Ever since Kakashi returned from the Land of Rain, Naraku hadn't been able to interact with him.
He seemed determined to keep their distance, intentionally or unintentionally avoiding Naraku, even choosing specific times to visit Sakumo in the Hospital.
Naraku chose to let nature take its course.
The time wasn't right; acting rashly might draw Black Zetsu's attention back to Kakashi.
So, he lived peacefully in the Clan territory, reading and training after returning from the Hospital every day, and often going for walks, politely greeting Clan Member he met on the road.
Occasionally, he met with Kana, telling her not to worry too much and that everything was fine with him lately.
Fugaku sometimes came home to stay overnight, and whenever the three of them sat at the table for dinner, Naraku always felt like he was already living the life of a family of three.
Early this morning, after seeing the Clan Leader off to work early once again, knowing he wouldn't be back for many days, Naraku felt a bit regretful.
Fugaku had truly been exceptionally kind to him these past few days.
After Naraku suggested that the Clan Leader move back, Mikoto subtly probed several times, confirming that he wasn't forcing himself, before finally agreeing to let her husband come home.
Fugaku, carrying his luggage as he moved back, was almost moved to tears, patting Naraku's shoulder firmly with relief.
Fortunately, his dignity as Clan Leader allowed him to maintain his composure, preventing his image from completely collapsing... Time flew by like a white colt, and nearly two months passed in a flash.
Perhaps from the animator's perspective, Naraku's days were uneventful, so in the most recent updated episodes, he mostly focused on Minato or Kakashi, showcasing his favorite two generations of male protagonists.
The two of them lived busy and fulfilling lives.
Especially Minato, the process of him developing and improving a new Ninjutsu occupied an entire episode, and by the last two minutes of the broadcast, the new Ninjutsu had already taken preliminary shape.
According to his plan, he only needed to continue improving its stability to completely finish this Jutsu.
It was clearly not far from the official debut of the "Rasengan" that Naraku was familiar with.
The animator also used many close-ups to meticulously show Minato's soon-to-be-successful Jutsu.
Chakra, emitting a faint blue light, was forcibly compressed and gathered into a sphere, rotating at super high speed within the extremely small sphere, and if one listened carefully, they could even hear the hum of Chakra rubbing against each other.
All signs indicated that this Jutsu would possess terrifying offensive power.
Kakashi stood by, watching the ball of Chakra in Minato's palm intently, and his own memories related to creating new Jutsu also became clear bit by bit.
Ever since he became a Chunin, a vague idea had appeared in his mind, but he hadn't had time to mention it to others, and coupled with a series of changes, this thought had been delayed until now.
Now that Minato had succeeded, it rekindled his strong desire to develop a new Lightning Release.
He wanted to possess power strong enough to protect important people in the future.
The latter half of the latest episode of the anime showed Kakashi, after his routine visit to Sakumo, beginning to try and create his own Lightning Release Ninjutsu.
Thinking about new Ninjutsu almost occupied all of Kakashi's time outside of missions, temporarily filling his empty heart... Only a few days after the last anime update, a sorrowful piece of news quickly spread throughout Konoha.
The First Hokage's wife—Uzumaki Mito—unfortunately passed away at home due to old age.
Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen held a grand funeral, and more than half of Konoha came to mourn Uzumaki Mito, acknowledging her contributions to the Village.
It was at this funeral that Naraku was able to meet Kakashi again.
However, it was only a meeting; their eyes met, but they couldn't speak because they were far apart.
Fortunately, Kana and Kushina were in the very front, so they couldn't see them like this, otherwise, in addition to feeling grief for the elder's passing, they would have another layer of sadness.
"Wherever tree leaves dance, flames will burn..."
"The shadow of the flames will illuminate the Village, and in turn, new leaves will sprout..."
Tsunade, as the only direct descendant of the Senju and Uzumaki Mito's granddaughter, was naturally present.
But there wasn't much sadness on her face, only the calm of having known early on that a loved one would leave, quietly listening as her teacher recited the eulogy for her grandmother.
Perhaps she, too, had cried like a child for her grandmother's passing at some unknown moment, but in public, she would always be the strong Konoha Princess.
As the ceremony was about to end, Tsunade called Naraku aside, and the two walked leisurely down a quiet path.
Autumn was about to pass, and it had rained last night, making the weather even colder and harsher.
