Chapter 115

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Obito doesn't need Kyomu to worry about the future Mangekyo Sharingan techniques for him.

The Mangekyo Sharingan, as the 'Eye of the Heart Reflection,' bases its birthed powers on the deepest desires of one's heart, creating techniques rooted in those desires.

This is why the Mangekyo Sharingan techniques are so varied among the Uchiha clan throughout history, with few repetitions.

Of course, how well these heart-born techniques resonate depends on the environment at the time of awakening and the talent of the Uchiha in question.

Considering Obito's talents in other areas, he truly lives up to the moniker of the Uchiha clan's disgrace. But the Uchiha are known for their Sharingan, and weaknesses in other areas don't necessarily mean a lack of talent with the Sharingan.

Moreover, the Sharingan is also nicknamed or joked about as the 'neurotic eye.' The more intense the emotional turmoil and the deeper the feelings, the greater the potential and power the Sharingan can unleash.

Clearly, Obito is among those with deep, nuanced emotions. When his love brain kicks in, it can be more intense than any brother or sister complex.

"Does Rin have to die once?" Kyomu couldn't help but mutter to himself, "But maybe there's another way, to see if we can awaken Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan in a less traumatic manner."

However, Kyomu wasn't sure if it's possible to bypass the Uchiha's 'curse' with their 'neurotic' nature, given the clan's history of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan through intense emotional turmoil.

While not absolute, awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan without the death of loved ones often results in relatively weaker techniques.

For instance, Fugaku's time-related techniques, although stemming from a potent concept, ended up being almost laughable due to his average potential and insufficient emotional turmoil during awakening. Being branded with 'time' but only being able to observe without intervention or control was practically useless.

"Would it trigger Obito if I died in front of him?" Kyomu pondered, concerned about sacrificing a feature of his divine weapon randomly. If he sacrificed the 'ever-evolving' trait, he'd suffer a significant loss.

But after careful thought, Kyomu considered the worst-case scenarios. "Murdering a brother's lover to stimulate Obito's awakening is absolutely not an option. Even if there are remedial measures afterward, who knows if Obito would obsess over it."

Kyomu had no interest in nurturing enemies. There were countless ways in the world; there's no need to follow Madara's path.

"It's only natural to try and change some unpleasant things."

Kyomu felt a rebellious spirit within, challenging Obito with his gaze.

"Kyomu, why are you looking at me like that?" Obito felt uneasy, "You're not thinking of studying my Sharingan, are you?"

"Your two tomoe isn't worth my attention."

"Damn, don't be like Kakashi, alright?"

"Seriously, two tomoe is nothing to look at." Kyomu quickly flashed a kunai in front of Obito, "Can you see clearly?"

"I can see clearly!" Obito was confident.

"And what about this?" Kyomu swiftly drew out a shuriken and flicked it in front of Obito.

"Uh... It's a bit blurry, but it's just about a dozen afterimages, so I guess I saw it," Obito stubbornly admitted, despite his hardheadedness.

Kyomu poked Obito's shoulder, smiling at his dodging gaze, "But can your body react in time?"

"I can't..." Obito's voice trailed off, "but after the three tomoe, I definitely can!"

"Temper your impatience." Kyomu didn't really want to lecture, knowing it could become annoying, but he still prepared to give Obito a talk.

"Have you forgotten what we said when we were kids?"

"I know, it just feels awkward."

"Would I mock you?" Kyomu knew Obito cared about his pride, typical of an Uchiha.

"But you'd better be just tough-talking, and have a solid plan in your heart." Kyomu didn't preach, "Our future isn't going to be easy, and I think you know that, so it's best to prepare early."

"Kyomu, will things really get that bad?"

Obito didn't want to think about it, but that didn't mean he was oblivious.

After Sakumo's death, Kyomu and Kakashi often murmured among themselves, and their behavior changed significantly. Obito, being very sensitive, noticed these changes since they didn't try to hide it from him.

Moreover, Obito was well aware of the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the Leaf Village. It would be impossible for him not to have thought or worried about it.

"Anyway, it's better to prepare early. And if the worst comes to pass, you will..."

