Chapter 187

"From the moment you attacked me just now, you've already lost," Kuchiki Senya said coldly. "I've been waiting for you to reveal your hand. How could I not be prepared for you? I've known your nature all along—you'd never surrender quietly. I've been hiding nearby, observing. I merely let you grow complacent, so I held back my strike."

"You're too confident—arrogant, conceited. I merely tempted you slightly, and you rushed out to die. Who else would die but you?" Kuchiki Senya sneered. "In this world, only absolute strength matters. Everything else is but dust."

Kuchiki Senya reached out and pulled the long blade from Uchiha Sasuke's body; blood sprayed forth, splattering onto his snow-white skin, adding a sinister allure to him.

"Puch—" Uchiha Sasuke opened his mouth and vomited a flood of blood. He struggled to crawl away, but his body was limp.

Kuchiki Senya looked down at the writhing Uchiha Sasuke, then walked slowly to his side. "I know you possess the Nine-Tails' power, and I've absorbed its chakra too. But the gap between us is too vast. Even with the Nine-Tails' chakra, your realm is still far too low!" Kuchiki Senya said coldly.

Kuchiki Senya pressed his right hand onto Uchiha Sasuke's head; chakra surged rapidly into Sasuke's body.

"Aaah!" Uchiha Sasuke screamed in agony, but he did not faint—he knew this was all an illusion, that these chakras were merely a genjutsu meant to disrupt his thoughts.

Yet Uchiha Sasuke dared not resist at all, for if he so much as twitched, Kuchiki Senya would instantly strike to kill!

After a long while, Kuchiki Senya withdrew his arm and wiped the blood from his hand.

"Your potential is indeed extraordinary!" Kuchiki Senya praised. "But your age has already surpassed the limit—you will never succeed in this lifetime..."

"Moreover, your soul is insufficient to sustain your success!" Kuchiki Senya shook his head.

"Soul?!" A flash of sharp light passed through Uchiha Sasuke's eyes.

"Yes. Your chakra and physical strength are perfectly aligned—even surpassing mine. But that's because you were once a Kage-level powerhouse." Kuchiki Senya stared at Uchiha Sasuke. "Now that you've lost all that, how long can you hold on?"

Uchiha Sasuke's face turned terrifyingly dark. He had to admit Kuchiki Senya spoke the truth.

"Your only chance to survive is to find a quiet place and rest thoroughly!" Kuchiki Senya said. "I won't pursue you. After all, a genius like you is destined to become Hokage—or even a Kage!"

"You want revenge, don't you? Then I'll give you the chance!" Kuchiki Senya smiled sweetly. "When you've recovered, come find me again. Then you'll see just how strong my true power truly is!"

"Hmph!" Uchiha Sasuke snorted and left.

Kuchiki Senya made no move to stop him, only a mocking smile on his lips—he knew that once Uchiha Sasuke fled, he would never find him again.

But Kuchiki Senya was certain he could find him—and kill him.

Kuchiki Senya's figure vanished; he had silently returned to Konoha.

Kuchiki Senya's mood was unusually good—this plan had gone flawlessly, and most importantly, he now had another pawn.

And this pawn was none other than Konoha's newly risen Kage-level powerhouse, Uchiha Sasuke. Kuchiki Senya had decided: once his injuries healed, he would seek out Uchiha Sasuke and subjugate him.

Uchiha Sasuke was the man who held the Nine-Tails. Kuchiki Senya would never let him fall into someone else's hands.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Sasuke had already returned to Konoha. His injuries had healed—and he had even broken through to the Chunin level!

Yet Uchiha Sasuke felt no joy. He knew his strength was still insufficient to oppose Kuchiki Senya.

Uchiha Sasuke now knew Kuchiki Senya's name and identity—and because of that, his heart burned with rage and hatred.

159. Sasuke, how about we make a deal?

Kuchiki Senya, that bastard!

When Uchiha Sasuke was still a Genin—not yet a Chunin—Kuchiki Senya, as a veteran Chunin of Konoha, had the duty to guide him. So every two or three years, Kuchiki Senya would train Uchiha Sasuke, helping him improve.

Before Uchiha Sasuke became a Chunin, his strength had already matched Kuchiki Senya's. Yet Uchiha Sasuke still could not defeat him. Kuchiki Senya's talent was simply too formidable. Even with Kuchiki Senya's help, Uchiha Sasuke's power surged—but he still could not overcome him. Kuchiki Senya held a position within the Kuchiki clan.

Until the moment Uchiha Sasuke reached the peak of Genin, just half a step from Chunin, Kuchiki Senya suddenly appeared.

"Sasuke, how about we make a deal?" Kuchiki Senya smiled at Uchiha Sasuke. "I can grant you temporary Chunin status. In return, you must help me achieve my goal."

Uchiha Sasuke's face darkened. "What exactly do you want?"

"Your strength is decent, but still too weak," Kuchiki Senya smiled. "You can't help me at all. Your most urgent task is to raise your power as quickly as possible. When your strength grows, perhaps I'll no longer have any expectations of you—and then you'll be worthy enough to help me accomplish that task."

"Why should I believe you?" Uchiha Sasuke demanded.

"You have no choice left," Kuchiki Senya smiled. "After all, you were once the Fourth Hokage—you know how to weigh your options, don't you?"

At these words, Uchiha Sasuke fell silent for a long while.

