"Phew… thank goodness. Looks like the impact was weakest up front—or maybe it's thanks to my Mangekyō Sharingan. Either way, I seem to be okay."
Uchiha Kaien turned around and gave everyone a reassuring smile.
He really was fine. With so many buffs stacked on him, something would be wrong if he wasn't.
The one who suffered the most was Namikaze Minato.
At just twelve years old, his spirit was the weakest of the group. He didn't have a dōjutsu bloodline to boost his resistance either—tough luck.
Still, Minato managed to get back on his feet, though his face remained pale, and his steps were unsteady. It was obvious he'd taken a heavy hit from the earlier surge.
Kaien walked over to check on him, a soft green glow lighting up in his hands.
He'd spent half a year in Kumogakure and picked up some basic medical ninjutsu. After all, reckless fighters tend to get hurt a lot.
Trying to increase his affection rating with others, Kaien had taken the lessons seriously. Judging by the results, it was totally worth it.
Now was a perfect chance to patch Minato up.
"You're in no shape to treat yourself, Minato."
"Looks like I'm the one carrying you back this time."
After a quick check, Kaien helped Minato to his feet. The damage was mostly spiritual—hardly any physical injuries.
As for recovery? Some good rest should do the trick.
"Thanks, Kaien."
Minato gave a sheepish smile. He was still too weak. That god-like being had only released a sliver of its aura, yet he'd been knocked nearly unconscious.
The gap between a jōnin and a Kage… was still massive.
Watching Kaien completely unfazed only made the contrast more obvious. They were the same age, and even with Minato's talent, standing beside Kaien—the absolute peak among their generation—he couldn't see a single opening to surpass him.
"Alright, let's clean up the scene and head back to Konoha. Once we're there, I'll request access to the restricted archives from Lord Hiruzen. Maybe we'll find some intel on this 'god'—or whatever it is."
Orochimaru vaguely recalled Hiruzen once mentioning the Shinigami.
If Hiruzen knew about the Shinigami, maybe there were also records on this supposed evil deity. If not, then he'd have no choice but to consult Tsunade.
That idea wasn't ideal. Tsunade had been in a slump for quite a while now.
Orochimaru's thoughts drifted back to their mission to the Land of Water.
Everyone returned safely—except for Dan Kato. The explosion had shattered his internal organs. Not even Tsunade, the most skilled medical ninja in the world, could save him.
Since then, Tsunade had been spiraling downward.
Orochimaru didn't want to disturb her unless it was absolutely necessary.
...
"Orochimaru-sensei, there's something on this corpse."
Kaien unsealed the body of the cult's bishop for examination. As he searched it, he noticed a bulge in the man's pocket.
Using Wind Release to extract the item, the group saw the label:
"Death Controlling Possessed Blood."
Just as he'd suspected.
Kaien sighed inwardly. For something to be this carefully kept by the bishop of a death cult—it could only be this.
But where was the ancient text?
This ninjutsu scroll wasn't ancient by any means. So… was there still someone else out there?
Kaien had no intention of hiding the technique. He wasn't going to use it himself anyway. Better to let Orochimaru research it. And if something powerful came out of it? Well, he was Orochimaru's student, after all—wouldn't he inherit it eventually?
"'Death Controlling Possessed Blood'... so this is the curse technique they used? Alright, let's bring it back to Konoha and study it."
After sealing the bishop's body away, no one dared to linger. If that so-called god could possess more of its followers, they didn't want to be around when it happened.
They brought the kidnapped children back to the surface. Kaien sealed the underground chamber in ice, and Orochimaru followed up with Earth Release to bury it. Only then did they finally breathe easy.
"Come on, Minato. I'm carrying you back."
Kaien bent down, hoisting Minato onto his back before the boy could object.
He was well-versed in these moments of "bonding between close friends."
After all, Uchiha Shisui used to carry Uchiha Itachi like this. Kaien figured he might as well copy the move.
"Didn't think you'd be this light, Minato."
"Kaien…"
Minato wanted to protest—Kaien was obviously lighter—but in his current condition, he thought better of it.
He really wasn't doing well. Sure, he could force himself to fight again if he had to, but right now? He'd much rather enjoy a comfortable trip back to Konoha.
He caught a whiff of Kaien's familiar scent and blinked.
…Was it stronger now?
He'd noticed it even back at the hot spring, from several feet away. But he hadn't dared say anything then.
Because if he did, rest and recovery might not be the only thing he needed afterward.
[Affection from Namikaze Minato +2]
...
Their journey back was slow—almost leisurely.
They'd rescued seven children in total. All of them were younger than Kaien, somewhere around eight to ten years old.
"These kids can be placed in the Konoha orphanage."
Konoha took in orphans every year. Some would become shinobi; others would live as civilians. These abducted children would join their ranks now.
During the trip back, Kaien learned more about Tsunade's current state.
She'd fallen into a depression after Dan Kato's death—her first love. The man had died with shattered kidneys, and the shock hit her hard.
It was supposed to be a simple mission, but they were ambushed by unknown shinobi before they even reached Kirigakure. Dan ended up with his organs destroyed.
By the time Tsunade arrived, Dan was already more dead than alive.
Kaien wasn't especially moved by the story. He already knew Dan was destined to die. What surprised him was that Tsunade was still affected by it.
If he remembered right, the First Hokage's necklace was still with Nawaki.
Without the Death Necklace's curse, Dan still died. So… maybe it was just fate.
Or perhaps it was the price of the jutsu he practiced.
Dan's Spirit Transformation Technique might've been capable of sensing Uchiha Madara buried deep underground.
Spiritual awareness like that—especially when Madara no longer had the Rinnegan—might've posed a real problem.
So, to eliminate that threat, Dan had to die.
White Zetsu wouldn't even need to try. Just one explosive tag was enough to take out an elite jōnin who couldn't move.
That was also why Kaien didn't hesitate to give Orochimaru the forbidden scroll.
Forbidden jutsu didn't just grant power. They also attracted danger from the outside world.
But Orochimaru-sensei was tough. If anyone could avoid the consequences and produce results, it was him.
And when he did? Kaien would be right there to inherit it.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (156 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)