Psychological Warfare

It was somewhat unexpected, but Yuzuru sensed a "disturbance" in the surrounding Natural Energy. After carefully discerning it, he adapted to the sensation and realized he was being followed.

It wasn't entirely unacceptable to be noticed, after all, this was Konohagakure.

"Anbu Ninja? Why would an Anbu Ninja be watching me at a time like this? Do I have... Okay, I am pretty suspicious."

Yuzuru was "wandering" around Konoha in his current state. If his strength were sufficient, he might even be mistaken for the instigator of the Nine-Tails' Rampage... Unfortunately, he did have a very villainous aura at the moment.

It was a shame his practical combat skills were rather average, and he lacked the ocular power to control the Nine-Tails... He couldn't be a boss, at most he was equivalent to an elite monster.

"My abilities in the Dungeon are actually not matching my abilities in the real world. This is the first time something like this has happened. Comparing the two, it's clear that my control over Natural Energy is stronger in the Dungeon..."

Yuzuru had a realization, but it was nothing he couldn't accept, because he didn't want to look like a "Snake Transformation" in reality...

His thoughts weren't complicated. First, he wanted to live as much as possible. Second, he wanted to maintain his human form and continue being human, without incorporating other biological features.

The Nine-Tails was rampaging not far away. Yuzuru turned and entered a dark alley, then stopped.

In the chaotic, noisy, blood-soaked night, even the bright moonlight was tainted to a chaotic hue by the Nine-Tails' Chakra.

Yuzuru turned around, waited for a second or two, and then saw the figure of a ninja entering the alleyway.

"Who are you? You don't seem like a ninja from the village."

Seeing the intruder dare to stop so brazenly, the approaching person immediately questioned him.

In Yuzuru's eyes, this pursuing Konoha Ninja looked a bit slender, appearing only fourteen or fifteen years old. However, his facial features were exceptionally distinct.

"Sharingan Kakashi..." Yuzuru directly revealed the other party's identity.

Kakashi Hatake was convinced Yuzuru was no good. He had already prepared for battle upon arriving here, and had now revealed his Sharingan.

Although Kakashi Hatake's strength at this time was so-so, it would be very difficult to escape from a ninja like him without a price. A fight seemed inevitable.

Yuzuru sighed inwardly. He had originally intended to visit young Naruto, but he was intercepted by this Kakashi halfway. If possible, he hoped to deal with the other party as quickly as possible.

Furthermore, considering Kakashi's quality, perhaps he could "drop" some special ninjutsu or Chakra nature transformation.

So, could Kakashi drop "Kamui"? If he could drop "Kamui," then Yuzuru would consider abandoning his current Dungeon exploration plan worthwhile.

Colored contacts with tattoos, maybe it would even create a set effect.

"You know me?"

Kakashi looked at the person hiding his face, and for some reason, felt a sense of familiarity, but couldn't pinpoint its origin.

In reality, it was because Yuzuru's aura at this moment was very close to Orochimaru's.

"The hero of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, you have some fame in the Shinobi World... There's even a bounty on you in the black market," Yuzuru said.

He wasn't planning to chat with Kakashi. In fact, he was preparing to use the most efficient method to deal with him: a talk-fest, or Talk no Jutsu.

This technique was very advanced, and Yuzuru wasn't sure if he could master it.

If problems could be solved with words, then "saying" would always be faster than "fighting."

"Hiding your face, answer my question, who are you?"

Kakashi was still young at this time. After Yuzuru mentioned the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, his expression had clearly changed... That was where he lost his best friend. More importantly, he had later broken his promise to that friend.

Yuzuru didn't answer Kakashi's question. He removed the jacket covering his head, revealing his face.

Kakashi naturally didn't recognize him, but this appearance made him even more vigilant... Yuzuru looked like a lizard person, which was certainly visually striking.

Yuzuru certainly wouldn't explain his origins; it was meaningless and a waste of time. He glanced up at the distant Nine-Tails, then began his heart-piercing attack on Kakashi.

"Hero... Tsk, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge helped you regain your ninja way, but killing your teammate with your own hands plunged you into despair. Objectively speaking, in both of these events, you were merely a duckweed drifting with the current."

"You were a ninja of the times, not the one who created them."

"You bore the consequences, but the responsibility wasn't yours."

"But what's happening today is different. The Nine-Tails' attack seems unrelated to you, but in reality, you are the chief director of tonight's disaster."

Kakashi frowned. He felt the person opposite him knew too much about him, and involuntarily ceded the lead in the conversation.

His performance in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge might not be difficult to investigate, but the matter of "killing his teammate" was almost impossible for an outsider to know.

Tonight's events were related to him? This was too sensational.

"What do you mean by that? Don't be cryptic."

"Fine, some people do evil deeds without realizing it, and can even appear before others as protectors of Konoha... I'll kindly explain."

"The Uzumaki Clan is naturally special. Their prodigies even possess the ability to suppress Tailed Beast Chakra, making them natural candidates for Jinchuriki."

"Under normal circumstances, after an Uzumaki becomes a Jinchuriki, they can easily suppress the Tailed Beast, and their sealing jutsu is unbreakable."

This was Yuzuru spouting nonsense. In reality, according to the description in the Minato Chronicles, Kushina Uzumaki didn't have an easy time controlling the Nine-Tails, and outbursts were frequent. After all, Kushina Uzumaki wasn't Mito Uzumaki, and more importantly, she was sealing the complete Nine-Tails within her.

"So, the question is, when does a Jinchuriki's seal loosen?"

"The answer is simple: during childbirth."

"Therefore, Kushina Uzumaki's due date was a top secret in Konoha. Very few people in the entire ninja village knew this secret."

"However..."

"Someone close to the Jinchuriki, however, indiscreetly revealed this secret."

"There's always a reason for pity, and it often stems from hate. Because of this person's carelessness, the mastermind was able to precisely seize the opportunity and extract the Nine-Tails from its Jinchuriki."

"What is the fate of a Jinchuriki after the Tailed Beast is extracted? Only death awaits."

At this point, Kakashi was still somewhat confused, but the thought of Kushina Uzumaki's subsequent fate made his expression darken further.

"So, who was this extremely careless person who revealed the core secret?"

"Kakashi Hatake, you can take a guess."

"Oh, I can give you a hint. Hmm, the location where the confidential information was leaked..."

"It was within the memorial park."

Yuzuru was purely trying to shift the blame here. Kakashi had never revealed the specific day Kushina Uzumaki would give birth; he had only used vague terms like "recently" or "in the near future."

However, after such blame was placed upon him, would Kakashi distinguish the truth?

No, he would only blame himself.