Chapter 140: Obito’s Secret Isn’t My Secret
Juzo Biwa groped the back of the cold chair in the Interrogation Room with one hand, his eyes filled with shock and suspicion as he looked at Jiraiya, then at Uchiha Ikeizumi, and then at that Ninja Cat.
Phew…
Why did it feel like that guy Uchiha Ikeizumi was the real Akatsuki member, while he was just an insignificant outsider.
Juzo Biwa’s mouth twitched. As a member of Akatsuki, he knew less than Uchiha Ikeizumi.
This actually gave him a very strange sense of frustration.
The key was, this also prevented him from using some Akatsuki intelligence that could be revealed to exchange with Uchiha Ikeizumi for information about “Uchiha Madara.” He even accidentally heard many secrets he shouldn’t have, which gave Juzo Biwa a headache.
But at this moment.
He noticed Uchiha Ikeizumi’s gaze falling on him.
He heard Uchiha Ikeizumi speak again. This Lava Release Ferocious Beast surprisingly didn’t demand an exchange of key intelligence.
Instead, he skipped the topics about Konan and Nagato, went straight to the point, and said coldly: “The ‘Uchiha Madara’ in Akatsuki is not the real Uchiha Madara. The real Uchiha Madara died many years ago.”
Just as Uchiha Ikeizumi had no responsibility or obligation to keep any secrets for Nagato and Konan.
He had even less reason to keep any secrets for Uchiha Obito.
Uchiha Ikeizumi said flatly, as if chatting casually: “The ‘Uchiha Madara’ in Akatsuki’s real name is Uchiha Obito. He is a heinous villain, a scourge that justice must eliminate.”
“He is merely borrowing Uchiha Madara’s name to cooperate with Nagato and Konan. Or rather, he is using Nagato and Konan, trying to borrow Akatsuki’s power to achieve his own goals.”
Kijiro added: “Meow, that sneaky rat Uchiha Obito has a very strange Mangekyo Sharingan that can phase his body, making it impossible for anyone to touch him.”
“Lord Ikeizumi has evaluated it as a very cheating ability. Meow, I remember it was called something…”
“…Kamui Phasing?!”
Juzo Biwa: “!!!”
Hiss! So the “Uchiha Madara” that woman Konan mentioned was fake!
That woman had also been kept in the dark by the guy named Uchiha Obito!
No.
That woman must have sensed something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint it for the time being, so she sent him to Konoha to contact Uchiha Ikeizumi and pry information about Uchiha Madara from him!
Juzo Biwa suddenly understood.
However.
He realized even more that he had heard another secret he shouldn’t know.
If what happened in the Interrogation Room got out, not only would that woman Konan kill the donkey after it was no longer needed, but the guy named Uchiha Obito would probably try to kill him too.
Because he knew too many secrets!
Uchiha Ikeizumi said slowly: “It is indeed pretty cheating, and not without weaknesses. His ability can only last five minutes. After five minutes of phasing, it needs a certain cooldown time before it can be used again. As for how long this cooldown is, it’s unclear for now.”
Juzo Biwa took a deep breath, his expression carrying a hint of complexity: “You… just revealed all this important intelligence like that, and you don’t need me to exchange any intelligence with you?”
He didn’t know whether to say Uchiha Ikeizumi was too generous.
Or… whether Uchiha Ikeizumi was trying to harm him?
The more he knew, the faster he would die?!
Uchiha Ikeizumi said coldly: “Because in my eyes, these are not secrets, nor intelligence. It’s more like stating the basic information of a villain that justice must execute. When the Police Force issues a wanted order, is the detailed criminal information on it considered a secret?”
“On the contrary.” He paused, then continued: “The Police Force wishes to reveal as much detailed criminal information as possible, and hopes others know the criminal’s information as clearly as possible.”
Juzo Biwa opened his mouth but didn’t say more.
He felt his thought process might not be on the same wavelength as Uchiha Ikeizumi’s.
Or rather…
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s perspective was broader than his own.
His own mindset was still that of a ninja, while the other seemed to have transcended the scope of a ninja—this was a sudden thought in Juzo Biwa’s mind.
“Uchiha Obito…” Jiraiya, feeling his face heat up, thought the name sounded familiar. When a flash of insight hit his mind, he immediately reacted: “This seems to be Minato’s disciple! From the same class as Kakashi!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at him: “Jiraiya, the first Child of Prophecy you sought now holds extreme ideas of making the Ninja World feel pain.”
“The second Child of Prophecy you sought, his disciple Uchiha Obito, has become one of the sources of all evil in the Ninja World, on the same level as Orochimaru and Danzo.”
“Jiraiya, you’re still looking for a third Child of Prophecy. This makes me very suspicious that you’ll teach another villain.”
“It also makes me question if you are the real source of all evil. Maybe Kijiro’s criticism of you is right.”
Jiraiya: “…”
Jiraiya couldn’t refute for the moment.
Because he was lost in confusion right now.
…
Meanwhile.
“Rain envoy? Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist’s Kirigakure Rogue Ninja Juzo Biwa?” When Fugaku heard the Anbu Ninja’s report of the Hokage’s order, he struggled for a moment to connect the two.
