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Chapter 19: Wildflower (Chuunin Exams, Second Test, Part II) 

Her eyes cracked open, and the first thing she noticed was heat.

No, not heat. Fire.

It crawled under her skin, crackling like embers on dry wood. Her muscles twisted involuntarily, nerves lighting up with every breath. Each searing throb pulsed in time with her heartbeat, sending sharp jolts of pain through every limb.

Kimiko gasped, a sharp intake of air that rattled in her lungs. It felt wrong. Her throat was raw. Her chest was tight, like her ribs were caving in on her heart.

Where am I? 

Her head swam with disjointed thoughts, flashes of memory blurring together—the clash, the snakes, him .

Slowly, she forced herself to move, muscles trembling as she pushed her hands flat against the ground. Her arms shook, her fingers curling into the dirt. With a grunt of effort, she sat up, her back leaning against the rough bark of a tree. She blinked hard, her vision tilting sideways before slowly righting itself.

What just happened—?

Her thoughts stopped short. Her eyes snapped open wide.

Naruto. Sasuke.

Her heart jumped to her throat as she spotted them lying opposite each other, still as corpses.

Her body moved on instinct. She stumbled toward them, her legs unsteady but refusing to fail her. She dropped to her knees, ignoring the dirt and bruises. Her hands flew to their chests.

Please. Please. Please.

Her fingers pressed into Sasuke's ribs, feeling the faint, rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing. She lowered her head, placing her ear against his chest.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Her heart unclenched, a sharp gasp of relief bursting from her lungs. “Breathing,” she muttered, nodding to herself. “He’s breathing.”

Her hands moved to his wrist, her fingers pressing against his pulse point. It was there. Steady. Good.

Kimiko exhaled slowly. She pressed the back of her hand to his neck and flinched. Too hot. It wasn’t a normal fever. Her lips pulled into a tight frown as she brushed his damp hair aside.

“Shit,” she hissed. “He’s burning up.”

Her gaze fell to his exposed collar. She knew what she'd find, but it still hit her like a kunai to the chest. Slowly, her fingers tugged at his collar, pulling it down to reveal the black, twisting pattern etched into his skin. Her eyes hardened, lips pressing into a thin line.

That mark.

Her nails dug into her palm, her teeth grit tight. “Damn it.” Her voice was sharp, filled with bitter anger. “Another thing I couldn’t prevent.” Her eyes flicked away, her jaw locking. “F—fuck this. I’m useless.”

Her fingers lingered for a moment too long before she pulled away, forcing herself to focus on the next person.

Naruto.

She crawled toward him on her hands and knees, breath shallow and heart still racing. His face was peaceful, and somehow that made it worse.

Her hands hovered over his chest, eyes flicking from his face to his torso. She pressed her palm to his chest, fingers splayed wide.

“Please, please, please…”

Her fingers tensed. She leaned down, pressing her ear to his chest like she had done with Sasuke. The world grew quiet except for the rush of blood in her ears.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Kimiko’s body deflated as she sighed, relief washing over her like cool rain. “He’s breathing too.”

Her fingers slid upward, resting against his forehead. Not as hot as Sasuke, but she knew better than to rely on just that. She tugged his shirt up, her eyes scanning his stomach. No seal.

Her eyes narrowed. That didn’t make sense.  And then Orochimaru’s words echoed in her head. The seal only appears when he’s using chakra. I have to get someone else to check.

Her shoulders sagged, her arms going limp at her sides. Her head hung forward, hair falling over her face like a curtain. She sat between the two of them, her breath coming out slow and quiet.

You did everything you could. It wasn’t enough. It still wasn’t enough.

Her gaze lifted to look at them both.

They’re alive because of you. But still, you couldn’t prevent anything from happening to them. So strong until it really matters, huh?

Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Her lips parted, and a small, shaky exhale escaped her. She hated this feeling. She hated it so much.

“I’m sorry, Naruto. Sasuke.” Her words came as soft as a whisper, like a confession carried on the wind. “I couldn’t help, I couldn’t do anyth-”

And then she remembered.

Her breath caught in her throat as the realization settled in her mind like a lead weight.

Orochimaru bit me too.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she bolted upright. Her hands moved on instinct, fingers fumbling to draw her tanto. She flipped it horizontally, angling it just enough to see the reflection of her own neck in the polished steel. .

Her gaze locked onto the side of her neck.

Her heart stopped for a moment.

There were no marks. No brand. No symbol.

Only two faint puncture wounds where his fangs had pierced her skin. The bite marks were already fading, barely visible now, as if her body had healed them faster than normal. Her brows drew together, eyes narrowing with suspicion. A single line of slick, black liquid trailed from the punctures, trickling down her neck. Her fingers brushed against it, and she wiped it onto her fingertips.

Her eyes followed it closely, the substance was thick, oily, and pitch black. Her lips pressed into a firm line.

What is this?

Her mind raced as she rubbed her fingers together, feeling the strange, viscous texture. It was like sludge — slippery but oddly heavy, like it had weight far beyond its size.

No mark. No cursed seal. Did he bite me for no reason? No... no, that's impossible. Orochimaru never does anything without purpose.

Her hands tightened on the tanto’s hilt, her knuckles going white. She glanced back at her reflection in the steel, searching for anything she might have missed. No sign of a mark. No cursed mark. But the doubt gnawed at her, whispering at the back of her mind. She knew something had happened. She felt it. Something had shifted inside of her, she was certain of it.

Her eyes flicked away from the blade, scanning her surroundings. And then her breath hitched.

Her gaze fell on the spot where she had been lying just moments ago.

Her eyes widened, her pupils shrinking in disbelief.

The ground was stained with black, viscous fluid.

Her breath grew shallow. The sight of it hit her like a punch to the gut. The ground was smeared in the same slick, black gunk that had been leaking from her neck. It pooled in the dirt like oil, thick and heavy, with trails leading in twisting lines where her body had shifted.

Her lips parted in a soft, horrified gasp.

It came out of me…?

Her hands shook, her grip on the tanto tightening as she sheathed it. Her breath came in slow, shallow gulps. She turned slowly, eyes darting between the mess on the ground and the faint trail of black that still clung to her neck.

What did you do to me, Orochimaru...?

Her fingers twitched at her side, itching to draw her tanto again. But she shook her head, pushing the thought away with a sharp breath.

No. Not now. Focus.

Her eyes shifted to Naruto and Sasuke, both of them still unconscious, their faces lined with exhaustion and pain. Her brows knitted together with quiet resolve.

First priority: Get them to safety.

Her gaze swept across the area, scanning every tree, every shadow, every sound. If the Sound-nin are hunting us—and they are—they’ll strike when we’re at our weakest. She clenched her jaw. If they catch me while I’m carrying these two, it’s over.

She crouched down next to them, hands brushing lightly over their faces. 

That cursed mark… it's already taking a toll on Sasuke. His fever’s likely here to stay. Her lips pressed into a thin line. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop any of it. But I can still protect them.

Her eyes flicked to the side, narrowing with focus. If I’m going to have to fight the Sound-nin, I need the advantage. I can’t take them head-on like this. Not with these two out cold. Her fingers brushed her side pouch, tugging it open.

Plan first. Move second.

She pulled out the map that Sasuke had drawn earlier. Thankfully, it was still with her, and still functional. Her eyes scanned it, squinting as she tried to orient herself. She turned her head, her ears straining as she caught the faint rush of running water somewhere to her left.

