The Blade Picked Up Again

Uchiha Yuan...

This was the existence that currently piqued Orochimaru's interest the most.

The intelligence he possessed was largely limited to the basic properties of the Sharingan, while his understanding of the Mangekyo Sharingan—that unique evolutionary form—remained far too meager.

That was the reason for the tentative attack just moments ago.

This probing behavior was different from what had occurred in the original timeline.

Consequently, Uchiha Itachi's counterattack had served merely as a slight warning to Orochimaru.

After a round of testing...

With the keen intuition of the Shinobi World's top scientist, Orochimaru sensed that Uchiha Yuan had other machinations beyond the impending world destruction.

The Masked Man's sudden falling out with the Akatsuki...

Danzo becoming increasingly arrogant...

All of this led Orochimaru to realize that Uchiha Yuan's Sharingan possessed a special ability to corrupt and interfere with the spirit.

It was like a virus...

If the Masked Man truly brought Uchiha Sasuke back to the base, Orochimaru would have to observe whether the Masked Man's Sharingan would cause a corruption of Uchiha Sasuke's own eyes...

Lost in these thoughts, Orochimaru fell into deep contemplation.

Both Uchiha Itachi and the Masked Man had mentioned it...

Uchiha Yuan's Mangekyo Sharingan seemed closely tied to concepts like wishes or dialogue.

If his speculations were correct, this ability should be extremely similar to the legendary Kotoamatsukami of Uchiha Shisui.

Yet, compared to Kotoamatsukami, Uchiha Yuan's dojutsu was clearly more sinister, more aggressive, and far more dangerous.

Just as Orochimaru was immersed in these conjectures, the air behind him suddenly twisted, and the Masked Man Obito appeared once again in silence.

"Orochimaru..."

Obito's cold voice rang out slowly, interrupting his musings.

So efficient!?

Orochimaru was shocked by Obito's speed.

"Lord Madara, you have worked hard."

Obito did not say much, merely tossing several scrolls at Orochimaru's feet...

"These are the corpse materials you required, all collected from across the Shinobi World. Next, I shall go and bring Uchiha Sasuke back."

Orochimaru bowed his head slightly, his posture humble as he said, "I have troubled you, Lord Madara."

Obito nodded, his gaze piercing through his mask, staring at Orochimaru with continued indifference: "Do not disappoint me."

"Please rest assured, I will certainly see this matter through."

Obito did not linger; space twisted once more, and he soon vanished completely from the spot.

Confirming that the Masked Man had departed, Orochimaru slowly crouched down to pick up the scrolls left behind by Obito...

He then withdrew another special scroll from his robes that he had secretly prepared.

Sealed within this scroll was none other than the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

The reason he had not told Obito about his plan to resurrect the Second Hokage was that, although he had confirmed that Danzo and Obito were not entirely controlled by a single will of Uchiha Yuan...

He still had to act with caution to avoid Obito discovering his other objectives too early.

Orochimaru's plan was crystal clear.

He hoped that by resurrecting the Second Hokage, he could bring Senju Tobirama back to Konoha, and by leveraging Tobirama's lofty prestige and immense power within the village, he could achieve a seizure of authority in a certain sense.

The current Akatsuki, the Five Great Shinobi Villages...

None possessed a leader capable of taking sole control, acting decisively, and unifying the entire Shinobi World to confront the cataclysm of world destruction...

The First Hokage had the strength, but in other aspects...

Only the legendary Second Hokage had the qualifications to save the Shinobi World.

The Shinobi World needed saving...

The Sharingan needed to be studied...

Orochimaru considered himself the smartest person in the Shinobi World; to break the dead end of planetary destruction, the only way was to summon Senju Tobirama back to the living world...

On the other hand...

In Orochimaru's view, the only person in the Shinobi World who could truly understand his philosophy and identify with his pursuits was the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

"I really am going to such lengths to save the Shinobi World and Konoha... Teacher Sarutobi..."

Outside Konoha, in the Forest of Death.

Kakashi gazed quietly at the rushing current, his expression focused and steady.

His understanding of the Sharingan grew increasingly profound, and the constant surge of inspiration made him naturally want to experiment with more new ninjutsu.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then snapped them open, his fingers beginning to weave hand seals at an incredible speed.

In an instant, the rushing waterfall splashed violently, and the wild currents were guided by an invisible force, churning upward like a raging sea.

Water Style: Azure Rain!

As Kakashi's low voice fell, those surging currents suddenly dissipated in mid-air...

Forming countless fine, light water droplets that scattered to fill the sky, diffusing into a thick, heavy mist.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his Sharingan spinning rapidly as his gaze seemed to pierce through the mist, precisely capturing every tiny flow of chakra within it.

Immediately, his hands began weaving high-speed seals once more, his expression turning even more serious.

Water Style: Cold Seal!

The next moment, the once ethereal and light mist instantly condensed into a terrifying chill, and the temperature plummeted.

The surrounding leaves and vegetation were covered in a layer of crystalline frost in a heartbeat, and even the air seemed to have frozen solid.

Kakashi quickly pulled several kunai from his ninja pouch and swung his arm to throw them.

The kunai traveled at high speed through the cold mist, but before they could fly very far, they were rapidly coated in a thick layer of frost due to the extreme cold, falling to the ground with a crisp clatter.

Kakashi watched it all quietly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, yet mixed with a touch of surprise.

Ever since his Sharingan could be closed at will, freeing him from his past constraints...

He had assumed he would prioritize the continued development of Chidori or other more powerful Lightning Style ninjutsu, yet he hadn't expected that in just a few short days, the new techniques he created would all be of the Water Style.

However, the surprises brought by Water Style ninjutsu were in no way inferior to those of Lightning Style.

In particular, the Water Style he had just performed, with its special ability to freeze an enemy's movements, combined with the environmental restrictions and sensory interference created by Azure Rain, formed a perfect tactical combination.

Swordplay...

Recalling his father...

For a moment, Kakashi's thoughts seemed to return to his childhood...

Soon, Kakashi regained his focus, his grip on the blade becoming increasingly firm.

At this moment, Kakashi activated his Sharingan, his aura erupting!

He slowly drew the short blade at his waist, the edge reflecting the icy mist with a grim, cold light.

He lowered his body slightly, then leaped into the air the next instant, the short blade carving a trajectory through the air.

The blade cut through, driving the water vapor to churn constantly, forming a faint mist that swirled around the blade.

Leveraging the precise insight of the Sharingan, every strike was aimed directly at vital points, the sword style tricky and ruthless.

The blade and the Water Style technique were cleverly intertwined, the offensive strikes appearing and disappearing, making them completely impossible to predict.

Kakashi moved and shifted rapidly, his swordplay light and agile yet lacking nothing in dominance.

He seemed to have transformed into a shadow within the water mist, his short blade flickering in and out of sight, elusive and unpredictable, his killing intent hidden in the invisible.

Meanwhile, in the shadows...

Obito, who had just arrived in Konoha intending to abduct Sasuke, had been about to search for Kakashi when he unexpectedly witnessed this scene.

The high-spirited Kakashi, wielding a blade...

For a moment, Obito watched in silence...