With Tsunade's return, Naruto's shadow clone completed its mission.
When the clone dispelled, what returned to the original body was not only chakra but also the memories and experiences accumulated over the past three months.
Deep within the experimental facilities of Amegakure, Naruto gently touched the Yin Seal that had appeared on his forehead. As he carefully sifted through the shadow clone's experiences, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Truly worth the journey."
Naruto's eyes, unfocused and hollow, stared blankly into the distance.
Orochimaru approached, holding a high-powered flashlight. He shone it directly into Naruto's left eye, close enough to test his reaction.
Naruto's pupils, exposed to the intense light, failed to blink or react in the slightest. The same was true for his right eye.
Orochimaru drew a conclusion with satisfaction. "Zero light sensitivity. Complete blindness has been achieved."
Naruto smirked. "Shisui's eyes sure were durable. Took three months to wear them out."
Orochimaru chuckled. "They've already reached their theoretical limits. You should know, these eyes were never supposed to go blind naturally."
Naruto raised his hand to his eyes. "Then, let's begin."
With a swift motion, he removed the now-useless eyes from their sockets.
The ocular power of Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan had already been fully stored within Naruto's body, sealed away. To unlock this power, another pair of Mangekyo Sharingan from a blood relative within three generations was required.
When the sealed ocular power was released, it would merge with the power of the new Mangekyo, creating an entirely new ocular force—the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
The eye transplantation itself was a trivial procedure.
A few minutes later, Uchiha Kagami's eyes had been transplanted into Naruto.
Now, Naruto's eyes were wrapped in bandages. The unlocking and merging of the ocular powers would take some time.
According to Orochimaru's calculations, it would take three days for the process to complete.
Naruto murmured, "The food reserves in Amegakure should last about three more days. Just enough time."
Three months earlier, during a reconnaissance mission in Amegakure, Obito Uchiha's seemingly flawless defenses had been nearly unraveled by Shikaku's calculations.
Since then, Obito had been working to address his vulnerabilities.
His plan was to acquire the Uzumaki clan's Shadow Seal technique and master the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But plans rarely keep pace with change.
After a month of searching through the Uzumaki clan's ruins, Obito finally unearthed the long-lost scroll of the Shadow Seal Technique.
It was only then that he learned of its origins and the reason it had been lost to history.
During the Warring States period, the Nara clan, under the leadership of their chief Nara Kagemaru, became feared for their brilliant tactical minds and shadow-based secret techniques.
To counter the Nara clan, Uzumaki Ashina, the leader of the Uzumaki clan, developed the Shadow Seal Technique. By sealing one's own shadow, the Nara clan's techniques would lose their effectiveness.
In a subsequent night battle, the Uzumaki clan used this technique to achieve a decisive victory over the Nara clan.
But before they could celebrate, as dawn broke, those who had sealed their shadows found their bodies dissolving into pools of blood under the sunlight.
The taboo of shadows was revealed in that moment: without a shadow, one could never exist under the light of day.
Thus, the Shadow Seal Technique became a fleeting legend, abandoned by the Uzumaki clan and relegated to forbidden status.
For Obito, who was resurrected through Edo Tensei, this side effect posed no threat. However, for Tsuchima, who still possessed a living body, the technique was unusable.
After obtaining the Shadow Seal Technique, Obito infiltrated Konoha and, without alerting anyone, retrieved the Scroll of Seals.
He had assumed that mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique would be a simple matter once he had the scroll, but reality struck him hard.
"Minato-sensei's signature technique… I can't learn it?!"
Obito had tried—he had tried everything—but he simply couldn't master it.
In the end, he gave up and devoted himself entirely to studying the Shadow Seal Technique. After nearly two months of effort, he finally mastered it.
Ironically, during those two months, the Flying Thunder God Technique, which Obito couldn't master, was successfully learned by Tsuchima.
Obito remarked, "Not the ideal outcome, but without a doubt, we've eliminated our final weakness."
Tsuchima replied, "It's all thanks to your intelligence gathering, Lord Obito!"
Tobi chimed in, "Amegakure remains in total lockdown."
Obito nodded. "Given the current situation, Amegakure won't hold out much longer. My ultimate battle with Naruto will take place in these final days."
Tobi asked, "How will you provoke the fight? Kidnap hostages like last time?"
Obito shook his head. "There's no need for that. Naruto knows exactly what I'll do. The moment Amegakure's lockdown is lifted, he'll challenge me immediately to prevent further escalation."
Tobi hesitated. "Do you need me to join the fight?"
Obito replied firmly, "No. This battle is between Naruto and me alone. Tobi, you and the White Zetsu clones will focus on preventing any potential interference."
Tobi tilted his head. "Potential interference?"
Obito's gaze darkened. "Madara's whereabouts remain unknown, and we've already parted ways after our last encounter. Kabuto is another unstable factor, and Sasuke's allegiance is ambiguous. Any of these could disrupt my duel with Naruto. That's where you come in—to ensure nothing interferes."
"But Tobi," Obito's tone shifted to one of unprecedented solemnity as he looked at Tobi. "If you find yourself in a life-threatening situation during the upcoming battles, I want you to run. Do you understand?"
For once, Tobi fell silent.
Obito pressed, "If you don't promise me, I won't be able to fight with my full focus."
Finally, Tobi responded with equal gravity. "I promise."
The fusion of ocular powers progressed faster than expected.
By the evening of the third day, Naruto removed the bandages from his eyes. Though his eyes remained closed, a faint glow seeped through the slits.
Sizzle!
The moment Naruto opened his eyes, a storm of power erupted in the darkness!
A brand-new pattern emerged—a fusion of Shisui's and Kagami's Mangekyo Sharingan.
Naruto Uzumaki's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan had awakened!
This moment had been in the making for half a year—every step meticulously planned.
Everything had fallen into place.
Orochimaru approached with a sly smile. "Naruto-kun, how does it feel to awaken your new eyes?"
Naruto spoke with a calm yet profound confidence. "I've been dabbling in ocular power for over half a year, but only now have I truly gained the genuine power of the Uchiha. These eyes, this power, have become a part of my soul. This is a feeling I've never experienced before. Orochimaru, perhaps I've stepped into an entirely new realm."
His composed words carried an unmistakable air of confidence and ambition.
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes gleamed with excitement. "Could it be… a new ocular technique has already been born!?"
Naruto's voice deepened. "To be honest, even I'm not entirely sure. But there's a technique I wish to use. There are still four White Zetsu clones untouched by Kotoamatsukami. Let's summon those four individuals with it."
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