281-285

*Chapter 281: Bringing Mrs. Mikoto and Chika to Meet Itachi*

"Come out," Aizen called towards the three rooms.

"Aizen, how’s the situation?" asked Izumi, who came out with Pakura, Mrs. Mikoto, and Chika from the three rooms.

Since Pakura moved in, Aizen had given her his rarely used room. Meanwhile, Aizen himself rotated nights between his three wives' rooms. Chika, however, still shared a room with her mother, Mrs. Mikoto. Whenever Aizen wanted a private moment with Mrs. Mikoto, he used a charm to let Chika sleep soundly.

“It’s all resolved. Jiraiya is sealed in another dimension for now. Once things settle down, I’ll release him. Consider it an explanation for Tsunade.” With that, Aizen turned to Mrs. Mikoto. “We shouldn’t delay; they’re probably about to start. Go get ready; we’ll leave soon.”

Mrs. Mikoto nodded solemnly, her eyes slightly red. She knew this would be her final time seeing her eldest son.

"Dad, Mom, I want to go too!" Chika pleaded, eager to join as she saw her mother preparing to leave.

Mrs. Mikoto shook her head gently. “Be good, Chika. We’re not going out to play. Stay with Aunt Izumi and Aunt Pakura until we get back, okay?”

Chika looked up at Aizen with hopeful eyes, wide and innocent.

Aizen smiled and picked her up. “It’s fine; let her come. There won’t be any danger,” he reassured Mrs. Mikoto. It might even be interesting to let Itachi meet his sister.

Meanwhile, where Jiraiya had "fallen," the area was in ruins, strewn with seawater, collapsed metal pipes, and shattered buildings.

“So, the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, is finally dead. Without that secret, I might not have won. He was my teacher, after all. He deserves respect,” Pain said, standing among the wreckage with his remaining paths, excluding the Animal Path.

A calm, mocking voice suddenly rang out. “How twisted. I never expected him to be your teacher. In a world like this, betraying one’s master seems common. Orochimaru killed the Third, Sasuke killed Orochimaru, and now you’ve killed Jiraiya.”

With a burst of smoke, Aizen appeared across from Pain on the metal pipes.

“Do you have any objections?” Pain's eyebrows rose slightly.

“No, just glad I didn’t take Sasuke as my student, or I’d probably be dead by now,” Aizen replied lightly.

“Oh, Aizen, always joking! With your strength and chakra, even if Sasuke learned your techniques, he’d be no match for you. I heard from Tobi that the Mangekyou was thoroughly beaten by you,” said a half-black, half-white face emerging from a massive Venus flytrap-like plant—White Zetsu.

Black Zetsu, with his usual raspy tone, added, “More like one-sided domination. But why didn’t you kill Sasuke? He really wanted you dead.”

Aizen shrugged, feigning indifference. “Nothing personal; I just find Itachi more annoying than naive little Sasuke.”

“Interesting…” Zetsu recalled the night of the massacre, nodding slightly in agreement. White Zetsu asked curiously, “Didn’t you say Itachi’s strength would be enough to take down Sasuke?”

“That’s generally true, but you never know. Anything could happen,” Aizen replied, glancing at Pain. “Speaking of which, Pain, surely you’re stronger than this? Is this restraint because Jiraiya was your teacher?”

“What do you mean by that?” Pain's brow furrowed, sensing a challenge.

Aizen shrugged, “Just an observation. With your level of strength, no one in the ninja world could take you down alone. Well, except me, of course.”

“Obviously. After all, the Rinnegan is the legendary power of the Sage of Six Paths himself,” Black Zetsu praised openly.

Though cautious, Black Zetsu found Aizen’s admission of Pain’s superiority comforting. With Pain’s Rinnegan, he hoped to keep Aizen in check.

“No need for flattery.” Pain dismissed Zetsu’s praise, glancing at Aizen. “Instead of wasting time here, go to Thunder Gorge and capture the Eight-Tails.”

“No rush,” Aizen replied calmly. “The Eight-Tails isn’t going anywhere, and you haven’t captured the Six-Tails yet. If I capture the Eight-Tails now, we’ll draw too much attention from the five great nations.”

“After all, the Eight-Tails Jinchuuriki is the Raikage’s brother. The Raikage could call a Five Kage Summit, putting the Akatsuki at odds with the five nations before we have the Six-Tails and Nine-Tails.”

