"This really is a lively night."
"Chizan-kun, it seems traveling with you truly brings some nice gains."
"Let's go take a look."
Orochimaru quickened his pace, his entire body moving like a long serpent as he rapidly rushed forward.
Gekko Chizan's lips twitched slightly at the sight, thinking to himself that this really had nothing to do with him. Judging by Orochimaru's own trajectory, even if he hadn't been here, he would have arrived tonight anyway.
"Haku, I'll go ahead. Follow behind. Tagitsuhime, keep an eye on him."
"Okay, sensei."
Tagitsuhime transformed into a red snake and slipped off Gekko Chizan's body, then coiled herself around Haku.
After the experiences of recent days, Haku was already familiar with Tagitsuhime and no longer felt any sense of strangeness toward her.
On the contrary, Tagitsuhime quite liked Haku. After all, as someone possessing the Ice Release bloodline limit, his body temperature was very low, which made her feel pleasantly refreshed.
Gekko Chizan and Orochimaru ran to the mountainside. From there, they could clearly see the situation below.
Large flames had already dyed the edge of Kirigakure red.
It was obvious—fighting had already broken out.
"Tsk tsk, wherever there's oppression, there's resistance."
"Kirigakure has been pushing this so-called Blood Mist Village policy all along. See? The backlash has come, hasn't it?"
The Blood Mist Village policy was truly despicable. Every time he mentioned it, Gekko Chizan felt that killing the Third Mizukage back then had really been a good deed.
After all, he had been the instigator of the Blood Mist Village. Ah… what a pity. He should've hit him a few more times back then.
"Hehehe, Chizan-kun, can you see clearly who's making the move?"
"Mm, I can. Two red dots between the brows. If I'm not mistaken, that's the Kaguya clan—a clan that pursues strength."
Gekko Chizan had long since activated his Insect Eyes. The characteristics of the Kaguya clan were extremely obvious.
Those two eyebrow marks, just like Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's, were far too distinctive.
"Shall we go down and take a closer look? It's still not clear enough from here."
"Alright."
At the mention of the Kaguya clan, Orochimaru's eyes clearly lit up with greater curiosity. The two of them immediately advanced toward Kirigakure once more.
Haku, who followed behind them, had it rough. He was still young, and now he had to travel at night. If not for Tagitsuhime helping him, he probably would've fallen behind by now.
After struggling for quite a while, he finally reached the mountainside—only to find no one there. Haku instantly felt miserable.
"Tagitsuhime, where did sensei and the others go?"
"Oh, they already went down. Listen, little Haku, stop chasing after them. Look at Kirigakure below—that's a full-blown war. What would a little kid like you do down there?"
"I want to follow sensei..."
"Hey, hey, little Haku, listen to me. Just wait here. Oh right, didn't you want to build a house like your sensei? How about I teach you?"
Tagitsuhime knew the situation below wasn't suitable for Haku, so she directly decided to keep him on the mountainside.
To settle him down, she even came up with a method—arousing his curiosity.
She was completely copying Gekko Chizan's tactics. But she had to admit, this trick worked—and worked very well.
"Really?"
"But right now, I can only condense one wall of ice. If I make more, it'll shatter."
Haku had already mastered the use of chakra and could successfully condense ice. However, due to his limited chakra, he couldn't create large ice structures.
To this, Tagitsuhime gave a very reasonable solution.
"That's because your chakra is too little."
"But who am I? I'm one of the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave—Tagitsuhime!"
"For me, chakra is far too easy."
"Watch closely!"
Crimson chakra began to emerge bit by bit. Under Tagitsuhime's control, it wrapped around Haku.
Haku instantly felt as if he had inexhaustible strength. The comfortable sensation made his eyes widen involuntarily.
Just as he felt chakra surging into his body, Tagitsuhime's voice sounded again.
"Don't just stand there. Try constructing your Ice Release."
"Oh! Okay!"
With the support of chakra, Haku once again attempted his Ice Release. This time, the ice formed quickly—and it was much larger than before.
"So fast! I can actually condense such a large block of ice this quickly!"
"You're amazing!"
Tagitsuhime smiled faintly, thinking to herself: Taking care of kids is pretty simple after all. Hahaha!
...
Gekko Chizan, of course, had no idea what was happening on the mountainside.
Right now, he and Orochimaru were standing outside Kirigakure, watching the flames soar into the sky within.
"My, my. This clan is truly fierce. Just a mere hundred or so people, and they dare launch an attack on Kirigakure?"
"Tsk tsk, tragic and lamentable."
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Gekko Chizan's gaze was drawn to a young boy.
Holding a pristine white short blade, he cut down an enemy with every strike.
Calm.
Steady.
Filled with killing intent.
"Hehehe, you saw him too, didn't you, Chizan-kun?"
"What a fine seedling."
Orochimaru's gaze also settled on the boy. He was far too eye-catching. Just a child, yet he possessed unparalleled combat ability.
Even when facing enemies much larger than himself, he showed not the slightest fear, stabbing them to death in a frenzy of blades.
"A genius of the Kaguya clan..."
"Tsk tsk, even my urge to collect geniuses is stirring, sensei..."
"Wait—hey, what's with that expression?"
Gekko Chizan had already recognized the boy's identity. Wasn't this Kimimaro? Such a promising seedling—he had to take him!
But the moment he spoke, he realized Orochimaru's gaze had already fallen on him—and was staring intently.
It made his skin crawl.
"Chizan-kun, over the years, how many potions have you taken from me? Have I ever pursued the matter?"
"No..."
"And the genius youths you've sent me—have I ever neglected them, or even intervened to keep them?"
"No..."
Gekko Chizan already knew what Orochimaru was about to say.
But he was unwilling to give up. That was Kimimaro!!!
"Sensei, you're suited for research. Shouldn't nurturing talent be left to me?"
"Hehehe… no."
Gekko Chizan: ...
"I have a feeling this boy has fate with me. He should stay by my side."
"He will become a strong man. A strong man who belongs to no one."
"So, Chizan, this time I can't yield to you. This boy—I'm taking him!"
Well then.
With that, Kimimaro had just been claimed.