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In addition, it had mastered another unique secret technique — the Spore Technique! This ability allowed it to generate multiple clones from its body and attach them to enemies like parasites, stealthily absorbing their chakra for its own use.
At the same time, these spores could latch onto various surfaces and objects, serving as tools for surveillance and eavesdropping.
Every official member of the Akatsuki organization wore a signature ring on their finger, and White Zetsu's spores were parasitized onto those rings.
In other words, every official member of Akatsuki was unknowingly under surveillance — either by Uchiha Obito (Tobi) or by White Zetsu.
"What do we do now? Things are going badly. Uchiha Itachi has even activated Susanoo…"
Black Zetsu, who shared a body with White Zetsu, muttered.
Its origin was just as mysterious. Black Zetsu was born from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, making it, strictly speaking, a half-sibling to Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths. It had existed since ancient times and was the keeper of many long-lost secrets.
Therefore, even though Akatsuki had not used Susanoo in previous internal battles or mock confrontations, Black Zetsu knew about the Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular abilities.
Now, Uchiha Itachi had summoned Susanoo — clearly a sign that he was being pushed into a corner.
"Let's go. He can't die here!"
Tobi stood up. After locking onto the direction, his body was quickly absorbed into a swirling vortex — the signature of Kamui, his space-time ninjutsu. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without even stirring up dust.
He still didn't fully understand Itachi's true intentions. He only knew that Itachi was preparing to pass down a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan eyes to his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, in a way that would not result in blindness.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan — Tobi knew full well how powerful those eyes were, and he intended to possess them for himself.
---
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Suba-chō, the battle raged on.
With the arrival of Jiraiya and Gamabunta, the chaos had intensified dramatically.
Even though Jiraiya and Itachi were holding back to avoid harming civilians, the sheer scale of their power made them seem like gods in the eyes of onlookers.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Susanoo clashed fiercely with Gamabunta, blades ringing out in midair. Shockwaves rippled outward, uprooting trees and sending them flying like twigs.
From afar, it looked like a red giant battling a toad.
But Gamabunta was clearly at a disadvantage. He couldn't afford to be distracted.
He knew all too well that being struck by Itachi's blade could trap him in a genjutsu or even seal him outright.
Yet, none of his attacks could land. They were all blocked by the legendary Yata Mirror, a shield said to deflect all forms of attack.
Neither his sword slashes nor his ninjutsu could pierce Itachi's defense. Everything was nullified — perfectly shielded.
"Jiraiya, this won't work," Gamabunta said gravely.
"The Yata Mirror is too absurd. It's like a tortoise shell we can't crack, and if I get hit by that Totsuka Blade, it's over."
"We have to stop them here, no matter what," Jiraiya replied solemnly.
He couldn't believe Itachi wielded not one but two divine artifacts — the Totsuka Blade, capable of sealing anything it pierced, and the Yata Mirror, an impenetrable shield.
This was basically cheating. Unless they could unleash a power far greater than what they currently had, they wouldn't be able to harm either Susanoo or Itachi.
Sage Mode — Jiraiya thought of the transformation he had yet to master fully. It was the only chance they had of breaking through Susanoo's defense.
"Keep attacking! Don't let up!" a voice suddenly shouted.
It was Ye Dou — he had noticed that Gamabunta and Jiraiya's attacks were slowing down.
"He can't maintain that form for long. Keep up the pressure and wear him down!"
"Who is this brat?" Gamabunta grumbled. He wasn't used to being ordered around, especially not by a kid.
Even in Mount Myōboku, only the Three Great Sage Toads held seniority over him.
"He's Naruto's teammate," Jiraiya said, casting a deep look at Ye Dou.
Only then did it click — why Naruto, who had been so reluctant to leave the village, changed his mind the moment he learned it would make him stronger.
Young people naturally want to surpass their peers. And with a monster like Ye Dou on his team, it was no surprise Naruto was desperate to grow stronger.
After all, Jiraiya himself had once dreamed of surpassing Orochimaru.
But the boy before him… he might already have surpassed Orochimaru at that same age. To be able to participate in a battle like this at only twelve or thirteen — it was truly terrifying.
Ironically, the so-called prodigies of the Uchiha clan, like Sasuke, or even his own student's son, Naruto Uzumaki, paled in comparison for the moment.
"Less talking — more attacking! Don't let him get away!" Ye Dou shouted again.
"Tch… bossy little runt," Gamabunta muttered, though he followed through without hesitation.
[Morning Peacock — Asa Kujaku!]
"So strong…" whispered Naruto Uzumaki.
He had already pulled Sasuke away from the battlefield, but the shockwaves still reached them.
There was no doubt — this was one of the most terrifying battles since the end of the Third Great Ninja War.
These were shinobi at the pinnacle of the ninja world, and their fight was on a scale far beyond Naruto's comprehension.
At his age, as a mere Genin, he shouldn't have been involved in something like this.
But what frustrated him most was that Ye Dou, his own teammate, was in the thick of the action — fighting side by side with legendary ninja.
It made him feel powerless.
During the Chūnin Exams, Sasuke's Chidori had already left a deep impression on him.
Now, Ye Dou's speed was so fast he couldn't follow it with the naked eye — yet he could still see that blur of movement hammering away at Itachi's Susanoo.
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