Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't comment on Zixu's performance. He had rushed onto the field for a reason—something was off about that Gaara kid. The moment he saw that his opponent was Rock Lee, he snapped.

Handfuls of sand poured out of Gaara's gourd like a never-ending tide. From the start, Rock Lee had no intention of holding back. Relying on his exceptional taijutsu, he weaved through Gaara's relentless waves of sand, but it was only a matter of time before his body began to give out.

"Open the Gate of Opening (Kaimon)! Gate of Healing (Kyūmon)! Gate of Life (Seimon)! Gate of Pain (Shōmon)! Gate of Limit (Tomon)!"

Red energy burst from Rock Lee's body as he pushed himself beyond his limits. He knew he had to go all out if he wanted a chance at victory. Without hesitation, he removed the weights strapped to his legs and hurled them aside before forcefully opening five of the Eight Inner Gates (Hachimon).

The sand that had previously kept up with Rock Lee's speed and automatically defended Gaara finally failed to keep pace. Rock Lee was like a violent storm, striking through every gap in the sand's defenses.

Gaara quickly encased himself in a thick layer of sand, retreating into a defensive state once more.

But with the power of the fifth gate unleashed, Rock Lee became an unstoppable force. He smashed his fists into Gaara's sand shield, over and over again, each blow creating deep dents in the protective sphere.

A muffled "pop" echoed through the arena—the sand dome finally shattered under Rock Lee's relentless barrage. But by then, Rock Lee was completely drained.

"Ha... ha..." Rock Lee panted heavily, his body trembling under the strain. The Eight Inner Gates forcibly removed the body's natural chakra limits, but the price was immense. At this moment, even standing upright was a struggle.

Yet, with his last ounce of strength, Rock Lee staggered forward and threw one final punch.

Clang!

A sharp impact rang out. Gaara, half-kneeling on the ground, had used his gourd to block the attack. Though the gourd was covered in cracks, it still managed to absorb the blow.

"Die..." Gaara coughed up blood as he manipulated the sand around him, sending it surging toward Rock Lee. But Lee was already unconscious, his body standing purely on willpower.

Just as the sand was about to crush him, Zixu intervened.

Zixu knew Gaara's attack was intended to kill. Even if it wasn't a fatal blow, it would leave Rock Lee permanently crippled. For a taijutsu practitioner like Lee, losing his ability to fight was worse than death. That was why Zixu had acted without hesitation.

Technically, his interference violated the rules. But since Rock Lee was already unable to continue fighting, and Zixu's actions were framed as protecting Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi chose not to pursue the matter.

Zixu helped the unconscious Rock Lee off the battlefield, with Might Guy rushing to his side. Guy had originally intended to intervene, but Zixu had beaten him to it. Regardless, the outcome was what mattered.

After bringing Rock Lee to the infirmary, Zixu didn't linger. He glanced at Guy, who stood by Lee's side with a worried expression. He considered saying something but ultimately stayed silent.

Meanwhile, his clone had successfully extracted Karin from Kusagakure's grasp. Zixu would need to speak with Yamato about securing an official identity for her. However, Yamato had been hard to track down lately—who knew what he was up to?

By the time Zixu returned to the arena, the matches had concluded, and the list of advancing competitors was announced. Sarutobi Hiruzen declared that the final round, which would be held in the presence of the daimyō, would take place in one month. He urged everyone to use the time wisely for training.

A month of preparation could lead to noticeable improvements, but compared to what Zixu had planned, training wasn't his priority.

Following Orochimaru's instructions, he discreetly released small serpents in remote parts of the village, leaving them to act according to their instincts. Using the Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu), he disguised the snakes as harmless objects like garbage or weeds before scattering them strategically.

Orochimaru also shared a piece of interesting news—Jiraiya would be returning to Konoha soon. According to Orochimaru, Jiraiya had mastered Sage Mode (Senjutsu), but from a different lineage—the Mount Myōboku Toads, not Ryūchi Cave. Orochimaru warned Zixu to avoid using natural energy in Jiraiya's presence to prevent any unwanted attention.

By the time all these tasks were done, more than ten days had passed since the second exam.

Hyuga Chinano had been acting strangely, staying indoors most of the time. Meanwhile, Aburame Hatsuizumi was under house arrest, likely being drilled in his clan's secret techniques.

