[Note: From now on, there will be 2 free chapters available on my Patreon—a gift to all my readers. Your support is the only thing that keeps me going. Thank you once again!]
Chapter 56: Yusuke Reveals Himself
In a secluded valley within the Land of Rain, four members of the Akatsuki, tasked with assassinating Yusuke, stood in a solemn circle, as if deliberating something of great importance.
"Let's begin," Kakuzu said in a low voice.
A glint flashed in each of their eyes as they simultaneously raised their hands. Among them, Sasori raised the mechanical arm of Hiruko.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
Seeing the three "papers" in front of him and then looking at his own clenched fist, Hidan protested unhappily, "Oi, oi, you guys rigged this, didn't you?!"
"Cut the crap and carry the body," Sasori replied blandly.
"Tch, what rotten luck! Maybe instead of worshipping Jashin-sama, I should've been praying to the God of Gambling?"
"No, no, Jashin-sama, I repent! Please forgive my blasphemy," Hidan muttered resentfully under his breath.
As Hidan begrudgingly hoisted Yusuke's "corpse" onto his back, one of the limp arms happened to dangle in front of Hiruko, who was crouched nearby.
Through Hiruko's mechanical eyes, Sasori noticed something unusual—the corpse's palms were unnaturally smooth and unblemished.
"Wait, something's wrong! This isn't our target!" Sasori suddenly shouted in alarm.
Before his words had even faded, a cold voice echoed from the top of the valley.
"Fire Style: Majestic Flame Destroyer!"
A massive torrent of flames suddenly surged down from above, engulfing the valley in an overwhelming blaze. The scale of the fire far exceeded that of a standard "Fireball Jutsu," blanketing not only the Akatsuki members but the entire surrounding area.
Reacting swiftly, the Mist-nin, Jūzō Biwa, countered with Water Release.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
Thanks to the valley's location in the Land of Rain—where the air was saturated with moisture and rain was falling steadily—the conditions were ideal for water-style techniques.
Under these favorable conditions, Jūzō unleashed an especially massive Great Waterfall Jutsu.
As the roaring flames clashed with the cascading torrents of water, a constant sizzling sound filled the air—the roar of moisture being vaporized under the intense heat.
In moments, the entire valley was shrouded in thick mist.
Although Jūzō managed to momentarily hold back the raging fire, the Akatsuki members quickly realized that the flames hadn't diminished. In fact, the "great waterfall" had already shrunk to a mere trickle.
"Oi oi, that water technique of yours is all 'water' and no bite!" Hidan taunted, seeing the flimsy water shield thinning rapidly under the relentless blaze.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu and Sasori wore grave expressions. The enemy's fire-style jutsu was far stronger than anything they had encountered before. It was clear that Jūzō's water technique alone wouldn't be enough to contain it.
They had to act—fast.
Suddenly, Kakuzu's cloak puffed up like a balloon, and two strange, mask-wearing creatures emerged from underneath, dragging with them a mass of gray-black tendrils.
These tendrils were the manifestation of Kakuzu's forbidden technique: Earth Grudge Fear!
Using this ability, Kakuzu could capture and integrate the hearts of shinobi with different chakra natures into his body, creating independent mask-beasts that assisted in combat. Each heart could also protect Kakuzu from one fatal injury.
This time, the creatures that emerged bore masks marked with blue and gray patterns—representing Water and Wind affinities respectively.
At the same time, Sasori maneuvered Hiruko, raising both mechanical arms. From the arms extended pipes, aiming at the descending wall of fire.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
"Scroll Release: Water Style: Water Flow Rampart!"
Streams of water surged simultaneously from the mouth of the water-affinity mask creature and the mechanical arm of Hiruko, merging seamlessly with Biwa Jūzō's Great Waterfall Technique.
Under the combined might of the three Akatsuki members unleashing Water Release jutsu, the raging flames were finally suppressed, gradually weakening until they were completely extinguished.
Watching the dense mist rising before them, Kakuzu frowned slightly.
There were four Akatsuki members present, but the enemy who had launched the surprise attack remained hidden. In such a situation, the heavy mist was a serious disadvantage for their side.
"Wind Release: Passing Typhoon!"
At Kakuzu's command, the wind-affinity mask creature opened its mouth, unleashing a fierce gust that quickly blew the mist away, clearing the entire valley and restoring their visibility.
As the mist scattered, slow, steady footsteps echoed through the valley.
"As expected of Sasori of the Red Sand—you even realized the corpse was a fake."
The real Yūsuke finally revealed himself, walking leisurely toward the gathered Akatsuki members.
Earlier, after suspecting that his mission partner, Inada Shin, was compromised, Yūsuke had swiftly cast a genjutsu to seize control of him.
Since Inada Shin had only limited intel, and Root operatives were trained to resist information leaks, Yūsuke managed to extract only basic details: the meeting place, the time, and the passcode.
Beyond that, Inada Shin could offer nothing of value.
Determined to investigate the enemy's ambush firsthand, Yūsuke used a forbidden technique he had learned from Orochimaru to completely alter Inada Shin's appearance, reshaping his face to look identical to his own.
Unlike a standard Transformation Jutsu, this forbidden art physically altered the body without leaving behind any chakra fluctuations, making it incredibly hard to detect.
After the transformation, Yūsuke continued to use genjutsu to control Inada Shin, sending him toward the designated meeting point.
Upon discovering that the ones lying in wait were Akatsuki members, Yūsuke was immediately alarmed, realizing that Danzō and Obito must have joined forces!
Such an alliance implied that Danzō wasn't merely targeting him—but possibly plotting against the entire Uchiha Clan. After all, in the original timeline, Obito played a crucial role during the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
This revelation deeply unsettled Yūsuke. Although he had already made preparations for contingencies, the trigger for these plans was beyond his immediate control.
If disaster struck now, he wouldn't be able to return to the village in time.
Thus, he decided: he must first eliminate the Akatsuki members in front of him.
While the Akatsuki were undoubtedly composed of elite fighters and had the advantage in numbers, Yūsuke was no longer the boy he once was.
Over the past three years, his body had matured from adolescence into early adulthood. His stamina, chakra reserves, and overall vitality had all seen tremendous growth.
Moreover, through deep spiritual training, Yūsuke had learned to wield spiritual pressure (reiryoku) proficiently in battle, and his mastery over his Zanpakutō had advanced to a whole new level. He was now fully confident in his strength.
Most importantly, aside from Biwa Jūzō—whom Yūsuke was less familiar with—he knew the abilities of the other Akatsuki members inside and out.
With overwhelming strength and a critical advantage in intelligence, Yūsuke had no fear of the enemy before him!
As Yūsuke made his appearance, the Akatsuki members tensed, their wariness evident.
"So you're Uchiha Yūsuke... No wonder there's a 150 million ryō bounty on your head," Kakuzu said grimly, his eyes fixed on Yūsuke.
Yūsuke's earlier Majestic Flame Destroyer had left a deep impression on them. Even in this perpetually damp environment, it had taken the combined effort of three Water Release masters to barely fend it off.
Not even among their extensive experience had they ever encountered a Fire Release of such devastating power.
Now, they could truly believe the evaluation Orochimaru had given Yūsuke—not just rumor, but reality.
"This enemy... is unlike any we've faced before!"
Such was the unspoken thought in each Akatsuki member's heart.
---