91-95

*Chapter 91: The Black Box on Yagura's Body*

It was a trap.

Using his memory and assessing the situation, Sōgen concluded that Kuroshio Mountain was a trap. By the time he had saved Uchiha Akihiko and the others, the command center at Kuroshio Mountain had likely already been taken over by Uchiha Obito.

If they couldn't find a way to counter "Kamui," Obito’s Mangekyō Sharingan technique, then in Sōgen's view, Uchiha Obito was almost invincible in one-on-one battles. At the very least, he was unbeatable.

With just the troops stationed at the Kuroshio Mountain command center, Sōgen doubted they could even scratch Uchiha Obito, no matter how hard they tried.

However...

"They still came, huh!"

Standing before the gates of Kuroshio Mountain Castle, Sōgen looked up at the ancient fortress, nearly a hundred years old. It was said to have been built during the Warring States period by a small country’s daimyo, who poured the entire country’s resources into its construction. But when Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara swept through the ninja world, ending the Warring States chaos, the castle’s original owners, along with three ninja clans serving that small country, were wiped out by Sarutobi Sasuke.

Seeing the name "Sarutobi Sasuke" in the historical documents fascinated Sōgen. The brilliance of Hashirama and Madara was so dazzling that other strong warriors of their era were almost entirely overshadowed.

Later, when the Land of Fire and Konoha Village were established, during the era of the Second Hokage, this abandoned castle was repurposed by Konoha as one of the bases for the Eastern Border Defense Force.

And now, it had fallen once again.

The corpses piled up at the entrance had pooled their blood into a small crimson stream, staining the ground before the gate and trickling down the gentle slope.

"Too late, as expected."

The gruesome sight was something Sōgen had prepared himself for when he saw the vultures circling the sky back at the foot of the mountain. Still, seeing it in person brought a touch of disappointment. The Eastern Border Defense’s command center had been wiped out, and reorganizing the defense along the long coastal line would be a major headache.

"Troublemakers!" Sōgen thought with frustration, his gaze shifting to the figure of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, who had come into view.

This man was no stranger to Sōgen.

During the Third Ninja War, Yagura, though not yet the Fourth Mizukage, was already a high-ranking commander on the Kirigakure frontlines. Though he wasn’t a Jinchūriki at the time, it didn't diminish his strength. His mastery of Water Release jutsu and the unique “Coral Palm” technique, developed from Kirigakure’s research on the Three-Tails, had caused Konoha’s forces great trouble.

Yagura had been one of the most feared enemies of Konoha at the time.

Not long after earning the title of "Flame Demon," Sōgen, along with the newly famous "Body Flicker" Shisui, had fought fiercely against Yagura. The outcome? They both retreated, which, in ninja terms, meant they lost.

Beneath Yagura’s childlike, innocent appearance lay the heart of a true warrior.

"Long time no see, Yagura. Or should I call you Mizukage now?"

"Uchiha... Sōgen?"

Yagura’s expression subtly shifted as he gazed at Sōgen in his crimson armor, seemingly recalling something.

This wasn’t due to any hidden past between them but rather because the battle had already begun in silence.

Sōgen’s eyes turned crimson, with the three black tomoe spinning as he activated a Genjutsu. His ocular power projected onto Yagura, only to be swallowed by an unfathomably deep black abyss—Yagura’s "black box."

"Impressive!"

Sōgen genuinely admired the skill. Putting aside Yagura's character, he had to admit that Uchiha Obito was terrifyingly talented. Manipulating the Nine-Tails like a mere pet at such a young age and turning the Fourth Mizukage into a puppet—his mastery of Genjutsu was truly fearsome.

Before Sōgen could change tactics, he felt a faint tremor underfoot. Instinctively, he shifted, dodging a deadly strike aimed at his vital organs. A sharp blade, wrapped in wind chakra, skimmed his right side, but his scarlet armor easily deflected it without leaving a mark. The Kirigakure swordsman, hidden behind a mask, looked confused. His attack had once sliced through a Water Dragon jutsu and even split massive rocks, yet it couldn’t penetrate Sōgen’s armor, barely the thickness of a thumb.

He couldn’t understand it, but he didn’t dwell on it long—this was still a battle, after all!

With a practiced motion, he let a kunai slide into his left hand, wrapping it in wind chakra before hurling it toward Sōgen’s face. The failure of his first attack made him realize that Sōgen’s armor had formidable defense, so he targeted the more exposed head instead.

And he wasn’t alone.

"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spears."

The ground behind Sōgen rippled as if it were a soft carpet, and sharp stone spears shot up towards his feet. At the same time, attacks from both sides were launched—not wind or earth techniques this time, but Kirigakure’s specialty: Water Release.

"Water Style: Water Whip."

Two Kirigakure ninjas lashed out with whips of water, capable of splitting even rock, aiming to strike Sōgen.

Facing an Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan, it was said that at least two similarly skilled opponents were needed to stand a chance—this was a rule followed by Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure alike. The battle-hardened members of Yagura’s Shadow Guard remembered this well.

So, to ensure the capture of Uchiha Sōgen, they attacked with four people at once.

Their caution was justified, but in the end, it wouldn’t change the outcome. The gap in power was simply too great to bridge.

Sōgen glanced at the kunai speeding towards him, made a single hand sign with his left hand, and gently exhaled.

*Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.*

At close range, the massive fireball not only deflected and incinerated the kunai but also scorched the blood-soaked ground and the enemies within its radius, leaving a deep, imperfectly round crater.

