Chapter 163: Awakening Pills
Tsunade herself had understood that Orochimaru's henchmen were indeed the ones who could have taken him, but she had prepared every security measure she could—including increasing the village's barrier range.
"Whoever took him," she said, "we can't waste time. Gather a team and bring him back!"
Alice nodded. She knew this scenario well—after all, she had seen these events before, albeit in her own world.
Her only regret that nagged at her was the absence of her friends—the other players who would have made traversing this obstacle so much easier.
William, Jada, and Margaret had left to either participate in or spectate some tournament being held far away. It was such a big deal over there that even the main character was selected to partake in it.
Jasper had left the village some time ago to do something secret in the Lightning Country, and Alexander was so preoccupied that she genuinely didn't know where he was.
Here she was, virtually on her own.
With a sigh, she thought about the options available to her. Chōji, Shino, and Hinata were available.
TenTen was also present in the village, but Alice couldn't shake her disdain for the girl's effectiveness. It was better to rely on those who would actually be useful.
This was a terrible situation to place a girl like her in. All the reputable characters who participated in this arc were missing. If she were to bring someone like Hinata into this arc, who knew what the outcome would be?
"Excuse me, Lady Tsunade," she asserted, shaking off the weight of her thoughts, "I'll gladly form my team, but we might need more backup. Can we contact Gaara from the Sand Village as well as his siblings? It would be pretty advantageous if they could help."
Tsunade was impressed by the suggestion and nodded, saying, "Good thinking. They could be useful. But…"
"But what?"
"It may take some time for them to arrive."
"Crap," Alice murmured.
There was no doubt that she could handle the likes of the Sound Four if they were responsible. But in situations like these, she'd prefer to have at least a little backup.
With Tsunade's permission, Alice dashed out. She called out to Sakura, who quickly caught up, still visibly anxious. It didn't take long for Alice to explain the mission to her.
"Who else are we getting?" Sakura asked, moving beside her.
"Shino first," she replied, already strategizing their approach. "Then Chōji. I want to keep our numbers manageable."
"Think we can... Oh, that's right. I almost forgot," Sakura mentioned, abruptly remembering Alice's ability.
While heading toward Shino's residence, she was truly taken aback by these events. She couldn't fathom how or why Sasuke still left the village despite never having encountered his brother. Things simply didn't make sense to her.
Sure, Naruto and he fought like before, but that match was practically one-sided.
Naruto was much more cunning and even held back to give the Uchiha the benefit of the doubt. Even when Sasuke hurled hurtful words, Naruto never gave in.
So the question had to be asked: who was manipulating Sasuke now?
There were a few guesses, such as Orochimaru or even the Akatsuki. But the latter made no sense whatsoever. Regarding the former, there had been no signs or traces of the Sound Four in weeks.
All of the other players, including Alice, had been very attentive to these matters, hoping that the Sasuke Retrieval Mission wouldn't happen.
The Aburame district was a quaint structure, overrun with green plants that they tended to with care due to their insect allies.
As the two approached, Alice felt the prickling sensation of black parasites stirring in the air, announcing their presence before they even knocked.
"Shino!" she called.
Moments later, the door opened to reveal Shino, his usual stoic demeanour seemingly unperturbed.
"Alice, Sakura," he greeted, tilting his head slightly. "What's the matter?"
"We need your help for a mission," Alice quickly explained with urgency. "Sasuke is missing, and we think he may have been taken by Orochimaru."
Shino's brow furrowed, the weight of the situation settling in. He responded without hesitation, saying, "I see. I'm in. Where are we headed?"
"Away from the village," Alice decisively said. "I'm gathering a team; we'll need each of you. Chōji is next."
Followed by Shino, they took off toward the open areas within the village where Chōji often found pockets of food to enjoy.
The trio arrived at one of his favourite snack spots. There, they found him, happily munching away at a bag of chips, a contented grin on his face that changed into concern when he saw Alice and the others.
"Hey! What's going on?" he asked, his mouth half-full.
"A situation with Sasuke," Sakura replied. "He's missing, and we need your help to bring him back."
Chōji swallowed hard, wiping the crumbs from his face, and said, "Wow! No kidding? Alright! I'm with you guys. Just give me a moment to grab some more snacks for the road!"
This matter was urgent, but when it came to an Akimichi and their food, there was no stopping them.
As Chōji scurried away, Alice exchanged a quick look with Sakura and Shino. The latter was calm, but Sakura was feeling anxious.
"What if we're too late?" she whispered.
"We won't be," Alice reassured. "We're going to find him the moment we're ready."
It wasn't long before Chōji returned, inevitably loaded with bags of chips.
Surely he felt worried about Sasuke's safety, but his gluttonous behaviour for food betrayed that notion. Nonetheless, he declared, "Okay! Ready to go!"
With their team now assembled, Alice gathered them in a tight circle by the village gates.
"Listen closely. We have to stick together, keep our senses high, and work together. There'll be traps, so we'll have to move in sync." Everyone listened as she laid out the plan. "Shino, I need you to use your beetle jamming jutsu and your insect summoning jutsu for intel. Chōji, we have Sakura here, so don't be afraid to eat the red pill."
