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"And besides," Obito continued, his gaze sharpening, "Shigenari Shuuzawa has a teammate right there too…"
Obito's tone suddenly shifted as his gaze snapped to Yuugao, who stood behind them, watching Shuuzawa with concern.
For some reason, this setup felt oddly familiar to him—a Uchiha, a genius ninja, and a medical ninja. The realization made Obito furious. He was truly on edge now!
Black Zetsu, startled by Obito's reaction, quickly tried to intervene. "Don't act rashly. Shigenari Shuuzawa is from the Foundation.
He might not care at all. And if he does care, then there's a good chance he's left a Flying Thunder God mark on his teammates.
Don't forget—you have one for yourself, too. The moment you get close, Shuuzawa will come for you. Especially with Kakashi there…"
There was one thing Black Zetsu didn't dare say aloud: much of Obito's current misery was Shuuzawa's doing.
After all, Obito brought this on himself. If he hadn't provoked Shuuzawa, none of this would have happened. The strange part?
Shuuzawa had barely been told anything—yet he pieced it all together from fragments.
Every guess was spot on! Black Zetsu had seen Shuuzawa do the same in Sunagakure, figuring out the core of a three-way power struggle just by observing. It was almost terrifying.
Now, he was genuinely afraid. If Obito had enraged Shuuzawa enough to make him focus solely on him, it would have been possible that something dangerous could have been exposed.
Of course, Black Zetsu had considered killing Shuuzawa, but Obito couldn't pull it off.
So, he chose to back down. He'd worked for a thousand years and didn't want trouble now.
"Tch. That damn student of Danzou's… and that cursed Flying Thunder God." Obito cursed under his breath, begrudgingly admitting Black Zetsu had a point.
He shook off his irritation. Shuuzawa had shaken him. Whether Shuuzawa cared or not, the Flying Thunder God was a pain to deal with—especially after losing to him three times.
Obito decided to focus on removing the mark from his body first. "Let's go check on Kakashi."
Relieved that Obito had finally listened, Black Zetsu made another suggestion.
"I know you're conflicted but disadvantaged without that eye. Even if you don't want to take it, at least examine it to know how to deal with it later."
As long as Obito could sense his flaws, Black Zetsu still had a shot at convincing this fool.
Obito fell silent. After a while, he nodded. "I don't want to see that loser again… but understanding the eye's condition might help. After all…"
He'd suffered a major loss last time. Obito activated his power as he thought, and his reflection suddenly emerged in the real world.
"Be careful!"
Kakashi, Yamato, and the others had been on high alert, constantly observing the battlefield.
Thanks to Shuuzawa's warning, Kakashi hadn't rushed in. They hadn't been able to interfere in the earlier fight, but he was waiting for Obito to appear. Now, he finally had.
"It's him?"
Uchiha Itachi also spotted Obito and immediately tensed. He wasn't unfamiliar with this man; he still vividly remembered the Konoha attack.
There was something he'd never told anyone—this was the man who triggered his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Stay sharp. I'll deal with him," Kakashi said, his Sharingan now transformed into a Mangekyō. He was the only one who could confront Obito—and he had to.
"Yamato, you're in charge here."
"But, Captain Kakashi—"
Yamato was taken aback, but Kakashi gave him no time to respond.
He dashed forward at incredible speed, stopping only when he was about ten meters from Obito.
He looked at the masked man silently for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Obito… it's been a while."
"I told you—I'm not Uchiha Obito anymore!"
Hearing that name from Kakashi made Obito snap. Images of Rin's death—Kakashi's hand piercing her chest—flashed violently through his mind.
"…I'm sorry. I know why you never came back. But that day—"
Kakashi hesitated, trying to explain. But Obito cut him off coldly.
"I know! You don't need to explain. I know more about what happened to Rin than you do!" Chakra flared violently from Obito's body—he was preparing to strike.
"But if you know, then why—" Kakashi tried again, only to be interrupted.
"Why didn't I return? Why did I attack Konoha? Why did things end up like this? You're still clinging to the past, Kakashi!"
"Minato-sensei was always late. It happened at Kannabi Bridge. It happened that day, too. If he'd arrived on time, none of this would have happened!"