"I'll stand by you!" Obito interrupted Kyomu, his statement firm and decisive.

Kyomu smiled at this, and Obito, too, smiled like an idiot.

When an Uchiha truly decides to befriend someone, you might face one of two situations.

One is being backstabbed by the Uchiha with tears in their eyes, like Indra, wielding the power given by their dear friend to wreak havoc.

The other is the Uchiha weeping tears for you, either avenging you or dying alongside you. However, with an Uchiha's Sharingan, the likelihood of them dying is slim; instead, they might become stronger because of your death.

That's... pretty Uchiha-like.

In short, it's very contradictory.

And without a certain level of strength, it's best not to befriend an Uchiha. But these considerations were not within Kyomu's scope of concern.

He never lacked strength.

---

After waiting two more days, Kyomu had "charged up" for four days, about 96 hours.

Converted into a multiplier, that's 9.6 times, plus a 150% critical hit effect, one move at this point...

Could it be comparable to Madara's full-force slash when fully unleashing Susanoo?

Completely annihilating the Hidden Sand Village might be impossible, but dividing the Sand Village in half and causing massive casualties was certain.

As for the civilians living within the Sand Village, Kyomu planned to notify them in advance to evacuate. If the Sand ninja ignored this warning or didn't give Kyomu a chance, they shouldn't blame others for collateral damage.

Sssss...

The sound of a snake hissing entered his ears, and Kyomu opened his palm, allowing the communication snake to spit out a sealed scroll from its belly.

After unsealing the scroll, inside were several vials of pills, a handwritten letter, and enough drinking water for 70 people to last 3 days.

Tsunade had thought of everything.

With a light chuckle, Kyomu stored the read letter properly, then took the water sample collected that day and gulped it down.

"Captain..."

After wiping his mouth and swallowing a detox pill, Kyomu finally spoke, "I trust Lady Tsunade. How could the legendary medical ninja make a mistake?"

Indeed, there was no mistake. Kyomu's body showed no adverse reactions.

"Proven effective." After waiting a while, Kyomu looked at Kakashi, "What do you say?"

"Store enough water for five days, plus what we already have, it should be enough to reach the Hidden Sand Village and back."

After Kakashi's remark, Kyomu nodded, and the surrounding team members also sprang into action.

And this time, Obito took the initiative to lead the charge.

After activating his two tomoe Sharingan, he hadn't yet had a chance to fight anyone. Now, his mind was filled with various techniques to complement his Sharingan.

Kyomu and Kakashi did not stop him. Though revealing their location might be problematic, it allowed Obito and the others to practice and get accustomed to their newly enhanced strengths, preventing them from having to adapt when truly surrounded.

Fighting to improve during war is a surefire way to enhance one's strength.

"Leaf ninja!"

Whizzing sounds.

In response to the few Sand ninja, Obito launched a barrage of shuriken. Though seemingly haphazard, the position and angle of each shuriken were the results of meticulous calculation.

Obito might not be good at calculations, but with the Sharingan, this kind of operation became almost instinctual.

Like a baby naturally knowing how to nurse, you wouldn't ask why.

Ding, ding, ding.

Sparks flew as more than a dozen shuriken collided, creating a spectacle as splendid as fireworks exploding. But hidden within this disorderly beauty was lethal danger.

Whether left or right, front or back, the foremost could suddenly appear behind you, naturally, they could also emerge in other directions.

The Uchiha throwing technique emphasizes unpredictability. Besides themselves, no one can predict where the hidden weapons will land.

As for anticipation.

Can you outperform the Sharingan?

Pu-pu-pu.

Unsurprisingly, the flashy yet deadly barrage of shuriken knocked down three people in their first encounter.

At this moment, Obito had already plunged into the crowd.

Holding a ninja sword in reverse grip and clutching kunai in his left hand, Obito moved like a small boat amidst the waves, accurately predicting every incoming wave. He knew ahead of time or could spot the weaknesses of the waves, eliminating them in the most efficient and straightforward way.

Moreover, while the Sharingan doesn't have the Hyuga's 360° vision, it's as if there were eyes on the back of his head.

