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Obito pondered for a moment. "That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
The content written on the stone tablet was closely related to the Tailed Beasts. After seeing it, wouldn't Itachi seriously consider using the method described on the tablet to resolve the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha clan?
"What is the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha clan like now?" Obito asked.
"From what I can see currently, there is no sign at all that either side intends to take action. Not only that, but the tension between them has slightly eased," Zetsu also sounded very frustrated.
Obito clenched his fist, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Where exactly did it go wrong? It shouldn't be like this..."
The events currently unfolding within Konoha were completely different from his initial plan.
The Nine-Tails had clearly gone on a rampage, killing the Fourth Hokage and his wife, and the rift between Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha clan had widened as a result.
According to his predictions, over time, this crack would grow larger and larger, with no possibility of closing.
So how had it suddenly turned out this way?
Was it because he hadn't been keeping a close watch on Konoha?
Just as Obito was frowning in thought, Zetsu relayed all the information he had gathered.
"After Tsunade became Hokage, she brought Jiraiya into the high council. The Third Hokage remains neutral. Even if the other council members have issues with the Uchiha clan, Tsunade and Jiraiya can maneuver around them!"
"And the Uchiha clan? After being targeted by Konoha for so long, surely many of them are dissatisfied. You think just because Konoha makes concessions, they'll accept it? I doubt it," Obito countered.
The hatred between Konoha and the Uchiha clan could never be erased. It was steeped in the blood of every Uchiha. How could it possibly be casually dissolved by the Fifth Hokage?
"Currently, there are no rumors of the Uchiha clan preparing a rebellion. It's said that after Sasuke was kidnapped and Itachi left Konoha, they focused all their energy on searching for Danzō and Itachi. Now Danzō is dead, but there are quite a few Uchiha members within Konoha's ANBU, which has weakened the dissenting voices significantly."
Obito fell silent.
The intricate plot he had set in motion since the Nine-Tails incident couldn't possibly be unraveled so simply. There had to be another way...
"Sasuke..."
What would Itachi do if something happened to Sasuke?
Thinking of this, Obito's gaze fell once more on Orochimaru's base.
"Zetsu..."
"Yes."
"Go to Konoha again. Tell Itachi that Sasuke's trail has been found. However, during the confrontation between Shin and Orochimaru's subordinates, an accident occurred. Sasuke was accidentally killed by Shin," Obito said.
"But... is that wise?" Zetsu asked.
"It's fine. If I capture Sasuke later, I can say I rescued him... I must find a way to push Konoha's trajectory back on track." A malevolent glint flashed in Obito's eyes.
Just after Zetsu left, two masked individuals emerged from Orochimaru's base. Both wore black, hooded cloaks, using the hoods to conceal their hair.
One was tall, the other short, clearly an adult and a child.
Needless to say, the adult was Shin, and the child was Sasuke.
But would that bastard Shin really obediently leave with Sasuke like that?
Obito shook his head. He didn't believe Shin would do that.
In his perception, Shin was a complete scoundrel.
Since he was a scoundrel, he wouldn't play by the rules.
Sure enough, after the two checked their surroundings and found nothing suspicious, they immediately turned around and waved towards the door.
Then, another pair, one tall and one short, also wearing black hooded cloaks and masks, emerged from the base.
Obito sneered. That bastard Shin is indeed a crafty one.
If he had acted earlier, he would have truly alerted the enemy.
Obito was quite satisfied with his earlier judgment. He stood up, ready to act, but then saw the second pair also wave towards the base. Immediately after, one pair, two pairs, three pairs...
In no time, there were forty pairs standing outside the base, all basically tall-and-short combinations, wearing identical clothing and masks.
These people, after leaving the base, barely paused before immediately scattering and running off in all directions.
'What... what is this?'
Obito was dumbfounded. Find Shin and Sasuke among this?
That was way too difficult!
Kill all of them?
No, it was too late for that.
Zetsu had already returned to Konoha. For him alone to track so many people was unrealistic.
As for killing them...
If he had started from the moment the first pair appeared, he could have managed it. But now? Killing all these people was somewhat challenging, especially since Shin was mixed in among them.
What if he ambushed me?
While Obito was hesitating, he saw another tall-and-short pair emerge from the base. They looked around furtively, and seeing no one, quickly headed north.
Seeing these two, the slightly headache-inducing situation instantly restored Obito's confidence.
The tall one had to be Shin. You could tell from the person's movement speed—ordinary ninja couldn't run that fast.
Obito jumped down from the tree and followed closely.
After traveling for roughly over two hours, the two finally chose a spot with a water source to rest.
Obito stood on a tree branch, watching as Shin entered the forest by the river, leaving "Sasuke" alone on the spot. His heart surged with delight. Without hesitation, he immediately pounced towards Sasuke.
Just as he was within a step of "Sasuke," suddenly, countless bone spikes erupted from the ground.
If he hadn't dodged in time, these spikes might have pierced his body.
Obito immediately put distance between himself and "Sasuke," evading the bone attack.
"You're not Sasuke?" Obito said angrily.
"When did I ever say I was Sasuke?" the shorter person removed their mask.
Obito narrowed his eyes. It was Kimimaro.
"Where is Sasuke?" Obito retorted.
"Him? He's probably already in Konoha by now," Kimimaro said.
"Impossible. Konoha isn't exactly close. Two hours is definitely not enough," Obito sneered.
"What if someone used some high-level ninjutsu? Like the Flying Thunder God Technique," Kimimaro said with a smile.
"There's no way someone has that technique..." Obito's confidence wavered.
"Never mind that... Did you kill Lord Orochimaru?"
"Did Shin tell you that?" Obito asked angrily.
"Judging by your reaction, it must have been you who killed Lord Orochimaru." Kimimaro frowned, a look of anger appearing on his face as he said sternly, "If I don't die, I will definitely kill you!"
"Then I might as well kill all of you right now. That way, I save myself the trouble." A malevolent aura surrounded Obito as he turned to look at Midorima emerging from the forest. "You probably don't want to be a member of Akatsuki either. In that case... why don't you just die here?"