A river. We’re close

Her fingers hovered over the map, tracing the nearest river path. If I can get us to the river, I can fight them at full strength. I won’t have to waste chakra creating water. They’ll be at a disadvantage from the start.  

Her eyes flicked to the unconscious boys. 

But dragging these two around isn’t going to be easy. I’ll need a place to put them where I can fight without worrying about someone sneaking past me to kill them. A place that forces people to go through me before getting to them.

Kimiko glanced up at the canopy. 

Still dark… She tilted her head, looking for signs of time passage.

The stars haven’t shifted much, so it’s only been a few hours since Orochimaru attacked us. Midnight, maybe.

Her gaze landed on the faint glow of moonlight trickling through the gaps in the leaves. We’ve lost time, but at least it's not dawn yet. That gives me a few hours to regroup.

Her eyes scanned the ground next. This isn’t the same spot we were at before. We were closer to the tower. Orochimaru must have moved us… but why? Her brows furrowed, her lips pressing into a line. 

Her fingers dug into the dirt for a moment before she shook her head. No. Don’t spiral. Get your head in the game. They’re relying on you.

Her gaze swept the area, tracking every landmark she could see—root formations, fallen trees, and patches of moss. Her eyes flicked back to the map. Alright. Get to the nearby river, put them somewhere safe, and prepare to face the sound nin.

Kimiko took a breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the steady pulse of her chakra. Her hands hovered in front of her, fingers spread as she centered herself. Slowly, she inhaled through her nose, feeling the energy flow through her veins, her nerves, her core.

Chakra check…

Her eyes snapped open, a sharp clarity in her gaze. Mostly replenished. I can work with that. Her lips quirked into a slight grin. The first since she woke up. Good. I’ll need every ounce of it.

She tucked the map into her pouch, her hands moving quickly, sealing the strap tight. Her eyes darted toward Naruto and Sasuke, her gaze softening briefly before it hardened again.

Time to move.

She crouched down, slipping her arms under Naruto first, hoisting him onto her back with a grunt. He was heavier than he looked, but she shifted her balance, planting her feet firmly. Her muscles tensed, her chakra flaring lightly to give her a boost of strength.

“ One down, one to go… ” she muttered under her breath, shooting a glance at Sasuke. You’d better wake up soon, Uchiha. I’m not carrying both of you forever.

With Naruto secure on her back, she crouched by Sasuke. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary, her gaze flicking to the cursed mark on his neck. Her lips pressed into a firm line.

This isn’t over, Sasuke. Not for you. Not for me. Not for Naruto. 

She gripped the front of his shirt and pulled him up, slinging one of his arms around her shoulder. She glanced toward the sound of rushing water in the distance.

“Well,” She sighed. “Here I go,” 

Thankfully, she reached the river sooner than expected, only two hours of grueling travel with two unconscious boys on her back. Every step had been a struggle, her frame straining under their combined weight, but she managed. When the gentle sound of rushing water met her ears, she almost collapsed in relief.

Her gaze swept the area, scanning for any possible shelter. And there it was — a hollowed-out tree large enough to fit both boys, right at the river side.  Its gnarled bark jutted out like jagged teeth, but the inside was roomy enough for her to stash them both.

“Perfect,” she muttered, breathing heavily as she staggered toward it.

With care, she hoisted Naruto and Sasuke into the hollow one at a time, being extra cautious with Sasuke, whose fever was still burning hot against her fingertips. Once they were secure, she reached into her pack and pulled out two towels, soaking them in the river water before placing them on their foreheads.

Her gaze lingered on Sasuke. The curse mark on his neck had spread faint, dark veins that pulsed unnervingly. The Curse Mark had a one-in-ten survival rate. She remembered that much from the anime. So he was likely fighting for his life right now, and the odds were against him. 

Still, this was Sasuke. He wasn't going to die here. He couldn't.

"You're not allowed to die, Sasuke," she murmured quietly, her fingers brushing damp hair from his forehead. "You're too stubborn for that."

Her eyes flicked to Naruto next. His breathing was steady, his face peaceful despite how fierce he'd been earlier against Orochimaru.

He always got back up. No matter how many times he got knocked down, he stood back up with that grin on his face. Future Lord Seventh. I’ll be here, always. I promise. You’re even more stubborn than Sasuke, so I know I have to worry less…you’re probably just exhausted.

Kimiko sighed, leaning against the hollow tree. She wanted to collapse next to them and sleep for a week, but she knew better. She couldn't rest yet. The Sound-nin would follow.

Her eyes flicked to the ground outside, tracing the faint marks she had left behind from carrying Naruto and Sasuke. She grimaced. She did her best to cover their tracks, but it wasn’t perfect. She was a small girl, and carrying two boys had pressed clear indents into the dirt and snapped twigs along the way. It didn’t take a tracking genius to follow them, and it wasn’t like the Sound team was stupid.

"They’ll be here soon, a few hours.” she muttered, glancing down at the boys once more. It was just her now. She was the only one left standing.

Her fingers twitched as she mentally mapped out a plan. Her first thought was to set traps, but she quickly discarded it. She wasn't a trap specialist. The best she could do was some ninja wire and maybe some exploding tags, but they wouldn't be enough.  She had to play to her own strengths.  She was near a river, her preferred terrain, and she was a frontline fighter. She had to maximize that. But perhaps her ace in the hole was that she knew exactly what their abilities were.

Her mind flashed through what she remembered from the anime with regards to the Sound-Nin. Zaku had Decapitating Airwaves. He could shoot pressurized air blasts from the holes in his hands. It was fast, loud, and hit like a battering ram. He could crush her from a distance if she stayed in the open. 

Kin was the one with the Senbon and Bell Genjutsu. She didn’t even need to be nearby. She could throw the bells, and once the sound reached her ears, she’d be trapped in a genjutsu, vulnerable to an ambush.

And then there was Dosu.

She sighed.

The most dangerous of them all. His Resonating Echo Speaker wasn’t just a weapon — it was a living amplifier strapped to his arm. Every punch, every motion he made with it created sound waves that could travel through her body. The vibrations didn’t just rattle her bones; they could shatter her balance, rupture her eardrums, and flood her head with nausea. Not to mention that while having access to the river gave her a distinct advantage, it came with a double-edged risk. Dosu’s sound-based attacks could travel effortlessly through water, turning her greatest asset into a conduit for his technique.

Her chest tightened at the thought of the task. A full-range team.

If they attacked as a unit, she'd be boxed in at every distance — long, mid, and close range. They wouldn’t give her a chance to breathe. Kin would trap her in an illusion, Zaku would strike from afar, and Dosu would close in to finish the job.

It was the perfect hunting formation.

Kimiko bit her lip, trying to push down the gnawing fear in her chest. There was no running. Even if she took off now, they’d track her. And there was no way she was abandoning her teammates. That meant one thing.

She had no choice but to stand her ground and hope she could beat the three of them.  But…that would be nearly impossible to do alone.

“No use losing sleep over it.” she muttered to herself, tightening her grip on the tanto at her side. She glanced at the hollow tree, at the two boys inside, then crouched low to the ground. Her fingers hovered over the dirt as she mapped out her approach. If she fought them one-on-one, she had a chance.

She started to formulate a plan in her mind, and she turned to the distance. Only a matter of waiting.

The Sound-nin came sooner than expected.

