After leaving the Hokage Building, Kiyosuke went home to eat, take a bath, and rest for the night.
The next day, he wandered around Konoha. That evening, he went drinking at an izakaya with Jiraiya and Kakashi.
The third day, he rested.
The fourth day, he rested.
On the fifth day, he was dragged out of bed by an impatient Naruto, and only then did he finally prepare to head to Orochimaru's hideout to bring Sasuke back.
This time, he didn't bring his own team. More people would only get in the way.
It was Kiyosuke, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and Yamato.
Naruto and Sakura weren't too used to this new teacher, Yamato.
Naruto asked,
"Kiyosuke-san, who is this guy?"
"He's the one who can help you suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. You'll need to rely on him in the future," Kiyosuke explained. "He's also Kakashi's and my junior. Just call him Yamato-sensei."
"Ohhh, I see!"
Naruto, being as outgoing as ever, quickly warmed up to Yamato.
The group set off toward the Village of Sound, with Kiyosuke leading the way. By midday, they had already arrived.
Marching straight in, Kiyosuke grabbed a random Sound shinobi and demanded,
"Where are Kimimaro and Yakushi Kabuto? Take me to them."
"Hey, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura muttered, watching Kiyosuke act like a thug, "are you sure Kiyosuke-sama isn't just some kind of delinquent?"
Kakashi whispered back,
"Sometimes… he's worse than a delinquent."
"Has Kiyosuke-senpai always been like this?" Yamato muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, Kiyosuke still couldn't get any useful information about Kimimaro or Kabuto. Clicking his tongue, he simply led the group straight down into the underground laboratories.
"Last time, they brought Sasuke here. Not sure if they're still around."
The Village of Sound was essentially Orochimaru's money-making machine, funding his experiments. After all, scientific research cost a fortune. Materials were outrageously expensive, and experiments could run for days without producing results.
Back when he had Konoha backing him, Orochimaru didn't have to worry about funding. But after leaving the village and cutting ties with the Akatsuki, he had to find his own way—and the Village of Sound became his tool for making money.
Led by Kiyosuke, the group ventured deeper into Orochimaru's base. They didn't find Orochimaru, but after sensing carefully, Kiyosuke located Kimimaro instead.
Kimimaro's face looked pale and weak. His life was hanging by a thread—he was only still alive thanks to Tsunade's treatment, which had extended his years without leaving him in pain. Coughing lightly, he said,
"Kiyosuke-sama, if you're looking for Orochimaru-sama, he isn't here. You'll need to search another base."
Orochimaru had established more than one laboratory, all for his various experiments.
After getting the address from Kimimaro, Kiyosuke quickly led the group to the next location.
...
Crossing a barren stretch of land, Kiyosuke sensed the chakra of Orochimaru, Sasuke, and Kabuto. Nodding, he found the entrance and brought everyone inside.
"Well, if it isn't Kiyosuke-sama and Kakashi," Kabuto's voice came from the shadows as he pushed up his glasses and stepped forward, surprised to see them. "Oh, Naruto, Sakura, you're here too. Have you come for Sasuke-kun?"
"So it's you."
"Yakushi Kabuto!"
Everyone except Kiyosuke tensed immediately.
"Where's Orochimaru-sensei?" Kiyosuke asked.
"Orochimaru-sama is in the middle of an experiment. You're here to take Sasuke-kun back, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Lead the way."
"Yes."
Kabuto guided them forward, but Kakashi never let his guard down. This man's talent was no less than his own—perhaps even greater. With Kiyosuke present, accidents were unlikely, but this was Orochimaru's territory. They couldn't afford to relax.
As he walked, Kabuto continued,
"Sasuke-kun has been training diligently here. But it seems Naruto-kun's growth has been remarkable as well. The rivalry between you two is truly enviable."
Naruto clicked his tongue.
"That guy could've trained with me instead. Why'd he have to run off to Orochimaru? And isn't Kiyosuke-san also able to train him?"
"I can't," Kiyosuke said bluntly. "Better to leave it to Orochimaru-sensei."
Following Kabuto, they entered a brightly lit underground training hall. Sasuke stood in the center, dressed in white, wielding the Kusanagi sword. Lightning crackled across his body, wrapping him in a cloak of electricity.
Chidori Stream!
"Naruto," Kiyosuke said, "it looks like Sasuke's gone further down the road than you."
No wonder Kiyosuke had entrusted Sasuke's training to Orochimaru. The boy had already mastered both chakra nature and form manipulation.
Noticing their arrival, Sasuke stopped his training. Looking at Kiyosuke, he said,
"You didn't need to bring this many people. I was already planning to return to Konoha."
"Doesn't this show how important you are?" Kiyosuke replied. "And also—Orochimaru-sensei, you can stop hiding in the shadows. I can feel your chakra."
"Kiyosuke-kun," Orochimaru emerged from the darkness with a sly smile, "I can't let you just take Sasuke-kun away. He's the perfect vessel I've been raising for so long. I won't let you steal him."
His appearance put Kakashi and the others on high alert.
"I'm not your possession." Sasuke walked to Naruto's side. "Orochimaru, you're useless to me now. Thank you for your teachings, but it's time for me to go home."
Orochimaru's tongue slithered out to lick his cheek as he hissed,
"That won't do."
Kiyosuke frowned.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I'm taking Sasuke."
"No." Orochimaru's tone left no room for compromise. The Uchiha clan still existed in Konoha, but among them, only Itachi and Sasuke were truly exceptional. Shisui was already "dead," and the rest weren't worth considering. He couldn't defeat Itachi—so Sasuke was his only option.
"So… you're serious?" Kiyosuke narrowed his eyes at his teacher. "Orochimaru-sensei, Konoha cannot afford to lose Sasuke. If you insist on this, don't blame me for showing disrespect."
"Oh? So you're finally ready to raise your blade against your own teacher?" Orochimaru wasn't angry—if anything, he seemed delighted. Kiyosuke's change amused him.
Raising his hands, he said,
"Kiyosuke-kun, your heart has always been too soft. That won't do. But now… now you've finally decided to strike me down. I'm very pleased."
Who knew what went through this lunatic's mind. But that didn't matter.
"Alright. Sasuke, take them and go. I'll hold him off."
Sasuke nodded.
"Follow me."
He led the others out without hesitation. Kabuto didn't interfere, leaving Orochimaru and Kiyosuke facing each other in the training hall.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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