"One down."

Sōgen quietly counted under his breath.

After dealing with the Mist Ninja in front of him who still tried to cause trouble, he stomped the ground with both feet and leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the rock pillars that erupted from behind in an earth-style attack. He glanced back mid-air at the Mist Ninja using the Earth Release technique.

Of course, his troubles weren’t over yet.

Whip-like water streams lashed toward him from both sides with a sharp, slicing sound. Although Water Whip is only a C-rank ninjutsu, the rank of a jutsu doesn’t always reflect its true power. Many factors come into play, making it complex to evaluate. But one thing was certain: the same jutsu could vary dramatically in strength depending on who wields it.

The Water Whip techniques from these two Mist Ninjas were a perfect example. Their power far exceeded the usual standard.

If he got hit by them, it would mean broken bones and torn muscles. Still, that wasn’t likely to happen. The armor he wore had the defensive strength of a "D-rank treasure." Although it couldn’t completely block the attacks, it would reduce the damage.

At most, he might be knocked back, ending up with some bruises.

"Uchiha Style: Flame Sword."

Faced with the water-style attack, Sōgen suddenly remembered fond memories of burning Mist Ninjas on the battlefield. Drawing his sword, he coated the blade with a blazing stream of fire. With a swift motion, he slashed through the water whips coming from both sides, creating a graceful arc in the air.

Attack met attack. Strength clashed with strength.

Back in the day, his favorite move was using Fire Release to overpower Mist Ninjas' Water Release techniques head-on!

Defeating an enemy in their strongest field was exactly the kind of behavior that earned Sōgen the nickname "Flame Demon." The "Flame" represented his mastery of Fire Release, and "Demon" described his ruthless tactics.

As his fiery sword collided with the water whips, the intense heat evaporated them instantly. Steam filled the air like mist, and from the Mist Ninjas' hurried retreat, it was clear their hands had been scalded by the superheated vapor.

Then—

Still in mid-air, Sōgen turned his gaze toward the distance.

“You’re the second one.”

The Mist Ninja who had attacked with Earth Release heard the voice from behind him and was instantly alarmed. In his vision, Uchiha Sōgen had just fended off his sword-wielding comrade and was retreating to create distance. He had been thinking of how best to coordinate with his teammate…

But how had Uchiha Sōgen suddenly appeared behind him?

Was it the Body Flicker Technique? Shadow Clone? Or something else entirely?

His thoughts raced, but in that brief moment, he couldn’t figure out what technique Sōgen had used. Abandoning his thoughts, he immediately acted on instinct. He spun around and threw a powerful punch toward the sound, his fist strengthened by an Earth Release hardening technique. If it landed, even Sōgen would be in trouble.

Even if it cost him his life, he chose to attack rather than defend or flee. The ruthless, decisive nature of Mist Ninjas was on full display.

But his full-force punch hit nothing but air.

Behind him, there was only his own solitary shadow.

By the time the shuriken came flying, shattering his spine and embedding itself deep into his body, the searing pain snapped him out of the illusion. In his dying moments, he finally understood: it had been genjutsu all along.

As expected of an Uchiha.

But his brain, already dulled by the approaching death, couldn’t figure out when he had fallen under the illusion.

With that final, unanswered question lingering in his mind, he coughed up blood mixed with fragments of his organs, then collapsed lifelessly, his body growing cold.

“What a hassle!”

Sōgen lowered the hand that had thrown the shuriken, frowning slightly. These Mist Ninjas were skilled—killing them was proving to be a lot of work. The two whose hands had been burned retreated behind the castle gate, where medical-nin from the Shadow Guard began treating their burns.

Of the four attackers, only half had been dealt with.

He had to admit, these Mist Ninjas were elite fighters, powerful and tough to handle.

And this was without Yagura, the leader, joining the fight. The remaining ten members of the Shadow Guard were still standing by. If Yagura decided to act, it wouldn’t be easy for Sōgen to handle things with his current techniques.

Moreover, Yagura was a Jinchuriki now. If he unleashed the power of his Tailed Beast and fired off a couple of Tailed Beast Bombs, Sōgen would have two choices: run or use his Mangekyou Sharingan. Running wouldn’t be easy either, with Yagura and his twelve subordinates there to keep Sōgen from escaping.

So,

Using the Mangekyou Sharingan seemed to be his only option.

"Are they trying to drain my eye power? Or are they hoping to discover my ocular jutsu?"

Sōgen’s crimson eyes spun.

At this point,

He had a faint idea of why Uchiha Obito had set this trap. Maybe Obito’s real target was him from the start—fearing Sōgen’s unknown ocular abilities and trying to expose them? Or maybe it was a plan to wear down his eyes until he went blind?

Perhaps both.

He had never fully understood why Obito was involved in the Uchiha clan’s massacre. Rin Nohara’s death couldn’t be blamed on the Uchiha, after all.

But then he remembered how Obito seemed to fear Itachi Uchiha, and a vague theory formed in his mind. Maybe the real reason was to prevent more Mangekyou Sharingan users from appearing in the clan? Other than collecting Sharingan to use Izanagi, was the goal to keep the clan from gaining more powerful eyes?

After all,

Obito knew better than anyone how terrifying the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan could be—his own "Kamui" jutsu was proof of that.

Today,

Given his current situation, Sōgen was starting to believe his theory was right!