Most of the surrounding trees were bare branches, countless fallen leaves spread underfoot, clinging to the ground with the dampness of dew.
"I'm leaving in an hour."
Tsunade informed Naraku of this news in an undeniable tone.
Even if she was leaving Konoha, she wouldn't abandon him like that, immediately following up with detailed instructions for the future arrangements.
"You can live normally, do missions, and even use your Sharingan in battle, but be careful not to do it too frequently."
"But you are absolutely not allowed to activate your Mangekyo; you can only use your Three-Tomoe Sharingan."
"Every week, you must communicate with me, reporting on your physical condition and study progress."
"Also, every three months, you will come find me outside the Village; I will tell you the specific time and place of our meeting in advance."
Hidden within Tsunade's slightly stern tone was an imperceptible affection.
The two were first doctor and patient, then master and apprentice, and having spent so much time together, her care for Naraku was entirely sincere.
Although their appearances and personalities were completely different, she could always see Nawaki's shadow in him.
Perhaps it was because, deep down in both children's hearts, there was the same gentle love for the world.
"Yes, Tsunade Sensei."
The young man's answer was as always, obedient and sincere: "Thank you for your careful guidance all this time."
"Mm."
In the bleak autumn wind, Tsunade casually brushed off a stray leaf that had somehow gotten stuck in her disciple's hair, still vaguely worried.
She wasn't unaware that the harmonious scene of the young saplings she had seen that morning hadn't reappeared since that night—Naraku always came to her for treatment alone, and then left alone.
Limited by her lack of understanding of the situation, she had held back repeatedly, but today she finally spoke up.
"Although I don't know what happened between you and that kid from Sakumo's family, you know that the Uchiha's bloodline limit sickness is most afraid of bad emotions."
"It's okay, I'm not that sad."
Naraku smiled at Tsunade, his expression flawless: "We are just walking on different paths."
Thwack!
A crisp flick landed on Naraku's forehead; he wasn't wearing his forehead protector today, so he fully felt the force Tsunade applied.
"Ow...!"
Naraku covered his head, his eyes teary, weakly accusing Tsunade of bullying him with his expression.
"You brat, you'd better not be lying to me."
Tsunade stood with her hands on her hips, looking fierce, then raised her hand and poked his head hard again.
"Take good care of yourself, got it?"
"Yes~"
----------------------------------
Chapter 125 A Small Wish
With matters concluded, Tsunade left without any hesitation.
Konoha, having just held a funeral, was still immersed in sorrow, and the deep night was even quieter than before.
But Black Zetsu was in good spirits.
When Uzumaki Mito was alive, his lurking in Konoha always felt a bit constrained.
Although Mito was basically unable to sense him, he felt a thorn in his side whenever there was even a slight chance of being exposed.
Now it was fine; the only person in all of Konoha who could possibly sense him was dead, and this generation's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki still needed time to grow. As long as he avoided the small area where she was, there was nothing to fear.
He came to the Uchiha Clan Compound as usual to monitor Naraku, and seeing the latter quietly slip out of the Clan Compound under the cover of night, heading straight for the riverside, he quickly followed.
Recently, Uchiha Naraku's frequency of searching for the necklace had gradually decreased. When he did come, he would just stand on the riverbank in despair, seemingly having given up hope on the matter.
Seeing Naraku sitting blankly on the withered grass slope again tonight, gazing at the flowing river, Black Zetsu began to consider whether he should reveal himself now and entice the other party.
He had been waiting for this brat to leave the village, but Naraku, for his part, hadn't left for two months, all to learn Medical Ninjutsu.
He didn't know how often Naraku would leave the village in the future, or if he would have a chance to act.
Perhaps he could try.
The moment Black Zetsu poked his head out from the shadows of the bushes, a string of faint footsteps came from the end of the riverbank path, and he immediately withdrew.
On the other side, Naraku, with his Perception Ninjutsu active, firmly locked onto Black Zetsu's position, silently wondering why the fellow still hadn't shown himself.
After waiting for a long time, he saw Black Zetsu about to come over. Before he could be happy for half a second, he saw him retract with lightning speed.
Naraku:???
Then, a faint Chakra entered the edge of his Perception Ninjutsu, getting closer and closer.
Who's ruining my plans!
When the other party got closer, Naraku stood up and walked onto the riverbank. Not far away, there was a small figure, half a head shorter than him, limping towards him.
