Chapter 157 - 161
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23 t
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Köpt
Chapter 157 No one understands the greedy girl better than him
Naraku: He really did break it on his own… This is troublesome… He muttered to himself about another problem, but his lips still curled into a smile unconsciously. Realizing this, he quickly raised a hand to cover his mouth and coughed.
"Sigh, there's nothing I can do about Kakashi. Good thing I've already tricked Black Zetsu."
He pretended to be calm and clicked on the next episode. With a glance at the opening scene, Naraku knew his plan was pretty much solid.
—
The anime's timeline flashed back to after Kurokō was captured. Shimura Rō brought Zuotang to hand him over to the client, receiving the document confirming the mission's completion from the latter.
The atmosphere was silent and oppressive. At their feet, Kurokō was still sealed, lying on his side, his eyes tightly closed.
After the Konoha Ninja left, the Yun Mu Clan Members carried Kurokō into the entrance of the underground palace. They followed a passage lit by only a few candles, descended underground, and placed him in the center of a pre-prepared sealing array.
[This guy didn't die?!]
[Naraku activated Susanoo and still didn't kill him?]
[At that time, Naraku was severely injured, gravely ill, and emotionally broken. It's normal that he couldn't hit him.]
[Blood Brother is fine too? He was unconscious then, right? He's really lucky.]
[This means Blood Brother still has a role to play; he's not just a simple extra.]
Later, the animator used a few short shots and character dialogue to briefly explain Kurolo's intentions: to extract Kurokō's heart for ritual refinement and activate the clan's Blood Release.
The Clan Members dispersed, full of hope. Kurolo then opened his old, treasured scroll and meticulously studied it, every wrinkle on his face etched with greed.
[Blood Brother is so miserable. As expected, you can't trust a one-sided story.]
[I feel like Blood Brother is from the Yumoku Clan, but after he awakened his Blood Release, Kurolo started treating him as an experimental subject.]
[He finally got one person who awakened Blood Release, and he wants to dissect him? Is this old geezer out of his mind?]
[He wants to mass-produce the unique Blood Release. Blood Release isn't that powerful to begin with, and having only one or two wouldn't do much for the clan, so it's better to take a gamble.]
[What is Old Thief doing with this? Could Blood Brother still make a comeback?]
[It's also possible that this operation will lead to something big, like a mutated monster or something.]
The scene shifted. Late at night, the moon was bright and stars were sparse.
A small black beetle crawled out of the soil, slowly climbing onto a dry blade of grass, searching for any remaining sap in the stem, when it was suddenly brushed off by the edge of a passing cloak.
The camera moved from the ground to the person's back, following them as they walked into the Yumoku Clan's settlement.
The shot never showed the front; the audience could only see a tall, straight back that even a loose cloak couldn't conceal. Through the gaps in the fabric as he walked, one could glimpse his distinctively jointed hands, and occasionally, a bit of his fair neck as his black hair swayed in the wind.
All these details hinted that this Mysterious Person was likely a handsome young man.
[New character? He looks like he'll be very handsome!]
[I feel an aura of a big shot emanating from him.]
[This is a treat for hand-fetishists.]
[His body proportions are absolutely perfect. As long as his face isn't bad, he's definitely in the top ten of Hokage.]
[This waist, these legs, these hands… swoon]
[Wipe your drool, it's dripping all over me.]
—
Naraku, of course, recognized the Mysterious Person as himself, the adult version disguised by "Jin" using a Transformation Jutsu.
He had enough confidence in his future body that even without showing his face, he could gain popularity points from fans through other details.
After all, no one understood better than he what those hungry girls wanted to see.
It was just selling a bit of his looks; he had been selling CP for so long, he wasn't afraid of this.
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Chapter 158 Naraku recalled the grown-up "Uchiha Naraku" he had seen in the mirror and felt his future was bright.
Naraku recalled the grown-up "Uchiha Naraku" he had seen in the mirror and felt his future was bright.
After enough musing, he finally calmed down to analyze the information revealed in this episode.
Several days passed between Kurokō being imprisoned in the underground palace and his rescue attempt.
The animator used a montage to connect these two segments, likely to achieve what he expected: to separate "Jin" and "Uchiha Naraku," portraying the former as a villain completely unrelated to the latter.
This alternate identity was successfully established, which was good, good; he could earn two sets of popularity points.
It was absolutely delightful.
—
The anime continued to play. The Mysterious Person strolled leisurely through the Yumoku Clan's stronghold. Patrol members fell unconscious one after another behind him, yet the audience saw no trace of him making a move.