Staring at the castle in front of him, Sōgen smiled. Even if it was a trap, he had to dive in—otherwise, he wouldn’t know what Obito was planning. It was just too intriguing.

Now that he had figured out what Obito wanted,

He would give it to him.

End of chapter.

*Chapter 92: Partial Tailed Beast Transformation ()*

"Obito, how are you feeling?"

Uchiha Obito, ‘wearing’ a White Zetsu, was using the Mayfly Technique to hide in the shadows under the eaves of the castle, crouched in a small bush. From there, he had a clear view of the battle unfolding at the castle’s main gate. Even if the fight moved inside the castle, he could simply phase through the walls to keep watching.

Zetsu also emerged from the bush, pressed closely against Obito.

There wasn’t much choice—the bush was small, and hiding one person was fine, but two required them to stick close together, or they’d risk being spotted.

"He should’ve already noticed that something’s wrong with Yagura by now," Obito said.

"Is it genjutsu?" Zetsu asked.

"Exactly. It’s genjutsu—basic training for any Uchiha who’s awakened their Sharingan. Our earlier guess was correct: Uchiha Sōgen’s eye technique is related to genjutsu. Just now... his genjutsu interfered with my control over Yagura. His genjutsu is powerful. If he uses his Mangekyō Sharingan ability, he might be able to break the genjutsu I’m using to manipulate Yagura."

White Zetsu suddenly understood and blurted out, "Oh, so that’s why you didn’t let the Fourth Mizukage attack earlier! I thought you were just observing, but you couldn’t move him!"

Then he realized what Obito had said. "Wait, your genjutsu can be broken? Does that mean Yagura will lose control?"

"Exactly," Obito replied calmly.

"Then what will we do? If Yagura loses control, Kiri and Konoha won’t fight, and all our efforts will have been for nothing!"

"As long as the objective is achieved, losing a few tools doesn’t matter," Obito said, his gaze deep and unfazed.

Even someone like Yagura, who was both the Fourth Mizukage and the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, was just a useful tool to him. As long as it furthered his goals, losing one or two tools was acceptable—so long as his objectives were met.

Now, the question was whether he could get what he wanted!

His goal was simple:

First, to confirm Uchiha Sōgen’s Mangekyō Sharingan ability. Only by understanding the threat posed by Sōgen’s ocular powers could he decide his next move. If Sōgen’s abilities weren’t too dangerous, Obito would personally kill him and take his eyes.

If Sōgen’s powers were indeed dangerous, then he’d have to find a way to preserve Yagura as a tool while using Kiri and other pawns to drain Sōgen’s ocular power, gradually weakening his Mangekyō Sharingan.

To this day, the former "Kenji" had shed his youthful innocence. After years of suffering and agony, he had grown mature. His bold and reckless actions were always carefully planned.

Five years ago, he dared to invade Konoha because he had a deep understanding of his former teacher and the village where he had lived for over a decade. That night, he made his move, causing chaos, and took down the man who could counter his Kamui technique.

After about seven or eight seconds of contemplation, Obito made his decision.

Since calling out Sōgen’s name earlier, Yagura had remained silent. Now, he spoke again: "Everyone, back off!"

It was a simple command, but it sent chills down the spines of those who heard it.

The members of the Kiri ANBU understood what their Mizukage’s order meant—it signaled the arrival of destruction.

The Kiri shinobi quickly scattered.

They weren’t afraid of death, but that didn’t mean they wanted to be accidentally killed by their own Mizukage.

"Is he really preparing to unleash his full power?" Sōgen thought, watching as the Kiri shinobi dispersed. He understood what was about to happen.

Standing still, Sōgen clapped his hands. Without even bothering with the usual blood-letting ritual, he summoned the Samehada (Shark Skin) directly into his hands. As soon as he grasped it, the sword’s handle stretched like a rope, coiling around his forearm and immediately restoring his depleted chakra. The pure, almost liquid chakra flowed into him like a spring.

Just as Sōgen’s chakra was replenished, Yagura unleashed an explosive surge of chakra, as if a volcano had erupted. The seal that held back disaster was broken, and the aura of destruction flooded the battlefield.

A tailed beast cloak, red with streaks of black, enveloped Yagura.

Three dark-red tails swayed behind him.

This was the partial tailed beast transformation, the threshold before fully transforming into the tailed beast. It maximized the Jinchūriki’s access to the beast’s power while still maintaining a somewhat human form. Usually, few Jinchūriki could voluntarily maintain this form; it was often entered involuntarily during moments of rage when the seal weakened.

Only a Jinchūriki who had fully mastered their beast could control this state.

Yagura, as it happened, was one such perfect Jinchūriki.

Boom!

Just by stomping his foot, the ground beneath shook violently.

The castle gate collapsed with a deafening crash, and a cloud of gray dust shot into the sky like a dragon.

Yagura’s dark-red figure flashed across the ground like lightning. Behind him, a massive shockwave carved a deep trench, marking his path. In an instant, he appeared before Sōgen, raising his right palm to strike Sōgen’s chest.

This was—

*Coral Palm*

Despite his beast-like appearance, Yagura hadn’t lost his mind. As a perfect Jinchūriki, even under Obito’s genjutsu, he retained his intelligence. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to hold his position as Mizukage.

Bam!!!

A translucent, dark-red ribcage appeared around Sōgen.

Yagura’s Coral Palm attack failed.

Susano’o was a physical manifestation of chakra, not flesh, so the coral-growing effect of Yagura’s attack didn’t take hold. However, the sheer force of the strike caused Sōgen to stagger back, nearly losing his balance.

