In the Forest of Death, Kabuto Yakushi left his two teammates behind and circled the woods several times.
After confirming that no one was following him, he carefully pulled apart the trunk of a large tree, revealing a dark tree hollow.
"Lord Orochimaru!!"
When he saw the weak figure lying inside, Kabuto's face immediately changed.
"Didn't you go to find Sasuke? How did you end up this badly injured?" He quickly checked Orochimaru's body and used the Mystical Palm Healing Jutsu to treat him.
Fortunately, the wounds were only physical injuries and could be healed.
Orochimaru coughed and laughed hoarsely. "With your intelligence, I don't believe you can't guess who did this to me."
Kabuto stayed quiet. He knew Orochimaru was right—forcing an answer wouldn't change anything.
But he also knew what had happened. He had been in the area when Orochimaru went after Sasuke.
That scream when Orochimaru was knocked flying had echoed across the whole forest.
"I just can't believe Lady Tsunade could beat you like this," Kabuto admitted, still puzzled.
Wasn't Tsunade supposed to be just a medical ninja?
"Don't underestimate her," Orochimaru replied with a smile.
"She's one of the Sannin, equal to me. But yes… her strength has grown several times stronger than before. That monstrous power was already overwhelming. Now? Even I find it terrifying. If it were you, Kabuto, you wouldn't survive even half a punch."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, unfazed. "I don't have your physique, Lord Orochimaru. Fighting has never been my specialty."
"And that's exactly why I value you," Orochimaru said, standing and stretching his battered body.
He patted Kabuto's shoulder. "Knowing your own limits and understanding your strengths is a rare talent. And things beyond your ability can be supplemented by external means. That will be our next area of research."
"So… you truly need Sasuke, then?" Kabuto asked cautiously.
Orochimaru chuckled. "The Uchiha are the most unique existence in this world. I want to uncover the ultimate power hidden within them. To do that, I need Sasuke. Kabuto… you won't betray me, will you?"
Kabuto didn't answer right away, his eyes narrowing as though weighing the deeper meaning behind the question.
"Hehehe…" Orochimaru sneered and stepped out of the hollow. "I've already instructed Tayuya, Kidomaru, and the others to test Sasuke. But first, I need to complete my mission."
Kabuto's expression hardened. "You're still going after Sasuke?"
"Earlier, Itsuki stopped me before I could place the Cursed Seal of Heaven on Sasuke. And then Tsunade nearly beat me to death." Orochimaru smiled darkly, as if recounting someone else's suffering.
"But they'll never expect me to come back. This time, there won't be any resistance."
On the surface, Orochimaru had been nearly killed by Tsunade. Anyone else would assume he had fled.
Who would believe he would return to the Forest of Death, openly hunting Sasuke again?
"Itsuki…" Kabuto muttered, his mind flashing to the boy's figure.
Out of the more than two hundred candidates taking the Chunin Exam, Kabuto prided himself on knowing the details of nearly everyone.
Only Gaara had been an exception worth watching—until Itsuki.
Kabuto had crossed paths with Itsuki briefly during the written test. Even then, he couldn't read the boy's mind.
His instincts told him that while he was trying to understand Itsuki, Itsuki had already seen straight through him.
This person… was dangerous.
And now the truth was clear.
Itsuki wasn't just dangerous—he was terrifying. A Genin capable of pushing Orochimaru back.
Konoha had produced a monster.
"Wow, Itsuki, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"
As soon as Itsuki returned with Karin, Ino ran up dramatically.
But before she could get close, Karin stepped forward, blocking her path.
"Karin, what are you doing?" Ino frowned. "Do you still want to monopolize Itsuki? Don't forget our agreement!"
Everyone in the harem chat group had made a pact—no one was allowed to hoard Itsuki all to themselves.
Even Tsunade respected this rule.
But Karin shook her head firmly. "I won't let you treat Itsuki as some tool. If he takes your feelings seriously and you regret it later, it'll hurt him. I won't allow that."
"I… I didn't mean it like that!" Ino protested. "I told you, Itsuki is my idol now!"
"You can't fool me." Karin's voice was resolute.
Her Uzumaki bloodline gave her a unique perception.
She might not know the exact thoughts in Ino's heart, but she knew her intentions weren't as innocent as she claimed.
Normal closeness would've been fine. But Ino's over-the-top behavior? That needed to be stopped.
"Tch… fine, fine! You win!" Ino huffed, stepping back with a pout.
"Itsuki!"
Yakumo had already slipped around the two girls, hugging Itsuki's arm naturally.
Itsuki gently brushed her hair aside and said, "You've worked hard."
While he was away, Yakumo had already set up a fire and started roasting two rabbits.
Shikamaru and Choji weren't around, but Itsuki sensed their chakra near the river—they were gathering more ingredients.
"It's no big deal," Yakumo said with a smile. "But… do you want me to roast that big bear behind you too? The grill's too small for it, though. We'd need a new one."
"Big bear… bear paws… I want to eat bear paws…" Choji's eyes lit up as he and Shikamaru returned, staring hungrily at the massive brown bear.
"Woo…" The bear shrank back nervously, eyes full of fear.
"Hey! Don't touch my Bear!" Karin jumped in front of the bear, spreading her arms like a child guarding her pet.
She'd grown attached to the creature during the ride back.
"Leave it," Itsuki said with a small smile. "This is our temporary mount. We'll need it to get through the Forest of Death. Besides, I've already gathered plenty of food."
From the bear's back, Itsuki pulled down a haul of wild delicacies—including a whole boar.
With all that, even Choji's appetite would be satisfied.
The group quickly got busy, preparing the food together.
But just as the meal was nearly ready, laughter suddenly echoed from the surrounding woods.
"What a bunch of rookies! Starting a fire in the Forest of Death like this… do you have a death wish?"
"We've been waiting forever! Finally, the food's ready!"
"We're lucky someone cooked for us. We'll just take it all."
The voices came one after another, mocking and confident. Clearly, a group had been lurking nearby, waiting for their chance.
But Itsuki's team didn't react.
They continued calmly dividing up the food.
Choji handed some to Shikamaru and stuffed the rest into his own mouth.
As for Itsuki, he didn't lift a finger—three girls hovered around him, serving him directly.
If it weren't for Karin's watchful glare, Ino might have even tried to feed Itsuki herself.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Konoha Harem Chat Group: I Can Fabricate the Future (Completed) is now on Patreon!
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1.Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
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4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
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