Chapter 139: Oborotsuki's Pressure — Black Zetsu Plans to Revive Madara Early!
Although Oborotsuki had promised Uchiha Mikoto that he would help avenge the Uchiha clan by going after Shimura Danzō,
this matter wasn't something to rush.
Oborotsuki needed to find the right opportunity before striking at Danzō.
"You're no longer safe in Konoha. Come to Kirigakure with me for the time being."
Oborotsuki fastened his pants, opened the door, and looked out at the clear moonlight spilling across the night. He suggested this to Mikoto behind him.
Mikoto fell silent at his words.
How could she not know that Konoha was no longer safe for her?
Shimura Danzō was still determined to wipe out every trace of the Uchiha clan. Even now, Root ANBU were searching everywhere for her and her son.
The reason she had taken such a huge risk to return to the Uchiha compound was twofold.
First, she couldn't let go of Fugaku's memory.
That morning before he left, Fugaku had told her to be careful and promised he would come back for her once the village's problems were resolved.
Who could have imagined that just a few hours later, they would be separated forever…
Mikoto still couldn't fully accept this reality. Only in this familiar house did it feel like everything might still be a dream—that none of it had truly happened…
The second reason she returned was Itachi.
Her and Fugaku's firstborn son—the child they had once cherished most.
Even though Itachi had committed such a grave mistake by killing his own father, as his birth mother, Mikoto still couldn't bring herself to hate him completely.
The harsh words she had said to Itachi earlier that afternoon were spoken in the heat of overwhelming emotion.
Now that she had calmed down, she began to miss Fugaku desperately—and the anger, resentment, and hatred she felt toward Itachi had faded considerably.
She hoped to see her son again. She hoped Itachi would come back here.
Deep down, a tiny part of her even longed for reconciliation—for Itachi to return to her side.
Of course, that was nothing more than wishful thinking on Mikoto's part.
Itachi hadn't returned.
He had been missing all day. She didn't know where he had gone.
As a mother, Mikoto was deeply worried—afraid something might have happened to him.
Thinking of this, Mikoto gave a faint shake of her head:
"I want to wait a couple of days… so I can pay respects to Fugaku…"
"Little Sasuke still doesn't know… that his father is gone."
Mikoto turned her head and looked toward the baby sleeping peacefully on the bed in the room.
The little one wasn't even a month old yet.
Forget understanding what had happened to the Uchiha clan—he had barely even seen his own father more than a handful of times.
The thought made Mikoto's heart ache unbearably.
Her decision gave Oborotsuki a slight headache.
After all, he couldn't stay here guarding them twenty-four hours a day.
There were matters waiting for him back in Kirigakure too.
"Looks like I'll have to speed things up and deal with Shimura Danzō first!"
Oborotsuki thought to himself and made his decision.
"Then let's find an opportunity within the next couple of days and finish Danzō off."
He looked up at the bright moon in the night sky.
For some reason, he had the vague feeling that someone was watching him from the moon.
"Is it that guy…?"
Oborotsuki thought silently, feeling a faint heaviness settle in his chest.
He knew that descendants of Ōtsutsuki Hamura lived on the moon.
That man had always been observing the ninja world from afar, never intervening.
But in the not-too-distant future, members of the Ōtsutsuki clan would arrive.
When that time came, another storm of blood and chaos would descend.
Oborotsuki carried his own pressures. He had to become stronger—much stronger—and quickly—if he wanted to face those future crises.
Behind him, Mikoto had no idea of the burdens weighing on Oborotsuki's mind.
Hearing him say this, she immediately stood up as well.
"I'm sorry, Oborotsuki… for dragging you into all of this…"
"No need to apologize. I chose to get involved myself."
Oborotsuki turned around and looked at Mikoto seriously.
"I'm sorry I can't help you much… Little Sasuke can't be left alone. I can't feel at ease leaving him here by himself…"
Mikoto said apologetically.
"I can handle it alone. You don't need to come with me."
"Then just wait here for me."
With those words, Oborotsuki activated Flying Thunder God and disappeared.
He planned to scout Danzō's hideout first, check the terrain, and see if he could find an opening to eliminate the old man.
At the same time, in the Akatsuki hideout.
Inside a mysterious underground chamber, the projected bodies of Pain's Deva Path, Kakuzu, Zetsu, and Uchiha Obito appeared simultaneously.
"The Seven-Tails has been successfully captured. The exact location of the Eight-Tails is still unknown—he keeps moving."
"We've searched Kumogakure thoroughly. No trace of the Two-Tails."
"Madara, what do you plan to do next?"
Pain's Deva Path looked toward Uchiha Obito.
Obito fell silent for a moment.
"In that case, let's seal the One-Tail and Seven-Tails first."
"If I'm not mistaken, the Two-Tails has likely already fallen into Hōzuki Oborotsuki's hands!"
"Next, we focus all efforts on capturing the Eight-Tails."
"Once the Eight-Tails is sealed as well… that's when we move on Kirigakure!"
A razor-sharp, icy glint flashed in Obito's eyes.
Though he had clashed with Oborotsuki multiple times—barely escaping death each time—
And most recently, he had even witnessed Oborotsuki wielding the terrifying power of the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai!
But he refused to back down.
While he could never defeat that kid one-on-one,
With Nagato's Rinnegan combined with his own Mangekyō Sharingan, the outcome would be entirely different!
Obito was confident that he and Nagato together could eliminate Hōzuki Oborotsuki.
Once that was done, no one else would pose a threat.
"Kirigakure already knows we're coming for them. They've been heavily reinforcing their defenses these past few days."
"Are you sure we should keep waiting?"
Black Zetsu asked, looking toward Obito. He seemed unable to hold back any longer.
He felt dissatisfied.
Having watched Obito lose to Oborotsuki repeatedly, he sensed a serious threat—even worry.
The current situation appeared to be slipping beyond Obito's control.
Black Zetsu was seriously considering something.
If, in the final moments, Obito could no longer fulfill the task entrusted to him by Uchiha Madara…
Then the real Uchiha Madara would have to be revived ahead of schedule…
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