Hmm?
Uchiha Shisui?
...Uchiha Shisui had always had a small wish: to meet the legendary genius, "Uchiha Naraku."
It started one day when his father, Uchiha Entō, went to a clan meeting. He returned exceptionally happy, telling him and his mother over supper about what had been announced at the meeting.
What impressed Shisui the most was his father's effusive praise for the young man named "Naraku," saying he was the pride of the Uchiha Clan, a once-in-a-century genius, and had even become a disciple of White Fang, bringing hope to the entire clan for improving their situation.
Noticing Shisui's increasingly bright eyes, his father patted his small head and smiled, saying, "Our Shisui will surely become this excellent in the future."
He nodded vigorously.
From then on, a seed of pursuing the other party fell into his heart and began to take root and sprout.
Some time after that, he learned from other Clan Member that Uchiha Naraku had failed a mission and was brought back to Konoha by White Fang, severely injured.
He wanted to know what exactly happened, but even his father, a Jonin, didn't get much information, only hearing that Uchiha Naraku had at least eliminated two full Amegakure Anbu squads at the time, fighting his way out.
"As expected of the Uchiha Clan's genius, even in the Land of Rain, using the disadvantageous Fire Release, he was still this strong."
His father scooped up a mouthful of his mother's mushroom fried rice, muttering his admiration.
Later, rumors about White Fang kept emerging one after another. He was too young to understand the intricacies, only knowing that everyone seemed to believe that Naraku-senpai's master should not have abandoned the mission to save him.
But when Hokage-sama gave speeches at school, didn't he always talk about the Will of Fire, comrades, and bonds?
Before he could figure it out, the Clan Member no longer cared what those ignorant Konoha people were discussing.
For everyone, those chaotic, uncertain rumors were far less attention-grabbing than the bombshell that "Uchiha Naraku has activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan but suffers from bloodline limit sickness."
"Nine years old, he's only nine years old."
Shisui heard every Clan Member who learned the news exclaim this.
It was unclear whether they were astonished by Naraku's extraordinary talent or lamenting that the Uchiha would soon lose this genius.
His desire to meet Uchiha Naraku became even stronger.
It was said that Obito-nii was Naraku's classmate; he should know him, right?
We have a pretty good relationship; could I ask him to take me?
Before Shisui's small plan could be put into action, another rumor spread throughout Konoha.
White Fang was dead.
No, it seemed he wasn't dead, but in a coma.
All sorts of true and false rumors mixed together flew around, and Shisui couldn't distinguish what was real.
He only knew that Naraku-senpai must be especially sad, even sadder than when he himself was severely injured after a failed mission.
His father had gone on a mission outside the village, so he confided in his mother, who only gently pinched his cheek and praised Shisui as a kind and good child.
"But it's very rude to go uninvited if you don't know the person."
His mother said, taking out a piece of paper.
"How about we fold paper cranes to pray for Naraku? Wishing him all the best in the future."
"Okay!"
Shisui folded many paper cranes that night, stringing them into a long chain, and asked his mother to have the Clan Head's wife help deliver them.
The Clan Head's wife, a kind and warm-hearted person, indeed agreed and returned saying that Naraku was very happy to see the paper cranes.
A few more days passed, and Shisui finally heard good news from the Clan Member.
Uchiha Naraku had returned to live in the Clan Compound, and it was the Clan Head's wife herself who brought him back. It had reportedly been several days already.
The day he learned the news, Shisui, afraid of missing the timing, immediately ran back to the Clan Compound after school, heading towards the path where the Clan Head's wife was said to often stroll.
It was dusk, and the sun was slowly setting. He ran amidst the rose-colored sunset, filled with the joy of soon meeting the other person.
The chirping of birds returning to their nests seemed to carry happiness, and the laughter of the Clan Member talking was also so warm.
Then he saw him, the black-haired young man standing beside the wife, with a tall and straight posture, like a drawn sword; but those beautiful eyebrows and eyes softened this sharpness, and his black eyes held a gentle yet profound expression that captivated anyone who saw him;
The young man simply stood there quietly, and the setting sun voluntarily drew near, gently casting a golden halo upon him, making his entire being exude warmth and tranquility.
Shisui was panting, his heart pounding, and perhaps sweat was running down his temples, but he himself didn't feel it.
