What is dark chakra?
It is the primordial source of void power, an extremely malevolent energy born from the condensation of all negative emotions in the world.
Its evil nature and corrosive abilities are so profound that almost no method can restrain it, except for ancient techniques like the Sage of Six Paths' Yin-Yang Release chakra used to seal it millennia ago.
Did Haku Fū possess Yin-Yang Release chakra?
The answer was obviously no!
Furthermore, by transforming himself into this inhuman state through the Kaguya Clan's Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit, the impurities and wickedness within Haku Fū's soul were unimaginable.
When facing the corrosion of dark chakra, his spirit collapsed even faster than that of an ordinary person.
"Ah!"
With a shrill scream, Haku Fū, who had been charging towards Orochimaru, fell to the ground with his eyes wide and bloodshot.
His gaze was filled with terror, and his chakra dissipated.
Floating above Haku Fū, the岚鬼龙 (Lán Guǐ Lóng) roared and then exploded into countless fragments.
Haku Fū, lying on the ground, convulsed in pain, his fingers contorting into hooks as he frantically tore at his own body.
"Tear!"
His beast-like sharp nails tore through the bandages wrapped around him and dug deep into Haku Fū's body, which resembled a stitched monster. Large chunks of flesh, covered in lizard-like scales or bizarre markings, were ripped away by his own hands.
As if still not satisfied, Haku Fū's blood-covered palm moved along the gaping hole he had torn open in his chest and grasped his own heart.
Orochimaru's eyes showed disappointment. With a thought, he retracted all the dark chakra.
"Although the Kaguya Clan's Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit is a shortcut to obtaining great power, it makes that power difficult to fully control."
"Power without a foundation is merely a fleeting illusion!"
The greater his initial expectations, the greater Orochimaru's disappointment now.
He had initially hoped to learn from the Kaguya Clan's Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit's ability to absorb bloodline limits, perhaps to acquire rare things to enhance his strength in the future. However, seeing Haku Fū lose himself instantly extinguished his interest in this secret technique.
High starting point, rapid power increase, and the combination of multiple bloodline limits for greatly improved combat capability were its advantages.
Impure power, difficulty in integration, and a low upper limit were its disadvantages.
In summary, the Kaguya Clan's Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit was like useless chicken rib to Orochimaru at this moment.
Tasteless to eat, but a shame to discard.
Haku Fū trembled as he released his hand from his heart, looking up at Orochimaru, who was looking down at him, his eyes filled with fear and despair.
No matter how he tried, he could not comprehend how Orochimaru had managed to make him look like this without even moving his hands.
"Orochimaru, you..."
"How could you possibly be this strong!"
"I've already fused three bloodline limits through the Kaguya Clan's Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit..."
"If I just absorb two more..."
"Why? Why now!"
Orochimaru gently shook his head, the edge of the Sky Sword hidden in his sleeve glinting.
"Your power is too weak!"
"This is the end!"
Haku Fū's eyes revealed unwillingness. His voice trembled as he cried out, "Wait!"
Reaching out and slicing his own abdomen, a stitched wound instantly split open. With a pained expression, Haku Fū reached into the wound and fumbled around, pulling out a blood-soaked scroll.
"It belongs to you now, spare me!"
An unexpected gain.
Orochimaru's eyes flickered for a moment, and he nodded slightly.
"Fine!"
"Zheng!"
As Orochimaru's words fell, the Sky Sword hidden in his sleeve instantly extended. With a resonant clang, Haku Fū's head rolled to the ground.
"Orochimaru, you..."
Haku Fū's contorted mouth opened and closed a few times, his terrified and resentful eyes gradually dimming.
Casually crushing the still slightly twitching heart with a single sword strike, Orochimaru murmured with a calm expression.
"Things without value have no need to exist any longer!"
Picking up the secret scroll that had fallen with Haku Fū's arm, he wiped the blood off and unceremoniously tucked it into his embrace.
"Senior Sakumo, this corpse contains many secrets that defy human ethics. After the intelligence department reviews it, have it destroyed!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded in admiration and accepted the command Orochimaru had issued beyond his rank.
"Very well!"
Orochimaru chuckled softly, slowly retracting the Sky Sword into his sleeve.
"Sorry to trouble you, Senior. I'll go see if Teacher needs any help!"
Hatake Sakumo watched Orochimaru's retreating figure as he disappeared into the entrance of Root, and a person's shadow suddenly appeared in his mind, gradually overlapping with Orochimaru's.
"Profit first, decisive action!"
"Orochimaru, you might become as remarkable a Hokage as the Second Hokage!"
...
The underground base of Root was no longer recognizable.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura, disciples of the same master, had clashed no less than a hundred times. Their understanding of each other's techniques far surpassed that of anyone else.
Apart from needing to be wary of Danzō's Mangekyo Sharingan illusions, Hiruzen could be said to be completely suppressing Danzō.
Danzō Shimura's face was grim, and he inwardly lamented his misfortune.
While Hiruzen's strength was indeed formidable, it was not to the extent that Danzō Shimura, who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, was completely helpless. Danzō even felt that if he could find an opportunity, a single genjutsu would end the battle.
The difficulty lay in the staff Hiruzen held.
The Nyoi-bō, formed by the transformation of the Monkey King, possessed an indestructible body. Ordinary swords and blades could not harm it in the slightest. Danzō, with nothing but his kunai, which was already blunted, could not even leave a scratch on it.
What troubled him even more was not this. The staff would occasionally extend two hands to restrict his movements, and the eye that constantly watched the battle for Hiruzen was even more detestable.
With that eye present, Hiruzen could fight without opening his own eyes, clearly judging the landing position of attacks.
This made Danzō, who was desperately waiting for an opportunity to cast genjutsu, gnash his teeth in hatred.
Without the suppression of Hashirama's cells, the drawbacks of transplanting Sharingan to non-Uchiha clan members gradually manifested as the battle prolonged.
Unable to deactivate, it constantly consumed his internal chakra, and the powerful Yin Release contained within the Mangekyo was relentlessly eroding Danzō's mind.
"Huff... huff..."
Danzō dodged a sweeping staff strike, panting heavily.
"This won't do... my chakra is depleting too quickly!"
"Hiruzen, you forced me to do this!"
Gritting his teeth, Danzō used the power fluctuation generated by a sudden burst of chakra within his body to mask the change in his right eye's pupil. With a roar, he launched a suicidal charge at Hiruzen.
"Wind Style: Shuriken Jutsu!"
Two shuriken, wrapped in wind chakra, spun rapidly and, with a piercing hum, tore through the air as they shot towards Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's eyes were firm. With two swift strikes, he deflected the incoming shuriken. The staff then vibrated downwards, like a long dragon, thrusting towards the charging Danzō Shimura.
Danzō did not dodge. He threw himself forward, allowing the staff to pierce his abdomen with a "poof." To Hiruzen's shocked gaze, Danzō grabbed the staff embedded in his body with a ferocious expression and swiftly swung it towards Hiruzen at the other end.
"Danzō, you..."
Danzō let out a maniacal laugh and grabbed Hiruzen's hand, which he was too late to retract.
"Hiruzen, let's go to the netherworld together!"