Technically, Chiga was only twenty years old. Not an age anyone would consider old.
But in the eyes of Kakashi and the others, Chiga was a man from the same generation as the Fourth Hokage. By that logic, he should be close to forty. The problem was, his face didn't even look twenty.
That unaging appearance raised questions no one had dared to ask directly. What exactly had Chiga been doing all these years? He didn't possess Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred Seal, so how had he achieved such a youthful state?
A familiar name crept into Kakashi's mind—Orochimaru.
Before the rogue Sannin defected from Konoha, he had shared a close relationship with Chiga. It was very possible that during Chiga's disappearance, he had been with Orochimaru.
After all, Orochimaru knew countless forbidden jutsu. Despite his age, he still looked far younger than his fellow Sannin, Jiraiya. Perhaps Chiga had learned something from him?
To his credit, Kakashi's deductive skills were sharp—he had guessed correctly that Chiga had spent time with Orochimaru. But he was wrong about the source of Chiga's eternal youth.
The truth was much more unsettling.
Chiga's body had undergone a transformation, evolving into an Ōtsutsuki lifeform. Along with the presence of a unique Ten-Tails sealed within him, he had acquired something beyond even Orochimaru's reach—an infinite lifespan. His body simply didn't age.
But Kakashi knew nothing of this. With a cautious look, he asked,
"Chiga-senpai, where exactly have you been all these years? Did you go with Orochimaru?"
"More or less," Chiga replied casually. "He helped me with a few things."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "So then, you and him...?"
He stopped himself. Orochimaru was a rogue ninja of the highest threat level. If Chiga was aligned with him...
Chiga raised an eyebrow, his voice cool. "Kakashi, what are you trying to say?"
The tension thickened.
Naruto, sensing it from the door, quickly stepped forward with Sasuke still unconscious on his back.
"Kakashi-sensei! Orochimaru's been dealt with! Chiga-senpai already beat him—he's literally hanging off his waist right now!"
Kakashi's gaze dropped immediately to Chiga's waist. And there it was—a tiny white snake coiled loosely around Chiga's belt, eyes half-lidded in lazy disdain.
Orochimaru, reduced to this pathetic form, lifted his small head and gave Kakashi a mocking glance. The look said everything.
Sakura had followed them in and nodded to confirm Naruto's claim.
Kakashi was still reeling from the Orochimaru revelation when his eyes landed on Sasuke. His confusion vanished, replaced with alarm. He leapt off the bed with a speed no one would expect from a man still recovering.
Naruto gently laid Sasuke onto the bed, trying to shake him awake.
But no matter how hard he tried, Sasuke didn't stir.
Kakashi frowned deeply. "What happened to Sasuke?"
Naruto glanced at Chiga. "He was knocked out by Chiga-senpai…"
Every eye in the room turned toward Chiga, whose expression remained unreadable.
Kakashi opened his mouth to ask for more details, but at that moment, Sai stepped into the hospital room.
Naruto looked up, surprised. "Sai? You came too?"
There was no smile on Sai's face today. He looked at Naruto for a moment, then turned to Chiga. His expression was complex—torn between duty and uncertainty.
Chiga met his gaze. Sai felt a chill run down his spine.
Even though Chiga's Mangekyō wasn't activated, Sai felt like the man had already seen everything inside him.
After a long pause, Chiga slowly approached him. "Stick out your tongue."
Sai blinked in confusion. "What?"
The words seemed to have a strange weight. Almost hypnotically, Sai opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, revealing the cursed seal of the Tongue Root.
The moment it became visible, the curse activated violently. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩
A surge of agony swept through Sai's body. He collapsed instantly, twitching on the floor, breath shallow and faltering.
The curse was far more intense than when Danzo typically triggered it.
Naruto panicked. "Sakura! Do something, quick!"
Sakura was briefly paralyzed by the shock. Naruto's shout snapped her out of it, and she rushed to Sai's side. She crouched and began checking his vitals with medical chakra.
Moments later, she stood up, face pale. "His body's been ravaged by a flood of corrupted chakra... I... I can't fix this."
That sentence hit everyone like a stone.
Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice. If even she couldn't stabilize him...
Ino stepped forward nervously. "Sakura, what about Tsunade-sama?"
Sakura shook her head, her voice quiet. "Even she couldn't help. Sai doesn't have much time left."
Silence fell. The gravity of it all pressed on their shoulders like a weight.
But Naruto wasn't ready to give up.
He turned to Chiga with desperate eyes. "Chiga-senpai... please! Please save Sai!"
And then, without warning, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor.
Before he could repeat the motion, Chiga flicked his hand. An unseen force lifted Naruto off the ground. He hovered momentarily, surprised, before gently landing back on his feet.
"Don't kneel like that to just anyone," Chiga said, his tone firmer now. "Got it?"
Naruto blinked in surprise. He nodded slowly, unsure if he fully understood—but something about Chiga's words felt heavy.
Chiga sighed softly, then knelt beside Sai. He placed a hand on Sai's chest, channeling pure Yang Release Chakra into his body.
Everyone watched in stunned silence.
Sakura's heart pounded. She remembered when Chiga had saved Naruto before. Back then, Naruto had been in critical condition too. And with just one touch, Chiga had restored him to full strength.
Sai's injuries were far worse—but something deep inside her said Chiga could do it again.
As Chiga withdrew his hand, Sai's eyes fluttered open. He gasped, sucking in air like a man who'd clawed his way back from the edge of death. His body jolted upright, eyes wild with confusion.
Chiga didn't gloat, didn't smile. He simply looked at Sai and said coolly,
"Alright. Speak. What did Danzo order you to do?"