Chapter 778: Naori: The Struggle of Leading a Team!
*BOOOM—!*
The chakra arrow shot by Izuna’s Susano’o exploded, creating a brilliant blaze.
But it didn’t hit Kinkaku and Naori. Instead, Edo Tensei Ginkaku, controlled by Tobirama, leaped forward, intercepting the arrow.
"Bastard! What are you doing?"
Izuna turned to Tobirama, asking angrily.
"Bastard! What are you doing? Trying to kill Naori?"
Tobirama shouted back, clearly displeased with Izuna’s aggressive rescue method.
"Shut up, you know nothing!"
"You’re just jealous! Jealous of your own clan member, you shameless jerk!"
Tobirama thought Izuna was envious of Naori’s talent and potential, which might threaten his position as the Uchiha’s second-in-command, prompting him to try killing both hostage and captor!
"Idiot, you don’t understand the Uchiha at all!"
Izuna roared furiously.
At that moment, Tobirama noticed one of Izuna’s Sharingan eyes—his left was the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, but his right was just a three-tomoe Sharingan.
Then Tobirama understood Izuna’s intent.
"You were planning to use a forbidden technique..."
Izuna had secretly swapped his right Sharingan for a regular three-tomoe one, preparing to activate Izanagi.
Using this forbidden technique, he could rewrite the reality of Naori’s death.
This was his main assurance for ruthlessly shooting at Kinkaku and Naori; he didn’t want to kill his clan member, just refused to be threatened by Kinkaku’s hostage!
Rather than be coerced by a captor, better to kill both hostage and captor, then revive the hostage with a forbidden technique.
This was the Uchiha way of saving people!
Sadly, such a brilliant plan was ruined by the fool, Tobirama.
What did he even want?
Tobirama, protecting an Uchiha ninja?
What right did he have?
Was he worthy?
Clearly, compared to Hashirama and Madara’s synergy, Tobirama and Izuna, never fully reconciled, were far from harmonious.
"I don’t agree, it’s too risky! What if—"
"No ’what ifs’—my Uchiha clan’s forbidden technique is perfect!"
"UCHIHA IZUNA!"
"SENJU TOBIRAMA!"
They glared at each other, clashing again, neither willing to yield.
This scene left Kinkaku in the distance baffled.
What was going on?
The Uchiha ninja wanted to kill him and Naori, while Tobirama saved them both?
Was this still the ninja world he knew?
Could he be caught in Uchiha genjutsu without realizing?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Despite his doubts, Kinkaku, a battlefield veteran, recognized this as his only chance to survive.
He couldn’t defeat Tobirama alone, let alone with a Susano’o-wielding Uchiha. Without a successful hostage threat, he had almost no chance of winning!
Just that arrow from earlier—Kinkaku felt he couldn’t withstand it!
Kinkaku didn’t hesitate, grabbing Naori and fleeing backward, aiming to escape while the two fools argued.
"Haaa..."
Suddenly, a soft, exhausted sigh sounded.
Kinkaku realized the Uchiha he held had woken up at some point.
But it didn’t matter.
Naori’s hands were bound, her chakra sealed—she was barely stronger than an ordinary girl.
Even awake, she posed no threat.
But in the next second, Kinkaku saw Naori’s right eye flare, and his vision vanished, plunging into endless darkness.
Genjutsu: Kokuhyo no Jutsu!
As a rare Uchiha genius, Naori hadn’t let herself be captured without preparation.
Before being taken, she had a backup plan.
She’d used the secret Fuin Jutsu: Tensha, sealing Izanagi in her left eye and Genjutsu: Kokuhyo no Jutsu in her right.
If facing a fatal attack, Izanagi would passively activate, rewriting reality to revive her.
Or, to escape bindings, she’d bite her tongue, activating Kokuhyo no Jutsu, swiftly blinding Kinkaku and others, aiding her escape or counterattack.
Naori entered this situation with a death wish, but that didn’t mean she was unprepared.
With Madara’s Tensha technique, even with sealed chakra, she could activate pre-prepared eye techniques.
This was Naori’s confidence to take such risks.
It’s why she wasn’t afraid of Izuna’s chakra arrow; even if killed, Izanagi would trigger and revive her.
