Starting as the Hidden Mastermind from Naruto

Chapter 167: Why Bother with Love? Isn't it Good to Be a Mastermind?

He'd been found out.

That was Orochimaru's first thought.

This was a bit unreasonable. After all, these forbidden techniques had always been sealed in Konoha's forbidden jutsu room. No one had ever seen them. Naraku Uehara was just a small ninja from the Land of Rain. How on earth did he see through it?

Just as Orochimaru was beginning to suspect Kabuto Yakushi, Kabuto suddenly spoke, "Lord Naraku, Lord Orochimaru has already given you the forbidden techniques. If you suspect us, you shouldn't have proceeded with this transaction…"

"I'm not suspicious!"

Naraku Uehara looked at Orochimaru and chuckled lightly, "I'm just asking Mr. Orochimaru to help me test them out. Is there a problem?"

"Forget it."

A ferocious glint appeared in Orochimaru's pupils. He slowly raised his head to look at Naraku Uehara, "However, Edo Tensei has a problem. Some powerful ninjas, when resurrected with Edo Tensei, will display even greater combat power. My chakra is insufficient to control them."

Naraku Uehara's expression froze for a moment, then he suddenly laughed, "It's fine. I can kill Kabuto now and let you perform the Edo Tensei technique on him. You're still being stubborn even now. Then demonstrate it for me to see!"

"I can do it myself!"

Kabuto Yakushi glanced at Naraku Uehara, pushed his glasses, and gripped his chakra scalpel, ready to slit his own throat at any moment.

"Stop, Kabuto!"

Orochimaru stopped Kabuto with an incredibly ugly expression.

Because the scroll was a fake from the beginning, if he really used the hand seals of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to perform Edo Tensei, the truth would eventually be revealed.

If Orochimaru chose to turn hostile at the last moment, he would have wasted Kabuto's life for nothing and lost a very talented medical ninja.

"Act, go on, act!"

Naraku Uehara chuckled and looked at Orochimaru, continuing, "Didn't you tell me this was Edo Tensei?"

As he spoke, the smile on Naraku Uehara's face instantly vanished. He slammed a fist next to Orochimaru, shattering the ground beneath him!

Naraku Uehara's face was like impenetrable ice as he said coldly, "Orochimaru, the most important thing for a person is credibility! How can you establish yourself in the ninja world without the spirit of a contract! You even deceive a young person like me. Are you even human!"

"..."

Orochimaru looked at Naraku Uehara speechlessly.

How did this little bastard have the face to say such things?

It was clearly this bastard Naraku Uehara who was trying to force him, an old man, to his death!

Orochimaru looked at Naraku Uehara coldly, "If you hadn't forcibly demanded my research results, I wouldn't have chosen to deceive you."

The expression on Naraku Uehara's face stiffened for a second before he said in a deep voice, "I can kill you at any time and prevent your resurrection!"

This sentence directly choked Orochimaru.

A1 moment later, Orochimaru shook his head and said with some sorrow, "Naraku-kun, a prized ninjutsu is more important to a ninja than his own life…"

As Orochimaru spoke, his voice even trembled slightly at the end.

At this moment, Orochimaru actually showed the helplessness of an old man in his twilight years.

Naraku Uehara even felt for a moment that maybe he had been pushing Orochimaru too hard all this time, that maybe this was a bit too much…

After a long while.

Naraku Uehara extended his hand, pulled Orochimaru to his feet, and patted the dirt off his clothes, "Alright, alright, isn't it just three forbidden techniques and two summoning scrolls? Whether you're willing to give them to me or not, I can kill you at any time anyway."

Orochimaru: "..."

Could this guy really not say a single decent human sentence?

But it sounded like there might still be a chance…

Just as Orochimaru was feeling a little fortunate that speaking his mind for once had actually softened Naraku Uehara's heart, Naraku Uehara continued, "It's just that if you give me the scrolls now, and if you behave obediently in the future, you can still live on and continue your research. If you don't give me the ninjutsu scrolls, you will die now, and die very miserably."

"..."

Orochimaru was completely at a loss for words. Was this little bastard Naraku Uehara made of stone?

It seemed there was no room for negotiation now.

If they fought, he would have to bear the risks.

After all, Naraku Uehara had plenty of cards up his sleeve. He could even summon Pain to fight alongside him, and also had a summoning beast that could kill Manda with a single punch.

Orochimaru sighed faintly, looked at Kabuto Yakushi, and said in a low voice, "Kabuto, help me prepare three new scrolls!"

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Kabuto's face was also filled with helplessness.

Orochimaru fiercely bit his fingertip, drawing blood again. One day, he would definitely reclaim the humiliation he suffered today!

An hour later.

Three scrolls fell into Naraku Uehara's hands.

Side Mission: Obtain the Eight Branches Technique (1/1). Mission completed. Reward: 100 Gold Coins.

Side Mission: Obtain the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique (1/1). Mission completed. Reward: 100 Gold Coins.

