Chapter 383: Where is the bearing of a strong individual?
On a secluded cliff far from the Hidden Cloud Village battlefield, the Akatsuki Organization members witnessed the brief but thrilling battle that had just transpired.
Hidan, with his exaggerated triple-bladed scythe on his shoulder, idly flicked the scythe's handle with his finger, making faint 'ding-ding' sounds. He mumbled to himself, but his eyes were fixed on the peculiar object that Naruto was effortlessly carrying on his shoulder, disappearing with the flash of the Flying Thunder God.
"Tsk tsk, that coffin..."
Hidan licked his somewhat chapped lips, a strange fanaticism and envy flickering in his eyes.
"It looks really good, hexagonal, with sharp lines, and the wood grain has a nice texture, like a high-class sleeping coffin."
His voice was lowered, filled with an almost devout longing.
"If I could lie in it, I'd surely get a very, very good sleep, wouldn't I?"
"I really envy the Raikage inside; even though he's captured, at least he gets to enjoy such excellent bedding."
Hidan's logic was always so erratic and bizarre, interpreting the sealed Wooden Coffin, which imprisoned the Raikage, as some kind of advanced coffin and longing for it.
He twisted his neck, making a 'crack' sound, and his tone became urgent:
"Hey, I say, should we make a move? I can barely wait!"
"That blonde kid fighting while carrying a coffin must have expended a lot of energy, and that Uchiha girl is also distracted controlling the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, so her consumption must be significant too."
"Now is the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack! Strike while they're weak! Sacrifice them all to Lord Jashin!"
Hidan waved his triple-bladed scythe, looking eager for action.
However, the others reacted coldly to his suggestion.
Sasori remained silent, manipulating Hiruko, observing the distant battle through Hiruko's eyes.
Deidara seemed somewhat tempted, his fingers subconsciously touching the Clay Pouch at his waist, but he didn't speak rashly.
Kisame bared his sharp teeth and smiled silently, seemingly mocking Hidan's naivete.
Kakuzu's green eyes, which had seen countless storms, slowly turned, finally settling on the figure in front, wearing an orange spiral mask, who had been silently watching the battlefield.
His tone was calm, yet carried a hint of imperceptible probing and doubt:
"So, Mr. who claims to be Uchiha Madara,"
"Do you think now is a 'good time' to make a move?"
Kakuzu deliberately emphasized "claims to be" and "Mr.", indicating that his distrust of Obito's identity had not completely vanished.
He needed Obito to make a judgment and also wanted to observe the mysterious masked man's intentions and abilities through his decision.
Although Kakuzu had never met Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Madara was not someone who hid his identity; this guy was definitely not the real Uchiha Madara.
How could someone on par with the First Hokage act so sneakily?
Obito slowly turned his head at the sound.
The only eye visible beneath the mask was now half-closed, with deep and complex light flickering in the depths of its pupil.
He had been observing, watching Naruto's every move, the Hidden Cloud's reactions, and even more so, the power Naruto was using.
From the initial Wooden Sword, to the Byakugan-like insight and taijutsu, then the effortless Wind Release application that countered the Raikage's Lariat, followed by the shocking Magnet Release: gold dust, and finally, the Wooden Coffin that could absorb Chakra and Seal the Raikage...
And, Uchiha Hikari's performance.
Her sword style was the Uchiha style, and she seemed very proficient.
Amaterasu and Susanoo were also used conservatively. It was normal for the Mangekyo Sharingan to control Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki, as Obito had controlled them before.
As for controlling time... since the opponent had two eyes and Obito only had one Mangekyo Sharingan, it was normal for Uchiha Hikari to control it faster than Obito.
All of this made the apprehension and killing intent in Obito's heart grow, but at the same time, it also made him more cautious.
Hearing Kakuzu's question, Obito was silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking in his disguised, deep, hoarse voice:
"It's not time yet."
His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve.
"Wait until the Eight-Tails appears."
"The Eight-Tails?"