Exploiting Kinkaku’s blindness and panic, Naori easily broke free from her bindings and escaped his grasp.
She didn’t risk attacking Kinkaku—that was a fighting style she’d only choose if forced.
With backup arrived, she just needed to escape Kinkaku, and he was doomed.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Naori also saw Tobirama and Izuna arguing in the distance, sighing again.
’This team is so hard to lead!’
She thought the Uchiha clan’s future would be bright with Izuna’s revival.
Why, when Izuna and Tobirama teamed up, did they produce a 1+1 < 1 effect?
It made no sense!
Relying on them seemed less reliable than relying on herself...
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The anomaly with Kinkaku and Naori quickly drew Tobirama and Izuna’s attention.
They turned back.
They realized the kidnapped hostage Naori had escaped on her own!
Meanwhile, Kinkaku was blinded and disoriented.
Wow, this hostage was abnormal!
But Tobirama and Izuna were thrilled, thinking: ’Worthy of being my best assistant!’; ’Worthy of being an outstanding junior ninja!’
Kinkaku’s combat quality was still strong. After brief blindness and confusion, he calmed, relying on senses and hearing to track.
He knew, with his vision gone, escape was impossible. His only chance was recapturing Naori; at least it could make Tobirama and Izuna argue again briefly.
Naori, chakra-depleted, couldn’t run fast or fight much.
"Damn bastard, you won’t escape!"
Kinkaku’s face turned ferocious as he lunged at Naori.
Sadly, he was too late.
*SWOOSH!*
Another massive chakra arrow shot through the air, piercing Kinkaku, impaling him into the ground dozens of meters away.
It exploded violently, shattering into thousands of blood sparks.
Izuna’s Susano’o arrow was far faster than Sasuke’s at the Five Kage Summit!
Even Danzo had no chance to form seals.
Let alone Kinkaku, blinded and disoriented.
The moment he sensed the Susano’o arrow, his death was sealed!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Naori, you okay?"
Tobirama, riding the repaired Edo Tensei Ginkaku, reached Naori’s side faster than Izuna.
"I’m fine, thank you, Tobirama-sama."
Naori breathed a sigh of relief, answering softly.
Though Tobirama and Izuna were slightly disappointing, their quick pursuit of Kinkaku’s squad to rescue her warmed her heart.
Indeed, both Uchiha and Senju clans had not just power-hungry evil but also kindness and beauty deep within.
This was the side Naori always sought to pursue and explore.
At least, it proved Tobirama wasn’t as evil as most Uchiha ninjas thought—he had goodwill toward the Uchiha!
Even if he didn’t know how to express it...
"Why the rush? Naori’s my clan member!"
Izuna dispelled Susano’o, arriving at Naori’s side, standing between them.
For an exceptional genius clan member like Naori, Izuna was naturally very pleased.
Thus, he cared more for Naori, ensuring she wasn’t deceived or exploited by the evil Tobirama.
"Izuna-sama, you’re really revived!"
Naori looked at Izuna, full of enthusiasm and joy.
Born and raised in the Warring States Period, Naori admired Izuna deeply.
A genius who awakened Mangekyou Sharingan before twenty, aiding Madara to protect the Uchiha clan in a chaotic war era, facing the Senju and other enemies.
To the ten-year-old Naori back then, he was dazzling.
Without Izuna, the Uchiha clan might’ve collapsed long ago.
Though Madara was powerful, he lacked talent in clan management.
"Yes, thanks to my brother!"
The revived Izuna was elated, as it gave him a chance to defeat Tobirama—his greatest blessing.
With his presence, such incidents wouldn’t happen again!
"Madara-sama?"
"My brother knows about this. Don’t worry, Kumogakure will pay in blood! Unlike that useless guy, I won’t let accidents like this happen again!"
Izuna glared at Tobirama, his words mocking Tobirama’s incompetence.
Regardless of unforeseen factors, ultimately, Tobirama’s mistake caused this.
If it were Izuna, upon learning Kumogakure harbored ill intent toward his clan, he’d activate Susano’o to crush them all! Kill them all!
What about his brother?
He wouldn’t stop him.
Madara would only worry Izuna wasn’t killing happily enough or flying fast enough; he’d personally activate Susano’o to escort him.
