Naruto: Eating Kaido's Azure Dragon Devil Fruit-Chapter 347: The Corpse Bone Pulse and Kimimaro
In the Land of Water, near Kirigakure.
Sora stood on a high point, gazing into the distance at a clan compound shrouded in thick fog.
That was the Kaguya clan’s stronghold.
His objective was very clear—Kaguya Kimimaro.
The genius boy who, in the original story, possessed the strongest Corpse Bone Pulse but died young due to a bloodline limit illness.
’Going by the timeline, Kimimaro should only be four or five years old now, already imprisoned by his clansmen as a weapon.’
Sora thought to himself.
He needed people, subordinates with absolute loyalty and immense potential.
Young, lacking love and affection, and treated as a tool by his clan, Kimimaro was undoubtedly one of the best candidates.
With the right approach, it would be easy to earn his unwavering loyalty unto death.
Sora didn’t approach the Kaguya clan grounds rashly.
Members of this clan were neurotic and xenophobic; barging in directly would only alert the enemy.
He retreated to a small town ten miles away, found an inconspicuous restaurant to sit down in, and ordered some food. Appearing to rest, he was actually subtly releasing his unique perceptive ability.
Strong presences, violent ones, weak ones, deathly still ones...
However, after scanning repeatedly, he still couldn’t find the aura he was looking for.
’So he really is locked away in some place that blocks perception, huh?’
Sora wasn’t surprised.
Recalling the original story, Kimimaro had been locked in a cage by his clan since childhood. It was only after the Kaguya clan failed in their coup and was annihilated that he was able to leave.
Since he couldn’t sense him, he’d use the most straightforward method.
Stake him out!
With a thought, Sora issued an order to the Ryūchi Cave snake swarm lurking nearby.
Soon, countless small snakes of various colors silently slithered into the Kaguya clan’s territory.
Whenever a Kaguya clansman with decent strength left the compound, a small snake would follow, monitoring their every move, especially any behavior that led them to remote, hidden places.
Sora remained at the restaurant, dividing his attention between controlling the snake swarm and honing his clone.
Days passed one by one.
Every day or two, Sora would change his appearance and hiding spot to avoid attracting attention.
Fortunately, the chaos in Kirigakure worked greatly to his advantage. Here, unfamiliar faces were constant—missing-nin, rogue ninja, spies...
No one would pay much attention to an apparently ordinary passerby.
One evening, a week later.
A small black snake tasked with monitoring the Kaguya Clan Leader relayed information.
It had followed the hot-tempered clan leader to a cave on a small island in the Land of Water.
The cave entrance was sealed by a large boulder, and a simple warning barrier was set up around it. The clan leader lingered at the entrance for a moment, seeming to confirm something, then left.
However, the small snake’s keen perception detected a faint life force emanating from deep within the cave, one with a unique feeling of boniness to it.
’Found him!’
A sharp glint flashed in Sora’s eyes.
...
Late at night, under a dark and windy sky.
Sora, having reverted to his White Tiger outfit, quickly arrived near the cave on the small island.
Two Kaguya chūnin guarded the entrance. Their strength was average, but their expressions were vigilant, carrying that unique manic energy characteristic of the Kaguya clan.
The aura coming from inside the cave, though faint, carried an indescribable purity and sharpness.
’No doubt about it, that’s Kimimaro.’
Having confirmed his target, Sora formed hand seals and muttered lowly:
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
Pfft! Pfft!
Two highly compressed air projectiles shot out, striking the backs of the two guards with precision.
Without even a grunt, the two collapsed limply to the ground.
Sora’s figure flickered, appearing at the cave entrance.
He checked the barrier, finding it was only the most basic warning type, crudely made.
With a few casual hand seals, he dispelled the barrier and then pushed hard, moving the boulder blocking the entrance.
Moments later, Sora saw a small, frail figure curled up on a pile of straw in the corner.
It was a child who looked only four or five years old, with short white hair, green eyes, and skin deathly pale.
Heavy shackles were fastened around his wrists and ankles, the edges stained with traces of blood.
Most striking of all were the several sharp, white bones scattered on the ground beside him.
Hearing the noise, Kimimaro looked up towards the cave entrance.
His eyes were hollow, numb, utterly devoid of spirit, as if he held no hope for anything anymore.
Sora walked over to him and crouched down.
Kimimaro stared at this suddenly appearing, masked person. A flicker of instinctive vigilance showed in his eyes, but there was more confusion than anything else.
"Who are you?" His voice was utterly lifeless.
"I’m here to take you away from this place."
"Away?"
A slight ripple passed through Kimimaro’s eyes, but it quickly dimmed again. "My clan says... I’m a weapon. Weapons don’t need to leave."
"A weapon?"
Sora let out a disdainful snort. "That’s just their stupidity, their inability to see your true value."
He reached out, a faint azure light gathering at his fingertip. With a light flick.
"Clang! Clang!"
The sturdy shackles snapped apart cleanly.
Kimimaro stared in surprise at his now-free wrists and ankles, then looked back at Sora.
"You... why are you saving me?"
"I’m not saving you."
Sora looked into his hollow eyes and spoke slowly. "I’m giving you a chance. A chance to find the meaning of your own life."
"The meaning... of life?"
"Exactly."
"Living isn’t about becoming someone else’s weapon, nor is it about meaningless fighting and dying."
"Every person born into this world has their own unique, irreplaceable meaning."
"Your meaning isn’t found in being imprisoned here, nor in fighting for those who see you only as a tool."
Sora extended his hand, offering it to Kimimaro.
"Come with me. I will give you strength, give you direction. I’ll make you understand why you live, why you fight."
"You will find that existence worth protecting with your very life. That will be your true value, Kaguya Kimimaro."
Kimimaro stared blankly at Sora’s outstretched hand, then looked up at his eyes, hidden behind the mask yet seeming to pierce through to his very soul.
These words stirred layer upon layer of ripples in his deadened heart.
He had always believed he was just a weapon, his purpose simply to be used until he broke and was discarded.
But now, someone was telling him he had a unique meaning.
Someone was willing to take him away from this cold cage.
A warmth he had never felt before quietly sprouted in the depths of his frozen heart.
Trembling, he raised his small hand and placed it in Sora’s large, open palm.
"I... is it really okay for me?"
"Of course."
Sora grasped his chilly little hand and pulled him to his feet. "From today onwards, your life belongs to you. And I will guide you to find the answers."
Feeling the warmth transmitted through the palm, Kimimaro’s hollow eyes held a faint light for the very first time.
He nodded firmly.
"Let’s go."
Sora, holding Kimimaro’s hand, walked out of the cave that had imprisoned him for so long.
Kimimaro couldn’t help but look back once at the dark cave, then resolutely turned his head and followed the mysterious man beside him, stepping into an unknown, yet hopeful, future.
Sora glanced down at the small Kimimaro beside him, a slight smile curling beneath his mask.
The genius of the Corpse Bone Pulse, acquired.
This would become one of the sharpest spears under his command in the future.
