"What precisely is transpiring?!"
Within Konohagakure's boundaries, Hiruzen Sarutobi was directing an ANBU contingent as they advanced rapidly toward the incident location. Accompanying him, much to his dissatisfaction, was none other than Danzō Shimura.
Hiruzen maintained no desire for his longstanding associate's presence, but given the situation's urgency, his options remained limited.
"Hmph, it appears Konohagakure has deteriorated into considerable disorder under your administration," Danzō articulated with derision as they maintained rapid forward movement, his tonal qualities saturated with sarcasm. Hiruzen directed visual hostility toward him, his displeasure unmistakable.
But Danzō remained unaffected. Even after Hiruzen had implemented ANBU containment protocols around Root and removed his "Armor" (his direct authority), Danzō maintained defiant posture.
"Do you hypothesize connection with Jiraiya's return? Perhaps he generated... unwanted attention during his travels?"
"Jiraiya?"
Hiruzen elevated his superciliary region but refrained from interrogating Danzō's intelligence sources regarding Jiraiya's return. After all, Danzō consistently operated outside established protocols.
Regarding the possibility of Jiraiya generating problematic circumstances...
Hiruzen maintained suspicion regarding Danzō's implications, but elected to avoid direct confrontation.
"Hm?"
As they maintained forward momentum, they suddenly observed Jiraiya, Might Guy, and a visibly exhausted Kakashi Hatake approaching from the opposite direction.
"Old man?"
Jiraiya vocalized upon observing Hiruzen, his tonal qualities conveying both surprise and relief.
"What motivates your presence here? And... Danzō?"
"I was proceeding to his location when this incident manifested, so I elected to investigate," Hiruzen explained concisely before accelerating to join Jiraiya. As they continued movement, he reduced vocal amplitude to inquire, "What's your assessment? Could this demonstrate... correlation with certain 'tails'?"
"Uh..."
Jiraiya demonstrated hesitation regarding the interrogative's initial component, preparing to execute negative cranial gesture and explain his extended village absence. But the secondary component generated cognitive pause, his brow contracting in contemplation.
After momentary consideration, he responded with reduced vocal amplitude, "We implemented rapid return protocols, but our identities maintain high recognition factors. Considering Orochimaru and Itachi Uchiha, definitive conclusions remain challenging."
"I comprehend..."
Hiruzen articulated softly, his expression thoughtful. Jiraiya, observing this, produced audible amusement and executed negative cranial gesture.
"Old man, refrain from consistent negative hypothesizing. What if this merely constitutes coincidental occurrence?"
"You don't maintain Hokage position. Your comprehension remains limited. From Hokage perspective, optimistic speculation demonstrates impracticality."
Hiruzen's tonal qualities conveyed mild exasperation regarding his student's optimism. Even if Jiraiya intended reassurance, such communication demonstrated redundancy.
For the Hokage, trivial matters didn't exist.
"Acknowledged, acknowledged, let's merely accelerate and investigate," Jiraiya communicated with facial musculature suggesting amusement, dismissing the tension.
"Perhaps it genuinely constitutes coinciden—huh?"
Before sentence completion, his expression demonstrated sudden immobility.
Not exclusively him—all surrounding individuals appeared to detect it. Their facial expressions simultaneously transformed to gravity.
"That's... the Nine-Tails' chakra?!"
If the previous situation had merely elevated their alertness, this new development now signified full-scale crisis for Konohagakure.
"Why haven't ANBU operatives reported this?!"
Hiruzen's countenance darkened as he increased velocity, his vocalization sharp with urgency. One proximal ANBU operative lowered their cranial region in evident remorse.
"Lord Hokage, previously... he maintained proximity with Lord Jiraiya and Captain Kakashi, so we assumed..."
"..."
Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Guy all displayed visible discomfort. None had anticipated such situational escalation.
Hiruzen comprehended the ANBU's logical framework—after all, Naruto maintaining proximity with Jiraiya and Kakashi should have ensured security. Who could have predicted such developmental trajectory?
Nevertheless, he couldn't suppress visual hostility toward Jiraiya before redirecting and vocalizing, "Increase velocity! We cannot afford operational errors!"
