svetikya Chapter 235 Two Pillars: Who the hell is spying on us every day?
Chapter 235 Two Pillars: Who the hell is spying on us every day?
Chapter 235 Erzhuzi: Who the hell is spying on me every day?
Konoha Village, early morning, training ground.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Sasuke, caught off guard, was slammed to the ground by Naruto.
The wolf and fox were secondary; what bothered him even more was that he had once again lost focus during the sparring session.
"Sasuke!"
This time, Naruto didn't shout triumphantly as usual. Instead, he put away his playful smile, rushed forward, and reached out to help Sasuke up.
"Sasuke! Are you alright? What's wrong with you these past few days? You seem distracted and completely out of sorts!"
Sasuke, looking annoyed and impatient, nimbly stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and said coldly, "I'm fine."
Naruto withdrew his hand, still staring at Sasuke with a puzzled look, and said, "Are you really alright? But you look—"
Sasuke ignored Naruto's question and instead frowned as he looked around.
Under the bright sky, the trees surrounding the training ground were lush and green. His gaze swept over the places where the branches met the blue sky, as if searching for something.
Again!
Sasuke was secretly annoyed.
Lately, he has felt that there is a hidden gaze watching him from the shadows.
Whether training or resting, the illusion of being watched followed him everywhere, making it impossible for him to concentrate.
However, whenever he tried to follow his senses, he never found any unusual traces.
Who is watching me from where?
"Sasuke, what are you looking for?"
Seeing Sasuke standing there looking around strangely, Naruto scratched his head and looked up at the treetops and sky as well, but found nothing.
i
In the forest outside Konoha Village.
A dark figure could be vaguely seen among the thick tree trunks.
Uchiha Itachi's eyes were closed, and at this moment his mind was sharing vision over a long distance through a crow.
The crow was circling above Konoha, taking in the entire scene of the training ground.
Suddenly, Itachi opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting a mixture of annoyance and hesitation.
He slowly raised his hand, formed a hand seal, and instantly severed the visual connection with the distant crows.
"call..-."
The weasel leaned against the tree trunk, exhaled softly, and a rare look of embarrassment appeared on its usually calm face.
"Sasuke noticed it again—Sasuke's senses are really sharp these days."
Itachi was also helpless.
He used to be far away in Amegakure, which was fine since he was far from Konoha.
But now that he's back near Konoha, he's only a foot away from Sasuke and can see him with ease.
The urge to constantly check on my younger brother's safety and watch him grow up was simply too much to resist.
It seemed that the frequency of the investigation was indeed too high. Uchiha realized that his almost instinctive attention had become a kind of interference with Sasuke.
He gazed at the lush greenery swaying all around him, and his expression gradually calmed down.
If this spying will affect Sasuke, then he must restrain himself no matter what.
Thinking of this, Itachi Uchiha slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again a moment later, there was an incomparably firm determination in his black eyes.
it is good!
Decided!
I'm not watching it today!
On the training ground.
Sasuke waved his hand dismissively, "I'm not playing anymore!"
Naruto was startled and quickly followed: "What? You're not playing anymore? Sasuke, what you're doing—"
Sasuke didn't even turn his head, saying with utter annoyance, "There's something dirty here, I can't compare. I'll find a place to train myself."
"Dirty—dirty stuff?!" Naruto stood there, stunned, not reacting for a moment. "Hey, Sasuke! Explain yourself! Do you need me to help you?"
"Need not."
Sasuke didn't stop walking and waved his hand to stop Naruto from following.
Naruto stood there speechless, only able to watch Sasuke stride away from the seventh training ground without looking back.
He scratched his messy blond hair, muttering in confusion, "Dirty stuff? What is it?" After leaving Naruto, Sasuke quickly walked through the bustling streets of Konoha Village and hurried towards the outskirts.
Only by getting away from the crowd and from that annoying gaze can he regain his usual focus and composure.
At this moment, Sasuke already had a clear destination in his mind: the steep cliff in the forest.
That place was where he often went during his childhood to train his physical abilities and chakra control.
The cliffs are steep and precipitous, rarely visited by people, making it the perfect place for free climbing training to hone one's will and body.
Going there would be good for two reasons: firstly, the environment would be quiet and undisturbed, allowing for peaceful cultivation; secondly, it would also help avoid being spied on.
Soon, Sasuke's figure moved through the lush forest, disappearing into the pea-shaped path after a few leaps.
Before long, he arrived at the foot of that familiar cliff.
Sasuke looked up and saw a towering sentry wall rising from the ground.
The rough rock face cast large shadows under the sunlight, adding to its eerie atmosphere.