While Sakura nodded, steeling herself, and Shino adjusted his glasses, offering a nod, everyone was astonished at the information Alice had on them. She not only knew their techniques but also how to deploy them for this mission effectively.
Chōji couldn't help but compare her intelligence to that of his late teammate, Shikamaru.
"Let's go bring back Sasuke!" she exclaimed as they set out of the village.
There were bound to be unknown trials ahead of them, and they were ready. Venturing deeper into the wilderness beyond the village, the challenge ahead felt less like a foreboding darkness and more like a call to arms—a mission to prevent the Uchiha from being taken.
Elsewhere.
Several miles within the Fire Country, the trees parted to reveal an expansive horizon.
Arthur halted his advance, causing Sasuke, who followed closely behind, to furrow his brow in confusion.
"What's wrong?" Sasuke inquired, irritation in his voice.
He had one thing on his mind: getting to Orochimaru.
Arthur turned with a serious expression and cryptically replied, "We're in range for the others to come."
"Others?" Sasuke wondered, feeling annoyed. He had no interest in whatever complications might arise from going to his destination. "I don't care; I'm only interested in getting to Orochimaru as soon as possible."
Arthur truly didn't like dealing with this angsty teenager. Yet he knew there were steps to adhere to before Sasuke could meet the Sannin.
"Before you can go," he said, "you need to advance your curse mark to level two."
"What?" Sasuke demanded, feeling more frustrated.
Instead of addressing his question, Arthur shifted, unbinding the wooden box that had been strapped to his back. He placed it on the ground between them and took out a vial filled with black pills.
Holding it up to Sasuke's eye level, he explained in a steady tone, "These are awakening pills to help you gain more power like you want... After you take one, you'll feel a lot of pain."
Handing them to him, Sasuke stared at the pills in his palm—small, black, and unassuming. He scrutinized them for nearly half a minute, understanding that they were his only ticket to the power he desired.
Without thinking about the matter any longer, he swallowed them down in a single motion, committing to the pain ahead.
Almost instantly, a sharp sensation shot through his body!
He gritted his teeth as he let out a cry of agony. The world around him twisted, colours bending and warping as the pain took hold, seizing him in its throes.
Arthur had anticipated this response. While Sasuke had been using that time to look at the pills, he himself had taken the moment to collect the natural energy around them.
'Simian Sage Mode…'
Now in his prime state, he knew the next step would be crucial.
Without hesitation, he approached the pain-stricken Uchiha, lifting him and placing him inside the box. From Jirōbō's memories, Arthur drew up the necessary technique that needed to be performed.
'Sage art: four mist formation…'
Though it typically required four ninjas, his ability to draw from an unlimited supply of Sage Chakra and his advanced chakra control allowed him to execute it single-handedly.
With precision, darkness began to swirl above them, thick and ominous, coalescing into a dense fog that descended upon Sasuke, engulfing the box entirely.
In a matter of moments, the Uchiha was sealed within, isolated from the world outside.
As the fog enveloped the box, he initiated the next technique: 'Sage art: black seal…'
He placed five talismans inscribed with sealing formulas around the box's rim. These seals glowed red as they activated, creating a powerful barrier that would keep all external forces at bay.
Even the Byakugan would find it impossible to see within, ensuring that their operation remained hidden.
As the barrier solidified, Arthur retreated from Sage Mode, feeling the natural energy seep away from him. Just as he finished, the familiar chakra signatures of the Sound Four came into range.
Arthur kept calm and readied himself, knowing that the trail he was on was leading directly toward them.
It did not take long for them to materialize from the shadows of the forest, a collective of confusion and suspicion riding on their faces. They formed a circle around Arthur, eyes wide.
Arthur himself expected their confusion; they were likely trying to determine who this stranger was and what he was doing with the box.
When Sakon's gaze caught the tags on the box, he instantly knew that it was the Black Seal technique.
"Did Orochimaru send you?" he skeptically asked.
Arthur met Sakon's eyes head-on and asserted with undeniable authority, "Orochimaru has grown impatient... He doesn't trust that you can bring the Uchiha back to him."
Tayuya and Kidōmaru exchanged glances filled with feelings of shame. Their inability to perform their tasks was plainly evident, a reminder of their earlier failure in trying to acquire Sasuke.
Yet Sakon narrowed his eyes. He feigned offense, allowing doubt to spiral into aggression, and said, "You didn't call him 'lord Orochimaru,' did you?"
Before Arthur could retort, Sakon lunged toward him, aiming a swift blow at Arthur's head!
But Arthur was quick; he ducked under the attack, countering with a chakra-enhanced punch that caught Sakon square in the midsection.
Bang!
The sound of impact echoed as Sakon was sent crashing into a nearby tree, the force of it shaking the nearby branches.
Jirōbō's eyes widened, recognizing the level of strength displayed by this new figure. Doubt began to seep into his gut; there was something about Arthur that felt different, more formidable.
Arthur flexed his fists and declared, "I have only one Lord and one Master… His name is not fit for the likes of you digital wastes to know."
He was referring to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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