The Anbu Ninja explained: “Juzo Biwa is suspected of joining the Village of Rain and is now a ninja of the Village of Rain. But due to his envoy status, he is quite special. The Hokage hopes the Police Force releases him as soon as possible.”
Fugaku suddenly understood.
“No problem.”
Fugaku, with a stern face, slowly stood up. At the moment he agreed, he felt a bit relieved inside.
Because the moment the Hokage needed the Police Force to do something meant that, in the Hokage’s eyes, the Uchiha Clan’s Police Force was still useful.
As long as they were useful, Konoha’s higher-ups generally wouldn’t have extreme thoughts about the Uchiha Clan, and the Uchiha Clan wouldn’t be pushed to the brink.
This would achieve a very delicate balance.
And what Fugaku needed most was this balance. He believed himself to be the one maintaining it. He even thought his efforts had finally paid off, and the state of affairs didn’t seem as pessimistic as he and Itachi had initially thought.
Then.
Fugaku hurried to the underground Interrogation Room of the Police Force Headquarters, fearing he would be too late and Juzo Biwa would turn into a corpse in the blink of an eye.
But he found the Interrogation Room already empty.
After asking the Police Force Ninja guarding the Interrogation Room, he learned Juzo Biwa had been released two minutes ago.
“Ikeizumi actually let him go?” Fugaku was stunned.
This was truly beyond his expectations.
…
“Didn’t expect to obtain the intelligence in such an unexpected way.”
Juzo Biwa, who had re-slung the massive Executioner’s Blade on his back, had a complex expression on his face: “So the question is, is passing the intelligence to that woman the right choice?”
“After all, this is a task that offends people greatly. That woman gave it to me without good intentions!”
This would definitely offend “Uchiha Obito” to death!
The conflicted Juzo Biwa didn’t notice a bizarre White Zetsu Clone on a distant roadside tree, hiding its presence in the dense branches and leaves, almost undetectable.
The White Zetsu that had sneaked into the Uchiha Clan Compound was staring at Juzo Biwa emerging from the Police Force Headquarters.
White Zetsu narrowed its eyes: “He walked out of the Police Force alive. Does that mean he exchanged intelligence with Uchiha Ikeizumi? Does he know many things he shouldn’t?”
Just as the White Zetsu Clone sent out the intelligence, a faint “rustle” sound came from behind it.
The moment it turned its head in shock, its neck was grabbed by a hand, and its entire head twisted 360 degrees. The hand gripping its neck turned into scorching lava, which devoured the White Zetsu Clone in an instant!
“‘Rats’ are getting a bit numerous.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi jumped down from the tree branch expressionlessly.
“Another one of these weird creatures, meow.” Kijiro also jumped down, eyeing it suspiciously: “Last time, at Konoha’s Public Cemetery, there was this bizarre white humanoid creature. These guys seem related to that Uchiha Obito.”
“Lord Ikeizumi, does this mean Uchiha Obito is likely nearby in Konoha, or even inside Konoha? Has he gathered the courage to come back after being scared off by you before?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “It was clearly staring at Juzo Biwa earlier. Most likely, Uchiha Obito has targeted Juzo Biwa.”
“Perhaps, Konan’s attempt to get Uchiha Madara intelligence from me was already noticed by Uchiha Obito in advance.”
Kijiro pondered: “A sneaky guy like Uchiha Obito definitely doesn’t want other Akatsuki members knowing more of his secrets. Meow, is he trying to silence Juzo Biwa?”
“So they let him out as bait to lure the villain.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said faintly and coldly.
…
Far away in Konoha.
“Obito, new intelligence has come.” Black Zetsu followed closely behind Obito and said to him: “Juzo Biwa was captured into the Police Force, and Uchiha Ikeizumi also entered the Police Force Headquarters. The two likely made contact inside.”
“And half an hour later, Juzo Biwa left the Uchiha Police Force Headquarters unscathed. Perhaps… he made some intelligence deal with Uchiha Ikeizumi.”
Black Zetsu paused, then continued: “He likely now possesses intelligence about you, and about me.”
At this point, Black Zetsu felt some doubt in its heart.
If that Uchiha Ikeizumi knew Obito’s secrets so clearly, was it possible he also knew Black Zetsu’s secrets?
No, unlikely!
Even Uchiha Madara couldn’t see through its true secrets.
Let alone Uchiha Ikeizumi, who was just a junior of Uchiha Madara.
No matter how capable that kid was, he couldn’t compare to Uchiha Madara, the excellent “tool.”
“Hmph!” At this moment, Obito’s cold snort interrupted Black Zetsu’s thoughts. He said sinisterly and coldly: “Since he knows secrets he shouldn’t, it’s even more impossible to let him go back alive.”
“Obito, he might transmit the intelligence to Konan through the ring or Summoned Beast or other methods.” Black Zetsu added: “Even killing him might be useless.”
Uchiha Obito: “…”
“Shut up!!!” He was fed up with this guy always undermining him.
He turned and gave Black Zetsu a cold glance: “You’re just a will incarnation bred by Madara. He told you to assist me before he died. Whatever I say to do, you follow. I have my own thinking and plan; I don’t need you chiming in.”