"..."
Tobirama tried to retort, but before victim Naori, he felt ashamed, struggling to defend himself.
"Izuna-sama, it wasn’t Tobirama-sama’s fault—I let myself be captured."
"Enough. Stop defending this bastard; you might’ve been swayed by him unknowingly. He’s cunning and dangerous! Don’t trust his words, got it?"
Izuna advised sincerely, believing no precaution against Tobirama’s manipulation of Naori was too much.
Tobirama grew anxious, starting to curse:
"Izuna, you bastard—"
"Ignore him, let me unseal you first."
Izuna activated Susano’o, shielding himself and Naori within, isolating Tobirama outside.
No matter how fiercely he growled, Tobirama couldn’t breach this Susano’o, only watching helplessly from outside.
This was to prevent him from further swaying his outstanding junior ninja.
"Hehe—"
Naori couldn’t help but smile lightly.
What could she do? Tobirama and Izuna were hilarious together, shedding their serious second-in-command facades, becoming like two clowns bickering in a circus.
Few could witness such a contrast.
"What’s funny?"
"Izuna-sama, your relationship with Tobirama-sama doesn’t seem as bad as rumors suggest?"
"Me and him? Don’t misunderstand, we’re—"
Izuna rushed to clarify, not wanting his reputation in his outstanding junior’s eyes tarnished by that bastard Tobirama. He usually wouldn’t lose composure like this.
But before Izuna finished, a sudden change occurred!
Outside Susano’o, Tobirama, riding Edo Tensei Ginkaku, was pounding on it.
The Edo Tensei Ginkaku beneath him suddenly exploded.
*SWOOSH!*
With a black flash, it attacked the exhausted Tobirama.
"Who’s that?!?!"
Izuna was shocked, controlling Susano’o’s hand to swipe, trying to catch the black light.
But he failed.
The black light was too fast, stabbing Tobirama’s spine, instantly crippling most of his resistance.
It then took Tobirama hostage and fled.
"First Raikage!"
Izuna didn’t recognize the black light, but Naori, managing intelligence and well-versed in ninja world movements, instantly identified the enemy.
It was the First Raikage, who recently pacified the Land of Lightning’s chaos, subdued the Yotsuki clan, and founded Kumogakure!
Why wasn’t he in Kumogakure but here?
Attacking Tobirama!
Was he insane?!?
Wait...
Kumogakure’s people were indeed crazy, like Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
But Naori never expected a village leader like the First Raikage to personally risk an attack.
This shouldn’t happen!
"First Raikage? What trash is that? Why couldn’t that useless Tobirama withstand him?"
Izuna frowned, complaining, deeply dissatisfied.
Wasn’t he once a Senju ninja rivaling him? Why, after revival, did Tobirama seem weaker?
Had peaceful village life corrupted him? Or had Hashirama’s protection made him regress?
It wasn’t entirely Tobirama’s fault.
Though the First Raikage couldn’t compare to monsters like Hashirama and Madara, his strength was formidable.
Not much stronger than past Tobirama or Izuna, he was at least peak Kage-level.
Otherwise, he couldn’t have pacified a nation’s chaos or tamed unruly ninjas like Kinkaku and Ginkaku as subordinates.
In a one-on-one full-strength fight, the First Raikage would never be Tobirama’s match now.
Sadly, this sneak attack was too precise!
It struck when Tobirama was distracted by Izuna and Naori, unprepared, exhausted from months of sleep deprivation, and chakra-depleted.
That’s why it succeeded in one blow, allowing an immediate escape!
"Izuna-sama, quick, save Tobirama-sama!"
Naori grew anxious, sensing something odd.
The First Raikage’s presence here wasn’t coincidence but a long-planned conspiracy!
Perhaps the enemy’s target from the start wasn’t her but the far more critical Tobirama!
It was all a trap!
Before Naori could persuade Izuna to save his archenemy Tobirama, the Uchiha second-in-command acted on his own.
He burst into full speed, chasing the First Raikage’s escape route.
’Damn it!’
’In this world, only I can take out that bastard Senju Tobirama!’
Izuna hadn’t yet taken his revenge; he wouldn’t let anyone harm Tobirama before he did!