Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

"So… that's how it is?" Sasuke murmured with a bitter smile. He had already felt despair over the truths he had uncovered through his investigation. But after hearing Natsuro's explanation, he realized there were even deeper depths to that despair.

As for Itachi, Sasuke didn't need to ask further questions. He now understood. Back then, as a member of the Anbu, Itachi had chosen the village over his clan.

At that moment, Sasuke clenched his fists tightly. If the clan was to be annihilated, why spare him? Was he truly that important? What could the survival of one individual possibly mean compared to the continuation of an entire clan?

Why preserve him instead of trading his life to save those far more innocent?

Sasuke could sense the deep "love" Itachi harbored for him, but instead of feeling warmth, he only felt suffocated and overwhelmed by despair.

Natsuro observed Sasuke's hollow expression and sighed.

He understood that Sasuke had come to him seeking some glimmer of hope or a better answer to cling to.

Unfortunately, the truth was always cruel.

Natsuro rose from his seat and cleaned up the table. Realizing that there weren't any medical supplies in the room, he teleported home using Flying Thunder God to fetch some and placed them in front of Sasuke.

"Take your time and think things through. I'll leave you to it."

What Sasuke needed most right now was some time alone to process everything and clear his mind.

Sasuke didn't see Natsuro off, staying seated as he stared blankly at the familiar surroundings of his home.

In his haze, he imagined familiar figures.

His father, sternly reading the newspaper. His mother, bustling around the kitchen in her apron...

The more he learned, the deeper his pain.

He didn't know how long he remained there, but when the moonlight finally spilled through the windows, he slowly came to his senses.

Staggering to his feet, Sasuke noticed the neatly tidied table and the medical kit Natsuro had left behind. Only then did he realize his hands were bloodied and scabbed over without him noticing.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke picked up the medical kit and began treating his wounds.

Later, he stood in the courtyard, gazing at the moonlight. The confusion and hesitation in his eyes gradually dissipated.

Hadn't he already made his decision long ago? He would move forward without looking back.

The truth might cut like a blade, but Sasuke would rather be scarred and battered by it than be shielded by lies.

Now, armed with the full truth, Sasuke reaffirmed his resolve.

There was no more doubt. No more hesitation.

That night, it felt as if something fundamental within Sasuke had changed, yet he remained the same person he always was.

When Natsuro returned from Sasuke's, he pondered whether the modified curse seal could be more widely applied.

But in the end, he dismissed the idea. Without Jūgo's help, it would be challenging for others to gather sufficient natural energy.

Moreover, the summoning contracts with the Three Great Sage Regions couldn't simply be handed out to just anyone.

In most cases, even if he took the time to apply the seal, it would likely be a waste of time for both him and the recipient.

The allure of Sage Mode's power would undoubtedly tempt anyone, leading them to neglect their own unique paths in pursuit of this external strength. But since the seal relied on stored energy, users would spend most of their time waiting to recharge it so charging for days to use it for mere minutes. It wasn't worth it.

Sasuke was an exception. He had the potential to learn Sage Mode properly in the future, and his chakra reserves were just sufficient for it. The seal served as an early stepping stone for him.

For most others, however, their chakra levels alone would disqualify them from ever attempting Sage Mode. So he decided to abandon the idea of a broader application.

Thinking about Sage Mode reminded him of Naruto. Naruto had already mastered the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken. Though not yet perfected, it was enough to be effective in battle.

It was time for Naruto to begin training in Sage Mode at Mount Myōboku.

However, that wasn't urgent. Jiraiya was currently away investigating information on Kakuzu and Hidan, and Natsuro had other matters to attend to. He now possessed a piece of Orochimaru's spiritual imprint extracted from Sasuke's curse mark.

As Natsuro examined the faint spiritual imprint within his mind, he couldn't help but marvel at Orochimaru's capabilities. For Orochimaru to resurrect himself fully from such a small fragment of spiritual energy was nothing short of extraordinary.

With time, the spiritual imprint was beginning to fade. Without a source of sustenance, it wouldn't last much longer.

Natsuro knew he couldn't let it go to waste. If it disappeared, he'd have to go through the hassle of extracting another fragment from Anko's curse mark, which was something he wanted to avoid.

