Bab 97: 97. Mangekyou
"Master, I think this kid is just playing you."
Black Zetsu, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke up, fanning the flames. His dark face showed no expression.
"We're having a family conversation here. Can outsiders not butt in?"
Uchiha Gin picked his nose, replying with an irritating tone.
Black Zetsu clenched his fists. The descendants of Indra were becoming more difficult to deal with. They were nothing like Uchiha Igaku, who was easy to manipulate.
"You're the one behind what happened to Hikari, aren't you?"
Before Black Zetsu could respond, Uchiha Gin turned the accusation directly on him. Hikari's transformation was undoubtedly his doing.
"Hehehe, guess again."
Black Zetsu was about to dodge the accusation when—
"Yes, it was me!"
One of his own teammates confessed.
Hey, hey, hey! I just loosened my mental control for a moment, and now this old man is outing himself like crazy!
"I ordered Spectre to control Nameless. I just didn't expect that after being sealed, her power would weaken so much that even you couldn't defeat her."
I didn't do it! I just released her dark side for a moment. I haven't had time to control that little girl yet!
"Your roleplay was pretty professional, though. You really nailed the yandere character."
Upon hearing Uchiha Igaku's confession that Black Zetsu had been controlling Nameless, Uchiha Gin, impressed with his acting skills, gave him a mental thumbs up.
"Stop stalling. Gin, during your fight with Nameless, you used up a lot of chakra, didn't you? That last jutsu must have drained all your chakra, right?"
Thinking that Uchiha Gin was stalling to recover his chakra, Uchiha Igaku mercilessly exposed his strategy.
"Hehe, nothing escapes your sharp eyes. I've only got a tiny bit of chakra left now."
Not knowing why Uchiha Igaku seemed so confident in a 2v3 situation, Uchiha Gin decided to play along. He immediately put on a panicked expression, reluctantly admitting his weakened state.
"No matter, Gin, you can retreat. I'll handle them."
Uchiha Tajima stepped forward, shielding him and calmly stating his intent.
"Sorry, Gin, it's all my fault."
Believing Uchiha Gin's words, the simple-minded Hikari tugged on his sleeve, softly apologizing, filled with guilt.
Their reactions left Uchiha Gin speechless. His acting had fooled not only the enemy but also his own allies.
"Shuriken throw!"
Uchiha Tajima launched a few fast-moving shuriken as a test, but Uchiha Igaku and Black Zetsu stood still, smirking at the spinning blades.
"They're not dodging?"
Seeing his opponents unmoved, Uchiha Tajima felt a bit of doubt.
"Spectre, it seems Tajima is underestimating us."
Uchiha Igaku straightened his hunched back a bit, glancing at the shadowy figure beside him.
Understanding the unspoken command, Black Zetsu sank into the ground's shadows.
As the shuriken were about to hit Uchiha Igaku, they mysteriously froze mid-air, as if the space itself had solidified. Then, from the darkness, an eerie, black-and-white old man emerged.
"Who is this guy now?"
Uchiha Tajima coldly asked, eyeing the strange figure.
"This is Spectre's true form, the ghostly assassin."
Like many villains, Uchiha Igaku, thinking he had the upper hand, began explaining.
Watching from the side, Uchiha Gin thoughtfully observed the old warden. It seemed this was the real creation of Igaku's eye technique, while the black mud form... well, those who know, know.
Uchiha Tajima, cautious of the eerie presence, activated his Sharingan, locking onto the life-less figure.
"Cackle cackle cackle…"
The old warden let out a creepy laugh before sinking back into the shadows.
Drawing his rarely-used sword, Uchiha Tajima scanned the surroundings with his Sharingan but found no trace of the warden.
"What are you looking for?"
A raspy voice suddenly echoed right in his ear. Without hesitation, Tajima swung his sword backward, but he hit nothing.
"Cackle cackle cackle…"
The voice now came from below, and Tajima, surprised, looked down.
The warden's grotesque head was emerging from his shadow, its grey eyes full of mockery. Tajima slashed again, but once more, his blade met only air.
Leaping back, Uchiha Tajima distanced himself, frowning as he tried to figure out the warden's abilities.
"If I'm not mistaken, this guy uses shadows to move stealthily."
Relaxing his furrowed brow, Uchiha Tajima had already deduced much of the warden's power after just a few exchanges.
"Impressive, Clan Leader."
Uchiha Igaku, watching from afar, couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride for his former student.
"The teacher taught well."
Facing his estranged mentor, Uchiha Tajima coldly replied.
"Even if you understand Spectre's abilities, how do you plan to counter it?"
Curious about how his former pupil would handle the situation, Uchiha Igaku questioned.
"Teacher, the first thing I learned after becoming clan leader is…"
Tajima shook his head slightly, a hint of pride in his voice. Uchiha Igaku, listening closely, frowned.
Why wasn't he answering the question? Before he could ponder further, Uchiha Tajima dashed past Black Zetsu, charging straight at Uchiha Igaku.
"Teacher, times have changed!"
Aiming for the leader, Uchiha Tajima's Sharingan spun rapidly, releasing a powerful genjutsu at the old man. Uchiha Igaku, reacting too slowly, was hit head-on, closing his eyes and falling silent.
Seeing his attack succeed so easily, Tajima couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. Was Uchiha Igaku really so weak?
"Uncle, watch out!"
From the sidelines, where Uchiha Gin and Hikari were munching on snacks, Uchiha Gin suddenly shouted a warning.
"You're still too green, my dear student."
A pale, withered hand suddenly gripped Tajima's shoulder. The voice that should have come from the old man in front of him was now behind him.
Alarm bells rang in Uchiha Tajima's head. How could Uchiha Igaku, who was under his genjutsu, be behind him?
That hand on his shoulder had the weight of a mountain, pinning him down.
The old warden, now standing behind Tajima, had absorbed the essence of Uchiha Igaku. His once grey eyes were now infused with a sinister black, and with a faint smile, he spoke in Igaku's voice:
"Tajima, you've always been too arrogant."
As Igaku's voice echoed, a strange energy began to seep into Tajima's body, corrupting his mind. Violent thoughts began to overwhelm him, his once crimson eyes slowly being enveloped in a thin layer of darkness.
"You won't control me!"
Realizing his mind was on the verge of being overtaken, Tajima roared, channeling chakra into his eyes. In the one eye not yet fully darkened, the three tomoe began spinning rapidly, morphing into a completely new pattern.
"You think you can brainwash me? You're still a rookie!"
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