Among the six surrounding him, the fused White Zetsu and Black Zetsu stood at one corner. White Zetsu grinned when Shigeo looked his way. "Haha, little brother, we meet again!"
Another familiar face was Kisame. The rest Shigeo did not know.
At this time Akatsuki was still in its hidden, early stage. Who exactly had joined then? What missions had they done? Shigeo did not know. But anyone in Akatsuki was no ordinary man.
"What do you want?" Shigeo stood at the center, eyes sharp, fingers whitening. He had fought to save Wuwang Castle, and these people destroyed it. They would pay.
"Of course, to recruit you. A talent like you wasted outside Akatsuki is a pity," White Zetsu said excitedly. He had long urged Madara to order Shigeo's recruitment, but Madara dismissed him as just a child, his power exaggerated.
Only three days ago, after word spread that Shigeo carried seven bijū chakras, Madara commanded: recruit him at any cost.
Obito led, his Mangekyō Sharingan eye glinting. He had seen Shigeo use space-time transfer.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we'll slaughter the city," said a sinister man with dark skin, high hat, and a blood-red drum at his waist. He looked like a death god from hell.
"Heh. Let's see if you can." Shigeo's body shone as he entered Sage Mode.
The battle began. Zetsu retreated to observe. White Zetsu laughed, Black Zetsu's face grim.
"Have you ever seen such a thing? Seven bijū inside one child. Did you know?" Black Zetsu asked.
"How would I? But if we gain him, the Eye of the Moon plan could move faster. Mother could return," White Zetsu said, thrilled.
Black Zetsu smirked faintly. The mystery of Shigeo's nature was less important than their plan.
Obito's Katon (Fire Release) surged like dragon tongues.
Another foe struck like a hawk, flying, loosing poisoned feather arrows.
The dark-skinned "death god" unleashed hidden weapons from his hat. Each drumbeat sent stabbing pain into the mind.
A missing-nin from Kumo wielded twin hammers with Raiton (Lightning Release). His strikes blasted craters. His water jutsu, laced with lightning, left bodies twitching in agony.
Kisame was stronger still. His monstrous chakra and Samehada drank every drop from opponents.
Each enemy could rival the witch Wuyouhua, or so it seemed. Yet Shigeo knew: even terrifying techniques had weak points.
Samehada cleaved. Water-lightning surged. The hawk dove. Arrows rained. The death god's drum throbbed.
Shigeo weaved signs. Fire and lightning erupted. Then his eyes turned scarlet. Mangekyō Sharingan flared. Susanoo rose, golden and radiant in Sage Mode.
The giant's palm crushed the drummer into the earth. He died like a fly.
Obito froze. "You… are you Uchiha?"
"Don't overthink. I'm truly Hyūga." Shigeo's bloody eyes glared from Susanoo.
With one down, Zetsu joined in.
The hawk-man returned, loosing poisoned arrows. They shattered harmlessly against Susanoo's aura.
In the giant's hand appeared a chakra bow. A single arrow streaked upward. The hawk dodged—yet the chakra edge grazed him. His body split and fell in blood.
A Kumo missing-nin seized that blood, mixing water and lightning. He struck at Susanoo. Lightning crackled on the armor, but Shigeo's true body had already stepped before him.
"What?" The missing-nin turned—only to be struck by a thunderbolt from Shigeo's clone. His soul seemed to leap from his body. He collapsed dead.
Of six, three were gone.
White Zetsu laughed wildly. "What did I say? A genius! A true genius!"
Black Zetsu pulled him away. These men were no match. The one who slew the Kumo-nin wasn't even Shigeo's true body, only a clone.
Obito pressed forward, fire and space-time swirling together, deadly. But Shigeo knew his abilities—he had copied them. In his long list of powers, Mangekyō Sharingan appeared… but Susanoo had not.
(End of Chapter)
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