Sarutobi Hiruzen, being the Hokage, had witnessed countless storms and all sorts of emergencies in his lifetime.
Yet even at his advanced age, he had never come across a situation quite like this!
Because on his desk, placed by Kakashi, was a glass container holding a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan.
Kakashi's Sharingan was gone.
However, in exchange, he had acquired an extremely precious set of three-tomoe Sharingan.
At that moment, Hiruzen sat gazing at the glass bottle containing the eyes, his expression unusually solemn. He asked Kakashi in a weighty tone:
"What in the world happened here?"
This time around, Kakashi did not conceal anything. He explained in full detail how his Sharingan had been snatched away, as well as the origins of this pair of Sharingan.
After hearing him out, Hiruzen took the glass bottle for a closer look. Although it was practically impossible to fake a Sharingan, there had been a case in the past where a shinobi used a technique to counterfeit it. That person was Yamato (at that time called Tenzō). They had tried using Wood Release to craft a "wooden sharingan" to fool Danzō—but Danzō had only glared with one eye, not both. Yamato's little trick nearly landed him in tremendous trouble.
Right now, Hiruzen scrutinized the pair of Sharingan soaking inside the glass container. Concluding that these two extremely precious Sharingan had no problems, he set the bottle aside and asked Kakashi with puzzlement:
"Why would he do such a thing?"
Kakashi shook his head. He too wanted the answer, but whom could he ask?
After thinking for a bit, he voiced a conjecture:
"Lord Hokage, after the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, we never retrieved Obito's body."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, as clever as he was, instantly felt a jolt. Because that implied a possibility: the long-dead Obito might not be dead after all.
Konoha's higher-ups did not know nothing about the Sharingan; they had some relevant intel. If Obito's Sharingan was special among Sharingan, and if Obito were alive…
Seeing the Hokage showing a contemplative look, Kakashi realized Hiruzen understood what he meant. He then continued:
"Lord Hokage, I believe Obito could still be alive.
"Moreover, Obito's Sharingan might possess certain very unusual abilities."
Hiruzen nodded slightly. "Go on."
Kakashi continued,
"I suspect someone needs both of Obito's eyes to accomplish some objective,
"Or else wants Obito, with two Sharingan, to carry out a specific plan.
"I hope, Lord Hokage, that you will assign me a team to investigate."
Hiruzen fell silent. The whole matter was extremely suspicious, and it reeked of something ominous.
…
While Kakashi and the Third Hokage were racking their brains over this, Senshi was in an excellent mood. He didn't care whether Kakashi would be grateful for the extra pair of Sharingan or not. At the moment, he was too busy crazily farming missions alongside Itachi, leaving him no time to concern himself with other things.
Beside a small creek, just as Senshi was about to use "Kāma" to open a spatial portal, Uchiha Itachi suddenly spoke up to stop him.
"I have a question!"
Senshi paused, somewhat surprised. "What question?"
Wearing a conflicted expression, Itachi spoke:
"We haven't rested at all since we started these missions."
Senshi scratched his head.
"Is that a problem?"
Itachi: ?????!!!
Senshi's reply left Itachi utterly speechless.
Who does missions without resting at all?
Even between two jobs, one needs a break. Let alone in the midst of a single mission, you typically rest at some point. Previously, with Hoshigaki Kisame, they had strolled around on foot at a leisurely pace.
After a moment's pause, Itachi said,
"I think we need to rest properly before continuing to the next job."
Senshi shook his head quickly:
"Ichi-ni-san, no need. I'm not tired in the slightest!"
Deep down, Itachi thought: You might not be tired, but I sure am!
Although Itachi was only tagging along to publish missions and handle handovers at the black market, the way Senshi did things—never stopping until all tasks were done—was simply overwhelming. Even though Itachi was relatively young, he had certain health concerns. If he continued on like this, he'd definitely die from exhaustion. After all, not even Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear could handle Senshi's style of continuous missions.
Seeing that Itachi seemed about to protest further, Senshi clapped him reassuringly on the shoulder:
"Ichi-ni-san, if you're feeling taxed, it's because you haven't done enough missions.
"Once we raise the daily mission volume even more, you'll adapt, and your body will toughen up.
