Chapter 59 Locked Uchiha (2)
Uchiha Clan's Territory.
Taking over the leadership from Elder Zane, Fugaku has become the new leader of the Uchiha clan.
Although some members of the radical faction expressed dissatisfaction and wanted to nominate another clan member for the position of the head, they had to comply with Elder Zane's orders. Due to this command, they reluctantly accepted Fugaku's leadership.
After assuming the position of the clan head, Fugaku realized that being the head of the clan was not an easy task.
However, becoming the leader of the Uchiha clan was something he had dreamed of.
He initially expected to have a fierce rivalry with Rui, but her defection with a faction of clan members immediately led to a loss of trust and support from Elder Zane. This shifted Elder Zane's focus and support to Fugaku.
It turned out to be an unexpected gain.
Although Rui's defection made the Uchiha clan's situation in Konoha more awkward, suspicions also began to rise among the higher-ups. The two advisers and the leader of the Root, Danzo, openly criticized the Uchiha clan in Jonin meetings. The only one who still spoke in favor of the Uchiha clan was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Even though Fugaku wanted to counter the criticisms, Rui's defection and the accusations of harming comrades were undeniable. In every Jonin meeting, there was a wave of strange glances focused on the Uchiha clan's discussions, making Fugaku feel embarrassed.
He couldn't help but feel resentment towards Rui for her reckless actions that tarnished the Uchiha clan's reputation.
Even within the clan, no one spoke up for Rui. She not only injured Elder Zane during the clan meeting but also destroyed the village that the Uchiha and Senju clans had jointly established. For the Uchiha clan, aspiring to seize the position of the Hokage, Rui's defection disrupted all their plans, rendering their past efforts futile.
In this context, the members who followed Rui out of the clan were naturally pinned as the shame of the clan.
If it weren't for the ongoing war, they would have already dispatched personnel to pursue these Uchiha traitors.
"Fugaku, how does it feel to be the clan head for the first time? Do you have a sense of accomplishment?"
Elder Zane's confidant, Fugate, found Fugaku at home and teased him.
"Where is the sense of accomplishment? It's just a heavy responsibility of how to make the clan flourish.
Fugaku forced a bitter smile.
At first, he did indulge in the joy of becoming the clan head, but the subsequent busy affairs almost exhausted him. Dealing with the higher-ups and managing the clan's affairs felt awkward and challenging.
Especially with Danzo, who expressed severe dissatisfaction with the Uchiha clan, demanding accountability for the Uchiha's negligence. They had to accept monitoring from the ANBU. If not for the intervention of the Third Hokage, suppressing Danzoe's voice, it would not have been so easy.
Fugaku was very grateful for the Third Hokage's care, even though he knew it was just because he valued the Uchiha clan's power and wanted to integrate them into the village. Nevertheless, Fugaku felt reassured.
If the Third Hokage had unreasonably supported the Uchiha clan, Fugaku would have been wary, wondering if it would harm the Uchiha's interests.
"Don't be so pessimistic. Even if the other high-ranking officials are unfavorable to the Uchiha, as long as you maintain close contact with the Hokage, there won't be any major problems."
"Oh?"
"This is also the meaning of Elder Zane. Wanting to birth a Hokage from the Uchiha clan is a heavy task. Having a good relationship with the current Hokage will always be beneficial."
Fugate said.
This was the only way for the Uchiha to survive in Konoha. Whether the Uchiha voluntarily gave up on the position of the Hokage or were abandoned by the Hokage, Uchiha in Konoha would face destruction. They could only rely on the Hokage's trust to survive.
"I understand the meaning of Elder Zane."
Fugaku nodded solemnly.
That's the best that you can understand."
"How is the health of Elder Zane?"
Fugaku inquired.
Since Rui's defection, he had heard that Elder Zane's health, especially, had been deteriorating, probably due to depression.
"Don't worry, Elder Zane is in good health. Now that he is retired, he has enough time to recuperate. You don't need to worry about that. By the way, when do you plan to go to the front line?"
Fugate asked.
"Now that things in the clan have calmed down, and with the Third Hokage helping to suppress, I plan to lead the clan members to the front line to support the battlefield the day after tomorrow."
Fugaku thought for a moment and replied.
"Although these words may be unnecessary, you still need to protect yourself. The front lines are different from the village. Even with the Sharingan, you could die at any moment."
"I understand. I'll be cautious. Is there anything else I need to do from Elder Zane's side?"
"No, you are now the head of the Uchiha clan. Do as you see fit."
Fugate shook his head, indicating that Elder Zane did not have any specific requirements.
"Please convey my gratitude to Elder Zane for his trust."
Fugaku's emotions stirred slightly.
