Kimimaro fell silent.
Although he was confident, he was not ignorant. Since Kitazawa could defeat Orochimaru, he could also defeat them, and Orochimaru had already ordered them to obey Kitazawa's commands.
However, Tayuya was also right. In Kimimaro's heart, Orochimaru was his sole purpose — for whom he would lay down his life.
Those useless to Orochimaru, those who hindered Orochimaru, should all be eliminated.
During the battle between Kitazawa and Orochimaru, he had become useless.
Now he had to prove himself; otherwise, he would have no face to see Orochimaru in Konoha Village.
"I want to challenge you," Kimimaro said in a deep voice.
[Current Mission: Defeat Kimimaro]
[Mission Reward: 30% of Shikotsumyaku]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa's eyes lit up.
The mission reward was actually Shikotsumyaku?
Shikotsumyaku, in terms of ability alone, was not inferior to ordinary Byakugan and Sharingan, and could be considered a top-tier Bloodline Limit.
And the Kaguya Clan, to which Kimimaro belonged, was the number one Ninja clan in Hidden Mist Village before its demise.
It was normal that the mission did not directly reward him with Shikotsumyaku.
However, the first mission giving 30% meant he could collect it after two or three more missions, which was not slow.
At least it was faster than increasing Byakugan purity and the Senju Clan bloodline.
"I challenge you too." After Kimimaro finished speaking, Jugo immediately said.
Jugo met Kimimaro when he was in a berserk and confused state, and was saved by him. From then on, they became good friends.
He was one of the few people in Otogakure who did not pledge allegiance to Orochimaru, because he followed Kimimaro.
[Current Mission: Defeat Jugo]
[Mission Reward: Cursed Seal of Earth]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa looked at the three lines of text before him and couldn't help but smile, unable to suppress the corners of his mouth.
Triggering three system missions at once was truly a huge gain.
The most important thing was that the mission rewards were all excellent.
Shikotsumyaku goes without saying; Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains is a rare sound genjutsu, and the Cursed Seal of Earth is one of Orochimaru's achievements.
Although it was not as good as the Cursed Seal of Heaven, it was still very good and would be very helpful for Kitazawa to form a cursed seal unit.
In his opinion, the ones who should use cursed seals the most were not geniuses, but Ninjas who had reached their potential limit.
Because geniuses or strong individuals didn't actually need cursed seals much, for example, Orochimaru himself didn't use cursed seals.
Moreover, the side effects of the cursed seal were too strong, severely affecting the body and even leading to death.
But those Ninjas who had reached their potential limit could use it as a trump card, playing a great role in life-or-death situations.
Of course, Orochimaru's cursed seal requirements were still too high and needed to be modified.
"Come on," Kitazawa said with a smile.
The reason he wanted to fight this battle, besides completing the system mission, was to understand their strength.
Kitazawa's understanding of them came from the original story.
But in the original work, they appeared when they were fourteen or fifteen years old — six or seven years older than they were now.
With so many years' difference, their current strength must be somewhat inferior.
Kitazawa could only make further arrangements after understanding their strength — especially since they were about to transfer to the Genius Class.
Summoning Technique! Tayuya bit her thumb and pressed it to the ground.
A cold aura permeated the air, and three Doki (Angry Demons) appeared, somewhat humanoid but still resembling strange creatures.
These were Tayuya's Summoning Beasts. As soon as they emerged, she immediately pulled out a bamboo flute.
Demonic Flute: Illusionary Warriors Manipulating Melody!
As Tayuya blew the bamboo flute, the three Doki immediately attacked Kitazawa.
One Doki, without arms, directly charged with its back. The other two Doki — one holding a wooden club and the other a bone claw — swung at Kitazawa.
But faster than Tayuya was Kimimaro.
Dance of the Willow! He raised both hands, and the finger bones flew out like bullets.
Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall! An earth wall rose in front of Kitazawa.
The finger bones hit the earth wall, embedding themselves within it. The earth wall endured the fierce impact, and fine cracks appeared, centered around the finger bones.
Kitazawa couldn't help but nod. The power of this Shikotsumyaku was indeed extraordinary.