"So this is the power of a tailed beast?" Sōgen muttered.

This was his first time facing a Jinchūriki and experiencing the power of a tailed beast firsthand. During the Third Shinobi War, Kiri’s Six-Tails Jinchūriki had been old and nearing replacement, while the Three-Tails had been kept as a tool by Madara to groom his successor. As a result, Kiri hadn’t had the opportunity to deploy Jinchūriki in battle before the war ended.

During the Nine-Tails incident, Sōgen had only seen the rampaging Nine-Tails from a distance, not up close.

Now, feeling the chaotic, violent chakra emanating from Yagura, Sōgen didn’t rush to counterattack. Instead, he widened his eyes and observed closely.

There was no need to hurry and finish the fight. After all, the enemy’s command center had been wiped out, and any rescue efforts were dead in the water. He had plenty of time. With Samehada in hand, he didn’t have to worry about running out of chakra.

This was the perfect opportunity to study the secrets of the Jinchūriki and the tailed beasts.

And since Obito wanted to see him exhaust his ocular power, well, he might as well give him a show!

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 93: Slip of the Hand? (Please Vote!)*

The battle style of a Jinchūriki is wild and brutal.

This has nothing to do with whether they retain their sanity or not.

It’s just that this wild and brutal fighting style better unleashes the destructive power they wield.

Take Naruto, who may or may not master the so-called Nine-Tails Chakra Mode in the future, for example. Even Killer B, the perfect Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, fights with a reckless abandon once they harness the power of the tailed beast. Most Jinchūriki fight with one common approach: full-on aggression.

The protective "Tailed Beast Cloak" provides enough defense to mitigate most attacks, reducing the damage they take to a minimal level. The chakra of the tailed beasts also has healing properties. As long as it's not a fatal injury, most wounds will heal before the Jinchūriki even notices them.

Incredible defense, self-healing vitality, and overwhelming destructive power capable of reshaping the landscape!

That’s what it means to be a Jinchūriki—a monster seen by the villages as a weapon of war!

“Crack!”

Yagura’s dark-red arm extended like a saw blade, chasing Sougen. Effortlessly, it sliced through over a dozen massive cedar trees, each requiring five or six people to fully encircle. As the trees collapsed, they triggered a chain reaction, crashing into others and turning the once peaceful forest into chaos.

“An arm that stretches more than 20 meters, no blood on the blade after cutting… a simulated limb made of tailed beast chakra?” It’s similar to the rib-like Susanoo that now shields Sougen!

Both are constructs of solidified chakra.

However, the essence of the two is different.

Sougen narrowed his eyes as he lightly tapped his toes on a tree branch, moving like a ghost through the forest.

“Boom!”

As he leaped back, Yagura's dark-red arm erupted from the ground beneath him.

A clawed hand, clearly not human, reached to grab Sougen’s ankle. In its initial ribbed form, Susanoo’s protection was not all-encompassing. Above his head, under his feet… there were weak spots.

“Hmph, do you think I’m blind?”

While the Sharingan’s perception isn’t as powerful as the Byakugan, it’s sharp enough to detect the massive chakra fluctuations moving through the shallow ground beneath him. At the moment Sougen jumped, a bone-white arm glowing with flickering chakra appeared beside him, and it came crashing down with the force of a mountain.

The skeletal hand collided with Yagura’s claw-like arm.

Cracks formed in Susanoo’s hand, and the resulting shockwave uprooted nearby trees, leaving a crater in the ground beneath them.

The power of a tailed beast is truly formidable.

However, as long as there is an endless supply of ocular energy, Susanoo can regenerate instantly, making these injuries meaningless to Sougen. In fact, the passive Sougen had never intended to target Yagura in the first place.

His attention drifted far away as his thoughts raced.

He wasn’t sure what the situation was, but since his shadow clones hadn’t been destroyed, that was a good sign. As long as Uchiha Obito and Zetsu hadn't discovered his little trick, it was worth dragging this out.

His task now was to hold Obito and Zetsu’s attention here.

In the forest, as the terrifying aura of tailed beast chakra spread, birds, snakes, and insects instinctively sensed danger and fled in panic. The once tranquil woods were now in complete upheaval. Even White Zetsu hadn’t noticed the black, inky creatures that blended in with the shadows—like they had bathed in a pool of ink—moving among the panicked animals.

Black rats, long black snakes, low-flying black crows, and many other dark creatures moved through every corner of the forest.

Though they appeared to flee in a frenzy, they were actually gathering and observing all the information they could.

Deep in the forest, three of Sougen’s shadow clones, hidden in different locations, held brushes and blank scrolls. Every so often, a snake, rat, or crow would return, and as they touched the blank scrolls, they dissolved into ink, transcribing the information they had gathered in cryptic characters.

At the same time, the shadow clones continued sketching, sending out more scouts to gather further clues.

White Zetsu’s “Mayfly Technique” was formidable. If memory serves, it allows him to merge with trees and the earth, moving underground at high speed and erasing all traces of his presence. No one would be able to detect him—while he’s in that state, at least.

But they can’t stay merged with the earth and trees forever!

Once they surface, they can be seen by anyone nearby, and that’s why White Zetsu avoids the Hidden Leaf Village. The Byakugan’s kilometer-long range makes White Zetsu curse in frustration.

In the Leaf, he often has to maintain the Mayfly Technique for excessively long periods, and unless he’s absolutely sure it’s safe, he avoids showing himself.