Elder Zane's decision clearly indicated a delegation of authority, allowing Fugaku to truly become the leader of the Uchiha clan rather than being manipulated behind the scenes as a puppet clan head. Fugaku felt grateful for this trust.
After all, Elder Zane's authority within the Uchiha was unparalleled, and if he wanted to control things from behind, Fugaku wouldn't have the means to resist such remote control.
Seeing Fugaku moved by this trust, Fugate knew that he believed Elder Zane had delegated authority to him due to trust in his abilities.
That old guy is just too lazy to bother with these matters in Konoha. Fugate sarcastically commented to himself.
Even if the Uchiha in Konoha failed in the future, they could still preserve the seed and pass on the Uchiha's lineage. However, Fugaku's mistaken belief was, in a way, a good thing. The harsh truth was too cruel for him.
Passing on the position of the head to him wasn't because they trusted his ability. It was simply a case of choosing the lesser evil among the options. Of course, there was still a chance of Fugaku succeeding.
That would be achieved by leading the Uchiha clan to survive in the eyes of the higher-ups, abandoning the clan's former glory and dignity. Perhaps one day, if the higher-ups played their cards wrong, the Uchiha clan could rise again.
But according to Fugate's judgment, whether Fugaku would take this path was uncertain. The clan members would rather break the net and perish than live in compromise.
"I'm leaving; all clan matters are now in your hands."
Fugate came mainly to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Since Fugaku had recently become the clan head, his experience and capabilities were still shallow. Moreover, many information channels were controlled by Elder Zane. Fugate needed to transfer these channels to Fugaku. Of course, some information channels couldn't be transferred, such as the contact with the Land of Demons, which he had completely severed, burying it in the dust.
Watching Fugate leave, Fugaku also breathed a sigh of relief.
When Fugate came, he thought it was another order from Elder Zane.
Fortunately, it was just to handle some affairs.
With this, the Uchiha clan would usher in a completely new era under Fugaku's leadership.
Fugaku looked into the azure sky from the corridor, feeling a surge of confidence in his abilities. He wanted to make the Uchiha clan shine like never before under his leadership, standing at the pinnacle of Konoha.
…
"Whew... Master Minato is really strong..."
Rin, panting heavily and covered in bruises, looked at Minato, who was unharmed in the field, sighing at the strength of a Jonin.
Obito, too, didn't fare much better, and his gaze towards Minato was filled with frustration.
The reason was that only Kakashi successfully took a bell from Minato, passing the practical assessment.
No matter how hard Obito tried, he was still played around by Minato, and looking at Kakashi, the bitterness in his heart grew even stronger.
The only successful one, Kakashi, held a White Fang short knife in one hand, and a faint blue light surrounded the blade, with tiny electric currents wrapping around it.
Kakashi still wasn't satisfied, looking at the lightning on the White Fang short knife; his control over chakra was insufficient, letting some of the lightning chakra leak from the blade.
As for the bell that he held in the other hand, it was taken from Minato, but it didn't prove anything.
He knew that Minato had been holding back during the entire battle.
"Alright, the exercise is over. I have a general understanding of your abilities. Overall, your potentials are enormous. Today is our first day together; let's find a place to eat together. Teacher treats."
Minato walked over, smiling.
"Really? Minato-sensei?"
Obito asked in surprise.
"Of course, you can tell the teacher anything you want to eat."
Minato nodded and smiled.
Kakashi shrugged indifferently, making the lightning chakra on the White Fang short knife disappear and putting it back into the sheath behind him.
Seeing this, Minato also breathed a sigh of relief. He thought Kakashi might coldly refuse, but it seems the issue hasn't escalated to the point of complete self-isolation. At least, suggestions from comrades can be considered to some extent.
Of course, considering and actually cooperating are two different things.
In the recent exercise, Kakashi was fighting alone, while Obito and Rin were cooperating.
After having a meal together, Minato temporarily left. He headed towards the Hokage Tower to report on his work and discuss the measures he would implement in his team with the Hokage.
"Kakashi, I'll definitely surpass you!"
Inspired by Kakashi's formidable skills and incredible swordsmanship, Obito was filled with determination, making Kakashi his goal to surpass.
"Well, good luck with that. I'm heading back."
Kakashi glanced at Obito, who was earnestly expressing his determination, and then left.
After bidding farewell to Obito and Rin, Kakashi returned home alone. His main task today was to get acquainted with the new team leader and, having completed that, it was time for his training.
Just as Kakashi was about to start practicing in the yard, a head popped out on the floor of the living room, followed by a half-body made of mud.
It was a clone of Earth created by Shiroshi—Earth General.
"Why come at this time? Is there something?"