If it were someone else's Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall, it would have surely been pierced by now.
With a bang! Tayuya's armless Doki broke through the earth wall. The club and bone claw descended from above.
Chakra Enhanced Strength! Kitazawa clenched his fists and swung them out together.
After hitting the club and bone claw, the force transferred back, sending the two Doki flying backward.
"What?" Tayuya's eyes widened in shock.
Jugo and the remaining Doki charged at Kitazawa together.
Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere! Kitazawa formed hand seals and spat out a giant wind sphere.
After compression, the wind sphere exploded violently, as if a rocket launcher had struck the Doki's back.
The Doki flew backward even faster.
Jugo's pupils contracted, and he blocked with his arms. His sleeves burst, his arms immediately bled profusely, and he couldn't help but retreat several steps.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
It seemed that neither Jugo nor Tayuya had received the Cursed Seal of Earth yet.
Tayuya was likely due to her young age. Her current strength was limited to Demonic Flute: Illusionary Warriors Manipulating Melody and Summoning Technique.
Jugo was even more inadequate; in his normal state, he was just an ordinary taijutsu Ninja. As for his berserk Sage Mode, he couldn't transform because there was no natural energy nearby.
Kitazawa looked at Kimimaro. He was now in a strange stance, with white bones protruding from his palms, elbows, knees, and other parts of his body.
Dance of the Willow!
Kimimaro appeared before Kitazawa like a gust of wind.
He used his hands and feet, his bones transforming into the most terrifying weapons, unleashing a barrage of attacks in an instant.
"Good taijutsu," Kitazawa commented while drawing zangetsu.
Clang!
Zangetsu blocked the two bone segments that came in a surprise attack.
Kimimaro kicked out fiercely without hesitation. Combined with the bones on his leg, it possessed both power and damage.
Kitazawa dodged backward, and with a shake of Zangetsu in his hand, blades of flame flew out.
Kimimaro crossed his arms, and the two bone segments in his palms intersected the flame blades into three pieces.
Just then, the sound of a flute rang out. The three Doki once again charged at Kitazawa.
Compound Ninjutsu: Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu!
Kitazawa quickly formed hand seals, and an electrified water dragon roared out. It easily knocked away the three Doki and headed towards Tayuya.
Tayuya's face paled, and she quickly dodged.
Seeing this, Jugo used a Body Flicker Technique to appear in front and punched the water dragon. But the lightning spread, paralyzing him.
Dance of the Camellia! Kimimaro seized the opportunity to draw a bone sword from his left arm.
He immediately appeared before Kitazawa, unleashing a dense flurry of sword shadows in an instant, as if dancing.
But it had no effect. Kitazawa dodged all of his attacks so lightly and perfectly.
Kimimaro's expression became solemn. It was the first time he had seen someone so easily break his Dance of the Camellia.
But the problem was that he only knew these three Shikotsumyaku Ninjutsu.
Cursed Seal of Earth! Kimimaro's mind stirred, and the power within him instantly surged.
The terrifying aura formed a wind current, causing the surrounding flowers, plants, and dust to fly up. Kimimaro's body also began to change. Black patterns, like blood vessels, appeared all over his body.
This was Cursed Seal of Earth: Stage One.
"You two, retreat." After Kimimaro finished speaking, he vanished from his original spot.
His speed was several times faster than before, appearing before Kitazawa as if teleporting. The bone sword in his hand immediately slashed out.
Clang! Kitazawa's zangetsu blocked his bone.
A huge force came, making his arm tremble slightly. This power was also much greater than before.
Lightning Release: Supersonic Vibrato Lightning Blades! Zangetsu in Kitazawa's hand immediately vibrated.
Power surged out, and with a downward press, Kimimaro was sent flying.
"Kimimaro!" Jugo rushed forward to catch him. A terrifying force struck, causing him to also retreat several steps.
"How can he be so strong?" Tayuya felt defeated.
She had not witnessed the battle between Kitazawa and Orochimaru firsthand because at that time, she was still in the underground hall.
But now, having experienced it herself, she could understand Kitazawa's power.