Perhaps his gaze was too direct; Naraku seemed to sense it and turned his head. Seeing him staring, he didn't get angry, but only smiled slightly, as if saying "hello."
Shisui immediately stiffened, his mind went blank, and his body reacted instinctively.
He actually bowed to Naraku, and then he ran away.
——
Naraku:???
——
----------------------------------
Chapter 126 Naraku: Yes, I did it on purpose
Shisui, hiding around the corner of the alley, was filled with remorse.
He hadn't even managed to say a single word, and why had he bowed to him?
Uchiha Shisui, you're a big idiot!
He covered his face, silently screaming.
Then he heard the Clan Head's wife seem to bid farewell to an acquaintance she had been chatting with, before turning to Uchiha Naraku and cheerfully chattering.
"Oh, that child who ran away just now, he's the one who gave you that string of paper cranes."
"So it was him."
Uchiha Naraku's voice sounded gentle and pure, like a clear spring flowing in the mountains.
The wife continued, "Yes, he's a shy child. His name is Uchiha Shisui."
"Shisui..." Naraku repeated the name with a hint of surprise in his tone, then added, "What a good name."
He seemed to be smiling as he spoke, but there was no hint of teasing or mockery; it was a pure, gentle smile.
Shisui felt a warmth in his heart and, in a daze, walked all the way home, taking a long time to recover his senses.
Next time, I must have a proper conversation with Naraku-senpai!
...His mother's birthday was approaching, and his father had written to say he would likely return to the village that afternoon, so the family could have a reunion dinner.
Shisui was troubled about what gift to give his mother that would show his sincerity.
On his way to school, he bumped into Obito-nii, and mentioned his recent worries about a gift. Obito-nii, who always had ideas, quickly came up with a plan.
"Let's go hunting! I know where there are wild rabbits!"
"Auntie will definitely love a wild rabbit you caught yourself!"
So Shisui was thoroughly moved.
The two fearless young children first informed their families the next day, saying they would be training together and would be home late.
As soon as school was out, they immediately packed their things and headed straight for the small woods Obito had mentioned.
After some effort, the two successfully caught a wild rabbit.
But by then, the sun had already set, and it was too dark. While chasing the rabbit, they accidentally trespassed into the territory of an adult wild boar.
Logically, there shouldn't have been such a creature in this small patch of woods; it was most likely a recent migrant.
By the time Obito noticed the wild boar, the massive creature was already about to charge behind Shisui, whose eyes were still fixed on the rabbit.
"Get out of the way! Shisui!"
To protect his Clan Member, he had no choice but to confront it almost head-on.
As the Kunai pierced the wild boar's neck, Obito himself was gored and slammed into a large tree, spitting out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
Shisui, caught off guard, was also scraped by a tusk and fell down a dirt slope, rolling several times before stopping his descent. He even dropped the rabbit and scrambled back up the slope, eager to help.
The two fought again, and after much difficulty, they managed to kill the wild boar, collapsing to the ground, panting heavily.
"Cough!"
Obito spat out another mouthful of blood, felt his broken ribs and his agonizingly painful calf, and sighed at his luck—he didn't know if it was bad or good.
I can't let Rin know, or I'll get another lecture... hehe.
"Are you okay, Obito-nii?"
Shisui could still walk, and bypassed the wild boar's corpse to check on him.
"It's nothing serious, I just can't walk. You go back first, go to the Hospital and find someone to bring me."
Seeing that Obito's breathing was stable, and he was only grimacing in pain from the broken bones, Shisui nodded and ran towards Konoha Hospital at the fastest speed he could muster... He was almost at the Hospital. Hang in there, Uchiha Shisui, Obito-nii is waiting for you to find someone to rescue him!
Shisui gritted his teeth, enduring the stinging pain in his ankle with every step, panting as he struggled forward on the path.
Ahead, a figure emerged from the grassy slope below. Shisui hadn't yet clearly seen the person's face when he heard a voice he would never mistake.
"Uchiha Shisui?"
----------------------------------
Chapter 127 He unconsciously stopped in front of the other person.
"Uh... this..."
He unconsciously stopped in front of the other person.
Those gentle eyes were full of worry, scanning him from head to toe.
"How did you get so covered in injuries?"
His mind was racing, and he stammered, unable to speak: "I, I..."
