Chapter 38: The Iburi Clan, Who Shall Serve the Lord for Generations to Come

“Orochimaru... and ‘Shura’...” Kakashi’s Sharingan stared intently at the two men standing side by side, his breathing slightly rapid beneath his mask.

From the situation inside the cave, it seemed the two had clashed, and Orochimaru had been at a disadvantage.

However, they were now standing together, appearing to have reached some sort of cooperation.

“What is your evaluation of Koh’s Wood Style?” Orochimaru’s raspy voice carried a hint of testing as his vertical pupils turned toward ‘Shura,’ wanting to know from him whether this ‘work of art’ would hold any value in the future.

“Mediocre.” Menma’s cold, flat voice drifted from beneath his mask. “Without a shinobi clan lineage, his chakra reserves are destined to be meager.”

“Aside from Wood Style, he is of no value.”

Yamato’s greatest strength was his Wood Style, but because he was merely a commoner ninja—lacking both the vast chakra of the Uzumaki and the powerful physique of the Senju—his total chakra capacity was destined to have limited growth.

His ceiling would be nothing more than an elite Jonin.

Seeing that ‘Shura’ had absolutely no interest in the young Koh, Orochimaru’s tongue flicked against the corner of his lip.

*It seems Koh’s future growth is limited, or perhaps I will create even more powerful works in the future.*

“I’ll leave this to you. I must leave the Land of Fire first.” Orochimaru turned and walked toward an exit.

“I will continue my research on the Iburi clan’s Kekkei Genkai. You should know where my next base of operations will be.” As he spoke, Orochimaru cast a meaningful glance to the side.

He had already been quite proactive; surely the other party should show some sincerity?

“No send-off,” Menma’s response was as brief as a blade.

*Hmph—*

Having not obtained what he wanted, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and let out a soft huff, disappearing into the depths of the dark cavern while clutching his waist.

“Orochimaru!” Kakashi attempted to call out to him, but a figure suddenly closed in on him.

The sound of footsteps crushing the gravel on the ground was clearly audible.

“Don't just stare at Orochimaru. Why not play with me for a bit?” Menma’s tone was flippant, wanting to test Kakashi’s current strength.

*Thud!*

The muffled sound of an arm being struck by a thigh exploded against the rock wall! Although Kakashi managed to block the sudden kick, he was still sent flying several meters by the massive force.

“Kakashi!” After their interactions today, Yamato had grown much closer to Kakashi. Seeing his fellow Konoha ninja sent flying, he immediately swung a kunai toward Menma.

After kicking Kakashi away, Menma did not retreat when faced with Yamato’s approach; instead, he pressed forward, lowering his body and closing the distance.

“Too slow!” Amidst Menma’s cold laughter, his left hand blocked Yamato’s thrusting hand and grabbed it, while his right hand unleashed a torrential barrage of punches toward Yamato’s chest.

The strikes forced Yamato to cough up blood, and the kunai fell from his hand.

*Zzzzt—!*

A roar like thunder and lightning erupted from behind!

Menma hooked Yamato’s leg with his right foot, and as he released him, he sent Yamato flying with a single punch.

Yamato’s body sailed through the air toward the approaching Kakashi.

Watching Yamato being knocked toward him, Kakashi’s Sharingan shuddered violently as a surge of painful memories rushed to his mind.

The chakra of the Chidori forcibly dissipated, and Kakashi caught Yamato’s body.

Holding Yamato, Kakashi’s three-tomoe Sharingan trembled intensely.

The scene of Rin Nohara dying by his hand tormented him like a nightmare.

*Pfft!*

Yamato spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling his chest heave as if being crushed by a thousand-pound boulder.

“Tsk tsk, is that all you've got?” Menma had already reached Yukimi’s side, his palm resting lightly on the girl’s trembling head.

This recent sequence of Taijutsu was a set Menma had developed for himself, combining the traditional martial arts of his previous life with the Gentle Fist he had learned from Hinata. By fusing Gentle Fist with *Cun Jin* (inch power), he had created a style characterized by explosive short-range strikes, unpredictable movements, and the ability to shatter pressure points.