"I'm fine." Kimimaro pushed Jugo away and entered Cursed Seal of Earth: Stage Two.
His body underwent a mutated transformation. His normally normal skin turned brownish-black, and black patterns appeared on his face.
His back arched, six ivory-like bones protruded, and a bone tail grew out.
Kitazawa shook his head slightly.
This Cursed Seal was good in every way, except for its ugly Stage Two form. Even Sasuke had a hard time with it — becoming a non-mainstream.
Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets! Kimimaro raised his hands, and the finger bones on his ten fingers shot out fiercely.
Both their speed and power had significantly increased compared to before.
Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!
The earth wall in front of Kitazawa was pierced through by the finger bones as soon as it appeared.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
Behind the earth wall was another water wall. The finger bones struck the water wall and stopped.
Dance of the Willow!
Kimimaro immediately tore through the water wall, and the bones all over his body pierced out like sharp blades.
Konoha Dragon God!
Kitazawa spun violently, and a large amount of Chakra surrounded him. In a flash, it formed a giant tornado.
The sharp wind generated terrifying cutting power, colliding with Kimimaro's bones and producing continuous vibrations.
Kimimaro's face paled, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. His bones were indeed as hard as swords. But besides his bones, he also had flesh and blood.
In this fierce clash, his body was enduring unprecedented pressure.
Kimimaro held on for a moment, then flew backward. At this point, he was covered in blood, looking extremely terrifying.
Kitazawa stopped the Konoha Dragon God.
Although it was his first time using it, he had to admit that the Konoha Dragon God had impressive power.
It felt like a combination of Taijutsu and Wind Release, making it a Nin-Taijutsu.
As for whether it would be exposed, he didn't care.
After all, the original owner, Chen, had given up on himself due to the death of his student, faking his death, and hiding away.
"If you keep fighting, you'll die, and then you won't be able to save Orochimaru," Kitazawa said, walking up to Kimimaro.
Kimimaro heard this and released the Cursed Seal of Earth. He returned to his normal appearance.
"Hmph, I'll definitely defeat you in the future!" Tayuya reluctantly put away her bamboo flute.
The gap was too large; she couldn't win at all. However, she still spoke stubbornly and refused to admit defeat.
Mystical Palm Technique! Kitazawa extended his hands to treat Kimimaro.
In front of him, a series of system mission prompts appeared.
[Current Mission: Defeat Tayuya.]
[Mission Reward: Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains.]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Relevant information flooded into Kitazawa's mind.
Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains is a B-Rank Ninjutsu. Its effect is to make anyone who hears the flute enter an illusion.
In the illusion, the target's limbs will be entangled by ropes, and their body will be unable to move.
At the same time, they will see terrifying illusions, causing mental trauma to the target. From its effect, it somewhat resembled Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique.
But because it was a rare sound-based genjutsu, ordinary Ninja would not be prepared for it and would easily fall victim.
[Current mission: Defeat Kimimaro.]
[Mission reward: 30% Shikotsumyaku.]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Kitazawa felt some changes in his body. Especially his bones, which became much harder.
Theoretically, he could even clash with swords.
But besides that, there were no other abilities. He couldn't extract his bones, and even if his bones were hard, it was useless. He would have to wait for the next system mission related to Kimimaro.
[Current mission: Defeat Jugo]
[Mission reward: Cursed Seal of Earth]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Kitazawa stood still, digesting the Cursed Seal of Earth.
Compared to Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains, the Cursed Seal of Earth provided even more information.
The Cursed Seal of Earth is essentially a Sealing Technique. It pre-implants natural energy into the user's body, and when released, it allows the user to enter a Cursed Seal state.
In this state, strength, speed, and Chakra all surge. However, natural energy has a powerful corrosive effect.
This can be seen from the Sage Mode training in the three great Summoning Beasts' sacred lands.
For example, failing Sage Mode training at Mount Myōboku would result in turning into a frog or petrification.
The Cursed Seal of Earth is also like this; after a long time, it will lose control and rampage. As for the duration, it depends on the user's condition.
