Under the high sun, Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru bounded through the trees, hot on the heels of Sakon and Tayuya.
"Smells like we're getting close," Kiba remarked, his nose twitching.
"So it's three of us against two of them," Shikamaru calculated, "But we have to be careful."
"Careful, sure," Naruto replied with enthusiasm, "But let's not hold back! Let's take them down!"
"Actually, it's four against two," Kiba corrected, and Akamaru barked his agreement.
Shikamaru smiled wryly at his mistake, but Kiba continued, "With our new techniques, we'll crush them next time!"
"And if things get rough, I'll just make a few clones," Naruto chimed in, trying to reassure Shikamaru.
"Good to know, but let's not rely too much on brute force," Shikamaru cautioned. "Strategy is key."
-.-
As the sun began to set, Sakon remarked, "Looks like they're having a hard time keeping up with us."
"Who cares about them? Our priority is Orochimaru-sama," Tayuya retorted. "We've only completed a third of the plan in half a day."
Sakon nodded in agreement, "Yeah, things are not looking good. Even if everything goes as planned, we're not sure we can make it in time." They quickened their pace, leaping from tree to tree with urgency.
-.-
Kabuto stood in one of Orochimaru's labs, his attention briefly diverted from the computer screen in front of him to the patients in the room.
One of them was immersed in a container filled with a yellowish liquid, while the other was lying on an operating table with numerous tubes attached to him.
This patient was Kimimaro, the last surviving member of the Kaguya clan and a true prodigy.
The other patient was an experiment, a hybrid of the Uchiha and Kurama clans, with short black hair, pale white skin, and a lean build. His name was Yeuri.
Yeuri possesses exceptional intelligence, a sharp mind, and a penchant for cunning and deception. He is thoroughly evil and takes pleasure in causing chaos and destruction.
His speech is often cryptic, and he is a skilled actor, able to blend in and manipulate those around him with ease.
Loki sent Yeuri's soul to the world of Naruto through a loophole in order to bring about the world's destruction and eliminate Menma, who was sent by Odin to save it.
As Kimimaro attempted to speak, Kabuto interjected, "Your successor has already been found, and he possesses a seal just as powerful as your Gaia seal, known as the 'Heaven' seal. Not only that, but he also has a bloodline limit." Kabuto's lips twisted into an evil smirk. "I wonder who is stronger between the two of you," he added.
Kimimaro's body convulsed, and the heartbeat monitor beeped erratically.
"Don't excite yourself too much," Kabuto warned, noticing the blood trickling from Kimimaro's mouth.
Kimimaro asked how much time he had left, but Kabuto advised him to stop talking. Kabuto continued, "I understand what you want to say. Orochimaru-sama is in great pain, and this situation is more critical than ever before. However, I must say this firmly: What can you do right now? You've lost your purpose as a container."
Kimimaro did not respond, and Kabuto continued, "We have a new container on his way to the village now. Well...that in itself is late as well." The computer screen displayed Orochimaru approaching a man in the center of a room with multiple bodies lying on the ground.