"Look at me—my old self ran so many missions that I'm perfectly fine now."
Listening to him, Itachi could scarcely find the words to reply. In his view, Senshi might look normal on the surface, but he was definitely more abnormal than even Kakuzu. How could a mere flesh-and-blood body be completely immune to fatigue?
Of course, Senshi was not purely flesh and blood. With his Wood Release–enhanced "Sage Body" plus the ability to turn his body into electricity, he was practically a perpetual-motion powerhouse—his constitution comparable to the Ten-Tails. Piling all these advantages together, how could he possibly get tired from "just" these tasks?
Itachi mulled things over, then tried:
"What if I just wait for you at the black market? It's not like you need my help for the jobs anyway."
Uchiha Itachi and Kakuzu or Hoshigaki Kisame were different. Hoshigaki Kisame, using Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet, still had to weave 44 hand seals properly, the epitome of a "methodical" guy. Kakuzu, partnering Senshi, kept complaining and swearing, but after finishing missions he'd gleefully count his money, something he simply couldn't turn down.
Itachi wasn't the same. He had no interest in money, nor in performing missions. All he wanted was to train that foolish "Otouto." So he figured there was no reason to follow Senshi all over the place on mission runs.
Itachi's suggestion made Senshi's eyes flash for a moment. What Itachi said was indeed reasonable. Itachi had three functions with him: distributing tasks, handing over tasks, and so on. As for the actual execution, Itachi didn't do much—the mission was basically all Senshi anyway.
Seeing the thoughtful look on Senshi's face, Itachi felt a flicker of hope. If Senshi agreed, he could finally rest, and perhaps in the future just remain in a fixed location near Senshi, rather than scurrying around from one job to the next.
But Itachi had no idea that in the realm of persuading others, the Uzumaki Clan never conceded defeat.
After some brief deliberation, Senshi shook his head. "No."
Itachi frowned slightly, asking calmly, "Why not?"
Senshi said casually:
"If I finished a mission and had to run back just to fetch you, it'd be really inconvenient."
At that, a dark red spiral-like portal appeared in front of them. Before Itachi could refuse, Senshi had already placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped in, heading off to their next job. At last, Itachi understood how Kakuzu ended up so emaciated and worn out…
…
Three days later, outside a Land of Fire black market, Senshi sat cheerfully on a pile of money boxes, counting the coins:
"So much money—I can't even spend it all!"
As he counted, he tossed his coins into his system's storage. Inside that space, piles of money were forming literal seas of wealth. He sighed that there was nowhere near enough time to spend it all.
Right across from him, Uchiha Itachi stared on with dark circles under his eyes, looking on the verge of dropping dead. In these past three days and nights, he hadn't slept a wink. While Senshi's Wood-Style clones completed tasks, Senshi's real body dragged Itachi to do missions nonstop. If Itachi added up all the tasks he'd done in his entire life up to now, it wouldn't rival the number of tasks he'd done in these three days.
A single idea surfaced in Itachi's mind:
"Maybe I should confess to Sasuke while I still can…? At this rate, I won't survive to see Sasuke grow; I'll just die in the line of duty."
Unaware of Itachi's bitter thoughts, Senshi counted the money while chatting:
"Ichi-ni-san, see how right I was? Just do missions with me for a few days, and look at you—so invigorated!"
Itachi was in no way convinced. He wanted to yell, Open your damn eyes and see these panda rings under mine? I'm about to go crazy, not brimming with energy!
Just then, footsteps approached from not far away—someone pushing a wheelchair. The pair turned their heads to see Yakushi Kabuto, guiding a heavily bandage-wrapped figure who was clearly neither male nor female at a glance. Spotting Senshi, the figure let out an angry shriek:
"Uzumaki Senshi! So you really are here!"
It was a piercing, furious feminine voice, as though she bore an irreconcilable grudge.
Senshi blinked. Who's that? He'd never done anything unseemly, or so he believed.
But in that moment, from between the bandages peeked a golden, snake-like eye. A guess flashed through his mind:
"Oh crap… Are you Orochimaru?"
He recognized Kabuto, but Orochimaru's new look was extremely peculiar, and Senshi almost hadn't recognized him at first. Yet he recalled that at this point in time, Orochimaru indeed had taken a female body as a vessel.
