Chapter 136: Haste Makes Waste
Three years later, Uchiha Obito's strength would be terrifying. But at this point in time—three years earlier—it was difficult to accurately assess how powerful he truly was. Still, the fact that he would one day become the second Ten-Tails Jinchūriki after Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was undeniable proof of his exceptional talent.
Yet right now, while fighting one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, Obito found himself clearly outmatched. Had Jiraiya not been in Konoha—where using wide-scale destructive jutsu would be inappropriate—Obito, relying only on basic Fire and Earth Release techniques and his Mangekyō Sharingan, wouldn't be able to hold his own for long.
As for Zetsu beside him—he was even less useful in direct combat. Aside from the stronger Tobi variant, most of Zetsu's split bodies weren't very formidable. While he did possess several Wood Release techniques, they were rarely offensive in nature. In a one-on-one confrontation with a powerhouse like Jiraiya, he was nothing more than a bystander.
"Why are you just standing there? Aren't you going to help?" Obito complained while struggling to dodge Jiraiya's barrage of attacks, especially with Gamaken's dual sword strikes closing in.
Although Obito's Kamui consumed much less chakra than Kakashi's, that didn't mean it came without cost. Without Hashirama's cells sustaining his body, the Mangekyō's heavy chakra demands would've long since blinded him.
"What do you expect me to do? Tobi's on another mission and not here. I can't exactly fight someone like Jiraiya head-on," Zetsu replied bluntly.
Granted, Zetsu wasn't entirely useless. His Wood Release was indeed decent. But against someone of Jiraiya's caliber? Not much he could do.
"At least stall him! Let me catch my breath!"
Even with Hashirama's cells, chakra and stamina weren't infinite.
"...Fine," Zetsu reluctantly agreed. Given that their goals were aligned, they remained among the few members in Akatsuki who could tolerate each other.
Zetsu stepped in and used Wood Release—vines and branches shot up from the ground, wrapping around Gamaken's limbs and momentarily halting the toad's movements. Jiraiya, standing on Gamaken's head, narrowed his eyes in shock.
"Impossible... Wood Release, a technique unique to the First Hokage, being used by someone like this?"
While, theoretically, Wood Release was just a combination of Water and Earth Natures, only Senju Hashirama had ever successfully used it. Other nature-fusion techniques like Ice, Lava, or Boil Release were known and even passed down through lineages. But Wood Release? That was supposed to be extinct.
Since returning to the village, Jiraiya had been briefed on several hidden truths. For example, he knew that one of Orochimaru's experimental survivors, after being implanted with Hashirama's cells, had succeeded in using Wood Release. Though Jiraiya hadn't seen him in person, he understood how rare this power was.
So for someone to now openly use it in battle—it was shocking.
A genius like the First Hokage? Or someone related to him…?
The second thought sent a chill down Jiraiya's spine. He already knew about the boy with the Rinnegan. Now, with Wood Release showing up again, it was becoming clear—some dark force was stirring beneath the surface.
Those ancient legends… maybe they're not so far from reality after all…
Momentarily stunned, Jiraiya paused his attack. It wasn't that Zetsu's Wood Release was overwhelming—it was the implications that were staggering.
That bought Obito the moment he needed. Breathing heavily, he retreated to Zetsu's side.
"You used your Sharingan, didn't you?" Jiraiya asked, finally putting the pieces together. "First a Sharingan, now Wood Release… your ties to Konoha must run deep. Neither of you is leaving here today."
Originally, Jiraiya just wanted to quickly deal with the intruders and return to assist Kakashi—or head to the hospital. He'd seen Mizuki's signal flare and was deeply worried. But this revelation changed everything. These two weren't mere grunts—they were key players in Akatsuki. If he could capture even one of them alive, it might change everything.
Of course, capturing someone with space-time ninjutsu was nearly impossible. Without the right restraints, they'd vanish in an instant. That was why the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had such a fearsome reputation. Jiraiya's only shot was to incapacitate them so thoroughly that they couldn't use chakra, then seal them completely.
If I want to do that, I'll need more power—summoning giant toads is too risky, and large-scale fire or oil techniques would be too destructive in Konoha. That leaves only one option—Sage Mode…
Determined, Jiraiya summoned Fukasaku and Shima.
