Chapter 37 – So-Called Forbidden Jutsu: Just Needs a Hand, Right?
Five days after Konoha's Nine-Tails Attack, Yahiko and Obito returned to the Hidden Rain Village.
Cold rain washed the tower's outer walls. On the terrace, Yahiko tossed his soaked black cloak aside, baring a lean, powerful torso. He accepted the dry towel Konan handed him and lazily dried his hair.
Nearby, Nagato sat atop a specially-made Puppet spider, black Chakra-receiver rods protruding from his back. Seeing Yahiko return safely, a trace of relief cracked across Nagato's gaunt face.
'Failed?' Nagato's voice was hoarse.
'More or less.' Yahiko walked to the stone table and slammed a massive scroll onto it with a dull thud.
'The Nine-Tailed beast was split in two; half went into the Shinigami's stomach, the other half—hmph—was sealed by Minato Namikaze into a newborn.' Yahiko spoke casually, as if discussing dinner. 'A Jinchuriki that cries is too troublesome; I didn't bother bringing it back.'
In the corner, Obito leaned against the wall, his right sleeve empty. Hearing Yahiko, his masked cheek twitched violently.
'Still, we didn't come back empty-handed.' Yahiko tapped the scroll. 'Konoha's scroll of seals, guarded by every Hokage. We can't flaunt it, but among ourselves, learning a few S-rank forbidden jutsu for self-defense is fine.'
Konan glanced uneasily at the ominous scroll. 'Yahiko, this is Konoha's Foundation. Won't they notice it's gone?'
'Relax.' Yahiko smirked. 'I've already found the perfect scapegoat.'
Obito finally spoke, voice so dark it seemed to drip. 'If Minato Namikaze hadn't arrived too fast with his Flying Thunder God, the Nine-Tailed would have destroyed Konoha. That technique is impossible to guard against.'
He tried to salvage some pride; being maimed by the man he once called teacher was an un-washable shame for Uchiha Obito, who dreamed of destroying the world.
Yahiko turned, half-smiling.'So you lost your arm because the man ran too fast?'
'You don't understand!' Obito straightened, bloodshot eye wide. 'Flying Thunder God is an S-rank Space-Time Ninjutsu created by Second Hokage Senju Tobirama. It involves insanely complex space-coordinate calculations and instantaneous Chakra transmission! Besides that monster Minato, no one in the Ninja World has learned it in decades! It's not about strength—the jutsu itself is cheating!'
The more he ranted, the more frantic he became, as if only by declaring the foe unbeatable could he excuse Uchiha Madara's defeat by a junior.
'Flying Thunder God is indeed hard; otherwise there wouldn't be only one yellow flash,' Nagato murmured, Rinnegan revealing how abstruse spatial jutsu could be.
'Hard?'
Yahiko arched a brow, tone flippant.
He casually drew an oddly-shaped Kunai from his pouch—one of Minato's specially made kunai, scooped from the battlefield and re-tagged with his own formula.
'What are you doing?' Obito frowned, uneasy at Yahiko's casualness.
Yahiko didn't answer. He simply flicked his wrist.
Whoosh!
The Kunai shot past Obito's ear and thudded into the wall behind him.
'Tossing Minato's Flying Thunder God Kunai doesn't mean you can—'
Obito's mockery cut off as his pupils shrank to pinholes.
In that instant, Yahiko, who had stood by the stone table, vanished without a ripple.
No after-image this time!
The next second, an icy edge pressed against Obito's carotid.
'You mean this?'
Yahiko's flat voice ghosted behind Obito's ear.
Silence like death.
Nagato's Rinnegan bulged; Konan's towel slipped to the floor; Obito went rigid, forgetting to breathe.
Yahiko stood behind him, right hand reversed around the Kunai that now rested a hair's breadth from Obito's throat.
Cold sweat trickled under Obito's mask, soaking the bandages.
Flying Thunder God??
Impossible!
It had been—what—five days since they left Konoha? He hadn't even opened the scroll of seals more than a couple of times!
'H-how…' Obito croaked.
Yahiko withdrew the Kunai and strolled back to the table, looking bored.
'Killed time on the road, skimmed the scroll.'
He yawned.'So-called S-rank forbidden jutsu? Once you grasp space-fold coordinates, the rest is… well… just needs a hand, right?'
At that moment Obito heard the sound of his own pride shattering.
How many years had Minato trained? Shiranui Genma's team needed three people to pull it off! Even Obito's own Kamui with Mangekyo Sharingan relied on innate talent.
Yet Yahiko had merely'skimmed'?
Obito's chest heaved; he nearly coughed blood. This wasn't just a slap to his power—it was a grind of his intellect into the dirt.
'Yahiko…' Nagato whispered, awe blazing in his eyes. Here was the god who would lead Akatsuki to peace.
'Seems you've much to improve, Tobi.' Yahiko said. 'As an intern, study hard.'
Obito's knuckles cracked. He couldn't stay another second.
The suffocating sense of total defeat made him feel a clown.
'Hmph!'
With a cold snort, space around Obito twisted. 'I'll scout new members. We'll need more than us to face the Five Great Nations. Contact me through Zetsu if you need me.'
Without waiting, he spun into Kamui and fled the tower.
Watching him go, Yahiko's smile faded, eyes turning cold.
'Runs fast enough.'
Of course, there was no Genius learning—just an advance on the System's reward: S-rank Space-Time Ninjutsu · Flying Thunder God Technique. The task unfinished, the System allowed pre-draws—tailor-made for showing off.
'Yahiko.'
The hidden door had barely shut when Konan, silent until now, stepped forward, grave.
'What?' Yahiko tilted his head.
'Compared with that Tobi…'
She lifted her gaze. 'That Zetsu is the real problem.'
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