"This juvenile..."
Obito Uchiha maintained position amidst the conflagration, his countenance manifesting darkness and displeasure.
Initially, he had conducted surveillance from obscured positioning, anticipating opportune intelligence gathering regarding Sasuke Uchiha. His expectations hadn't included Kitagawa Minamoto's encounter with Sasuke.
Nevertheless, this didn't necessarily constitute negative development. He had intended to evaluate Kitagawa Minamoto regardless, and with Sasuke's presence, it represented supplementary advantage.
What genuinely generated cognitive disruption, however, was how the youth had transitioned from casual discourse regarding Itachi Uchiha to launching kunai with explosive attachments directly toward him with no transitional warning.
If not for his maintained Kamui state, that offensive maneuver might have actually generated problematic circumstances!
To experience detection by a mere juvenile, and even receive initial offensive action?
Such absurd situational development represented something Obito found challenging to accept.
"Nevertheless, this youth's sensory capabilities appear remarkably acute..."
Obito contracted his ocular aperture while maintaining visual focus on Kitagawa Minamoto. He had merely approached their location with minimal proximity, yet the youth had detected him immediately. That generated surprise.
"You two, maintain heightened awareness and implement departure protocols at earliest opportunity," Kitagawa Minamoto articulated with reduced vocal amplitude but steady tonality.
He calculated that the previous explosive event should have attracted attention, but he exercised caution regarding assumptions.
"This individual likely maintains Itachi Uchiha affiliation. And Sasuke, permit my interrogative—do you maintain absolute certainty regarding complete Uchiha clan extermination during that nocturnal event?"
"..."
Sasuke, having experienced cognitive disruption and still processing the sudden developments, immediately displayed facial musculature suggesting disapproval at the interrogative.
What classification of interrogative was that?
But as he redirected visual focus toward the figure positioned amidst the flames, the crimson Sharingan beneath the spiral-patterned facial concealment caused his countenance to lose chromatic saturation.
"That's... the Sharingan?"
"The Sharingan? What does that designate?"
Naruto, demonstrating complete informational deficiency, could merely determine the figure's adversarial classification. Beyond that fundamental assessment, he experienced comprehensive confusion.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Naruto manipulated his abdominal region and descended to ground level, his respiratory function demonstrating irregularity. A crimson aura of chakra began emanating from his physiological structure.
"The Nine-Tails is generating response?"
Kitagawa Minamoto immediately comprehended the situational parameters. The Nine-Tails must have recognized Obito Uchiha's presence—it would never experience memory failure regarding the individual who had once implemented control protocols.
But this didn't necessarily constitute negative development. Nine-Tails reactivity would inevitably alert the entire village.
"The Nine-Tails... still demonstrating intellectual deficiency as ever."
Obito briefly observed Naruto, his tonal qualities suggesting indifference.
"Youth, your ocular acuity demonstrates impressiveness, but..."
He maintained comfort regarding Sharingan revelation. After all, he had already assumed "Madara Uchiha" identity.
As he communicated, he initiated approach. The surrounding conflagration appeared incapable of affecting him, and instantaneously, his velocity parameters increased dramatically. Within momentary temporal parameters, he achieved immediate proximity to the three of them.
"All your implemented actions demonstrate futility!"
Kitagawa Minamoto had maintained close observational protocols regarding Obito's movement patterns. The moment Obito implemented action, Minamoto forcefully displaced Sasuke and Naruto, his right upper appendage generating purple electrical discharge.
Obito Uchiha's strength parameters demonstrated undeniable absurdity. During the Nine-Tails' assault nocturnal event, he had effortlessly neutralized ANBU squads and controlled the Nine-Tails with mere ocular contact.
Even after receiving direct impact from Minato Namikaze's Rasengan, he had maintained biological functions. His resilience demonstrated monstrous qualities.
But simultaneously, his fundamental capabilities weren't particularly exceptional. His Kamui dependency constituted his authentic strength.
To effectively counter him—or even implement temporary delay tactics—required strategic methodology.
Fortunately, Kitagawa Minamoto maintained awareness regarding three methodologies to counter Kamui. Three!