However, Sougen had placed several shadow clones throughout the area before arriving on Kuroshio Mountain. After engaging Yagura, he lured him into the forest.

His real target was much bigger.

Just as Obito was calculating against him, Sougen was calculating against Obito.

The roles of hunter and prey are never fixed. Under different circumstances, the two can switch places. The key to hunting is mastering the art of tracking.

Sougen had never excelled in tracking or investigation.

However, the secret technique Super Beast Imitating Drawing filled that gap, giving him the tools to turn the tables on Obito.

“Hmm?”

One of Sougen’s shadow clones, seated on a perfectly cut stone slab, looked over the latest information appearing on the scroll. His fingers glided over the text, the collected intelligence flashing through his mind like a movie on fast-forward.

Then, he saw it—a man in an orange mask with one eye, accompanied by a yin-yang-faced figure resembling a giant pitcher plant, poking their heads out from a cedar tree.

“Got you!”

The shadow clone’s lips curled into a smile. After all this effort, it wasn’t a waste of time!

Forming a hand seal, the shadow clone dispelled itself. With a “pop,” the chakra from the dissolving clone released a cloud of white smoke. As the breeze passed, the stone slab was empty.

Even the brush and scrolls vanished with the shadow clone.

At the same moment, some of the ink creatures under his control suddenly dropped dead, leaving inky smudges on the ground, leaves, and tree trunks. This unusual shift finally caught the attention of the lurking White Zetsu.

Just as White Zetsu was about to inform Obito, Sougen, who was fighting Yagura, had already received the intelligence. Lowering his gaze, he looked towards a thick cedar tree. Obito and Zetsu were hiding behind the tree canopy.

They were practically within arm’s reach!

“Hiding right under my nose... That’s some terrifying stealth!” Sougen muttered softly, a fierce killing intent flickering in his eyes. The previously cracked skeletal arm reappeared, the fractures gone, and chakra flickered around it like burning flames.

Then, an even greater surge of ocular energy flowed into his hand.

Three deep crimson orbs—gleaming like condensed drops of blood—floated in Susanoo’s skeletal hand.

From the branches of the cedar tree, Obito and Zetsu peered through the foliage, watching the deep crimson orbs suspended in Susanoo’s hand.

“What’s that?”

Seeing the unfamiliar technique, confusion flashed in Obito’s eye.

“Yasaka Magatama. Uchiha Sougen is finally getting serious!” Black Zetsu rasped, explaining to Obito, “That’s one of Susanoo’s techniques. Every Uchiha who unlocks the Mangekyō Sharingan can use it. It’s too bad that when you awakened your Mangekyō, you were missing one eye and couldn’t unlock Susanoo. But if you retrieve your other eye, you too can wield this power.”

“Hmph!”

Obito’s demeanor instantly soured. Coldly, he retorted, “Even without that power, I’ll create a new world.”

Black Zetsu, feeling exasperated, thought to himself, Even after living a thousand years, I can’t figure out some of Obito’s ideas.

For instance, why does Obito resist reclaiming his other eye? Wouldn’t gaining more complete and powerful abilities be beneficial? Why resist so strongly? But... it doesn’t matter. With the power of “Kamui,” Obito is more than capable of pushing the plan forward. Perfection isn’t necessary.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, he saw Susanoo’s massive skeletal arm swing, launching the three crimson magatama with great force.

Except—

Did Sougen slip up?

Why does it look like those magatama are heading straight toward them? Black Zetsu’s eyes widened in shock. For a moment, he was dazed. Did Sougen really miss that badly? Obito and Yagura aren’t even in the same direction.

Or... is this deliberate?

His target wasn’t the Yagura after all, but Uchiha Obito? Or was it himself? Countless thoughts surged through Black Zetsu's mind, and at this moment, the three tomoe, radiating an overwhelming aura of destruction, were already right in front of them, filling their entire field of vision.

end

*Chapter 94: I Don't Recall Madara Uchiha Being One-Eyed*

The enormous Yasaka Magatama was practically about to hit him square in the face, but neither Uchiha Obito nor Zetsu were foolish enough to believe that Uchiha Sōgen had merely slipped up. The most likely explanation was that they had been exposed, though they couldn't yet figure out how they'd been discovered.

However, this question could be investigated later.

The most important thing right now was figuring out how to deal with this unexpected turn of events.

As for the falling "Yasaka Magatama," what was that exactly? Was it impressive?

Uchiha Obito didn’t take it seriously at all. As long as he had Kamui, such an attack was nothing more than a breeze to him. If anything, he was eager for Uchiha Sōgen to keep using such attacks, hoping to drain his ocular power as much as possible.

"What should we do next?" Obito squinted as he pondered.

Initially, he had planned not to reveal himself until he fully understood Sōgen's ocular jutsu.

Depending on the final investigation, only then would he decide his next course of action.

But unexpectedly, Sōgen had somehow uncovered their whereabouts, which was a bit awkward. Now that they were exposed, continuing to hide seemed pointless.

At that moment, the Yasaka Magatama passed through Obito's body like it was phasing through an illusion, crashing into a massive old cedar tree. In an instant, the tree, as thick as a man's waist, was obliterated in silence. The intense burst of chakra unleashed a shockwave so powerful that not only was the tree vaporized, but everything within a circle around it was also obliterated.

A blinding light, like a miniature sun, rose from the forest. Energy waves rippled outward, shaking both land and sea, with the deafening roar echoing across the entire region.

