The words "Ninja are the descendants of traitors" struck Kabuto like lightning.
For a long moment, his mind went blank.
Outside the Sky Curtain, the entire shinobi world erupted.
At first, people had been discussing Kabuto's impending inheritance.
"Maybe he'll gain power like Karin's!"
"So Kabuto's about to rise too?"
Others were wary of the so-called Devil Fruit.
"Are demons real?"
"Will eating it turn him into a monster?"
There was curiosity. Envy. Speculation.
But once the latter half of the mysterious voice's statement landed—
Silence.
Then chaos.
"Impossible! That's slander!"
Shouts rang out everywhere.
Yet another voice emerged, hesitant:
"…But isn't betrayal commonplace in the ninja world?"
The comment hit like oil thrown into fire.
Shock. Rage. Doubt. Confusion.
The Sky Curtain was not merely revealing secrets—it was shaking the very foundation of identity.
Inside the cavern, Kabuto steadied himself and pressed on.
"Ninja are descendants of traitors? Explain."
His curiosity about the world's hidden truths burned fiercely.
The voice replied with regret.
"There is no time. You only need to know this—ninja betrayed this world."
"Why?" Kabuto demanded.
"I have existed for too long. I am close to dissipating. Otherwise, why would I choose you instead of waiting for a more suitable inheritor?"
Kabuto fell silent, then exhaled softly.
"That is… unfortunate."
Though regret lingered, his attention shifted to the fruit.
Excitement rekindled in his eyes.
"How do I use it? Eat it?"
"Yes," the voice confirmed. "Consume it. I will guide you through the integration. But first, there are two critical matters."
Kabuto's expression turned serious.
He knew power always came at a price.
"First—the Devil Fruit possesses a will. The remnant will of the demon."
"When you consume it, you must fight that will with everything you have."
"If you prevail, you gain full control."
"If you fail, you will become a mindless demon—slaughtering without end."
The warning echoed heavily.
Kabuto considered this briefly.
Then smiled.
"I've endured far worse."
There was no fear on his face.
He had grafted foreign cells into his own body.
Modified himself repeatedly.
Compared to that, battling a will was nothing.
"Please explain the second point."
A faint chuckle echoed.
"You are interesting."
Then the tone shifted again—grave and deliberate.
"Second. The demon's power system is domineering. Once integrated, it will completely destroy your chakra source."
Kabuto stiffened.
"…Meaning?"
"You will never again be able to refine chakra. Nor use ninjutsu."
The simplicity of the explanation made it more brutal.
Kabuto's confidence faltered.
Chakra and ninjutsu were his foundation.
For years, he had traveled the world collecting corpses—preparing to build an invincible Edo Tensei army.
Without chakra—
The Impure World Reincarnation technique would be impossible.
His grand design would collapse.
"Is there no alternative?" he asked unwillingly.
The voice sounded almost dismissive.
"Why cling to ninjutsu? Chakra is not a blessing."
"Any being cultivating chakra is merely food."
The word hung heavily.
"Food?"
"Yes. The reasons are ancient. I cannot elaborate. But remember—so long as chakra resides within you, you remain under someone's control."
Kabuto's mind raced.
Asura within Naruto.
Indra within Sasuke.
The mysterious being that intervened.
Was there truly someone higher—harvesting chakra as sustenance?
And Karin…
She seemed to know more than she let on.
Before he could continue questioning, the voice urged:
"Decide. Will you eat it?"
Kabuto hesitated.
Was the voice telling the truth?
Could he truly abandon chakra after building his life upon it?
The voice did not pressure him further.
"With my guidance, you will gain fuller mastery."
"Or take the fruit and ponder alone. But you may never unlock its full potential."
"And remember—only the first to consume a Devil Fruit gains its power."
Kabuto relaxed slightly.
A calculating smile curved his lips.
"I see. I will consider it carefully."
He had no intention of blindly trusting the voice.
If this was power—
He would dissect it himself.
The voice seemed to understand.
And then—
Silence.
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