Naruto's Strongest Force - Chapter 96
Land of Fields.
As Natsuki stepped onto the land of the Land of Fields, he immediately sensed a bustling energy.
Throughout his journey, whether in the Land of Water or the Land of Hot Water, the scenes were of decay and desolation, with barely any people in sight. Though he had plenty of food prepared, eventually, one gets tired of the same meals.
Upon entering the first town near the border of the Land of Fields, he was delighted to find several restaurants with signs displaying Chinese Cuisine.
While enjoying the food with his companions, Natsuki couldn’t help but marvel at how the restaurant training he had once offered had come to serve a crucial purpose, even in this foreign world. Despite the limited local ingredients, the familiar flavors brought comfort, and he wasn’t going to ask for perfection in a foreign land.
The development of the world of Naruto was strange, with some places technologically advanced while others remained backward. No one had really dedicated themselves to studying cuisine, so there wasn’t much of a food culture to speak of.
In contrast, the food Natsuki had introduced from his past life had been refined over centuries, making it a game-changer here.
After completing their mission, the Uchiha members weren’t in a hurry to return home. They indulged in the exotic food they encountered along the way, with some, like Kisame and Kurita Anko, becoming particularly fond of spicy dishes. They couldn’t get enough of the various skewers and hot pot-style dishes they encountered.
Kimimaro and Haku, on the other hand, preferred sweets. They bought plenty of cakes and pastries like water chestnut cake, mung bean cake, and red bean cake, thoroughly enjoying themselves with smiles rarely seen on their faces.
Natsuki allowed them to indulge, and after stopping frequently along the way, they finally arrived at Hidden Sound Village nearly two weeks later.
The village had expanded significantly, with new streets and shops constantly built. A steady flow of people commissioning missions and spending money created a positive economic cycle.
Many of the ninjas passing through were former Uchiha clan members, and upon seeing Natsuki, they greeted him with joy.
“Lord Natsuki!”
“Lord Natsuki!”
People constantly called out to him.
Over the past few years, the Uchiha clan had prospered, even after leaving the center of power in Konoha. Many clan members’ families still lived in Konoha, and thanks to summoning animals, communication between them was quick and easy.
Most Uchiha members now knew that their clan was wealthy, and they no longer had to rely on challenging missions to survive.
Recently, the Uchiha in Konoha had even stopped taking missions from the village, instead selecting tasks sent from the Hidden Sound Village.
Some families had even grown with the birth of younger siblings, and the clan provided generous support for new marriages and children.
This was thanks to Natsuki’s efforts, and the clan members deeply respected him. In their minds, he was the obvious candidate to become the next clan leader.
The people greeted him but didn’t linger, knowing he had important matters to attend to.
Itachi soon came out to greet Natsuki.
“Natsuki-senpai, it’s been a while.”
In the past four years, Itachi had grown much taller, looking more and more like Natsuki’s image of him. All that was missing was the black cloak with red clouds.
Natsuki shook his head, dispelling the strange thoughts. He smiled and gave Itachi a playful slap on the back. “You’ve grown a lot, Itachi.”
“Thanks to you,” Itachi responded politely, as always.
“Alright, take me to see Orochimaru,” Natsuki said, eager for the meeting.
Itachi led Natsuki through the Hidden Sound Village and down a side path, where they walked for some time before reaching a mountain pass. There was a cave entrance guarded by two ninjas, both of whom had the chakra levels of Jonin.
Natsuki’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had suspected it—these new characters hadn’t appeared in the original story. Even with them in the fold, there were no rewards from the system.
As they moved into the cave, Natsuki noticed the interior’s deep and spaciousness. Orochimaru must have hollowed out the entire mountain.
Footsteps echoed ahead of them.
Orochimaru appeared at the end of the passage, raising both hands as his glowing eyes fixed on Natsuki. “Natsuki-kun, I’ve been waiting for you.”
His deep, raspy voice sent chills down Natsuki’s spine.
Yes, this was precisely the Orochimaru he remembered.
Ding! Orochimaru has been recruited successfully.
Congratulations, host, you have gained the ability to analyze ninjutsu.
Hmm? I need to meet people in person to receive the rewards.
Orochimaru’s talent for ninjutsu was legendary, with his analytical skills allowing him to quickly learn and perfect techniques. With this ability, Natsuki knew mastering new jutsu would become much faster.
Natsuki smiled broadly. “Orochimaru, I’ve been looking forward to this meeting as well.”
“Come, I’ll take you to the lab,” Orochimaru said with satisfaction, leading the way.
Natsuki and Itachi followed him into the depths of the cave.
Orochimaru slowed his pace slightly to walk alongside Natsuki.
“Natsuki-kun, the recruits you had Itachi bring back—Jugo and Karin—are excellent specimens. They’ve given me many new research ideas.”
“Jugo’s body has allowed me to make significant progress in my research on cursed seals.”
Orochimaru focused entirely on his scientific experiments, and Natsuki quickly adjusted to the conversation.
“I think Jugo’s body naturally absorbs natural energy. His cursed seal is just a degraded form of Sage Mode.”
“True Sage Mode shouldn’t affect one’s mind.”
Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully. “Natsuki-kun, do you think the Sage Mode from Ryuchi Cave or Mount Myoboku is better?”
Natsuki shook his head. “It depends on the individual’s constitution, whether they’re more suited to the Toad Sage techniques from Mount Myoboku, the Snake Sage techniques from Ryuchi Cave, or even the Slug Sage techniques from Shikkotsu Forest.”
“Of course, the Sage Modes from those places are all based on their respective creatures’ biology. If we learn from them, we may end up with some of their species’ traits.”
Natsuki paused. “It’s unclear whether the Sage techniques from the three Great Lands affect the mind, but if possible, I’d like to create a human-based Sage technique.”
Orochimaru pondered this. He had long been tied to Ryuchi Cave, and his snake-based techniques were deeply connected. However, he was also a scientist, capable of inventing secret techniques like the Living Corpse Reincarnation.
For someone like Orochimaru, bloodline constraints were meaningless. If Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode had a flaw, he wouldn’t hesitate to abandon it.
Though Orochimaru knew his reincarnations had damaged his soul, making Sage training difficult, he was willing to explore other options.
As they spoke, Orochimaru led Natsuki and Itachi into the laboratory.
“Lord Orochimaru! Brother Itachi!”
A red-haired girl wearing glasses stood in the lab, stuffing a rice cake into her mouth.
Itachi nodded slightly at her. “Karin, this is Natsuki-senpai. He’s the one who sent me to Grass Village to rescue you.”
Karin’s eyes lit up as she looked at Natsuki. Most Uchiha were known for their good looks, and Natsuki, now in his twenties, was tall and imposing, even more so than Itachi.
Karin immediately felt a strong sense of admiration, especially since it was Natsuki who had saved her.
With a sweet voice, she called out, “Natsuki-senpai.”
Natsuki smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
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