Chapter 201: How to Train Your Kabuto
Kitagawa Gen was a man of decisive action. Once he made up his mind to depart, he went home at once to make his preparations.
“A mission to Kumogakure, huh? I wonder what I’ll gain from it.”
He split off a Divine Tree clone to help with the tidying while he sat down to think.
As far as Kumogakure’s value to him, aside from once again experiencing Storm Release firsthand, it was really just the tailed beasts.
“Other than that, perhaps I should also investigate the whereabouts of the Yata Mirror.”
That Yata Mirror—he had never really had the time to go after it. Maybe this time he could give it serious thought.
Gen looked over at his Divine Tree clone.
“Once I leave, keep an eye on things. Also, help me comprehend that Storm Release while I’m gone—I won’t have the time.”
“You’re treating me like a Shadow Clone, aren’t you?”
The clone curled its lips, though in the end it was still just a clone.
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
“That’s good enough. Oh, right—I almost forgot something. There’s still that Yakushi Kabuto, and that White Zetsu pretending to be Kisame.”
Stretching lazily, Kitagawa Gen suddenly remembered he had two tasks left undone.
He was genuinely curious whether White Zetsu could bear a ‘Kama.’ After all, that was prime material!
Even against the Impure World Reincarnations of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama, White Zetsu could push them to near-peak performance.
Of course, how “near” that peak actually was… was another matter.
“But overall, it’s still quite decent. And besides, I still have One's Own Life Reincarnation. I wonder if that technique can work on top of Impure World Reincarnation?”
Gen had many thoughts. It was a pity that he hadn’t really made much use of One's Own Life Reincarnation yet.
If it could be applied to Impure World Reincarnation, its value would soar.
“And what if I use Izanagi to bug the system?”
For instance, revive with One's Own Life Reincarnation, then erase the death state with Izanagi?
These were all things worth experimenting with!
But for now, the priority was to prepare. That Yakushi Kabuto—he had no intention of letting him slip away.
...
“Still no word from Orochimaru-sama?”
Deep in a forest of Konohagakure, Yakushi Kabuto’s face was heavy with worry.
So many days had passed, and he had received no news at all of Orochimaru. It left him increasingly unsettled.
He knew, of course, that Konoha was surely under martial law now, and Orochimaru might well need to remain in hiding.
Even so, if things went on like this, Kabuto had no idea what he should do.
“Perhaps I just need to wait a little longer…”
At last, after a long pause, he muttered it under his breath.
“Never thought Kitagawa Gen could be this strong.”
He had always known Gen was powerful—after all, he was aware this man had once defeated Orochimaru.
But to fight three Kage at once, along with the One-Tail, and to cleanly settle it alone—killing two Kage outright…
No matter how you thought about it, that was outrageous beyond belief.
“This Kitagawa Gen… he’s hardly even human.”
Yakushi Kabuto murmured to himself—yet just then, a voice suddenly rang out.
“Though I know you’re praising me, the way you put it still leaves me feeling a little unhappy.”
The sound froze Kabuto’s breath in his throat.
He snapped his head around—only to find that at some unknown moment, Kitagawa Gen had appeared right behind him!
“Gen-jōnin?”
Cold sweat streamed down Kabuto’s face, though he forced himself to stay composed.
“What are you saying, I—”
“No need to act, Yakushi Kabuto.”
Gen shook his head lightly, letting out a sigh.
“Why do you think I sought you out? And tell me—do you think I know nothing of your ties to Orochimaru?”
“…”
Kabuto fell silent, staring fixedly at Gen. Yet moments later, he suddenly laughed.
“Gen-jōnin must be joking. If I truly had ties to Orochimaru, you wouldn’t have come here alone.”
“Is that so?”
Gen smiled as well, slowly walking closer.
“Or perhaps… it’s possible that I alone am far more frightening than the ANBU.”
Kabuto’s smile vanished.
If it were anyone else saying such a thing, he would have sneered. But coming from Kitagawa Gen, he dared not take it as a joke.
As Gen’s steps drew nearer, Kabuto’s body began to tremble despite himself. When the distance between them shrank to less than a meter—
[Whooom—]
Kabuto struck!
Chakra flared in his hands—the sharp glow of a Chakra Scalpel.
