Sword of God -- A Naruto Fanfiction

| 38 | Really? Her?

A pale, gaunt man licks his lips as he stares at his white-haired subordinate.

"Next dose."

The subordinate complies, placing a violet pill onto the abnormally long tongue of his master for it to be swallowed.

This is followed by a glass of white liquid, mist-like but not transparent, leaning closer to opaque.

"Heal," the man hisses, angrily.

Kabuto hastens to comply, kneeling at his master's side and calling forth chakra that expels a green glow from his hands that hover over both arms.

The arms seem to be withered, like a decayed corpse and the edges of the skin frayed.

This had been caused by a plethora of jutsu used to inflict such damage.

"Another failed attempt," the Yakushi mutters disappointedly.

"I see," Orochimaru responds, keeping his composure, standing up. "We'll have to seek her out. Attend to me."

~~~

Two women sit at the slot machines, one playing whilst the other watching, head cradled by her hands and bored out of her mind, a pet pig cutely staring intently at the screen.

"JACKPOT!" The first exclaims, leaping from the plush stool and pumping her fist as the chip equivalent to five million Ryō pours out of a designated slot.

"Don't be so loud, Tsunade-sama!" The second chastises in a low voice, glancing worriedly at the multiple eyes of disapproval. "One of them might be a debt collector agent."

"I know Shizune, but that's enough to repay half our debts!" Tsunade whispers excitedly. "Quick, let's go exchange the chips for Ryō!"

But despite this immense eagerness, a growing pit of despair forms in her stomach.

As an afterthought, she mutters: "I'm never this lucky."

~~~

Jiraiya and Naruto walk out of the hotel, the latter with a smirk of satisfaction stemming from a few reasons.

Namely, the fact that the expenses for the hotel repairs had come out of the adult's wallet, and the latter enthusiastic to get out of the place.

No matter how strongly his hatred ran against the villagers of Konoha, he was prepared to return.

From the puddle of blood that had been splashed on the pavement, Naruto had obtained a sample, a dozen vials to be precise, of Uchiha blood.

So many weaknesses to be exploited just by conducting experiments on blood.

And so many practical solutions to be rid of a person.

The inspiration had come from a little Uzumaki grimoire called sealing rituals.

Jiraiya leads his ward into a bar, something that would typically be illegal if not for the fact that his young charge had Henge'd into an identity more age-appropriate.

His new identity is essentially an adult version of himself, with sleek red hair and elongated bangs framing his exotic emerald eyes and broader stature overall.

His fangs had been stretched to become more feral and beastly, whilst retaining the unsympathetic aristocrat look.

His eyes glow with archaic power that seems to date back millennia, like that of a predator with access to skills forbidden and techniques legendary.

Striding into the bar, he sends a withering gaze to all patrons who dared stare at him, the achieved effect making them recoil in terror.

He allows a small smirk of cruel satisfaction to glance his pale face before keeping stride with Jiraiya, the movements unnatural to him with the unadjusted quirks of a heightened body.