"Pff!"
Obito sprayed his tea out again.
"Oh?" Madara's expression became meaningful.
His mind moved quickly. The moment Akira finished speaking, Madara already understood what he meant by "borrowing Konan's body."
He was referring to using the Twin Flowers to copy Konan's body and store it inside Toyotama-hime for later use.
What deserved scrutiny was the word "borrow."
Back in the Primordial Space, the bodies Akira had displayed using Twin Flowers hadn't been "borrowed."
They were more like… requisitioned.
After all, aside from Jinghua, the Zen Master's granddaughter, hadn't Akira probably used Kotoamatsukami on all of them?
Whether or not he stripped their personalities in the name of humanitarianism, brutally speaking, they were his prisoners.
You didn't "borrow" from prisoners.
So of course, Akira never bothered asking their opinions.
But Konan was different.
She was someone Akira treated as an equal.
Out of respect, he used the word "borrow."
And he'd even said "borrow again."
Which meant he had borrowed her body before—and returned it?
Interesting…
Madara couldn't help but look at Konan in a new light.
To be someone Akira was willing to negotiate with using personal favors…
That meant her body's abilities were valuable enough to catch his eye.
Konan remained calm.
She picked up the tablecloth and wiped away the tea Obito had sprayed, asking casually,
"Was my body useful to you?"
Akira nodded honestly.
"Yes. Among all the bodies I've used so far, yours is easily among the best."
"I can sense that I'll face another fierce battle soon. Your body will be extremely useful."
After cleaning the table, Konan wrung out the cloth and set it aside, lowering her gaze in thought.
He called me 'Sister Konan.'
So this isn't an order from the Shadow.
It's a request from a younger brother.
Which means… I'm allowed to refuse.
Meanwhile, Obito poured himself another cup of tea.
The conversation was so heavy and bizarre that his ears felt numb.
He needed water just to calm down.
"Well then, what should I do, little brother Akira?"
Konan changed her form of address as well.
She rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled with anticipation.
"Lending you my body isn't impossible."
"But in exchange, you have to let me see your 'that' again."
"Pff!"
Obito sprayed tea for the third time.
He didn't know what "that" referred to.
But instinctively, he thought of that.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
He choked violently.
Konan's proposal stunned Akira as well.
After steadying himself, he asked,
"Y-You're sure you want to see my 'that,' Sister Konan?"
"I'm sure," Konan replied firmly.
"If you let me see it once more, I'll lend you my body for a whole year."
Akira hesitated.
The problem wasn't the length of time.
It was that "that thing" was something he never showed casually.
He'd even been troubled by having such an ability.
Deep down, he was a pure, upright man.
He had no strange inclinations at all.
But this was a gift from fate.
He couldn't get rid of it.
"I've sealed that away for many years," Akira said quietly.
"I'd already decided never to show it again."
He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and stood up, as if making a grave decision.
"Fine."
"Since Sister Konan insists…"
"I'll risk my life and go along with it!"
Obito panicked.
"Akira, you're going to take it out here?"
"Is it really appropriate for us to stay?"
This was not what he'd imagined before coming.
He wanted nothing to do with Akira's secret transaction with this woman.
Anything involving Konan—
Less trouble was better than more.
At that moment, A-Fei, who had been quiet all along, leaned over mysteriously.
"Obito, if you leave now, you'll regret it."
"What you're about to see is something only a handful of people in the entire ninja world have ever witnessed."
"Really?" Obito was stunned.
So incredible?
Akira still had secrets of this level?
He'd thought all of Akira's abilities were already transparent to him and Madara.
…
Sacred Land, Shikkotsu Forest.
The founder of Shikkotsu Forest, the true body of Katsuyu—Sage Katsuyu herself—had manifested as a young woman.
She wore a light green robe and sat cross-legged beneath the sacred waterfall.
Her true form was too enormous to communicate directly otherwise.
(Note: Katsuyu is her true name. The summoned fragments used by Tsunade and Sakura are called slugs.)
On a rock before the waterfall sat Naruto and Sasuke, still not fully recovered, having rushed here overnight.
They had come for one reason.
To learn more about Uchiha Akira from Sage Katsuyu, who had taught him Sage Mode.
They wanted to know what kind of person he was.
What beliefs, motives, and ambitions he held.
They wanted to understand his powers and how to counter them.
Only by knowing their enemy could they defeat him.
Naruto spoke carefully.
"Lady Katsuyu… your clone saw it yesterday, right?"
"Sasuke and I were badly hurt by Uchiha Akira…"
TheYoung girl-form Katsuyu replied gently,
"Yes. You were severely injured."
"Fortunately, Sakura's medical skills are excellent now. Otherwise, my clone alone couldn't have healed you."
"But you're still weak. Why didn't you rest properly before coming here?"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged confused looks.
Did she… not know Akira was responsible?
She'd clearly mentioned his name.
Naruto scratched his head.
"Um… Lady Katsuyu, what do you think about Uchiha Akira?"
"Hmm…" Katsuyu tilted her head.
"Uchiha Akira is very powerful."
"To injure both of you together, he's probably stronger than Madara was when he fought Lady Tsunade."
Naruto hesitated.
"That's… all?"
"Let me think…" Katsuyu pondered.
"He doesn't seem particularly extreme."
"Your wounds were serious, but they avoided vital points. He left room for rescue."
Sasuke finally snapped.
"Lady Katsuyu… that's enough."
"Huh?" Katsuyu blinked.
"Did I say something wrong?"
She asked softly,
"What is it, Sasuke?"
Sasuke spoke gravely.
"I know sages have their own stance."
"You only test and teach seekers. You usually don't judge their morals."
"So we didn't come here to interrogate you."
Katsuyu nodded seriously.
"Mhm. And?"
Sasuke clenched his fist.
"So… you really have nothing else to say about Uchiha Akira?"
Katsuyu rested her chin on her fingers, thought carefully, then raised her green eyes.
"Well… actually, I found it strange earlier."
"Naruto, Sasuke."
"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"Mistaken?"
"Because…"
"I don't know anyone named Uchiha Akira at all."
…
Crackle! Crackle!
Back in Hidden Shadow, an unforgettable scene unfolded before Madara and Obito.
"This… what is this?"
"Not a Transformation Jutsu?"
"No. It's real."
A-Fei spoke solemnly.
"When Akira uses Twin Flowers on himself…"
"This miracle happens."
"In this world, only I, Hikari, Konan, Samui…"
"And one mysterious outsider have ever seen it."
"With you two, that makes seven."
Long hair cascaded like a waterfall.
A flawless, graceful figure stood before them.
"Yes."
"Before you stands a celestial beauty that puts all worldly 'beauty' to shame."
"A perfect body without a single flaw."
"Uchiha Akira's gender-reversed form…"
"Uchiha Yu."
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