Kakashi asked nonchalantly.
Earth General handed a scroll to Kakashi, then stealthily disappeared into the ground.
After Earth General left, Kakashi opened the scroll and read its contents. After reading it, Kakashi furrowed his brow.
The information recorded on it was straightforward. His new teammate, Uchiha Obito, had attracted the attention of some mysterious force.
With this, Kakashi also needed to be cautious. Encounter situations would require careful handling.
"That idiot... What's the benefit of targeting that guy?"
Kakashi was slightly surprised. Although he didn't think there was anything worthwhile on that idiot, the situation had occurred, and he needed to be cautious.
Kakashi burned the scroll with fire, leaving no trace. Then, he went to the yard to start practicing his swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, after passing the information to Kakashi, Earth General began following one of the targets, continuing to move forward together.
After traveling underground for most of the day, the target finally showed signs of stopping. They were no longer within the borders of the Fire Country.
Earth General realized that the enemy's base might be ahead.
According to the available information, there was a Sharingan user with powerful visual jutsu in the enemy camp. They couldn't afford to be careless.
Hesitant to confront formidable genjutsu, Earth General decided to proceed with caution.
He summoned the water clone that resided within him and handed it a piece of paper with writing on it.
—Five minutes from now, I'll blow up the enemy's base precisely. After five seconds, immediately use Reverse Summoning Jutsu to bring me back.
Facing powerful genjutsu, Earth General was evidently very cautious. Therefore, he asked the water clone to summon him back using the Reverse Summoning Jutsu five seconds after he exploded, avoiding direct confrontation with the enemy. The water snake, formed by converging water, nodded and then vanished into the bushes.
Earth General began burrowing underground, carefully exploring forward.
…
"Lord Madara, I have found a promising target; the person definitely fits your criteria."
In the dimly lit cave, White Zetsu returned with good news.
Madara, an old man sitting on a wooden chair, immediately opened his eyes. The crimson Mangekyou emitted an eerie glow as it focused on White Zetsu.
White Zetsu didn't feel the slightest fear and grinned playfully at Madara.
"Lord Madara, here is the information on that guy. I've almost collected everything. I guarantee he is the perfect candidate."
White Zetsu eagerly shared the details about Obito with Madara. The person's personality, future aspirations, daily habits, including who they liked, and even how many times they helped old ladies cross the street in a day—all meticulously recorded.
"It's incredible; sometimes he helps more than twenty old ladies in just one day. The probability of encountering old ladies is astonishing, even I find it surprising. His special ability to attract old ladies is even stranger than ours."
White Zetsu chuckled while describing Obito.
Madara paid no mind to White Zetsu's eccentric and exaggerated tone. Apart from stealth capabilities, Madara couldn't believe these creatures possessed anything resembling a brain.
Many times, White Zetsu's words were spoken without passing through the brain.
Madara carefully listened to White Zetsu's account and immediately envisioned Obito in his mind.
With strong affection and kindness, a not-so-bright mind, having a target he cherishes, and being a shinobi of the Uchiha clan—this was indeed the most suitable candidate.
"Uchiha Obito?"
"Yes. Lord Madara, should we bring him over now?"
White Zetsu asked.
"No, not for now. It's not the right time. Deciding on his future is a troublesome matter," Madara said calmly.
"Is that so? Then let's leave it for now. But I also doubt whether this kid will work. After all, he's not a genius from the Uchiha clan," White Zetsu commented on the Sharingan matter.
"The awakening age will come sooner or later, and it doesn't directly correlate with talent. Everyone's life experiences are different. Uchiha shinobi, to gain power, must descend into darkness. Witnessing the destruction of a cherished person right before their eyes marks the beginning of their fall. Later, make him see the darkness and misery within the shinobi world, stimulate him with even stronger darkness... that is the puppet life he will lead."
The darker it gets, the more it stimulates the growth of the Sharingan. Especially for the inherently kind-hearted Uchiha, the deeper the plunge into darkness, the more complete the fall.
"I look forward to that," White Zetsu grinned.
Human emotions and grudges were beyond his comprehension. Whether it was laughter or sorrow, he lacked that kind of experience.
The commands of Madara were the will of White Zetsu.
No need for reflection, just follow orders.
"By the way, there's something a bit strange," White Zetsu remembered.
"What's strange?"
"This time, when we went to investigate Konoha, we encountered no obstacles. None of the other White Zetsus had any issues. However, before that, something significant happened in Konoha."
"Something significant?"
"Uchiha and a portion of the Hyuga clan members joined forces to defect from Konoha."
"Defection?"
Madara raised his head, revealing a face full of wrinkles, and a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Yes, although I don't know what happened, after that, we were able to infiltrate Konoha's underground without any hindrance."