When the light faded and the thunderous sound receded, a massive crater, nearly a hundred meters in diameter, appeared in the forest. Volcanic ash-like dust rose from the pit, carrying with it an indescribably dry, acrid scent.

This was—

The Yasaka Magatama.

"As for its power... it's about on par with the Tailed Beast Bomb of a half-transformed jinchūriki," said Zetsu, who had reappeared from the ground, nonchalantly standing next to the unharmed Uchiha Obito. They both stood on the crater's edge, surveying the destruction. Their survival abilities were top-tier, so the seemingly devastating attack had no effect on them.

"How boring," Obito said, unimpressed by Zetsu's analysis.

Forget comparing it to a half-transformed jinchūriki's Tailed Beast Bomb—what would even a fully-transformed Tailed Beast Bomb matter?

In the face of Kamui, it was meaningless.

So far, the only person capable of breaking Kamui had been his teacher, and no one else.

"Not interested? Fine! But the Uchiha clan head is coming! Obito, have you decided what to do next? Are we leaving? Or meeting with him? Or perhaps... should we try to kill Uchiha Sōgen now?" asked Black Zetsu just as a deep crimson glow, like a speeding locomotive, crashed through the scorched trees at the edge of the crater, heading directly toward them.

Exposed again?

Obito's gaze hardened.

A deep sense of confusion welled up within him. How exactly had he been discovered? He was still wearing a "White Zetsu" suit, with most of his body merged into the ground through the Mayfly Technique, only his chest and head exposed. Sensory jutsu that relied on detecting chakra should have been unable to find him and Zetsu, unless it was something like the Byakugan, which could directly see them. Blocking chakra didn’t equate to invisibility...

See?

A spark of inspiration flashed in his mind.

His Sharingan spun quickly, and then he saw a small black rat hiding in the grass, with an unusual flow of chakra in its body. With a flick of his wrist, a shuriken flew out, hitting the rat and turning it into a pool of black ink, staining the grass.

"Ink? It smells like Yang Release chakra. If I’m not mistaken, someone in Danzo’s Root unit uses this technique," Zetsu said, quickly collecting and analyzing the information. "It seems this ink contained some kind of special message, though it’s been destroyed. But if I’m right, Sōgen used this to find our location."

"So, we’ve already been spotted?"

"Correct."

Black Zetsu's voice was grim.

Obito’s eyes turned cold.

Careless!

He hadn’t expected Sōgen to have such a secretive technique, one that even caught him off guard. Being tracked without noticing deeply soured his mood. He placed a hand on his mask and made a resolute decision.

His scarlet eyes flickered with light.

Kamui.

Under Zetsu's watchful gaze, the space around Obito seemed to warp. His Sharingan acted as the core, creating a vortex-like distortion in the space, pulling Obito into it until he disappeared entirely.

Uchiha Sōgen...

More troublesome than anticipated.

But no matter.

Everything was still under control. The overall plan was fine, just requiring a few minor adjustments—such as revealing the identity of "Madara Uchiha" sooner than planned. As for what consequences this might bring...

It wouldn’t change much.

This world, filled with conspiracies, ambition, mistrust, hatred, and war, wouldn’t change just because of Madara Uchiha’s survival or death. At most, it would provoke Konoha's vigilance, but what of it? Killing "Madara Uchiha" required the ability to find him first.

Black Zetsu smiled briefly as he watched Obito vanish. Then, his pitcher plant-like body merged into the ground, disappearing as well.

Ten seconds later, the deep crimson light arrived.

Boom!

A skeletal arm swatted away a persistent dark red claw that attacked from behind. Sōgen ignored the troublesome Yagura and scanned the surroundings with his crimson eyes, searching for any sign of Obito and Zetsu. After a quick glance, he found nothing—no sign of Obito or any severed white Zetsu limbs filled with life force.

Had they left?

Sōgen frowned.

He wasn’t surprised that the Yasaka Magatama hadn’t done much; it was more of a signal than an actual attack, a way to say, "I’ve found you." He hadn’t expected any miraculous results. But for Obito to leave without even showing his face? That was troublesome.

Hunting required being able to locate the prey. Obito’s ability to hide in another dimension was practically cheating!

It ruined the fun of the hunt.

Blood trickled from Sōgen’s right eye.

He had gone to great lengths to stage this, feigning the exhaustion of his ocular power. But looking at the situation now... had it all been for nothing? If Obito had fled, who was he supposed to act for?

For Yagura?

Sōgen glanced at the relentless dark red beast, sighed, and figured—why not? As long as he didn’t walk away empty-handed. Gathering his strength in his eyes, he prepared to hit Yagura with a genjutsu when he suddenly sensed chakra appearing out of nowhere nearby.

His mind shifted, and so did his plan.

Relaxing his brows, Sōgen unleashed his Susano'o, its skeletal hand swatting Yagura far away. Only then did he turn to the figure standing on the treetops nearby, wearing an orange mask—Uchiha Obito.

"So, you didn’t run after all, mysterious man," Sōgen said as he turned to face Obito, standing just a short distance away.

If he wanted to, Susano'o could strike Obito at any moment.

And that’s exactly what he did. A second, fiery crimson skeletal hand appeared beside him, following his will and slamming down toward Obito with the intent to crush him into pulp.

The tree beneath Obito’s feet shattered.

Debris and branches flew in all directions from the impact, but Obito was unharmed. He lightly leapt onto a nearby tree.

