Chapter 172: Rinnegan Surveillance Mission
One day later.
Under White Zetsu's guidance, Li Yao arrived above a long, low mountain in the Land of Rain.
Boom boom… Thunder and lightning flashed within the gray-black clouds.
Shhh shhh… Rain fell like a shower from the clouds above, drenching the land below.
Ever since entering the Land of Rain, it had rained nearly every day.
Beneath the clouds, on the back of his clay bird, Li Yao was surrounded by pouring rain. A thin layer of chakra shimmered around him, repelling the raindrops as they touched his body.
"With your abilities, you should be able to protect Nagato just fine. Why do I need to watch over him too?"
The two of them looked toward a distant riverbank, where a tin house stood. Inside were Jiraiya and the three kids—Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.
Li Yao was curious. With White Zetsu able to rescue him from Ōnoki's Dust Release in an instant, who could possibly steal the Rinnegan from under his nose? Why send him to babysit?
White Zetsu glanced at Li Yao and said, "There are things you don't need to know. Just follow Lord Madara's orders."
"Fine, I get it." Li Yao shrugged and didn't press further.
White Zetsu—or rather, Black Zetsu—had his own concerns.
If anyone else approached Nagato, he wouldn't be worried.
But Jiraiya was a contractor of Mount Myōboku. The old toad there had survived since the time of the Sage of Six Paths. He had special abilities and could even recognize Black Zetsu and his mother's chakra.
If Black Zetsu got too close to Jiraiya, there was a high chance the old toad would sense him.
With that kind of ability, the entire plan to resurrect his mother could go off-track—something Black Zetsu couldn't afford.
After waiting so long for the Rinnegan, he wouldn't risk losing the chance to reunite with his mother.
So, he sent Li Yao instead—to keep an eye on Nagato and ensure the Rinnegan was safe.
"I can't stay out in the open too long. It's up to you now."
Without waiting for a reply, White Zetsu quickly disappeared underground—even from kilometers away, he feared the old toad might detect him. Underground was safest.
"What's he so afraid of?"
Li Yao frowned briefly, then shook his head. No point thinking about it. Since he couldn't leave just yet, he might as well make use of the time.
He began to sense Nagato's chakra.
His physical chakra was much like Kushi 's or Yuzu 's—abundant, vibrant, typical of the Uzumaki clan.
But what caught Li Yao's attention was the chakra in Nagato's eyes.
The quality of that chakra—he had never sensed anything like it before.
It must be the chakra of the Rinnegan.
"This intensity is insane."
Compared to this, Ōnoki's Dust Release chakra felt like wood to a diamond—utterly inferior. Terrifying.
"I wonder if I can copy it…"
A glint flashed in Li Yao's eyes. If he could copy the Rinnegan's ocular chakra, could he use its techniques?
Unfortunately… Madara was still alive. Li Yao didn't dare touch the Rinnegan.
Even if he seemed free now, trying to take the Rinnegan would trigger the Six Paths-level curse seal Madara had left in his body.
He wouldn't get the chance.
Even after Madara's death, it might still be impossible.
He wasn't the one Madara had chosen to carry out his plan.
Still, if he could stay close to Nagato long enough…
With his enhanced chakra sensing, there was a real chance he could fully analyze the Rinnegan's ocular chakra and replicate it.
"I'll have to wait."
Li Yao reminded himself. For now, perfecting the Transformation Technique was the top priority.
So, he focused fully on condensing and strengthening his spiritual chakra, while keeping watch over Nagato and Jiraiya.
Time passed.
A year went by.
Li Yao had expected Jiraiya to care for the kids for a year or so, teach them ninjutsu, and then leave—after all, the ninja war was still ongoing.
Though the Land of Rain had become relatively uninvolved, Fire, Wind, and Earth were still clashing on its territory.
For someone like Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin and a Kage-level combatant, staying in the village seemed like a waste.
Li Yao was getting annoyed!
Improving his spiritual chakra on his own was too slow. He needed to control a shinobi and do close-range soul comparisons to make faster progress.
But with Jiraiya constantly present, he couldn't leave. His training had stalled badly.
Too bad he couldn't do anything to Jiraiya—Madara had forbidden it. Otherwise, Li Yao would have eliminated him already and saved himself the trouble.
"Fine. I'll wait. Let's see how long you stay."
Li Yao seethed.
And so he waited… another two years. The war ended. Konan had even developed curves—and only then did Jiraiya leave.
"Damn it, that bastard finally left."
Sensing Jiraiya parting from the three kids, Li Yao finally sighed in relief. He was finally free to move again.
He descended from the sky and stomped the ground three times—his signal to White Zetsu.
Moments later, White Zetsu emerged from the ground in front of him.
"I'm free now, right?" Li Yao asked.
"Yes." White Zetsu nodded.
"Then I'm off."
With a leap, Li Yao jumped onto his clay bird and quickly flew out of the Land of Rain.
He didn't want to stay in that country a second longer.
…
Land of Rice Fields.
In a small town, Li Yao's shadow clone had transformed into a middle-aged man and was sitting with Yuzu in a ramen shop. Well, mostly watching—she was the one eating. Shadow clones didn't need food, and couldn't eat.
Li Yao had tested it—when a clone eats, it's like attacking its own body. The clone just pops.
It sucked.
But regular activity was fine.
For example, during intense physical "exercise" with a woman, the experience was identical to the real body—warmth, pressure, everything.
"Uncle, when will you be back?"
Yuzu looked sideways at the shadow clone while chewing her noodles.
"Soon," said the clone.
"You said that last time." She pouted. "It's been three years now. Who knows how long you'll be this time."
If the clone hadn't stayed with her these past three years, she would've thought he abandoned her.
Uncle really was amazing—he managed to maintain a clone this long just by drawing chakra from rogue ninjas.
"Eat fast. Another bunch of idiots is coming," the clone suddenly said.
"Perfect." Yuzu 's eyes lit up. She gulped down the rest of her noodles.
After paying, the two stepped outside. Yuzu said eagerly, "Uncle, let me handle this one. My Paper Release Explosive Tags can now activate instantly."
The clone smiled. "Go ahead."
They ran out of town and were soon surrounded by a group of rogue ninjas in a grove.
"That's her—Uzumaki Yuzu ! Thirty million ryo bounty! And damn, she's... stacked."
The rogue leader drooled as he stared at her ample curves.
Three years had passed. Yuzu 's features had matured.
Her once-chubby face had refined into striking beauty. If beauty had a ranking, she was goddess-tier now.
All the rogue ninjas were staring at her, drooling.
It wasn't clear whether they wanted the bounty or the girl.
But it didn't matter.
"They're all here, right, Uncle?" Yuzu asked eagerly, eyes gleaming as she eyed the surrounding enemies.
"They're all here," the clone confirmed.
The moment he spoke, Yuzu clapped her hands together with force.
(END CHAPTER)
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on January 2, 2026.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997