“Hmph.” Pain scoffed but didn’t refute the point. Surprised, he asked, “What could be more interesting than capturing the Eight-Tails?”

Aizen internally sighed at how gullible Nagato could be, manipulated by Tobi’s lies and ultimately by Naruto’s words into reviving Konoha’s villagers. Now, he was oblivious to the upcoming battle between Itachi and Sasuke.

“Zetsu, haven’t you told Pain about the upcoming fight between Itachi and Sasuke?”

Both Zetsu heads froze for a moment, realizing they hadn’t mentioned it.

“We thought there was no need, given Itachi’s strength over Sasuke. After all, Aizen tested Sasuke’s abilities. Ultimately, Itachi’s victory is assured, giving us a powerful new ally for the Akatsuki.”

“Then let Itachi settle it quickly,” Pain said, clearly annoyed.

“Yes, Leader. I’ll tell him to speed things up.” Zetsu conceded.

“And Aizen, once you’re done watching, get started on capturing the Eight-Tails.” With that, Pain and the other paths vanished.

"Time for us to leave too," Zetsu said, casting Aizen a deep look before sinking back into the ground.

Aizen grinned, then disappeared with a puff of smoke—his shadow clone vanishing.

Meanwhile, Aizen was back with Izumi in her room, preparing to merge her Sharingan with Fugaku’s Mangekyou.

Izumi noticed Aizen's hesitation, thinking he was changing his mind about her. “What’s wrong?” she asked, surprised. She knew Aizen's antics—he often used “serious tasks” as an excuse to get close to her.

Aizen chuckled. “You’re imagining things,” he teased, flicking her gently on the forehead. “I’m here to help you get an Eternal Mangekyou so you won’t need to rely on recovery every time you push your Sharingan.”

“An Eternal Mangekyou? But that requires a blood-relative’s Mangekyou to merge with. Even if I had one, I wouldn’t accept it,” Izumi protested.

“It’s fine. Remember when I told you how I got my Sharingan?” Aizen continued his story.

“Fugaku transferred it to you before he died,” Izumi recalled. She gasped as the truth dawned on her.

Aizen nodded, “I’m going to transfer Fugaku’s Mangekyou to you.”

Izumi was hesitant, but after Aizen reassured her, she agreed. With a silent command to his system, Aizen watched as a golden light appeared in his hand and flowed into Izumi.

The process of fusing the Mangekyou quickly drained Izumi’s energy, and she soon fell asleep as the chakra within her intensified. Aizen could sense her growing power—enough to potentially unlock the full Susano’o.

With a satisfied smile, Aizen tucked her in and left a shadow clone behind to guard her. Exiting the room, he found Mrs. Mikoto and Chika already dressed in their ninja gear, ready to depart.

“You’re fast,” Mrs. Mikoto remarked, surprised.

“It wasn’t what you think,” Aizen replied dryly, amused at their preparation. “We’re not going to war.”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. We don’t want to be a burden to you out there.” Mrs. Mikoto chuckled, her usual calm replaced by a rare, nervous energy.

Chika twirled around in her new outfit, eager for her father’s approval. “Dad, how do I look? Mom helped me make this!”

She was the spitting image of her mother in a Konoha vest, a headband, and her black bow tucked away. She looked like a miniature version of Mrs. Mikoto.

“You look great, like a mini cosplayer.” Aizen ruffled her hair, thinking privately, If Itachi even thinks about touching either of you, he’ll answer to me.

Chika pouted, wanting to prove herself.

Smiling, Aizen handed Pakura a special kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God technique and made sure each of his loved ones bore the mark, just in case. With final reassurances, he took Mrs. Mikoto and Chika, ready to face what lay ahead.

Chapter 282: Tsunade Discovers the Clues, Chika vs. Obito

*Konoha Village*

In the Hokage’s office, a somber atmosphere prevailed. Present were the Deep-Seated Toad who had narrowly escaped the battle with Pain, and Shizune. After using reverse summoning to escape back to Mount Myoboku, the Toad quickly returned to Konoha to report on the events and outcome of the battle. “So that’s how it happened… Jiraiya has fallen.”

“No… It can’t be.” Shizune’s eyes widened in shock, clutching Tonton close and covering her mouth. Tsunade’s head hung low, her face obscured by shadows, leaving her expression unreadable.

A heavy silence fell upon the office. Suddenly, Tsunade slammed her fist down, shattering the desk.