"Acknowledged!"
Jiraiya refrained from further delay, and Guy even considered abandoning Kakashi to advance independently. Ultimately, he refrained, as they maintained proximity to the location.
After brief rapid movement, they finally arrived.
Their observation generated mild relief: Naruto maintained proximity with Sasuke, though the crimson chakra surrounding him indicated unstable condition.
On the opposite side, Kitagawa Minamoto was confronting a masked individual in black attire.
But in the subsequent moment, their ocular regions expanded in shock.
"That's..."
"As I hypothesized, your capabilities demonstrate similarity to the Fourth Hokage's—a space-time technique," Kitagawa Minamoto articulated quietly, his visual focus maintained on Obito Uchiha.
"However, your technique appears to prioritize object transfer, whether it's my offensive maneuvers or your physiological structure. But materialization only occurs during active movement implementation, correct?"
"...You demonstrate considerable perceptual acuity, youth."
Obito temporarily suspended communication before reluctantly offering commendation. Internally, however, he experienced surprise. The previous instance of someone rapidly deducing his Kamui's operational parameters occurred ten years prior.
During that temporal period, his adversary had been Minato Namikaze, and the educational experience had generated considerable discomfort.
"But what significance does your deduction hold? Do you possess countermeasure methodology?"
"I might not," Minamoto acknowledged with upper appendage elevation, "but I don't require your defeat. I merely require temporal delay implementation."
He communicated with deliberate nonchalance, intending to generate false security perception in Obito.
"And another intriguing observation exists. You designated Kakashi-sensei a 'failure,' suggesting familiarity and unresolved conflict.
"Additionally, your Sharingan occupies your right ocular region, while Kakashi's occupies his left. Could correlation exist between you two?"
At this, Obito's composure demonstrated minor disruption.
While he could dismiss it as coincidental—after all, Sharingan could have been extracted from Uchiha members—it wasn't something he desired Konohagakure to investigate further.
Especially considering his previous Kakashi insult. Regardless of correlation existence, this interrogative trajectory could lead the village to uncover factual reality.
He needed to maintain "Madara Uchiha" identity to suppress Nagato, not expose himself as the obscure "Obito Uchiha."
"I cannot permit this juvenile's continued vocalization!"
Obito's Sharingan rotated, and his physiological structure began twisting as he activated Kamui. But in that instant, he observed Minamoto implementing even more rapid movement.
Zzzzz—
Instantaneously, Minamoto transformed into purple electrical discharge, advancing directly toward Obito. The electrical manifestation surrounding his upper appendage resembled the Chidori, generating deadly energy.
"Intellectually deficient juvenile."
Obito produced facial musculature suggesting derision. He could detect Konohagakure reinforcements approaching, but maintained calmness. To him, Minamoto was merely providing opportunity.
"You've generated these consequences through personal action!"
As Minamoto reduced interpersonal distance, Obito's physiological structure shimmered, fully entering Kamui's Dimension. He intended to permanently neutralize this nuisance.
Zzzzz—
"Hm?"
Obito experienced sudden immobility. Why could he still perceive electrical discharge acoustics, even within Kamui's Dimension?
"I've been anticipating your arrival!"
A vocalization echoed within the dimension, and Obito's Sharingan expanded in shock.
Another Kitagawa Minamoto already occupied position inside Kamui's Dimension. This version demonstrated difference—his chakra surged powerfully, and crimson markings adorned his facial region. The purple electrical discharge in his upper appendage was directed precisely at Obito.
"Expletive, I've experienced deception!"
Experiencing panic, Obito attempted to exit Kamui's Dimension, but externally, the original Minamoto's purple electrical discharge was already penetrating toward his thoracic region.
Trapped between simultaneous offensive maneuvers, Obito had no alternative but lateral displacement.
Simultaneously, he projected his right upper appendage forward, wooden protrusions emerging to eliminate the threat within Kamui's Dimension.
Boom—
The protrusions impaled the shadow clone inside the dimension, but the external attack achieved success, shattering Obito's mask into fragments.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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