Gazing at the steep cliff, Sasuke felt a long-lost sense of nostalgia well up in his heart.
Standing here once again, Sasuke clenched his fist slightly, secretly making up his mind.
He wanted to shake off all distractions here and rediscover inner peace and the rhythm of his spiritual practice.
Just do it.
Sasuke stretched his shoulders, neck, and limbs, taking deep breaths to get his body into optimal condition.
Immediately afterwards, he leaped up, firmly grasped the protruding part of the rock wall with both hands, and began to climb upwards by hand.
He didn't use any chakra, relying entirely on pure physical strength, finger strength, and body coordination to challenge the cliff.
The rough rock face was quite steep, but Sasuke was completely focused and, after climbing several dozen meters, gradually regained his composure, his movements becoming increasingly fluid and his rhythm perfect.
On the cliff, Sasuke's strong and agile figure climbed upwards like a nimble lizard, with loose rocks constantly falling at his feet.
When he had climbed about halfway up the mountain, a thought struck him. He spotted a slightly protruding rock in front of him, swung his body suddenly, and landed firmly on the rock to rest for the time being.
He leaned half his body against the rock wall, took a few deep breaths, and felt the soreness and numbness in his arms ease a bit.
Only then did he subconsciously turn around and look behind him, wanting to see how high he had climbed.
However, just as Sasuke's gaze swept past the path he had come from and towards the distant boundary between the mountains and forests, his pupils suddenly contracted!
On the clearing at the edge of the dense forest, a tall figure in black and red flashed by!
The figure was moving swiftly through the woods, seemingly chasing something.
"What?!" Sasuke was shocked and completely lost his senses.
He lost his footing, and his right hand, which was gripping the rock, involuntarily loosened, causing him to lose his balance instantly!
Oops!
Sasuke felt dizzy and his body tilted backward uncontrollably, falling straight down the cliff.
The howling wind exploded in his ears as Sasuke plummeted downwards, but the fleeting glimpse of that moment still lingered in his mind—that was clearly the Akatsuki's black robe with red clouds!
Am I seeing things wrong?
The moment the thought of doubt crossed his mind, Sasuke stumbled into a bush.
The fall wasn't too extreme, and he wasn't seriously injured, though he landed rather awkwardly.
"cough-"
Sasuke rolled out of the bushes and furiously brushed off the debris clinging to his body.
Did I just see it wrong?
How could Akatsuki members possibly be on the outskirts of Konoha Village?!
Sasuke was filled with doubt and unease.
In any case, it's better to confirm first, just to be on the safe side.
Thinking of this, he immediately jumped up from the ground.
This time, Sasuke held nothing back and suddenly mobilized the chakra within his body.
With a stomp of his foot, he shot up the cliff face once again like an arrow released from a bow!
With the boost of chakra, his climbing speed suddenly increased several times over.
The rugged surface of the cliff seemed to become perfectly flat beneath his feet. Sasuke's figure flashed by, and in a few breaths, he had reached the top of the cliff.
With a light tap of his toes, Sasuke landed steadily on the grass at the top of the cliff. Without even catching his breath, he immediately looked up in the direction where he had just noticed the strange occurrence.
His eyes were bloodshot; his Sharingan had been activated!
The Sharingan's visual perception far surpasses that of ordinary people; even from a great distance, it is enough to perceive many details.
The edge of the distant, lush forest soon came into Sasuke's view.
Sure enough, in an open space, a tall figure was walking briskly.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he began to observe intently.
The figure was carrying a wild boar, moving steadily toward a certain spot in the forest.
Although the distance was extremely far and the face was not clearly visible, Sasuke was able to discern the other person's attire and features using his Sharingan.
The Akatsuki's standard uniform with a black background and red clouds!
Grayish-white skin!
On his back was a huge, oddly shaped blade wrapped in bandages!
In an instant, several pieces of information overlapped in my mind.
Sasuke's pupils dilated slightly, and he couldn't help but gasp.
"Kisame Hoshigaki?!"
That's right, he would never mistake that unique appearance.
His breathing suddenly became rapid, and he felt a dull ache in his chest.
An even more terrifying thought surfaced in my mind.
Kisame is here—that means that damn fake is probably nearby too!
Now, this fake even dares to come near Konoha?!
Anger surged within his chest.
"Damn it—it's you again!"
Seeing Kisame getting further and further away, he gritted his teeth, his figure blurred, and he was about to chase after him in that direction.
However, after taking only two steps, Sasuke suddenly stopped, abruptly halting his impulsive movement.
No!
Calm down, you must calm down!
Alarm bells rang in his mind as he recalled his previous encounter with that counterfeit product.
That strange and unpredictable power was something I was completely unable to resist at the time.
