After listening to Black Zetsu's description in silence, Obito did not immediately make a judgment; instead, he fell into a long period of silence and contemplation.
Even with the information about Menma's true face beneath the mask, the doubts did not decrease but rather increased, emerging one after another like a tangled ball of thread.
The black hair was a disguise; the real hair color was golden, and the eye color was blue... Obito initially suspected it was just a coincidence, perhaps someone with similar hair and eye color to his teacher. However, Black Zetsu specifically emphasized that the face's resemblance to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was at least eighty percent!
Obito knew very well that Black Zetsu had no reason to deceive him on such crucial intelligence.
However, the contradiction lay precisely here—the evidence proving this person was Minato Namikaze was almost as abundant as the evidence proving he was not!
The Flying Thunder God Technique, a Ninjutsu similar to but more powerful than the Rasengan, golden hair, deep blue eyes... These features combined undeniably pointed to his teacher, who was known as the yellow flash.
First, there was the age issue. Obito tried to clear his thoughts. If his teacher had faked his death like him back then, it would be understandable for his appearance to have changed over the years... But Black Zetsu described an exceptionally young face, looking only about eighteen years old. This completely defied common sense.
Second, there was the extraordinary emotion he displayed towards the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Kushina.
According to Black Zetsu's narration, Menma only revealed a fatal flaw in battle because Orochimaru used Kushina's Edo Tensei body, causing his mask to be knocked off. Even when sealing Kushina, the sadness he showed was very real and unfeigned.
Could it be... that even the face under the mask was a more sophisticated disguise? This thought flashed through his mind but was immediately dismissed. No, Black Zetsu's observation would not fail to detect a Transformation Technique.
But... how to explain the Adamantine Sealing Chains? That was a unique ability of the Uzumaki Clan, and his teacher had no connection to the Uzumaki bloodline.
Obito's thoughts wavered between two completely different paths of speculation.
The first speculation, he deduced along the most superficial clues. Assuming Menma was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, he faked his death in that battle, and then, through some unknown method, perhaps a forbidden Ninjutsu, not only survived but also successfully acquired the Uzumaki Clan's abilities, even inheriting their immense vitality, which led to a phenomenon of rejuvenation.
This would explain why he first appeared more than ten years ago, yet still maintained a youthful appearance today.
The second speculation was bolder, yet even more bizarre; an absurd thought emerged: could it be... that his teacher had an illegitimate child outside?
But as soon as this idea surfaced, he logically extinguished it himself. If one were to deduce based on Menma's approximate age of 18 when he first appeared, then his teacher would probably still be attending the Ninja Academy when he fathered him!
At that time, his teacher and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had not yet established a romantic relationship, so it couldn't be called infidelity... Both paths were full of contradictions and inexplicable points. Could it be a long-lost Uzumaki clansman? But where did the other party learn the Flying Thunder God Technique? An ordinary clansman wouldn't be so sad over an Edo Tensei body; he wasn't that sad when sealing the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Although many doubts still lingered in his mind, at least one thing could be confirmed—the man named Menma, though powerful, was not a monster from distant legends like Uchiha Madara or the First Hokage.
In his plan, he was, at most, just another enemy of the "Fourth Hokage" level.
The Akatsuki members were also almost gathered... Obito thought indifferently, the plan, too, was about to officially begin.
Finally, his figure, like a reflection merging into the water, slowly disappeared amidst the slight ripples in space.
"Who... who exactly are you...?"
Held in the mouth of a giant snake, amidst the bumps and suffocating sensation of high-speed movement, Gaara trembled with physical weakness and inner fear, asking falteringly.
The cold snake tongue occasionally brushed against his skin, bringing a death-like touch.
"You... what did you do to Kankuro, and Temari?!"
Remembering how the two had unhesitatingly stood in front of him to protect him, only to fall powerlessly, Gaara, despite fear chilling him to the bone, mustered his remaining courage to ask.
"...How disappointing, Gaara-kun."