"Want to try again, little Uchiha?" Obito said, standing on the treetop. His orange mask, with its black stripes, still covered his face, and his black cloak clung to his form. Despite his plain attire, his aura was unsettling. The crimson Sharingan under his mask stared unblinkingly at Sōgen.

"The Mangekyō Sharingan... Who are you, really?" Sōgen asked, feigning seriousness, though he already knew the answer.

The skeletal arms of Susano'o faded, but the ribcage still protected Sōgen.

"Madara Uchiha."

Obito spoke the lie without a hint of shame.

"Madara Uchiha?" Sōgen narrowed his eyes, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "Your Mangekyō may be real, but thinking you can pass yourself off as an ancestor of mine just because of that? Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? If you're really Madara, then... where’s the proof?"

"Don’t tell me all you’ve got is that one Mangekyō Sharingan. I don’t recall Madara Uchiha being one-eyed. Don’t tell me you lost an eye fighting the First Hokage?"

*Chapter 95: Genjutsu - Sharingan*

"Whether you believe it or not is your concern. I, Uchiha Madara, have no need to prove my identity to anyone." Uchiha Obito mimicked the arrogance deeply ingrained in Uchiha Madara's bones. Even the look in his crimson eyes was filled with contempt and confidence.

It was as if the person standing before him, Sōgen, was nothing more than a tiny insect, unworthy of having a human prove their identity.

"Especially to someone who is about to die."

At the end, he added another sentence, leaving no doubt about his attitude.

Killing intent roared like a typhoon, and Uchiha Obito was the eye of the storm. With a simple gesture, the semi-tailed beast form of Yagura Karatachi pounced forward like a trained hunting dog, his savage and violent intent overwhelming his rational mind.

The dark red tailed beast cloak ballooned like a balloon injected with air.

As the dark red cloak faded away, the sealed tailed beast finally revealed its true form and stature. Its massive body crushed a large part of the surrounding forest. Three flat tails whipped violently through the air, stirring up fierce winds. Its thick, mud-gray carapace gave the impression of being impenetrable.

This was a tailed beast—few knew its true name, but people called it the Three-Tails, based on its three tails.

"How straightforward! I thought I’d have a chance to launch a sneak attack," Sōgen sighed in regret. But honestly, Kamui's abilities were far too difficult to deal with. Without absolute certainty, he would never expose his eye technique recklessly. Otherwise, when Uchiha Obito first appeared, he wouldn't have used Susano'o to attack.

At that time, the distance between them would have been perfect for using *[Mokuhanasakuya]*.

However, he wasn't sure how effective *[Mokuhanasakuya]* would be against another Uchiha with a Mangekyo Sharingan. If it didn't kill him in one strike or cause irreparable damage, it would only drive Uchiha Obito further into hiding.

So, he chose to wait, looking for a better opportunity.

Now, he raised his head, gazing at the towering Three-Tails. His eyes settled on the creature's single crimson eye, and he genuinely admired it. "Beautiful."

Of course, he wasn’t praising the Three-Tails.

Sōgen was captivated by the beast's eye. Even a catastrophe-like creature such as the Three-Tails had to submit to the Uchiha clan's Sharingan. No wonder the Uchiha clan was so proud. Even Sōgen, in his heart, couldn't help but be proud of this power.

The Three-Tails lowered its head, staring at Sōgen, who was protected by the dark crimson skeletal form of Susano'o.

"ROAR!"

The Three-Tails let out an enraged howl.

Though its consciousness didn't control its body, Uchiha Obito was the true master. Yet, as if by instinct, seeing Sōgen’s Sharingan and the deep crimson Susano'o, the Three-Tails' body began to tremble with fury.

Another Uchiha. Another one of those damned red eyes!

Massive amounts of chakra surged forth.

A pitch-black Tailed Beast Bomb appeared before the Three-Tails, swelling at an alarming rate, ready to be fired in an instant...

Sōgen simply stared into the Three-Tails' eye, as silent as a stone.

The battle had already begun.

*[Genjutsu - Sharingan]*

This didn't refer to the Sharingan itself.

It referred to a Genjutsu.

It was the strongest illusion cast by the Uchiha clan's Mangekyo Sharingan. It maximized the hypnotic abilities of the Sharingan. As long as eye contact was made, one’s own ocular power could be projected into the opponent’s will, either to rob them of their bodily freedom or to disrupt their actions.

When pushed to its limits, it could even control a tailed beast.

Just like now.

The Three-Tails' movements came to a halt.

The Tailed Beast Bomb, which had been moments from firing, gradually dissipated, transforming back into pure chakra and returning to the Three-Tails' body.

The battlefield was no longer in the physical realm.

Now, it was a battle of wills and spirits.

---

"This is the consciousness space where the Three-Tails is sealed. It truly is a small, dark, and unpleasant cage." Sōgen stepped through ankle-deep water and looked up at the pitch-black dome, which seemed to be made of both stone and steel. The surrounding darkness was also cut off by similar walls.

Then, he turned his gaze toward the iron bars ahead.

However, he wasn't looking at the motionless Three-Tails locked inside the cage.

"Hey, you who claim to be Uchiha Madara, shouldn't you show yourself now? You're hiding like a coward even after coming this far. It’s making it harder and harder to believe you're really Uchiha Madara."

"Hmph! Arrogant brat. I already told you, I don’t need to prove my identity to anyone." Uchiha Obito, wearing his mask, appeared atop the Three-Tails' head, looking down contemptuously at Sōgen standing in the water. The disdain in his eyes was clear.

