Ten minutes later, Kabuto finally withdrew his hands and wiped the sweat from his face. His chakra reserves had taken a significant hit from the extended healing session, and exhaustion pulled at his shoulders.
He looked down at Kimimaro's unconscious form, noting the slight improvement in color, the more regular breathing pattern. Not much, but something.
"He'll wake up in a few minutes," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses. "The immediate crisis is passed."
Orochimaru said nothing, simply waited for the rest of the assessment.
"However," Kabuto continued, his voice taking on the clinical detachment of a diagnostician delivering bad news, "this is only temporary. Kimimaro's disease cannot be eradicated. Not by me, at least. Not with what I currently know."
He sat back on his heels, frustration evident in the tight line of his mouth. "If I had access to the Kaguya clan's medical records, their case histories and biological data, perhaps I could find a treatment. But as far as I can determine, Kimimaro is the last of his bloodline. Everyone else died in that idiotic assault on Kirigakure."
The words came out bitter. Kabuto had never had patience for waste, and the Kaguya clan's mass suicide attack represented waste on a generational scale.
"They threw themselves at Kirigakure's defenses like moths at a flame," he said. "Using the power of an entire clan to fight against an organized military force. Such fanatical devotion to combat, to proving their strength through meaningless violence..." He shook his head. "Perhaps they deserved to die in battle. They were all fanatics anyway, addicted to fighting without thought for survival or strategy."
"Times have changed," Kabuto mused, more to himself than to Orochimaru. "Warriors like that, who live only for the next battle, they're destined to perish. The world has moved beyond simple violence. Tactics matter now. Intelligence matters. Raw strength without wisdom is just... suicide with extra steps."
He looked at Kimimaro's pale face, the slight furrow of pain even in unconsciousness. "It's a shame he has to die. No one wants to lose such a rare Kekkei Genkai. The Shikotsumyaku gives him bones harder than steel, dense enough to defend against virtually any physical attack. In battle, those bones become the strongest spear imaginable."
"Do what you can to delay his death," Orochimaru said, his tone flat and matter-of-fact. "That's all I ask."
"Hai, Orochimaru-sama."
A soft groan drew their attention. Kimimaro's eyes fluttered open, confusion flickering across his features before awareness returned. He tried to sit up immediately, warrior instincts overriding common sense.
"Easy," Kabuto said, but didn't try to stop him. Kimimaro wouldn't appreciate being treated like an invalid.
"Kabuto-san." Kimimaro's voice was hoarse. "I apologize for the trouble. Again."
He turned to Orochimaru and bowed his head, the gesture made awkward by his weakened state. "Orochimaru-sama."
Orochimaru studied his most devoted follower with those unreadable golden eyes. "Rest for now, Kimimaro. No combat unless absolutely necessary. Rasa is dead, which means there's no rush with the Konoha situation. Use this time to recover properly."
"Hai." The response was immediate, automatic. Kimimaro would follow Orochimaru's orders without question, even if those orders were to rest rather than fight.
"I'm returning to Konoha," Orochimaru announced, already turning away. "You two handle yourselves."
With Rasa eliminated, with the Fourth Kazekage no longer able to interfere with operations in the Land of Fire, Orochimaru could focus entirely on his true objective.
Uzumaki Naruto.
The boy's body, his longevity technique, his incomprehensible physical abilities. All of it would be Orochimaru's eventually. And without Rasa's potential invasion to worry about, the approach could be careful, calculated, perfect.
Orochimaru's form blurred and vanished, leaving only disturbed leaves in his wake.
Kimimaro watched the space where his master had been, a small smile touching his lips despite the pain still radiating through his body.
"Am I dying soon?" The question came out quietly, directed at Kabuto.
Kabuto didn't insult him with platitudes or false hope. "Yes."
Kimimaro's smile didn't fade. He continued staring in the direction Orochimaru had gone. "No. I won't die. I'll become part of Orochimaru-sama's body. My bones, my strength, everything I am will join with him. And then I'll see the world through his eyes, fight his battles, live on as part of something greater."
