章 38: Chapter 38
"Byakugan?"
Orochimaru's eyes widened, and for a moment, he nearly shouted aloud. Yes, of course I do. As one of Konoha's two great dōjutsu, the Sharingan and the Byakugan had always been sources of fascination and envy. Orochimaru had long cooperated with Danzo to study the Sharingan, but the Byakugan had always eluded him. The Hyuga clan's strict protection of their kekkei genkai made it impossible to access.
But now, Lord Uzumaki Chito himself was offering him the chance to study the Byakugan. Could it be that this legendary figure planned to attack Konoha and sweep away the Hyuga clan entirely?
"Humph!" Uzumaki Chito's cold snort snapped Orochimaru out of his thoughts. The sheer force of Chito's breath condensed into a needle that pierced Orochimaru's soul, leaving him reeling. Orochimaru's face turned ashen, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
"Don't project your dirty thoughts onto me," Uzumaki Chito said sharply. "That was just a lesson for you."
Orochimaru staggered but managed to regain his footing. Despite the pain, he suppressed his excitement. "Yes, I accept this deal. What will I receive in return?"
"I'll repair your body perfectly," Uzumaki Chito replied nonchalantly. "That's your reward."
For Uzumaki Chito, it was a simple gesture—far easier than resurrecting someone. But for Orochimaru, it was an unimaginable gift. A complete restoration of his body would not only eliminate the hidden injuries from years of experiments but also provide him with a fresh start.
"Thank you, Lord Chito," Orochimaru said, his voice trembling with a mixture of respect and exhilaration. "I will study the Byakugan thoroughly."
Uzumaki Chito didn't respond. Standing in the air, he let his chakra flow outward, the energy radiating life itself. The chakra enveloped Orochimaru, and in moments, his body began to heal.
Granulation tissue formed, bones repaired themselves, and Orochimaru's chakra reserves surged to unprecedented levels. It was a miraculous transformation.
Might Guy watched with awe but was unsurprised—he had experienced such divine healing before. This is what it means to be a god, he thought. Tsunade, meanwhile, looked at Uzumaki Chito with admiration shining in her eyes. He's only grown more powerful. This is the man I've always admired.
For Orochimaru, the restoration was nothing short of life-changing. He flexed his fingers and felt the strength coursing through his body. "Thank you, Lord Chito," he said sincerely.
"Neji," Uzumaki Chito said, turning to the young Hyuga, "you will stay here and assist Orochimaru in his research."
Neji nodded without hesitation. After witnessing Uzumaki Chito's power, he had no doubts about the man's intentions. Even if Orochimaru were to experiment on him, Neji wouldn't flinch.
With Orochimaru's treatment complete, Uzumaki Chito's clone began to waver. The power expended protecting Naruto and handling Tsunade's earlier outburst had taken its toll.
Tsunade stepped closer, reluctant to let the clone disappear. "Where are you? I'll come find you," she said softly.
"I'm in the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools," Uzumaki Chito replied. "That's where new trees will grow. Wherever there are leaves, there will be fire. The shadow of the fire will shine on the village, and new leaves will sprout again."
As the clone vanished, his voice lingered, echoing in the still air. Everyone, including Orochimaru, found themselves muttering the words. Even the snake-like Sannin couldn't help but feel a longing for the ideal Konoha Uzumaki Chito envisioned.
Hyuga Neji stayed behind with Orochimaru, while Naruto and the others prepared to return to the Land of Whirlpools. This time, they left with one more person: Tsunade.
"Tsunade-sama, are we really going to the Land of Whirlpools?" Shizune asked nervously.
"And why are we bringing Grandma—uh, I mean, Tsunade-sama?" he quickly corrected himself. After being subjected to her strange powers countless times, Naruto had finally learned to address her properly.
"Keep talking, boy, and I'll beat you into the ground," Tsunade threatened, glaring at him. Naruto swallowed hard and fell silent.
As they traveled through the forest, Guy's sharp instincts picked up on a group approaching at high speed. The shadows of the trees swayed, and the sound of branches rustling filled the air. Moments later, two ninjas emerged from the foliage, their eyes locking onto Naruto's group.
Naruto immediately prepared for battle, Rasengan spinning in his hand. Might Guy opened the first four gates, ready to defend his team. Even Rock Lee, usually calm and composed, took up a fighting stance.
The tension was palpable.
But then, the white-haired ninja on the other side froze. His eyes widened as he spotted Tsunade, and his demeanor changed completely.
"Tsunade!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise and relief.
"Jiraiya?" Tsunade responded, equally astonished. Though it had been years since they last met, she immediately recognized his squint-eyed expression and relaxed demeanor.
Jiraiya grinned sheepishly. "It's been a while," he said, scratching the back of his head.
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