"I accept," Uchiha Sasuke finally said, raising his head firmly. He had to strengthen himself now—otherwise, he couldn't even escape Kuchiki Senya, let alone seek revenge!

"Then come with me, Sasuke. You're lucky—you'll become the disciple of the Second Hokage!" Kuchiki Senya laughed heartily.

Kuchiki Senya led Uchiha Sasuke away from Konoha.

………………

In a valley, Uchiha Sasuke and Kuchiki Senya sat upon the grass.

"I know what you're worried about," Kuchiki Senya smiled. "But don't fear—you're not in danger now. I guarantee you'll become the disciple of the Second Hokage."

"Still, to become the disciple of the Second Hokage, you must pay something," Kuchiki Senya said casually, yet his tone brimmed with heavy threat—he was determined to make Uchiha Sasuke his pawn.

Uchiha Sasuke remained silent. He had already guessed what Kuchiki Senya intended next. He knew this was dangerous—if he slipped even slightly, Kuchiki Senya would control him.

But he had no choice. His condition was too poor. Any few of Kuchiki Senya's men could easily capture him.

"Heh, I forgot—you're still a waste!" Kuchiki Senya mocked, his eyes fixed on Uchiha Sasuke as if peering into his soul.

Kuchiki Senya knew Uchiha Sasuke's talent was exceptional—but for some reason, his power had stagnated.

"But I'll tell you a secret," Kuchiki Senya said with a mysterious smile, handing Uchiha Sasuke a scroll.

Uchiha Sasuke took the scroll and studied it carefully: "This is a cultivation manual I obtained from a miniature world. If you master it, your power will surge dramatically."

Uchiha Sasuke raised an eyebrow. What kind of cultivation manual was this?

He examined the scroll.

"A sealing technique?" Uchiha Sasuke murmured.

The scroll's contents were clearly a sealing technique.

Uchiha Sasuke stared at the sealing technique, lost in thought. It was perfectly suited to him—but its value was simply too immense.

"What do you think of this sealing technique?" Kuchiki Senya asked. He greatly admired Uchiha Sasuke and was certain he would choose this technique.

"No wonder Orochimaru-senpai had such an incredible sealing technique!" Uchiha Sasuke muttered.

"Orochimaru?" Kuchiki Senya froze for a moment. "What did you say?"

"My Master is Orochimaru," Uchiha Sasuke said gravely.

"Orochimaru?" Kuchiki Senya's eyes widened.

He had long heard the rumors about Orochimaru, and there were many legends concerning him as well.

It is said that Orochimaru is a figure who stunned the entire Shinobi World, possessing unparalleled mastery of genjutsu and equally terrifying prowess in taijutsu.

"I never expected you to be his disciple; it truly brings a sigh to my heart!" Kuchiki Senya shook his head and said bitterly.

Back in Konoha, Uchiha Itachi was also a genius; he had once tried to pursue Uchiha Itachi, but he failed. He lost to Uchiha Itachi, and that crushing defeat left him devastated, unable to recover ever since.

However, precisely because of this, Kuchiki Senya came to know Uchiha Itachi; one might call it fate.

But later, Uchiha Itachi vanished completely. Kuchiki Senya once searched for Uchiha Itachi, yet found not a single clue.

Kuchiki Senya had always wondered if Uchiha Itachi had already perished, but he never expected to encounter him again now.

"Where is Orochimaru my lord now?" Uchiha Itachi looked at Kuchiki Senya and asked.

"Orochimaru my lord is at the Uchiha clan. Let us set off immediately." Kuchiki Senya smiled slightly.

530

Uchiha Itachi pondered for a moment, then agreed; he must become stronger!

Uchiha Itachi also understood that this journey was extremely perilous, and he might very well lose his life, yet he still had to go.

Only by becoming stronger could he save his parents; moreover, his grandfather, Uchiha Madara, was waiting for him to rescue him!

Uchiha Itachi stood up and clenched his fists tightly.

Kuchiki Senya also stood up and stretched his limbs.

"Itachi-kun, are you ready? I do not like wasting time!" Kuchiki Senya curled a sinister arc at the corner of his mouth and bared his teeth at Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi snorted coldly and paid no attention to Kuchiki Senya.

Kuchiki Senya was not angry; he knew Uchiha Itachi was still immersed in grief and pain, so Kuchiki Senya decided to let Uchiha Itachi calm down slowly.

Uchiha Itachi and Kuchiki Senya left Konoha and set out on the road to Kirigakure.

"Itachi-kun, where is our destination?" Kuchiki Senya asked Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi closed his eyes and said nothing.

Kuchiki Senya was not angered either; he knew Uchiha Itachi was surely overcome with sorrow.

Two months later, Uchiha Itachi and Kuchiki Senya arrived at Kirigakure.

"So this is Kirigakure?" Uchiha Itachi opened his eyes and looked around. "The chakra here is dissipating severely!"

160. Only I myself can control it!

Uchiha Itachi and Kuchiki Senya walked down a street with few pedestrians, appearing very desolate, with only a sparse handful of people.

"Itachi-kun, this is Kirigakure; every year countless people sacrifice their lives, and many children die here." Kuchiki Senya sighed.

Although he hated the Daimyo, this was after all a human nation; his ancestors were human, a fact that could never change!

"What are you two doing?" Suddenly, a voice rang out, drawing Uchiha Itachi and Kuchiki Senya's attention.

Uchiha Itachi followed the source of the sound and saw a young man standing there, looking at them.