Chapter 124: Obito, the Masked Man

The sun had set completely.

Uchiha Li looked at Itachi, who was still circling the village while walking on his hands, and said, "That's enough. That's it for today's first training session."

Itachi’s arms were trembling as he supported himself on the ground, and it took him a long while before he could manage a few steps. Under such circumstances, continuing would yield no training benefit; it was better to let him go back and rest. Once he had recovered his energy, he could continue the next day.

Hearing this, Itachi relaxed his arms and collapsed onto the ground. His clothes were already soaked through, but he had no energy to spare for that. Panting heavily, his chest heaving, he gritted his teeth and asked, "How much longer will this training last?"

He didn't even know how he had survived this afternoon. It was clear that this training was a deliberate attempt by Uchiha Li to make things difficult for him. Yet, the temptation of the Mangekyō Sharingan was right there, making him willing to take the bait.

"What, you can't take it already?" Li glanced at Itachi, tilted his head, and said, "If you can't persist, you can choose to go home."

*Damn it!*

Hearing this, Itachi cursed inwardly again. Throughout the afternoon, he had lost count of how many times he had cursed his makeshift teacher in his heart. But despite his grievances, Itachi huffed, "Who said I can't persist? I will never give up!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Li smiled. "Very good. You can go back and rest now. Start training on your own tomorrow morning, and I will come to supervise you in the afternoon."

He had no intention of getting up early to suffer alongside Itachi; that was the perk of being the teacher. He just had to move his mouth, while Itachi had to run until his legs gave out.

Itachi took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain his composure. "Understood, Teacher."

The more Uchiha Li made things difficult for him, the more he wanted to prove himself to Li. Although this training was a heavy burden, it hadn't reached a point he couldn't bear. Itachi didn't believe that if he kept showing his commitment and obedience, Uchiha Li would continue to despise him for no reason. Furthermore, he carried the expectations of his father, Fugaku, so he could not retreat.

"Hmm, go back and get some good rest."

Uchiha Li said this with an ambiguous smile, and without checking if Itachi could even move, he turned and left.

Watching his teacher’s retreating figure, Itachi stared fixedly at Uchiha Li until he had completely vanished from sight. On the ground, it took Itachi a full half-hour to recover enough strength to limp his way home.

"Itachi, you're back. Are you alright?" Seeing her son return, Uchiha Mikoto’s face was filled with concern. She had heard about what happened in the afternoon and hadn't expected Uchiha Li to train Itachi so harshly. Sasuke, in Mikoto’s arms, looked at Itachi and asked with concern, "Brother, are you tired?"

In contrast to Mikoto’s distress, Uchiha Fugaku, sitting in the seat of honor, said in a deep voice, "How does it feel?" He had promised Uchiha Li he would not interfere with the training, so he could only ask as a matter of routine.

Itachi, seeing the trace of expectation on Fugaku’s face, forced a smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine. This is a trial from my teacher, and I will persist."

Hearing this, a rare, faint smile appeared on Fugaku’s face. He praised him, "Well said. Itachi, you are my child; you are naturally the focus of the clan's attention..."

Itachi pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes, I will not let you or the clan down."

...

In a hidden forest outside the Uchiha compound.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Following a low shout, a massive fireball slammed into a large tree ahead, the roaring flames instantly incinerating the entire sapling. The one who cast the jutsu was Uchiha Li. After training Itachi, he hadn't gone home but had continued his own training instead.

The practice of ninjutsu was a process where one either advanced or regressed; even Uchiha Li needed constant practice. After finishing his Fire Style training, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and began a new round of taijutsu drills. He had no target, but he didn't mind, practicing alone in the dense forest.

In the distance, Zetsu, who was watching Uchiha Li train with half his body submerged in the earth, spoke up: "That must be him, Uchiha Li."

Beside him, the masked man, Obito, nodded slowly. "That’s right, it’s this guy."

Zetsu thought for a moment. "His Fire Style is quite powerful; it's not something an average person could achieve." As a mastermind who had been lurking for a thousand years, Zetsu’s sensory abilities were not only formidable, but he had also witnessed countless battles. The intensity of the Fire Style Uchiha Li had casually unleashed during his training was among the best he had ever seen from any Uchiha. Perhaps only Uchiha Madara could surpass Uchiha Li at the same level.

But this alone was enough to prove Uchiha Li’s exceptional talent.

Obito, hearing Zetsu’s words, kept his expression unchanged behind his mask. "If he didn't have talent, he wouldn't be worth my recruitment."

Having said that, Obito spoke again: "Alright, wait here. I’ll go meet him first."

With that, Obito’s body twisted into a vortex and vanished without a sound. He intended to give Uchiha Li a show of strength first to establish a formidable impression; only then would it be easier to recruit him.

Moments later, Obito appeared behind Uchiha Li. He prepared to speak in his raspy, deep voice. However, at that exact moment, Uchiha Li, who had been training, suddenly spun around and thrust a kunai backward.

The kunai moved at an incredible speed. Left with no choice, Obito had to abandon his introduction and use his intangibility to evade the attack. Taking this opportunity, Uchiha Li leaped backward, creating distance between himself and Obito.

Seeing the style of the intruder's outfit, Uchiha Li naturally identified him as Obito immediately.

*What is this guy doing in Konoha at a time like this?*

Thinking this to himself, Uchiha Li feigned confusion and wariness. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Obito, having had his atmosphere ruined, had to recalibrate his tone. "I am here to help you."

Having been discovered by Uchiha Li, his preparations had fallen through, which frustrated Obito. At the same time, however, Uchiha Li’s exceptional sensory ability surprised him. One had to know that when he activated "Kamui," it was very difficult for ordinary ninjas to sense him. Only those with extraordinary sensory perception or expertise in space-time ninjutsu could clearly detect him. Since Uchiha Li was not Minato, it could only mean that his sensory abilities were terrifyingly sharp.

"Help me?" Uchiha Li feigned arrogance and disdain. "What qualifications does a rat hiding in the shadows have to say such a thing?"

As he spoke, Uchiha Li suddenly reached into his waist, pulled out several kunai, and hurled them directly at Obito.

*Damn it, does this guy just attack without a word?*

One second he was having a conversation with Uchiha Li, and the next, he was being attacked mid-sentence. Caught off guard, Obito was forced to use his intangibility once again.