The blade slashed straight toward Gen’s neck!
“Decisive. But right now, you’re still far from Orochimaru’s level.”
Gen merely shook his head calmly. Kabuto’s eyes went wide—
for in that instant he found himself unable to move.
From the earth below, countless vines surged forth, coiling tightly around him in an instant.
At the same time, his chakra was being ravenously devoured, a wave of weakness flooding through his body.
“Wood… Wood Release?”
Kabuto stared in disbelief, while Gen only smiled as though it were natural.
“Wood Release, nothing more. Just the fusion of Water Release and Earth Release. Perhaps with a touch of Yang Release for support, but that isn’t difficult for me—no harder than Dust Release.”
“G-Gen-sama, I…”
Kabuto was despairing. What kind of monster was this?
Like Dust Release?
Dust Release was a Kekkei Tōta. In the entire shinobi world, only Ōnoki and Deidara were known to use it.
And you—you not only wield it, now you can use Wood Release as well?
“G-Gen-sama, surely there’s… surely there’s some misunderstanding here!”
Kabuto squirmed weakly, still trying to argue, but Gen simply lifted his hand. A blue chakra sphere began to spin in his palm.
“I know who you are, Yakushi Kabuto. You are the child adopted by Yakushi Nonō. And you are the abandoned pawn cast aside by Shimura Danzō.”
“!!”
Kabuto’s eyes flew wide. How—how could this man know such things?
“Shimura Danzō used another’s photograph to impersonate you, deceiving Yakushi Nonō, and drove the two of you to slaughter one another. That, too, I know.”
Gen lowered his voice, yet his words left Kabuto so shaken he could barely breathe.
“I also know that when you were lost, it was Orochimaru who gave you the will to live—and you came to see yourself as Orochimaru’s shadow.”
“…”
“I even know you were Sasori’s spy. Oh… though not anymore, I suppose, since Sasori is already dead.”
“…”
Kabuto’s mind buzzed in shock, his breathing quickening.
He stared hard at Kitagawa Gen. Only after a long silence did he ask in a low voice, “Who are you really? Why do you know all this?”
“Danzō is dead. I can browse through his files as I please. In front of me, you have no secrets.”
Gen casually tossed out a lie, then continued in a cold, quiet tone.
“Rather than wasting time on foolish questions, you’d better think about who you’re about to become.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Because I don’t have the leisure to play some ‘redemption game’ with you. There’s only one thing I intend to do.”
The moment his words fell, the chakra sphere in Gen’s hand sank directly into Kabuto’s body!
In that instant, Kabuto’s mind was wracked with unbearable pain. A strange energy was savagely corroding his will.
And he—he couldn’t even muster the strength to resist!
“All right, Karin. It’s fine now.”
Seeing Kabuto like this, Gen paid him no further attention. He simply turned his head aside.
“Good work. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to find him so quickly.”
“Senpai…”
At the sound of his words, Karin timidly stepped out from behind.
“This guy… he was Orochimaru’s man?”
“That’s right. But from now on, perhaps not anymore.”
Gen shook his head. He had already confirmed the effect of the Puppet-Cursing Sphere on Kisame.
Even someone as unyielding and resolute as Kisame had been powerless to resist its control.
Kabuto might be formidable—perhaps even destined to become one of the greatest masterminds of the future—but for now, he was far from it.
“And as for today’s events…”
Gen’s gaze shifted toward Karin, but before he could finish, she smiled brightly.
“Senpai, I know. I won’t breathe a word about any of this!”
Even without Gen’s warning, Karin understood perfectly well.
Though she couldn’t quite grasp why someone as powerful as him would sometimes choose silence, she respected it.
Like on the day of the Chūnin Exams—she had wondered why he’d gone out of his way to remind her. Only when she sensed that faint aura outside the village, undeniably belonging to Kitagawa Gen, did she finally realize.
Even though that aura had undergone a tremendous change, she had recognized it instantly.
But since Gen did not wish for her to speak, then she simply would not!
It was Kitagawa Gen who had taken her away from Kusagakure.
It was Kitagawa Gen who had made it possible for her to live on in Konoha.
It was Kitagawa Gen who had saved her life.
How could she ever betray him?
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