Kimiko had sensed them an hour ago, which had given her just enough time to prepare. She now stood at the entrance to the hollowed-out tree, hands resting lightly on the hilt of her sheathed tanto, her grip steady and sure. The rushing sound of the nearby river filled her ears like a steady drumbeat, grounding her nerves. To her right, hidden behind layers of bark and shadow, lay Naruto and Sasuke.

She had no intention of letting them get any closer.

The three figures emerged from the undergrowth like predators stalking their prey. Dosu stood at the center, his bandaged face tilted in her direction as if analyzing her every move. Kin flanked him to the left, her sharp eyes narrowed in disdain. Zaku walked at Dosu's right, his shoulders squared, jaw tight with anger.

"Well, well," Dosu’s distorted voice grated like nails on metal. "No traps, no tricks, and you’re standing right in the open. How convenient." His head tilted just slightly, calculating. "Hmph. I suppose you want to make a trade for your life then? Is that it? Throwing away resistance because you know it’s pointless?”

Kimiko didn’t answer. She remained still and impassive, calm.

Dosu chuckled low and slow. “But I’m afraid that’s not possible. Our Lord Orochimaru sent us to kill the Uchiha, but after your team embarrassed us during the first test…” He raised his hand, his fingers curling into a loose claw. “...None of us want to see you live. So showing you mercy is off the table. So is giving you a quick death.”

Kimiko’s eyes narrowed, but her voice was still smooth. "I never intended to ask you for anything. I know better than to expect mercy from shinobi of backwater villages like yours.”

Zaku's eyes bulged in fury, his nostrils flaring. Perfect. Get him angry. Angry people are stupid.

“This fucking bitch!” Zaku snarled, his hands twitching as if already preparing to attack. His teeth bared like an animal. “I’ll pay you back ten times over for that stunt you pulled against us. I’ll shatter your spine, and you can watch me crush your teammates before I finish you off!”

Kimiko’s face remained impassive, her gaze never wavering. His words were noise, background static. Posturing. Just like any thug. She tilted her head just slightly, eyes cold but unwavering.

“How very charming,” she replied, as if commenting on bad weather.

“THIS—” Kin started, venom lacing her tone. “Do you think you’re cool? Do you think you—”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Kimiko’s voice cut through Kin’s like a blade through silk. Her tone had shifted — sharp, commanding. Unshakable. “I’m not here for your speeches. You’ve already made your goal clear. So spare me your hollow threats.” Her eyes narrowed, colder than frostbite. “I’ll only extend this offer once, and once only.”

All three of them squinted at her.

“Your lord Orochimaru sent you to your deaths, he gave Sasuke his curse mark. A sign of his favor.” she said clearly, eyes flicking from one Sound-nin to the next. She heard Dosu make a mocking sound, as if refusing to believe her words.

“He sent you to die at Sasuke’s hands. Because Sasuke is the only one he cares about.” Her grip on her tanto shifted ever so slightly, her thumb pressing lightly against the guard. Her tone was absolute. “But he didn’t account for one thing.”

Her gaze locked on Dosu’s bandaged face.

“Me.”

Her eyes met Dosu’s, daring him to move. Her fingers flexed on the hilt of her tanto. She took one, slow, deliberate step forward, her gaze steady, firm, like a judge delivering a verdict.

“You have one chance,” she said, every syllable crisp, sharp, like the edge of a blade. “Turn back. Leave. Defect from your village if you have to. Live.”

Her words hung in the air for only a moment. Then, slowly, she lowered her gaze to the ground. With a swish, she freed her tanto from its sheath.

Her tanto hovered inches above the dirt as she slowly drew a sharp, unbroken line through the grass. The tip of the blade carved through the soil like a needle through fabric.

She flicked the sword upward with a sharp snap, shaking off the dirt. Then, with one smooth, effortless motion, she levelled the tanto and pointed it straight at them.

“Or cross this line… and you die.”

Silence hung in the air, thick with tension.

Then, a sharp, wet spit broke it.

“Heh. What line?” Zaku sneered, his grin widening as he raised his arms. “Decapitating Airwaves!”

The blast came faster than she anticipated. Compressed air and sound ripped through the earth, detonating the ground where she’d just been. Dirt, rock, and shredded grass exploded into the air in a violent spray of debris. Kimiko blurred out of sight, reappearing atop the surface of the river, her feet skidding slightly before she stabilized on the water's surface.

If that had hit me, I’d be dead. Her heart pounded, but she pushed the panic aside. Evade first, think later. 

Her eyes darted back to Zaku. He had already spotted her. His smirk grew sharper, crueler, as he raised both hands, ready to fire again.

Not if she acted first.

Her fingers blurred through the seals, the movements sharp and clean despite the tension running through her limbs.

“Water Style: Searing Torrent!”

The river churned beneath her feet, responding to her chakra like a beast answering its master's call. A spiraling column of water surged upward beside her, twisting like a coiled serpent ready to strike. The pillar crashed down in a sweeping arc, a thundering waterfall aimed directly at the three Sound-nin. The shadow of it fell over them like the hand of a giant.

Zaku clicked his tongue, clearly unimpressed.

“Heh, wrong move! Decapitating Airwaves!” he barked, lifting both hands this time.

A double-blast of compressed air roared from his palms, colliding with the crashing torrent of water. The collision was deafening. The sheer force of it sent shockwaves through the air. Water exploded into a blinding mist of rain and spray, droplets scattering everywhere in a chaotic downpour. Kimiko shielded her eyes as the force of it rocked the surface of the river she was standing on. The steady rhythm of rain hitting her hair and face followed, drenching her instantly.

Despite what the anime would have anyone believe, facing these three is absolutely ridiculous. Her brows furrowed as she swiped rainwater from her face. And then, her breath hitched.

Senbon!

Her eyes widened as she spotted them—a barrage of them—cutting through the watery mist with deadly precision, spinning like silver darts. Her body reacted before her mind could fully process it. She flickered, vanishing from the water's surface and reappearing on land, barely a step ahead of the attack. 

Her landing was sloppy, knees bending harder than she liked. The mist hadn't even cleared when she felt it— the shift in air pressure behind her.

Too late!

Dosu’s hunched frame loomed behind her, his arm already mid-swing. The resonating amplifier on his arm glowed faintly as he closed the distance in an instant. Her eyes snapped to him, her muscles coiling, but he was too close. Her tanto wasn’t fast enough. She ducked, twisting her head to avoid a direct strike, but she knew it wouldn't matter. Sound doesn’t care where it hits.

His gauntleted arm swung in a smooth, brutal arc, slicing through empty air. No, through something worse than air.

Through sound.

The blast struck her like an invisible hammer, the vibrations crashing into her body, tearing through muscle, bone, and nerves all at once. She gasped, pain ricocheting inside her skull. Her vision blurred. The whole world spun like she was caught in a whirlpool.

Her knees buckled.

Her stomach lurched.

Her hands slapped over her mouth as bile surged up her throat. She hunched over, unable to stop herself from retching violently into the river. Her body shook with each heave, her legs trembling, her balance completely gone. Her ears rang with a sharp, high-pitched eeeeeeee that felt like it was scraping her brain from the inside.

Dammit... I knew how his technique worked, and I still got caught!   It’s insane trying to face three people at the same time!

Her fingers dug into the ground, water-soaked and trembling. Her breathing was harsh, ragged. Her vision pulsed like a flashing light, everything around her tilting and swaying uncontrollably. No. Get up. Get up. She gritted her teeth, choking back another wave of nausea.

