Chapter 45: Obito's Apprehension
"And..."
With a thought, he saw his fingers become sheathed in Armament Haki. It then flowed swiftly to his palm, then his elbow, then his entire arm. He could move it at will, precisely controlling the amount and placement of the Haki, covering any specific area he desired. It was no longer a matter of covering a single point inadequately or being forced to cover an entire 'surface' of a body part, leading to waste.
"It's truly as solid as ink, as firm as iron, and moves as the heart commands." A satisfied smile touched his lips. "With this, combined with my Devil Fruit ability, my combat power will rise significantly."
Armament Haki allowed his power to be more concentrated and potent. Therefore, whether in close combat or at a distance, his offensive capabilities would be enhanced.
"And with Life Return, I can control my body more precisely, tap into its hidden reserves, widen my chakra pathways, and increase both the quality and quantity of my chakra."
The higher the quality of his chakra, the stronger his Armament Haki, and even his Devil Fruit abilities would naturally become. It was a virtuous cycle.
Meanwhile, in a certain underground space...
"You mean, that Uchiha Naoki fellow has evolved his Sharingan?" The voice from beneath the orange, spiral-patterned mask was cold as its owner, Uchiha Obito, looked at the Zetsu delivering this information. "Are you certain?"
Hearing this, the white side of Zetsu, the Yang portion, replied affirmatively, "No mistake! The feeling of seeing everything clearly, with that slight, voluntary hypnotic suggestion... it can't fool me!"
The dark, gloomy half, the Yin portion, also answered, "Uchiha Naoki hides it well. But unfortunately, he can't hide it from us. The aura emanating from that guy is exactly the same as Uchiha Itachi's was when he awakened the three tomoe. I don't think there's any error."
Hearing both "Zetsu" give affirmative answers, Uchiha Obito's eyes immediately hardened. "Good. I understand." His tone was icy, but his gaze was supremely calm. "Then, after he completes the Kirigakure mission, we will move against him. His ability is indeed somewhat peculiar. I need to make some preparations to counter his immunity to slashing attacks."
Having been thwarted by Uchiha Naoki when he was just a fledgling, Obito naturally didn't dare to underestimate him. Caution was necessary.
"Speaking of which..." The white Zetsu suddenly asked curiously, "Why are you so hostile towards Uchiha Naoki? Compared to Uchiha Itachi, Itachi is more thoughtful and far more dangerous to us. Moreover, if you want to seize a Sharingan for later use, Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō seems like a better choice."
Hearing White Zetsu's words, Uchiha Obito replied, "Indeed, by comparison, Uchiha Itachi, who slaughtered his clan and infiltrated the Akatsuki, is clearly more thoughtful and a greater threat to us." He paused, then changed his tone. "But... this is only a superficial phenomenon."
"No matter how thoughtful Uchiha Itachi is, I ultimately know his background and his weaknesses. Even if Uchiha Itachi is allowed to grow, I know what his upper limit is." Obito's voice grew graver. "But Uchiha Naoki is different..." A strong flicker of fear showed in the eye visible through his mask. "He may not be as cunning as Uchiha Itachi, but his origins are too mysterious. I know nothing about him. His methods, his abilities... they are completely beyond my calculations."
"If he is allowed to mature, I have no idea where his upper limit lies. Even if the probability of him reaching a catastrophic level is only one in a billion, I will not take that gamble. I cannot risk him disrupting the successful implementation of our plan." Clenching his fist, he declared, "Therefore, we must eliminate him before he fully grows. As for the need for his eyes as a backup, that is only a secondary consideration."
For him, the unknown was the most terrifying thing.
"I see," White Zetsu nodded in agreement. "Indeed, this guy is far too mysterious."
Because they were about to face one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, even someone as arrogant as the Scarlet Sand Scorpion, along with Juzo Biwa and the others, were actively preparing countermeasures and perfecting their own techniques.
Uchiha Naoki was constantly honing the two major abilities he had just acquired, integrating them harmoniously with his Devil Fruit power. The only one who seemed impatient to set off was probably Deidara.
And while they were all making their respective preparations...
Far away, in Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning, the Raikage's furious roars shook the village.
"What did you say?! Yugito Nii and the team of three were wiped out?! Are you joking?! Who dares to attack our Cloud Ninja?!"
The entire Raikage's office was being smashed apart by the enraged Raikage. He was like an angry human-shaped dragon, ready to explode completely at the slightest provocation.
"The suspected perpetrators are a mysterious organization named Akatsuki," reported Mabui, the Raikage's unflappable assistant. "For this mission to acquire the secret art from the Land of Cedars, I heard the Land of Cedars hired this organization to resist our forces and protect their secret technique."
Raikage gritted his teeth. "Akatsuki? What kind of bastard organization is this?!"
Mabui shook her head. "Currently, we only know they are a mercenary group specializing in accepting missions from smaller nations. Their prices are low, but their efficiency is extremely high. They have almost monopolized the mission market in small countries. It is rumored their base is in the neutral Amegakure." She pushed her glasses up. "However, without definitive evidence, even we cannot simply hold them accountableachev, let alone threaten or intimidate them. Furthermore, Amegakure implements a strict isolationist policy. I'm afraid it will be very difficult for us to infiltrate and investigate."
Hearing this, the Raikage punched the wall impatiently. "Damn it! So we're just supposed to sit back and watch? We lost three Jonin and a Jinchuriki! This isn't some minor skirmish!"
His village, the mighty Kumogakure, when had they ever suffered such humiliation?
"Currently, we can only hold them accountable after obtaining key evidence, or if it's confirmed they captured or killed Yugito Nii. Only then can we take action against them." Mabui remained calm. "But as I said before, it is very difficult for us to infiltrate and investigate, let alone obtain key evidence."
This answer only made the Raikage more furious. Knowing the other party was guilty but being unable to act was the most frustrating feeling. But he knew... under the current shinobi world order, he had to abide by the corresponding rules. Otherwise, Kumogakure would inevitably face joint condemnation from all the smaller nations. That kind of public pressure was something the Cloud Village could not bear.