So he might have been calling Orochimaru "Snake-bro" all this time, but maybe it should've been "Snake-sis."
At the thought, Senshi couldn't help bursting into laughter. Orochimaru's current appearance was frankly miserable.
Next to him, Itachi also froze briefly, then realized it was indeed Orochimaru, in even worse shape than he himself. That almost comforted Itachi: at least he wasn't the only one to suffer from Senshi's torment.
Trying to suppress his laughter, Senshi faced Orochimaru's enraged glare:
"Uzumaki Senshi, how dare you laugh?!"
Senshi quickly waved it off:
"You're mistaken—I'm not laughing. So what happened to get you like this?"
At that, Orochimaru flared with fury—he had spent a full one hundred million ryō, only to be swindled by Senshi:
"Uzumaki Senshi, the vessel you gave me was defective—the Reincarnation failed!"
Senshi regarded Orochimaru in confusion:
"Huh? Failed?"
Behind the bandages, Orochimaru's expression was unsightly. Under normal circumstances, Living Corpse Reincarnation was supposed to be safe, so long as his spiritual energy was stronger than the target's. He had used it many times without error. Senshi found it rather funny, in a schadenfreude way.
Failure is good, Senshi thought, that means there's a new job waiting.
He quipped:
"Could it be your spiritual energy wasn't up to par?"
His teasing tone thoroughly enraged Orochimaru:
"Nonsense! That Uchiha you gave me had an extremely resolute will. If not for a hidden, additional soul at the last second, I'd never have lost."
Burning with resentment, Orochimaru lamented, Senshi totally tricked me!
Seething, he said, "Clearly it's your fault. The Uchiha you provided me wasn't even just one person!"
Until now, Itachi had been quietly listening.
Unexpectedly, the conversation turned on him.
But in fact, Senshi realized: he had indeed delivered Obito, not "Itachi." The only Uchiha around him was Itachi, safe and sound, so the culprit must be Obito.
With that, Itachi grew irate, unleashing his Mangekyō. A kunai appeared in hand.
"You two—what have you done with Sasuke?!"
Senshi froze in confusion. Why Sasuke?
But Orochimaru ignored Itachi, only giving a cold chuckle, golden snake-like pupils boring into Senshi.
"This matter is on you—you're responsible!"
Then Orochimaru turned his gaze to "Itachi:"
"Luckily there's a perfect Uchiha right here. Have him captured and handed to me, and we'll call it square."
Orochimaru had once fought Itachi but wasn't his match, so he reckoned Senshi would be able to subdue him.
Senshi's face turned disapproving. As long as that person was alive, Orochimaru's attempt to seize Itachi was very unwise. He did not plan to let Itachi go. Not to mention, Itachi had proven extremely helpful in picking up tasks at Land of Fire black market. Even if Senshi wanted to "sell" him, he'd at least wait until they finished milking the black market…
Nevertheless, Orochimaru fumed:
"Your vessel turned out unusable, meaning your mission is incomplete! You're simply going to let it go?"
Even if things had gone awry with Obito, Orochimaru still wanted an Uchiha body. As he saw it, Itachi was ideal—and if Senshi truly managed to deliver Itachi, Orochimaru wouldn't mind paying an additional sum. He had nine hundred million left, after all, courtesy of scamming Danzō.
But Senshi had no intention of allowing any blemish on his 100% success rate.
He sighed:
"I never said I was giving up. Tell me the details first."
After all, the job was worth a full one hundred million ryō. He needed to settle it. If rumors got around, it would look terrible. More importantly, Orochimaru still had nine hundred million to spend. Even if they ended up turning hostile, that would be only after Senshi milked him of the rest.
So Orochimaru, deeply vexed, explained:
"Uchiha Obito had more than one soul in his body… plus something hidden."
In short, there was a lurking "other occupant." Senshi quickly recalled that after Obito's right half was crushed at Kannabi Bridge, Madara had used White Zetsu to reconstruct him.
Scowling, Senshi asked,
"So where is he now?"
Orochimaru said coldly,
"He escaped."
Senshi: ?!
He had left Obito half-dead, incapable of resistance. For him to manage an escape from Orochimaru's lair was beyond reason.