Move, Kimiko. Move!

Her eyes darted upward, finding Dosu’s shadow looming over her. His gaze was unreadable, his bandages obscuring his face, but she could feel it—the quiet confidence of a predator that knows its prey has nowhere left to run.

“Not so sharp now, huh?” Dosu’s voice rumbled, his words distorted like a warped radio signal. His arm raised slowly, methodically, ready to swing again. “I’ll send you to hell!”

Before Dosu could strike, Kimiko flickered again, reappearing a fair distance away. But it wasn’t far enough. They weren’t going to let her breathe. Dosu was already charging at her from the left, his gait steady but deliberate, while Kin approached from the right, her fingers clutching three senbon, ready to throw.

They're trying to pincer me.

Her eyes darted between them, calculating her next move. The sharp pulse of vertigo from Dosu’s earlier sound strike still rang faintly in her ears, but she pushed through it. She had to.

Kimiko flipped backward, her body arching gracefully in mid-air as Dosu’s gauntleted arm swung through the space she’d just occupied. His strike hit the ground with a resonating boom, sending a melodic hum through the earth. The ground cracked under the weight of his attack, sending dirt and pebbles scattering.

If that had hit me… Her eyes narrowed. No, I’m not letting him touch me again.

Her feet barely hit the ground before she spotted the glint of silver from the corner of her eye.

Her body moved instinctively. She dashed further backward, heart pounding in her chest, her feet skidding on the slick grass before she lunged into the river. More senbon zipped past her, peppering the ground, one grazing the edge of her sleeve as it embedded into a nearby tree. Too close. Too close .

But she didn’t have time to recover. Her sharp eyes caught Kin’s head flick upward before she suddenly backed away, and Kimiko’s own gaze followed on instinct. Her heart sank.

No, no, no!

Above her, Zaku hovered in midair, a wild grin stretched across his face. His arms were already raised, his palms aimed directly at her like cannons.

“DECAPITATING AIRWAVES!”

The twin blasts were thunderous, like cannons going off at close range. The very air seemed to bend and distort as two spiraling waves of pressurized sound and air hurtled toward her with brutal force.

Crap!

Kimiko's fingers blurred through seals, her lungs filling with chakra-charged breath.

“Water Style: Searing Torrent!” she roared, her voice fierce with urgency.

From the river at her side, a spiraling column of water surged up, twisting like a coiled dragon. The water crashed head-on with the pressurized air, colliding with a deafening, wet BOOM.  For the second time, an eruption of mist and droplets blasted across the area like a sudden downpour. Water and air churned together, sending fine droplets and broken river spray raining down across the battlefield.

Her feet slid back along the water’s surface from the sheer force of it. Her arm raised to shield her eyes from the sharp, stinging spray. Meanwhile, she saw that the recoil from the impact also forced Zaku back, the boy landing on top of the tree branches.

They're forcing me to be reactive. I'm wasting too much chakra just keeping up.

“Heh, heh, heh…” Zaku's mocking laughter echoed from beyond her, his silhouette barely visible through the drifting mist. "It’s fun watching you use all that chakra," he sneered. His eyes were wild, teeth bared like a wolf that had cornered its prey. "No matter how much you have, you’ll never beat me. Meanwhile, I put in a tiny bit of effort and I can blast you away, the best part? I can do it all day long thanks to Lord Orochimaru’s gifts.”

His tongue flicked across his lips like he could already taste victory. "In a battle of attrition," he declared, grinning wider, "No one surpasses me!"

Kimiko squinted, breath still labored, but her mind worked twice as fast.

He's right.

As much as she hated to admit it, if the annoying idiot was telling the truth and not overestimatizing his capabilities,  his analysis would be sound. Zaku didn’t use much chakra to blast apart her water techniques, forcing her to burn energy while he barely had to lift a finger. Every water technique she summoned had been countered with the same relentless blast of air, leaving her open for Kin’s projectiles and Dosu’s rushes.

But every technique had its weakness. 

Her mind retraced every moment of the battle, every exchange, every movement.

They didn't attack together. Or rather, Dosu and Kin attacked her and forced her into an open position where Zaku could call down an artillery strike on her.

Her eyes flicked toward Kin, who had backed off right before Zaku's Decapitating Airwaves hit. 

She had to retreat to keep herself from getting caught in the blast.

Her eyes darted toward Dosu.  

They’re using a Three-Star Formation to ensure they have enough time to retreat before Zaku makes his attack, to avoid getting caught in the blast’s radius. So I need to use that against them. Force one of them to fight with me and constantly keep them within that braggart’s line of fire.

Her thoughts snapped into place like pieces of a puzzle fitting together. She glanced toward Zaku, her gaze pensive.

Alright. My turn. Let’s hope this works.

Her fingers moved in a blur, weaving through hand seals with practiced precision.

"Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!" 

The river beside her churned violently as a second Kimiko emerged from the swirling water, her identical form sharpening into clarity. The clone met her gaze, already understanding the plan. Kimiko pulled a paper bomb from her pouch and pressed it firmly onto the clone's shoulder.

“Chase that girl away,” Kimiko instructed, her eyes darting toward Kin. “Detonate it when you’re close enough.”

The water clone grinned with a sharp nod and blurred forward, its steps kicking up splashes as it dashed toward Kin. The distance closed rapidly, and Kin’s eyes widened in alarm. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled more senbon toward the oncoming threat, and then another set of senbon using her other hand, effectively sending an endless barrage of needles to keep it away, but the clone swiped them away with a smooth arc of its tanto, sparks flying in midair. Kin's eyes darted toward her teammates, and she made the only logical decision — she jumped back, away from Dosu and Zaku, retreating to put distance between herself and the charging clone.

Perfect. Split them up.

Kimiko exhaled, already calculating her next move. Now, focus on the other two.

But before she could, her eyes caught Zaku turning toward Kin, arms raised, fingers aimed directly at her clone. Oh no you don’t.

Before he could, Kimiko weaved another set of seals.

“Water Style: Searing Torrent!”

Another spiralling water pillar churned beside her, heading towards Zaku, who was forced to abandon the idea of attacking her clone, focusing on destroying her water pillar.

"Decapitating Airwaves!" Zaku roared.

A blast of air and sound exploded from his palms, rushing toward the water pillar from above the tree branch like a honing arrow. The impact shattered the water pillar again, sending even more water on to the ground below.

Time for my next set of plans.

Kimiko's hands blurred into more seals.

"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"

The river below surged as a sphere of water enveloped her, sealing her inside the swirling, liquid cocoon. 

But Kimiko's attention shifted immediately to Dosu. The bandaged figure was sprinting straight toward her, his arm raised, his gauntlet’s resonance already humming. Her heart leapt in her chest. If he strikes me while I’m in water, I’m dead! The sound will travel straight through it!

Her hand slapped against the side of the water sphere. Her fingers carved seals into the air.

"Water Style: Searing Torrent!"

The surface of the sphere trembled, rippling with barely contained force. With a sharp thrust of her fingers, the water broke apart into a swirling torrent of droplets, each one vibrating with lethal precision. The mass of water coiled into a spinning column, then shot forward like a pressurized missile, cutting through the air with a deafening roar.

But Dosu wasn’t caught off guard. His gauntleted arm snapped up with precision, his fingers curling into a deliberate grip. A sharp, resonating hum pulsed from the Echo Speaker, distorting the air around him. The soundwaves rippled outward in a concentrated burst, colliding with the water torrent mid-flight. The collision wasn't subtle — the water blast ruptured into a chaotic spray of mist and droplets, scattering harmlessly in every direction.