“Tsunade-sama…” Shizune tried to intervene, only to be met by Tsunade’s outstretched hand. “The kunai. Jiraiya didn’t use the kunai I gave him?”

In that moment, Shizune thought she saw a faint glimmer in the air—perhaps a tear.

“Oh, you mean this?” The Toad paused, pulling out a kunai with the Flying Thunder God seal. “Jiraiya entrusted this to me before the final battle with Pain.”

With trembling hands, Tsunade took the kunai, sinking into her chair as though all strength had left her. She stared blankly at the ceiling, tears beginning to blur her vision. She knew: Jiraiya must have realized the terrible power of his enemy and decided to return the kunai as he faced his final battle.

Guilt surged within her—she owed Jiraiya so much. If he had become Hokage back then, it would have been she who went to the Rain Village.

“Tsunade-sama…” Shizune tried to comfort her but was at a loss for words, casting her gaze downward in helpless sympathy.

“I may not understand the significance of this kunai, but please pull yourself together,” the Toad encouraged. “Before he died, Jiraiya left some intel. I don’t understand the code, but he left it for you. I also brought one of Pain’s bodies for analysis.”

“Shizune, please escort the Toad to the analysis team. We must extract all we can from this information—Jiraiya sacrificed his life for it.” Tsunade got up, walking over to the window, turning her back to Shizune and the Toad.

With a sympathetic look, Shizune escorted the Toad out, leaving Tsunade alone, clutching the kunai as silent tears fell.

Taking a deep breath, she hesitated, then gathered her resolve, channeling chakra into the special kunai that Aizen had given her for emergencies.

At this point, she didn’t care about anything else—not even if Aizen was cheating or maintaining a harem. She only wanted to ask him for intel on the leader of the Akatsuki and avenge her dear friend.

Yet, even after waiting for a while, the kunai produced no response. Could it be that Aizen had lied to her, and this kunai was useless? No, he would never joke about something that involved her safety. There could be only one possibility: it had been used.

She inspected the kunai and noticed the markings had indeed faded. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled. The only person who could cause the kunai’s marking to disappear was Aizen himself. Her spirits lifted—if he had been involved, there was a chance that Jiraiya was still alive.

*Meanwhile, Elsewhere*

While those in Konoha believed Jiraiya to be dead, Aizen was already at the Uchiha family’s original hideout with Mrs. Mikoto and Chika.

“Achoo!” Aizen sneezed unexpectedly. Was someone thinking of him?

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Chika looked up at him with a curious smile.

“Nothing, probably just someone missing me,” Aizen chuckled, squeezing her hand while holding Mikoto close with his other arm. He gazed at the Uchiha hideout ahead. “Let’s go. Sasuke’s on his way, so time is limited.”

Mikoto nodded, visibly emotional. Her sons were now on a collision course, and she felt powerless to stop it.

Meanwhile, the members of Team Snake, along with Konoha ninjas led by Kakashi, were also making their way to the hideout. Having already lost a member to Chika’s capture, Sasuke’s team, now down to Juugo and Suigetsu, was intercepted by Kisame.

“So, you’re the survivors of a battle with Lord Aizen, are you?” Kisame smirked. “Not many can claim such a feat.”

Sasuke frowned. As much as he hated to admit it, Aizen was incredibly powerful. He couldn’t afford to waste chakra on Kisame with Itachi waiting ahead.

Suigetsu, however, wasn’t so reserved. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Are you picking a fight? I know you and that sword of yours, Samehada!”

“Oh, is that Suigetsu, Mangetsu’s little brother?” Kisame sneered, his teeth bared. “You’ve grown since we last met. But I’m not here to fight.”

Sasuke’s Sharingan narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I have orders. From here on, only you may proceed. Itachi’s instructions.” Kisame held his sword calmly in their path. “The rest of you will wait here.”

“Fine by me,” Sasuke replied, almost smugly.

“Are you insane, Sasuke?” Suigetsu objected. “What if we run into Aizen again?”

“Relax. Lord Aizen isn’t here,” Kisame interjected. “He’s off at the Akatsuki’s base with his family.”

“Family?” Suigetsu and Juugo looked at each other, astonished.

Kisame grinned. “Believe it or not, he values them above all else.”

Sasuke took a leap forward, avoiding a direct fight with Kisame, and vanished from sight as he made his way to Itachi.

Meanwhile, Konoha’s team, led by Kakashi and Yamato, was intercepted by Tobi.