His steps were light, and he was composed, not at all like an intruder, but rather like he was returning home, even exhibiting an inappropriate sense of joy in his movements.
At the entrance of the underground palace, two Yun Mu Clan Members were on night watch. Seeing a stranger approach, they were about to react when their eyes lost focus, and they toppled straight to the ground, silent.
The Mysterious Person didn't even glance at the ants at his feet, walking directly into the cave entrance.
[Holy cow, I smell a hint of a prankster!]
[The composure of a strong person, you're so charming, bro.]
[What kind of ability is this? I didn't see anything, but the people already fell.]
[I feel like this character is not simple. Now there's good drama to watch in "Hokage."]
The scene switched to the interior of the underground palace. Kurokō awoke from his coma, listening to Kurolo's ridiculous fantasies, and scoffed disdainfully a few times.
In just a few sentences, he provoked the old geezer to the point of breaking his composure. To avoid his Dao heart shattering, Kurolo disregarded the auspicious day he had calculated and decided to finish off this chatterbox now.
[Is he dreaming? With just a few Yun Mu Clan Members?]
[Good heavens! The old man is triggered, hahahaha….]
[Blood Brother is truly an open person; he doesn't hold back even when slandering himself.]
[Blood Brother: With one flick of his mouth, he sees life and death lightly!]
[The key is that Blood Brother is right. Being captured alive by a Jonin squad truly isn't enough to elevate the Yun Mu Blood Release to a higher level.]
[Kurolo: You broke my composure because you're arrogant. This knife will make your life and death uncertain!]
The short knife was not very clear in the dim light, but just as it was about to strike, sparks flew, and the sharp clang of metal echoed in their ears.
The camera showed Kurolo's injured, bleeding hand, and the short knife, which had been struck away, spinning and deeply embedded in the ground.
The Mysterious Person who had just appeared in the anime was now beside Kurokō, gently patting his shoulder.
When he looked over, the white mask on the Mysterious Person's face was revealed. The flickering firelight made the two eye-shaped holes appear even more eerie.
[Vocal, so he's a companion? Is that why he's so calm?]
[Blood Brother is really playing with fire; he would have died a moment later.]
[There's a sense of 'it doesn't matter if I die, it's fine if I live' kind of slacker vibe, hahahaha.]
[Mysterious Person: As soon as I entered, I saw the person I was supposed to save trying to kill himself.]
Kurolo, sensing something amiss, turned sharply, but upon meeting the newcomer's gaze, he became immobile, frozen in place, dripping with cold sweat.
The Mysterious Person's tone was familiar yet resentful, and Kurokō was equally casual. They chatted for a couple of sentences as if they had known each other for a long time, making the audience believe they were truly old friends meeting again.
When the Mysterious Person asked, "Aren't you afraid I'm here to kill you?", the audience again felt that the two must have an 'enemy-friend' relationship, otherwise why would they immediately ask if the other was there to kill them upon meeting?
[Such a charming voice! This voice-con is completely satisfied.]
[Even in the voice acting world, this is top-tier. Where did Old Thief find such a talented voice actor?]
[I thought the Mysterious Person was a cold, aloof big shot, but he speaks with a hint of delicate, almost coquettish charm… I like him even more.]
[One is eccentric, the other is crazy; they have such CP vibes.]
[Is this the unspoken understanding of old acquaintances?]
[Wow, I've already imagined ten thousand words of their entire process of loving and killing each other, being close yet distant.]
[He runs, he chases, he can't escape….]
[This way of interacting is too exciting.]
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Chapter 159 The fight really started!
Kurokō, now free, politely asked if he could kill the old man. The Mysterious Person gestured for him to do as he pleased.
Her beautiful, slender fingers hovered in the air, maintaining an elegant curve, captivating the audience's attention even without a close-up.
When the Mysterious Person asked, everyone initially thought Kurokō would want a righteous revenge, but he showed no interest in such rituals, instead looking utterly disgusted.
Kurokō raised an eyebrow as if sensing something, but then felt it would be beneath him to prove his strength with such an old relic. Finally, to be safe, he still confirmed that he didn't need to display his power to the other party.
"Of course not."
The Mysterious Person's slightly raised tone at the end sounded like he was smiling.
"I know Ayan is super strong."
[This hand is tempting me! Lick, lick, lick!]
[Give me a finger!]
[Me too! Me too!]
[Hahahahaha, Blood Brother is going against the trope. Normally, wouldn't you have to fight your enemy and overcome your inner demons?]