However, the attack served its purpose.

It was enough distraction to keep him away from her, as Kimiko was already moving. 

Her feet pushed against the spinning water, and with a twist of chakra, she swam. Move it, move it, move it! She swam forward, using the water prison as a portable shield, gliding through the river like a bullet. Her tanto gleamed in her grip, and her gaze was locked on Zaku, who was about to hit her with another blast.

“Dumbass! Rushing to your death! Decapitating Airwaves!” He roared in glee, palms aimed straight at Kimiko. The now familiar blast of pressurized air tore through space, heading straight towards the water-shielded Kimiko.

The airwave struck her water prison a moment later, but instead of blasting her apart, the impact created a shockwave of ripples across the sphere. The water warped and distorted, but it didn't give in. The pressure was absorbed and dispersed harmlessly around her.

Zaku’s grin vanished.

“What?!” he barked, eyes narrowing in disbelief. His hand were still raised, and he kept sending ineffective blasts against her prison, who remained still and inviolate in its form. For once, worry dawned on the boy’s face.

But as she was closing the distance, a flash of movement caught Kimiko’s eye—Dosu, closing in from her left, his fist already rearing back, ready to slam his gauntlet into her water sphere.

Her fingers flickered into rapid seals.

At the last second, she dropped the hold on her Water Prison. The sphere dissolved in an instant, crashing to the ground in a massive splash.

“Gh!” Dosu grunted, flinching as the cold water soaked him from head to toe, his gauntlet arm raised too late. He staggered, his eyes squinting through the spray.

And then, she finished her hand seals, accentuating it with a stomp on the puddle filled ground.

“Water Style: Thousand Needles of Death!”

The splattered water droplets rose, each one twisting into a pointed shape, their edges sharp like kunai. Hundreds of water senbon hovered for a split second, hanging in the air like a swarm of deadly hornets, surrounding her and Dosu from all sides. 

With a flick of her fingers, she sent them all flying.

The barrage struck half a second after she jumped back to move out of its path. The water needles rained down on Dosu from every angle, cutting off any chance of escape. He raised his gauntlet arm in desperation, but there were too many. A sharp hum echoed from the gauntlet as sound waves emitted from it, bursting some of the needles mid-air. But it wasn’t enough.

“Gh—ack!” Dosu gasped as the first wave of senbon pierced his leg. More followed, slicing into his arms, his back, his shoulder, his ribs. Each one left a thin, bleeding puncture in his flesh. He twisted in pain, his footing unsteady, his eyes wide with shock. Blood splattered to the ground, pooling at his feet.

Bingo.

“Crap!” Zaku cursed from a distance, his arms raised. His eyes flicked to Dosu’s struggling form, clearly weighing his options. His gaze darted from Dosu to Kimiko, indecision flashing across his face. He won’t risk it. Not while Dosu’s in the line of fire.

It was the hesitation she needed.

Now!

Kimiko’s tanto was already in her hand, ribbons of water coiling around the blade like a serpent. She lowered her stance, the muscles in her legs tensing. Her eyes locked on Dosu. His arms were still half-raised, weakened from fending off the water barrage.

She flickered.

One second she was standing still. The next, she was in front of him. Her tanto was already in motion, its arc sharp and swift like a flash of lightning.

“Konoha Style Kenjutsu: Moonlight.”

Her slash came fast, a lateral strike that sang through the air. The water trailing behind her blade formed a shimmering crescent as it blurred through the early morning air. There was a flash of silver and blue as her blade collided with Dosu’s Echo Speaker.

Clang!

Her blade hit resistance. Sparks flew as her tanto met the hard metal of Dosu’s gauntlet.

She gritted her teeth, pouring more chakra into the ribbon of water, letting it pressurize around her blade. Push through! Her muscles strained, her arms trembled—but she didn’t stop. The water ribbon spun faster, intensifying the force.

Crack!

Her tanto broke through. The gauntlet shattered with a sharp snap, broken into jagged metal pieces. Her blade didn’t stop there. It cut through the speaker and bit into Dosu’s forearm, slicing deep into muscle and flesh. Blood sprayed in an arc as she pulled the blade free.

“Ack!” Dosu howled, clutching his bleeding arm, his eyes wild with pain. His breathing was shallow and ragged, his shoulders heaving.

“Zaku, do it!” he barked, his voice panicked and strained. “Hit her! Kill me if you have to—”

Kimiko’s knee struck him in the gut.

Thud!

The impact folded him in half, his breath coming out in a wheezing gasp. He crumpled, his head dipping forward like a marionette with its strings cut.

And then, she saw Zaku raising his arms towards her, emboldened by Dosu’s command to kill her even if it means killing him.

No time to waste.

She kicked Dosu's body with precision, launching him like a human projectile straight toward Zaku. The weight and force of the kick sent Dosu tumbling through the air like a ragdoll, blocking Zaku’s line of sight.

He’ll have to blast through him or dodge.

To her surprise, Zaku didn't attack. Instead, he dropped into a low crouch, letting Dosu's body sail right over his head. Dosu's limp form crashed into the underbrush behind him.

“Heh, nice try, bitch! ” Zaku sneered, eyes wild with adrenaline. Both his arms raised at once, palms facing forward. “EXTREME DECAPITATING AIRWAVES!”

Here it comes!

The twin blasts of compressed air roared from his hands like a thunderclap. Louder than all of his previous blasts The ground shattered beneath the force, grass and dirt erupting in chunks as the shockwave rushed toward her. The blast struck dead-on, blowing her figure apart on impact.

But there was no blood. No body.

Instead, a storm of petals burst into the air, swirling in the gust of his own attack. The red blossoms spun wildly, a fleeting storm of color against the wreckage.

“Heh. I bet I killed— no, wait. A substitution?! ” Zaku hissed, his eyes darting around in panic, heart hammering in his chest. “Where—”

Too late.

A flash of black and crimson blurred behind him.

Her tanto was already raised high.

“Too slow,” she whispered.

Schlk!

Her blade came down like a guillotine, cutting cleanly through flesh, muscle, and bone. His right arm dropped to the ground with a wet thud, fingers twitching briefly in the dirt. Blood sprayed from the stump at his shoulder, a vivid red arc that painted the air like a grotesque brushstroke.

"That’s one," she muttered, her voice as steady as the river’s current. “You owe me that arm for insulting me and threatening to kill us.”

Zaku’s scream was immediate, raw, and piercing. “AAAAGGGHHH!” His voice cracked as he stumbled forward, his eyes wide with pain and disbelief. His breath came in ragged, panicked gasps as he clutched at the bleeding stump with his remaining hand.

“Y-you psycho!” he shrieked, turning to look over his shoulder, eyes wild with terror. Still, he defiantly raised his remaining arm, aimed at her. "I’ll kill you! I’LL KILL YOU—”

His voice broke off.

Kimiko’s eyes flashed.

She didn’t hesitate.

Her tanto came down again. Another clean cut. Another wet thunk as his left arm hit the dirt, severed just as cleanly as the first. Blood poured freely, soaking the ground at his feet.

Zaku's scream reached a pitch of pure agony. His knees buckled, and he collapsed, his body wracked with convulsions. The air was filled with the sound of his ragged, wet gasps, his face contorted in a mix of shock, pain, and rage.

