During the great battle in the Land of Hot Water, Black Zetsu had indeed been lurking in the shadows, observing the entire fight.
Initially, he hadn't paid much attention to this particular battle, as the outcome wouldn't significantly impact his plans either way.
However, something occurred during the fight that left him utterly shaken—even now, he had yet to recover from the shock!
"What exactly is going on? That brat's aura—it's becoming increasingly familiar, and yet..."
As the battle progressed, Kakashi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. While this surprised Black Zetsu, it didn't strike him as odd.
Mangekyō Sharingan is inherently linked between paired eyes, especially when the two are in close proximity. The resonance between them can trigger changes in the other eye.
Moreover, Kakashi had been under considerable emotional strain, so awakening his Mangekyō wasn't entirely unexpected.
But the real issue was Kitagawa Minamoto. During this battle, Minamoto unleashed something entirely different—a power so overwhelming that even Black Zetsu felt a shiver of fear!
He had always sensed a familiar yet alien aura emanating from Minamoto, but he could never pinpoint its nature.
Today, however, he had faced it head-on, more clearly than ever before.
Even though the sensation didn't last long, the sheer impact of it had planted an absurd thought in Black Zetsu's mind.
"Why... does it feel a bit like... mother's presence?"
Black Zetsu shuddered at the notion, finding it utterly ridiculous. Yet the aura was undeniably strange.
Even for someone as ancient as him, who had lived for over a thousand years, it was enough to leave him bewildered and unsettled.
"Hey, Blackie, what's up with you today?"
White Zetsu's voice suddenly broke Black Zetsu's train of thought, snapping him back to reality.
Looking around, Black Zetsu realized that Obito Uchiha had already disappeared. He let out a sigh of relief.
"Just thinking about some things."
Under Black Zetsu's control, the entire pitcher plant sank back into the ground. As he spoke, he regained his composure.
"That brat is unusual. The power he possesses is... strange."
"Strange?"
White Zetsu, clueless as ever, tilted his head before shaking it.
"Yeah, yeah, he is kind of strange. That brat seems pretty strong, doesn't he? Even at his age, Obito couldn't compare to him."
"...Can you not bring up Obito Uchiha?"
Black Zetsu felt irritated but continued after a moment's thought.
"Regardless, we need to investigate this kid thoroughly. Send out your other clones to gather information, but make sure not to alert him."
"Got it."
White Zetsu nodded. Though Black Zetsu, as the "will of Uchiha Madara," held higher authority, White Zetsu couldn't resist asking,
"Should we tell Obito? He did ask me to steal something for him."
"...Don't tell him for now."
Black Zetsu cursed inwardly at White Zetsu's pigheadedness, frustrated by his inability to grasp the gravity of the situation.
"Though perhaps I'm being overly sensitive. That brat is indeed unique, but maybe it's not as extraordinary as I'm imagining."
Black Zetsu muttered to himself. His mother, the progenitor of Chakra, had left traces of her power in this world, passing down her bloodline through her "unfilial sons," Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Hamura Ōtsutsuki.
Their lineage had given rise to the flourishing and competitive world of the ninja today.
"Could it be that the brat's ancestors were excessively 'mixed-blood,' leading to his current condition?"
This thought crossed his mind, but Black Zetsu dismissed it as implausible.
Still, he resolved to investigate further to put his mind at ease.
"Most likely, it's not what I think it is..."
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to Kakashi and Guy's briefing, pondering the intelligence they had brought back.
His gaze drifted to Kakashi, prompting him to ask softly,
"Kakashi, are you alright?"
Since entering the office, Kakashi had seemed unusually lethargic, leading Hiruzen to suspect that this might be a side effect of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He had been aware of Kakashi's awakening for days now and was quite pleased.
The best counter to a Sharingan is, naturally, another Sharingan—especially since Kakashi's Sharingan was the other eye of Obito Uchiha!
Sharing the same origin, the two could better counteract each other.
But...
"Is the aftereffect really this severe?"
"I'm fine, Lord Hokage."
Kakashi glanced sideways at Guy before replying weakly,
"It's just that I'm drained. I'll need some time to properly recover."
"I understand. That eye is indeed extraordinary."
Hiruzen nodded in agreement, then decided to wrap up the meeting quickly.
"This mission was a success, both for you personally and for our understanding of that mysterious organization. Well done."
With key personnel identified, they could now adopt more effective strategies to counter the threat.
The only regret was that the organization's ultimate purpose remained unclear.
