Chapter 202: Tsunade's Forcefulness!
Simultaneously, outside Konoha Village.
A black ninja cat bolted out of Konoha, tearing down a single path without stopping, even when it was panting and exhausted.
It felt like its four legs were about to give out, but it grit its teeth and desperately pushed on, until the moment the cat began to feel dizzy, its ears ringing, and its vision starting to go black
It finally saw a familiar figure not far ahead.
" Meooow!!!"
The black ninja cat no longer had the strength for human speech; it could only use all its remaining energy to let out an extremely mournful cat howl, causing an orange ninja cat not far in front of it to suddenly bristle.
This also made the few figures ahead of the orange ninja cat halt.
"Ikeizumi-sama, it's one of my cat-grandsons!" Kikujirō looked back and immediately recognized the black ninja cat, which was on the verge of collapsing.
At that moment, an Uchiha Police Force Jōnin quickly doubled back.
He gently scooped up the exhausted ninja cat.
"Ikeizumi... Ikeizumi-sama... Kikujirō-sama..." It took the black ninja cat a long time to finally catch its breath. Parched and breathless, it rasped out in human speech, "The Root ninja in the village they..."
"Hah! They captured Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyūga. They attempted to attack Izumi Uchiha and Anko Mitarashi. Root took advantage of Ikeizumi-sama and Kikujirō-sama's departure to strike at the followers of Absolute Justice!"
"And..."
"And we ninja cats were also targeted by the Root ninja. Eight or nine ninja cats have already been captured by Root. The rest have either hidden or, like me, tried to run out and notify you!" The black ninja cat's shocking report left Kikujirō utterly wide-eyed.
"How dare she?!" Kijirō's incredulous phrase was clearly aimed at Koharu Utatane.
It knew the old woman was highly displeased with Ikeizumi-sama.
But even when Ikeizumi-sama had angered her in the past, she had always chosen to swallow her pride and endure it with a dark face. At most, she'd make a few snide remarks. Why was she acting so forcefully this time?
"Meow! Ikeizumi-sama, I'm going back!"
Kikujirō took a deep breath, its cat face serious as it turned to Ikeizumi Uchiha. "That old woman laid hands on so many of my cat children and grandchildren. An irreconcilable hatred now exists between us. If any of my cat family were harmed, she must pay the price!"
Kikujirō knew that Ikeizumi Uchiha was leaving the village to hunt Orochimaru.
Under these circumstances, nothing else should be allowed to distract Ikeizumi-sama.
Just then, Kikujirō suddenly realized Ikeizumi-sama had tossed something to him.
He quickly leaped up and caught it in his mouth.
"Meow? A scroll?!" Kikujirō mumbled indistinctly.
"A Summoning Scroll," Ikeizumi Uchiha said emotionlessly. "It can summon a crow."
"A crow?"
Kikujirō didn't immediately catch on, but a second later, it suddenly realized the truth. It instantly understood that the so-called "crow" was actually Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan, which possessed the power of Kotoamatsukami!
Ikeizumi-sama had actually handed over Shisui Uchiha's eye to him.
This meant Ikeizumi-sama had tacitly permitted him to use this eye to create a major disturbance in Konoha.
Of course, Kikujirō hoped he would never have to use it.
Because he remembered Ikeizumi-sama telling him that after using Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami once, the next use might require waiting several years, a decade, or even decades.
"I understand, meow!"
Kikujirō opened his mouth, desperately trying to manipulate the scroll with his fat paws, attempting to strap it onto himself.
"Do the three of us need to follow you back?" a Police Force Jōnin couldn't help but ask.
He felt that with such a major incident happening in the village, was it really reliable for Ikeizumi Uchiha to send back only one ninja cat?
Especially since in their eyes, Kikujirō was just a large, overly pompous cat who enjoyed lecturing his juniors.
"No need."
Ikeizumi Uchiha watched Kikujirō turn and bolt back toward Konoha without hesitation.
He said, "He is more reliable than anyone else."
"Never underestimate him."
The Land of Rain.
The Akatsuki Organization.
"It's that unusual jutsu again. It must be that eye of his that allows him to use it." Orochimaru glanced left and right at the illusory figures.