White Zetsu's meaning was clear. The reason why the past White Zetsus disappeared when going to Konoha might be related to the defection of Uchiha and Hyuga shinobi.
"Who triggered it?"
"A Konoha Chunin named Chiba Shiroshi. Before this, he was just an ordinary medical ninja in Konoha. He has an Uchiha girlfriend, Uchiha Rui, and it seems they jointly initiated the defection event."
White Zetsu answered.
"Any more details?"
"No, that's all I can gather. When I was monitoring the Uchiha, I accidentally heard some information from some Uchiha ninjas. I guess the higher-ups in Konoha issued a gag order."
White Zetsu shrugged helplessly.
"Find the whereabouts of these people, I need to understand their situation."
Without hesitation, Madara issued this command.
Regardless of whether anyone among those who defected from Konoha had secretly crossed paths with the White Zetsus he had sent, just the fact that Uchiha had left Konoha was enough reason for him to explore the secrets within.
Because this incident completely caught him off guard, with no preparation whatsoever.
"Lord Madara, you can rest assured and leave this matter to us."
White Zetsu smiled and agreed.
After all, intelligence gathering was their specialty as White Zetsus.
"Alright, you can leave now. I need to rest—"
Boom!
The earth suddenly burst, emitting a strong explosion of firelight.
The chair Madara was sitting in was surrounded by a large number of sturdy trees, creating an impenetrable barrier. It rolled into the darkness, and the painful gasps continued to be heard from the darkness.
"Lord Madara!"
White Zetsu shouted Madara's name loudly.
He was also in pain. Although the bomb's force emanated from underground, the explosion's power didn't fully exert itself through the hard soil. However, the immense shock still made him feel the agony as if his internal organs had shifted.
"And Madara's vitality at this moment is extremely weak. White Zetsu is very worried that Madara might succumb to the sudden explosive attack."
"Cough... Cough..."
Madara sat slanted on the chair, blood spewing from his mouth. His fingers and body trembled, his breath became rapid, and the flame of life seemed to flicker in the chaotic wind, growing weaker.
After a while, he finally caught his breath, and the crimson Sharingan coldly scanned the location of the recent explosion.
There was a not very large crater, but no sign of the enemy.
"I'm fine. The power of the Divine Tree can still supply me with vitality."
Madara's words temporarily calmed White Zetsu, but the weakness in his tone was hard to conceal.
More importantly, White Zetsu noticed bloodstains on the wooden chair Madara was sitting on. He was clearly injured, relying on the power of the 'Divine Tree' to survive.
"Lord Madara, what do we do now?"
White Zetsu felt a bit lost. Madara's power was extremely weak at the moment, and he definitely couldn't participate in combat.
As he finished speaking, another White Zetsu appeared out of nowhere.
Unlike the typical White Zetsu, his face had a whirlpool pattern.
"Lord Madara, what's happening? Why did it suddenly become so noisy? Did an earthquake happen? I was just thinking about how to poop while hanging upside down. Lord Madara, do you know how to poop while hanging upside down?"
"Guruguru, stop messing around. Enemies are coming. Go deal with them quickly!"
Madara issued a cold order.
Having suffered such a significant disadvantage, it seemed that the enemy was not simple.
"Enemies?"
Seemingly just realizing the seriousness of the situation, the White Zetsu named Guruguru, who was usually steady, now heard the ice-cold killing intent in Madara's tone.
He immediately merged into the soil, disappearing, to find the enemies Madara mentioned.
"Call the remaining White Zetsu. We need to leave this place."
Madara issued another order to the White Zetsu remaining.
Since the base had been discovered, it meant that this place was no longer safe.
They had to move the base immediately.
Thinking of this, Madara couldn't help but feel bitter. What a desperate life.
He, Uchiha Madara, was so majestic back then, but now he had to give way to an enemy of this level.
If that man were to find out, he would surely mock him mercilessly.
This kind of miserable state was truly embarrassing.
…
"In the forest."
"When the Earth General was summoned back by the Water Clone using the Reverse Summoning Technique, he was already shattered into pieces, transforming into a pile of charred mud. Gradually, the pieces gathered together, initiating the process of regeneration."
The power of this explosion was powerful enough, but due to the fear of getting too close to the enemy's location and being detected, the bomb's power wasn't fully unleashed.
However, based on the Earth General's rich experience of exploding multiple times, even if the enemy didn't die on the spot due to the shockwave of the explosion, they would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries.
But the Earth General believed that even if the enemy had been attacked by its bomb once, they might still retain some power. To be on the safe side, it decided to explode again.
