirely different level.
And he had Kakashi with him. Kinoe knew he couldn’t escape with Yukimi.
Should he abandon her?
Root’s teachings always demanded ruthless efficiency. If soone had no value, they were to be discarded without hesitation.
But his heart told him—he couldn’t leave this girl behind.
He had to protect her!
He chose to follow his own will.
"Huh? I thought you’d abandon her. Isn’t that what Root teaches? If sothing has no value, toss it aside. That girl shouldn’t be useful to you at all. And yet... you didn’t leave her? Let guess—it’s your heart telling you to protect her?"
Kiyosuke feigned a sigh.
"My, my. That really doesn’t line up with Root doctrine. After all, you people don’t even have a sense of ’self,’ do you?"
Then he added,
"Co on, enough ssing around. Let’s head back and wait for Orochimaru-sensei to arrive. Our mission is to bring him in, right? Oh, but you Root types are supposed to kill him!"
"You—!"
Kinoe’s heart trembled. How did this man know his mission?
"Heh. I know exactly what kind of man Danzō is. You think his hands are clean? Most of the experintal materials for Orochimaru-sensei’s work ca from that bastard. Once sensei defected, Danzō couldn’t allow anyone who knew the truth to live. Too risky for him. So he sends you, a guy with Wood Release, to kill sensei. Am I right?"
Kinoe didn’t respond—but that was indeed his mission.
What he hadn’t expected was that Danzō had colluded with Orochimaru, using Konoha’s own ninja as test subjects. But as a mber of Root, no matter how filthy the leader was, you simply obeyed orders.
"He’s really overestimating your Wood Release."
Kiyosuke scoffed.
"Your Wood Release is a joke. Danzō really thinks you can turn deserts into forests like the First Hokage, with just a wave of your hand? Don’t kid yourself. Constitution and chakra levels matter. Your Wood Release? It’s good for reforestation projects. In a fight, Orochimaru-sensei would crush you."
The First Hokage conquered the world with Wood Release.
Yamato’s Wood Release was good for planting trees!
That was the difference!
Kinoe bit his lip but didn’t argue. It was the truth. He wasn’t even sure he could beat Kakashi, let alone Orochimaru. Even a wounded Orochimaru was still far beyond his reach.
"Let’s go, Kakashi. We’ll wait in the Iburi clan’s cave for sensei’s arrival."
Kiyosuke casually grabbed the struggling Kinoe and Yukimi. These two might still be useful.
"Hey! Kakashi! We found Orochimaru’s trail!"
A ninja hound erged from the brush—it was Pakkun, Kakashi’s summon. Tongue lolling, he spoke up.
"What? Where?"
"Follow !"
Kiyosuke slung Kinoe over his shoulder, Kakashi took Yukimi, and the two followed Pakkun.
But as they ran... they realized they’d circled back to the Iburi clan’s cave.
"Didn’t we just co from here? Seriously?"
They put Kinoe and Yukimi down. The four entered the cave—and were imdiately hit with the overwhelming stench of blood.
"Everyone!"
Yukimi panicked. Her body turned into smoke and wrapped around Kinoe, then darted deep into the cave.
"Those reckless idiots! Kakashi, let’s go after them!"
"Right!"
They rushed inside—and were greeted by the sight of the Iburi clan’s corpses.
Every single one was beyond saving. Snake-like bite marks were left on their necks.
And there they found Kinoe, collapsed on the ground.
They had found their target.
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Pls Drop so Power Stones
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