284KotoamatsukamiAI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 284: Kotoamatsukami
Seeing Uchiha Itachi brought Orochimaru no joy at all.
Only trouble.
He had originally thought that with the help of five Mizukage, the task would be easy.
But he knew Uchiha Itachi's strength all too well.
"Where are Haru and Ki?"
Orochimaru spoke very directly.
"They are in a safe place,"
Uchiha Itachi replied concisely.
As for where exactly they were, he naturally wouldn't say.
Orochimaru frowned.
Although he had anticipated this, it still felt troublesome at this moment.
"When did you join the Tianming Organization and start working for Uzumaki Naruto?"
Orochimaru glanced at Merlin, Sasori, Fu, and a strange Ninja wearing a steel suit who appeared behind him.
But regarding who posed the greatest threat, he still believed it was Uchiha Itachi.
While Sasori of the Red Sand was indeed powerful, his strength was solid and physical, rather than flashy Genjutsu.
Orochimaru truly hated Genjutsu, especially the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"I am not a member of the Tianming Organization."
Uchiha Itachi shook his head slightly and said, "Naruto and I are simply getting what we each need."
"Oh? What you want is Haru and Ki?"
Orochimaru's expression suddenly turned cold as he questioned, "Do you think you are qualified?"
Uchiha Haru and Uchiha Ki had been cared for by him since birth.
Uchiha Itachi had merely provided a bit of bloodline.
Now he wanted to take back his two children? How could such a thing be?
Uchiha Itachi remained silent for a few seconds.
To be fair, he wasn't qualified at all.
He had never fulfilled his duties.
"I know everything you intend to do."
Uchiha Itachi spoke with a calm expression, "I'm not qualified, and neither are you, but at least staying in Konoha will allow them to grow up healthy and happy."
"What do you know? You know nothing!"
Orochimaru's voice suddenly rose, his anger clearly audible.
Mei Terumī glanced over a couple of times.
She felt like she had discovered something incredible.
A little loli and a handsome man.
And two children.
Hiss, her inner gossip-loving heart began to burn fiercely.
The most horrifying part was that this little loli was actually Orochimaru.
It was truly strange.
She took another couple of looks.
Fighting could wait a bit.
She had to finish watching this ethical drama.
The other four Mizukage, being forcibly controlled by Yakushi Kabuto, naturally had no objections.
Uchiha Itachi was slightly taken aback.
Such emotion was rare for Orochimaru.
Did he actually care about Haru and Ki, or did he care about his vessels?
But regardless, Uchiha Itachi wouldn't gamble.
Orochimaru had too much of a track record; he would definitely not hand the two children over to him.
"I don't trust you,"
Uchiha Itachi summarized.
"It seems there's nothing to talk about."
Orochimaru regained his composure, stopped looking at him, and said, "Do it."
This wasn't out of hatred, but for safety.
The primary medium for Genjutsu is the eyes.
When fighting a Genjutsu master like Uchiha Itachi, one naturally cannot look into his eyes.
The moment Orochimaru's voice fell, the First Mizukage nearest to him began to emit a blue light, like the boundless sea.
Chakra surged, and the river in the distance suddenly rose in waves over ten meters high.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
The First Mizukage exhaled.
Waves rose higher and higher.
Within seconds, the Langya Pavilion faced the danger of being submerged by the flood.
"Flooding the Golden Mountain, huh?"
Merlin couldn't help but complain as he witnessed the familiar scene.
"Teacher, where is the Golden Mountain?"
Fu couldn't help but ask.
She had followed Merlin for so long that she had simply started calling him teacher.
"Uh, it's just a metaphor,"
Merlin paused and explained.
While the two were talking, Uchiha Itachi turned into crows and vanished.
"Sasori, I'll deal with Orochimaru."
The voice echoed in the air.
Sasori didn't speak, maintaining his usual style.
Even if Uchiha Itachi hadn't said anything, he would have acted.
With a flick of his hands, the Third Kazekagepuppet flew up.
The next second, a wall formed from Iron Sand blocked the way for everyone.
Two battlefields, two Third Kazekages.
Body and soul separated, fighting on two fronts.
He could be called the busiest Kage.
"Fu, your opponent is that baby-faced Mizukage."
Merlin began assigning tasks.
He couldn't let Uchiha Itachi or Sasori handle five Mizukage alone, could he?
That would be very difficult.
Fu excitedly rushed over, wanting to introduce herself, thinking they might become friends.
But the Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi was clearly in no mood; he swung a staff and smashed it down.
A Jinchuriki brought back by Edo Tensei cannot borrow the power of their Tailed Beast.
Except for the special former Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Blue B.
He was only able to replicate his former strength because he had been implanted with a horn of Gyuki that Orochimaru had stolen in the past.
As for Yagura Karatachi, he was at a normal Kage-level.
Fu possessed the Seven-Tails and had been trained for several years, so her strength was no longer what it used to be.