Obito had briefly mentioned something, but Minamoto's interpretation had been chilling, necessitating further investigation.
"This is our duty."
Kakashi and Guy responded humbly, prompting Hiruzen to nod before asking,
"By the way, Minamoto—he's alright, isn't he? According to the report, his opponent was formidable, with multiple hearts and exceptional combat prowess. Did he act recklessly again?"
As he spoke, Hiruzen couldn't help but glance at Guy, as if questioning, "What are you teaching him?"
"He was indeed a bit reckless, but he got lucky this time and didn't face too many issues."
Kakashi answered honestly, feeling a mix of admiration and concern.
"Minamoto's actions impacted everyone. When I first activated my Mangekyō Sharingan, I was already near exhaustion.
If it hadn't been for Minamoto escalating his fight and triggering a massive explosion, things wouldn't have ended so easily."
"Reckless, yes, but undeniably impressive."
Guy chimed in, seemingly oblivious to the looks exchanged between Kakashi and Hiruzen.
"Still, I think we should advise him to be more cautious. Minamoto is usually very obedient, but experiencing such power might make it hard for him to hold back."
"Agreed. I suggest involving Jiraiya in advising him as well."
Kakashi nodded.
"Minamoto has trained and worked alongside the three of us, and he's also been on missions with Jiraiya. Their relationship is closer, so Jiraiya's input might be more effective."
"Jiraiya, huh..."
Hiruzen didn't respond immediately, instead contemplating the situation.
Minamoto's stellar performance didn't surprise him anymore.
Compared to other prodigies who had caused major upheavals in the ninja world at the age of thirteen or fourteen, Minamoto seemed almost "modest."
While his opponent had been strong, some geniuses were simply beyond estimation, especially considering Minamoto's mastery of powerful techniques. His remarkable feats were hardly shocking.
"Besides, the better he performs, the brighter Konoha's future will be!"
With this thought, Hiruzen made up his mind. Asking Jiraiya to advise Minamoto would be no problem at all.
In fact, he intended for Jiraiya to do even more.
Hiruzen was well aware of his disciple's abilities. Sage Mode was Jiraiya's ultimate trump card.
Jiraiya had even taught this technique to Minato Namikaze, although Minato had mentioned that he wasn't particularly suited to it.
This was due to Minato's tactical style and Chakra nature, but at least he had learned it.
"So, could Minamoto learn it as well?"
Minamoto, though proficient in the Flying Thunder God Technique, didn't seem overly reliant on it. He also excelled in Kakashi's Swordsmanship and had an exceptionally strong Chakra reserve.
It seemed plausible that he could utilize Sage Mode even more effectively.
"Though the first step might not be so straightforward..."
Hiruzen recalled Jiraiya's complaint that Minamoto didn't seem to like toads, refusing even to sign a summoning contract.
"That complicates things."
Still, Hiruzen resolved to give it a try. He also decided to review the records left by the First and Second Hokage.
If he remembered correctly, the First Hokage had also mastered Sage Mode.
"Alright, I understand. This matter—"
Just as Hiruzen was about to conclude, a voice suddenly interrupted from outside the window.
"Old man, I'm back!"
A white-haired figure stepped onto the Hokage's windowsill.
The gentle breeze rustled his long hair, which flowed behind him. Bathed in sunlight, his carefree demeanor gave him the aura of a worldly sage.
He glanced around the office, paused for a moment, and asked curiously,
"Did I come at a bad time?"
"No!"
Hiruzen's eyes lit up. This was perfect timing—exactly what he needed!
Standing up with a radiant smile, he exclaimed,
"You've come at just the right time!"
"..."
Seeing Hiruzen's fiery gaze, Jiraiya shivered.
He recognized this look—it meant trouble was brewing!
Taking a cautious step back, he suddenly slipped.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa—!"
Under the stunned eyes of Hiruzen, Guy, and Kakashi, Jiraiya flailed his arms and tumbled off the Hokage's windowsill!
The sage-like aura he had exuded moments ago vanished without a trace.
"What was that?"
Not far away, Minamoto and Naruto were heading toward Ichiraku when they noticed someone falling from the Hokage building.
Naruto looked on with curiosity and concern, asking,
"Do you think they're okay?"
"Don't worry. He'll be fine."
Though some distance away, Minamoto could see clearly. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to return.
Watching Jiraiya's antics, Minamoto's eyelid twitched. Why did this feel so familiar?
Turning to the puzzled and worried Naruto beside him, Minamoto hesitated before speaking softly,
"You two really are alike..."
"Huh?"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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