Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 343 Cultivation

Cultivation is something that cannot be neglected or taken lightly; it requires perseverance. So, regardless of wind, sun, rain, or snow, that figure with a touch of red amidst the white would always appear at the training ground tailor-made for him.

"Still training?" A doctor and assistant wearing round-framed glasses appeared in the exceptionally rugged valley. He was wrapped in a rather thick cloak, but still kept rubbing his hands and breathing on them to keep warm. "Don't you feel cold, Sasuke-kun?"

His response was a massive tongue of fire that grazed the mountainside where he was standing and shot straight into the sky. The extremely high temperature melted the snow and evaporated a large cloud of water vapor.

After spending these past few years together, Kabuto had pretty much figured out Sasuke's personality. This kid's mood was basically tied to a specific person, while his anger was unpredictable and could strike at any moment. Around certain dates, Sasuke would always become exceptionally irritable, and the slightest provocation would force him to become a sparring partner. But once those dates actually arrived, this kid would either stay indoors or take on a mission and run away, returning always unusually... refreshed?

He's said to be straightforward, yet he's so quiet that others have to guess what he's thinking. He's said to be gloomy and unpredictable, yet he's also as easy to please as a child; anyone who can read subtle expressions can understand him completely.

Sasuke has been quite irritable lately. Instead of staying in his room on the last day of the new year, he went to train in a remote mountain valley. Kabuto didn't want to get involved, but... Lord Orochimaru had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare an exceptionally lavish New Year's Eve dinner, even the imprisoned test subjects got a share, which was really unusual. There was no custom of eating together in the base; everyone ate their own food. He glanced at the menu and noticed that the dishes in Sasuke's room were unusually plentiful; one person couldn't possibly finish it all.

“That child left early this morning and may not be back on time tonight. Go and tell him to make sure he comes back before eight o’clock.”

Even after studying under Orochimaru for so long, and even though the master's health was deteriorating and he was becoming more and more reliant on Orochimaru's medical ninjutsu, he still couldn't understand the master's thoughts.

The order had to be carried out, so he came despite his reluctance. The moment the fog hit his face, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and his heart skip a beat. He immediately dodged away from his spot.

Sure enough, a beam shot out from beneath the thick fog and sliced ​​the spot where he had just been standing in two.

The wind was strong through the valley, and the fog dissipated quickly. Only then did the familiar figure leisurely leap out of the valley and land in front of Dou, who was on alert.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke slowly sheathed his sword, not realizing how dangerous his actions had been. He knew Kabuto could easily dodge it.

With that fake smile on his face, Kabuto uttered an unbelievable statement: "Lord Orochimaru is calling you back for dinner."

"?" A hint of liveliness flickered across that indifferent face, and he raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing a barely perceptible expression of doubt.

Kabuto spread his hands and said helplessly, "Alright, Lord Orochimaru didn't say that, but that's roughly the meaning. He wants you to be back before eight o'clock."

The cool guy finally frowned. "Go back and report?"

"Go back to your room."

This barely calmed Sasuke's anger. Orochimaru occasionally had these kinds of tantrums, but as long as they didn't affect his plans, he could tolerate them.

Sasuke always understood why Orochimaru was investing so much resources in him—wasn't it simply because he coveted this body? The stronger he became, the more excited Orochimaru was. But Orochimaru seemed to have forgotten something important: when the body became stronger than his increasingly weakened self, it was uncertain who would ultimately devour whom.

"I understand." Sasuke turned around, not taking the instruction seriously. The bright red fan pattern on his back stood out against the silvery white background, like a drop of blood or a cluster of fire. He leaped and landed in the valley again, creating a loud crash shortly afterward.

So why make him suffer this pain?

He muttered to himself, rubbing his hands as he walked away. It wasn't that he didn't want to move around to warm up, but the cold wind this year was so sharp, it felt like knives on his face, making it impossible to run.

The training continued, with figures moving so fast that they were impossible for ordinary people to catch as they darted among the rocks, leaving deep black marks in their wake.

"As expected, I still can't control it as freely as that idiot." After almost crossing the entire valley, Sasuke finally stopped to examine his masterpiece.

With Naruto around, a guy who always manages to amaze everyone, Sasuke unconsciously started researching ways to use chakra without hand seals. Unfortunately, no matter how he tried, he could only convert a small amount of chakra, making it practically useless. After many attempts, he suddenly remembered that his blade could store a little chakra, so he thought of first channeling lightning chakra into the Kusanagi sword, and then using fire chakra as an aid.

On his first attempt, he nearly got hit in the face by the sword. No fusion version of the Lightning and Fire attributes had ever been created in the ninja world; their compatibility was simply too poor, and even slight contact would cause an explosion. The power of this explosion was decent, but it was too difficult to control and therefore impractical.

So he temporarily put that direction aside and began studying the various high-level Fire and Lightning Release techniques Naruto had given him. Then, one rainy day, while using two techniques simultaneously, he discovered that Lightning Release within the mist was more powerful and had a greater range than usual. He remembered a bloodline limit called Storm Release, and the power of water and lightning fusion was indeed not to be underestimated. Unfortunately, he possessed the Sharingan, which couldn't assist him in controlling chakra.

This technique, like his Qilin, relies heavily on weather conditions and is clearly unsuitable for combat. He should definitely work on a more powerful fusion of fire and lightning to catch his opponent off guard.

Winter nights fall exceptionally quickly, and before long, it was pitch black. The Uchiha clan's biggest flaw was their excessive reliance on their eyes. Sasuke usually wouldn't miss this opportunity, deliberately training his ability to move in the dark. But today was different. He felt tense and somewhat frustrated. What was the point of spending so long outside the base, relying on fire-style chakra to withstand the winter's chill?

Has he forgotten again?

Sasuke looked at the completely dark sky, then at the brightly lit village in the distance, and finally sheathed his sword and headed home.