Kabuto studied his partner for a long moment. The absolute devotion, the complete willingness to sacrifice everything, even his own individual existence, for Orochimaru's benefit. It was simultaneously admirable and disturbing.
"I'm returning to Konoha as well," Kabuto said, standing and brushing dirt from his pants. "Take Orochimaru-sama's advice seriously, Kimimaro. Rest. Don't seek out battles just because you crave combat."
He knew it was probably useless advice. Kimimaro was a warrior to his core, and warriors didn't know how to rest when there were enemies to fight.
But he had to try anyway.
The battlefield where Rasa and his guards had fallen wasn't far from Sunagakure proper. Close enough that the surge of chakra during the combat, the explosive techniques and killing intent, had registered on the sensory net maintained by the village's jonin.
When unknown combat broke out this close to home, investigation was mandatory.
Maki had been reviewing mission reports when the alert came through. His first instinct was to report to the Kazekage for orders.
But when he reached Rasa's office, he found it empty. The aide stationed outside informed him that Kazekage-sama had departed the village approximately twenty minutes prior. Alone, except for two jonin guards.
Something cold settled in Maki's stomach.
The timing is too convenient.
He gathered a team of chunin and jonin and headed for the combat site at top speed. By the time they arrived, the other sensor-nin who'd detected the battle were already there, standing frozen in a loose circle around something on the ground.
Their faces told Maki everything he needed to know before he even saw the bodies.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Three corpses lay on the blood-soaked stone. Shisai and Bakura, both skilled jonin, both dead from what looked like close-quarters combat. Multiple wounds, professional kills.
And between them, sprawled on his back with his eyes still open in death, was Rasa.
The Fourth Kazekage. Dead less than five kilometers from his own village.
Several of the younger ninja rushed forward, checking for signs of life despite the obvious. Maki let them. Sometimes people needed to confirm the impossible before they could accept it.
"He's gone," one of the medical-nin finally said, her voice thick. "They all are. They've been dead at least thirty minutes."
Maki's mind was already racing ahead, cataloging implications and necessary actions.
The Kazekage has been assassinated. On our own borders. Which means either an incredibly bold enemy, or someone who knew exactly where he'd be and when.
Traitor? Foreign operative? Personal vendetta?
None of that mattered right now. Right now, they needed to secure the bodies, investigate the scene, and begin the process of choosing a successor.
The Fifth Kazekage.
His thoughts immediately went to Gaara. Rasa's youngest son, the One-Tail Jinchūriki. Powerful, if unstable. But with the right support, with proper guidance...
No matter what, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro need to know. They're his children. They deserve to hear this from someone who cares about them, not from official channels.
"Secure this area," Maki ordered, his voice cutting through the shocked murmurs. "Full investigation. I want every footprint cataloged, every chakra trace analyzed. Someone killed our Kazekage, and I want to know who."
He turned to his fastest runner, a young chunin named Sora. "Alert the Council. Emergency session in two hours. And send word to all border outposts to be on high alert. Whoever did this might try to capitalize on the chaos."
"Hai, Maki-san!"
As the team scattered to their tasks, Maki took one last look at Rasa's body. They'd had their disagreements, their philosophical differences about the village's direction. But Rasa had been his Kage, his commander, a man who'd led Sunagakure through difficult times.
He deserved better than this.
"I'll bring them home," Maki murmured. "Gaara, Temari, Kankuro. I'll tell them myself."
He formed the hand seals for the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu) and vanished in a swirl of sand, already en route to Konoha.
Back at Naruto's farm, blissfully unaware that a Kage had been assassinated during their lunch, the gathering was beginning to wind down.
Rock Lee stood in the center of the training area, his fists raised in a combat stance, his eyes blazing with determination. "Naruto! Please, allow me to test my youth against your strength! A friendly spar to aid in my training!"
Naruto grinned. He'd always liked Lee's enthusiasm, the way the boy threw himself wholeheartedly into everything despite lacking the natural advantages others possessed. No Kekkei Genkai, no special clan techniques, just pure hard work and determination.
"Sure, Lee! Let's have a good match!"
The gathered friends immediately moved to form a viewing circle, some excited to watch, others deeply grateful that Lee had volunteered to be the target.
