Naruto's Strongest Force - Chapter 85

“I just want to get revenge on Konoha. I have no ill will towards the Uchiha; after all, I am one of them.”

Obito seemed to nonchalantly pace the deck, not caring that his back was turned to Natsuki.

Ha, that’s a joke, Natsuki thought, his face expressionless. I don’t believe you for a second. If I hadn’t taken Shisui and Itachi away first, the Uchiha would already have been destroyed.

“The ‘Chinese Cuisine’ initiative is your doing, right?” Obito inquired.

“So what if it is? And so what if it isn’t?” Natsuki replied indifferently.

“I have a proposition for you. Why not hear me out?” Obito continued, ignoring Natsuki’s cold demeanour.

Obito casually strolled along the deck, seemingly unguarded as he approached Natsuki. However, Natsuki noticed that Obito was carefully avoiding eye contact.

Is he wary of my Susanoo and Genjutsu? Natsuki wondered.

Obito’s Kamui is a passive ability; it activates automatically when attacked, making surprise attacks ineffective. But everyone knows that extensive use of the Mangekyo Sharingan leads to severe fatigue and blindness. Having transplanted Hashirama cells, Obito reduced his energy consumption and sped up recovery. However, a powerful genjutsu could instantly deplete his mental energy, causing him to revert from the Mangekyo to a three-tomoe Sharingan or even to close his eyes altogether.

Obito’s concern was valid. Despite his suspicion, Natsuki’s genjutsu skills were not strong; he couldn’t drain Obito’s mental energy like Itachi. Without the Totsuka Sword, Natsuki couldn’t pose a threat to Obito’s Kamui. Thus, Obito’s cautiousness was unnecessary.

“Your family died in the war, right?” Obito began. “I know a technique that can resurrect your loved ones under certain conditions. All I need is…”

What nonsense, trying to sell me on Edo Tensei?

Obito abruptly lunged at Natsuki, attempting to pull him into the Kamui dimension.

Natsuki leapt to the side, simultaneously throwing several shurikens. Obito dashed forward, the shuriken harmlessly phasing through him.

Natsuki observed coldly. Obito was quick, lightly tapping the ground as he touched Natsuki. Instantly, a vortex appeared, and a numbness spread through Natsuki.

Activating Susanoo, Natsuki repelled Obito. Obito gracefully flipped and landed on his feet.

“I’m curious. How much vision do you have left?” Obito asked confidently.

Natsuki seemed unresponsive. Obito sensed a disturbance in Natsuki’s emotions.

He had already tested Natsuki twice, noticing that during accidental eye contact, Natsuki hadn’t used genjutsu, indicating he wasn’t proficient in it. A genjutsu expert would seize any opportunity to attack.

Obito was aware of the Mangekyo Sharingan’s drawbacks. Sustaining Susanoo consumed vast amounts of chakra and eye power, making it impossible for Natsuki to keep it activated indefinitely. Unbeknownst to Obito, Natsuki possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and had extracted chakra from Naruto’s Uzumaki lineage. Natsuki’s skeletal Susanoo could be maintained for an extended period.

However, Natsuki lacked the means for a prolonged assault without the Totsuka Sword. Obito, confident in his invincibility through Kamui, felt secure.

Natsuki winced in apparent pain, clutching his eyes as Susanoo dissipated.

Obito smirked internally, believing Natsuki had exhausted his eye power. He advanced, reaching out to grab Natsuki.

Obito’s hand made contact, and a vortex began to form. Natsuki, though immobilised, prepared himself. As paralysis spread, Natsuki’s eyes snapped open.

“Amaterasu!”

Malevolent black flames erupted on Obito’s body.

“Argh! Ahhh!”

Obito screamed in agony, utterly shocked. Why? Why? Why is this happening?

His technique should have reduced Susanoo’s consumption, but the black flames burned on. Obito fled to the Kamui dimension, enduring the pain, only to find the fire persistent.

Rolling on the ground, Obito’s suffering continued. His left eye glowed with Sharingan power.

“Ahh! Ahhh!”

His screams echoed in the Kamui dimension as the flames consumed him. Reappearing in reality, drenched in sweat, Obito was terrified.

The pain was unbearable. How did this happen? Why does Natsuki have Amaterasu?

Obito recalled Madara’s records mentioning Amaterasu—a black flame that appeared where the eye focused. Natsuki had struck at the precise moment Obito solidified. How did Natsuki know his techniques so well?

Shaken, Obito realised Natsuki’s abilities were his undoing. Amaterasu, which was extinguished by few means, required armour or an external chakra layer—beyond Obito’s capabilities. Unable to activate Susanoo, Obito clutched his blinded left eye, deep in thought.

…

Natsuki noted the Amaterasu counter on his interface dropping to zero and vanishing. He admired Itachi’s abilities; his techniques perfectly countered Obito’s. With knowledge of Kamui’s mechanics, Amaterasu could effectively neutralise Obito.

No wonder Obito only became bold after Itachi’s death. Without Itachi, Obito was confident and fearless, like a masterless Guan Yu.

Obito likely now believes my Mangekyo ability is Amaterasu, Natsuki thought. He’s been beaten twice now and won’t rechallenge me lightly. Though I missed seeing Obito use Wood Release, it’s a minor regret.

Natsuki returned to the cabin, where his team awaited, relieved the battle didn’t occur at sea, risking capsizing. They saw Natsuki alone and sighed with relief, especially Kisame, who marvelled at how Natsuki had quietly defeated Obito.

“Boss, did he escape?” Kisame asked.

Natsuki, treating Kisame and Kurita as employees, nodded. “He has space-time jutsu. Killing him isn’t easy.”

White and Kimimaro, unfamiliar with space-time techniques, didn’t grasp the rarity, but Kisame and Kurita knew their boss was extraordinary.

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