Here's @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.
You can now get early access up to Chapter 124 of Re: Naruto Uzumaki on my Patreon.
Up to Chapter 42 of Satoru Senju: Conquering the Omniverse is also available.
Lastly, I've launched a new story titled Marvel: Star Wars System, which already has 3 chapters published.
Each chapter averages around 5,000 words.
patreon.com/riojiyo131
I won't bother you any further—hope you enjoy the chapter…
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"What the hell do you want?" a deep and annoyed voice was heard from inside the tank, though it appeared to be empty.
Kabuto glanced at Naruto, completely ignoring the question they had just been asked.
"This one here is Suigetsu. Member of the Hōzuki Clan. He can liquefy his body at will using the Hydration Technique."
Naruto recognized him immediately. No introduction was needed.
"Yeah... I know," he said, crossing his arms. "The Second Coming of the Demon. I know him."
This was the title he had been given in Kirigakure for his multiple cold-blooded murders.
Suigetsu became a Rogue Ninja, captured by Orochimaru years ago.
Naruto turned around without saying anything else, starting to walk in the opposite direction.
He was going to leave him there. At least, that's what he wanted Suigetsu to think.
"Hey! Wait!" shouted Suigetsu, his voice sounding distorted from inside the tank. "Could you let me out? This place sucks."
Kabuto didn't flinch. He remained silent. It wasn't his business. If it were up to him, he'd leave him rotting there.
Naruto stopped and turned his head just a few centimeters.
"Why would I do something like that?" he asked disinterestedly. "I gain nothing by letting you go."
With a quick motion, he unrolled a scroll and pulled out his Kubikiribōchō, resting it on his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.
"But I'd gain quite a bit if I sent your head to Kirigakure."
Inside the tank, Suigetsu remained silent for a moment. He knew Naruto wasn't joking.
Suigetsu was the younger brother of Mangetsu Hōzuki, former leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who had mastered all the Demon Swords before he died.
They had trained together, dreaming of joining the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Mangetsu made it. Suigetsu never got the chance.
But after his brother's death, that dream turned into an obsession.
He set out to gather the seven swords in Mangetsu's honor.
But Naruto already possessed two of them and had no intention of giving up any.
Freeing Suigetsu would only mean having a lunatic on his back... one stubborn enough to go after his swords regardless of the consequences.
Why would he allow that... unless he could be useful?
"That..." Suigetsu observed the Kubikiribōchō in Naruto's hands carefully. "From the headband on your waist, you're not from Kirigakure, are you? You're from Konoha. Kirigakure won't pay you anything for my head… unless you also return that sword."
Naruto snorted, amused. Suigetsu wasn't wrong.
Kirigakure was still known as the Bloody Mist Village, ruled by Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage and Jinchūriki of the Sanbi, Isobu.
Naruto already planned to pass through there at some point.
After all, he wasn't just gathering the Seven Demon Swords… but also all the Bijū.
And Yagura was being controlled by Obito, with the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Defeating him and taking Isobu would be killing two birds with one stone.
"But you still haven't given me a good reason to release you," Naruto insisted, raising an eyebrow.
"Leave him there to rot," muttered Karin, turning around with a scowl.
For some reason, she already disliked Suigetsu.
In the world, there's always someone you're destined to dislike, no matter what you do.
For Karin, that person was Suigetsu.
She had just met him, they hadn't even exchanged words directly, but his confident way of speaking, that carefree attitude... she already found it unbearable.
"Hey! How rude! It's not like I did anything to you," Suigetsu responded immediately.
Kabuto stepped in, bored of the situation, fully understanding Naruto's goal.
"What Naruto wants is for you to work for him. Agree, and he'll release you. If not, you'll rot here. I assure you, you're more likely to die alone and forgotten than for someone to find you by accident."
Naruto looked at him, then at Suigetsu, and nodded.
He appreciated that someone around him had a minimum amount of intelligence, for a change.
Suigetsu's future, after the Fourth Great Ninja War, was to stay in one of these hideouts, collaborating with Orochimaru's experiments under Konoha's supervision. But Naruto could change that.
Suigetsu wasn't just a great swordsman. He was one of the best. And his Hydration Technique was impressive, albeit underutilized.
Besides...
"We're heading to the Land of Wind. We'll need a canteen like you so we don't die of dehydration."
Suigetsu was silent for a few seconds. He thought about it. Then sighed.
"...Alright. Let me out. I've got nothing better to do."
Kabuto rolled his eyes and looked at Naruto as if to say: "This guy's an idiot."
Naruto just closed his eyes and smiled, agreeing with him.
Without wasting time, he lifted his Kubikiribōchō with one hand and with a clean slash cut open the tank where Suigetsu was held.
The water spilled across the floor and, from it, emerged a white-haired teenager with sharp teeth and completely naked.
Naruto threw him clothes without a second thought. He had everything sealed in his scrolls.
Karin looked away, scowling and crossing her arms.
"We should've left him in there," she muttered to herself.
Naruto ignored it, clearly having heard it. "Let's check the hideout a bit more and head to Takumi Village."
This place reminded him too much of when he infiltrated ROOT to kill Danzō.
...
"Was that necessary?" asked Kabuto, rolling his eyes, looking directly at Naruto.
They had just left Orochimaru's abandoned hideout.
Besides freeing Suigetsu, they had found some documents with the results of certain experiments, and a handful of techniques… though none seemed too useful.
"Completely necessary," Naruto replied without hesitation.
Kabuto was once again bound hand and foot, this time being dragged by Suigetsu, who wore a wide grin, the Kubikiribōchō strapped across his back.
Naruto had lent it to him temporarily. He planned to get it back soon.
After all, with the right materials, he could forge a new one anytime he wanted. The Demon Swords weren't magical objects. They were masterpieces created by expert blacksmiths in conjunction with Masters of Fūinjutsu.
And Naruto had been trained directly by Mito through the system. Besides that, he had obtained all the knowledge and techniques of his mother, one of the best Fūinjutsu Masters.
Creating another Kubikiribōchō wasn't a problem. Gaining Suigetsu as an ally, on the other hand, was worth it.
The group moved calmly, walking along a path in the middle of the forest. Naruto, Karin, and Karura followed behind Suigetsu, who was dragging Kabuto's rope with a carefree rhythm.
"Oh, watch out for the rock," Naruto said, pointing at a stone in the middle of the path.
"Huh?" Suigetsu turned his head, without stopping.
"Agh!" Kabuto tripped full-on, hitting his back against the rock with a dull thud.
Suigetsu burst into laughter immediately.
"Man, come on… watch where you're walking! I can't believe you ate it that easily," he said through laughter, not even trying to hide it.
Karin let out a small smile... until she realized who had made the joke. She immediately put on a serious face again.
Definitely, those two weren't going to get along for now, Naruto thought with resignation.
Kabuto just rolled his eyes.
"Sure... I'll be more careful," he muttered sarcastically, not bothering to look at anyone.