“Hello, everyone!” He greeted them with exaggerated cheer, standing atop a tree in his Akatsuki cloak and orange spiral mask.

“Seems you’re all here! An eight-on-one situation, eh?” he chuckled.

Ignoring his antics, Yamato glared. “Given your attire, you must be with the Akatsuki.”

“But according to our intel from Kabuto, there was no such member,” Kakashi said cautiously.

“Ahaha… I’m a new recruit,” Tobi laughed, still joking.

“Is that so?” Chika stepped forward, aligning herself with Kakashi and Yamato, studying Tobi with a knowing smile. With her powers, she could immediately discern his true identity—Obito Uchiha, Kakashi’s former friend, saved by Madara and twisted into the path he now followed.

Chika’s smile grew dangerous. This man had caused the Nine-Tails attack on the village and harmed her grandparents.

“Does he realize who I am?” she thought, noticing his wary gaze. Obito seemed to recognize her as Tsunade’s daughter, which only fueled her anger.

“Stand back,” she instructed Kakashi and Yamato. “This one’s abilities are unknown. Hold your positions, and if he shows a weakness, don’t hesitate—take him down.”

Kakashi and Yamato nodded gravely, both aware of Chika’s strength and her unique sensory abilities. She was undoubtedly the best person to face him directly.

*Chapter 283: The Dutiful Son Finally Calls Him Father*

Uchiha Hideout, central underground structure.

Uchiha Itachi sat in a stone chair, cloaked in his Akatsuki robe, legs crossed, his right hand gripping the left that peeked from the robe’s collar. His expression was calm and serene.

Footsteps echoed through the hall, and Itachi slowly opened his eyes. "My foolish little brother… just how far can those Sharingan eyes of yours see?"

"Sorry, you’ve got the wrong guy. I’m not your foolish little brother."

A figure dressed in the same red-clouded black robe emerged from the darkness—it was Aizen.

“It’s you?” Itachi’s eyes narrowed, his calm demeanor vanished. He rose and adjusted his clothing, his voice tense. “Where’s Sasuke?”

“Don’t look at me like that. Whether it’s you, Sasuke, or anyone else—if I wanted them dead, no one would make it out alive,” Aizen replied.

“Anyone?” Itachi caught the underlying tone, sensing Aizen’s lack of concern for both the masked man and Pain.

“Yes, anyone.” Aizen nodded.

“Then, are you here to finally confront us both?” Itachi asked, his tone indifferent.

“Yes and no. To be precise, someone wants to see you one last time before you die, so I brought her here.” Aizen turned to the doorway. “Come in, Ma’am, Chika.”

As his words fell, two figures—one tall, one small—held hands and emerged from the darkness. Their faces, strikingly similar, were none other than Mrs. Mikoto and Chika.

“Mother…”

Itachi, now almost blind, saw only blurry shapes, but he recognized his mother’s chakra and silhouette. His icy expression softened, words swelling in his throat but refusing to come out.

“Itachi…”

Seeing her long-absent eldest son, Mrs. Mikoto’s eyes filled with tears. She released Chika’s hand and moved forward, but Aizen stopped her. “The current Itachi doesn’t really see you as his mother. He probably thinks this is just my genjutsu.”

“If you get any closer, I might just lose my patience and kill him.”

True to Aizen’s words, as he finished speaking, Itachi’s gaze turned cold once again. He looked at Aizen, voice sharp. “What is this all about?”

“What do you think? Just like on the night of the massacre when you thought you killed me and Izumi, what you saw were merely crows.” Aizen spread his hands. “That night, after I finished off the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, I went to see your father.”

“Your father, seeing that I was still alive and that I had taken down Sarutobi and Shimura, begged me with his bloodline to protect your mother, look after your brother, and, knowing you would come after me, asked me to spare your life.”

Hearing this, Itachi’s expression softened, partly convinced by Aizen’s words.

Indeed, knowing Aizen’s personality, which repays grudges with interest, it seemed impossible he’d simply spare Itachi.

Unless…

Itachi’s gaze shifted to Chika, as Aizen’s voice echoed once again. “Yes, she’s your sister, named Fujiwara Chika. Your half-sister, to be precise. Your father entrusted your mother to me.”

Aizen put an arm around Mrs. Mikoto and gently patted Chika’s head. “Remember how I helped Sasuke call me father multiple times? That’s right, I can indeed be called his father, and yours as well. I’m your stepfather.”