At least it wanted to immobilize the opponent before harvesting the results.
After all, when facing a Sharingan-wielding ninja, it was unnecessary to engage in a direct confrontation. Mental attacks like genjutsu, especially for someone like it with a lower resistance to illusions, were not a suitable match.
Even though it carried the Water Serpent, which could dispel illusions at any time, Shiroshi had warned it. The opponent's Sharingan was strong, and one had to handle it carefully, not underestimating.
So, the Earth General thought exploding once again, making the opponent lose most of their strength or even killing them directly, was the correct tactical approach.
While the Earth General was contemplating this issue, it suddenly sensed an abnormal atmosphere around it. Numerous sharp trees broke through the soil, directly entwining around its body.
In an instant, its body was bound.
The Earth General turned its head to look at the newcomer. This peculiar white creature with a swirl-patterned face, having a hollow space that revealed its pitch-black nature inside. It was none other than the special White Zetsu, Guruguru, sent by Madara to investigate the truth about the enemy.
As soon as Guruguru approached, he said to the bound Earth General, 'Oh my, I searched so many places and found out that you were here sneaking around doing who knows what. The one disturbing my contemplation on how to poop while hanging upside down was you, right?'
"His tone sounded unusually dissatisfied, clearly bothered by the fact that the Earth General interrupted him while he was thinking about the important matter of how to hang upside down and defecate."
The Earth General stared at this strange creature with a swirl-patterned face, realizing that the one with the swirl pattern was different from the other white creatures it had been tracking.
There seemed to be a hierarchical difference between them, and the creature with the swirl pattern emitted a very frightening sense of danger.
"By the way, do you know how to hang upside down and defecate? If you do, tell me. Maybe I'll make your death a bit quicker. After all, Guruguru is a good boy, hehe."
Guruguru chuckled, scratching his head, displaying an appearance that didn't regard the enemy highly. Not out of arrogance, but a natural expression of his eccentric and artistic demeanor.
"'￥&&&%￥#￥.'"
"'Hmm? What are you saying? Are you saying you also want to know how to hang upside down and defecate? But with a body as strange as yours, you probably don't even know what the sensation of defecation is. Too bad. In that case, I'll just turn you into feces!'"
Guruguru clasped his hands together, and the trees entwining the Earth General's body suddenly tightened, squeezing the Earth General into fragments like a twisted candy cane, scattering them in all directions.
"What a useless ability."
Guruguru didn't expect to solve the enemy so quickly. He thought the one who infiltrated their main base must be a formidable opponent. Instead, it turned out to be just a little thief with some infiltration skills.
Guruguru turned to leave, but suddenly stopped. He looked down at the ground.
The earth emitted a faint groan, and the stones on the ground trembled slightly, making sounds.
Guruguru quickly turned his head and saw the scattered mud reassembling. At the core of the mud, a very powerful chakra was condensing.
Crack! Crack!
The earth cracked open, and Guruguru immediately jumped backward, starting to run through the forest.
The cracks extending from the ground continued to chase after Guruguru, their range expanding, and the thunderous rumbling surged from the earth.
"Oh my, it seems things have become troublesome. Is that guy an undying feces?"
Guruguru's whimsical tone gained a bit of caution.
Turning his gaze back to the forest behind, the birds scattered in panic. Under the twilight, the sun was as crimson as blood.
Boom!
Boom!
The violent shaking of the earth intensified.
Something terrifying was about to climb out from the depths.
Boom!
The earth emitted a resounding explosion. Guruguru was thrown into the air, shouting as he collided with a large tree, coming to a halt.
Guruguru dusted himself off, completely unharmed, standing on a tree branch and gazing at the sudden appearance of a massive rock creature in the forest.
The colossal figure, towering high above the forest's gigantic trees, was a stone giant of ash-yellow hue. Adorned in stone armor, It wielded a tough stone spear, its red eyes glaring straight at Guruguru.
Boom!
Boom!
The stone giant swiftly advanced, each step causing the earth to groan, leaving a path of destruction as trees were trampled and shattered.
A stone spear was launched directly at Guruguru's position.
Explosions rang out, concealed by swirling dust.
The enormous stone spear was embedded diagonally in the ground, unmoving.
Guruguru, panting heavily, watched as the stone giant, without hesitation, launched a fierce attack. Despite his sorry state, this only fueled his anger.
"Damn it, how dare you be so arrogant! Watch me beat you up!"
Guruguru clapped his hands, gathering chakra, and unleashed his ninja art.
"Come! Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!"
Gigantic trees rose to towering heights, transforming into a wooden giant almost equal in height to to the stone giant.
With a fierce and violent aura rivaling that of the stone giant, the wooden golem began advancing, causing the earth to tremble.