Suddenly, a thought dawned on Senshi:
"Wait, did you reattach Obito's other Sharingan? Both eyes?"
Orochimaru fell silent. Before Reincarnation, he must have restored Obito's missing eye. Senshi had repeatedly told him that only a "full set" of Mangekyō eyes is truly complete. So yes, Orochimaru had gone and done it.
At Kannabi Bridge, Obito's life changed drastically. Since that day, fate's wheels spun ever faster. Through countless tragic deeds he'd eventually earn the moniker "born to ruin."
Senshi suddenly had no more desire to tease the "Earth-ling" Obito. Obito with a single Kamui had already turned the shinobi world upside-down. Doubling Kamui's power spelled massive trouble.
With double Mangekyō, Senshi could still manage to beat him, sure—but Obito could easily slip away with an upgraded Kamui and possibly even Susanoo. With the last fight in mind, Obito would run the second he spotted Senshi. Catching him now would be far more difficult.
After a moment's thought, Senshi sighed:
"A double Kamui Obito is not easy to track down. Even I'll need time."
He decided to recapture Obito for Orochimaru. If Obito managed to escape him again, that would definitely be on Orochimaru.
But Orochimaru shook his head:
"No need. That man's body is too troublesome. I no longer want it."
With one bite of Obito's soul, Orochimaru had tasted enough. He had zero desire to go through that again.
Senshi chuckled. "Failed to bring him down, so now you're making excuses, huh?"
But frankly, Orochimaru's choice was correct: the will of Shinobi #1 Love-lorn fan was unstoppable. Even the Ten-Tails lost in a tug-of-war inside Obito.
Next, Orochimaru pointed at "Itachi."
"But Uchiha 'Itachi' is right here—capture him for me."
Compared to Uchiha Obito, Orochimaru felt Itachi was far more perfect as a vessel. Senshi's expression turned dismissive. If Orochimaru couldn't out-duel a half-dead Obito, how could he handle Itachi?
He had no intention of humoring Orochimaru's request but let it pass politely for now.
However, Orochimaru gave a dark smile:
"Hand over Uchiha 'Itachi,' and I promise you won't be at a loss. I even came up with an excellent money-making scheme. Once I succeed at Reincarnation, you can leave Akatsuki if you want—no big loss for you!"
At that, Senshi felt a flicker of curiosity.
Orochimaru, as a shinobi, might be questioned in terms of combat results, but his intellect was indisputable. If Orochimaru claimed he had a great plan to amass wealth, it might be for real. So Senshi asked:
"What's the plan, Snake-lady? Danzō has already been cleaned out by you. Where else will you get money?"
But naturally, Orochimaru wouldn't share his plan now. He had to secure "Itachi's" body, successfully reincarnate, then he'd reveal it.
"No need for details. Just handle Uchiha 'Itachi' for me."
With that, he waited for Senshi's reply. Indeed, he wasn't lying about having a big plan. Once he had the perfect vessel, everything would go smoothly.
Senshi sank into momentary contemplation.
From Itachi's view, this looked quite ominous. Previously Senshi had called him a dear comrade, but now he seemed to be pondering whether to sell him to Orochimaru. Itachi realized Hoshigaki Kisame had been right: Senshi was unbelievably dangerous. Doing deals with him was like dancing with a tiger.
But in truth, Senshi had no intention of handing Itachi over. If he gave Itachi away, who would handle all the black-market errands, publish tasks, and do the handovers? More than that, how would he keep milking the Land of Fire black market's tasks if Itachi were gone?
Moreover, Itachi might not be any simpler to conquer than Obito. If by chance Orochimaru died at Itachi's hands, who would pay out that leftover nine hundred million ryō?
So giving Itachi away was not an option.
Thinking it through, Senshi concluded there was another way: the system's lottery draws.
Since the last system upgrade, it was possible to draw certain Kekkei Genkai. He already had a Shikotsumyaku in storage. Over these missions, he'd saved plenty of points; if he sacrificed enough, he could potentially produce a "Little Kaguya."
Hence, Senshi could rely on the system's random draws to solve Orochimaru's problem.
~~~
Guys! Later will do the Bonus Chapters!
Also No Bonus Chapters this week! We'll see...
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