"Fuka Koyuki, that squinty-eyed Third Mizukage is yours."
Merlin pointed to the young man with long black hair.
Fuka Koyuki, wearing the steel suit, immediately took to the sky.
The Land of Snow possessed high-tech like Chakra Armor and airships; after the White Lotus Sectdisbanded, Fuka Koyuki had been in charge of the Tianming Organization's air force.
Her own strength had reached the Jonin level over the years, and with the steel suit, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Moreover, Merlin believed that among the Mizukage, the Third was likely the weakest.
He didn't have much of a role in the original work.
His setting was just one sentence: enough to serve as the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water.
"Sasori, the remaining two Mizukage are yours."
Merlin turned to look at Mei Terumī.
Sasori had many puppets and was already capable of fighting multiple opponents, not to mention one of those puppets was the Third Kazekage.
"Interesting."
Mei Terumī covered her mouth and smiled, "You must be the famous Master of the Langya Pavilion, Merlin?"
"Indeed."
Merlin walked a few steps away, avoiding the range of the others' combat.
"The entire Ninja World has never seen you fight; I am deeply honored."
Mei Terumī's eyes darted around.
The noise from the battles all around was immense, perfectly masking their conversation.
She brushed her hair back and exhaled a thick mist, making her vision blurred.
"What exactly is the Tianming Organizationthinking?"
Mei Terumī asked what she was concerned about.
"No thoughts, we'll talk after we win."
Merlin spoke the truth.
Well, at most, he just wanted to snag a couple of achievements.
But Mei Terumī didn't believe him. She smiled and said, "Your leader is not such a bored person, so why don't you tell the truth? I'm not an Edo TenseiNinja; I won't leak secrets."
No, he really is that bored.
Merlin curled his lip.
Your misunderstanding of him is too deep.
"If you want to know, help us win this war."
"I want to."
Mei Terumī sighed, "But I am powerless. Look at these four ancestors."
"Edo Tensei."
Merlin introduced, "It's a Forbidden Jutsu that uses a living human as a sacrifice and the deceased's body as a medium to pull the dead back to the living world."
Mei Terumī's expression darkened, "It really is a Forbidden Jutsu."
This was her first time learning about Edo Tensei.
Mainly because the Hidden Mist Village had been isolated for too long.
And Edo Tensei hadn't appeared much.
The information from the time of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had been heavily suppressed.
"Is there any way to break it?"
Mei Terumī looked at his calm expression and asked, "I assume you already know."
"Find the caster and have him release it."
Merlin didn't hide it, "I have a Genjutsu that can achieve absolute control."
Mei Terumī was slightly surprised to hear this.
A term like "absolute control" was a bit too confident.
Even Uchiha Itachi probably wouldn't dare make such a boast, right?"
But thinking that he was a member of the Tianming Organization, it seemed acceptable.
"Although I haven't seen the scene where the Ninjutsu was cast, I think it's likely Orochimaru."
Mei Terumī guessed.
"It's Yakushi Kabuto."
Merlin smiled and said, "If it were really Orochimaru, he wouldn't be appearing before us. It's a case of the dark under the lamp."
Mei Terumī showed a look of realization; that indeed made sense.
"Yakushi Kabuto didn't follow, but I know where he is."
She raised an eyebrow, a smile playing in her eyes, and asked, "For such important information, wouldn't it be looking down on your Tianming Organization if I didn't make some demands?"
"What demands?"
Merlin asked casually.
Mei Terumī was smart, choosing a good time.
And she said it in a joking manner.
"For example, after the victory, protect the Hidden Mist Village."
"Sure."
Merlin agreed without thinking, "I just hope you won't regret it later."
He gave her a deep look.
If the four great nations were all transformed according to the Tianming Organization's requirements, they would enter an unprecedented speed of development.
Could the backward Hidden Mist Village really endure that?
Besides, without force, are there really no other ways?
Trade, finance, culture, tourism, etc.
A comprehensive dimensional reduction strike.
How long could the Hidden Mist Village hold out?
Mei Terumī couldn't help but be a little confused.
Regret?
Why regret such a good thing?
But Merlin didn't explain and said, "Let's go find Yakushi Kabuto."
...Orochimaru's eyes were covered with a layer of snake membrane.
Although he didn't have Sage Mode, he was himself a White Phosphorescent Great Snake.
Switching to snake eyes was not a difficult task.
Flames swirled rapidly, turning into three giant dragons after a moment.
With a boom.
The ground exploded into countless charred fragments.
Orochimaru's mud clone was also shattered.
His petite body appeared nearby, throwing a handful of shuriken at Uchiha Itachi.
After flying three meters, they divided into countless others, filling the entire sky.
Uchiha Itachi activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
His soles made a scraping sound.
With a few leaps, his body completely avoided the shuriken.
"Your eyes?"
Orochimaru couldn't help but be stunned.