Standing on the head of the wooden golem, Guruguru commanded it to clash with the stone giant.
A muffled thunderous roar echoed as the wooden golem and stone giant both stepped back a few paces, adjusting their positions, then charged once more.
The giant picked up a stone spear that was lodged in the ground and thrust it toward the wooden golem's chest.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
Seeing the imminent danger, Guruguru immediately performed another Wood Release technique.
A massively thick wooden dragon coiled around the wooden golem, opening its jaws to bite the incoming stone spear.
Crack!
The wooden golem shivered, and Guruguru swayed atop it, nearly falling.
The stone spear accurately pierced the wooden golem's chest, penetrating through.
A water serpent, equal in size to the wood dragon and formed from converging streams, latched onto the wooden dragon, slamming it aside. This allowed the stone spear to bypass the hindrance of the wooden dragon and attack the wooden golem.
"Turns out, the thing pulled out isn't poop but a giant water serpent? You really are a strange fellow."
Guruguru stabilized himself, showing no signs of panic.
Wood Release techniques weren't easily crushed.
Even with its chest pierced, the wooden golem, without pause, clenched its fist and landed a punch on the stone giant's face.
The stone giant loosened its grip on the stone spear, stepping back, causing the ground to collapse. As it finally stabilized itself, the wooden golem had already pulled the embedded stone spear from its body, holding it in its hand, ready for battle.
Guruguru grinned, "Your weapon's not bad; I'll gladly accept it. Now, watch as I turn all of you into poop! Let's go!"
The wooden golem, accompanied by the wood dragon, rushed forward. Meanwhile, the water serpent coiled around the stone giant spat out a massive, heavy water cannon.
The wood dragon tore open its jaws, clamping onto the colossal water cannon, swallowing it whole and converting it into absorbed chakra.
Taking advantage of the wood dragon absorbing the energy of the water, the water serpent swiftly surged forward, encircling the wooden golem and biting its neck.
Large pieces of wood shattered and fell from the sky.
Guruguru shouted in the chaos. He could see that the stone giant and the water serpent were not as powerful as the wood golem and wood dragon, but they were more agile.
Especially the giant water serpent, as if it had its own consciousness, unlike Guruguru, who needed to control the wood dragon to attack; otherwise, it could only coil around the wooden golem, serving as a decoration.
The water serpent fiercely tore into the wooden golem's body, and pieces of wood splintered and flew as its neck was mostly gnawed away.
Guruguru quickly controlled the wood dragon to bite into the water serpent's body.
The water serpent immediately sensed something amiss. It realized that the Sage Art chakra within its body was continuously being absorbed by the wood dragon.
At this rate, its energy would be absorbed, and it would return to its normal state soon.
In terms of chakra absorption, the wood dragon's capabilities surpassed those of the water serpent.
"The Wood Release power isn't outstanding in just attack, huh?" Guruguru proudly laughed.
The wooden golem's neck, bitten apart by the water serpent, began to recover under the supply of chakra.
Guruguru grabbed the water serpent's head, intending to forcefully crush it.
At this moment, the stone giant charged in, wielding a pre-condensed stone spear, striking the wooden golem's body.
This blow caused the wooden golem's body to collapse under the strain, sitting directly on the ground.
—At the outskirts of the battlefield, a large number of White Zetsu surrounded the area.
Naturally, they observed the scene of Gurguru engaging with the enemies.
"Guruguru, that idiot, used Wood Release techniques and still didn't resolve the enemies. When Lord Madara finds out, he'll be very angry."
"Don't say that. These enemies seem extraordinary. Not only did they sneak in without being detected, but they also have the ability to confront Wood Release directly. They are no ordinary individuals."
"Regardless of the type of enemy, as long as he uses Wood Release, they are no match under the power of Wood Release."
Although Gurguru's Wood Release couldn't compare to the legendary Wood Release of Hashirama Senju, in the current era of the ninja world, there were few who could single-handedly contend with Guruguru without falling behind.
—The earth exploded, and dust scattered, a scene caused by the attack of stone spears.
However, for the remarkably resilient wooden golem, the spear's attack only served as a hindrance.
The water serpent detached from the wooden golem's body, no longer daring to make direct contact.
Not only did it fail to absorb chakra from the wooden golem, but it also lost its own chakra.
In a prolonged battle, this was a severe disadvantage for their side.
However, with this, the enemy's information gathering had reached its limit.
Continuing the probing would put their lives at risk.
Although they didn't obtain information on the abilities of the Sharingan ninja, learning about the existence of Wood Release was a significant gain.
"What's wrong, feeling powerless now? I'm full of energy here, so be prepared to be turned into poop by me! This time, I'll definitely come up with an idea to hang and pull out poop!"