“And that one’s usury,” Kimiko said coldly, flicking the blood from her blade with a single, practiced motion.

For some reason, Kimiko bent over, hurling bile. Fuck. Must be a lingering effect from Dosu’s jutsu. I can’t stop yet. I need to power through it.

As Zaku collapsed, whimpering in agony, Kimiko’s gaze shifted to Kin, who was still preoccupied with the water clone. Dozens of senbon littered the ground around them, glinting in the light. Kimiko watched patiently, waiting for the perfect moment. Kin hadn’t realized it yet. She still thought she had backup.

The clone made a final lunge toward Kin, and Kimiko made a single hand seal.

Boom!

The explosive tag on the clone’s back detonated with a sharp, fiery burst. The explosion wasn’t big enough to consume Kin, but it was more than enough to force her to leap away, arms flailing in midair as she spun for balance.

Right into Kimiko's range.

Three senbon flew, their tips glowing faintly with her chakra coating. The first struck Kin in the forearm, and her arm went slack immediately. The second embedded itself at the joint where her arm met her shoulder, causing it to seize up. The third and final senbon struck the base of her spine, her whole body locking up like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut.

“Gh—ahh!” Kin gasped as she crumpled to the ground, her limbs twitching in place.

With a blur of speed, Kimiko appeared behind Kin, looming over her fallen form. The sharp thud of Kin's body hitting the dirt echoed for a moment. Her eyes darted wildly, unable to move her head. Panic crept into her voice.

"W-what... what did you do?!" Kin hissed, eyes darting toward Kimiko as her breaths grew erratic. "What did you do to my teammates?! What—"

Her words were cut off with a sharp gasp as Kimiko’s foot crashed down on her stomach, forcing the air out of her lungs. Kin wheezed, her eyes bulging from the shock of the blow. Kimiko crouched down, her eyes half-lidded and cold as she grabbed a fistful of Kin's hair, yanking it up.

“Save your breath,” Kimiko said flatly,  “I’m not interested in your complaints.”

Kin struggled, face twisting in pain as she felt her scalp burn from the rough pull. But she had no strength to resist.

Kimiko dragged her like a sack of rice, her heels scraping against the ground. The once-confident smirk on Kin's face had shattered into desperate wheezing. Her body trembled from the nerve strikes, muscles spasming, but it didn’t stop Kimiko from hauling her like deadweight.

One by one, Kimiko gathered them.

Zaku. Armless, blood pooling beneath him as he lay on his side, face contorted in a grimace.

Dosu. Wounded, his arm maimed and limp, his gauntlet cracked and useless, slumped like a broken doll.

Kin. Dragged like a stray cat by her hair, cursing and sputtering with every breath.

Kimiko hauled them to the edge of the riverbank. The cool breeze from the water sent ripples through the surface, but her eyes remained still and fixed on them.

With a grunt, she tossed Kin down next to Dosu and Zaku, letting her crumple like a broken toy. The three Sound-nin sat side by side on the riverbed, battered, bruised, and utterly at her mercy. Their gazes darted between each other, silently calculating their odds, but the look on Kimiko’s face told them everything they needed to know.

They’d already lost.

"Alright," Kimiko said, her voice calm but ironclad. Her gaze swept over them, “Here’s the deal. I told you that your lives were forfeit, and I meant it. But I’m extending you the courtesy of mercy.”

Zaku snarled, his face drenched in sweat and blood. His mouth twisted in a sneer. Judging by how he looked, he was starting to go into shock from losing so much blood.  “Mercy?! After you took my fucking arms?!”

Kimiko’s eyes didn’t even flicker, her gaze colder than ice. Her tone was laced with imperious disdain, "Mercy isn’t kindness. It’s the absence of worse options." Her eyes narrowed. "Besides, you would have done worse to me. Don’t blame me for your suffering. You chose this fight, not me. It’s not my fault you were weak and ill-prepared.”

Her words cut deeper than any blade. Zaku’s snarl twisted into something uglier — fear, shame, and frustration all warring for dominance on his paling face.

“First,” Kimiko continued, her voice crisp with authority. “Everything in your possession is now mine. Kunai, shurikens, paper bombs, and most importantly—” Her eyes flicked toward his pouch, her gaze sharp as a hawk. “Your Earth Scroll.”

Her eyes shifted between them, watching for any sign of resistance. None came. Not from Zaku. Not from Dosu. Not even from Kin, whose eyes burned with quiet hate but lacked the strength to act on it. Dosu quietly reached into his pouch with his good hand, sliding the scroll towards her, which she took and slid into her pocket.

Good. They know.

Kimiko’s eyes briefly flicked to the forest, her mind turning toward the Heaven Scroll she’d hidden earlier, the one she’d stashed before the fight with Orochimaru. She made a mental note to retrieve it once she was done here, before returning to the task at hand.

Her eyes scanned their faces. Her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her tanto. “Secondly. Here’s how this will work. I ask the questions. You give me the answers. That’s it. The only words I want to hear from you are answers. Anything else…” 

She let the silence stretch, glancing down at Zaku’s bloody stumps. “Well, you already know how that goes.” She almost regretted having to do this. But honestly? Shinobi couldn’t afford to show mercy. Especially when presented with a golden opportunity to save even more lives. 

Kin, however, spat at her foot.

“Bite me, you little—”

Smack!

Kin's head snapped to the side with the sharp crack of a backhanded slap. Her cheek flushed a deep red, and for a brief second, she froze in place, stunned. Kimiko's fingers didn’t linger. They shot back into Kin’s hair, twisting the strands around her fingers in a painful grip.

“Still talking, huh?” Kimiko muttered, leaning in close. Her face hovered just inches from Kin’s. "You should've listened."

Before Kin could even process what was happening, Kimiko yanked her forward and drove her face-first into the river.

Splash!

Zaku’s eyes widened as he watched his teammate struggle. “Let her go! Let her go you psy—”

Kimiko didn't even look at him. Her gaze remained locked on the rippling surface of the river. Unbothered. Unmoved.

“Or what?” she said quietly. Her fingers didn’t so much as twitch, still firmly pressed into Kin’s head, holding it under the water like she was dunking a broken tool. "What are you going to do, Zaku?” she asked again, voice low but deadly clear. “With what hands? With what power? Weak people like you don’t make demands.”

Zaku’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

“You want to blame me for this?” she continued, her eyes still on the water. “No. This is your fault. Your failure. You were supposed to protect her, weren’t you? But you didn’t. Because you’re weak. Too weak to stop me. Too weak to save anyone.”

Her words struck deeper than any blade.

Zaku’s eyes flickered, his face contorting between rage, frustration, and something far more hollow. His gaze fell away, and his teeth ground together in helpless silence. The heat of his anger cooled into the ache of shame. He couldn't look at her anymore. Not while his teammate's bubbles slowed to smaller, weaker bursts.

Her eyes glanced toward him, watching him out of the corner of her eye. “Pathetic,” she muttered, as if the word itself tasted bitter. She gave Kin one last second beneath the water, ensuring she’d feel the burn in her chest, before yanking her head out of the river with a wet gasp.

Kin's coughing fit was loud and ugly, every breath like daggers in her lungs. She heaved, trembling, trying to drag air back into her body.

Kimiko pulled her hair back, exposing her drenched face, and she, again, struck Kin across the face with the back of her hand, as if to knock her back to reality, before letting go of her hair.

“Let’s try this again. I’ll ask. You answer.”