Forming hand seals, he activated the Spirit Transformation Technique. His ability to sense spiritual energy became crucial in tracking down Orochimaru.

After some effort, he pinpointed a general direction. The imprint provided only a vague sense of location. As he drew closer, he would be able to lock in more precisely. But for now, this was enough.

After notifying Tsunade, he set out without hesitation.

...

In a desolate forest, Natsuro walked alone.

It was no surprise that Orochimaru had chosen such a hidden base. Without the guidance of the spiritual imprint, even with the help of the ANBU and the snakes of Ryūchi Cave, it would have taken an unknown amount of time to locate him.

Now, Orochimaru had appeared within Natsuro's sensory range.

However, he frowned. The Orochimaru he sensed felt... off. Something was different. It seemed as though... he didn't entirely match the spiritual imprint Natsuro had taken from Sasuke.

But how could that be? Could a soul actually change?

Puzzled, Natsuro pushed open the main door and entered directly.

At this point, he no longer needed to prepare when facing Orochimaru. If anything, Orochimaru should be the one figuring out how to escape from him.

The corridor he entered was dimly lit, with sparse, widely spaced lamps. Being an underground structure, Orochimaru's base exuded an eerie atmosphere, it was perfectly in line with his style.

Yet, to Natsuro's surprise, he encountered no traps along the way. This was unlike Orochimaru.

Without dwelling on it, he continued forward. Guided by his senses, he soon arrived at a large, final door and pushed it open.

"Clap, clap, clap…"

As he stepped into the room, he was greeted by pitch-black darkness. From deep within the hall, a figure emerged, clapping as they approached.

It was the "Orochimaru" Natsuro had sensed. But his demeanor as he calmly walking out as though he had been expecting him, had caught him off guard.

As the figure moved, the lights around the hall began to illuminate one by one.

Gradually, the figure was revealed under the lights: Orochimaru.

"As expected of Natsuro-kun~ I knew you'd come looking for me. I even wondered how you would find me or if I should seek you out instead. But to think you'd find me so quickly," Orochimaru said, licking his lips, his snake-like eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Hearing Orochimaru address him this way sent shivers down Natsuro's spine. In his memories, Orochimaru had always barked his full name with venom. Now he was calling him "Natsuro-kun," dragging out the honorific.

What had caused such a drastic change in attitude? Natsuro couldn't understand it, but the situation made him uncomfortable. Being on Orochimaru's radar was never a good thing.

Natsuro's frown deepened, and his pupils contracted as he focused on Orochimaru. "Are you really Orochimaru… or someone else?"

Within him, waves of shock surged. He had finally noticed what was wrong with Orochimaru's soul, why it felt so fragmented and intertwined, as if mixed with someone else's.

Yet unlike Natsuro's dual soul with one consciousness, this seemed like two consciousnesses fused into a single soul.

But how was that even possible? Natsuro was puzzled.

Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation technique shouldn't involve tampering with the soul. He distinctly remembered encountering Orochimaru before, when he had already used the technique, and there hadn't been this anomaly.

Granted, he hadn't yet mastered the Spirit Transformation Technique back then, but he was confident in his assessment.

Suddenly, Orochimaru began to laugh, covering his face with one hand, a maniacal sound that grated on Natsuro's nerves.

"What's so funny?" Natsuro scowled. Orochimaru's state perplexed him even more.

"Truly impressive, Natsuro-kun~ You noticed my condition at a glance," Orochimaru finally said, lowering his hand but keeping it over half his face.

Then, in a move that shocked Natsuro, Orochimaru performed the Face Copying Technique, revealing a face Natsuro knew all too well.

Smiling slyly at him, the figure spoke again. "Natsuro-kun, I owe my current state entirely to you and that jutsu of yours."

"Yakushi Kabuto…" Natsuro muttered, his pupils contracting further as he stared at the face before him. Orochimaru and Kabuto… had fused?

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Natsuro froze. Did this mean the effect of his Wind Release: Rasenshuriken had been this significant?

To think his actions had resulted in fusing the main boss from the earlier arcs with the sub-boss from later ones.

Had he been this impressive all along?

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Currently on Chapter 270 - 'Madara Uchiha'