Uchiha Shisui, what are you doing! Pull yourself together, speak!
Shisui almost died of frustration.
After not hearing a reply for a long time, Naraku directly squatted down and grasped Shisui's somewhat swollen ankle with his right hand, a blue-green light flashing in his palm.
Within a few seconds, Shisui felt the pain subside significantly, and his feverish mind gradually calmed.
"Na, Naraku-senpai..."
He swallowed, and in his haste, blurted out the words he had practiced for a long time on the way, to quickly explain the situation: "Obito-nii is still in the woods and can't move. I'll lead you to rescue him!"
Only at the end did Shisui realize that his unceremonious request sounded too rude.
But Naraku, hearing the last syllable, immediately nodded in agreement without any hesitation.
"Okay."
Then, before Shisui could react, Naraku had already carried him on his back and rushed back in the direction they had come from.
Shisui lay on Naraku's back, feeling the cool night wind whistle past his ears. One moment he was by a streetlamp, the next he was already much farther away.
He finally lowered his head in relief, letting out a breath... Following Shisui's directions, Naraku ran for about a few minutes and quickly spotted the small woods.
When he entered the woods and found Obito, the latter was still worrying about how to transport the wild boar back, his face contorted in pain from the broken bones, while he struggled to bleed the wild boar.
"Obito, you're...?"
Even though he knew Obito was carefree, Naraku still found his eccentricity and resilience a little exasperating.
"Obito-nii!"
Shisui jumped off Naraku's back, only to see him still fixated on the prey, his small face furrowed in confusion.
"Ah, Shisui, you're back!"
Obito suddenly turned around, accidentally pulling a broken bone, and groaned again.
It's better to save him quickly, or it will get worse with more struggling.
Naraku walked over, feeling for which ribs were broken in Obito's ribcage.
He had read a lot about medical jutsu for bone setting in the past two months, so he had some confidence in his touch.
"Hm? Why is it you, Naraku?"
As he got closer, Obito finally saw that the person Shisui had called was Naraku, and blurted out, "Didn't you get discharged from the Hospital?"
"We met on the way."
Naraku replied with a smile, then, with lightning speed, snap went one rib back into place.
"Ow--"
Obito hadn't finished his first yell when Naraku immediately went snap, snap, snap, and the remaining three ribs were also reset.
"Quack--"
Barely managing a duck-like squawk, Obito rolled his Byakugan, almost frothing at the mouth.
He pointed a trembling finger at Naraku, accusing him disjointedly: "You... you could at least... give a warning..."
Naraku directly used the same explanation Minato once used, seriously explaining: "If you knew what I was going to do, you would unconsciously tense up... and that wouldn't be effective."
He continued to examine Obito's bloody calf, gently pinching it, which drew the latter's frantic attempts to stop him.
"Wait, wait! Give me three seconds to mentally prepare!"
"Hmm, no displacement, but it seems to be broken, so it needs a cast."
Naraku let go and stood up, forming hand signs.
Seeing that he didn't seem to be setting the bone immediately there, Obito had just let out half a sigh of relief when he heard a poof, and another Naraku appeared before him.
A Shadow Clone?
Obito was envious; he hadn't learned that jutsu yet.
But when Naraku's Shadow Clone bent down and directly picked him up in a princess carry, he wasn't envious at all.
"No, why aren't you carrying me on your back?!"
He squirmed in embarrassment a few times, but was held even tighter by the other.
The Shadow Clone said sternly, "Don't move around. Your ribs are broken, this way is better."
As he spoke, he jumped onto a thick branch of a nearby large tree and quickly left the small woods.
Obito was incredibly grateful it was night; no one would see his embarrassing state.
Speaking of which, this guy did it on purpose, right?
Obito gave the Shadow Clone a resentful look, which the other noticed, and he lowered his head, returning a perfectly curved smile. He quickly covered his face with both hands.
Everyone has misjudged him, seriously!
Naraku is actually super devious, okay!
He's a match for Kakashi!
Naraku's main body, carrying Shisui on his back, followed closely behind, thinking mischievously: My foolish Clan Member Obito, you guessed right, I did it on purpose~
----------------------------------
Chapter 128 Exposing
Naraku sped along, frequently using the Body Flicker Technique, and finally managed to get Obito to the Hospital emergency room within a few minutes, where a doctor set his bones.