Kin coughed again, hair plastered to her face in wet strands, her body trembling from both cold and terror. Her eyes darted toward Zaku and Dosu, searching for support, but neither of them spoke. Zaku’s face was contorted in silent rage, his teeth bared, but his gaze flicked to her tanto for half a second. Dosu just lowered his head, staring into the water. No one was coming to help.

“…Y-you…” Kin’s voice was hoarse, rasping like sandpaper. “You… crazy…bitch…”

Kimiko sighed, glancing down at the river again.

“No—!” Kin wheezed, flinching. Her breathing turned frantic as her body tensed. “W-wait! Wait! I’ll talk, I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”

"Good," Kimiko said calmly, as if she’d been expecting it. Without hesitation, she reached down and grabbed Zaku by the head, her fingers digging into his scalp. He barely had a moment to react before she shoved his face into the cold river with a heavy splash. His muffled, thrashing screams echoed through the water.

"Start talking." Her voice was soft, almost gentle, her gaze unbothered she fixed them on Kin. "Tell me everything you know about Orochimaru and Otogakure. Every detail." She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing to slits. "But most of all..."  The thought of hurting Orochimaru churned in her stomach, destroy what regret she had left from torturing these ninjas.

"Tell me everything about Orochimaru’s plan to invade Konoha." Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, like poison on the wind. "And tell me what you know about Kabuto Yakushi's role as a spy for Orochimaru."

Kin’s breath hitched, her face frozen in shock. Her gaze darted left and right, looking for an escape that didn’t exist. "W-what?!" she stammered, her voice rising with disbelief. "We don’t know anything ab—"

Her words were cut off by a sudden splash .

Kimiko's hand shot out like a viper, gripping Dosu’s head with a vice-like grip. Before he could react, she buried his face in the river, his muffled grunts and bubbles rising to the surface. Water splashed violently as he thrashed, his arms swinging wildly. She didn’t even blink.

"Lie to me again, and I kill one of them." Her voice was void of emotion, each word stated with absolute certainty, like she was discussing the weather. Her grip on their heads didn’t waver as she held them underwater, her eyes still locked on Kin. "Talk."

Kin's breathing became erratic, her whole body twitching with barely restrained panic. Her hands twitched as if she were ready to lunge forward — but she couldn’t. Not when she was paralyzed like this. Her face twisted with helplessness as her eyes locked on Dosu, his struggling growing weaker as bubbles gurgled up from below.

"We don’t know anything! I swear!" she cried, her voice cracking. "We just got sent here to kill Sasuke Uchiha! That’s it! Nothing else! Please! Please, let them go! We don’t know anything about the invasion or this Kabuto guy! I swear! I swear!"

Kimiko’s gaze didn’t shift for a moment. Her eyes bore into Kin’s trembling form, her face as blank and unmoved as stone. After a long, tense moment, she sighed quietly, like a mother disappointed with a misbehaving child.

Her fingers finally loosened.

With one smooth motion, she pulled Zaku and Dosu’s heads out of the water. Both of them gasped, coughing and sputtering, their lungs heaving as they fought for air. Water dripped down their faces, their gasps loud and choked with desperation.

Kimiko’s eyes shifted back to Kin. "Alright," she muttered softly, "Your turn, Dosu." Her gaze flicked to him, "Answer correctly, and I might even bind Zaku’s wounds for you."

Zaku’s head jerked toward her, his eyes wild and bloodshot. "What—" he began, but his voice cut off into a gurgle as Kimiko's hand darted out once more.

Without hesitation, she grabbed both Kin and Zaku by their hair, yanking them forward with brutal efficiency. Their heads plunged into the river with a pair of dull splashes. This time, she held them longer, not even looking at them. Her eyes were on Dosu now, calm and expectant, like a queen awaiting tribute.

"Start talking, Dosu," she said softly, ""Zaku doesn’t have much time left—"

Her words cut off.

Dosu’s scream tore through the air like a wild animal caught in a trap. Kimiko’s head snapped to him, eyes narrowing with confusion. She would’ve ignored it — but something was wrong .

Her gaze fell to Dosu’s arm.

The wound. The gash she carved into his arm.

The flesh around it had begun to blacken, angry red veins crawling like roots from the gash. The veins pulsed like they were alive, writhing just beneath his skin. The skin around it charred, blistering with black lesions. Dosu thrashed on the ground, his good hand clawing at the festering wound, raking his nails against his skin like he could tear the pain out.

“AAAAAAH! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!” Dosu's howl was raw and guttural, the voice of someone whose nerves were on fire.

Kimiko’s heart skipped. “What…?” she muttered, her eyes widening. She barely noticed her own grip loosening as she dropped Kin and Zaku back into the river. They shot up instantly, gasping for air — only to join Dosu’s wailing chorus.

"AAAAAAGH! K-KILL ME! KILL ME!" Zaku’s ragged scream echoed louder than the rushing river. He fell forward, writhing in the dirt, his whole body convulsing like it was being shocked by unseen lightning. The stumps of his arms, still raw from being severed, now had angry red veins spreading out like a spiderweb from the wounds. His eyes rolled back, his teeth clenched so hard that blood trickled from his gums.

Kin’s breathing turned frantic. "Wh-what's happening?! What did you do to us?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO US?!" Her voice hit a pitch so high it almost cracked. Her pupils were blown wide, her head whipping around like a trapped animal, frantically searching for help that wouldn’t come. Her body jerked as she tried to move, only to gasp in pain as she collapsed again. The place where Kimiko’s senbon had struck her shoulder now pulsed with the same fiery red veins, spreading like wildfire down her arm, up her neck, and across her chest. Her whole body shook uncontrollably. "MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP!"

Kimiko's eyes darted from Kin to Zaku to Dosu. Her breath grew shallow, her heart picking up speed. Her pulse thumped in her ears.

This wasn’t right.

Her mind reeled as she tried to piece it together. Her brows knitted, her gaze snapping to her hands. “I didn’t… poison them. I didn’t coat the senbon, and I didn’t…” She trailed off, her lips parting as realization began to dawn.

The smell.

The sharp, putrid stench hit her like a physical blow. It was subtle at first, but now it was suffocating. The smell of rotting flesh. Like meat left to rot in the sun. No. Not just rot. It was worse. The stench of something dying from the inside out.

Her pupils shrank. “No…”

Her eyes snapped to Dosu, whose scream was starting to fade, his voice hoarse and cracking as the veins crawled up his face, his eyes bloodshot and wide. His fingers tore at his own skin, clawing like an animal caught in a snare.

“PLEASE… JUST KILL ME… KILL ME…” His voice shook, broken with sobs, his face drenched in sweat and snot. “JUST KILL ME! PLEASE!”

The smell of rot grew stronger. Kimiko’s nostrils flared as bile churned in her stomach. She stumbled back, her hands shaking as she stared at her fingers. Her breath hitched. Her hands… They were clean . No blood. No poison. No traces of venom.

Orochimaru’s voice echoed in her mind.

"Your poison was incomplete. It wasn’t stable enough. You were missing something. Shall I show you?"

Her breath caught. Her heart thudded in her chest, louder than the sound of the river.

Her gaze dropped to her tanto. Slowly, with trembling fingers, she gripped the hilt and pulled it free. Her breath was shallow, her eyes locked on the blade. She focused, sending chakra through it, like she’d done a hundred times before. The soft hum of energy coursed through the blade.

But it didn’t glow blue.

It glowed red .

