Chapter 33: The Cruel Truth

The unique Kekkei Genkai of the Iburi clan is the ability to transform their physical bodies into smoke.

It is somewhat similar to the Hozuki clan's Hydrification Technique, making them almost immune to physical damage.

However, the Iburi clan's Kekkei Genkai possesses a fatal flaw: they cannot freely control their bodies once mistified. Once caught by the wind, they will dissipate and die completely.

Consequently, their clan can only survive in the windless underground world, living lives of darkness and scarcity.

Years ago, after Orochimaru rescued their clan, he allowed them to barely control their mistification ability through the planting of Cursed Seals, thereby extending the clan's lifespan.

But in exchange, Orochimaru took away the children of the Iburi clan, promising that through research on these children, he would fully unlock the secrets of the Iburi clan and allow them to live under the sunlight.

The result, however, was that all those children died in Orochimaru's living experiments.

"Who are you!" Wata, acting as the clan leader, stepped forward, his burly body shielding his clansmen as he glared at the newcomer.

The voice beneath Yamato's mask was low: "He is a mysterious ninja who has recently become famous in the shinobi world! Code name 'Shura,' with unfathomable strength!"

"No matter how strong you are, I will not allow you to slander Lord Orochimaru!" Wata roared, transforming into a cloud of smoke and charging forward.

The other members of the Iburi clan also transformed into smoke, instantly enveloping the entire underground space in a shroud of mist.

"Tennyo," Menma called out softly.

A "female" figure drifted out from the dark tunnel, shielding Menma. She swung the ribbons in her hands like a tornado, creating a violent gust of wind that swept through the underground space, blowing fiercely toward the mist formed by the Iburi clan.

The wind instantly dispersed most of the smoke, causing the Iburi clan members to retreat in terror.

"Damned bastard!" The smoke that was Wata attempted to enter the mysterious "female ninja's" body to perform the "Smoke Smoldering Technique."

This was a secret technique of the Iburi clan: transforming into smoke to enter an enemy's body through the mouth or nose to scorch their internal organs.

A ninja unfamiliar with the Iburi clan's traits would most likely be killed by this move.

Even when Kakashi had tracked them here, he had been subdued by Wata's "Smoke Smoldering Technique"; had Yamato not appeared to save him, Kakashi would have likely died or been severely injured.

But as Wata circled around Tennyo, he was shocked to find no possible entrance to enter her body.

A move that almost always worked had actually failed!

The opponent had no mouth or nose to enter!

"How is this possible!" Wata, in his smoke state, was utterly shocked.

Having lost their greatest secret and lacking systematic ninja training, the combat effectiveness of Wata and the Iburi clan was extremely weak.

"Wind Style..." Menma's hands moved to form a seal.

Hearing the words "Wind Style," Wata was startled and immediately drifted backward to create distance.

However, when he returned to his clansmen, he realized the mysterious person had not actually activated a Wind Style jutsu; his hands were merely held in a specific posture.

Fooled by the feint, Wata deactivated his smoke state, his pupils trembling.

The person before them seemed to have a very deep understanding of their clan!

"Wood Style: Silent Killing Bind!" Yamato also made his move. As his hands finished the seals, a diamond-shaped piece of wood erupted from the ground, extending infinitely toward Tennyo, who was floating in the air creating the gale.

*Swish—*

*Swish—swish—*

However, several wind blades flew out from behind Menma, slicing the snake-like wood into multiple segments.

Sensing that the chakra of the "Wood Style: Silent Killing Bind" had been absorbed, Yamato looked in shock at another mysterious masked figure holding a scythe, drifting out from behind the masked man!

'He can absorb chakra?!' Yamato felt a sense of dread. The greatest characteristic of his Wood Style was that once it entangled an opponent, it could absorb their chakra to fuel its growth, which is why Wood Style could suppress the Tailed Beasts, known for their massive chakra reserves!

But now, a mysterious ninja had appeared who could also absorb chakra!

'No, it's not even certain if he is human.'

While Yamato and Wata were filled with apprehension, Menma slightly raised his right hand, and Tennyo ceased creating the wind.

Menma turned to Yamato: "Have you still not told them? What Orochimaru did to make him wanted by Konoha."

'!!!'

Yamato fell silent.

As a survivor from the laboratories, he knew all too well how many innocent lives Orochimaru's experiments had claimed—many of them young children, even the children of the Iburi clan...

"Then, let me tell you." Menma walked forward slowly, with the Jewel Tennyo and the Reaper hovering behind him, intimidating the entire area.

Wata and the others were forced to take a half-step back by this powerful aura.

"Orochimaru originated from Konoha Village, yet he kidnapped Konoha ninjas for living experiments, causing many deaths. The Third Hokage personally led a team to purge the traitor and left Orochimaru heavily injured. Now, he is likely on his way to collect you."

"Oh, by the way, the children of your Iburi clan also died in Orochimaru's laboratory."

Wata stumbled backward, instinctively wanting to argue, but Menma spoke to Yamato again: "You can ask him—the child who survived Orochimaru's laboratory."

"Tenzo..." Yukimi looked at Yamato with worry, seeking confirmation.

At this moment, Yamato, wearing his tanuki mask, fell into a brief trance.

Because he remembered, while soaking in Orochimaru's experimental vats, the children in the surrounding vats, and a girl who looked very much like Yukimi, smiling at him through the glass.

They had all eventually disappeared one by one.

Presumably, they were disposed of after failed experiments.

Just like himself back then.

If he hadn't been discovered by Danzo, Yamato might have died long ago.

Yamato's kind nature made him want to tell Wata and the others the truth, but his training in Root made him struggle intensely.

Wata looked down at Yamato, and seeing that he did not deny it, he knew the truth was likely even more cruel than what the mysterious stranger had said.

This caused Wata's loyalty to Orochimaru to waver.

The premise of the Iburi clan's loyalty to Orochimaru was that he would help them solve the problem of being unable to control their mistification. Orochimaru had proposed the need for child subjects because their bodies were not yet fully formed, suggesting he might discover the secrets of the Iburi clan through their growth.

The Iburi clan, with only about twenty adults, had handed over five children. Aside from the young Yukimi, all the other children were given to Orochimaru.

And Orochimaru had promised them that he would definitely bring the children back alive.

If Orochimaru was truly so depraved that he would even slaughter his own Konoha kin, then what were those promises worth?

Yukimi's pleading gaze finally broke Yamato's hesitation: "Those children... indeed did not survive."

"No... impossible..." Wata's world collapsed.

As the clan leader who had agreed to cooperate with Orochimaru and sent away the children, Wata could not believe such a cruel truth.

Among the children sent away, there was also his son.

"Then, how about we make a bet?" Menma's mischievous side resurfaced.

"Let the lives of your clan be the stake."

The voice beneath the mask was light and pleasant, as if proposing a game.

"I am quite looking forward to it; I wonder if the Iburi clan's Kekkei Genkai will be among my collection."

The white, three-eyed fox mask shimmered with an eerie luster under the dim firelight.