Shisui's injuries were lighter, mostly scrapes and bruises.
He led the boy to a corner, pulled out alcohol and cotton balls from a medical kit, and gave a heads-up before starting.
"This might sting a bit, just bear with it."
"Mhm."
Shisui silently gritted his teeth.
As soon as the alcohol-soaked cotton ball touched the wound, a burning pain immediately flared up, like scorching flames.
With each wipe, the cotton fibers lightly grazed the exposed flesh, a tingling itch mixed with the pain that made every second feel like a year.
Once the disinfection was complete, Naraku looked up and saw Shisui gritting his teeth in endurance, and took the opportunity to coax the child.
"Shisui is really amazing, enduring such serious injuries until now."
The bandage gently yet firmly covered the wound, with just the right pressure so it didn't hurt too much.
Shisui only needed to lower his head slightly to see Naraku concentrating on tying the knot in the bandage, his movements so practiced they must have been repeated countless times.
He thought, how could his injuries be called serious?
Senior Naraku had been through so many battles, he must have suffered more and more severe injuries than this; how much pain must he have been in then?
"Yo!"
A carefree greeting echoed in the room, breaking the quiet atmosphere.
Obito walked in, leaning on a crutch, his good foot on the ground, and the other foot, in a cast, dragging lightly; even in this state, he still had the presence of mind to smile at them.
Shisui finally experienced firsthand the extent of his clan brother's optimism, which surpassed even that of a carefree bird in the jungle.
"Thanks, Naraku, it's a good thing you came to find me earlier."
--Although I really didn't want that princess carry at the end… Obito grumbled softly in his heart.
"You're welcome, Obito."
Naraku had just finished bandaging Shisui's last wound, tying a bow, and patting the boy's head.
"Shisui was very brave too."
"Right, right, Shisui, thank you!"
The praised boy quickly waved his hand; his clan brother got injured saving him, so how could he accept the thanks?
"No, I didn't do anything… If Big Brother Obito hadn't tried to help me, it wouldn't have ended up like this…"
Guilt made Shisui's voice grow softer and softer, and his spirits also sagged.
Just before he completely fell into dejection, Naraku blinked as if realizing something, and uncharacteristically, his words became exceptionally blunt and lacking in tact.
"Next time, if something happens, you can call me; at least I won't end up as miserable as Obito."
Obito, caught off guard by the venomous attack, immediately widened his eyes, as if seeing someone else's phantom on Naraku, and instantly bristled.
"Ah—Naraku, you bastard! I knew you'd been with Kakashi too long and learned bad habits!"
Naraku's movement paused for a moment, then he crouched down and leaned on Shisui's shoulder, his aggrieved expression slightly exaggerated, and he "whispered" a complaint: "Can't I even say it when someone's not as skilled… Obito is so domineering…"
"A duel! I challenge you to a duel, you bastard!"
Obito tossed his crutch aside, hopped over on one leg, grabbed Naraku's collar, and turned to shout at Shisui.
"Hey, Shisui! You be the referee for us! I'll definitely beat this guy until he surrenders!"
Meanwhile, Shisui, standing nearby, had already crashed, completely bewildered as to why things had turned out this way in the blink of an eye.
Including Senior Naraku, how could such a gentle person suddenly… But the situation didn't allow for too much thought.
He quickly went over to support the wobbling Obito, attempting to control the situation.
"Big Brother Obito, take it easy… Hold onto your crutch… Whatever happens, wait until your injury heals…"
"No! I'm going to make him see what I'm capable of right now!"
"No, no, no… Senior Naraku, say something…"
"Obito, I'll give you one leg; come at me."
"You'd better not say anything, Senior Naraku!"
…The three of them were in a chaotic mess for a long time, eventually ending with Naraku easily knocking out Obito.
The youngest, Shisui, was utterly exhausted.
But after all that chaos, the negative emotions in his chest were completely washed away, leaving only the fatigue of wanting to go home and lie down in bed.
Walking out of the Hospital gate, seeing Naraku casually open his arms to lean on him again, Obito absolutely refused to let him carry him home.
Lord Obito couldn't afford to lose face like that.
As the two were bickering, a strange, round, bulky shadow quickly approached from a distance.
When the figure got a little closer and entered the light, Shisui realized it was Naraku's Shadow Clone, returning with the wild boar that had been killed earlier.
"It seems I've returned just in time."