"Jiraiya boy! What's the rush? What's going on?"
"Sorry, but I need your help with two very tough enemies."
"Tough enemies, huh? Judging by their looks, I'd say they're bad news. Alright, let's begin."
Sage Mode was powerful, but Jiraiya's control over natural energy wasn't perfect. That made him vulnerable while charging, especially during fast-paced combat. This was why the two elder toads were needed—to assist him in battle while he entered Sage Mode.
"Should we retreat now?" Zetsu asked nervously. "Looks like they're going all out…"
"Any word from Tobi's clone?"
"Not yet."
"Then hold your ground."
"Hold our ground?" Zetsu echoed, clearly anxious. "We can't keep this up! And what happens if—"
"We can't escalate the battle any further." Obito cut him off. "Itachi still needs an explanation. If we go all out, we won't even have enough members left to perform the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path ritual."
Though Jiraiya often exaggerated, the power of Sage Mode wasn't a joke. With the limited abilities Obito and Zetsu had revealed—standard jutsu, Mangekyō Sharingan, and minor Wood Release—escaping was possible, but fighting Sage Mode Jiraiya head-on? That was suicide.
"So why agree to such a reckless mission in the first place? Hiruzen is dead. The Hokage seat is vacant. Do we really need to stick to this promise?"
Years ago, Itachi's joining Akatsuki had come with unspoken terms. In choosing the village over his clan, Itachi had sacrificed even his parents, sparing only Sasuke. His deal with Obito included one crucial point—never destroy Konoha.
And to men like Obito and Zetsu, such promises were binding. Not just because of honor, but because Itachi's power and usefulness were undeniable. Replacing someone like him wasn't easy.
"He's earned that promise," Obito said. "Don't you think?"
"…Fine, I agree," Zetsu admitted. Even with all his experience, he had to acknowledge Itachi's brilliance. Without any implants or genetic alterations, he had nearly reached the level of Madara or Hashirama at their age—and they were reincarnations of Indra and Asura.
"But if we agreed to that, why are we acting behind his back? He won't be pleased. And how will you explain this to Pain?"
"Pain?" Obito snorted. "You think he doesn't know? If he hasn't said anything by now, it means he's already tacitly approved. He doesn't trust us—and with Konan at his side, always watching, he's not foolish."
"And what about Itachi…?"
"That's… more complicated." Obito sighed. "Using him and Kisame as decoys without warning—that's almost betrayal."
"What if Itachi leaves Akatsuki because of this? Losing both him and Kisame would cripple us."
Gathering this group of elite rogues had taken years. Rebuilding would not be easy.
"I'll handle it. I recruited him. This was my plan. I'll clean up the mess."
Zetsu nodded. "You'd better. Don't let this blow up in our faces."
Before even beginning the hunt for the Tailed Beasts, Obito had waited and prepared for years—wanting to revive the Ten-Tails in one stroke. But things had gone wrong from the start. The "Art Duo" had been defeated. Sasori barely made it back alive, and Deidara had been captured. And now there were whispers of someone with the Rinnegan in Konoha. Obito even ignored the unrest in the Hidden Mist to come here, despite offending Itachi in the process.
Still, if we get the Nine-Tails, it'll all be worth it…
"So, what's your plan for stopping Sage Mode?" Zetsu asked, eyes flicking toward the meditating Jiraiya.
"I have options, but not ones I can use now." Obito scowled. "Sage Mode Jiraiya can't be fought head-on. I could use Susanoo, but I don't have both Mangekyō…"
He lacked a second Mangekyō because his left eye still resided in Kakashi's socket.
Zetsu sighed. "If only Itachi were here. Maybe he'd have a solution."
"You talking about me?" came a calm voice from behind.
Uchiha Itachi appeared from the mist, his face emotionless as always.
"Itachi?! How are you already here?" Zetsu asked, startled.
Ignoring the question, Itachi turned to Obito. "Later—I'll need an explanation."
"…We're not going all out. And it's only the two of us here. That should be enough of an explanation. Still, there are things I wanted to talk to you about…"
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*