Part Time Employee in Konoha

Sarutobi Hiruzen was very satisfied with how things were progressing.

Uchiha Itachi, who had always been loyal to the village, would return to Konoha and replace Danzo as the second leader of the Root. He would shoulder the responsibility of protecting Konoha from the shadows and become the reins to control the wild beast that was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Orochimaru…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his most dangerous student.

"Sasuke-kun."

Yakushi Kabuto interrupted Sarutobi, adjusting his glasses and turning his gaze to Uchiha Sasuke. "We've fulfilled our part of the agreement. Now, can Orochimaru-sama and I leave this place?"

Some matters…

Were suitable for Sarutobi Hiruzen to know.

Some matters…

At least not until this Third Hokage had fully played his part and met with his old friends, at which point he might be allowed to glimpse a bit of the truth…

"…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze sharpened again.

There was no other reason.

Orochimaru was simply too dangerous a disciple!

Even if Orochimaru had teamed up with Konoha's ninja to kill Danzo, one couldn't ignore the major incident this disciple had caused during the Chunin Exams! That had almost led to the destruction of Konoha!

Even though Hiruzen knew that event was in the past, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about Orochimaru and Sand Village teaming up to orchestrate the Chunin Exams incident in Konoha. Allowing Orochimaru to live was simply too dangerous! However…

Judging from their words…

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but frown. It seemed that Orochimaru and Kabuto had made some sort of deal with the Uchiha brothers. Had they joined forces to deal with Danzo, or was it to revive themselves?

"…"

Orochimaru's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise!

Then…

A thread of relief appeared in his heart!

Whatever Kabuto intended to reveal, this was his chance to leave. He didn't want to stay around the dangerous Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi any longer!

"Let's go!"

Orochimaru's figure immediately dashed into the distance.

"…"

Kabuto glanced at Uchiha Sasuke and quickly followed.

"…"

Uchiha Itachi frowned, feeling the urge to pursue Orochimaru. He couldn't allow Orochimaru to reveal anything about Sasuke!

However, Uchiha Sasuke stopped him with a raised hand and gently shook his head. "I've tried to kill Orochimaru before. That man is troublesome. We'll look for another opportunity in the future. We can't stop him and Kabuto now…"

"Orochimaru is very dangerous too," Itachi reminded his brother.

"Indeed."

The reanimated Sarutobi Hiruzen also nodded.

"Hmph… Don't worry."

"He's no match for me."

"Besides, if we fight here, Orochimaru and Kabuto will surely manipulate the Third Hokage to fight us. The two of us might not be able to handle them…"

Uchiha Sasuke cast a cold glance at the fleeing Orochimaru and Kabuto before turning to his brother. "Itachi, let's deal with your issue first!"

"…"

Uchiha Itachi remained silent.

"…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen also nodded silently.

Because Uchiha Sasuke was right. If Orochimaru and Kabuto manipulated him to fight the brothers, the outcome of the battle would be uncertain…

But…

Why was Orochimaru fleeing so quickly?

Just as Hiruzen was puzzled, Uchiha Sasuke provided an answer: "The Anbu from the village are approaching. Perhaps that guy sensed them before I did, so he took Kabuto and fled far away…"

Uchiha Sasuke placed his hand on the ground, sensing the approaching group of ninja, and spoke softly: "Itachi, you and the Third Hokage should meet up with the Anbu first…"

"What about you?"

"I'll clean up the mess you left behind."

Uchiha Sasuke's gaze shifted to a corner of the forest, and he spoke coldly: "Isn't there still someone from the Akatsuki here?"

"…"

Uchiha Itachi looked uneasy.

Hoshigaki Kisame.

Hoshigaki Kisame had been watching him all along.

There was no way Kisame could be unaware of what had transpired here.

Itachi looked at Sasuke in confusion. He couldn't understand why his brother, who had long known about Kisame's presence, hadn't eliminated this threat earlier. Instead, he let Kisame learn everything…

"Let me handle it…"

Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath.

"I'll do it myself."

Uchiha Sasuke rejected his brother's offer with a cold voice: "You've exhausted a lot of energy dealing with Danzo today. It would be too much trouble to protect you during a fight. You and the Third Hokage should go meet with the Anbu immediately. Don't interfere with my battle with that guy. We don't want him to secretly notify the Akatsuki to surround us…"

"…"

Uchiha Itachi and Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to leave.

Sasuke's resolve was too firm, and with Itachi's significant chakra depletion after dealing with Danzo, he might not even be able to handle someone like Kakashi, let alone Hoshigaki Kisame.