“Besides sparing you and looking after your brother, Fugaku had one last wish: to see the Uchiha clan revived.”

“He must’ve sensed I cared deeply for your mother, so he wrote a parting note before his death.”

“Maybe it’s because I lost my mother young, but I have a particular attachment to mature women, especially someone as remarkable as Mrs. Mikoto.”

“And your mother, having lost her husband and her clan, with no chance to see her younger son, and constantly in fear of being hunted by her own son, needed someone to rely on too.”

“So, over time, we naturally came together. And that red envelope I sent you? That child wasn’t Izumi’s, but Mrs. Mikoto’s.”

“If you think about it, Izumi was so young back then; I’d never have asked her for a child at that age.”

Aizen paused, touching his chin, a feeling of triumph filling his heart. The satisfaction of becoming Itachi’s “father” was simply unmatched.

“Mother… is this true? Did he force you?”

Itachi still held doubts, or perhaps he simply didn’t want to believe it—that this man, who had led him to ruin the village he sacrificed so much for, had taken his mother for himself.

Faced with her son’s question—the son who once wanted to kill her—Mrs. Mikoto didn’t know whether to be sad or relieved.

After a long silence, she nodded, her eyes filled with tears. “No, Aizen has treated Chika and me well. So, you can rest assured.”

“I see… that’s good, then.” Itachi let out a quiet sigh, feeling somewhat relieved. He was a sinner, forever indebted to his mother, and had no right to meddle in her freedom.

Moreover, Aizen’s dedication to family was well-known within the Akatsuki.

With his mother and sister in Aizen’s care, at the very least, they would be safe.

With this thought, Itachi did something rare—he bowed, facing Aizen, and gave a formal salute. “Aizen, I entrust my mother, Sasuke, and… my sister to you.”

“Oh, well, isn’t this something? The sun must have risen in the west today. Itachi Uchiha, bowing his head… But honestly, even now, you can’t bring yourself to call me ‘Father’?”

Aizen smirked, looking at Itachi with amusement.

Itachi’s lips twitched, but recognizing he needed Aizen’s help, he swallowed his pride, lowering his head. “F-Father…”

“Now, that sounds right. Don’t worry—I’ll take care of my own wife and kids,” Aizen said, patting Chika’s head. “Isn’t that right, Chika?”

Chika, a simple-hearted girl without the webs of schemes like Aizen or Itachi, replied obediently to her father’s call, “Yes.”

“Alright, Sasuke will be here soon, so your time together is short. The one lurking in the shadows—under my genjutsu—won’t be able to see me, Mrs. Mikoto, or Chika. As for Sasuke, I’ll intercept him outside for a while.”

Aizen turned his back to Itachi, glancing over his shoulder. “You have half a stick of incense’s time to catch up. I’m only allowing it for Mrs. Mikoto and Chika’s sake; otherwise, I would’ve finished you off long ago.”

“One last thing. I know you love to scheme. Be mindful—I’ve placed safeguards on Mrs. Mikoto and Chika. If you dare harm them or pull any tricks on them…”

“Not only will you die, but your brother, whom you sacrificed everything to protect—killing father, mother, and the clan for—will not escape either. You know I have that power.”

“Dragging your dying body into the next life by your brother’s hands—that’s the last mercy I offer you.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 284: Chika and Obito’s Deathmatch – Infinite Reversal

“I understand, thank you,” Chika closed his eyes, offering a heartfelt thanks before departing.

"Let’s hope you mean it,” Aizen replied without turning back, leaving his final words before vanishing into the darkness.

Meanwhile…

On the battlefield with Konoha’s ninjas facing Obito.

Imitating Aizen's technique, Chika made a symbolic hand sign. Lightning crackled in her right hand as she charged towards Obito.

"Coming at me head-on? Do they underestimate me?” thought Obito with a smirk, unconcerned by Chika’s attack. He struck a humorous pose, saying mockingly, “Oh my, just like Sasuke’s Chidori – how dangerous!”

Obito was absolutely confident in his Kamui abilities.

Although Chika had trained under Aizen, it was only for Aizen’s amusement.

Knowing the harshness of this ninja world, Aizen never took on a true apprentice.

Back then, Aizen only succeeded by using genjutsu to catch Obito off guard. And even so, he hadn’t fully figured out Kamui’s weaknesses. If he had, he wouldn’t have worked under the Akatsuki, hiding his family within the organization, fearing Obito’s Kamui and Pain’s Rinnegan.