Thank god for Lee, Choji thought, clutching his bag of chips like a lifeline. If he hadn't offered, Naruto might have wanted to 'strengthen our friendship' with all of us.
Similar thoughts ran through multiple minds. Their friendships with Naruto were already excellent. Wonderful, even. No strengthening necessary.
"Dynamic Entry! (Dainamikku Entorī!)"
Lee launched himself forward with explosive speed, his leg extended in a devastating flying kick. The technique was executed perfectly, with all the power of youth behind it.
Naruto sidestepped casually, his hand shooting out to catch Lee's extended leg. With a twist of his hips and a gentle pull, he redirected Lee's momentum and sent the boy tumbling across the grass.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The sounds of impact echoed across the farm as Lee attacked again and again, each strike met with an effortless counter. Naruto wasn't even trying particularly hard; this was more like a teaching session than an actual fight.
But Lee's face showed only excitement, no frustration. Every exchange taught him something, showed him a new angle, revealed gaps in his defense he hadn't known existed.
Just a little more, Lee thought, launching into another combination. I can feel it. If I keep training with Naruto-kun, keep pushing myself, the Eighth Gate will open for me. I know it will!
That was why he kept volunteering for these "friendly discussions" despite the inevitable beating. Each session brought him closer to his goal, pushed the boundaries of what his body could achieve.
Fifteen minutes later, Lee sat in the grass with a black eye, a split lip, and bruises forming across his face and torso. His smile, somehow, was wider than ever.
Naruto helped him up, genuinely pleased with Lee's progress. "You're getting faster, Lee-san! Your Leaf Hurricane (Konoha Senpū) is much sharper than last time!"
"Thank you, Naruto!" Lee's eyes actually sparkled with tears of joy. "Your guidance helps my youth burn even brighter!"
Naruto led the slightly unsteady Lee back to the group and handed him a cold drink. As everyone settled back into conversation, an idea occurred to him.
"Hey, when the sun goes down, why don't we all go to the hot spring hotel together? My treat!"
The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement. Naruto's proposals generally weren't the kind of thing you declined, and besides, a hot spring sounded genuinely nice after the afternoon's activities.
"That sounds wonderful, Naruto-kun!" Hinata said, her face flushing slightly at the thought of a group outing that included Naruto.
"I'm in," Sakura agreed immediately.
"Count me in too!" Ino chimed in, already planning what to wear.
Naruto turned to the three Sunagakure siblings. "Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, if you're not in a rush to get back to Suna, why not stay for a couple days? We can show you around Konoha properly."
Gaara's eyes flickered with something that might have been hope, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked to his older siblings, deferring to their judgment.
Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances, a whole conversation passing between them in a second. Finally, both nodded.
"Naruto's invitation is an honor," Temari said with a smile. "We'd be happy to stay."
Only then did Gaara speak, his voice attempting nonchalance and failing. "If they're staying, I suppose I have no reason to rush back either."
The words tried to sound reluctant, like he was only staying because his siblings were. But Naruto could see the truth in those sea-green eyes. Gaara wanted to stay more than anyone, wanted to hold onto this warmth, this sense of belonging, for as long as possible.
Tsundere, Naruto thought with amusement, but said nothing. Let Gaara have his pride.
With the evening plans settled, the rest of the group began making their excuses to leave. Not all at once; that would be too obvious. But one by one, they found reasons to head home.
"I should go check on my mom," Choji said, already backing toward the gate.
"My clan has afternoon training I need to attend," Neji added, practically speed-walking toward the exit.
"Troublesome, but I've got farm reports to finish," Shikamaru muttered, though he moved with uncharacteristic urgency.
The unspoken truth hung in the air: stay too long at Naruto's farm, and he might decide another round of "friendly discussions" was needed to properly maintain your friendship.
Better to leave while the leaving was good.
Soon, only the three Sunagakure siblings remained with Naruto. They settled in the main house to rest and wait for evening, unaware that their lives were about to change forever.
Unaware that their father lay dead on rocky ground near the border.
Unaware that Maki was, even now, racing toward Konoha to bring them the news.
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