If Kisame, while monitoring Itachi, secretly notified the Akatsuki to surround them, they could indeed be in real danger…

"Come out."

Uchiha Sasuke looked at Hoshigaki Kisame, who was hiding in a tree.

"You noticed, huh?"

Kisame, seeing that everyone had left, except for Sasuke, revealed a menacing grin with his shark-like teeth. "Kid, staying here alone… Are you planning to kill me to silence me?"

"Today's events…"

Kisame grinned and threatened Sasuke with interest: "Shouldn't be known to too many people…"

"No…"

Sasuke's eyes turned cold as his eyes began to change. One eye glowed crimson, while the other transformed into an eerie purple.

"It should be said…"

"It's not something the living should know."

Sasuke's voice brimmed with murderous intent as he raised his hand toward Kisame. "If you're dead… it doesn't matter."

"!!!"

Kisame's face suddenly changed!

If it were just the Mangekyō Sharingan, he wouldn't have been so alarmed, but Sasuke's other eye had turned purple, sending chills down Kisame's spine!

That was…

The Rinnegan!

The very same eyes possessed by Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki!

Uchiha Sasuke had the Rinnegan as well!

This revelation…

Sasuke hadn't even told his brother Itachi but had exposed it in front of him. Kisame immediately sensed the danger!

He had to escape!

He had to get away from Sasuke and deliver the information about his Rinnegan to their leader, even if it cost him his life!

Kisame didn't know how powerful the Rinnegan's wielder was, but he knew that Pain had many strange and powerful abilities, indicating immense strength. Even Kisame, known as the Tailed Beast without a Tail, couldn't be a match for a Rinnegan user!

Kisame's body twisted as he bolted away. He knew Sasuke wouldn't let him go, so he had to seize any chance to escape. Perhaps Sasuke wouldn't expect him to flee right after speaking!

But…

He had to be faster!

Much faster!

That eerie purple Rinnegan was terrifying, especially with those six black tomoe, possibly indicating that it was even stronger than Pain's!

"Trying to escape?"

Sasuke's eyes flickered as he raised his hand. His voice was calm and indifferent, like a god above: "Do you think you can escape the gaze of the Rinnegan?"

Perhaps due to his soul's traversal…

The power of the Six Paths within the Rinnegan had also been hidden in his soul, not manifesting in his physical body, but its strength remained incomparably powerful!

"Amenotejikara."

Sasuke reached out and grabbed a falling leaf.

In the next moment!

The leaf suddenly vanished!

The leaf and Kisame's figure were suddenly swapped under the control of Amenotejikara!

Just as Hoshigaki Kisame was about to flee into the distance, he suddenly felt the space around him shift. In an instant, his body appeared in front of Uchiha Sasuke!

"Space-time technique..."

Kisame's heart immediately sank.

The suddenness of the exchange left him no time to react, and he could only stare in shock at the black-haired boy standing before him.

"I told you," Uchiha Sasuke said, looking up with a dark expression at the reappearing Hoshigaki Kisame, "under the gaze of the Rinnegan, you cannot escape..."

Kisame's heart trembled violently.

A twelve-year-old kid...

Yet he exuded an overwhelming pressure!

Kisame couldn't fathom how terrifying the other's chakra truly was. He only felt his skin trembling, as if he was under the gaze of a god!

No...

It *was* the gaze of a god!

The legendary Rinnegan was the eye of the Sage of Six Paths!

This seemingly hidden young boy, Uchiha Sasuke, also possessed the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths!

"Let's make this a bit more entertaining..."

"At least create a bigger commotion..."

Sasuke did not make a move; he simply watched Kisame standing in front of him, his voice carrying the weight of a command: "Before you die, you can dance freely in front of me, consider it my final gift to you..."

Kisame's gaze sharpened!

The tall rogue ninja from the Mist suddenly swung his large Samehada sword. Despite the crushing pressure, his swordsmanship remained incredibly sharp!

Samehada, baring its teeth, emerged from the bandages, its spikes aiming to slice Uchiha Sasuke's throat!

"Shinra Tensei."

Uchiha Sasuke's face remained expressionless.

As Sasuke uttered these words, a powerful repulsive force suddenly erupted from his body, sending Kisame and his Samehada sword flying. The ground beneath was carved with a long trench from the force!

"Cough… cough cough..."

Kisame crashed into a tree, spitting out blood, a bitter smile forming on his bloodstained lips. "The gap... is this big?"

It's...

A bit despairing!

Kisame had always believed there could be differences in power among ninjas, just as there was between him and that mysterious masked man. However, he never imagined the gap between him and Uchiha Sasuke would be so vast...

He...