"But don't worry—I'm not blaming you. If I were, I would've killed you back then. This is the world's fault!"
"This village, the shinobi, that cursed fate we carry… All of it—everything—was created by this flawed world."
Obito paused, a black iron rod appearing in his hand. His Sharingan twisted into the Mangekyō once more.
"I'm going to break this fake world."
Instantly, he lunged at Kakashi, swinging the rod with fierce force. "This is something someone like you will never understand!"
"Obito's finally out?" Elsewhere on the battlefield, Shuuzawa suddenly felt the Flying Thunder God mark on Obito become clearer.
He immediately realized what had happened. Obito was unstable—and Shuuzawa genuinely worried he might go after Yuugao.
Thankfully, he'd already given Yuugao a Flying Thunder God kunai. Even if she didn't activate it, Shuuzawa would sense Obito approaching.
"But I still need a backup plan. If Obito removes the mark from himself, it'll be trouble." Shuuzawa murmured to himself, then fully focused on the battle.
With the puppet army gone, he no longer used Deep Forest Emergence. That Jutsu's strengths and weaknesses were too obvious.
It was great for overwhelming large numbers—but against just one or two enemies, it could backfire and trap him instead.
That's why he decisively switched to using the more flexible Wood-Dragon.
But Sasori was no pushover. Even without his puppet horde, he still had the Third Kazekage and several other specialized puppets. And Kakuzu, with his century of experience, wasn't easy either.
"But I'm not alone… and our side has the stronger lineup."
Shuuzawa glanced at Shisui, who had just deactivated his Susanoo. The burden on his eyes was severe—he avoided using it unless necessary.
"Besides, with this many powerful shinobi blocking the way, the mission rewards can only go higher!"
[New Mission Acquired]
[Investigate the Situation in Kusagakure]
Shuuzawa had already accepted this mission before setting out, and now he was fully invested in its outcome.
"Be careful. These two brats aren't easy," Sasori warned Kakuzu in a low voice, and Kakuzu nodded slightly.
"You handle diversion and support with puppets. I'll use ninjutsu for the main assault and reinforcement. If necessary, we split them up."
"Understood."
With that brief exchange, their strategy was set. Sasori raised his hand, his arm transforming into a puppet. From the mechanisms, countless senbon shot out!
Under the flickering firelight, Shuuzawa and Shisui could see a green glow on the needles—Sasori had coated them with poison.
"Wood Style: Tree Wall!"
Shuuzawa remained calm. With a single-handed seal, a massive wood wall sprang up, blocking all the incoming senbon.
At the same time, Shuuzawa triggered his chakra. The Wood Dragon in the sky roared, plummeting violently toward Sasori and Kakuzu.
As the wall dropped, Shisui behind it completed his hand signs—
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
A roaring fire dragon swept forward, perfectly timed with the descending wood dragon.
The combined assault was so overwhelming that even Kakuzu was momentarily stunned.
"Get out of the way!" Scorpion shouted immediately, but he didn't care much about Kakuzu—he leaped away alone.
Seeing this, Shisui didn't hesitate and gave chase. Kakuzu froze for a second, but he was still fast.
With a quick flicker of movement and the help of his Earth Release heart, he dodged the wooden dragon's direct strike and braced against the resulting shockwave.
"I heard you fought the First Hokage?" Since Shisui had gone after Scorpion, Shuuzawa shifted his attention to Kakuzu. In a flash, he appeared behind him.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!" A piercing blue chakra coated his kunai as he stabbed toward the mask on Kakuzu's back.
"What?!" Kakuzu's expression changed instantly. A stab to him was one thing—but a stab to the mask meant hitting a heart directly.
He quickly twisted around and took the blow with the side of his body. The sharp clang echoed, and Shuuzawa felt like he'd struck solid stone. Still, he didn't mind.
With a subtle chakra flow, he appeared behind Kakuzu again—this time, not with a kunai. "Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Technique!"
Sharp wooden spikes grew rapidly from his arm and shot toward Kakuzu. This time, Kakuzu couldn't turn in time.
One of his masks was shattered cleanly by Shuuzawa's strike. "Aaargh!"