Buzz—
Purple electrical discharge traveled toward Obito's facial concealment, but as anticipated, it passed through him without effect.
Obito immediately implemented counteroffensive measures, manifesting a chain that he directed toward Minamoto the moment the youth evaded the attack.
However, Obito displayed minor facial contraction. Minamoto had anticipated his maneuver and reduced his vertical positioning at precisely the correct moment to avoid the chain.
Though surprised, Obito maintained operational continuity. His movements demonstrated fluidity, his chain sweeping toward Minamoto again.
Minamoto, demonstrating rapid ambulatory response, evaded once more and created interpersonal distance. His upper appendages executed a sequence of seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive incendiary sphere traveled toward Obito, its thermal output distorting surrounding atmospheric conditions. But Obito merely executed negative cranial gesture with disdainful quality.
"Is this Kakashi's instructional content? It demonstrates complete ineffectiveness!"
He didn't even implement evasive protocols. His Sharingan rotated slightly, and in the subsequent moment, several oversized shuriken traveled toward Minamoto with exceptional velocity.
"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"
Minamoto's superciliary region demonstrated minor muscular contraction, but he refrained from hesitation. His upper appendages formed seals instantaneously, and a massive earthen barrier emerged from terrestrial level, completely obstructing the shuriken.
"Your seal execution velocity demonstrates impressiveness."
Obito produced facial musculature suggesting derision, his tonal qualities incorporating mockery.
"But if you maintain temporal delay strategic intent, you'll require superior methodologies."
"Actually, this demonstrates sufficiency."
As the earth barrier disintegrated, Minamoto's form reappeared. He maintained visual focus on Obito, his vocalization deliberately demonstrating calmness.
"I can perceive your state parameters. You don't constitute illusion or Genjutsu. You've implemented specialized capability to achieve intangibility.
"And those shuriken previously—they materialized without apparent source. I've received intelligence that the Fourth Hokage possessed space-time ninjutsu. Yours must represent something comparable, correct?"
"Indeed."
Obito indicated agreement through cranial movement, disappearing instantaneously. His form reappeared from terrestrial level, advancing directly toward Minamoto.
"But cognitive awareness doesn't equate to countermeasure capability. Weren't you aware? Konohagakure personnel consistently demonstrate temporal tardiness!"
Whoosh—
The chain traveled toward Minamoto, but he implemented vertical displacement. Several kunai departed his upper appendage, directed precisely at Obito.
Unfortunately, Obito's physiological structure maintained intangibility, and the kunai passed through without effect.
"How uninteresting. Against overwhelming power parameters, regardless of struggle quantity, all demonstrates futility."
Obito reduced interpersonal distance, his chain positioned for offensive implementation. But precisely as it approached contact, he perceived anomalous indicators.
Zzzzz—
In that instant, Minamoto's physiological structure dissolved into crackling purple electricity, generating shock effect on Obito and compelling his retreat.
"A Lightning Clone? You established it during the Earth Style Wall implementation?"
The Sharingan's perceptual capabilities demonstrated unparalleled qualities, but even it couldn't predict every strategic methodology. After all, even Kakashi's Lightning Clone had successfully deceived Obito in future temporal parameters.
As residual electrical discharge traveled through his chain, Obito's visual focus intensified. Simultaneously, multiple kunai traveled toward him from posterior positioning.
"Tch, this juvenile..."
Obito produced lingual-dental friction indicating annoyance, implementing posterior displacement as his Sharingan activated. The spatial parameters surrounding him began demonstrating distortion.
He desired self-teleportation implementation, but having just executed offensive action, he maintained tangible state. With single Mangekyō Sharingan limitation, the temporal requirements for self-displacement exceeded those for external object transfer.
For present circumstances, he focused on warping the incoming kunai.
The kunai vanished into the distorted spatial region, leaving no perceptible trace.
But at considerable distance, Kitagawa Minamoto, who had been implementing patience strategy, finally displayed facial musculature suggesting satisfaction.
This... this constituted the moment he had been anticipating.
...
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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