"Is that so? It doesn't matter. Whether you are or aren’t doesn’t change anything between us. If I defeat you, I imagine I’ll solve most of my problems."

"Defeat me, Uchiha Madara?"

Uchiha Obito burst into laughter, arrogant and condescending as ever. He looked at Sōgen and said, "If you think you can, go ahead and try!"

---

Sōgen narrowed his eyes slightly.

*[Genjutsu - Shackles of the Curse]*

In this world of spiritual wills, the Uchiha clan's Genjutsu shone at its brightest. Giant metal stakes materialized out of thin air, piercing through Uchiha Obito's limbs. The real, tangible pain severely stimulated Obito’s nerves.

"Not bad!"

Obito twisted his neck, slipping through the stakes as if passing through a phantom. Behind him, the metal stakes fell and shattered like bubbles on the Three-Tails' head.

"But if that's all you’ve got, you won’t kill me!"

As he spoke, flames suddenly ignited around Sōgen’s body, wrapping his hands and feet in scorching fire. Though the water reached his ankles, he still felt the intense sensation of his flesh burning, his skin charred, and even his bones starting to crack from the heat...

So this was what it felt like to be burned by flames!

He had always been the one to set others on fire. This was the first time in his life he had experienced being burned.

*[Genjutsu - Unquenchable Fire]*

This was Uchiha Obito’s counterattack.

"Whether you're Uchiha Madara or not, your ocular power is indeed strong!" Sōgen said genuinely, enduring the agony of being burned.

This was the truth. Obito’s ocular power was incredibly strong. Whether it was due to his talent being drawn out by Madara or the changes from merging with White Zetsu, his Genjutsu was impressive. Controlling the Nine-Tails, controlling the Three-Tails’ Jinchuriki, Yagura Karatachi...

The flames burned hotter, but Sōgen’s expression of pain gradually faded. In the end, he simply waved his hand, and the flames were extinguished. There were no burn marks left on his body.

In this world of spiritual will, all damage was inflicted on the spirit. The strength of one’s spirit determined victory or defeat.

A battle of Uchiha Genjutsu ultimately came down to a clash of ocular power. Unless it was a perfectly executed illusion, a contest between two Uchiha often devolved into a simple comparison of ocular strength. If one’s power was strong enough, no illusion could truly harm them, just as Obito had broken free of the Shackles of the Curse.

And just as Sōgen had extinguished the Unquenchable Fire with a single wave.

This was the proof.

*[Genjutsu - Infinite Swamp]*

*[Genjutsu - Dragon’s Slumber]*

*[Genjutsu - Mirror of Heaven and Earth]*

*[Genjutsu - Illusionary Foam]*

To outsiders, a Genjutsu battle was often impossible to follow, especially one involving the Uchiha clan. Their illusions would often be over in the blink of an eye, with the enemy falling before anyone could understand what had happened.

Thus, witnessing this dazzling Genjutsu duel within the world of spiritual consciousness was eye-opening for Yagura Karatachi’s consciousness. If his situation weren’t so dire, he might have applauded.

"Uchiha… what a terrifying clan!" Yagura thought, filled with mixed emotions. He was pinned to a wall by large metal stakes, unable to move, unable to sense his own body, and unable to perceive the outside world accurately.

If he knew nothing, it might have spared him some sorrow.

But Obito, the one-eyed fiend, repeatedly used him like a puppet, forcing him to witness his own hands slaughtering ninjas from his village. He had been forced to witness countless bloody massacres, trapped in endless torment.

He had longed for death, yet even that was denied him.

All he could do was pray for the day when he might escape this living hell. He wasn’t sure if his endless prayers had finally been answered.

After an unknown period of silence, this space finally welcomed a new guest today.

However,

What troubled Yagura Karatachi deeply was that the visitor turned out to be yet another Uchiha. Those crimson eyes left the Fourth Mizukage at a loss for words, unsure how to vent his frustration. Yet, watching the battle between Uchiha Sōgen and the one-eyed Uchiha who had attacked him, he still hoped Sōgen would win.

He knew that Uchiha Sōgen wasn’t necessarily any better than that damned one-eyed Uchiha. But at this point, he didn’t believe his situation could get any worse. The worst outcome would be switching captors—another person to imprison his consciousness and manipulate the power of the Three-Tails...

At this moment,

The battle continued,

The dazzling clash of genjutsu had clearly reached a fever pitch. Even with Yagura Karatachi's sharp eyes, he couldn’t determine who would emerge victorious.

“Forcing me to use the Mangekyo Sharingan's abilities, huh?”

Sōgen looked at Uchiha Obito standing atop the Three-Tails’ head, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Since you want to see it so badly, then fine—take a good look! And here, in this mental realm where the Three-Tails was sealed, he could accurately strike Obito’s spiritual body.

If they were outside,

He’d have to worry about being tricked by a shadow clone!

But here, there was no use for shadow clones.

“Let me show you! The power of my Mangekyo Sharingan! I hope you appreciate its beauty!” Uchiha Sōgen’s eyes gathered intense power, and the overwhelming force rapidly flooded the surrounding space. In the iron-like dome above them, a six-leaf windmill pattern appeared.

“Oh! It’s finally coming, huh?”

Uchiha Obito looked up at the pattern in the sky.

His will tightened to the utmost in that moment, bracing himself to face the unknown power of this Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu.

(End of chapter)