Easily carrying hundreds of pounds of prey, the Shadow Clone still had energy to spare, and from behind him, he produced the wild rabbit Shisui had dropped in his panic; the poor little creature had been knocked unconscious when it fell down the dirt slope and hadn't woken up yet.
The Shadow Clone's lips curved into a gentle smile: "This should be important to you two?"
Shisui stared blankly at him; this was the Senior Naraku he remembered.
Seeing the little boy staring at him without answering, the Shadow Clone tilted his head in confusion, frowned at his main body, and silently asked with his eyes what had just happened.
Shisui snapped back to reality, realizing that the bickering between the two behind him had stopped at some point.
He turned around with a start, seeing Naraku's main body smiling rather bashfully.
It was as if, after being exposed by his Shadow Clone, he could no longer keep up the charade, and his gentle nature finally broke through the disguise and reasserted control over his body.
"Ahem, alright, alright."
Naraku forcibly ignored that hint of awkwardness, avoided Obito's teasing gaze, and looked up at the deep night sky, attempting to change the subject: "It's getting very late, shouldn't we head home soon?"
Shisui's eyes sparkled with countless stars, and he nodded vigorously: "Mhm!"
He had realized that the earlier spectacle was probably Senior Naraku's way of intentionally causing a ruckus so he wouldn't blame himself.
Given the senior's consistently kind and gentle personality, pretending to be sharp-tongued and making Big Brother Obito angry must have been difficult for him.
He couldn't let this kindness go to waste.
He had to take tonight's events as a warning, bear this lesson, and continue to work hard to become stronger.
Obito was just about to tease Naraku a bit, making fun of him for giving up so quickly.
Suddenly, he noticed Naraku had quietly moved next to him; he frantically tried to run, but before he could take half a step, he was caught.
Under Shisui's sparkling gaze, Naraku ignored Obito's resistance and struggles, directly picked him up in a bridal carry, determined to take him home that way.
The helpless Obito was frantic: "I told you I can walk myself! Naraku, you bastard, put me down!"
Naraku, however, feigned innocence, with a "I'm very worried about you" expression: "With you like this, it'll be dawn by the time you get home, won't it?"
"None of your business!"
Under the night sky, the boy's desperate cries were clear and loud, and completely useless.
—
Naraku: Give up, Obito, tonight I'm definitely going to embarrass you all the way home~
----------------------------------
Chapter 129 He Should Be a Big Tree
After all the tasks were finished, there were still several hours until dawn. Naraku quietly slipped back into his room, lay on the bed, and prepared to sleep.
It was a bit regrettable that he couldn't meet Black Zetsu tonight, even though it had shown itself.
However, spending time with Obito and Shisui wasn't a loss either.
Hmm, maybe even a bit of a gain?
After all, given their talents, their future achievements wouldn't be low, and they would definitely appear frequently in the anime.
After a while, Naraku unknowingly closed his eyes and fell asleep... Since that night when Black Zetsu's appearance was interrupted, Naraku went to the river several times, but it only observed from the side, with no intention of approaching.
Its caution was infuriating.
If this continued, it Might cause more trouble. To avoid any further complications, Naraku decided to take the initiative and give it an opportunity...
"Are you really okay?"
Mikoto's gaze was fixed on Naraku, following him closely, watching him pack his Ninja tools, soldier pills (chakra replenishing pills), and various supplies with concern.
"Do you need to rest a bit longer? Don't worry about money, the Uchiha Clan will provide for Naraku..."
"Aunt Mikoto, I'm fine," Naraku explained softly, "Lady Tsunade said I can resume missions normally."
He tightened his waist pouch and moved it to his back, then began to hide throwing weapons on his body.
"Besides, this is a simple b-rank mission, and Senior Duy is with me. He's very reliable."
"Then, alright."
Mikoto was persuaded, but she still added a reminder: "Don't overexert yourself. Come back safely."
"Yes, I know."
Naraku promised, finally inserting his long sword into its scabbard and tying his forehead protector to his forehead, his eyes focused and determined.
At this moment, he transformed once again from the gentle, boy-next-door type into a calm and deadly Ninja.
Upright and sharp.
When Mikoto saw him fully prepared, she instinctively felt that this was the posture an Uchiha genius like Naraku should possess: unstoppable and vibrant.
