451. Curse Mark Mode

The *Ancor Vantian* aerial fortress, the headquarters of the Land of the Sky, had once made a name for itself during the Second Shinobi World War.

Among the smaller nations, the Land of the Sky was the only one bold enough to declare war on Konoha, the dominant power of the shinobi world at the time.

Of course, their arrogance ultimately cost them dearly.

The aerial fortress, a key weapon of the Land of the Sky, was heavily targeted by Konoha's shinobi during the final battle.

Although it wasn't shot down, it suffered severe damage. After losing a significant number of personnel, it was forced to land in the tropical rainforest north of the Land of Fire, becoming what the villagers now called an "ancient ruin."

Over the years, the surviving Sky Ninja hadn't forgotten their nation's downfall.

Under the leadership of their leader, Shinnō, they had lurked in the shadows, continuously developing technology unique to the Land of the Sky.

Tools like flying ninja gear, kunai guns, and aircraft carriers were all part of their arsenal. Their goal was to wait for the right moment to exact revenge on Konoha.

Unfortunately, unlike in the original timeline, this time, before they could resurface, a Konoha team had already infiltrated their stronghold.

As Kabuto and the others ventured deeper into the fortress, they were greeted by one dark, deep crack after another.

Perhaps to avoid drawing attention, the walls of these passages were covered in moss, and the ceilings were mottled, with large chunks of stone collapsing under the erosion of time. It truly looked like an ancient ruin...

The labyrinthine complexity of these underground passages was baffling.

Fortunately, Kabuto and his team had the internal map provided by Amaru, allowing them to bypass most of the misleading passages and head straight for the core control area.

As they delved deeper, the lifeless ruins finally showed some signs of activity.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A series of rapid footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Kabuto immediately raised his hand, signaling the team. In an instant, everyone vanished into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

Soon, a three-man Sky Ninja patrol team appeared around the corner.

They wore grayish-white Sky Ninja uniforms with deep purple vests over them.

All of them had hoods and masks, with the flying bird forehead protector symbolizing their allegiance to the Land of the Sky.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the Konoha team waited until the patrol team reached the middle of the corridor before launching their attack.

Kimimaro was in charge of this strike.

He descended from the ceiling like a ghost, landing in the middle of the Sky Ninja team.

Before they could react, several pale bone spikes sprouted from Kimimaro's body, piercing through their vital points like swords.

Since Kimimaro targeted their weak spots, the Sky Ninja collapsed without making a sound, their lives extinguished instantly.

To prevent the smell of blood from alerting the enemy, Haku immediately used his Ice Release to freeze the bodies.

Although the ice would melt in an hour or two, that should be enough time for them to accomplish their mission.

"Keep moving," Kabuto waved his hand, and the six of them continued to advance like phantoms.

Over the next while, they eliminated three more patrol teams in the same manner.

It wasn't until they reached the outskirts of the control center that the enemy noticed something was wrong due to the prolonged lack of contact with their patrol teams.

"In that case... Full assault! Take them out as quickly as possible!" Kabuto ordered.

In the next moment, Chino, who had been itching for action, was the first to strike.

She removed the blood gourd from her back, and a torrent of blood gushed out.

"Blood Release: Blood Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The blood coalesced into a roaring dragon in the air, charging forward with ferocious intensity.

"What is this?!"

The Sky Ninja guarding the control center had no time to react before the blood dragon slammed into them.


The blood crystals formed from the attack sliced through their bodies like blades. Four Sky Ninja—dead!

Hearing the commotion, other Sky Ninja rushed over from the other side of the corridor. But what awaited them was a white-haired killing machine.

"I'll handle the enemies outside," Kimimaro said calmly.

He rarely spoke, but whenever he did, there was a sense of reliability that made you want to trust him with your back.

Without hesitation, Kabuto led the rest of the team into the control center.

Meanwhile, Kimimaro unleashed a barrage of bone spikes, turning every inch of his body into a deadly weapon.

"Come on..."

"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!"

---

Upon entering the control center, Kabuto and the others immediately faced a more intense assault.

A large number of Sky Ninja, armed with their newly developed kunai guns, unleashed a barrage of attacks.

Fortunately, Haku quickly erected a thick ice wall using his Ice Release, blocking the onslaught.

Now, it was time for the Konoha team to counterattack.

"I'll cover you, Jūgo," Itachi said calmly. In the next moment, a swarm of crows flew out from around him, enveloping most of the control center.

Under this cover, Jūgo activated his Curse Mark mode.

His body swelled several times in size, and with a powerful burst of chakra from his heels, he shot forward like a cannonball, crashing into the enemy formation.

The violent impact instantly disrupted the Sky Ninja's formation.

Seizing the opportunity, the Konoha team launched their full assault.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Ice Release: Ice Age!"

"Blood Release: Supernova Burst!"

Flames, ice, and a torrent of blood erupted simultaneously. Under this devastating bombardment, the Sky Ninja in the control center quickly crumbled.

Some died, others fled. They posed no threat to the Konoha team.

"Itachi, stay behind to gather intel. The rest of you, go support Kimimaro," Kabuto ordered as the battle concluded.

After all, the largest number of Sky Ninja reinforcements were outside the control center.

But just as he finished speaking, Kimimaro appeared at the entrance.

He no longer looked human, his entire body covered in dark gray skin, with numerous bone spikes making him resemble a monster.

"No need for support. I've taken care of them all," Kimimaro said calmly.

Seeing the strange looks from his teammates, he quickly deactivated his Curse Mark mode and explained, "I got a bit carried away and decided to test the power of this new mode."

After hearing Kimimaro's explanation, Kabuto adjusted his glasses and smiled. "It seems you're quite satisfied with the test results."