Side Mission: Obtain the Edo Tensei Technique (1/1). Mission completed. Reward: Skill - Children of the Grave.

Children of the Grave: Places a death mark on a target, slowly reaping the target's life energy until the target dies; after the target dies, enslaves the target's soul and body to continue fighting for 45 seconds. Skill cost: 100 chakra. Skill cooldown: 60 seconds.

Orochimaru's own ninjutsu seemed to be really unpopular; the system only gave the minimum reward.

As for Children of the Grave, this skill seemed a bit useless.

But if it enslaved the target's body and soul, it might be able to make the target fight at full power!

However, Naraku Uehara already possessed Edo Tensei, so this skill really seemed redundant!

Naraku Uehara casually pulled out a White Zetsu. He inputted chakra from his hand into the White Zetsu's body, awakening it.

Immediately after, Naraku Uehara pulled out Obito Uchiha's remains and took the Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan from Obito's body.

Clearly, what he was about to do was self-evident.

A trace of envy appeared in Orochimaru's eyes. He liked to collect any powerful ninja. Although Obito Uchiha's performance was not great, no one would deny an Uchiha who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Oh, right."

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Naraku Uehara turned to look at Orochimaru, "Mr. Orochimaru, can you spare me a coffin? And give me a vial of Hashirama cells while you're at it?"

"..."

Orochimaru's expression immediately worsened. What did Naraku Uehara take him for, constantly taking whatever he wanted from him?

Half a minute later.

After Orochimaru injected Hashirama cells into the White Zetsu that Naraku Uehara had revived, it immediately successfully awakened Wood Release. This scene made Orochimaru's heart wild with joy!

It was just a pity that this Wood Release-awakened White Zetsu wouldn't live for long.

Orochimaru knew in his heart that Naraku Uehara wanted to use this White Zetsu as a sacrifice for Edo Tensei. A look of regret appeared on his face, "A Wood Release user, don't you think it's a pity to use it as a sacrifice for Edo Tensei?"

"Only in this way can the power of the resurrected person be maximized, right!"

Naraku Uehara shook his head, slowly brought his hands together, and continued softly, "If the resurrected person's power is too strong, it's easy to lose control. I, of course, don't mind, but Mr. Orochimaru's strength…"

Orochimaru: "..."

This problem indeed needed attention.

But Naraku Uehara was clearly attacking him verbally again. He had given him everything he wanted, why did he still have to humiliate him like this?

"Ninpō: Edo Tensei Technique!"

Naraku Uehara's palm suddenly slapped the ground. A string of sealing formulas quickly formed, appearing on the ground, and Obito Uchiha's body quickly turned into a pile of ash, enveloping the body of that White Zetsu!

In the Pure Land.

While Obito Uchiha's soul was apologizing to the small girl, Rin Nohara, his soul suddenly floated up and returned to the world of the living!

A moment later, Obito Uchiha was revived using this White Zetsu!

However, his face still had several cracks, which was somewhat different from the First and Second Hokage that Orochimaru had resurrected with Edo Tensei before…

Kabuto Yakushi softly voiced his doubt, "Is it that White Zetsu is still not a qualified enough sacrifice for Edo Tensei?"

"No, it's more than qualified."

A trace of fanaticism flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.

Because the previous sacrifices were not qualified enough, the First and Second Hokage could2 not display their full power; their power was limited by Edo Tensei.

However, White Zetsu could allow them to display enough power. If the power they could use was too great, some cracks would appear on their faces.

These cracks indicated that their power was immense, so much so that even the most qualified material could not restore them to their prime!

Clearly, Obito Uchiha's strength was not weak.

The resurrected Obito Uchiha's expression was clearly foul. Perhaps because he had never possessed two Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan, he still only had that one Kamui eye and one ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan.

Naraku Uehara couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

Obito Uchiha coldly sized up everyone present and fiercely clenched his fist, "Bastard, how dare you disturb my reunion with Rin using Edo Tensei! You promised me!"

Naraku Uehara raised an eyebrow. Obito Uchiha's will was so astonishing, he had almost broken free from the restraints of Edo Tensei!

As expected of the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails in history!

To think that just by his unrequited love for a little girl, he could make his will so strong!

Naraku Uehara abruptly raised his finger, concentrating his powerful chakra to control Obito Uchiha and force him into the coffin, completely ignoring Obito's furious expression.

If an Edo Tensei subject wanted to break free, they either had to be strong enough to break the restraints, or their will had to be strong enough to break the control.

However, these premises were all based on the user not competing with the Edo Tensei for control of the body.

If it were Orochimaru now, perhaps Obito Uchiha would have a great chance of breaking free with his own will and strength. Unfortunately, the one controlling him was Naraku Uehara.

Naraku Uehara closed the coffin lid, forcing Obito Uchiha into a deep sleep. He patted the coffin and sighed, "Why should people like us bother with love? Isn't it good to just concentrate on being a mastermind behind the scenes in the ninja world?"

(End of Chapter)

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