Sasuke immediately looked at Orochimaru and said, "Orochimaru, I can save Kimimaro."
"What?" Orochimaru's head shot up. "You can cure Kekkei Genkai Sickness? Impossible! I've researched this for years and still..."
"I said I can, so I can." Sasuke interrupted him, his tone brooking no argument. "But after he's saved, he becomes my subordinate. His loyalty, his strength, will belong to me. Don't even think about using him again, and especially don't consider him as your backup vessel!"
Orochimaru's eyes flickered. He didn't have many options to begin with. If he could use this to glimpse Sasuke's secrets, it might not be a bad deal. Orochimaru nodded. "Alright, I agree."
Sasuke closed his eyes, as if communicating with something. The next moment, a completely different, indescribable aura of majesty suddenly rose from Sasuke.
"This... this is..." Orochimaru's pupils contracted to pinprick size, even his soul trembled. 'This isn't Uchiha Sasuke! Definitely not! This aura, lofty, indifferent to all, as if a true deity has descended...'
Connecting it to Sasuke's transformation, Orochimaru couldn't help but speculate inwardly: 'Could this be the Master Sasuke mentioned before? An unimaginably powerful existence?'
'Sasuke' opened his eyes, ignored Orochimaru, and punched towards Kimimaro. Setsuna naturally didn't know any medical techniques, but power was the essence of all things in the universe. He directly annihilated all pathogens within Kimimaro's body at the atomic level.
There was no visible change on Kimimaro's body surface. However, his ashen complexion visibly began to recover. The organs within him, failing and diseased due to the Kekkei Genkai Sickness, seemed injected with new vitality, beginning to spontaneously repair and regenerate.
Orochimaru watched, dumbfounded. He had originally intended to try and learn the other party's treatment technique. But this was simply too crude and direct... he couldn't learn it at all!
...
After leaving Otogakure, Sasuke's goal was clear… the Land of Bears, Hoshigakure. According to his master's guidance, there was a [Star Meteorite] there containing special energy, crucial for his next stage of training.
Orochimaru followed Sasuke like a silent yet efficient guide, and a 'charging bank' for Natural Energy. His curiosity and desire to investigate were nearly bursting, especially after witnessing that divine-like ability. Finally, on the way to the Land of Bears, he couldn't help but speak: "Sasuke-kun, I wonder if I might have the honor of paying respects to the esteemed figure behind you?"
Before Sasuke could respond, Setsuna manifested directly: "What do you want to say?"
Orochimaru's soul immediately felt a chill, a sense of being completely seen through, with nowhere to hide.
'What a powerful soul!' Orochimaru's body trembled, but inwardly he was extremely excited. He sensed from this being what he had been pursuing all along… eternal life.
His previous idea was to achieve immortality by changing bodies, but later he discovered that while bodies could be replaced, the soul couldn't escape decay. This being showed him the possibility of an eternal soul!
Suppressing his trembling, he bowed his head respectfully: "Great One, regarding that Star Meteorite, as far as I know, although it contains peculiar Chakra that can accelerate training, it seems to have certain harmful effects on the body. That's why, despite knowing of its existence, the Five Great Ninja Villages have never truly made a move to seize it."
Setsuna nodded: "I know. That meteorite has strong radioactivity. Prolonged close contact will erode life, causing cellular mutation, organ failure, and even death."
"Then why would you still..." Orochimaru was puzzled.
"Risks and opportunities coexist." Setsuna looked at Sasuke, who was listening quietly. "This radioactivity, while destructive to life, can also greatly stimulate and catalyze life's potential. It can help Sasuke better adapt to the next stage of training."
"Of course, if Sasuke cannot complete his training and master that power before the radiation completely destroys him, he will die."
"I will succeed." Sasuke's voice was resolute, without any hesitation. A death threat? Compared to living with the humiliation of being unable to avenge his clan, this was nothing.
Setsuna nodded slightly and began to explain the upcoming training: "What I'm going to teach you is called the Baryon Mode."
"Baryon?" Sasuke and Orochimaru both looked confused.
Setsuna said: "Simply put, this is a combat mode that transcends conventional physical limits, modeled on the principle of nuclear fusion reactions inside stars. The radioactive Chakra of that meteorite has an energy nature similar to the high-energy environment required for the Baryon Mode. It will allow you to more intuitively perceive that state of energy, which is violent, destructive yet creative, accelerating your understanding."
"At the same time, I will also attack you while sealing off your five senses. You must comprehend and initially grasp the Sixth Sense before your life's potential is drained."
After hearing this, Sasuke finally understood what his master meant by 'the method is almost cruel'. Compared to this kind of training, dancing on the edge of life and death, pushing both soul and body to the limit, the so-called strict training in Konoha, even the life-or-death battles of the Chunin Exams, seemed far too mild. But the fire in his eyes burned even more fiercely.
"I understand. I will definitely succeed."
Even Orochimaru listening nearby felt a bit creeped out, 'This kind of training was truly too harsh.'
...
Six months later, in a valley. Sasuke stood before the meteorite from the Hoshigakure... with their strength, it was naturally impossible for them to stop these three robbers. Having undergone six months of life-or-death training, Sasuke no longer had the childishness he possessed when he first left Konoha... he appeared very composed.
Sasuke threw punch after punch, a process honed thousands of times. His five senses were sealed, and the only thing he could 'see' was the fire of revenge in his heart.
Finally, the speed of his fists surpassed the speed of sound at a certain moment. The moment his fist touched the rock wall, the wall, along with a larger area deep within the mountain behind it, was pulverized.
Orochimaru couldn't help but sigh: "In just half a year, he's trained his Taijutsu to this level."
Setsuna's spiritual body emerged, and with a casual wave, he removed the seal on Sasuke's five senses. Sasuke's body swayed slightly, then steadied. Feeling the new power within him, a power that seemed capable of shaking the foundations of matter, and the distinctly clear world perceived by the [Sixth Sense], he couldn't help but show a wild, joyful smile.
"Master! I did it! I really did it!" He looked at Setsuna, saying excitedly.
However, Setsuna's reaction was calm: "Six months... only managing to barely grasp the Sixth Sense under the pressure of life and death. That's only average for a genius."
"..." The smile on Sasuke's face froze.
Setsuna sighed: "A disciple I once had grasped it in less than half a year and was already approaching the realm of the [Eighth Sense]."
The disciple Setsuna mentioned was naturally Regulus, a truly astonishingly talented genius, one whom even the Pegasus of the same era couldn't match.
Sasuke's smile faded, replaced by a faint warmth. He recalled how when he achieved good grades at the Academy, his father also used to compare him to his older brother.
In his eyes, his master's figure seemed to slowly overlap with his father's. He lowered his head respectfully and said, "Yes, Master. Your disciple understands. I will work even harder."
Setsuna nodded slightly: "However, your current physical condition is too poor. Six months of intense radiation exposure and life potential depletion, while allowing you to break through your bottleneck, have also severely overdrawn your life force. Starting now, suspend the intensive training in Baryon Mode and switch to training Natural Energy. Training Natural Energy will not only strengthen the Tattoo but also nourish and repair your damaged life force."
Setsuna looked at Orochimaru, whose face was already starting to pale: "As for the source of Natural Energy, we'll continue to trouble you."
Orochimaru: "..."
He felt like he was being completely drained! He had to 'feed' Sasuke every few days, and now the frequency would increase. He didn't know if he could handle it.