Chapter 142: "Senior"
Late at night, the silvery moonlight spilled into the dense forests of the Land of Grass.
Uchiha Kei slowly emerged from the woods, his crimson Sharingan eyes glowing eerily under the pale moonlight.
"This is the place, kid."
Pakkun hesitated to get too close to Kei, sensing a cold and oppressive aura emanating from him. "You've found the location you were looking for, so I'll be taking my leave now."
"Go ahead," Kei nodded. "Thanks for your help."
"It's nothing. Honestly, you should've summoned me sooner instead of making me wait," Pakkun said with a shake of his head. "Anyway, see you around."
With that, he vanished into a puff of smoke.
Kei didn't pay the exchange much mind. His eyes were already fixed on a nondescript cave nestled beneath the cliff ahead.
He had taken a four-to-five-hour rest, even using a specially formulated Uchiha clan military ration pill. His chakra was now fully replenished, back to peak condition.
A few hours earlier, when Kei turned down Kakashi's offer to join him on the mission, Kakashi's expression had soured visibly.
But this time, Kei had no intention of comforting him.
He couldn't let Kakashi interfere with his operation—not when so much was at stake.
Kakashi, despite his reluctance, had realized that if he followed along, he might lose control of his emotions. So, after a long sigh, he summoned Pakkun and silently departed.
With Pakkun's unparalleled tracking ability, Kei had no trouble locating his destination. Yet he didn't move immediately.
He knew White Zetsu likely had multiple clones lurking all over the area.
More importantly, Madara Uchiha might not be fully dead yet.
Although the old man looked like he was on his last breath, as long as he remained connected to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, his combat power likely remained terrifying.
Kei wasn't about to provoke someone like that recklessly. Fortunately, according to his memories, the old man didn't have much time left.
You had to admit—Madara was a master manipulator. And fearless.
To ensure Obito believed every word he said, he had simply chosen death after entrusting him with everything. A bold move, but one that served a deeper psychological purpose.
It sent a message:
"We're doing the right thing."
"I trust you completely."
That kind of subtle reinforcement, combined with Black Zetsu's insidious coaching, kept Obito squarely within Madara's envisioned path—even after he developed ambitions of his own.
When Kei was finally ready, he found Pakkun already looking quite impatient.
If Kakashi hadn't asked him to help, the little dog would've ditched this "creepy guy" long ago.
As Pakkun's smoke finally cleared, Kei donned his mask and leapt silently down to the mouth of the cave below the cliff.
Chilled air wafted from the darkness within as he stepped cautiously inside.
The cave was dim, but his vision remained clear. Only the echoing sound of his footsteps disturbed the suffocating silence.
How twisted did someone have to be to choose a place like this for a residence?
It felt more like walking into the underworld than any hideout.
The deeper he ventured, the more unsettling details revealed themselves.
The first thing that caught his eye was a weapon rack. Among its contents was the unmistakable fan that symbolized the Uchiha clan leader.
But Kei had no interest in souvenirs. Taking these items back would raise too many questions. At best, they were troublesome trophies—hot potatoes better left untouched.
What he really wanted was intel—notes, scrolls, anything Madara might have written. That could be of real value.
As he moved deeper, Kei's cloaked right hand was already gripping the hilt of his ninja blade.
Not encountering anyone at all was a red flag. The silence was too perfect.
For all he knew, Obito—now clad in White Zetsu's regenerative shell—could be hiding beneath the surface, biding his time.
No matter what the truth was, Kei had to stay on guard.
"What the...?"
Eventually, Kei reached a crumbling stone gate. Just beyond it, on a simple stone bench, sat an old man with long, snow-white hair, his head slumped low.
The moment Kei laid eyes on him, a chill ran down his spine.
That... that was Madara Uchiha!
Even in death, the man radiated an overwhelming pressure. If Kei hadn't seen the life-support tubes disconnected and confirmed there was no trace of chakra or life force, he might have turned and fled on instinct.
CLANG!
Suddenly, Kei whipped around, drawing his blade in one fluid motion.
Blue chakra surged along the length of the sword as its edge collided with something—metal against metal—shattering the cave's eerie silence with a sharp, ringing echo.
Cold sweat nearly broke out on Uchiha Kei's forehead.
Obito's sneak attack had been incredibly well-timed—almost masterful. He had chosen the perfect moment.
