Naruto:The Monkey King

Releasing Chains, Facing Devils

(Hey everyone, I want to apologize for focusing too much on the side characters in recent chapters. This chapter will strictly be about Naruto 😉)

Naruto and Kabuto arrived at Orochimaru’s main hideout, in the sound village. Kabuto began his task, gathering the the Sound ninja and the numerous test subjects, many of whom had been kept in cells or tubes for unspeakable experiments. The subjects, wary of Kabuto’s intentions, hesitated at first, but Kabuto’s silver tongue quickly persuaded them, leading them all to the vast arena deep within the hideout.

The arena was filled with tension, a mix of resentment, fear, and confusion radiating from the crowd. Kabuto stood at the center, his gaze sharp as he addressed them all.

"Orochimaru is dead," Kabuto announced, his voice steady yet carrying an undercurrent of finality that sent a shockwave through the crowd.

The response was immediate. The test subjects, finally freed from their tormentor’s grasp, erupted into cheers. Some grinned with savage glee, while others looked on with disbelief. Suigetsu’s wild grin spread across his face, his sharp teeth glinting as thoughts of freedom and vengeance danced through his mind. Orochimaru's dead..." His mind raced to his goal, obtaining the legendary Seven Swords of the Hidden Mist.

Kimimaro, however, stood paralyzed with shock. His lord, the one he had devoted his life to, was gone. His disbelief slowly turned into rage as his hands clenched into fists. Nearby, Sakon, Tayuya, Jirobo, and Kidomaru exchanged uneasy glances, their emotions conflicted. Tayuya broke the silence among them.

"So that's why the mark disappeared..." she muttered, her eyes narrowing in realization. After Orochimaru’s death, the cursed marks that had once bound them to him had vanished.

Suddenly, Kimimaro’s voice boomed across the arena, his fury spilling over. "Silence!" he shouted, his rage directed at the celebrating test subjects. The air grew thick with tension as he turned his burning gaze toward Kabuto, demanding answers. "Who killed Lord Orochimaru?"

It was not Kabuto who answered, but Naruto, standing calmly beside him. "I did," Naruto said, his voice unyielding and steady.

A deadly silence followed, broken only by the sound of Kimimaro’s breath growing heavier with every passing second. His bloodlust surged, filling the arena like a tangible force. His once cold eyes now burned with the fire of vengeance.

"I will kill you," Kimimaro growled, his words dripping with venom.

Naruto let out a soft sigh, his shoulders briefly relaxing. "I didn’t come here to fight," he said, almost regretfully. But then, as if a switch had flipped, his lips curved into a grin. "But I’m not one to turn down a battle either."

Suigetsu observed from the side, his sharp eyes watching Naruto closely. "He killed Orochimaru?" Suigetsu mused. "He must be powerful..."

Naruto’s grin widened as he glanced around at the gathering. "Clear out of the arena," he ordered the others, his voice calm but leaving no room for defiance.

One by one, the test subjects, Sound ninja, backed away, the tension thickening as the arena was cleared, leaving Kimimaro and Naruto standing face to face, the air heavy with the anticipation of the clash to come.

"You killed Lord Orochimaru," Kimimaro hissed, his voice cold, like steel being unsheathed. "For that, I will tear you apart."

Kimimaro wasted no time. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he lunged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. His arm shot out, bones erupting from his palm in the form of a blade" Dance of the Camellia"  Naruto moved just as fast, his body twisting out of the way with grace. Kimimaro’s bone blade missed Naruto by inches.