He rubbed the ring on his finger and chose to speak first: "Is this meeting to discuss something important? If not, may I leave now?"
"It concerns Ikeizumi Uchiha of Konoha." Pain's Deva Path projection spoke slowly. The name made Orochimaru raise an eyebrow.
He vividly remembered that the new spy he had painstakingly placed in Konoha had once again been caught by Ikeizumi Uchiha.
That brat truly did not see eye-to-eye with him.
"Oh?" Orochimaru gave a sinister chuckle. "Has he realized the existence of Akatsuki? After all, he preaches Absolute Justice. In his eyes, we are probably all irredeemably evil villains he'd love to tear limb from limb."
Konan's cold projection interrupted Orochimaru: "Not only does he know of our existence, but he has also come to the Land of Rain, and has even gotten involved with a new member of Akatsuki."
As she spoke, Konan's gaze subtly drifted toward Obito Uchiha not far away.
Due to the hazy nature of the projection, Obito didn't realize she was looking at him.
Obito Uchiha was grinding his teeth due to the information Konan had revealed.
Jūzō Biwa! It has to be him!!!
That bastard, after being attacked by him once, didn't retreat but instead stubbornly ran back to the Land of Rain. In other words, he was the one who nearly exposed his identity!
However, Obito Uchiha frowned because he hadn't expected Ikeizumi Uchiha to also come to the Land of Rain.
Wait a minute
That's wrong!
A few White Zetsu clones still near Konoha had sent him intelligence the day before yesterday Ikeizumi Uchiha was still in Konoha.
So, what was Konan talking about?
A clone?
The question is, was the Ikeizumi Uchiha in the Land of Rain a Shadow Clone? Or was the Ikeizumi Uchiha in the Land of Fire a Shadow Clone?
Obito suddenly felt an urge to temporarily leave the Land of Rain.
Ikeizumi Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan had caused him significant mental distress.
The bizarre ability had left Black Zetsu still recovering.
Just then, the Deva Path Pain spoke: "He is a very dangerous ninja. The nindō he follows is also an extremely dangerous ideology for us. Absolute Justice and Akatsuki's ultimate goal are inherently in conflict."
"We need to prioritize neutralizing such a potential threat. Everyone, no matter where you are in the ninja world, you may directly assassinate Ikeizumi Uchiha if you encounter him. If you are unsure of victory, you can use your ring to contact me."
Obito Uchiha suddenly interrupted, still speaking with his hoarse voice, pretending to be Madara Uchiha.
"Doesn't the new member who made contact with the Uchiha brat know his location? Can't we easily determine his exact whereabouts through him?"
This tone, in the past, would have made Konan quite wary.
After all, this was the legendary ninja.
Now, Konan only curled her lips into a cold sneer upon hearing it.
But she didn't interrupt Obito Uchiha, letting him continue his posturing.
"The new member is likely being coerced by Ikeizumi Uchiha," the Deva Path Pain said. "Without Ikeizumi Uchiha's permission, even seeing any other member is a luxury."
"So, this is a hit order targeting Ikeizumi Uchiha "
Orochimaru licked his lips and interjected, "How about a change of plan? Can we capture him alive?"
Everyone's attention turned to him.
Orochimaru continued sinisterly, "If any of you can capture Ikeizumi Uchiha alive, you can bring him to me. I can pay a price for him to be captured alive. His body... I've coveted it for a long time."
The ambiguity of the final statement sent a shiver down Obito Uchiha's spine.
" We can."
The Deva Path Pain spoke after two seconds of silence.
"Things are getting interesting," Orochimaru unilaterally ended the Shapeshifting Jutsu projection. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes. "Why did that righteous brat run off to the Land of Rain?"
Orochimaru suspected that his target knew he had joined Akatsuki and wanted to hunt him within the organization.
Thinking about it, that was precisely the way he operated. Even when he was still relatively weak, he was just as decisive.
In that case... it seemed Ikeizumi Uchiha had likely stolen some secret intelligence about him from that new spy.
But the information he possessed wasn't extensive, otherwise he wouldn't have just run to the Land of Rain; he would have come directly to this human experimentation research base.
With that thought, Orochimaru was no longer in a hurry.
