Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 154

His voice, coming through the mask, sounded low and distorted, carrying a deliberately created sense of etherealness.

Not long ago, even though he was far away in Amegakure, he clearly sensed the terrifying energy fluctuations coming from the direction of the Land of Snow, which made the space itself tremble slightly.

That was something that could not have been caused by an ordinary tailed beast or ninja.

"Hey, that was pretty amazing."

Zetsu's voice carried a hint of schadenfreude and an almost imperceptible solemnity: "The energy is a complete mess, but the core... is definitely a tailed beast!"

"And it was an extremely large and mixed amount of tailed beast chakra! It was violent, chaotic, and carried a destructive aura, almost plowing through the entire icy plains of the Land of Snow!"

Obito's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly beneath his mask, and a hint of doubt flashed in his crimson Sharingan: "I haven't received any intelligence indicating that any Jinchuriki have recently left their village."

The Tailed Beasts are the core of the Akatsuki's plan, and any disturbance should be taken seriously.

Zetsu's white half of his face grinned with a strange smile, while his black half remained expressionless: "It's the Nine-Tails! That blazing, massive chakra, brimming with life force and destructive power, is definitely the Nine-Tails! Although it's mixed with too many other things, its core essence is unmistakable!"

"...with whom?"

Obito's voice suddenly turned cold, like frozen ice.

How did that brat Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, end up in the distant Land of Snow?

Who could have triggered the Nine-Tails to unleash such terrifying power, even causing that level of tremor?

Jue shrugged, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Well... I'm not too sure about that."

"The chakra is too mixed and too violent. In addition to the Nine-Tails, there is another extremely cold aura that seems to freeze the soul, as well as fluctuations that make space feel like it is being torn apart."

"There was even a slight sense of disturbance? It was as chaotic as a pot of burnt porridge, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact source."

Its black half-body twitched slightly: "How about it? Should I personally go to the ruins of the Snow Kingdom and investigate carefully? Perhaps I can find some clues."

Obito was silent for a moment.

The crimson Sharingan gleamed dangerously in the dim light.

The fact that the Nine-Tails appeared at an unplanned location and that such a large-scale battle broke out was itself a huge variable.

Investigation is necessary...

However, the lingering energy fluctuations, even the faint aftertaste he could sense, stirred a sense of instinctive apprehension deep within him.

That was an existence that he could not easily contend with with his current strength.

"How is the situation now?" He didn't immediately answer Jue's suggestion, but instead asked.

"The fighting has completely subsided."

Zetsu replied, "The Snow Country is undergoing a massive reconstruction. Kazehana Noto is dead, and his niece, Kazehana Koyuki, has become the new queen. As for the two sides that caused that upheaval..."

Zetsu's voice carried a strange certainty, "They have all completely disappeared. Whether it's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki or the unknown entity that fought against it, their auras have been wiped away as if by an eraser, completely clean, as if they never existed in this world."

"Completely...disappeared?"

Obito repeated the sentence, his expression behind the mask inscrutable.

Is he dead? Or... has he left this world?

"Yes, completely gone."

He nodded firmly, a hint of inquiry on his pale face: "As if it had never happened."

"The remaining energy at the scene was also dissipating rapidly, and no clues were left except for the battlefield that was destroyed beyond recognition."

The corner of Obito's mouth beneath his mask seemed to twitch slightly upwards; it wasn't a smile, but rather a silent relaxation after tension.

Although it's unclear exactly what happened, the worst doesn't seem to have occurred.

The source of that power, powerful enough to shake space and make him feel a chill, had left the chessboard.

As long as they are not around, no matter who they are or where they come from, they pose no immediate threat to his plans.

After much deliberation, Obito's crimson Sharingan locked onto Zetsu once more.

The voice regained its deliberately crafted elusiveness and sense of control: "In short, let's focus on our own plan for now. The variables in the Land of Snow will be put on hold for the time being. Once Nagato and the others have completely and firmly established the framework of 'Akatsuki' and absorbed enough power, that will be the time for us to make our official debut."

He needs time, more pieces, and for those eyes that belong to the gods to fully mature.

"understood."

He responded with a sound of absolute silence, and his body dissolved into the ground like liquid.

When he reappeared, he was wearing a black trench coat embroidered with red clouds—the Akatsuki's uniform.

"I will continue to keep an eye on the movements of the other tailed beasts and jinchūriki."

After saying that, its figure slowly sank into the ground and disappeared.

Only Obito remained inside the abandoned factory.

The one-eyed figure beneath the mask gazed out the window at the endless cold rain, his fingers lightly tapping the cold control panel.

The strange events in the Snow Country were like a brief but dazzling flash of lightning, illuminating some unknown things hidden in the shadows, before quickly returning to silence.

But as long as Kurama remains in Konoha, as long as those eyes are still part of the plan...

The world will eventually slide towards that "perfect" world of the Eye of the Moon, according to the script he set.