A calm, hoarse voice, yet with a clear hint of playfulness, came from the front of the rapidly slithering snake head above.
"They... they're about to die, you know." Orochimaru's tone was flat. "Although my snake venom isn't as potent as that old woman's in Hidden Sand Village, being poisoned so unprepared, and without timely antidote... they are already doomed."
"...!?"
Gaara's pupils constricted with shock and anger, "Why would you do this?! I... did I offend you in any way?!"
He didn't understand why such a calamity would befall his siblings, who had just shown him a glimmer of warmth.
"It's simple, because of your 'existence,'" Orochimaru's answer was understated. "Just like how you took your mother's life the day you were born, a monster merely 'existing' here will naturally take the lives of those around it. Because I 'value' you, and to obtain you, isn't it only natural to eliminate these two troublesome people?"
This twisted explanation shattered the faint warmth of kinship, like a morning glow, that he had just felt. A strong sense of nausea rose in his throat; Gaara felt like he was about to vomit.
"So, this is why you disappoint me so much now."
Orochimaru continued to carve at his heart with the sharp knife of words, "You, a monster who can never be understood by the world, did someone say something naive to you? Making you suddenly have the illusion that you, too, are worthy of touching those ridiculous emotions that don't belong to you?"
"Face reality, Gaara-kun. Your value lies solely in the beast sealed within you, not in your childish and superfluous fantasies."
"Stop talking..." Gaara closed his eyes in pain, trying to shut out the cruel voice, but every word was etched into his mind like a brand.
Was he right? Was he truly unworthy of any warmth? Were the understanding and care he had just felt truly just a mirage, destined to be destroyed because of him?
"However, I am not denying you a choice." Orochimaru's tone shifted. "Option one, you continue to resist in vain. Then, I will make your dear sister and brother slowly die in front of you, while conscious, in the most painful and undignified way."
"Believe me, I am proficient in human anatomy and can fully make them 'enjoy' every detail of death's arrival; this process will be quite... lengthy."
"Option two, you willingly come with me. Give up resistance and become my possession. This way, they can at least lose their lives completely, unconsciously, and relatively 'peacefully' in a coma."
He deliberately paused, allowing Gaara to fully digest this cruel choice, then softly added the final blow.
"Think carefully... isn't their death precisely a punishment brought about by your ridiculous 'willfulness,' because you presumptuously tried to touch things that don't belong to you?"
His inner defenses were completely shattered, and despair and self-loathing thoroughly covered and consumed the tender bud that had not yet seen the sunlight in his heart. The last glimmer of light also extinguished, leaving only suffocating darkness.
Slowly, using his last ounce of strength, he opened his eyes, which had already lost their luster.
"...Mm... I understand."
Very good.
Orochimaru's heart eased. He was not confident in stably controlling the situation if Gaara's emotions fluctuated violently and Shukaku possibly went berserk again. In that case, not only would he not get the Nine-Tailed, but even the Ichibi he had in hand might be lost.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to employ this most despicable method, directly destroying the mind, just to completely extinguish any thought of resistance in Gaara.
However, since the goal this time was merely a precious "experimental material," Orochimaru had long lost patience for playing any "willing to follow" tricks.
They were getting further and further away from Konoha... Feeling the summoned snake's rapid slithering beneath his feet, this backup plan, at least, had succeeded, he thought.
Just as this thought crossed Orochimaru's mind, and his guard momentarily, imperceptibly, dropped—
As if appearing out of thin air, without any warning! Orochimaru's peripheral vision suddenly caught an unnatural blue light, which abruptly lit up very close in front of him and instantly magnified!
"Rasengan!"
He didn't even have time to react, only feeling a violent impact squarely hit the side of his face!
Accompanied by this roar full of anger, immense power instantly erupted! Orochimaru was sent flying uncontrollably off the ground.
And his long-sought target—Uzumaki Naruto—appeared precisely where he had been, maintaining the posture of having just launched a Rasengan, his voice burning like an angry flame!
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