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You mean... wait for Killer Bee to go into full Tailed Beast transformation rampage?"
"Exactly."
Obito nodded, his gaze once again cast towards the distant Hidden Cloud Village, which had fallen into chaos due to the Raikage's capture.
"If we act now, we face a Uzumaki Naruto who, though possibly depleted, is still in very good condition and highly vigilant, as well as that Uchiha whose strength is unknown."
"They just captured the Raikage; their morale and confidence are at their peak. Moreover, although the Hidden Cloud Ninja's morale is shaken, they haven't completely lost their fighting power, especially those Chakra weapons and the Eight-Tails Killer Bee."
"If we intervene rashly now, we might be attacked by both Hidden Leaf Village and the remaining Hidden Cloud forces simultaneously, becoming targets for all."
"However, if we wait for the Eight-Tails to appear, the situation will be vastly different."
"The Raikage's capture will be a huge stimulus for Killer Bee. Given his feelings for the Raikage, extreme anger and despair might cause the Eight-Tails' Chakra to go out of control, or even a full rampage."
"At that time, Hidden Cloud Village will fall into even greater chaos. A rampaging Eight-Tails will become a massive, indiscriminate source of destruction, consuming Hidden Cloud's own strength and forcing Uzumaki Naruto to divert his attention to deal with this 'unexpected' threat."
"And we," Obito's voice lowered, "can strike at the most chaotic moment, when Uzumaki Naruto is tied up by the Eight-Tails, and Hidden Cloud is preoccupied."
"The target," a cold light flashed in his single eye,
"Can be either Uzumaki Naruto, who is stretched thin, or the rampaging Eight-Tails.
Or, both."
These words made Kakuzu nod slightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
If it were the real Uchiha Madara, he would have rushed out to fight them long ago. This guy doesn't have Uchiha Madara's strength but still pretends to be Uchiha Madara.
Someone like him probably wouldn't even dare to confess to the girl he loves, even if she were right in front of him!
Where is the bearing of a strong individual?
Although Hidan felt it wasn't exciting enough, he knew his opinion was insignificant here, merely letting out a dissatisfied "Tch."
However, only Obito himself knew that there was a more important reason for his choice to wait, a reason not to be spoken of to outsiders.
His right eye, the Mangekyo Sharingan imbued with Kamui's power, was not in good condition at the moment.
The Izanagi he had set up in advance, at the cost of one ordinary Sharingan going permanently blind, had rewritten the reality of death.
But Izanagi could save a life, yet it couldn't restore the wear and tear of the Sharingan itself.
And for some unknown reason, his eyes and body were not his original shell but had regrown.
Although it was incredible, his left Sharingan was blind, not to mention his right Mangekyo had endured an enormous burden.
At this moment, he could clearly feel that the vision in his right eye had significantly decreased compared to before; distant objects appeared somewhat blurry, and it was often accompanied by bouts of stinging pain and soreness.
What was worse, the duration and activation speed of Kamui were also noticeably affected.
The five minutes of intangibility he could easily maintain before now felt strenuous even for two minutes; the speed of absorbing or transferring objects had also slowed down.
This was a huge weakening for Obito, who relied heavily on Kamui for combat and survival.
To challenge Uzumaki Naruto, whose state was unknown and who had clearly grown stronger, now was simply too risky.
However, fortunately...
Obito subconsciously touched the area around his right eye.
The Hashirama cells transplanted into his body were slowly and continuously taking effect.
That power full of vitality, like the gentlest spring water, constantly nourished his overused ocular power and Sharingan, alleviating the damage and pain caused by the overexertion.
According to his estimation, in about a month, with the continuous nourishment of the Hashirama cells, the condition of his right Mangekyo would essentially recover to near its previous level, and his vision and Kamui usage would return to normal.
He needed time for his eyes to recover.
But he lacked time. Now, dragging out the situation for a bit longer would allow the situation to further develop as he envisioned, while also giving his eyes more time to recover.
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