Every Mangekyo Sharingan has a specific pattern.
But Uchiha Itachi's was clearly different from the original.
"These are my father's eyes."
Uchiha Itachi spoke while forming seals.
A huge fireball vented a scorching aura.
Orochimaru felt a slight sense of alarm.
He wasn't the same Ninja who had ignorantly and excitedly rushed at Uchiha Itachi only to be insta-killed.
Over the past few years, he had gained a sufficient understanding of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
For instance, he knew that the two Dōjutsupossessed by each pair of Mangekyo Sharinganwere different.
In other words, Uchiha Itachi's current abilities were unknown.
Thinking of his Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu, Orochimaru didn't dare underestimate him.
A kusanagi sword appeared in his hand.
His body leaped up, and violent Chakra sliced through the fireball; then he vanished, and countless poisonous snakes emerged, rushing toward Uchiha Itachi.
The scene was extremely spectacular.
Every inch of ground was filled with poisonous snakes.
Uchiha Itachi was instantly surrounded.
With a boom.
His body exploded.
Clone Great Explosion!
Orochimaru frowned and looked up at Uchiha Itachi in the air.
In a normal state, he couldn't win.
But Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan and Susanoo had not yet been used.
He was not an upright person to begin with, and his fingers twitched slightly.
Uchiha Itachi looked up and exhaled.
Flames spewed in all directions, like a blooming flower.
But just then, a deep red figure attacked him.
The speed was so fast that he didn't have time to react.
A flock of crows scattered.
Uchiha Itachi reassembled in the distance, looking at this suddenly appearing third party.
Tailed Beast Cloak?
Black and white hair?
The former Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Blue B.
Uchiha Itachi instantly recognized his identity, fully demonstrating his excellence as an Anbu.
But he couldn't understand.
Wasn't the Eight-Tails inside Killer Bee?
What was going on here?
"Is this your trump card?"
Uchiha Itachi looked at Orochimaru and asked.
"Don't you find it strange?"
Orochimaru guessed his thoughts and smiled, "This is my masterpiece—replicating a Jinchurikicomparable to the real Eight-Tails using only one of its horns."
There was even some pride in his words.
Uchiha Itachi was expressionless.
But internally, he couldn't help but marvel that Orochimaru was indeed a genius.
He had just taken the wrong path.
Thinking of this, he rushed at Orochimaru again.
And Blue B was extremely fast, following closely behind.
In his Tailed Beast form, he continuously roared through the air, catching up to Uchiha Itachi in an instant and throwing a right punch.
Majestic Chakra turned into a mountain, intending to suppress him.
Uchiha Itachi turned his head, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning rapidly.
Mystic Eyes of Death Perception!
He stabbed out with a Kunai.
Blue B's body jolted and actually stalled in mid-air.
Then it collapsed and died.
"How is that possible?!"
Orochimaru had a look of disbelief.
This was Edo Tensei!
How could this be?"
Uchiha Itachi's gaze fell on him without any explanation.
It was actually a Transcription Seal.
Naruto had sealed the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception in his left eye.
Because this Dōjutsu was truly the only thing that countered Edo Tensei.
But it consumed quite a bit of Chakra.
Plus, Naruto wanted to have some fun and show Nagato his power.
Only then could he completely convince his senior brother.
And the ability of Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan was actually quite insane.
Predicting the future.
He had once pulled Uchiha Itachi into a Genjutsu and shown him another possibility.
The Uchiha Clan rebelled, controlled the Nine-Tails, and destroyed Konoha.
This might also be why he was willing to go to his death when facing Uchiha Itachi's blade.
"It's over, Orochimaru."
Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan spun violently.
"How could it be over?!"
Orochimaru snorted angrily, and the kusanagi sword suddenly vibrated, stabbing out at extreme speed.
"You don't understand the true power of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Kotoamatsukami: Protect Konoha."
Uchiha Itachi raised a finger and tapped it on his forehead, saying softly, "Welcome home."
He had considered today's events a long time ago.
He had sealed the Mystic Eyes of Death Perceptionin his left eye and Kotoamatsukami in his right.
The former broke the Edo Tensei Orochimaru relied on for survival, while the latter completely led him into the trap.
Orochimaru instantly froze in place.
And in Konoha, several notification sounds rang in Naruto's ears.
[Congratulations to the host for achieving the 'Flooding the Golden Mountain' achievement. You have received one normal card draw and three destiny stones.]
[Congratulations to the host for achieving the 'He pursues, she flees; she cannot escape even with wings' achievement. You have received three attribute points and three destiny stones.]
[Congratulations to the host for achieving the active achievement: A Mother's Strength.]
[The host will receive one targeted card draw, one normal card draw, ten attribute points, and one special buff.]
[Special Buff: When the time comes, heaven and earth work together. Tonight, you are the chosen one, and the only one.]
[Note: This lucky buff lasts for one week.]
Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan ability is purely my own guess.