If we rush in rashly this time, the result will only be a repeat of the same mistake!
Moreover, their appearance on the outskirts of Konoha without a word could not possibly be as simple as just passing by.
There must be another purpose behind it!
Thinking of this, Sasuke felt a chill run down his spine, and an ominous premonition arose within him.
Without hesitation, and without continuing his training, he turned around and ran towards Konoha Village at top speed.
Meanwhile, in a secluded training ground somewhere within Konoha Village, a special experiment is taking place.
This is a training ground exclusively for the Dark Division, completely enclosed by a barrier, making it extremely quiet and secluded.
A heavy, sturdy wooden human-shaped target stands in the center of the field, covered with dents and charred marks left from past practice sessions.
At this moment, Kakashi stood alone at one end of the open space.
He held his headband with one hand, completely exposing the Sharingan in his left eye.
At the center of the Sharingan, the three tomoe-shaped blood-red pupils have transformed into a strange pattern—a black triangular shuriken shape that slowly rotates. This is a pattern that only the Mangekyou Sharingan can display!
Kakashi took a deep breath, staring intently at the wooden dummy dozens of meters away, his chakra surging.
His pupils suddenly began to spin, his pupil power pushed to its limit!
In the distance, the upper body of the wooden dummy suddenly twisted, as if space had suddenly collapsed, creating a dark vortex!
The vortex emitted a suction hum and instantly swallowed the wooden dummy from the waist up!
"Whoosh"
The half of the wooden figure vanished without a trace, leaving only the lower half of the wooden stake standing alone in the same spot, its smooth cross-section as flat as a mirror.
Kakashi's vision went black, his body swayed violently, and a strong sense of dizziness surged over him.
He knelt down two steps, panting heavily, drenched in cold sweat.
The patterns on the Mangekyou Sharingan also quickly faded.
Jiraiya, who had been watching closely, reacted quickly and rushed to Kakashi's side, supporting him on the shoulder to prevent him from falling to the ground.
"Are you alright?" Jiraiya asked with concern.
His gaze then swept over the half-broken wooden dummy in the center of the field, and his face showed undisguised shock.
He strode toward the wooden stake and bent down to examine its smooth, mirror-like cut.
"Is this... the Mangekyou Sharingan's eye technique, 'Kamui'?"
Jiraiya stared at the smooth cross-section, reached out his finger and touched it; it felt delicate and smooth.
"This is simply too astonishing—"
Kakashi said weakly, "Jiraiya-sama, the effect is pretty good, isn't it?"
D1
Jiraiya turned around, quickly walked back to Kakashi's side, and looked him up and down: "The effect is good, but your condition is not good at all."
Kakashi shrugged and said, "It's alright, it's just a bit tiring. I'll be fine after a rest."
Jiraiya stared at Kakashi for a long time, making sure he was indeed alright, before nodding and saying, "To move a projectile from such a distance? That's unbelievable... but is it really possible?"
"It should be possible."
Kakashi nodded slightly, his expression equally resolute.
"I've sensed the spatial fluctuations when Obito activated his ability several times—almost exactly the same as my Kamui. They're just different in form. I'm certain that both Sharingan are leading to the same place!"
Jiraiya stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "Obito's eye technique sends objects into another dimension through contact; the size of the object doesn't significantly affect the energy consumption. The downside is that it only works at close range. Your 'Kamui,' on the other hand, directly twists space from a distance, forcibly sending targets within your field of vision into another dimension. The advantage is that you can attack enemies without getting close, but the disadvantage..."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.
"To expand the range of effect, the chakra consumption will increase several times over, right?"
Kakashi nodded with a wry smile: "That's right."
Jiraiya frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "This level of eye technique can easily injure yourself if you make a slight mistake. You can even tear apart the space between yourself and your target. To put it bluntly, if you don't control it properly, you could cut yourself in half as well!"
"I understand the risks involved," Kakashi said, looking directly at Jiraiya. "But I'm confident—I can master this power."
Just as the two were talking, the training ground door was suddenly pushed open.
A figure rushed into the arena.
The newcomer, wearing a mask from the Konoha Anbu, stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the two, saying, "Lord Jiraiya, Kakashi-senpai! This genin says he has an emergency to report to you both."
"Sasuke?" Kakashi and Jiraiya were both taken aback and looked at the Anbu behind them at the same time.
Sasuke strode in, his forehead covered in sweat, his chest heaving violently, clearly having run all the way from a great distance.
Jiraiya and Kakashi looked at Sasuke curiously.
Kakashi wasn't surprised that Sasuke had found this place, since he was the one who told him the location, but he was puzzled by Sasuke's eagerness.
