MTLNOVEL Chapter 66: Chapter 66
Naruto Uzumaki stood on Kidomaru's body with a faint smile, his expression calm and gentle — as if the person under his foot weren't human, but a mere ant crushed underfoot by accident.
"We'll see who dies first! Earth Style: Tsuchiya Dango!" Jirobo shouted, tearing a massive rock from the earth and hurling it at Naruto.
At the same time, Sakon — sinister-looking and dressed like a rebellious punk — stirred his sleeping brother Ukon. The twisted duo, sharing the same body, surrounded Naruto from both sides.
The sheer power Naruto displayed in killing Kidomaru moments earlier had shaken them. They knew they couldn't afford to be careless.
But the caution of the weak is often meaningless.
Naruto yawned and let the boulder strike his body. It passed through him — his form dissolving into mist.
"A clone?!" Jirobo exclaimed.
Before he could say another word, blood had already splattered across the grassy field, staining the swaying blades a deep crimson.
Naruto had appeared behind him, stabbing a kunai straight into his throat. Before Jirobo could fall, Naruto followed up with a Rasengan to the head, shattering his skull.
Blood sprayed into the air. Sakon, Ukon, and Tayuya froze in shock.
This Naruto guy... he's a monster.
No wonder Uchiha Sasuke kept bringing up his name.
Tayuya gritted her teeth. Now it made sense why Sasuke had refused their offer earlier.
"Who's next?" Naruto's voice rang out like a devil's whisper in their ears.
Two of them, dead — just like that. Too fast. Too easy.
"If you're gonna attack, then just do it already. What's with all the talking?" Tayuya snapped, forming a seal and summoning three grotesque, ghost-like demons. She raised her flute and began to play.
With the eerie tune, the three angry spirits moved freely, guided by the melody. Meanwhile, Sakon and Ukon roared, activating the second stage of their cursed seals as they lunged toward Naruto.
"So this is what Orochimaru's elite training produces?" Naruto said quietly. "Sasuke and Kabuto — now those two actually have talent."
Sakon and Ukon, blinded by rage, foolishly tried to match Naruto in close combat.
"You bastard! I won't let you insult Lord Orochimaru!" one of them snarled. Three legs suddenly burst from their body and came crashing down toward Naruto.
Boom!
Their combined strike slammed into the ground, sending chunks of dirt flying and leaving a crater.
But Naruto was gone.
"Above you."
Both brothers looked up just in time to see it — the same technique that had killed Kidomaru.
An overwhelming sense of dread filled their chests.
The next instant, they watched each other die — their shared body obliterated by a giant Rasengan. Flesh, blood, and bone exploded outward.
"What a slow reaction," Naruto muttered, stretching lazily. He turned to the last one standing.
Tayuya's face was pale. She knew there was no way she could defeat someone like this.
She sent her demons to encircle Naruto while she quietly slipped away, retreating toward the outskirts of Konoha.
But unfortunately for her, Naruto had already mastered high-speed movement techniques.
With the power of the Nine-Tails enhancing him, even elite jōnin couldn't match his speed.
In a blur, he zipped past her summoned demons and appeared right in front of her, blocking her path.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" he asked playfully.
Tayuya slammed on the brakes. Her thick red hair flew forward from the momentum, brushing her pale neck. Her skirt lifted slightly — but she was wearing leggings, so nothing else was revealed. Who she was trying to protect with her modesty was anyone's guess.
Certainly not Naruto — a gentleman, by all appearances.
"Don't kill her! We need her alive!" Kakashi's voice rang out in the distance. He and Might Guy had finally arrived.
Guy added, "Naruto! She might know something important. We need to question her!"
Tayuya exhaled in relief. Being captured alive was better than being slaughtered by this boy who smiled like an angel but killed like a demon.
Unfortunately for her, Naruto wasn't interested in listening.
Without a word, he summoned a Rasengan and crushed Tayuya's head into a red mist.
Blood sprayed again, and Naruto narrowly avoided it.
So close.
His clothes had almost gotten dirty.
Kakashi rushed over, staring at the body on the ground. "Naruto! What the hell are you doing?! I told you we needed her alive!"
The wind howled, carrying the heavy scent of blood.
Naruto turned and looked at Kakashi with a cold expression. "Kakashi, are you trying to teach me how to do my job?"
Kakashi's face darkened. "I'm your team leader — your jōnin instructor."
"Oh?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever actually taught me anything?"
Kakashi fell silent.
He had no real answer. From the beginning, his focus had always been on Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto had mostly been left to fend for himself.
Might Guy frowned. "Naruto, you can't be this reckless. These invaders could've held valuable intel. Now that she's dead, how are we supposed to get answers?"
"So what?" Naruto replied, locking eyes with Guy. "You want me to gamble my life on the chance that she might have talked? I was in the middle of a fight. Should I have just stopped and hoped she wouldn't kill me?"
"You're stronger than that—"
"Enough, Guy." Kakashi raised a hand. "Let's just notify the forensics team. Maybe they can get something from the body."
With a heavy sigh, Kakashi gave Naruto one last look before disappearing into the night.
Might Guy followed quietly behind.
After they left, Naruto calmly dusted off his clothes and turned to leave.
The real reason he had followed the Sound Four wasn't to bring anyone back.
It was to silence them.
Who knew what Orochimaru had told them? What if they knew that Naruto was the one who leaked information about the Third Hokage to Orochimaru?
If they got captured and interrogated, Naruto would be exposed.
He didn't want to leave Konoha. He was used to life here — moving elsewhere would make him a constant target, especially from the Akatsuki.
That's why he went out of his way to eliminate them all.
Orochimaru needed to be silenced too.
[Mission Triggered!]
Orochimaru knows your secret. While he might not expose it now, it's a ticking time bomb. You've decided to act while he's weakened. Choose your path:
Choice 1: Play It Smart — Offer something of value in exchange for his silence.
Reward: Kusanagi Sword (100% Replica)
Choice 2: Calculated Risk — Take advantage of his weakened state and kill him.
Reward: Orochimaru's Corruption Value +30%
Choice 3: Reckless Control — Imprison him and use him for your own ends.
Reward: Storage Space Upgrade
Choice 4: Total Annihilation — Eliminate Orochimaru and everyone he's cursed.
Reward: Summoning Beast – White Snake
Naruto glanced over the choices, then made up his mind.
"..."
Outside a tavern on Konoha's East Street, Kakashi and Might Guy reported everything to Jiraiya — from Sasuke's encounter with the Sound Ninja to Naruto's brutal takedown of all of them.
Jiraiya's expression darkened.
Was this really Naruto?
Hadn't Hiruzen — the Third Hokage — always said that Naruto was cheerful, bright, and full of kindness?
But this? This Naruto was merciless. Cold. Efficient.
"Minato's son..." Jiraiya murmured.
He looked at the two jōnin and said quietly, "Don't worry about it. I know Orochimaru well. There's no point chasing after those Sound Ninja. Let's leave it at that."