All he needs is patience.

Chapter 173 The Third Generation Resigns

The Country of Fire, Hidden Leaf Village.

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was solemn and somewhat somber.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, Konoha Village is bathed in the warm afternoon sun, bustling and full of life.

But inside the office, there were several elders and advisors dressed in fine clothes, representing the Daimyo's Mansion of the Land of Fire.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, members of the Konoha Elder Council, were sitting around a large conference table.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat in the main seat, his weathered face bearing deep weariness.

He slowly put down his pipe, exhaled a long puff of smoke, and glanced at everyone present.

The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight:

He slowly began to speak: "I have been in charge of Konoha for over a decade. Time waits for no man, and my energy is not what it used to be."

"The ninja world may appear calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. For the sake of Konoha's future, and to better prepare for the potential storms, I believe..."

"It's time to hand over the burden of Hokage to a younger, more energetic successor."

These words immediately caused a slight commotion in the meeting room.

An elder from the Daimyo Prefecture frowned and immediately retorted, "Third Hokage! Your achievements and prestige are unmatched! Konoha has prospered and remained stable under your rule."

"To abdicate at this moment would be too hasty! Moreover, your successor has not yet been clearly designated. How can Konoha be without a leader for even a day? You cannot abdicate yet!"

"The heir..."

The third generation picked up the pipe again and gently tapped the ash on the corner of the table.

His cloudy yet still sharp gaze swept over Kakashi Hatake, who was sitting to the side, engrossed in reading Icha Icha Paradise, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it was none of his business.

"In my mind, there is a suitable candidate."

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on Kakashi.

Kakashi seemed to only then realize the change in atmosphere and quickly stuffed the little yellow book back into his ninja tool bag.

He lazily raised his dead fish eyes, his tone as nonchalant as ever: "Huh? Me? Third Hokage, please don't joke around."

He scratched his messy silver hair. "I'm used to being lazy. I can't even lead my own team properly. It's too early for me to become Hokage. I'm too young and my temperament is unstable. I'm really not suitable for this position."

He refused decisively and without hesitation.

The elders of the Daimyo's mansion exchanged glances, one of them pondering, "Kakashi Hatake... the renowned 'Copy Ninja,' a disciple of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. His strength, experience, and background are impeccable; he is indeed qualified to inherit the Hokage position. However..."

He glanced at Kakashi's listless appearance and didn't say anything more.

Another elder's eyes lit up: "Then what about Lord Jiraiya? He's one of the legendary Sannin, renowned throughout the ninja world! His strength is exceptional, and his reputation is extremely high! Having him serve as the Fifth Hokage would definitely win over the people and deter any villains!"

Mentioning Jiraiya, the Third Hokage's face showed a helpless yet amused expression. He took a puff of his pipe and exhaled a smoke ring: "Ho ho! That kid Jiraiya?"

He shook his head: "I know his temperament better than anyone. Let him be Hokage? That would be worse than killing him!"

"He would rather spend his whole life soaking in hot springs and writing 'Make-Out Paradise' than sit obediently in the Hokage's office and revise documents."

The third generation's words were filled with understanding and helplessness towards his disciple.

The elders of Daming Prefecture frowned even more deeply.

Kakashi explicitly refused, and Jiraiya couldn't be relied upon. Was the Third Hokage really going to quit? That wouldn't do!

"Sandaime-sama,"

Koharu Utatane coughed, breaking the silence: "Konoha cannot be without a Hokage. You cannot abdicate until you have clearly designated and ensured that the successor can take over smoothly. This is for the sake of the village's stability."

The Third Generation seemed to have anticipated this, and a confident smile appeared on his wrinkled face as he slowly said, "In that case, I have another option."

"Who?" everyone asked in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation.

"He is also my disciple,"

The Third Hokage's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, carrying a trace of reminiscence and expectation: "One of the 'Three Legendary Sannin' who are on par with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, and the last bloodline of the Senju clan—Tsunade."

Jiraiya, carrying his signature giant scroll, looked at the Third Hokage with a bitter expression.

"Old man! Are you kidding me?!"

Jiraiya's voice was filled with sorrow: "Tsunade's whereabouts? I've been searching for her for so many years and there's still no news! If she's determined to hide, who can find her? You want me to search the whole world for a needle in a haystack?"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, leisurely puffed on his pipe.

He took a sealed document bag from his pocket and handed it to Jiraiya: "I happen to have some of the latest information on her whereabouts."

"However... you know her temper; she can't stay in one place for long. I can't guarantee whether she's still there now."

A sly glint flashed in his eyes, as if to say: The task is yours; whether you accept it or not is up to you.

Jiraiya took the document bag with some skepticism, tore open the seal, and quickly browsed the intelligence scroll inside.

As he looked, the bitter expression on his face turned into surprise: "Hmm? Tanabata Street? It's within the Land of Fire? It's not too far from here!"