[This is what you call unrestrained. Our Blood Brother doesn't do unnecessary things.]
[Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah, he called him Ayan!!!]
[It made me... cough, my fists clench...]
[The Old Thief, I beg you, let Mysterious Person call my name with that voice. I'll do anything!]
[Tomorrow I'm changing my name to Yamato!]
[Then I'm changing my name to Yuto!]
After Kurokō dealt with the enemy he had been longing to eliminate, he called for the Mysterious Person to leave, stating directly that the latter had saved him to make him work.
As the two chatted, the topic turned to names. Kurokō found being called "Ayan" by the other person disgusting. The Mysterious Person said he could also call him that, but then fell silent when asked his name.
[Wait, you two aren't close? Then what was with that weird old classmate reunion vibe just now?]
[Some people, even if you meet them for the first time, just inexplicably click.]
[I get it, soulmates, right?]
[Mysterious Person is completely a crazy thrill-seeker, and looking at Blood Brother's personality, he's probably someone who doesn't care about life or death. These two are in cahoots.]
[Hahahahahahahahaha]
The two arrived outside just as the sun set and a bright moon hung in the sky.
The vast and shining sea of stars, like a river of light, traversed the long night, gently enveloping the world.
The Mysterious Person held his hands out, brilliant starlight showering his head and body, like a magnificent robe and crown bestowed by a god.
The ashes after the burning of the skeleton declared his name, witnessed by all things in the world.
He would become the torch that would burn the world, using his hatred and anger as fuel, until everything turned to nothing.
"After the great fire extinguishes, I will create a new world from the ashes."
[The bright moon as witness, the galaxy as an oath, it's too romantic!]
[This is the gravitas a Great Boss should have!]
[So crazy, I love it!]
[Lord Mukuro, I want to be your dog!]
[This is the true flavor of a villainous Boss! World-ending wars and such, exciting!]
[The Ninja World finally has a villain who wants to destroy the whole world!]
—
The animation abruptly stopped there, leaving the subsequent events untold. Who "Mukuro" was, his abilities, his accomplices, and his appearance all remained a secret to the audience.
Some viewers immediately began analyzing in the comment section of this episode, but more people chose to go to the forums to read more detailed information.
The arrival of the new character also injected new vitality into the forums. Analysis posts and fanfiction posts about "Mukuro" temporarily occupied half of the homepage, densely packed together.
—
"Could Mukuro be the one who attacked Kakashi?" [Hot]
1L (OP): As titled, everyone initially said Danzo did it. Although the motive is barely plausible, I feel it's a bit far-fetched.
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Chapter 160 The jutsu Kakashi was afflicted with
The jutsu Kakashi was afflicted with, which could affect his logical thinking or cause emotional alienation, was almost certainly a genjutsu. Danzo and his subordinates most likely don't possess such powerful genjutsu abilities.
Big shots have already analyzed Mukuro's abilities. The one he used to save Kurokō should have been a genjutsu of some kind, without mediums or hand seals, indicating he's almost reached the pinnacle in this area.
Furthermore, Kakashi had just had his seal removed, and then the Old Thief released Mukuro right after. It seems very likely that Mukuro is involved in this matter.
Another point is that I never believed Danzo could have dispelled the Kyoka Suigetsu that Sakumo was under, yet no culprit was found.
Now I suspect that the one who dispelled Kyoka Suigetsu was also Mukuro. After all, from the current situation, he has the highest level of genjutsu, making it entirely possible for him to break Kyoka Suigetsu.
2L: If he did it, then he moves freely in Konoha. That's too terrifying! Are there any secrets left in the Ninja World for him?
3L: Hard to say. Mukuro's ultimate goal is to destroy the world or start a world war, right? How would harming Sakumo and Kakashi benefit his plan?
4L (OP): Reply to 3L: Harming Sakumo is somewhat understandable. Given the situation back then, if Sakumo woke up, he would definitely go after Danzo in Root. If Konoha had internal strife, wouldn't it weaken their strength? It would be a complete win-win for him.
5L: Reply to 4L (OP): That makes sense, but why did he harm Kakashi after Sakumo? Kakashi is just a kid, what's worth coveting?
6L: Perhaps it's his thrill-seeker nature exploding? He just wants to torment the two youngsters.
7L: Reply to 6L: Wow, that's too twisted! If he really did it, then Naraku was indirectly killed by him!?