“Ah, you’re right.” Black Zetsu replied ambiguously, then went along with Obito’s intent without saying more.
—If Madara had lived longer, it wouldn’t need you at all.
This thought…
Black Zetsu didn’t voice it.
…
Mount Myōboku.
In the misty depths of Mount Myōboku, with a puff of white smoke, a figure appeared with a “bang”—it was Jiraiya requesting the Mount Myōboku toads to use Reverse Summoning Technique again.
Jiraiya’s brow was heavy with irresolvable weight. After a moment’s hesitation, he walked straight toward the ancient stone hall weathered by time.
Candlelight flickered in the hall, illuminating the massive decrepit figure on the stone seat—the Great Toad Sage, with its orange-red body, had half-closed eyes, giving a drunken, drowsy impression.
“Who comes?”
This standard question made the heavy-hearted Jiraiya’s mouth twitch slightly. The Great Toad Sage was at it again, clearly seeing who he was but still asking.
“It’s little Jiraiya…” Before Jiraiya could reply, the Great Toad Sage’s voice drifted from the stone seat, as if through a thick water curtain: “You’ve come with your doubts again. This time, is it related to that child Uchiha Ikeizumi?”
Jiraiya took a deep breath, his clenched fists turning white at the knuckles, his somber expression bitter as he said: “Great Toad Sage, I learned from Uchiha Ikeizumi that Nagato is not dead.”
“Moreover, that child I once considered the Child of Prophecy… has become someone I barely recognize. He founded Akatsuki, shouting ‘make the world feel pain.'”
“Nagato wants to use people’s fear of pain…”
Jiraiya recounted all the intelligence he heard today from Uchiha Ikeizumi to the Great Toad Sage.
Shima and Shima, the two Mount Myōboku Sages, silently leaped to Jiraiya’s left and right.
They looked at the heavy-hearted Jiraiya.
For a moment, they didn’t know what to say.
Jiraiya looked up and asked, with self-blame, a question he had never asked the Great Toad Sage before: “Great Toad Sage, can finding the Child of Prophecy really bring peace to the Ninja World?”
“As Ikeizumi said, my actions seem to have brought no positive impact to the Ninja World’s peace. Instead, because of my momentary negligence, I led Nagato astray into that form.”
“Am I… really suited to teach the Child of Prophecy?”
Jiraiya felt very ashamed and self-blaming, thinking this was greatly related to him, since he was Nagato and Konan’s teacher.
The Great Toad Sage’s cloudy eyes finally moved, its aged, raspy voice calm: “Little Jiraiya.”
“As I once told you—the Child of Prophecy will bring unprecedented peace or destruction to the Ninja World, but whether peace or destruction depends on the Child of Prophecy’s own choice.”
Jiraiya was stunned: “So… Nagato chose destruction?”
Jiraiya bit his lower lip, feeling even more self-blaming and guilty.
“Little Jiraiya, you said—that child Uchiha Ikeizumi said: the true Child of Prophecy is by his side. This means the child named Nagato is not the Child of Prophecy.”
“You just planted the wrong seed, and the branches that grew from it happened to bend in the storm.” The Great Toad Sage said faintly: “He is not the Child of Prophecy… yet by chance, he endured the trials meant for the Child of Prophecy. It’s reasonable he failed the true trial and took the wrong path.”
“Since you realize he took the wrong path, what you should do is not self-blame, but find the true Child of Prophecy, let him make the right choice, and show him if the future the Child of Prophecy chooses is better than the one he chose.”
The Great Toad Sage coughed dryly twice: “Haven’t spoken this much in a long time; my throat feels uncomfortable.”
Find the true Child of Prophecy, let the Change to the Ninja World formed by his choice make Nagato realize he was wrong.
Phew!
Jiraiya exhaled heavily, sweeping away the self-blame and confusion from his face.
“Great Toad Sage, I will definitely find the true agent of Change! Since he is in Konoha… since he is not far from Ikeizumi… I can find him soon!”
As Jiraiya said this determinedly, he prepared to take his leave first.
“Wait.”
The Great Toad Sage’s two short words halted Jiraiya’s steps.
It slowly looked at the Shima couple and said: “You two go to Konoha with little Jiraiya… to meet that child Uchiha Ikeizumi. Measure him, see if those eyes of his can truly pierce farther into the future than my dream prophecies.”
“By the way, help little Jiraiya see who, in vast Konoha, is the Ninja World’s future Savior.”
Shima and Shima were successively stunned.
Jiraiya hadn’t told them about Uchiha Ikeizumi’s suspected “prophecy” ability; this was their first time knowing someone had abilities similar to the Great Toad Sage!
In a thousand years, no one in the vast Ninja World had prophecy abilities like the Great Toad Sage. But now there was one, from Konoha, from the most troublesome Uchiha Clan.
Shima and Shima nodded in unison.
“Yes, Great Lord.”
…
…
PS: Egg-hatching period! This chapter is five thousand words. Shallowly taking half a day off to sort thoughts and mind, continuing with explosive updates tomorrow!
