Chapter 127: Nothing Left to Chance

Konoha Village, along the main thoroughfare.

Uchiha Yao was leading the members of her squad on patrol. Yet she seemed somewhat absent-minded, as though she were constantly pondering something.

The other squad members wisely chose to pretend not to notice. Others might not have understood, but they had long since learned exactly what kind of methods their captain employed.

After roughly half an hour, they completed a circuit without incident.

With an expressionless face, Uchiha Yao said calmly, “You can take care of the remaining area. I have something to deal with.”

“Yes, Captain.”

The three squad members acknowledged her.

They had not originally been assigned patrol duty that day, but when their captain had suddenly ordered them to come, they had had no choice but to obey. Now that she was leaving, they could finally relax a little.

Seeing their reaction, Uchiha Yao nodded in satisfaction, then turned and walked away.

She did not head toward the village center. Instead, she wandered aimlessly toward the outskirts.

Along the way, she stopped and started from time to time, as though she were simply out for a stroll.

Meanwhile, in the shadows of a distant alley, Zetsu concealed himself and silently watched everything unfold.

He had thought it would take some time to locate Uchiha Yao, but he had not expected her patrol duties with the Security Department to bring her directly onto the streets.

Even more fortunately, there were fewer and fewer people along the route she had taken.

“I never expected things to go this smoothly.”

Seeing the perfect opportunity before him, Black Zetsu no longer hesitated. His entire body sank into the ground.

At another secluded corner on the edge of the village, Obito was sitting on a tree branch, a trace of reminiscence in his eye.

At that moment, Zetsu’s body crawled out of the tree trunk, interrupting his memories.

The exposed eye beneath Obito’s mask once again turned cold. With some puzzlement, he asked, “You’re back already. Could it be that you failed to find her?”

It was not that he doubted Zetsu’s abilities. This was Konoha, after all.

Moreover, the Uchiha had relocated to a new district. Its defenses and layout would both require investigation.

Reconnaissance took time. Even Zetsu could not have completely figured everything out in such a short period.

Thus, failure seemed the more likely possibility.

Unexpectedly, Zetsu shook his head. “No. I’ve already found her, and the opportunity is perfect…”

He briefly recounted what he had just seen, then silently awaited Obito’s decision.

On the surface, Zetsu was the will of Uchiha Madara, sent to assist Obito. As such, he could only play a supporting role.

After listening, Obito was silent for a moment before saying, “Let’s go. Since the opportunity is perfect, we’ll act now. Better not to give circumstances time to change.”

Although the timing seemed almost too convenient, he did not think much of it.

Zetsu nodded, then said, “Uchiha Li isn’t here at the moment. Even if we deal with Uchiha Yao, what good will it do?”

Obito gave a cold snort. “No. We’ll control Uchiha Yao first. If Uchiha Li were here, it would actually be more dangerous. That man’s perception is too powerful. He might notice something.”

Hearing this, Zetsu said nothing more. The two of them stealthily made their way toward Uchiha Yao.

As for Uchiha Yao—

After wandering into a relatively secluded corner of the village, she stepped into a patch of grass.

She was picking the flowers blooming there, her entire person radiating a gentle, graceful beauty.

Combined with her already striking features, the sight was exceptionally pleasing to behold.

Watching her from afar, Obito became momentarily dazed, reminded of Rin.

“Rin…”

Obito drew a deep breath and cast the thought from his mind. His expression once again became cold.

His Mangekyo Sharingan opened. No longer hesitating, Obito directly unleashed his ocular power at Uchiha Yao.

Crack—

At that instant, Uchiha Yao’s figure suddenly stiffened. She stopped in her tracks, and the bamboo basket in her hand fell to the ground.

The flowers inside spilled across the grass.

Uchiha Yao reacted instantly, as any Uchiha should. Her Sharingan opened at once as she attempted to dispel the genjutsu controlling her.

With her three-tomoe Sharingan activated, her resistance to genjutsu increased considerably. The restraints imposed upon her began to loosen.

But suddenly, an even more powerful surge of ocular energy poured over her, reinforcing the control once again.

“What’s happening? Who is it?!”

Uchiha Yao became panicked, her face taking on an utterly helpless expression.

In the distance, Zetsu watched the scene with some astonishment. “I never expected Uchiha Yao to have awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan as well. When did the Uchiha produce so many prodigies?”

At first, he had assumed that Obito would be able to control Uchiha Yao effortlessly with genjutsu.

He had not expected her to suddenly reveal the three-tomoe Sharingan, nearly breaking free of Obito’s illusion.

Fortunately, Obito possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan and forcibly suppressed her struggle.

“In any case, it’s over,” Obito said, his expression unchanged.

Uchiha Yao’s three-tomoe Sharingan had been beyond his expectations, but she still remained within his control.

The power of the Mangekyo could not possibly be compared with that of the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Although he had expended a tremendous amount of ocular power, he had ultimately succeeded in controlling Uchiha Yao.

All he needed to do now was deepen the control, then manipulate Uchiha Yao into dying at the hands of Konoha’s shinobi.

Preferably at the hands of the ANBU or the Hokage’s guard detail. Then everything would be settled.

Without thinking any further, Obito walked directly toward Uchiha Yao.

Zetsu followed behind him like a lowly attendant.

Soon, the two of them stood before Uchiha Yao.

Looking at her vacant eyes, Obito gave a soft laugh. “With this, Uchiha Li will be completely safe.”

After saying this to himself, Obito stepped forward, preparing to reinforce his genjutsu.

Zetsu watched with interest from behind him as everything seemed about to reach its conclusion.

“You’re right. It is completely foolproof!”

Yet at that very moment, Uchiha Yao, who should have been under total control, suddenly broke free.

As her words fell, a kunai appeared from within her sleeve and drove straight toward Obito’s heart.

In an instant, the blade had already sliced through Obito’s skin and was about to pierce his chest.

The sudden turn of events happened far too quickly. Neither Obito nor Zetsu had anticipated it.

By the time Obito reacted, it was already almost too late.

The kunai plunged into his chest. Fortunately, before it could pierce his heart completely, he managed to twist aside and hurriedly activate Kamui’s intangibility.

But everything had happened too suddenly, and Obito had been entirely unprepared.

Although he had escaped the fate of instant death from a shattered heart, he had still suffered a grievous injury.

A great quantity of blood poured from the wound in his chest. Obito’s body went limp, and he nearly collapsed onto the ground.

Uchiha Yao watched as the attack that should have been fatal was evaded by some strange ability. She inwardly lamented the missed opportunity.

But she did not hesitate for even a moment. She launched another attack.

And this time, the three tomoe in her Sharingan had already begun to merge…