Guruguru shouted confidently, urging the wooden golem and wood dragon forward.
Due to the intense battle in the center of the forest, it had already turned into a barren wasteland.
Trees were uprooted, and roots were visible.
One pit after another appeared, scenes caused purely by trampling.
The water serpent, observing the imposing wooden golem and wood dragon, opened its huge mouth, releasing a massive flow of water rushing toward them.
"Hmm?"
Within the water flow, the wooden golem's movements suddenly slowed down due to the water resistance.
The stone giant's body rumbled, dispersing into numerous large stone fragments floating in the air, shooting toward the wooden golem.
The wooden golem caught one large stone with its palm, only to be immediately hit by another, stumbling backward.
The large stones followed in succession, accurately striking the wooden golem's body, smashing it, and even the wood dragon was affected, emitting cries resembling painful roars.
Guruguru, too, frantically dodged the flying stones. Several times he was hit, making it challenging to control the wooden golem and wood dragon for a counterattack.
When the barrage of stones ceased, he turned to look ahead, but the stone giant and the massive water serpent were no longer in sight, disappeared without a trace.
"Hehe, scared off by my power, huh? Indeed, poop is just poop, completely not my opponent."
Guruguru laughed proudly. Although it took a considerable amount of effort, he successfully repelled the troublesome enemies. He was sure to receive praise from Lord Madara upon returning.
Guruguru was indeed a clever kid. He complimented himself with self-love in his heart.
Guruguru dispelled the Wood Release techniques of the wooden golem and wood dragon, rushing back in the direction where the White Zetsu were gathering.
After he left, a black figure emerged from the destroyed earth, and dark-colored eyes watched the retreat of the Earth General and Water Serpent.
Ultimately, without saying a word, the figure submerged back into the earth, disappearing without a trace.
…
Shikkotsu Forest Boundary.
Shiroshi, shirtless, was surrounded by moist air, making him feel extremely comfortable. Feeling the natural power nurtured at the mountaintop, he could refine the natural energy here, merging it with his chakra to form Senjutsu Chakra.
At this moment, countless shadow blades suddenly swirled out from the surrounding shadows, slashing across his bare upper body, splattering numerous blood droplets.
However, Shiroshi endured the intense pain. He could clearly feel a large amount of Senjutsu chakra surging within him.
With his hands clasped together, he performed a certain jutsu. The horrifying wound on his upper body instantly healed, leaving only traces of red blood.
The paleness on his face disappeared, returning to its original healthy color, showing no signs of weakness.
A miniature clone of a Livy squirmed over and exclaimed, "Shiroshi is truly amazing! In just a few days, you've already grasped the basics of my Sage Techniques."
Shiroshi was using the slug's healing Sage Technique—Life Regeneration.
It transformed chakra into rich life force, revitalizing vitality and injuries. This was the highest-level secret medical ninjutsu Shiroshi had ever seen.
"But it's still not perfect, as it requires hand seals. If the injury is severe to the point where hand seals can't be performed, this jutsu won't activate," Shiroshi regretfully said.
Hand seals were necessary for better adjusting chakra within the body to execute ninjutsu. However, with proficient use of jutsu, the steps of hand seals could be omitted.
Although Shiroshi streamlined this Sage Technique to some extent, he still couldn't eliminate the need for hand seals, making it impossible to release without them.
"Don't worry, Shiroshi. You've only taken a few days to achieve this level. You're the fastest learner of this jutsu that I've ever seen. Lady Tsunade took a month just to get the basics," the slug said.
"Did Lady Tsunade also learn this jutsu?" Shiroshi was a little surprised. He remembered that Tsunade wasn't adept at Sage Techniques.
Livy replied, "Lady Tsunade doesn't know Sage Techniques, so she couldn't comprehend all the intricacies of this technique. Instead, she integrated her medical philosophy into this medical ninjutsu, developing her own S-rank secret medical ninjutsu—Creation Rebirth—based on chakra."
"Is that so?" Shiroshi, upon hearing this, even though he understood why Tsunade couldn't learn the Sage Technique—Life Regeneration due to her constraints in Sage Techniques, creating her own S-rank secret medical ninjutsu was still commendable.
"Even so, Lady Tsunade's technique is still a work in progress. Moreover, the Sage Technique—Life Regeneration I created can be used on others, while Lady Tsunade's technique can only be applied to herself. Aside from being unable to revive the dead, when the Sage Technique—Life Regeneration is mastered to the highest level, it can completely restore injuries within seconds. In special circumstances, it can also extend one's life," the slug patiently explained, revealing all the mysteries of the Sage Technique—Life Regeneration to Shiroshi.