8L: I actually think it's possible. How does that saying go? "This child's talent is terrifying, he must not be allowed to live!" In terms of results, after Kakashi was afflicted, he was constantly listless and melancholic, and Naraku was in a similar state. Konoha's two geniuses were almost ruined. For a villain, that's a huge profit.
9L: Yes, and Naraku even awakened his Mangekyo. He doesn't have long to live. Once he dies, Mukuro can find a way to steal it and get a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.
10L: No, why do you all sound like you've already decided Mukuro did everything? This is all unsubstantiated!
11L: The Old Thief hasn't released a single clue pointing to Mukuro. And you're all already pinning crimes on him?
12L: Let's wait and see. There are too few clues right now, and our deductions don't have any evidence... —
The next few hundred comments were mostly arguing whether Mukuro was the one who harmed Sakumo and Kakashi. Plot enthusiasts and Mukuro fans who rushed to the scene were in a heated argument, with dozens of new comments appearing every minute.
Naraku had long anticipated the possibility of being scapegoated. After all, with so many previous hidden schemes having no discernible perpetrator, it was inevitable for viewers to connect them to his alias.
However, the fact that "Mukuro" fans were already arguing with others to defend him so quickly was earlier than he had expected. The "Mukuro" alias was even more eye-catching than he had imagined.
The fans were truly too enthusiastic. It seemed he would have to provide more benefits in the future to repay them.
Naraku then browsed through other plot and analysis posts, but few offered any better insights.
The amount of information released by the animator was truly scarce. Everyone was at a loss on how to analyze the character "Mukuro," so they could only guess.
Perhaps influenced by the post "Could Mukuro be the one who attacked Kakashi?", many people tacitly assumed Mukuro was the mastermind, especially the fan groups of Naraku and Kakashi. There were already signs of a large-scale clash with the emerging Mukuro fan base.
—
"Seriously, I'm speechless. How can a crazy person in a cloak and mask still have supporters?"
1L (OP): They all say that one's values follow one's looks. This new villain doesn't even have a face, yet some people are still like this? And this guy clearly looks like a madman who doesn't care about human lives...
2L: Sometimes I really don't understand some people's fetishes.
3L: The analysis posts already said that Mukuro is very likely the mastermind behind framing Sakumo and Kakashi. How can such a crazy person still be liked?
4L: Reply to 3L: Slander! Pure slander! Where's the evidence that Mukuro did it?
5L: Reply to 4L: If not him, then who? Such powerful genjutsu ability, it can't be Danzo, can it?
6L: I'm telling you, please don't come here to accuse people based on unsubstantiated rumors, okay?
... —
Naraku looked up at the sky: Well, the main character's fans and the alias's fans are indeed fighting!
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Chapter 161 A More Vicious Idea
Naraku continued to disappear without a trace in Mountain Prison, while Konoha was rife with undercurrents.
Uchiha Entō and Uchiha Fūyō reported the investigation results to Fugaku.
As Fugaku listened to all the evidence suggesting that Naraku was very likely assassinated by the squad leader, the veins on his forehead throbbed and his jaw was clenched tightly, all indicating that even this 'mud man' had a bit of fire in him.
When he finally heard the words 'Mangekyo' from Entō's mouth, he glared with wide eyes and slammed his hand on the table, standing up.
"What did you say?!"
Entō took a deep breath and repeated, "According to the Chakra traces displayed on the scroll, Uchiha Naraku is suspected to have awakened the Mangekyo before his death."
Fugaku felt a rush of blood to his brain, a buzzing sound exploding in his head, followed by a sharp, continuous ringing in his ears.
This was the power the Uchiha Clan yearned for, the strongest reliance that could protect the entire clan and allow it to continue to survive!
Fugaku's bloodshot eyes burned with raging fury.
His own child died by assassination from someone within the Village, and the precious Mangekyo was nowhere to be found. Even worse, the Konoha higher-ups must now know that Naraku awakened the Mangekyo before his death, and they must have sent people to look for it!
If it wasn't found, then fine, the Uchiha Clan still had a chance to breathe. But if the Third Hokage or Danzo Shimura obtained those Mangekyo... At this point, the crisis was imminent, and he had to come up with a solution!
Fugaku recalled how Sakumo faced a public opinion crisis, and Naraku came to him late at night to discuss it, his words clear and logical, his countermeasures decisive and effective.
If Naraku were still alive, he would have one more person to consult with, not to mention that the other party had the Mangekyo, which would also give the Uchiha Clan much more confidence... In the Hokage Office.
