Crack—
A sharp, clean sound echoed out as the shell began to split. Uchiha Kaien's eyes glinted with a strange light.
So infusing chakra actually worked... Is it about to hatch?
Quickly, Kaien placed the snake egg into the crater Namikaze Minato had just blasted open with a Rasengan. He even laid out a picnic cloth underneath it, shielding the newborn snake from the perpetually damp climate of the Land of Rain.
The cracking shell soon gave way completely. A sleek black snake emerged, delicate and shimmering, its scales still slightly translucent. Under Kaien's watchful gaze, it slowly devoured the fragments of its own shell.
Then, as if sensing something, the tiny serpent obediently slithered up Kaien's arm, curiously observing the one it seemed instinctively drawn to.
Kaien channeled chakra into it again—this time, it was absorbed immediately.
"Orochimaru-sensei... What is this?"
When it came to anything snake-related, asking Orochimaru was always the smartest move.
"Heh... It looks like you've hatched quite the special little snake. That coloration is extremely rare. If you raise it well, it might turn out to be something... remarkable."
A newborn snake that could absorb another's chakra on instinct—this was something even the great Manda couldn't do. If nurtured properly, perhaps Ryūchid would gain another top-tier serpent someday.
Orochimaru fell silent, deep in thought, then his mind drifted to the Three Great Serpent of Ryūchi.
It seemed that, by complete accident, Kaien had hatched something potentially extraordinary. Things were starting to get interesting...
A small smile crept across Orochimaru's lips. He really ought to study Ryūchi's Sage Mode more when he had time. After all, a teacher who couldn't compile experience for his student wasn't much of a teacher at all.
...
Despite the chaos of the Rain Country battlefield, the combat itself wasn't all that complicated.
Thanks to the mountainous terrain, both Sunagakure and Konoha had opted for small-unit engagements, moving with a tacit understanding.
There were no forests to obscure movement—just towering ridges—so it wasn't uncommon to run into an enemy force just after clearing a hill.
In such conditions, sensory ninja became vital.
Fortunately, Namikaze Minato had recently mastered the basics of sensory ninjutsu, making him an asset to their newly formed squad.
Kaien, too, had learned sensory techniques after obtaining the [Seed of Perception], though with Minato around, he was content to slack off a little.
What Kaien truly valued in this evolving trait was its potential to eventually survey an entire battlefield at once.
Besides, it would likely enhance his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique as well—after all, spatial awareness was still a kind of perception. With enough time, any sensory trait would eventually be his to master.
Once Minato perfected the Flying Thunder God, Kaien would just pester him for the improved version. Yet another win without lifting a finger. He never doubted that Minato would share the jutsu with him.
That's the reward for investing in relationships—you reap what you sow.
"There are multiple chakra signatures ahead," Minato suddenly reported. "None of them seem particularly strong, but there are a lot of them."
Finally motivated, Kaien activated his own sensory jutsu.
"Yeah... These chakra levels are nothing special. Typical of genin or chunin, really. Minato, when are you going to start having a little confidence in yourself?"
He sighed after confirming the readings—this was clearly a clash between cannon fodder. Nothing worth stressing over.
"Looks like Sunagakure and Amegakure forces are skirmishing up ahead. Should we get involved?" Minato asked, glancing toward the Senju jonin accompanying them.
"Orochimaru-sama instructed us to gain experience on the battlefield outskirts. As long as the conflict's intensity is manageable, we're allowed to engage."
"I'll provide support from the shadows."
The Senju jonin was a sensor-type himself, and according to Minato's scan, aside from Kaien, he had the largest chakra reserves in the group.
To serve as a personal bodyguard to a Senju heir, strength was a given. But more than that, he had to be a generalist—someone who could adapt to all kinds of combat scenarios.
Still, Kaien couldn't understand it.
This elite jonin had the skill of a seasoned commander. So in the original timeline, how did Nawaki die such a pitiful death? Even without Orochimaru watching his back, this jonin alone should've been more than enough to prevent him from dying to something as mundane as explosive tags.
Could it be that both Orochimaru and this guard got complacent, each assuming the other was watching Nawaki, and no one noticed him charging off?
Kaien shook his head and activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, dashing forward without hesitation.
With his Sharingan and sensory abilities, he wasn't the least bit worried about traps. Nothing could hide from his gaze.
They were just fodder. A few warm-up swings would do. Still, he had to hold back a bit. If he wiped them all out, Nawaki and Minato wouldn't have anyone left to spar with.
As Kaien surged ahead, Minato and Nawaki exchanged a quick glance—then followed at full speed toward the clash.
...
On the battlefield, Water Release and Wind Release jutsu were flying everywhere, colliding with scattered puppet parts across the blood-soaked terrain.
Kaien slipped into the chaos undetected, blending perfectly into the shadows.
"Lightning Flash Blade Creation."
He placed a hand on his bracelet. Instantly, a ninjato appeared in his grip. Fire chakra surged through it.
Chakra-infused metal offered exceptional conduction. Flames licked the length of the blade as the fire chakra spread rapidly.
A scorching pressure built with every breath—Kaien's manipulation of the fire nature had been pushing further and further toward a single theme:
Explosion.
"Uchiha Style – Flameblade Leap!"
One blazing slash after another cut through the battlefield indiscriminately.
The first enemy caught in the onslaught was blown away, but the flame-blade didn't vanish. It kept its trajectory, carving into a second target before the blast finally erupted, swallowing them both in a wave of fire.
A brilliant flare lit the field as the two enemies were instantly incinerated. All around, others followed—reduced to ash before they had time to react.
The sudden bursts of fire caught the attention of both the Rain and Sand shinobi.
"Enemy attack! It's Konoha!"
Kaien's forehead protector gave him away immediately, but he didn't respond. He was already preparing his next jutsu.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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