Obito?
Those two words struck White Zetsu like a bolt of lightning.
Yes—its body stiffened violently.
Even the green mossy growth atop its head trembled.
Hearing that name from the mouth of an Uchiha it had just met was simply unbelievable.
At the same time, Jiraiya's pupils contracted slightly.
Obito?!
Uchiha Obito?!
The one who had fallen at Kannabi Bridge…
Kakashi's comrade. Minato's student.
Then why did Kai suddenly bring up that name?
And at a moment like this—could Obito possibly have some connection to the Hidden Rain?
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Jiraiya's mind, his body tensing further without him realizing it.
"Y-you… how do you know that name…?"
For the first time, White Zetsu's voice lost its teasing, playful tone and became noticeably restrained.
Kai didn't bother explaining.
He merely raised his hand again, fingertip aimed squarely at White Zetsu.
"Let him come out," Kai said calmly,
"or stay here forever as fertilizer."
Drip.
Drip.
The fine rain continued to fall.
White Zetsu gradually recovered, tilting its head as it stared at Kai, amusement returning to its voice.
"Uchiha Kai… you really are an interesting little fellow…"
Kai ignored the provocation and simply waited.
Before his eyes, the system prompt from moments ago remained crystal clear.
[Conversation with White Zetsu for three minutes. Analyzing traits…]
[White Zetsu: Masked Clown (Black), Mayfly Technique (Gold), High-Yield Spores (Purple), Spore Technique (Purple), Pitcher Plant (Blue).]
"Masked Clown…"
Recalling how White Zetsu had been toyed with by the Allied Shinobi Forces in the original timeline, Kai nodded inwardly.
The name fit.
But—
That didn't mean the ability itself was weak.
On the contrary, it was terrifyingly powerful.
And exactly the kind of trait Kai wanted.
Ten minutes later.
When the copy failed notification appeared—
Kai's eyes instantly turned crimson.
Annoyance, sharp and unmistakable, surged up.
White Zetsu was still chattering away when a certain scarlet "666" spun violently within Kai's gaze.
Anger. Rage. Absolute irritation.
He needed an outlet.
Kamui.
Woom—
In an instant, the space before White Zetsu twisted into a spiraling vortex.
A monstrous suction force erupted, like countless invisible hands tearing at its body.
Riiip!
"Huh—?! Damn it, you brat! You flip faces way too fast!!"
White Zetsu screamed in alarm.
It never expected Kai to attack so decisively—
Nor did it expect the spatial distortion to be this fast.
Shhk!
Despite reacting instantly—its body retreating, attempting to dissolve into the ground—
The edge of the Kamui vortex still grazed its right arm.
That arm was shredded on the spot, twisted into a mist of blood.
"Hiss—so painful, so painful!"
White Zetsu shrieked as it regenerated from another patch of earth, its arm rapidly reforming.
But when it looked at Kai again, its gaze was filled with disbelief and shock.
"That ability… Kamui?! Who are you, really?!"
That spatial fluctuation—
It recognized it.
It was Obito's Kamui space!
Yet somehow, this Uchiha brat was using it too.
Could it be…
that the Uchiha clan could share such power?
Cold killing intent, mixed with rain-soaked chill, pressed down like a blade upon White Zetsu's head.
In that instant, it finally realized—
If it didn't escape now, it might actually die.
With a sharp shriek, its body plunged downward.
Mayfly Technique!
At the same time, it released a piercing mental signal, attempting to transmit information.
But the moment it opened its mouth—
Its vision flooded with crimson.
The world went dark.
Mangekyō—Genjutsu.
A mental force countless times stronger than an ordinary Sharingan smashed down upon it.
Control was established almost instantly.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Kai vanished from where he stood.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
Three afterimages remained behind.
When he reappeared, he was already right in front of White Zetsu.
Phase Dash.
From his palm, Adamantine Sealing Chains roared forth once more.
The more Kai used this trait, the more he loved it.
Absolute restraint.
A true ninja-world binding rope—hit once, caught every time.
Thud.
Moments later, the true White Zetsu was wrapped up tight like a rice dumpling.
"Take it."
"Huh? O-oh—right!"
Only then did Jiraiya snap back to reality, reflexively packaging the delivery and sending it straight into a toad's mouth.
The motion was so practiced it was almost heartbreaking.
But his eyes never left Kai.
Temperamental.
Terrifyingly powerful.
An Uchiha whose emotions turned on a dime.
That was Jiraiya's current evaluation of him.
Kai, however, couldn't care less.
He stared at the system prompt, lips curling upward.
Bending forward, one hand to his forehead, he burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahaha!"
[White Zetsu defeated. Attempting trait copy…]
[Copy successful. Congratulations, Host has obtained Epic Trait: Spore Technique.]
[Upon activation, chakra spores can be planted within others, siphoning their chakra.]
Spore Technique.
Wasn't this basically… planting parasitic curses?
No wonder Kai couldn't stop laughing.
He turned toward Jiraiya and walked over with a faint smile.
Jiraiya: ???
Don't come any closer.
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> patreon.com/SorenSwiftTL