**Otogakure (The Village Hidden in Sound).**
"Lord Orochimaru, I've brought him back," Kimimaro said, appearing before Orochimaru with Sasuke in tow.
"Well done," Orochimaru replied, his gaze fixated on Sasuke.
Having fully embraced the power of the Cursed Seal, Sasuke was a far cry from his former self. This transformation pleased Orochimaru immensely.
Though Itachi's genjutsu had been dispelled, Orochimaru still held Sasuke in high regard. Having been toyed with by Itachi for so long, he was eager to witness the spectacle of a brotherly feud.
"Sasuke, welcome," Orochimaru greeted.
"None of that matters. I only want the power to defeat Itachi," Sasuke retorted coldly, showing no respect for Orochimaru.
Orochimaru, unfazed, was accustomed to such attitudes from those with talent. He had always been tolerant of the gifted.
"Rest assured, you shall have everything you desire. Kimimaro, take charge of Sasuke's arrangements. You've been guiding Neji's training lately; adding Sasuke might accelerate their progress."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," Kimimaro acknowledged.
Orochimaru, not yet fully recovered, couldn't personally train Sasuke, but entrusting him to Kimimaro was just as effective. Kimimaro was well-versed in all things Otogakure.
Sasuke had no objections. He was aware of Kimimaro's strength and was more curious about how much Hyuga Neji had improved during his month-long stay. Their previous encounter had been too brief for a proper assessment. Now, an opportunity presented itself.
Kimimaro led Sasuke away, arranging his accommodations first.
"Sasuke, you were injured in your battle with Naruto, and the Cursed Seal's side effects haven't fully subsided. Rest today, and tomorrow morning, I'll take you to train."
There was no need to rush; sharpening the blade wouldn't delay the woodcutting.
After settling Sasuke, Kimimaro returned to his room to review the rewards from his recent mission.
"Congratulations! You have successfully taken a photo with Sasuke during the 'Sasuke Retrieval' event. Reward: Friendship Badge."
The Friendship Badge, originating from *Digimon*, materialized as a blue emblem in Kimimaro's left palm. It resembled a spiral shuriken with two blades removed.
Soon, the badge faded and vanished. Like the Courage Badge before it, Kimimaro tried to activate it but found no response.
"It seems my strength is insufficient, or perhaps I haven't met a certain condition to utilize the power of these badges," Kimimaro concluded.
He then turned his attention to another message.
"Congratulations! You have successfully taken a photo at the 'Valley of the End' landmark. Reward: Light Magatama."
The Light Magatama, from *Ronin Warriors*, represented the power of light. With this addition, Kimimaro now possessed two such Magatama.
These Magatama contained limited energy and would shatter upon overuse, making them consumables. Kimimaro wouldn't use them lightly unless necessary. They were better suited for when he unlocked Gundam-level powers. Using them now would be wasteful.
Having reviewed his rewards, Kimimaro began planning his next move.
"My tasks in Otogakure are mostly complete. Next, I'll head to the Akatsuki organization. It's filled with powerful individuals, so survival there demands immense strength.
"My current abilities should suffice for self-preservation, but to achieve my goals, I need more. Both the skills I've acquired and my inherent ninjutsu require vast amounts of chakra.
"Therefore, increasing my chakra reserves is the most efficient way to enhance my strength. However, due to my previous encounter with Danzo, the Yin Seal has been undone and is currently rebuilding.
"Even with prior experience, it'll take two years. During this time, I won't have unrestricted access to my chakra."
With ample chakra, Kimimaro's power could at least double. Techniques like the Eight Gates required substantial chakra to reach their full potential. The Cursed Seal's power was also tied to one's chakra reserves.
Of course, Kimimaro hadn't fully developed his own Cursed Seal yet. He intended to merge the Cursed Seal and the Yin Seal into a single entity for greater convenience, though this would increase the difficulty.
Nevertheless, he was confident in his ability to succeed.
Acquiring a tailed beast was the ideal way to obtain vast chakra, but heading to the Akatsuki with a tailed beast sealed within him was akin to walking into a tiger's den.
So, this option had to be temporarily discarded.
"Chakra..." Kimimaro muttered, lost in thought.
The night passed uneventfully.
The next day, at the Otogakure training grounds, Neji and Sasuke clashed fiercely.
Kimimaro observed silently from a nearby tree.
On one side was Neji, freed from the Caged Bird Seal and wielding the full power of the Byakugan.
On the other was Sasuke, empowered by the Heaven Cursed Seal and possessing three tomoe Sharingan.
Both had made tremendous strides in their abilities.
Their current battle was a deadlock.
"Chidori!" Sasuke unleashed a surge of blue lightning.
"Rotation!" Neji countered with a spinning chakra shield for all-around defense.
Boom!
The collision resulted in a massive explosion, sending both combatants stumbling back, blood trickling from their lips.
"So this is the power of the Cursed Seal. Truly formidable," Neji marveled, wiping the blood from his mouth. He felt immense pressure.
"I didn't expect Neji to progress so much in such a short time. Is this the result of training in Otogakure?" Sasuke wondered, increasingly convinced that coming to Otogakure was the right decision.
Sharing similar backgrounds and motivations for revenge, a sense of camaraderie developed between them.
The battle remained evenly matched. To break the stalemate, Sasuke prepared to activate his Cursed Seal's second state.
However, Kimimaro intervened, landing between them with a Shunpo.
"That's enough. Your sparring ends here. Sasuke, you haven't fully mastered the second state of the Cursed Seal. It's best to use it sparingly.
"The more you rely on it, the faster the seal will erode you. Don't become overly dependent on power that isn't your own. Otherwise, your training progress will be halved."
Sasuke heeded the advice and deactivated the Cursed Seal.
Neji, observing Sasuke's seal, felt a pang of envy. He knew the Cursed Seal was the reason he couldn't defeat Sasuke. Without it, he believed he had a chance.
"Your foundations are similar, and you both possess dojutsu. From now on, you can attend all training sessions together.
"Having a companion will accelerate your progress. If you get injured during training, Kabuto and Lady Otohime will heal you."
(End of Chapter)