"The three of you are qualified to join the Genius Class of the Ninja Academy," Kitazawa said after finishing Kimimaro's treatment.
"Are there many geniuses in the Genius Class?" Tayuya couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, there are many," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"Can those geniuses compare to us?" Tayuya didn't think the geniuses of Konoha Village could be that formidable.
They were just flowers in a greenhouse, while she and her companions had fought their way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
"You won't even make it into the top five in the Genius Class," Kitazawa said, shaking his head.
"Impossible!" Tayuya looked disbelieving.
[Current mission: In the next practical exam, prevent Tayuya from entering the top five.]
[Mission reward: Four Violet Flames Formation]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa smiled and chose to accept.
Indeed, letting them join the Genius Class was the right choice; he had triggered four system missions today.
"You'll know I wasn't lying once you join the Genius Class." Kitazawa had no interest in bickering with a young girl.
He told the three of them to wait there and then found Guren.
"I remember Orochimaru had an experiment subject named Shin, but he wasn't on the list you gave me."
Kitazawa suddenly remembered Uchiha Shin.
Of course, he wasn't a Ninja of the Uchiha Clan; he simply admired Uchiha Itachi, which is why he changed his surname to Uchiha.
But due to Kitazawa's butterfly effect, the current Uchiha Shin should not have met Uchiha Itachi yet, so he naturally wouldn't have changed his name.
"There is indeed such a person," Guren explained, "He's just an experiment subject, so he wasn't on the list."
"Capture him and send him to Konoha Village along with that experimental equipment," Kitazawa instructed, "Orochimaru will continue his experiments in Konoha Village and can use them."
"Yes, Lord Kitazawa!" Guren immediately became very enthusiastic when she heard that Orochimaru would use them.
A moment later, Kitazawa saw Uchiha Shin. At this time, he was still very young, looking like a child.
In the original work, Danzo's severed arm came from him. At this point in time, Orochimaru's cloning technology should still be somewhat lacking.
Kitazawa didn't interact much with Shin and returned with Kimimaro and the others.
As for Otogakure, Guren would handle it. Without Orochimaru, even if they rebelled, they wouldn't cause much trouble.
Moreover, they wouldn't rebel. With Otogakure still existing, they could live as normal Ninja — at least not as rogue Ninja.
---
Monday morning.
Kitazawa returned to Konoha Village.
Kimimaro and the other two were visiting Konoha Village for the first time. Having come from Hidden Mist Village, he wasn't surprised by Konoha Village's prosperity.
But Jugo and Tayuya were astonished. Konoha Village looked so much better than Otogakure.
Especially Tayuya — seeing street food everywhere, she subconsciously licked the corner of her mouth, craving it.
In Otogakure, there was hardly any street food, and she had no time to eat, constantly fighting in the underground hall.
Tayuya turned her head and saw Kitazawa's half-smile. She snorted and stopped looking at him.
"Just say what you want to eat," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"I'm not a child!" Tayuya refused with great backbone.
Kitazawa stroked his chin.
Where should Kimimaro and the others stay? Kitazawa's mind stirred, and he thought of the Konoha Orphanage.
In the original story, Kabuto was also in Otogakure, and his status was even above Kimimaro and the others.
Although he was no longer in Otogakure, with Kabuto's abilities, dealing with them would be more than enough.
"Then let's go," Kitazawa said, walking towards the Konoha Orphanage.
Tayuya subconsciously glanced at a nearby dessert shop, then reluctantly followed him. Kimimaro and Jugo were much more silent, not speaking at all along the way.
A moment later, they arrived at the Konoha Orphanage.
Since it was daytime, Yakushi Nono, Yakushi Kabuto, and Haku were not there.
Kitazawa sent out a Shadow Clone to find Kabuto. A moment later, he arrived at the Konoha Orphanage.
Kabuto subconsciously scrutinized Kimimaro and the others. Upon seeing the Otogakure forehead protectors on their foreheads, he understood.
After all, Orochimaru's return to the village had been a hot topic these past two days.
"Kabuto, arrange their living quarters," Kitazawa instructed.