Unbeknownst to Obito, his thoughts had already been read by Chika.

When she was within three meters of the tree branch Obito stood on, a mocking grin crept onto her face. She leaped, her Chidori screaming as she thrust at him.

“Oh, so dangerous, so dangerous!” Obito dodged, feigning panic and shouting sarcastically, “Just kidding!”

Chika, unfazed by his taunts, continued her relentless Chidori assaults.

Obito dodged left and right, his words filled with mockery to rattle her resolve, but Chika remained focused, biding her time until he solidified.

Relying on her observation skills, she pushed Obito to his limits. It became clear her insight surpassed the Sharingan’s perception.

Growing frustrated from Chika’s constant near-hits, Obito lost patience. After phasing through another attack, he kicked her off the branch and, in Tobi’s voice, scolded, “Brat, stop underestimating me. You’ll accomplish nothing here.”

As his words ended, a piercing blue blade struck his chest. Chika's figure dispersed into smoke – it had been a shadow clone.

“When did she…?” Obito gasped, voice dropping into the tone he used when masquerading as Madara, clutching his chest in shock.

He hadn’t seen Chika form any hand signs.

At that moment, memories of his fight with Aizen came flooding back; it was as if his every move was anticipated.

Chika held her Chidori spear, flinging Obito into the air. She feigned innocence, saying, “Obviously, I cast it when you turned your back between my attacks.”

“Through our fight, I’ve grasped your ability. When attacks approach, you phase through the targeted part of your body, only to solidify at the moment of attack. I must say, it's a tricky technique.”

“I was simply waiting for the right moment,” she continued. “Do you know why Aizen trained me? Because I’m a prodigy, the only one who can surpass his genius.”

She wouldn’t tell him she could read his mind and detect when he’d drop his guard and solidify.

“Aizen really did give Akatsuki quite the enemy,” Obito muttered. Though he spoke with admiration, a sinister grin crept under his mask.

Using his experience with Aizen, he’d activated Izanagi the moment he sensed something amiss. His conversation with Chika had only been to gather intel.

With over ten minutes of invincibility from Izanagi, he would crush this threat before she grew into a true problem.

“Thanks for the compliment,” Chika smirked as she tightened her grip on the Chidori spear, slicing Obito in two. His blood stained the ground as his body fell.

“Did Chika just kill that Akatsuki member?” The Konoha ninjas looked on in disbelief.

That masked man had just been toying with them.

“It’s done,” Kakashi thought, covering his Sharingan with a sigh of relief. “This girl…maybe only she can beat Aizen Fujiwara.”

Karin, with her keen sense, nodded in agreement. “The masked man’s chakra really has vanished.”

Ignoring their astonishment, Chika turned back toward the others, urging, “Let’s not waste time. We’ll deal with the Akatsuki member’s body later; the other battle is about to start.”

As she turned, Obito, revived by Izanagi, appeared behind her, plunging a kunai into her back.

The corpse on the ground faded into nothingness.

“You’re talented, but still too naive,” Obito taunted, his Sharingan flashing brightly.

The reversal was too sudden for the Konoha ninjas to react in time.

As despair gripped them, Chika’s voice sounded. “Oh? I return the favor.”

With a poof, Chika transformed into a log, reappearing behind Obito and driving her kunai into his heart.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 285: Obito Is Relentlessly Beaten*

"This brat," Obito cursed silently, his calm demeanor now replaced with irritation under his mask. Letting Chika stab his heart with a kunai, he asked in a low voice, "I thought I left no flaws. How did you see through my fake death?"

Obito's Izanagi could last over ten minutes.

Only a minute had passed, so he wasn't in a rush.

Chika’s goal was to stall until Obito’s Izanagi ran out, so she didn't hurry either. Keeping a straight face, she started spouting nonsense:

"Obviously, I figured it out when I saw your Sharingan. Don’t forget who I am: Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage’s daughter."

"In fact, I should thank your Akatsuki organization. It was Aizen Fujiwara from your group who exposed Danzo’s experiments with Sharingan and cells from the First Hokage."

"My mother, being the First Hokage’s granddaughter, couldn’t let that slide. So, she decided to take action against Danzo."

"But Danzo got word of it early. To escape punishment, he defected before any orders could be carried out."