It also carried traces of the Konoha Taijutsu style, making it impossible to read.

Yamato was only thirteen; his Taijutsu and application of Wood Style both had much room for growth, which Menma found quite boring.

“Yukimi!” Holding the injured Yamato, Kakashi gritted his teeth upon seeing Yukimi being ‘controlled’ by the opponent.

“Don't worry, I won't hurt her.” Menma stroked Yukimi’s head gently.

“After all, I’m not Orochimaru.”

The little girl, trembling like a white rabbit caught by an eagle, was attempting to use her mistification ability to escape.

“Lord Shura!” At that moment, the recovered Wata appeared from the depths of the cave.

Wata still felt the lingering burn of the curse mark on his neck. He walked up behind Menma, deliberately maintaining a distance of half a step.

He spoke to Yukimi: “Do not resist him. Our clan already belongs to him.”

Orochimaru had already retreated; according to their previous wager, the Iburi clan would serve ‘Shura’ for generations.

Wata and the other clansmen had already accepted this fate of dependency upon the strong.

Under the comfort of her kin, Yukimi’s trembling gradually subsided. She lifted her head slightly, still looking at Menma with fear.

“I will allow you to overcome the flaws of your Kekkei Genkai, so that you may walk proudly under the sunlight,” Menma said to Yukimi and Wata as he withdrew his hand.

“The Iburi clan shall serve you for generations!” Wata knelt on one knee before Menma, bowing his head to expose his defenseless nape.

The oath of the Iburi clan echoed through the cavern.

Menma nodded with satisfaction, feeling quite pleased beneath his mask.

The Iburi clan’s smoke-based Kekkei Genkai, if its drawbacks could be resolved, might even rival the Hozuki clan’s Hydrification Technique.

Wata’s combat effectiveness had also reached the level of a Jonin; if his flaws were resolved and he was no longer affected by the wind, he should be able to grow into an elite Jonin after learning some ninjutsu.

As Menma turned to walk deeper into the cave, he cast a sidelong glance at Kakashi and Yamato nearby.

He had already obtained the Hashirama cells; the current Yamato held no value to him, and he had no way to brainwash him anyway.

As for Kakashi, he naturally had to be saved to deal with Obito.

Watching ‘Shura’s’ retreating back after he had cast a contemptuous glance at them, Kakashi’s nails dug into his palms.

Last time he was ignored by Orochimaru, and this time he was ignored by ‘Shura’!

This sense of humiliation burned more fiercely than the blood Yamato had coughed onto his shoulder.

Kakashi could not help but doubt his own strength.

“Yukimi, let’s go.” Seeing that Lord Shura had no intention of dealing with the two Konoha ninjas, Wata tactfully followed behind and called out to Yukimi.

Yukimi hesitated for a moment, but after Wata and Lord Shura disappeared into the dark depths of the cave, she ran toward Kakashi and Yamato.

“Tenzo, are you alright?” Yukimi asked her two peers with concern, her voice as soft as melting snow.

“Cough...” Yamato coughed up a bit of blood and said, “He... is so strong...”

Then he lost consciousness.

“I have to get him medical attention immediately.” Kakashi hoisted Yamato onto his shoulder.

As Konoha’s only remaining Wood Style user, Yamato’s life no longer belonged solely to himself.

Compared to intelligence on ‘Shura,’ Kakashi cared more about Yamato’s survival.

“Please, just go... don't come back!” Yukimi bit her lip, whispering a soft farewell.

Orochimaru’s conspiracy had failed, and the Iburi clan might follow Lord Shura to a new territory.

Yukimi did not want to see these two new friends die; too many companions by her side had already perished.

“Mm.” Kakashi nodded, leaping toward the rocky exit with the unconscious Yamato on his shoulder.

He looked back one last time, only to see the girl dissolving into mist.

“Until we meet again,” Kakashi murmured.