A deep, viscous scarlet. The color of old blood. It shimmered like embers in the dim light, flickering like a dying fire. Her breath hitched, her heart beating faster. The glow wasn’t clean. It flickered in and out, unstable, like it was struggling to stay lit. Her chest tightened as she stared at the unnatural glow.

Her grip on the blade tightened. Her breathing was shallow, slow.

“No… no, no, no, no—” Her words came faster now, each one more panicked than the last. She felt a pulse at the base of her neck. A slow, burning pulse that beat in time with her heart. Her hand twitched, fingers numb, her breath shallow.

"...Shit." Her voice came out as a whisper, more a confession than a curse.

Her gaze turned to Zaku, Kin, and Dosu.

They were still writhing, clawing at themselves like insects trying to rip off their own exoskeletons. Kin’s eyes locked onto hers, filled with pain, rage, and terror all at once.

“YOU—” Kin gasped, her breath ragged, her voice hoarse and barely human. “YOU… WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! WHAT DID YOU DO?! AAAAAAH—!!” Her scream turned into a raw, gurgling wail as her head thrashed back, slamming into the ground as the red veins finally reached her face.

Kimiko's stomach churned. Her heart felt like it was hammering against her ribs, each thud reverberating through her entire body. Her breathing picked up.

This wasn’t poison. It wasn’t the poison she had crafted.

Her eyes flicked to her tanto again.

Red.

It was red now. She hadn’t noticed it before. She hadn’t noticed it in the heat of battle. Her chakra had never looked like that before.

But now it did.

Orochimaru’s words echoed once more.

"Shall I show you?"

She looked at her hands again, fingers trembling slightly. She thought back to the moment she woke up. The gunk. The viscous, black sludge that had surrounded her body like a cocoon. Like something had been purged from her.

Her eyes darted to her tanto, the blade faintly glowing scarlet in her hands.

Her breath came in short, uneven gasps, the sound too loud in the quiet aftermath. Her chest heaved, not from exhaustion, but from something deeper. Her fingers twitched around the hilt, her pulse thudding in her ears.

Her stomach churned. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t anger.

It was something worse.

Her eyes flicked back to Zaku. His convulsions had slowed, his limbs seizing in uneven, jerky twitches before his head lolled to the side, neck slack. His eyes stared at nothing, unseeing.

Dead.

Her gaze shifted to Kin. Her body spasmed violently, gasping with shallow, ragged breaths. Her fingers clawed weakly at the dirt, nails dragging lines through the mud. Her body shook one last time before her head tilted at an unnatural angle, her eyes half-lidded. Her chest didn’t rise.

Dead.

Her gaze lingered on Dosu. His breaths were shallow, his chest rising and falling with slow, agonizing effort. His wounded arm oozed more than blood now — a rotting black fluid trickled down his fingers, his flesh crackling like burned paper.

Not dead yet. But soon.

Her heart pounded.

Her eyes darted down to her hands, to the scarlet glow of her tanto. She could feel it now. A pulse. A heat. Her fingers twitched as if something inside her wanted to move them for her. It felt wrong. The red glow shimmered like burning coals, dimming and brightening in rhythm with her heartbeat.

Her breath hitched.

“...Shit.”

The word barely escaped her lips, quiet, barely more than a whisper. But it echoed louder than any scream.

The world felt too quiet.

And then she sensed it.

Her gaze snapped to the treeline. Three familiar chakras.

Her heart plummeted.

Slowly, she turned.

There, standing just beyond the clearing, she saw them.

Ino stood frozen, her hands clasped over her mouth, her eyes wide with unspoken horror as she stared at the scene. Her gaze flickered between the two bodies on the ground, her trembling hand half-raised as if she wanted to reach out but couldn’t.

Beside her, Shikamaru’s eyes were sharp with focus, but his face was pale. His eyes flicked toward Kimiko, his brows furrowed like he was trying to understand something, but all he could feel was unease. Caution. Fear. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. He just… watched her.

Choji, however, had his fists clenched. His eyes darted from Zaku’s lifeless body to Kin’s twisted corpse. His lips parted like he was about to say something, but no words came out. Instead, he just took a step back.

Kimiko’s lips twitched. Her breath stilled in her chest.

They saw.

“...Kimiko,” Ino muttered, her voice cracking as she lowered her hands. “W-What did you do to them…?”

Her voice wasn’t loud. It wasn’t an accusation. It wasn’t even a question. It was the broken confusion of someone seeing something they didn’t want to believe. Her face twisted in disbelief, tears threatening to well in the corners of her eyes.

Kimiko opened her mouth. No words came out.

And it seemed fate wasn’t done with her yet.

Her senses flared, catching three more chakras from the opposite side of the clearing.

She turned her head slowly.

On the upper branches, Rock Lee stood like a statue, his arms lowered, his lips pressed together in a tense, thin line. His normally energetic face was still. Too still. His eyes locked onto her like he’d seen something he didn’t know how to process. Or something he didn’t want to accept.

On a higher branch, Neji’s white, pupil-less eyes gazed down at her, unblinking, his face impassive, but his Byakugan was active. Which meant he saw everything. His eyes drifted toward the rot on Dosu’s arm, the corpse of Kin, the blood dripping from Zaku's stumps, and then finally to Kimiko’s scarlet-glowing tanto. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in analysis, but he said nothing.

Tenten stood beside him, her hand half-raised to her weapon pouch. Her eyes were wide, staring at Kimiko with the same look Ino had. Fear. Disbelief. Horror. Her fingers twitched but didn’t reach for her weapons.

They all saw.

Her fingers curled tighter around her tanto. Her gaze dropped to the ground.

What was she supposed to say?

What could she say?

Her throat felt dry. Her lips parted, but no words came. Her eyes stayed on the ground. Don't look at them. Don’t see their faces. Don’t look at their eyes.

But then she felt it.

That same foul chakra.

Her body tensed. It was like Orochimaru’s presence had returned, but it wasn’t his chakra. It was something familiar but wrong. Her head snapped to the side, and her eyes locked on him.

Sasuke.

He stood at the base of a tree, his breathing heavy but steady. Awake. The cursed mark crawled across his body like veins of ink, spiraling down his arm, around his neck, and up his cheek. His eyes glowed with something foreign. Purple chakra flickered around his form, distorted, corrupted.

His eyes shifted to her. Slowly, curiously, like he wasn’t quite sure if he knew her anymore. His gaze flicked between her glowing tanto, the rotting corpses, and the black rot crawling from Dosu's arm.

“...Kimiko,” he muttered slowly, his voice low, but not like his usual voice. His brows furrowed, and his eyes narrowed with something… unfamiliar. His voice was rougher. Curious. Tainted.

His gaze flicked to the dead bodies.

His eyes narrowed.

“What’s… this?”

His gaze lingered on Zaku’s corpse, then shifted to Kin's motionless body, her eyes half-closed in death. Then his eyes finally landed on Kimiko herself, standing there, tanto in hand, her fingers tight around its hilt, her lips pressed into a thin line.

His eyes met hers.

Her heart stopped.

She knew what he saw.

He didn’t see his teammate. He didn’t see Kimiko.

He saw the same thing Neji, Lee, Tenten, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji all saw.

A monster.

Her breath caught in her throat, sharp and shallow, like she'd inhaled glass shards. I did this. The thought came unbidden, sharp and cutting. I did this. They saw me. They saw everything.

And Sasuke's eyes…

They were different.

Hungry.