Chapter 29 : Uncontrollable factors
"This Orochimaru… is actually dead?"
When the other two members of the Legendary Sannin heard the news, they found it difficult to believe. They knew better than anyone just how tenacious Orochimaru's will to survive was. It was monstrous. How could he have been killed? Not even one of the Five Kage possessed that level of power, short of a mutual suicide pact. And yet, the reports were undeniable. This made them both deeply concerned about the identity of the one who had killed Orochimaru. Who possessed such capability?
"Art is a fleeting beauty! That transient, explosive moment is true art!"
"Preposterous! Art is enduring youth! Eternal, unchanging beauty is the only true art!"
Somewhere in the Land of Rain
Watching Deidara and Sasori argue in an endless, circular debate where neither could convince the other, Uchiha Naoki felt a profound sense of helplessness.
"Will you two give it a rest? You've been at this for two hours," he interjected, pushing the two excited artists apart with a sigh.
The whole incident had started because Sasori, after completing their mission, had sought out Deidara to "discuss art." Naoki, who had foreseen this exact outcome, had tried to dissuade him. But the Scarlet Sand Scorpion had insisted. And so, this was the result. Both held fundamentally different views on art and were utterly unwilling to concede to the other's perspective, each trying desperately to convert the other. The inevitable result was a stalemate of passionate, unresolved arguing.
"Naoki! Tell us, which one of us is correct?" Sasori turned his frustrated gaze to Uchiha Naoki, demanding his judgment.
Deidara immediately looked over as well, eager to hear Naoki's thoughts.
This put Uchiha Naoki squarely on the spot. He immediately raised his hands in surrender. "Have mercy, Brother Sasori. I know nothing about art. How could I possibly offer a qualified opinion?"
It was a no-win situation. Siding with either one would earn him the ire of the other. He just wanted to be a spectator; why get dragged into the fray?
"Tch. Naoki, you're far too cunning," Sasori retorted, clearly dissatisfied but seemingly not entirely surprised by the evasion. He dropped the subject and turned back to Deidara with renewed seriousness. "I will prove to you that eternity is the only true art!"
Deidara snorted upon hearing this. "Lord Sasori, you won't convince me! The beauty of the instant is true art! Hmph!" With that, he turned and strode away.
Watching him leave, Sasori looked back at Uchiha Naoki. "You tried to stop me from discussing art with Deidara. Did you already know it would end like this?"
Naoki simply spread his hands. "What did you expect, Brother Sasori?"
This piqued Sasori's curiosity. "How could you have known we wouldn't see eye to eye? Did you already know Deidara's artistic philosophy was different from mine?"
Uchiha Naoki nodded. "Exactly."
This made Sasori regard him with a thoughtful expression. "It feels as if you know everything. Do you truly possess some form of prophetic ability?" It was the same during their battle with Orochimaru. Naoki had been intimately familiar with the Impure World Reincarnation, a jutsu Sasori had never even heard of, and seemed to know more about it than its user, Orochimaru. Such an intelligence-gathering capability was terrifying.
"Prophetic ability?" Uchiha Naoki smiled and shook his head. "How could that be possible? If I had that, wouldn't I be invincible? I just happen to know a little more, so it seems like I know everything."
Should he tell Sasori the truth—that he was a transmigrator with knowledge of the script? The puppeteer would likely never believe it.
Besides...
Uchiha Obito, you really enjoy watching, don't you? Naoki thought, allowing his gaze to drift casually over a specific spot behind him. Zetsu was listening in.
"I see," Sasori replied, nodding as if he understood. But it was clear he didn't fully believe Naoki's humble explanation. Still, as partners, he respected Naoki's right to his secrets. Everyone had their own hidden cards.
After Uchiha Naoki and the Scarlet Sand Scorpion left, Zetsu, who had been listening not far away, was plunged into shock. That casual glance from Uchiha Naoki had been unmistakable. "We've been discovered?!" it couldn't help but think, utterly astonished. Even the most powerful sensor-type shinobi couldn't detect their concealment. Their track record of remaining undetected was perfect. But Uchiha Naoki's glance had left no doubt—they were exposed.
"Is this guy's perception… really that terrifying?" White Zetsu muttered, its eyes wide with shock. "It seems monitoring him in the future won't be so simple."
"Indeed," Black Zetsu agreed in its raspy voice. "We must report this to Obito immediately. His judgment was correct. This Uchiha Naoki is indeed a variable worth noting."
One Hour Later
"What?! Your concealment was discovered?!" Uchiha Obito couldn't hide his surprise upon hearing the report from Zetsu. He knew exactly how potent Zetsu's hiding skills were. To put it bluntly, there was virtually nowhere in the entire shinobi world they couldn't infiltrate. Their ability to remain undetected was legendary. And now… they had been found out by Uchiha Naoki just by observing from a distance?
"This guy… is far more troublesome than I initially thought," Uchiha Obito narrowed his sole visible eye, his resolve to eliminate Uchiha Naoki solidifying further. Such an unpredictable variable would inevitably disrupt his plans. "Unlike Uchiha Itachi, this one is too enigmatic. His strength is already considerable, and his threat level might even be higher than Itachi's."
He had recently infiltrated Konoha in secret, trying to uncover the truth about Uchiha Naoki's background. All he found were records of an average Uchiha orphan with mediocre talent—a profile that starkly contradicted the prodigy he had witnessed. This meant Uchiha Naoki had hidden his true self so deeply that not even Obito's intelligence network could find a flaw. That was undeniably alarming. Furthermore, he couldn't discern Uchiha Naoki's motives at all—not for joining the Akatsuki, nor for his future ambitions. He saw no reason to keep such an unknown enemy alive.
Uchiha Itachi's abilities were formidable, but he was controllable. Obito knew his goals and his weaknesses. Uchiha Naoki was different. He had no discernible handles. Aside from direct, physical annihilation, Obito could hardly find another way to deal with him. But given that Naoki had just helped kill Orochimaru, eliminating him now wouldn't be a simple task. Moreover, Uchiha Naoki was now a capable, official member of the Akatsuki. It wasn't the right time to move against him.