Jiraiya asked in a deep voice, "Sasuke, what happened?"
Sasuke rushed forward and said urgently, "Jiraiya-sama, Kakashi-sensei! I just spotted members of the Akatsuki organization at the edge of the forest outside the village!"
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged a glance.
Kakashi spoke first, asking, "Sasuke, calm down and tell me slowly. Who exactly did you find? Where did you find them?"
Sasuke took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his tone, but his voice still betrayed his anxiety.
"It's right on the cliff top near the forest, south of the village! About half an hour ago, I saw a tall man wearing Akatsuki's black uniform with red clouds appear in the woods. He had greyish-white skin and carried a huge, strange sword. I'm sure it was Kisame Hoshigaki!"
As he said this, his fists clenched even tighter, and he continued through gritted teeth, "Kisame is an accomplice of that fake."
If Kisame appears near Konoha, that imposter is probably also active in the area!
Upon hearing Sasuke's report, Jiraiya and Kakashi quickly exchanged a glance, both revealing extremely subtle expressions.
Kakashi and Jiraiya both knew that Itachi Uchiha was on the outskirts of Konoha.
But he's a spy for Konoha, and he came to Konoha this time to assist in an investigation.
Because Itachi had previously asked them not to let Sasuke know about this matter, and that the two brothers should resolve their own issues.
Noticing the strange expressions on Jiraiya and Kakashi's faces, Sasuke was taken aback.
What kind of reaction is this?
Do they... not believe me?
Sasuke was extremely anxious.
"Everything I'm saying is true! If you don't believe me, I can personally lead a team to investigate."
"No, Sasuke, we don't disbelieve."
Jiraiya quickly coughed a few times to cover up his unusual expression, then straightened his face and interrupted Sasuke with a serious look.
"Sasuke! This information is very important! I'll go investigate and verify it myself immediately!"
He winked at Kakashi and ordered in a low voice, "Kakashi, go and immediately notify the Anbu to raise the alert level around the village!"
Kakashi understood immediately and nodded, "Understood."
Jiraiya turned to Sasuke, whose expression was tense, and softened his tone, instructing him, "Sasuke, now that we've discovered that Akatsuki members might be lurking nearby, from this moment on, neither you nor Naruto are allowed to leave the village without permission! You absolutely must remain within the village for the foreseeable future, understand? It's too dangerous to encounter the enemy alone!"
Sasuke frowned slightly as he looked at Jiraiya's arrangements.
Although he found their initial reaction a bit strange, their current response seemed reasonable. He nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Yes, I understand."
"Very good." Jiraiya patted Sasuke on the shoulder, giving him a relieved smile. "You notified us in time. Thank you for your hard work. It's getting late, you should go back and rest. Leave the rest to us."
"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."
After saying that, Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave the training ground.
In the quiet training ground, only Jiraiya and Kakashi remained, facing each other.
For a moment, no one spoke.
After a long silence, Kakashi sighed helplessly and said, "Is it really okay to keep this from him like this? He'll find out the truth sooner or later."
The sun sets in the west, and dusk descends.
As Sasuke returned from the Anbu training ground, the last rays of sunset were gradually disappearing from the horizon.
He hurried through the quiet street, his mind still in turmoil.
By the time they returned to their clan's residence, it was completely dark.
The dilapidated mansion was empty and deserted, with only him living there.
However, Sasuke had long been accustomed to this loneliness.
He quickly washed his face, changed into his pajamas, and then sat down at his desk, going over everything that had happened that day in his mind by the light of the lamp.
Thinking of the lingering feeling of being watched during the training session, Sasuke couldn't help but frown.
Strangely, starting in the afternoon, the feeling of being watched suddenly disappeared.
He recalled recent events and pondered, "Could it be—that someone is really watching me in the dark? Who is it?"
Sasuke turned off the bedside lamp and lay back on the familiar bed.
In the darkness, he stared at the ceiling for a while, then slowly closed his eyes.
Soon, drowsiness crept in, Sasuke's consciousness gradually blurred, and he drifted off to sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, Sasuke vaguely felt a faint light flickering before his eyes and seemed to hear birdsong in his ears.
He opened his eyes in confusion.
The intense sunlight streamed into the room through the paper sliding doors, illuminating the tatami floor.
Sasuke was stunned for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses.
This is a room from a dream!
"Very good.."
Sasuke sat up in bed, slowly exhaling, his eyes flashing with joy and excitement.
"I'm back in!"
Excitement surged within him, but Sasuke tried his best to remain calm.
However, what Sasuke didn't know was that today, the cooldown period for logging in simultaneously finally ended.
He wasn't the only one entering the dream at this moment.