Couldn't even withstand a single move from the other!

"Hurry up and get up."

Uchiha Sasuke, watching Kisame whom he had just struck away, slowly formed hand seals, his voice cold as he continued to command: "I've already given you the chance to dance freely. Make a bigger commotion, at least let them think it wasn't easy for me to defeat you..."

"Fire Release..."

"Great Fire Annihilation!"

Sasuke suddenly unleashed a massive wave of flames towards Kisame, the fire roaring like waves as it engulfed him!

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"

Kisame gritted his teeth, his fingers rapidly forming seals, a look of determination in his eyes as he spat out a huge water wall!

Neither he nor Samehada had time to absorb the chakra from the flames!

There wasn't even a chance to absorb it! The level of this Fire Release jutsu was too astonishing; any hesitation and he might be burned alive!

However...

Even the water wall was no match for the Great Fire Annihilation!

The water wall was instantly evaporated by the flames, and as Kisame felt the searing heat and the steam coming at him, he realized at that moment...

This was an opportunity...

A chance to escape!

If he could use the cover of the mist to escape…

When it comes to fleeing or killing in mist, no one in the entire ninja world could surpass a ninja raised in the Mist Village. Kisame was also very skilled at fighting in the mist!

However...

This opportunity was fleeting.

In fact, it might never have existed at all.

Because as soon as this thought crossed Kisame's mind, Uchiha Sasuke's voice echoed through the mist.

"Wind Release: Passing Typhoon."

A gust of wind blew through, instantly dispersing the mist completely.

Kisame's heart sank. This was the Wind Release technique of the Fourth Mizukage; he never expected that the young Uchiha Sasuke could use it as well.

No chance.

The only opportunity...

Was now a fight to the death!

"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

Kisame suddenly spat out a massive wave of water. As the wave surged, it created a giant sphere of water, growing larger with each passing moment!

In an instant...

The entire area was engulfed by a massive water sphere!

Kisame's body dove into the water sphere, quickly merging with the swimming Samehada within, starting to transform into a shark!

This was his ultimate ability!

Once he merged with Samehada, Kisame's abilities in the water would be greatly enhanced; both his speed and power would become as formidable as a shark's!

Moreover...

The massive water sphere, like a lake, was moving towards Uchiha Sasuke, as if to trap him inside…

If he could drag him into the water...

Kisame might still have a chance to fight back!

Uchiha Sasuke watched the approaching water sphere and the fast-moving Kisame within. He raised his hand, pressing it against the water sphere.

"This kid..."

"Does he really want to fight me in the water?"

Kisame was astonished, but he couldn't afford to hesitate, his body moving rapidly through the water, charging towards Sasuke!

If he could grab this kid...

There might be a chance to tear him apart in the water!

However...

When Kisame reached Sasuke, he saw that eerie light flashing in the purple Rinnegan, making his heart skip a beat.

"Is this all you've got?"

Uchiha Sasuke, looking through the water at Kisame, placed his palm against the water sphere, his voice gradually taking on a more polite tone: "Since I'm using the Rinnegan to fight, I should be more elegant. Getting my clothes wet would be a bit too undignified..."

Kisame was caught off guard.

Elegant...

What kind of nonsense is this?

When did ninja battles have anything to do with elegance?

No...

When...

Did ninjas ever have anything to do with elegance?

Even those two art-obsessed members of the Akatsuki, their battles were anything but elegant, often leaving a mess behind...

However...

Kisame was about to witness it firsthand.

"Blocking Technique Absorption Sealtion."

Sasuke lightly pressed his palm against the water surface.

The massive water sphere rapidly began to shrink, being reabsorbed as chakra by Uchiha Sasuke!

"!!!"

Kisame's heart sank completely.

This was...

His ability?

No...

This was the Rinnegan's ability!

Sasuke was absorbing chakra at a rate faster than Kisame and Samehada could. In just a few moments, the enormous water sphere was completely drained!

Moreover...

Sasuke even began absorbing Kisame's chakra!

Kisame's body was paralyzed, unable to move, only able to watch as Sasuke placed his hand on him, draining all the chakra from his body!

"How... could this..."

Kisame's body collapsed powerlessly.

Someone...

Was absorbing his chakra!

As a member of the Hoshigaki Clan and the wielder of the Samehada, Kisame had always been the one absorbing others' chakra in battle. He never imagined that one day he would be the one drained of chakra...

"Don't be afraid."

"Death is only a moment away."

Uchiha Sasuke reached out and grabbed Kisame's head, calmly reassuring him, as he began chanting Kisame's new name: "With my power, you will soon have it too, Preta Path, Kisame..."

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