He was born to be a great tree, standing firm and unmoving like a mountain, no matter how fierce the winds or heavy the rain.
Not a naive and fragile seedling in a greenhouse, unable to withstand any setbacks or hardships.
No matter how perilous the path ahead, Uchiha Naraku was destined to shine brightly in the Ninja World, becoming the most dazzling and unrivaled peak.
She could not shackle him; no one could stop a Ninja from rushing towards his destiny, whether that future held happiness or cruelty.
Since that was the case, let him live freely and passionately according to his own will.
And when he needed rest, the Clan would become a warm harbor, where he could temporarily rest and gather the courage to continue forward.
Mikoto's mood gradually calmed down. Although she was still a little worried, she was no longer as anxious as before... Naraku arrived near the Konoha gate, where Might Duy was already waiting. Seeing him approach, he waved enthusiastically.
"Oh! Naraku! Long time no see!"
Naraku nodded in greeting: "Senior Duy, good morning."
Since becoming a Chunin, Might Duy worked even harder and more diligently, spending most of each month on missions. Sometimes, he would just return to the Village to rest, train with Might Guy for a day or two, and then immediately head out to work again.
This also meant he wasn't very aware of what was happening in the Village, only accidentally hearing about Sakumo's accident from a comrade during a mission.
But by then, a long time had passed.
However, from the moment he learned the news, he had always firmly believed that his reliable comrades—Kakashi and Naraku—their father Sakumo, was injured and unconscious because he participated in a battle, not for some unyouthful or unpassionate reason as some people were spreading.
For this, Might Duy even specially prepared a matching training uniform, visited Sakumo in the Hospital, and placed it on the cabinet next to the bed.
From the perspective of a fellow father, he earnestly encouraged Sakumo, shouting about struggle and passion, regardless of whether Sakumo could hear him, and was politely asked to leave the ward by the nurse.
As he left, he was still walking on his hands, his expression strained as he "shouted" in an airy voice: Today, I will run 300 laps around Konoha!
The next morning, Naraku came as usual and saw the neatly folded training uniform. He smiled knowingly and put it away safely in the cabinet.
Returning to the present, Might Duy was doing handstand push-ups without pause while waiting for his teammates to gather.
His green training uniform made him look like a giant green onion.
By the way, what would Sakumo look like in this tight jumpsuit?
Never mind, never mind, can't think too much, Naraku shook his head. If a clear image really appeared in his mind, he would never be able to go back.
Shortly after, the other two Chunin and the leading Jonin also arrived at the meeting point. After counting everyone, they officially set off.
Although the leading Jonin had concealed himself very well since they met, Naraku still didn't miss the brief flash of hostility in his eyes.
It seemed that Black Zetsu wasn't idle while he was preparing to accept the mission.
Or, was it Danzo?
...Black Zetsu followed closely behind the team using the Mayfly technique, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close, ensuring he wouldn't lose his target nor be detected by anyone in the team.
That night, he had intended to appear before Naraku to quickly lure PLAN B into his grasp, but Shisui's appearance caused his slightly lowered caution to rise again.
Indeed, he still couldn't easily show himself within Konoha. Who knew who Might suddenly appear?
Fortunately, that little brat Uchiha Naraku ended his sick leave a few days later and started taking on missions normally.
To make him disappear unexpectedly, he would have to tamper with the team members.
So, it once again sought out the useful Danzo Shimura, hiding beneath his clothes and bandages, controlling this body, and ordering a Jonin from the Shimura Clan to take on a certain mission, specifically naming Uchiha Naraku as a comrade.
"During the mission, find a way to eliminate Uchiha Naraku."
The body named "Danzo" said so, then paused and added the most crucial sentence: "This is all for Konoha."
The Jonin, kneeling outside the door, took his orders and left. Black Zetsu quietly detached himself from Danzo and merged into the soil.
When Uchiha Naraku falls into a life-or-death crisis, it will quietly rescue him, which will surely lead Uchiha Naraku to believe that it means him no harm, increasing the credibility of the Tsukuyomi Plan.
By the way, Black Zetsu looked at Danzo again. This guy's physical condition was much better than last time; he should be waking up soon.
Let him be for now. It won't deal with him yet, letting him continue to stir up trouble for Konoha and the Uchiha.
As long as Danzo Shimura causes internal strife, Konoha will never truly thrive, which is beneficial to the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan...