Chapter 63: Art is an Explosion  

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Although Kabuto Yakushi's chakra scalpel is extremely sharp, his opponent is none other than Tsunade!

The scalpel managed to cut through Tsunade's clothing and slice her skin, but the wound on Tsunade's hand healed almost instantly.

"Painful Kick!" Tsunade leaped high into the air and delivered a powerful kick towards Kabuto.

Kabuto managed to dodge just in time, but the sheer force of the kick's shockwave shattered his bones.

Clutching his chest in agony, Kabuto gasped, "My ribs...they're broken!"

Just as Kabuto thought Orochimaru had fled, a figure appeared behind him. It was Orochimaru!

Despite having the chance to escape, Orochimaru remained. "I won't abandon my subordinates," he said, his voice cold yet resolute.

Kabuto was deeply moved, but he knew now was not the time for sentimentality.

He was no match for Tsunade, and Orochimaru had lost his ability to perform ninjutsu.

Kabuto was about to speak when he noticed a figure standing behind Orochimaru—a figure carrying a large sword, with bandages covering his face and body. It was Zabuza Momochi.

"Get behind me, you damn snake!" Zabuza growled.

Meanwhile, Obito Uchiha, hidden within the Kamui dimension, observed the scene.

He had no love for Orochimaru and didn't care to save him.

However, Orochimaru was important to Sasuke, and Obito couldn't let him die just yet.

So, he had brought Zabuza along, seeing it as the perfect solution.

Seeing Zabuza, Tsunade's guard went up. When did he get here? Why hadn't she noticed him?

Before Tsunade could ponder further, Zabuza charged at her, wielding his massive blade, the Kubikiribōchō.

Tsunade dodged swiftly, realizing that with Zabuza now in the fray, eliminating Orochimaru would be much more difficult. And who knew who might show up next?

As her initial rage began to cool, Tsunade's thoughts became clearer.

Avenging her teacher was the right thing to do, but she had to be mindful of her own limitations.

She glanced at Orochimaru, her voice filled with venom as she said, "Orochimaru, you killed our sensei, and one day, you'll be killed by your own disciples."

Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Heh, I won't be raising any disciples as mad as you."

With that, Orochimaru began to walk away, leaning on Kabuto for support.

Both of them were in dire straits—Orochimaru without his hands, and Kabuto with broken ribs.

They truly looked like a pair of the old, weak, sick, and disabled.

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Meanwhile, in the Land of Wind, Sunagakure...

The death of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, had caught everyone off guard, and the leaders of Sunagakure were holding an emergency meeting.

With Rasa gone, the highest authorities in the village were his advisor, Ebizō and the puppet master Chiyo.

Chiyo, with a weary cough, spoke up first. "The Kazekage is dead. We must elect a new Kazekage."

Ebizō turned to her. "Chiyo, you're strong and wise. You're qualified to be Kazekage."

Chiyo smiled ruefully. "Heh, I'm too old. I've only got a couple of years left in me. If I were thirty years younger, I'd take the position, but not now."

Ebizō fell silent for a moment before looking at the elite jōnin Baki. But he knew Baki didn't have the potential to become a Kage.

Though strong, his capabilities were capped. Baki was just an elite jōnin, not Kage material.

Baki's heart pounded in his chest as he wondered, 'Why is Master Ebizō looking at me? Does he want me to be the Kazekage? Should I refuse? Agree? Or maybe refuse first, then agree?'

His mind raced, imagining all the things he could do for Sunagakure if he became Kazekage.

But Ebizō interrupted his thoughts. "Baki, you're Gaara's teacher. What do you think about Gaara becoming the Kazekage?"

Baki was stunned. "Gaara?! You mean the One-Tailed Jinchūriki, Gaara?"

Ebizō nodded. "Yes. Sunagakure is losing talent. After Rasa's death, the only one who could potentially take on the role of Kazekage is Gaara."

Baki hesitated. "But Gaara is the Jinchūriki... He can't control the Tailed Beast within him."

Ebizō paused before responding. "We have no choice. A Jinchūriki is a double-edged sword. The power they hold isn't just dangerous, it's also a potential asset."

Baki wanted to protest further, but Chiyo spoke up.

"Gaara as Kazekage? I've considered it, and while it's feasible, Gaara's personality..."

Ebizō interjected, "What Sunagakure needs now is someone with Gaara's personality. Only with him as Kazekage can Sunagakure hope to thrive again."

With that, the decision was made. Gaara was tentatively chosen as the next Kazekage.

Though abstract, this was the decision of Chiyo and Ebizō.

Sunagakure had lost much of its talent over the years, and with Rasa's death, there was no one else to pin their hopes on but Gaara.

Being a Jinchūriki was both a blessing and a curse. While Gaara's power was formidable, it was also volatile. But Sunagakure had no other options.

Gaara was still young, and for now, Chiyo and Ebizō would guide him through the responsibilities of leadership. Gaara's task was to grow stronger, both as a leader and as a warrior.

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Meanwhile, in Otogakure...

In his laboratory, Orochimaru injected a dark green liquid into his arm.

This liquid contained the power of the Cursed Seal, essentially the power of Sage Jutsu.