"I wonder... between the Uchiha clan's legendary Mangekyō Sharingan and that eye only Sages can possess "
"Which is stronger, and which is weaker?"
The greed in Orochimaru's eyes was completely undisguised.
He wanted to get his hands on both the Akatsuki leader's Rinnegan and Ikeizumi Uchiha's Mangekyō.
Unfortunately
The Rinnegan was probably out of reach. The power of that eye was currently beyond his ability to contend with.
However, Ikeizumi Uchiha's Mangekyō was something he could look forward to.
Especially since the brat was now subject to an Akatsuki hit order.
"Just don't get killed now!"
Konoha.
As the plumes of smoke slowly dissipated, Tsunade's expression, as cold as frost, was clearly presented before Koharu Utatane.
Koharu Utatane hadn't expected Tsunade to ever show her such a chilling attitude.
Moreover, she was forcing her to release the prisoners in a threatening tone!
It was clear from Tsunade's aggressive stance.
If she didn't release the prisoners, Tsunade was prepared to fight!
This realization, combined with the sudden awareness that Sarutobi Nadeshiko's death was not so simple, made Koharu Utatane's aged face even more troubled. She had a feeling that everyone in Konoha was telling her she was wrong.
It was as if no one believed Ikeizumi Uchiha was the killer, and no one believed Ikeizumi Uchiha could make a mistake.
Was this old woman the only clear-headed one in all of Konoha?
Taking a deep breath, Koharu Utatane spoke to Tsunade: "Root will not release them, as this is Hiruzen's command. Furthermore..."
Koharu Utatane added, "My Root is not Danzō's Root; my subordinates are not so extreme."
She knew that saying this was a form of concession, indicating that the followers of Absolute Justice would not be tortured.
After all, the pressure from one of the Sannin, Tsunade, was considerable.
Moreover, Jiraiya also seemed to disapprove of Root's actions.
The pressure from two Sannin forced Koharu Utatane to back down.
"You're getting old. If your hearing is failing, I can try to cure it for you."
But Tsunade, much to her surprise, said, "I said, release them."
As Tsunade took a few steps forward, the Root ninja instinctively edged closer to Koharu Utatane.
Koharu Utatane's face was dark, and she said unwillingly, "Tsunade, you're over forty years old. Logically, you should have nothing but contempt for Ikeizumi Uchiha's black-and-white justice."
"Why are you choosing to side with him? Your grandfather was the First Hokage; the Will of Fire was his legacy. Are you abandoning the Will of Fire to follow Absolute Justice?"
Tsunade replied expressionlessly, "The Will of Fire has its limitations. When one realizes those limitations but fails to improve upon it, stubbornly clinging to old rules and old ideas..."
"Only old relics like you would do that."
Her extremely defiant words left both Koharu Utatane and Jiraiya completely dumbfounded.
This
If Tsunade had spoken any more harshly, she would have effectively been calling for the overthrow of the First Hokage's Will of Fire!
"Advisor Koharu?"
Seeing the Sannin approach, one of the Root ninja had already retreated to stand by Koharu Utatane's side.
Koharu Utatane gritted her teeth, feeling the animosity radiating from Tsunade.
She then glanced at Jiraiya not far away, who, while he wouldn't forcefully intervene alongside Tsunade, certainly wouldn't stand on Root's side either.
" Release them!"
Koharu Utatane could only grit her teeth and utter the two words, enduring the indignity boiling within her.
Before, she had only ever had to back down under the intimidation of Ikeizumi Uchiha himself.
Now.
She was being forced to back down under the pressure of the other followers of Absolute Justice!
The sheer frustration and anger in her chest nearly caused her to hyperventilate.
The Root ninja exchanged glances, but they could only obey Koharu Utatane's command and release Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyūga.
Sasuke, the moment he hit the ground, immediately ran to support Neji.
"Cough, cough."
Neji had already been startled awake when Tsunade landed heavily. He coughed a few times, enduring the pain in his abdomen, and then looked up at Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama "
"Is intentionally harming others by Root ninja also considered an act of evil?"
Tsunade's gaze fell on Neji,
And then on the face of Koharu Utatane, which suddenly grew even darker.
"You Hyūga kid, can't you just enjoy the show?"
Tsunade smirked.
"Of course it is!"
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