Naruto: Unlimited Kekkai Genkai

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Ishigami Hara took Nawaki's comment as a compliment, smiling without giving it much thought.

Orochimaru, observing his calm demeanor, felt even more satisfied. Such a composed and talented shinobi, Orochimaru believed, would undoubtedly shine on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Hyuga Toru and the Ino-Shika-Chō team swiftly dealt with the remaining two Rock Shinobi. As one of the most elite formations among Konoha shinobi, their teamwork made it easy to handle the enemy.

The synergy of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, who worked together seamlessly, combined with Hyuga Tetsuya's support as a Jōnin, made defeat nearly impossible in such a scenario.

"Lord Orochimaru, the enemies have been taken care of," Hyuga Toru reported.

"What did you find?" Orochimaru asked.

Hyuga Toru shook his head and responded, "They were just a standard Iwagakure Shinobi team. Nothing unusual to report."

"Can you confirm their identification code?" Orochimaru probed further.

Hyuga Toru shook his head again.

At this, Orochimaru sneered. "Of course, if they're bold enough to carry out this kind of mission, their identities would naturally be concealed. It seems Iwagakure has many spies planted in the village."

Hyuga Toru hesitated for a moment before asking, "Lord Orochimaru, should we inform the village of this?"

Orochimaru nodded and issued his order. "Yes, report this incident to the village. We'll leave the rest to them."

"Understood, Lord Orochimaru!"

Soon after, the Yamanaka ninja formed hand seals and performed the Summoning Technique, calling forth a ninja dog. Ishigami Hara, intrigued, watched the process with curiosity.

Seeing his interest, he smiled and asked, "Curious about summoning beasts, Hara-kun?"

"Just curious," Ishigami Hara replied.

He chuckled and explained, "If you're interested, you could visit the Inuzuka clan—they have excellent ninja dogs. If you prefer a ninja cat, you can reach out to the Uchiha."

Ishigami Hara nodded, unfazed. Izuna had already informed him about the Uchiha's ties to summoning creatures, though Ishigami Hara had no plans to seek out a summoning beast for now.

"Thank you for the information."

"You're welcome, Hara-kun. Just let me know if you ever need assistance," Yamanaka Yongjiro said, as he finished writing on the scroll and gave it to the ninja dog, sending it off to deliver the message.

Once the task was complete, Orochimaru gave his next command. "We'll change our route from here on. Maintain complete silence throughout the journey."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!" the group responded in unison, ready to proceed with the new orders.

Everyone swiftly handled the aftermath of the battlefield and left without lingering.

During the entire journey, Nawaki remained silent, visibly struggling with something on his mind. Though he appeared to want to speak, Orochimaru didn't give him the opportunity. The silence was likely Orochimaru's way of giving Nawaki time to reflect on his actions. Whether or not Nawaki could grasp the lesson depended on his own ability to see through it.

Ishigami Hara noticed Nawaki's furrowed brow throughout the trek, still clearly absorbed in thoughts of the recent battle.

It was obvious that Nawaki was dissatisfied with his own performance, but Ishigami Hara had no intention of discussing it. Some realizations need to come from within.

Uchiha Izuna's evaluation of him had caught him by surprise. To be honest, Ishigami never expected to receive praise from Izuna, especially since the Uchiha were known for their harsh judgments.

"The battle just now... wasn't bad."

Those were Uchiha Izuna's exact words. Considering Izuna's personality, it was no small feat to hear such praise from him.

Ishigami Hara mentally responded, smiling, "What do you mean by that?"

"Hmph!" Izuna grunted, unwilling to let Ishigami Hara enjoy his moment of satisfaction. "But compared to our time, you're still far behind! Especially those four Iwagakure Shinobi—how pathetic that they were defeated so easily."

Ishigami Hara had already informed Uchiha Izuna about the current state of the shinobi world, so Izuna wasn't entirely out of touch. During the Warring States period, the world was far more brutal—constant warfare between clans with no room for compromise, only bloodshed and survival.

While there were still wars in the present day, the intervals between the Great Ninja Wars offered a semblance of peace. It's often said that peace breeds complacency, and in some ways, that was undeniable.

Ishigami Hara didn't mind the comparison. It was true that the intensity of battles had waned compared to the past, and that was simply the reality of the current era.

"But I didn't expect you to be able to pull off the Uchiha shuriken technique without the Sharingan," Uchiha Izuna remarked.

Ishigami Hara replied, "It's not that difficult. It's just a matter of coordinating hand and eye movements. As long as you have good eyesight and steady hands, it's doable."

"Hmph, don't make it sound so easy. Even among the Uchiha, there aren't many who can perform this technique at your age."

Ishigami Hara smirked slightly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

There was a pause in Uchiha Izuna's voice before he warned, "Kid, be wary of that man."

"You mean Orochimaru?" Ishigami Hara asked with interest.

"Yeah. That man has taken an interest in you, and I've got a bad feeling about it... He's not simple."

Hearing this, Ishigami Hara chuckled. It was no wonder Izuna, a powerful figure from the Warring States period, still had such sharp instincts, even in death.

Orochimaru was indeed an exceptional individual, even though he hadn't fully become the notorious "Uncle Snake" yet. His talent and ambition were undeniable.

"I'll be cautious. I don't think he means me any harm—at least not for now," Ishigami Hara said.

"Hmph, do what you want, kid. Just don't die on the battlefield."

Izuna's arrogance, typical of the Uchiha clan, was unmistakable.

However, Ishigami Hara couldn't shake the feeling that the upcoming battles might bring him unexpected opportunities.