Karin, on the other hand, had been living comfortably. She was eating well, and her once-thin frame had filled out noticeably. Yet, deep down, she couldn't shake her paranoia—had she escaped one prison only to be trapped in another? Would Konoha exploit her the same way Kusagakure had?

When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard that Zixu had "acquired" an Uzumaki clan descendant, he was overjoyed. He praised Zixu, saying, "Well done, well done."

Of course, Konoha wouldn't use force to control Karin like Kusagakure had. Instead, they would manipulate her through lofty ideals and the "Will of Fire." Eventually, she would willingly devote herself to the village's cause. This was called "strategy."

Having wrapped up his business, Zixu decided to treat himself to a good meal.

Though he hadn't saved much money due to his massive appetite, he had gradually accumulated a decent amount. However, in Konoha, there wasn't much worth spending it on. Most of his spare money had gone toward stockpiling Explosive Tags (Jibaku Fuda). He had been buying them in small quantities over a long period, so the shopkeeper didn't find it suspicious.

"I wanted a feast, but I ended up at a ramen shop..." Zixu muttered, looking up at the sign in front of him. Ichiraku Ramen, huh? Well, I might as well eat some ramen.

Pushing aside the curtain, he stepped inside and ordered an extra-large bowl.

As he waited, he noticed two other customers sitting beside him. They also took notice of him.

"Naruto?"

"Zixu?"

Zixu and Naruto recognized each other immediately. The third person, a tall man with waist-length white hair, a forehead protector marked with the kanji for "oil" (油), and red facial markings, pointed at Zixu.

"Naruto, is this one of your classmates?"

Zixu studied the man's red coat, brown shirt, wooden clogs, and armored handguards. He already knew who he was.

"Yeah, that's right! This guy's taijutsu is crazy—he's even stronger than Bushy Brows!" Naruto declared before loudly slurping his noodles.

Zixu feigned ignorance. "And who's this?"

Naruto grinned. "Oh, this pervy sage is Jiraiya-sensei! I'm training with him! Next time, I won't lose!"

Zixu glanced at the ever-optimistic Naruto and felt a twinge of confusion. Didn't Orochimaru say this kid was a Jinchūriki? Wasn't he isolated and mistreated his whole life? How the hell does he still have this much positivity in him?

"Hello, Teacher Jiraiya." Uzumaki Zixu suppressed his doubts, choosing not to mention Orochimaru or his proposal. He was more interested in Jiraiya himself and wanted to see what decision the Toad Sage would make under Orochimaru's conditions.

"Hmm? Oh, it's you, Uzumaki Zixu." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. His sensory perception, honed by his connection to Mount Myoboku, told him that the kid in front of him carried a terrifying amount of life energy. It was rare to see someone like this.

"Isn't Master Jiraiya always on missions outside the village? It's rare to run into you when you're back. But Naruto... you're tagging along with Master Jiraiya? Looks like you two have a good relationship." Zixu placed an extra-large bowl of ramen in front of him, stirring the noodles with his chopsticks.

"Oh, I'm training under the Pervy Sage! Give me a month, and I'll be way stronger than I am now. You'll definitely remember my name by then!" Naruto grinned, his enthusiasm as unfiltered as ever.

"Also, remember this—my name is Uzumaki Naruto, not 'Uzumaki Birdman'!" Naruto slurped down some broth and patted his stomach with satisfaction.

"Pfft—Birdman?! Ahahaha!" Jiraiya couldn't hold back his laughter. Just hearing that ridiculous nickname cracked him up.

"But Naruto is also from the Uzumaki Clan, so why does he have blonde hair?" Zixu glanced at Jiraiya while shoveling ramen into his mouth.

"...Maybe it's because the person he inherited his blond hair from was an incredible ninja." Jiraiya's tone remained casual, but the moment he finished speaking, he downed the rest of his broth in one gulp and stood up, ready to pay.

Naruto tilted his head. "Huh? Why'd you eat so fast?" He quickly slurped up the rest of his noodles and followed Jiraiya.

"I'll cover this little guy's bill too. No need for a discount—just charge me the full price." Jiraiya smiled as he handed over the payment, earning a grateful nod from the shop owner.

Zixu set his chopsticks down and reached into his pocket. "That won't do. I don't think I have anything valuable, but I picked up this bead during the Forest of Death exam. It looks nice. Take it, Master Jiraiya." Without giving Jiraiya a chance to refuse, he casually tossed the small object toward him.

Jiraiya caught it, about to reject the gift, but the moment his fingers touched the bead, his expression shifted. A terrifying wave of chakra pulsed from it. His eyes flickered toward Zixu, who remained calm, slurping his ramen as if nothing had happened. After a few seconds, Jiraiya reined in his chakra and left without a word.

"What the hell was that, Pervy Sage? You suddenly let out so much chakra I almost choked on my burp!" Naruto grumbled as he jogged to catch up.

Zixu smirked as he watched them leave. That should be enough to get him thinking… but Jiraiya will have to decipher the information in that bead himself.

With that thought, he finished his meal, rubbed his stomach contentedly, and left the shop.

---

A Night Under the Dim Moonlight

Outside the village, Zixu sat cross-legged in an empty clearing. The sky was dark, and unfortunately, the moon wasn't full, leaving the night dim.

In the poorer parts of the village, civilians turned in early. Entertainment like movies and television was mostly reserved for the wealthier districts. These people had no time to think about luxury—they were too busy just surviving.

Zixu pulled out a small insect, placing it on the ground. It was a Gekkōmushi (Moonlight Worm), a rare insect cultivated for generations by Aburame Hatsuizumi. This particular one had been strengthened to its absolute limit through sheer obsession.

The Moonlight Worm wasn't powerful in terms of attack, but it was lightning-fast and could be activated instantly, making it perfect for catching opponents off guard. Logically, insects like these should've been phased out long ago. Yet, Hatsuizumi refused to let it go.

How crazy was she?

It was like upgrading a low-tier weapon in a game past its supposed limit. A rational person wouldn't waste the effort—it wasn't worth it. But Hatsuizumi? She didn't care.

Zixu's gaze shifted toward an abandoned bungalow, its dark silhouette making it look like a haunted house.

"Technology, huh…? Maybe there's something to it…"

Before he could finish his thought, an unwelcome voice broke the silence.

"Testing Jiraiya like that was reckless. Same goes for how you handled Gaara and Rock Lee's match. This could disrupt our plans."

Zixu turned his head. A pale young man with white hair and glasses stepped out of the shadows, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Relax, I've got it under control. I left myself an escape route." Zixu moved the Moonlight Worm aside as the figure's shadow threatened to block the little moonlight that remained.

"Are you sure?" Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses. "I don't think so. Lord Orochimaru's plan cannot fail. And regarding Uzumaki Karin… you've been a bit too high-profile."

Zixu sighed, finally opening his eyes fully. "Oh? You giving me orders now? Let's get something straight—I'm not Orochimaru's subordinate. We're partners. Equals. Get it?"

Kabuto's smirk faltered. This was the first time he felt such pressure from Zixu—an overwhelming presence on par with Orochimaru himself. He couldn't control the slight tremble in his hands as he instinctively gripped a kunai.

"Don't get so tense," Zixu chuckled. "I'm not some man-eating monster. If anything, you guys are the ones who look like villains."

His tone was casual, like an elder teasing a kid. Kabuto, however, felt a chill run down his spine. His fingers tightened around his kunai. Maybe I should strike now—catch him off guard…

Zixu's voice snapped him out of it.

"Come on, quit wasting time here. You've got graves to rob, don't you?" He smirked. "Wouldn't want to fall behind in your quest to become the best tomb raider in the ninja world."

Kabuto hesitated but eventually sighed. "Well… we have recovered quite a few bodies. We even found Gekko Hayate remains from a few days ago."

Reaching into his pocket, Kabuto pulled out a small notebook. Inside were detailed descriptions of various individuals, complete with portraits and names—including Hyuga Chinano and Uchiha targets.

With a somewhat proud look, Kabuto tucked the notebook away and pulled out a small shovel from the shadows.

"Alright, back to work," he muttered. "Time to keep digging."

Zixu watched as Kabuto disappeared into the night. He exhaled, his mind already spinning with new plans.

Things are moving faster than expected…

And he liked it that way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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