A Sand ninja was performing hand seals for a C-rank Wind Release technique.

But Obito was one step ahead, using the same technique as the Sand ninja.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough! The roaring wind blew the enemies away, killing them.

This rhythm and feeling of combat were exhilarating!

"Is this the Uchiha?" Ren thought to himself, "After awakening the Sharingan, it's truly somewhat unbeatable."

From a distance, Kyomu and Kakashi were also watching Obito's battle.

"Not bad, right?"

"If he had three tomoe, I wouldn't stand a chance," Kakashi said somberly, "Obito has fulfilled his big talk from the past. Once he took off his goggles, he managed to get close to me."

"Have you given up, Kakashi?"

"Not at all!" Kakashi shook his head, "By the time he has three tomoe, my Hatake swordsmanship will be fully developed, fast enough that he won't be able to react."

Hearing Kakashi say this, Kyomu felt reassured.

Kakashi hadn't given up on developing the Hatake swordsmanship in favor of focusing solely on the Chidori.

Developing and mastering Chidori wasn't wrong, but Kakashi was misled by a comment from Minato.

Why does Chidori have to be used in conjunction with the Sharingan?

And why must Chidori be delivered in a straight-line charge towards the enemy? Can't a different approach be taken, waiting for the enemy to come close before using it?

Don't forget, the original version of Chidori only required three hand seals, and after refinement, it could be performed with one hand. Sacrificing some power, Chidori could even be used without seals.

For example, the later developed Silent Killing technique is one of the evolved forms of Chidori.

Did it involve charging at the enemy?

No, it often appeared suddenly, directly attacking the heart, which was more common.

Therefore, there's no absolute need to charge forward with the Chidori. This shows that with a different mindset and strategy, Chidori can be adapted for various combat scenarios. 

So, with my guidance to fill in some knowledge gaps, Kakashi can avoid many detours in developing the Chidori. It's just that now is not the best time to delve into this matter further. The current focus should be on the war. Once there's a chance for rest and reorganization, we can revisit this topic.

"Ha, I'm back!" Obito returned, full of spirit. "Kyomu, Kakashi, were you dazzled by my brilliant performance just now?"

"We'll see when you face stronger opponents." Kakashi stood up, "Now that we've taken care of the Sand ninja in the town, it's time for us to move on. As discussed before, we'll eliminate small groups of enemies to quickly adapt to our increased strength. Against larger forces, we'll employ hit-and-run tactics straight to the Hidden Sand Village. And if the enemy defends the village with all their might, that's when we'll need our captain to work."

Although Kakashi spoke in jest, his eyes were serious. "Kyomu said he could create an opening for us even when we're surrounded. If he says he can, then he can. So, let's not miss this opportunity to improve through battle. It's a great chance for growth."

"We understand, Vice Captain!"

"Let's move out!"

Kakashi waved his hand and took the lead, with Ren by his side clearing the way. Kyomu, along with Genma and Ebisu, followed at the back of the group, with Obito and Might Guy in the middle. The team's arrangement was quite reasonable.

While Kyomu's group was making their swift approach, news reached Chiyo.

"They've finally shown themselves!"

Chiyo felt somewhat relieved but was predominantly filled with a sense of urgency to eliminate Kyomu and his group once and for all.

Kyomu's delay had caused significant disruptions. Otherwise, the Sand's main force could have already advanced deep into the Land of Fire by now.

"Everyone, follow the plan. We must encircle and eradicate Kyomu and his group. I want them to be deprived of supplies, rest, and any support from the Leaf. No matter the cost, Kyomu and his companions must die within our territory!

Additionally, control all water sources along the way to the Hidden Sand Village. If we can't control them, poison them, and keep varying the method. Even if Tsunade can find a cure, she needs time. And time is what Kyomu and his group lack the most!"

With a kick, Chiyo overturned the table in front of her. "All forces, attack!"

At her command, nearly 3,000 Sand ninja quickly spread out within the Land of Wind, ready to intercept Kyomu and his group.

After all, the stage was set.

(End of Chapter)