An Anbu knelt before the desk, reporting the results of the Uchiha surveillance in detail.
Uchiha Fugaku sent people to investigate the Uchiha Naraku cliff-fall incident, and the Uchiha responsible for the investigation had special tools, so Fugaku most likely already knew the truth.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe, slowly exhaled, and then nodded, saying, "Understood, you may leave."
"Yes." The Anbu disappeared in response.
He turned to look at the person sitting properly on the sofa beside him, who was still wrapped in bandages, his unusual appearance concealed by a wide kimono.
"Danzo, wouldn't it have been better to just let that child slowly succumb to his illness? Why the rush?"
Facing another interrogation from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo was extremely annoyed and denied it again: "I didn't order Shimura Rō to do it!"
As soon as he woke up, he learned that Shimura Rō had already completed the mission to "assassinate Uchiha Naraku," and he was utterly bewildered.
Although Uchiha Naraku's death was gratifying, he truly hadn't given that order.
This was utterly bizarre; could he have been sleepwalking during his coma?
Now it was good, the order was issued from him, and Shimura Rō, who carried out the act, was his staunch confidant. It was like mud falling into his pants; he couldn't explain himself no matter what.
Hiruzen Sarutobi merely took it as him being stubborn and unwilling to admit it, and a hint of anger rose in his heart.
Not only did he repeatedly disregard his orders as Hokage, but he also acted so sloppily, allowing others to seize on it and cause the situation to escalate.
"I don't have time to argue with you about this. The Uchiha will definitely not let this go now! This is your own doing, so you come up with a solution!"
"What can they do?"
Danzo scoffed, exhaling a wisp of air through his teeth, showing no regard for the Uchiha: "That Uchiha Fugaku fellow, just scare him a bit and then give him some benefits, and he'll be fine."
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't reply, seemingly considering how to pressure Uchiha Fugaku, and then what benefits to offer the other party.
Danzo Shimura, meanwhile, thought of an even more sinister idea.
"Or just let him make a fuss, let it get out of hand. The other Ninja Clans won't stand idly by. Then the Uchiha will have no place to stand."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been looking down and smoking, looked up and gave him a glance, and Danzo knew that this plan was more in line with the other party's wishes.
The interests of Konoha Village had long been distributed among the major Ninja Clans. If the first plan were adopted, actively compensating the Uchiha would mean that Hiruzen Sarutobi would have to cut into the interests of other Ninja Clans.
Cold-shouldering his supporters and fattening up the Uchiha, it clearly held no benefit for Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The latter plan, however, was different. Letting the Uchiha stir up trouble themselves, harming the interests of other Ninja Clans, would naturally make them unite to support him, the Hokage, in dealing with the troublemakers.
Danzo showed a hint of a "making amends for past wrongs" expression and proactively took on the task: "Leave it to me, Hiruzen. I'll resolve it within two months."
Hiruzen Sarutobi initially wanted to refuse, but after some thought, he realized he had no one else around who could handle this matter, so after much deliberation, he decided to entrust it to Danzo.
"Danzo, maintain proper control and don't always be so hasty! A centipede dies but never falls, and the Uchiha are not that easy to deal with."
"Understood."
Danzo slowly walked out of the office, leaning on his cane, a crazy and cold arc forming on his lips.
Actually, he only revealed half of this plan to Hiruzen Sarutobi, so that Hiruzen would agree to let him handle the matter.
With Hiruzen's nod, the Root organization could legitimately be restored, making it convenient for him to carry out the unstated other half of the plan—he would manipulate things further to escalate the conflict between the Village and the Uchiha, directly forcing the Uchiha Clan into rebellion.
At that time, the Village could legitimately suppress the rebellion and completely eliminate this cancerous growth.
It was a pity about those Mangekyo. If it weren't for the limited number of personnel currently available, they wouldn't have failed to find Uchiha Naraku's body by now.
Due to his concealment, Hiruzen Sarutobi still didn't know that Uchiha Naraku had awakened the Mangekyo. If he found the body first, he would have the Mangekyo in hand.
This would allow him to better control the Uchiha, and also give him an extra trump card when competing for the Hokage position in the future.
—Hmph, never mind. Once the Uchiha are dealt with, he'll have as many Sharingan as he wants.
—And Sakumo Hatake, you and your son won't escape then either!
Danzo's single eye gleamed with a sinister light, like a ravenous beast choosing its prey.
He would not forget who was responsible for his near-death experience, nor would he forget who had wiped out the now-empty Root.
Everything he had lost, he would personally reclaim