Chapter 94: The Price of Power
Being questioned about the thing he was most proficient in—sealing techniques—made Mizuki quite unhappy. But remembering it was the ever-proud, self-important Uchiha Sasuke, Mizuki, a relatively unknown commoner ninja, understood it was natural he wouldn't be taken seriously.
"Sasuke-kun, the cursed seal on your neck and the sealing jutsu used to contain it aren't unique. There are many things beyond my jurisdiction. If you don't understand, maybe you should ask your teacher—Hatake Kakashi."
Cursed seals were far too troublesome. They involved too many complications, and Mizuki already had more than enough on his plate. Now wasn't the time to get involved in anything related to the Uchiha clan.
Seeing that Mizuki wasn't willing to elaborate, Sasuke looked disappointed, though he didn't say anything. After all, the two of them had never been close.
"I didn't expect Gaara to lose. Was it thanks to your help that Naruto won, Mizuki-sensei?"
"No." Mizuki shook his head. "I couldn't interfere in a battle at that level. Naruto defeated Gaara on his own, though he was seriously injured in the process."
Though such honesty might further fuel Sasuke's jealousy, Mizuki didn't feel the need to lie—especially about something Kakashi should be the one dealing with anyway.
"I see…" Sasuke murmured, gazing absentmindedly at the unconscious Naruto.
"Mizuki-sensei, do you know what jutsu they used to summon those massive beasts?" Sasuke eventually asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"It's a bit early to be telling you all this, but I suppose some things are fine to share."
Mizuki's words immediately caught Sasuke's full attention.
"Gaara's technique is extremely rare. In the entire ninja world, there are only a few like it. Naruto's, however, is more common—it's just a type of summoning technique. The scale and power vary depending on the user. You've seen Kakashi's summoning jutsu—the one where he calls dogs, right? It's essentially the same."
"If it's the same, then can I learn it too?" Gaara's version clearly looked monstrous and unstable, filled with side effects. But if summoning jutsu were as common as Mizuki implied, then power-hungry Sasuke couldn't help but be intrigued.
Mizuki sighed. "Learning it isn't a problem, Sasuke-kun. Summoning jutsu isn't some mysterious, unattainable art. But it might not be what you imagine."
"What do you mean?"
"There are many types of summoning beasts, but the truly powerful ones are family secrets, passed down through clans. Even if you form a contract with a powerful summon, you wouldn't be able to summon it easily. Summoning jutsu relies on an equivalent exchange principle. Without powerful chakra reserves, you won't be able to summon powerful beasts."
Perhaps in three years, under Orochimaru's tutelage, Sasuke would have that strength. But now, at only twelve years old, he was far from it. Naruto had a massive innate chakra advantage that most couldn't hope to match. In the original story, even the frail Sakura—with her limited chakra—was only able to summon Katsuyu thanks to the Yin Seal and Strength of a Hundred technique. The Uchiha clan inherited the Sage of the Six Paths' eyes, not his body—perhaps Sasuke could manage it when grown, but not now.
Hearing this, Sasuke couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"Then… is there no other way?"
"Oh?" Mizuki looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "You're thinking about the cursed seal, aren't you?"
Caught off guard, Sasuke nodded awkwardly.
Seeing his reaction, Mizuki glanced at Sakura, who was still behind them tending to Gaara's wounds.
So she's eavesdropping too, huh?
"Every power comes at a price," Mizuki said, looking Sasuke in the eye. "If you're ready to pay, no one can stop you. But know this—if you misuse the cursed seal, it can kill you."
"Kill me…?" Sasuke muttered quietly, falling silent. He didn't press further.
The atmosphere grew heavy with tension.
Suddenly, Mizuki paused, stopped what he was doing, and abruptly stood up.
A detection trap just went off… That's fast. This wasn't accidental. Someone's fleeing the village at high speed.
"What's wrong, Mizuki-sensei?" Sakura and Sasuke both tensed at his sudden movement.
"If anything seems wrong, take these three back to the village immediately. Hand them to Kakashi-sensei." Mizuki frowned, eyes sharp. The fleeing presence wasn't heading their way, but it wasn't far off.
…
Meanwhile, inside the village, Kimimaro was fighting with all his might. But as more and more Konoha ninja joined the battle, even he was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Konoha had endured many wars and seen all kinds of bloodline limits. Though few had encountered the Shikotsumyaku before, the elite of the Anbu adapted quickly. After suffering early losses, they swiftly adjusted their tactics.
Realizing the situation, Kimimaro shifted his focus from inflicting damage to maximizing his specialties in both close and long-range combat, doing his utmost to stall Konoha's pursuit force.
Just as the Konoha shinobi were at a loss…
The Blue Beast of the Leaf arrived.
"A taijutsu user of this caliber—truly rare. Leave him to me. You all go pursue the others."
Truthfully, Might Guy would've been the best person to pursue Orochimaru, given his speed. But it seemed the escaping enemy wasn't ordinary. Though Guy could break through easily, he wasn't great at tracking or reconnaissance. It made more sense to leave him behind while more adept pursuers chased Orochimaru.
"Another loudmouth?" Kimimaro sneered at Guy's ridiculous outfit, clearly unimpressed.
Guy didn't react to the scorn. Instead, he spoke solemnly, "I'd love to fight a strong opponent like you, but unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of time right now. First Gate—Open! Second Gate—Open!"
Without hesitation, Might Guy activated the Eight Gates technique.
"Gate of Rest—Open!"
With that, he charged at Kimimaro at breakneck speed.
A whirlwind of Konoha-style taijutsu followed. With a mighty Konoha Whirlwind, Guy launched Kimimaro into the air, catching the careless enemy completely off guard.
Still airborne, Kimimaro had no leverage to defend. Before he could recover, Guy appeared behind him in a blur and locked his limbs in place, preparing to finish him with Leaf Shadow Dance. But something felt off. In a flash, Guy punched Kimimaro away and rapidly retreated. Even so, he was a step too slow.
A protruding bone spike from Kimimaro's back had grazed him—drawing blood.
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