Kakuzu let out a painful scream, but suddenly, the stiffness in his body vanished. In a gust of wind, he bolted away—faster than before.
"I get it now. Those masks behind you—the ones giving off strange chakra—that's your weakness," Shuuzawa didn't give chase.
Instead, he appeared atop the wooden dragon. "They're hearts, aren't they?"
"I sensed a chaotic mix of life energy in you. But now… one's gone. So, how many lives do you have left?"
Kakuzu broke into a cold sweat. This brat figured it out that fast?! "Damn kid…"
"There's something I've been curious about. Mind answering for me?" Arms crossed, Shuuzawa looked down from the wooden dragon with a calm, sharp gaze.
"You said earlier that you've seen Wood Release before. That means you must've fought the First Hokage himself."
"What I want to know is… how did you survive? He wouldn't have overlooked your weakness, right?"
Kakuzu didn't want to answer. What was the point of telling the kid his ancestors spared him back then?
"Don't flatter yourself. You're still nowhere near his level!" Kakuzu barked back, though concern lingered in his eyes.
"No need to say it. I already know." Shuuzawa nodded without hesitation. He wasn't on Hashirama's level yet—but the future? Who could say?
"Well then, do me a favor and help me measure the gap."
In a flash, Shuuzawa closed in behind Kakuzu again. "Let's see the difference—between me and him!"
Wood Style: Root Coffin Burial! Countless vines surged out from Shuuzawa's arms, lashing violently toward Kakuzu!
"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!" Kakuzu's battle instincts had never dulled.
He couldn't match the Flying Thunder God's speed, so he prepared instead. The moment he sensed Shuuzawa's chakra shift, he released his jutsu.
A high-pressure wind ball exploded around him, threatening to destroy everything in its radius. But Shuuzawa wasn't fooled that easily.
The Root Coffin Burial wasn't just for attacking!
"You thought I didn't notice the shift in your chakra?"
Before reaching Kakuzu, the vines twisted and wove into a massive tree, wrapping around Shuuzawa.
The ferocious winds clashed with the tree, shielding Shuuzawa entirely.
Meanwhile, the wooden dragon above let out a thunderous roar.
"Damn it!"
Kakuzu didn't hesitate. He sprinted away as fast as he could. The ground trembled beneath him—he nearly lost his footing.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw spiderweb-like cracks spreading across the earth. Cold sweat trickled down his face. This kid is a serious problem.
Wood Release had always been known for both offense and defense.
Even if Shuuzawa's use wasn't as powerful as Hashirama's, the jutsu was still incredibly strong.
If it were only the Wood Release, Kakuzu might've been able to outlast it.
But unfortunately…
"This brat even knows the Flying Thunder God!"
Kakuzu had heard of space-time ninjutsu, and he'd seen it too. It was the signature technique of both the Second and Fourth Hokage.
Now, he was feeling it firsthand. This jutsu wasn't just fast—it had unpredictable, godlike mobility.
Facing an opponent who used this technique without precise intel or super-speed of your own meant there was almost no way to win.
Either of these techniques—Wood Release or Flying Thunder God—was enough to make an ordinary ninja incredibly powerful.
But this brat had both. Even if he wasn't using them perfectly, even if his Wood Release wasn't on Hashirama's level, and his Flying Thunder God wasn't as refined as Tobirama's or Minato's—
The combination of both didn't just add strength. It multiplied it.
Now, Kakuzu was seriously thinking of retreating. There's no way I'm staying in this fight!
"You think you can run?"
Suddenly, Shuuzawa's voice rang in his ear. Kakuzu's expression changed instantly. He had no time to defend—Shuuzawa's kick sent him flying.
What the hell?
Kakuzu's mind was a mess. Wasn't the kid shielding himself inside the tree to dodge the wind jutsu? How'd he get out so fast?
And he didn't see him throw a kunai, either. Could it be…?
A chilling thought crossed Kakuzu's mind. He immediately commanded his Earth Grudge Fear threads to scan his entire body.
"Relax. There's no seal on you."
As Kakuzu flew through the air, Shuuzawa appeared again beside him—and kicked him hard, sending him tumbling like a stone.
