Chapter 62: Winds of Turmoil
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At the Akatsuki's hideout.
"All the clones are ready to deploy," White Zetsu reported.
"Go. Assemble outside Konoha and wait for my signal," Obito ordered.
"Understood!"
Rustle, rustle, rustle. The White Zetsu clones burrowed into the ground, leaving the hideout empty.
Obito turned his gaze toward the seat behind him. Sasuke sat with his head lowered, his expression dark and brooding. The members of Team Taka surrounded him. Notably, Jūgo's previously broken arms had been replaced by White Zetsu prosthetics.
"Are you ready?" Obito asked.
Sasuke remained silent.
Karin's expression was tense. Deep down, she hoped Sasuke would turn back and not sink deeper into the abyss.
Sasuke looked at the three of them and said, "This is my revenge. As for the rest of you, follow me if you wish."
Karin's eyes dimmed, but she replied resolutely, "I'll go with you, Sasuke! My abilities will be useful!"
Jūgo added, "I'll go too. You are the embodiment of Kimimaro's will. Your actions are his will."
"Uh… Can I not go? Honestly, attacking a major shinobi village like Konoha—whether I'm there or not won't make much difference." Suigetsu wanted to say this, but in the end, he didn't. Instead, he slung the Executioner's Blade over his shoulder and said, "I'll go too. Clearing out Konoha's grunts or charging the frontlines—I'll leave that to you guys."
And so, Team Taka decided to move out as a whole.
Sasuke stood up slowly, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Let's go! Ignite the flames of Uchiha's vengeance!"
Whoosh!
Through the swirling vortex of space-time, Obito transported Sasuke and Team Taka to the forest outside Konoha.
Rustle, rustle, rustle! The White Zetsu clones emerged one after another from the ground.
Black Zetsu, leading the group, reported, "There are no Konoha patrols in the area. Something feels off."
"No patrols outside the village means all their forces are concentrated within," Obito said, his eyes narrowing. "Speaking of which, many White Zetsu units have gone missing recently. While such incidents aren't unusual, the frequency has increased significantly over the past two weeks."
"So, they've caught on after all?"
"No matter. It won't affect the overall plan. I had intended to leak the attack to Naruto at the start anyway. This saves me the trouble of unnecessary steps."
Obito turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, you will lead the main force of the White Zetsu army to attack Konoha. Since they've received advance warning, their defenses will be stronger than anticipated. Do not underestimate them."
"Hmph." Sasuke sneered coldly. "No matter what formation Konoha sets up, under the power of the Uchiha's eyes, they'll crumble like tofu."
"Good. That confidence suits you. Go. March straight toward Konoha. Leave the rest to me, including Naruto."
Swish!
With a dramatic sweep of his cloak, Sasuke strode forward. Team Taka followed closely, with the White Zetsu army trailing behind. The group moved in a grand procession toward Konoha.
As they neared the village gates, Sasuke's eyes flickered. Suddenly, he dashed ahead!
"Hey, Sasuke! What are you doing!?" White Zetsu shouted.
"You surround the village from the outside. Team Taka will act from within!" Sasuke called back.
Swish! Swish! Leaving those words behind, Sasuke moved with incredible speed, slipping through Konoha's barrier and disappearing beyond the high walls.
The members of Team Taka followed suit.
"Damn it! These guys never stick to the plan! This will only increase our casualties!" White Zetsu fumed.
---
Clang, clang, clang!
A large number of Konoha shinobi gathered at the village gates.
Shikaku Nara observed the White Zetsu army's formation and said calmly, "Just as our informant described, the enemy's main force consists of numerous White Zetsu clones."
"That mysterious individual also informed us of the White Zetsu's abilities. Thanks to that, we were able to call for reinforcements in time. We appreciate your presence on such short notice, Kazekage-sama."
Standing beside Shikaku, Gaara replied calmly, "It's only right. Sunagakure owes Konoha too much. Consider this a small act of repayment."
Flowing Sand Waterfall!
Whoosh! Streams of sand surged forward as Gaara extended his hand, sweeping toward the enemy lines.
"It's the Kazekage's ability! Why is he in Konoha? We didn't detect any movements from Sunagakure!" a White Zetsu clone exclaimed.
"Of course not. To avoid alerting you, I left the village secretly, accompanied only by Temari and Kankurō," Gaara explained.
Boom!
The White Zetsu army clashed with Konoha's forces, bolstered by reinforcements from Sunagakure. The battle had begun!
---
Sasuke stood atop Konoha's tallest structure, gazing out over the village.
Before launching the full-scale assault, he wanted to confirm his resolve once more.
Back when Orochimaru attacked Konoha, he had experienced similar thoughts.
Konoha had been rebuilt, now grander than ever.
The Hokage Rock now included the face of the Sixth Hokage, Danzō Shimura. His chiseled features stood out prominently, glaringly offensive to Sasuke.
Sasuke withdrew his icy gaze and looked toward the edge of the village.
Konoha had been rebuilt, but there was no longer a place for the Uchiha.
These people hadn't even considered it. Instead, they sought to erase the history of the Uchiha's existence and the blood debts Konoha had incurred, as if they had never happened.
This was the village that Itachi had sacrificed his life to protect.
Sasuke Uchiha closed his eyes.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Several ANBU operatives in white cloaks landed on the rooftops nearby. Speaking into their earpieces, one of them reported, "We've located the intruders. Their numbers match the barrier's detection. The leader is confirmed to be Sasuke Uchiha."
On the other end of the line, Kakashi Hatake's gaze darkened. "So, the day has come after all."
Kakashi closed his eyes.
Beside him, Might Guy looked at his comrade's profile and said solemnly, "Kakashi, we're shinobi."
"…Yeah. I know."
Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake opened their eyes.
"To destroy Konoha!"
"To stop Sasuke Uchiha!"
---
Outside Konoha.
Swish! Naruto and Konan appeared together.
"Well, Naruto Uzumaki, I've been waiting for you. If you want to see Sasuke, you'll have to get past me first."
Obito's eerie voice echoed from beneath his mask.
"Of course, you could just use the Flying Raijin to teleport directly into the village. But if you do, I'll follow. Things won't be so simple then~."
Beneath his mask, Naruto's eyes gleamed. "You went to such lengths to set up this confrontation. Honestly, it wasn't necessary. Even if you'd come straight to Amegakure, I wouldn't have run."
Obito's gaze darkened. "That won't do. With my Rinnegan in your hands, fighting on your turf is far too risky for me."
"As expected, your actions are as inscrutable as the patterns on your mask," Naruto said with a smirk. Then his expression turned sharp. "But let me correct you—that's not your Rinnegan, Obito Uchiha!"
"!?" Obito's pupils contracted sharply.