After all, when someone suddenly spots a stranger, their focus inevitably shifts to that person—and that fleeting lapse in awareness could be fatal.
Although Madara's corpse had startled Kei, his attention hadn't completely wavered. Thanks to the reflexive precision granted by his Mangekyō Sharingan, he made the right call in a split second.
Blocking Obito's ambush with his blade, Kei immediately countered with a powerful kick. Obito reacted just as fast, phasing part of his body to avoid the strike.
Kei's foot met empty air, but he didn't let up. His left leg pushed off the ground, launching him upward in a smooth motion. At the same time, crackling arcs of lightning surged in his left hand, and his right hand brought the ninja blade down from an unusual angle, aiming for Obito's blind spot.
Obito had only one eye left, which left his right side vulnerable. Kei had exploited this weakness during their skirmish a few hours earlier—and he wasn't about to stop now.
Obito sensed Kei's intention and cursed under his breath. He immediately phased his entire body and retreated backwards.
At this point, Obito still hadn't replaced his right eye with another Sharingan, and Kei wasn't about to let such a blind spot go to waste.
"Hmph. I let you walk away last time, and you still dared to come back?" Obito's voice dripped with venom, though he was fully aware of his current limitations. Still, he refused to show weakness. "Looks like you're eager to be buried here permanently."
"Talk is cheap. But can you actually back it up?" Kei replied coolly, though he made no effort to lower his blade.
"So we're doing this for real now, are we, junior?" Obito's tone darkened, but despite his words, he didn't strike first.
"Junior?" Kei's gaze shifted briefly to the lifeless body of Madara still seated behind them. He couldn't help but shake his head internally.
This guy sure adjusts quickly. Madara's body wasn't even cold yet, and Obito was already claiming his legacy—calling him 'junior' as if he himself had ascended to some grand seniority.
But Kei didn't care about that.
He wasn't here to expose Obito's identity. He had come for a specific purpose—something essential to his plan.
Drawing in a deep breath, Kei's eyes suddenly flared with a strange chakra pulse—and in the next moment, his speed exploded.
Obito's expression changed instantly. A flash of cold steel streaked past his neck—fast as lightning.
Kei was absurdly fast. So fast that Obito began to wonder…
Was his Mangekyō ability enhancing his speed?
Kei landed steadily, disappointed. His blade had passed right through Obito's neck, but there had been no resistance—no hit on a solid target.
"So this is what a 'senior' looks like?" Kei's voice held a note of mocking amusement. "You're more like a rat than a mentor. Are you sure you're even worthy of the title?"
"Save your breath," Obito said through clenched teeth.
His fists were already balled tightly. After a slow inhale, he spoke again:
"You've got impressive eyes, junior. If I weren't injured right now, they'd already be mine. But… I'll let you hold onto them for now. One day, I'll take them back."
"Is that so?" Kei smirked beneath his mask. "Then come and try, senior."
With those words, he slashed again—his blade crackling with vibrant blue chakra, slicing toward Obito's blind side once more.
Kei had briefly considered that keeping Obito alive might prove useful in the future.
But when it came down to a fight, he held nothing back.
At this stage, Obito was far from his peak. His techniques, taijutsu, and mastery over the Mangekyō were all still lacking.
If Kei killed him now, there might be complications down the line—but honestly, Kei was fine with that.
In fact, a dangerous idea had already crept into his mind: use Chrono Freeze—his forbidden jutsu.
As chakra surged quietly within him, Kei prepared to activate it.
But just then, Obito suddenly blinked away, putting distance between them.
He stared hard at Kei, and then his body began to distort, swirling like a vortex.
In the next moment, he disappeared from Kei's sight—taking Madara's corpse with him.
Kei stood silently for a long moment, then finally let out a heavy sigh.
He had hesitated. Deep down, he didn't want to risk it.
Sure, if he used Chrono Freeze, there was a real chance he could have decapitated Obito in a single instant.
But the aftereffects? He'd be paralyzed—helpless. Even someone like Black Zetsu could finish him off with ease in that state.
In the end, he'd backed down.
He just wasn't strong enough yet—and without anyone to watch his back, he couldn't afford reckless moves.
"…Forget it. Letting him leave might not be so bad."
Kei exhaled slowly, then turned toward the shattered stone gate.
There, lying on the ground, was a severed white arm.
He nodded slightly.
"At least I didn't walk away empty-handed. Mission accomplished."