Chapter 149 (Patreon)

After accepting Orochimaru’s proposal, Obito underwent another round of bodily modification.

One day later, the door to the secret chamber slowly opened.

Obito emerged with a grim expression on his face. The mask he usually wore had already been removed.

There was no longer any reason to hide his identity in front of Orochimaru.

“Ninety percent of your body is now composed of Hashirama’s cells.”

Orochimaru admired the results of his work with great satisfaction.

“I don’t know what method was used to create the White Zetsu, but their individual strength is pitiful. At most, they can wield the most basic form of Wood Release.”

“After my modifications, however, you should be able to draw out seventy percent of Wood Release’s power. You’ll become far stronger than you were before.”

Obito stared at Orochimaru and asked solemnly, “Orochimaru, why did you join the Akatsuki?”

“My reason for joining the Akatsuki was naturally to uncover the truth of this world.” Orochimaru grinned.

“To research what lies beyond the known limits and pursue the furthest reaches of science—those are my goals.”

“You said that you wanted a White Zetsu body. You already have one now, so what is your true objective?”

Obito’s question might have sounded contradictory, but Orochimaru understood what he meant.

Orochimaru had obtained a White Zetsu body even before the attack on Konoha.

Not only had he obtained it, but he had also successfully used the Living Corpse Reincarnation.

Had Yujiro not appeared, Orochimaru might have left the Akatsuki the moment he acquired the White Zetsu body.

But eternal life was no longer his only goal.

There was now something else he desired just as much—power equal to Yujiro’s.

“My true objective...”

Orochimaru licked his lips, naked ambition gleaming within his serpentine eyes.

In the end, however, he said nothing.

He was only using Obito to test the extent of Yujiro’s power. There was no reason to reveal that yet.

Seeing that Orochimaru had no intention of answering, Obito did not press him any further.

“By the way, how is Nagato?”

“The critical period has passed,” Orochimaru replied with a careless shrug. “However, his chakra was severely depleted. I doubt he’ll recover anytime soon.”

“That said, I have a better plan. The only question is whether you’re willing to hear it.”

As he spoke, Orochimaru fixed his gaze on Obito.

“What plan?” Obito frowned.

“Have you ever heard of a particularly powerful forbidden jutsu?” Orochimaru asked in a low, hoarse voice.

“What forbidden jutsu?”

“Impure World Reincarnation.”

Three months had passed since the Akatsuki’s invasion of Konoha.

By now, news that the entire organization had been defeated had spread throughout the shinobi world.

The leaders of the major hidden villages reacted differently to the report. Some were pleased, while others found it deeply troubling.

In Sunagakure, Rasa sat behind the desk in the Kazekage’s office, his expression dark as he read the document in his hands.

The report detailed how Konoha had defeated the Akatsuki and subsequently taken nearly all its members into its own ranks.

“This is absurd!” Rasa roared. “Sasori of the Red Sand is an S-rank missing-nin from our village!”

“How dare Konoha accept him into its ranks without consulting us? They have no respect for Sunagakure whatsoever!”

“And Deidara is a missing-nin from Iwagakure! He was also involved in Gaara’s abduction. I haven’t even settled that debt with them yet!”

“If you wish to settle it so badly, then go to Konoha and do so, Lord Kazekage.”

Ebizō, Chiyo’s younger brother, spoke coldly from the side.

Rasa’s expression immediately stiffened.

He was furious, but he lacked the strength to act on that anger.

“Rasa, don’t forget that Chiyo... sacrificed her life to save your son!”

Ebizō rose to his feet and glared at him before leaving the Kazekage’s office without another word.

Rasa sank back into his chair, his earlier anger replaced by dejection.

After Gaara had been abducted, he had personally led Sunagakure’s shinobi in pursuit of the enemy.

In the end, however, they had still been too late.

Chiyo had sacrificed her own life to save Gaara.

“Damn it...”

Rasa released a weary sigh and fell silent.

At the same time, within Kumogakure, the Raikage’s office stood amid the village’s towering mountains.

After reading the intelligence report in his hand, A found himself unable to accept what had happened.

“What the hell was the Akatsuki doing?!” the Raikage roared. “When they came to Kumogakure for the Eight-Tails, they were powerful enough to threaten the entire village!”

“So how did every last one of them get defeated so quickly? And now they’ve joined Konoha?!”

A had expected the Akatsuki’s invasion to cause Konoha serious trouble.

Instead, he had been forced to watch as Konoha defeated them and added their strength to its own.

The thought alone was enough to enrage him.

“Lord Raikage, Konoha sent invitations to every hidden village this morning,” Mabui reported, picking up an envelope from the desk. “They intend to hold a joint Chūnin Exam.”

“Perhaps we can use this opportunity...”

“A Chūnin Exam?”

The Raikage’s anger receded as he studied the invitation with a grave expression.

“Contact Kirigakure. Find out what they intend to do.”

“Yes, Lord Raikage.”

Kumogakure was not the only village to receive an invitation to Konoha’s Chūnin Exam.

Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure had all received one as well.

Even the hidden villages of the surrounding minor nations had been invited.

The scale of this Chūnin Exam was unprecedented.

It would involve nearly the entire shinobi world.

Konoha, Hokage’s Office.

“Yujiro, isn’t holding the Chūnin Exam now a little too sudden?”

Concern was evident on Minato’s face.

“What’s so sudden about it?” Yujiro asked with a smile.

“Think about our current situation,” Minato said. “Konoha has already become the target of every other major village.”

“Wouldn’t holding the Chūnin Exam now be the same as leaving our gates wide open?”

“The other great nations will undoubtedly take advantage of the opportunity to act against Konoha.”

Minato stopped speaking when he noticed the faint smile still lingering on Yujiro’s face.

His eyes widened as realization struck him.

“Yujiro, don’t tell me... The Chūnin Exam is bait?”

“There’s more to it than that,” Yujiro replied with a quiet chuckle.

Minato fell silent for a moment and began working through the possibilities.

“If I were one of the leaders of the other four great nations, I would never let an opportunity like this slip away. I’d secretly form an alliance with the other villages.”

“They could hide their forces among the genin and the shinobi accompanying them. Once the exam began, those forces would strike from within while the armies stationed outside launched their attack.”

“The moment that happened, the four great nations would declare war on Konoha simultaneously.”

As the full scope of the plan became clear, Minato stared at Yujiro in horror.

“Yujiro... you’re trying to start the Fourth Great Ninja War!”