"Though he ran, his foundation didn’t. He left behind intel on forbidden techniques, including one called Izanagi."

"It’s a jutsu that sacrifices one Sharingan to turn any harm you suffer into an illusion for a limited time, while making your attacks real."

"In other words, it’s almost unbeatable if the opponent isn’t aware of it."

"So, since you have a Sharingan, I took that possibility into account. Do you think I’d come here without being prepared?"

Underneath the tree, the Konoha group looked astonished. They hadn't known such secrets about the Uchiha clan.

Only Kakashi seemed puzzled. As a Konoha elite jonin and a disciple of the Fourth Hokage, he was almost guaranteed to be the next Hokage.

He had led the secret raid on Danzo’s hideout himself, yet he couldn’t recall finding anything on Izanagi. (PS: Actually, Aizen had already taken it).

"Danzo, you bastard," Obito thought, recalling Danzo’s sinister face. Overcome with anger, he laughed bitterly, "Hahaha..."

Obito joined the ranks of the Uchiha’s infamous, mad laughter.

“What are you laughing at?” Chika asked, feigning ignorance.

Obito stopped laughing. "I see. You truly are the Fifth Hokage’s daughter. Your skill in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and your sense of timing are remarkable."

"And in our fight, you even held eye contact with my Sharingan without falling under my genjutsu. It seems you’re quite resistant to illusions."

"No wonder that twisted Fujiwara Aizen took an interest in you. But... you’re still too inexperienced."

As he spoke, Obito’s body turned to an illusion, reappearing behind Chika. His right eye twisted space, releasing a strong pull, aiming to trap Chika in the alternate dimension.

But Chika had already anticipated his move.

At the instant he appeared, she launched Chidori Sharp Spear.

The blue lightning blade pierced Obito again.

Kamui’s hold faded as it lost his chakra support.

"This... This can’t be!" Obito’s calm was finally shattered. It was his first time demonstrating Kamui’s teleportation before the Konoha crowd, only to have it effortlessly countered by a young girl.

Chika continued to taunt him. "Stop wasting your strength. I already explained—you materialize when you attack."

"That time-space jutsu like Kakashi’s left eye ability is also affected by this."

"And you misunderstood something. Aizen Fujiwara taught me more than just because of my talent."

"It was because I have chakra and perception abilities on par with his."

With that, Chika struck Obito again with Chidori, splitting him in two.

Before his body could fade into illusion, Chika threw several kunai toward his next resurrection point.

The moment Obito resurrected, the kunai struck him dead-on, too fast for him to react.

Chika shouted to the Konoha group, "Everyone, I’ve figured out his abilities completely. From now on, I’ll tell you where he’ll appear next. Attack him with everything you’ve got. Don’t hold back—I’ll tell you where he’ll reappear."

Kakashi and the others nodded, looking at Obito with playful malice.

Under their gaze, Obito felt a chill run down his spine.

The Konoha team was about to have their moment to shine.

"Meeting my precious daughter is the worst luck you’ll ever have. Whether you survive depends on your luck."

Outside the Uchiha hideout, Aizen sensed everything happening with Observation Haki, relishing Obito’s predicament as he looked ahead with a smirk. "Come out, my boy."

Whoosh...

The sound of rushing wind filled the air.

Sasuke sprang from the forest, stopping about thirty meters from Aizen, gripping his sword tightly with a wary expression. "Why are you here?"

"Of course I..." Aizen began, but Sasuke cut him off, retreating at an even faster pace, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.

Aizen paused, surprised, realizing that their previous battle must’ve scarred Sasuke deeply.

"Don’t worry. Just as I spared Orochimaru out of curiosity, I’m equally interested in how things will turn out between you and ‘that loyal Uchiha.’ I won’t interfere."

Sasuke didn’t trust Aizen’s words, remaining in a stance with his Mangekyo Sharingan activated, eyes glued to Aizen, afraid he’d vanish from sight.

Aizen didn’t offer further explanations; he was only there to allow Lady Mikoto to get one last look at her ailing son, who seemed to have one foot in the grave already.

Taking a long look at Sasuke’s Mangekyo, he suddenly recalled that in the original story, Sasuke fought "that loyal Uchiha" without it. His twisted sense of humor kicked in.

Since the "loyal Uchiha" was doomed, he might as well let Sasuke get beaten up a bit.

With that thought, Aizen looked at Sasuke with a mischievous grin.

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(End of chapter)