Though Orochimaru had lost the ability to perform ninjutsu, he had not lost his intellect. He wouldn't just sit and wait for death.

If he could no longer use ninjutsu, he would find another way to gain power—such as Sage Mode.

The dark green liquid turned into dark lines that spread across Orochimaru's arm. He could feel the immense power it held, different from chakra, but equally potent.

But there was a problem—this power also required the use of hand seals, which he could no longer perform with his hands.

Then, a thought crossed Orochimaru's mind.

If he couldn't use his hands, why not use his tongue or even his feet to form seals? As long as he could form the seals, he could use the corresponding jutsu.

Outside the laboratory, Zabuza was meticulously cleaning his Kubikiribōchō.

As he polished the sword to a gleaming finish, Suigetsu Hōzuki watched with admiration. "Zabuza-sama, you're my idol!"

Suigetsu looked up to Zabuza not only for his daring attempt to assassinate the Mizukage but also for his ownership of the Kubikiribōchō and his 100% success rate in the mercenary world.

Zabuza chuckled darkly. "Who would look up to someone like me?"

Suigetsu, lifting his bangs to reveal the Hidden Mist Village's rebellious symbol on his forehead, responded with fervor.

"It's because of that idiot Mizukage! He only knows how to oppress us! I couldn't stay in the Hidden Mist Village another day!"

Zabuza, not one for small talk, found himself oddly comfortable conversing with Suigetsu.

They talked late into the evening, until it was time for Zabuza to leave. Even then, Suigetsu was reluctant to part ways, but Zabuza had other matters to attend to.

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Back in Konoha...

Zabuza returned to his training regimen, practicing his swordsmanship as usual.

The sound of the Kubikiribōchō clashing with metal targets echoed through the training grounds.

He continued until he was drenched in sweat, but then, something unexpected happened—the Kubikiribōchō broke.

To his shock, the legendary sword, known as a "living weapon," didn't regenerate as it usually would.

Zabuza stared in disbelief, realizing that this wasn't his sword. Somewhere along the line, it had been swapped with a fake!

It hit him like a ton of bricks—Suigetsu! That slippery eel must have tricked him!

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In Otogakure, Suigetsu held the real Kubikiribōchō with a wicked grin. "That fool Zabuza didn't deserve this sword! It's mine now!"

Suigetsu had planned this heist for a long time, coveting the sword from the moment he laid eyes on it.

Using a secret scroll passed down in the Hōzuki clan, he had skillfully swapped the weapons without Zabuza noticing. Now, with the Kubikiribōchō in his possession, Suigetsu was unstoppable.

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Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Clan compound in Konoha...

Fugaku Uchiha gathered his sons, Itachi and Sasuke, along with Obito. He posed a serious question to them: "If the Uchiha were to launch a war against the Land of Grass, how long would it take to achieve victory? And what are the chances of other villages intervening?"

Sasuke thought for a moment before responding. "The Land of Grass is bordered by the Land of Rain, Takigakure, the Land of Earth, and Sunagakure. Takigakure wouldn't dare oppose us, and the Land of Rain is currently under the control of the Akatsuki, so they won't interfere."

"Sunagakure will be preoccupied with selecting their new Kazekage, given that Rasa has just died. So, our main concern would be the Land of Earth and Iwagakure. The Tsuchikage, Onoki, is not someone to be taken lightly."

Fugaku nodded thoughtfully, considering how to deal with Onoki. Suddenly, Sasuke's eyes lit up with an idea. "I have a plan—a strategy to pit two enemies against each other!"

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In the Land of Rain, at the Akatsuki's base...

Konan received a mysterious mission. The request was simple yet highly lucrative: delay the Land of Earth for three days. The reward was a staggering 100 million ryō.

Asuma's head was only worth 35 million ryō, yet this anonymous patron from Konoha had offered 100 million.

It didn't take much thought for Konan to guess which clan was behind the request. It was either the Uchiha or the Hyūga, no other clan had that kind of wealth.

Konan considered who to send for the mission. The Paper Crane she sent out carried the message to the perfect duo: Sasori and Deidara.

The two were fishing by a lake when the Paper Crane landed in Sasori's hand. After reading the message, Sasori turned to Deidara.

"Black market has issued a new mission—to delay the Land of Earth for three days. I'm torn between sending our team or Kakuzu and Hidan."

Deidara's eyes lit up at the mention of a mission. "It has to be us! I'm from the Land of Earth, after all!"

Sasori gave him a skeptical look. "But you're a traitor to the Land of Earth."

Deidara grinned. "Exactly! I know the terrain, and I know where the Tsuchikage likes to go. We're perfect for this job!"

Sasori nodded in agreement. They hadn't been on a mission for a while, and this one wasn't about killing, but harassment—something Deidara's clay bombs and Sasori's puppets were perfect for.

Deidara, already excited, bit into a piece of clay, which quickly expanded into a large bird. The two of them climbed onto its back and headed towards the Land of Earth.

The thought of bombing his homeland filled Deidara with exhilaration. He couldn't help but tremble with anticipation.

After all, to him, art is an explosion.

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