Shiroshi marveled at the versatility of the Sage Technique. Providing unparalleled healing capabilities for oneself and others, it could restore even the most severe injuries within seconds, and it could extend one's lifespan.
Although it couldn't bring the dead back to life, it was almost omnipotent in the field of medical ninjutsu.
But the conditions for learning this medical ninjutsu were very strict. Deep understanding of Sage Techniques and proficiency in various medical ninjutsu were prerequisites, enhancing the chances of success.
"It's truly an extraordinary medical ninjutsu," Shiroshi praised.
Livy, however, humbly said, "Shiroshi is the truly remarkable one. Without any guidance from predecessors, you independently perfected a Sage Technique system that suits you."
"That was just a coincidence. Now that I think about it, many of my experiments were actually accidental. For example, using chakra to verify the existence of natural energy was based on the premise that chakra could indeed fuse with natural energy to form Senjutsu chakra," Shiroshi explained.
"Even though it was accidental, Shiroshi's verification process wasn't entirely wrong. Chakra does have a close connection with natural energy," Livy replied.
"Oh?" Shiroshi looked at Livy in surprise but then nodded in understanding.
Livy had lived for over a thousand years, and its understanding of the connection between natural energy and chakra was undoubtedly much deeper than his.
"In the era over a thousand years ago, this world originally didn't have a substance like chakra."
"No chakra?" Shiroshi frowned.
"At that time, the natural world only had a substance called natural energy. Due to a cosmic anomaly, chakra was born."
"Cosmic anomaly? What's that?" Shiroshi inquired.
"It was an entity called the Divine Tree. The Divine Tree absorbed natural energy from the natural world and bore a fruit at the top of its branches. That was the origin of chakra—the birth of chakra."
Livy recounted the events of the past.
"So, you mean chakra is derived from natural energy? The most fundamental nature of chakra is natural energy?" Shiroshi was astonished.
He had never considered this direction before.
He didn't know that the essence of chakra was, in fact, natural energy.
"You could say that. Natural energy is wild and difficult to tame. The Divine Tree couldn't directly absorb such wild power, so, for its safety, it transformed it into the manageable chakra. Later, chakra, this substance, began to prevail in the world. It gradually replaced the position of natural energy and penetrated into the bodies of every living being, passing down from generation to generation," Livy explained.
"What about the Divine Tree?" Shiroshi asked with interest.
Although he now knew about the origin of chakra and its relationship with natural energy, Livy had not mentioned the fate of the Divine Tree.
"Shiroshi must have heard of it," Livy's words left Shiroshi puzzled.
"I've heard of it?"
"The Tailed Beasts. The Divine Tree was a colossal demonic entity that later split into nine Tailed Beasts, passing down from ancient times to the present. That demonic entity is also known as the Ten-Tails, the collective form of all Tailed Beasts."
Livy calmly revealed this secret, which could overturn Shiroshi's understanding.
"Tailed Beasts... Natural energy... Chakra... Ten-Tails Divine Tree..." Shiroshi connected his past experiments and research on Tailed Beast chakra in his mind.
Even a mass of chakra seemed to possess a very strong form of consciousness.
"What an interesting history," a smile appeared on Shiroshi's face.
He increasingly felt how fortunate it was to have signed a contract with Livy. Not only did he learn powerful Sage Techniques, but also the experiences Livy had been through were something people in this era truly needed.
"Livy, I'd like to ask you a favor, can I?"
"What is it?"
"Send out a clone to my place to write the real history, to reveal all the truths of the universe to the world. That is something they must know and contemplate—the ultimate question. Your accumulated experiences and knowledge over thousands of years are the real treasure, far more valuable than superficial things like Sage Techniques."
Shiroshi stepped forward, looking towards the boundless sky, his eyes filled with excitement.
This was the first time Livy had seen Shiroshi like this.
"Shiroshi... truly is a peculiar human," it thought.
Even Tsunade, who could become its friend, had only learned ninjutsu from it and showed no interest in the history and knowledge it had experienced.
The people who came to the Forest in the past were the same; they had no interest in what happened in the past, as if ninjutsu and power were the only things they sought.
However, because of this, it could feel Shiroshi's uniqueness.
His thoughts were out of sync with the ninja world, full of vitality and hope.
Recalling Shiroshi's words, wanting to bring a different wind to this world, sweeping across the land, sky, and ocean.
"Very well, Shiroshi, Livy's tone was filled with genuine joy.
It was a kind of emotional fluctuation it hadn't felt in a long time.
Following a contractee like this, it would surely witness more beautiful scenery.
And witness the birth of a brand-new world.
(Chapter End)