Luckily, he'd switched to his Earth heart, so he wasn't injured. But the scary part was—he really couldn't find any marks on himself.
"You and Scorpion wear the same uniform. Judging by how Ōnoki likes hiring shady organizations for dirty work… I'm guessing you're from the same group?"
Before Kakuzu could process everything, Shuuzawa's voice boomed from above.
He stood atop the wooden dragon, which lunged toward Kakuzu like a divine beast.
"Damn it!"
Kakuzu had had enough. As he leaped into the air, two of his masks erupted. Fire chakra intertwined with wind chakra, and Kakuzu formed hand signs in midair.
"Ninja Art: Scorching Wind Storm!"
Scorching flames surged forward, billowing toward the wooden dragon and Shuuzawa like a tidal wave.
The deafening roar shook the earth, and the immense force sent shockwaves rippling in all directions.
"Has it come to this already…?"
The blast caught Shisui and Scorpion and forced them apart not far from the battlefield.
Their expressions turned solemn as they stared at the roaring inferno in the distance.
"Is that…?"
Further away, where it was safer, Yuugao, Uchiha Itachi, and Yamato stood in shock, watching the chaos unfold.
The sheer scale of the battle felt overwhelming. Yuugao's eyes were filled with worry.
She wanted to rush over, but reason told her not to act impulsively. Itachi looked dazed—he hadn't expected things to escalate this far.
Yamato was speechless, silently thinking: So this… is the true power of Wood Release?
"This is bad."
Even Black Zetsu, hiding in the shadows and observing everything, couldn't help but shake his head.
With Obito and Kakashi fighting in Kamui's dimension, he'd come out and watch this battle instead.
Though this didn't match the destruction caused by Hashirama and Madara in the past, it is still impressive today.
"Especially since this kid's strength doesn't come from raw power—it's from his combination of abilities."
"Wood Release and Flying Thunder God are just too troublesome. Add in that sharp mind of his, and it only gets worse…"
Black Zetsu crept a bit closer for a better view. But when he heard what Shuuzawa said next, his face twisted in shock.
"Damn it! You—white one! Hurry, go get Obito! We've got a serious problem!"
The blazing flames surged outward like an endless inferno, swallowing everything in their path.
And the wooden dragon…Seemed to vanish within the sea of fire.
But Shuuzawa remained completely unharmed. Standing not far away, he looked at Kakuzu with an amused expression.
"You're from the same organization; even Ōnoki values your abilities. That proves you're strong."
"Scorpion is a rogue ninja, and your abilities originate from Takigakure. When I return, I might need to dig through some records to confirm whether you're also a rogue."
"A group like yours doesn't stop at just two members. There's likely someone even stronger pulling the strings. Looks like your organization is hiding a lot more than it shows."
Kakuzu didn't say a word. He didn't want to. He only wanted to recover his chakra and find the right moment to escape.
"Maybe it's time we seriously investigate you people. Since you're recruiting rogue ninjas, Uchiha Obito may be among you."
Seeing Kakuzu remain silent, Shuuzawa just threw the idea out casually. The words didn't bother Kakuzu much—if anything, they earned a scoff.
They were still trying to track down Obito, and they had absolutely nothing so far. But hiding nearby, Black Zetsu was nearly scared out of his wits.
"A group full of rogue ninjas wouldn't base themselves in any of the Five Great Nations. So it's likely you're hiding somewhere in a small country."
Shuuzawa nodded slowly, and then his gaze suddenly turned sharp and ruthless.
"In that case... I'll kill you now and take your head back for study. I'm curious to uncover your organization's secrets."
As his words fell, a thunderous roar erupted from the flames. A wooden dragon, wreathed in fire, suddenly soared into the sky.
Its blazing orange-yellow eyes locked tightly onto Kakuzu, who looked like a mere insect on the ground.
At that moment, Kakuzu genuinely felt the blood in his veins run cold.
"Goodbye," Shuuzawa said calmly, holding one hand to form a sign.
The burning wooden dragon dove straight down at Kakuzu instantly, crashing toward him with unstoppable force. The earth itself began to tremble once more.
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