Please Call Me Tobi!

At that moment, night had fallen.

Outside the Tsuchikage Office in Iwagakure, Land of Earth.

A tall, broad-shouldered man pushed open the door and strode inside.

"Father, you wanted to see me?"

Kitsuchi asked quickly, his voice deep and resonant.

Inside, Ōnoki was standing by his desk, rubbing his aching lower back. He hurriedly stopped and turned to look at Kitsuchi.

"Cough, cough—"

"Yes. I have a very important mission for you."

"Go ahead."

"The high-level meeting held in the village just now was eavesdropped on by a spy!"

"Although the guards spotted the intruder, he still managed to escape!"

"Judging by the timing, he shouldn't have gotten far."

"I need you to lead a team and bring him back!"

Ōnoki's face darkened as he spoke sternly.

It was truly embarrassing that a spy from another village had eavesdropped on such an important meeting.

"I understand!"

"Then, did the spy learn any important information? Should we try to capture him alive, or...?"

"Try to capture him alive! If necessary, you may kill him!"

Ōnoki made his decision.

"Actually, two days ago, there was news from the Hidden Leaf Village that the Uchiha Clan had fallen into turmoil and gone rogue. You've heard about it, right?"

"I have. I heard the leader of the defectors was just a ten-year-old Uchiha boy! It sounds absurd!"

Kitsuchi gave his opinion.

In his view,

even if a ten-year-old boy was a prodigy, there was no way he could take on an entire ninja village and lead his clan in defecting!

This was probably another smokescreen or scheme put out by Konoha, right?

"That isn't a rumor! According to our spies in Konoha, there really was a fierce battle in the village that night!"

"Dozens of houses collapsed, and a large number of Konoha Ninja were deployed. Even the Third took part!"

"The Uchiha Clan's defection wasn't baseless!"

"Is that true?!"

Ōnoki nodded and continued, "The Uchiha Clan's defection has dealt Konoha a considerable blow! And I've heard that Konoha has sent out many ninja to pursue them."

"So right now, Konoha is at its weakest."

"The village leadership has decided to seize this opportunity and launch a full-scale attack on Konoha!"

"What?! How could you?!!"

"Father, have you all gone mad? You're going to start another war?!!"

Kitsuchi was shocked and immediately challenged him loudly.

"This wasn't my decision alone. The three advisors, the chief minister, and a representative of the Daimyo all agreed to the proposal!"

"And don't forget, many of those people's children died in the Third Ninja World War and in the war against Konoha five years ago!"

Ōnoki slapped the desk and revealed the whole truth.

"They..."

"Alas..."

Kitsuchi sighed.

As expected, hatred was still the hardest thing to resolve.

"So the spy overheard this secret?"

"Yes!"

"We can't yet determine which other ninja village he's working for. But if he gets away, our plan to launch a surprise attack on Konoha will be exposed!"

"I won't allow that to happen!"

"So, for the sake of the village, Kitsuchi, this mission is yours alone!"

"I... I understand. I'll see it through!"

Kitsuchi paused.

Then he clenched his fist and gave his solemn assurance.

After that, he quickly left the Tsuchikage Office.

Taking his men with him, he hurried after the spy toward the place where he had disappeared.

It was now nine o'clock at night.

More than ten miles southeast of Iwagakure.

In a dark, narrow gorge, a young man in black was sneaking behind a rock wall.

"Huff, huff..."

Kabuto was panting hard as he cautiously peered outside.

"Damn, I'm surrounded!"

Kabuto sighed to himself, then ducked back behind cover.

He slowly took out a pocket watch and stared at its face, his heart filled with wistful emotion.

"If it weren't for what happened back then, it'd be time to go to bed now."

"It's been five years since I left the Orphanage!"

"I really wish I could see the matron and everyone again!"

It was his longing for the matron and his friends that had helped Kabuto endure five years of hardship in an enemy village.

And tonight, he had finally overheard a major secret.

Iwagakure was about to take advantage of the Uchiha Clan's defection to launch a surprise attack on Konoha!

If he could bring this news back, he would surely earn great merit!

Perhaps that merit could even help him save the matron from the darkness!

Unfortunately, his eavesdropping had been exposed.

Now he was facing Iwagakure's relentless pursuit, trapped on all sides!

Escaping wouldn't be easy.

But for the sake of the Orphanage, he had to get the message back!

Kabuto took a deep breath and prepared to find another way out.

But just then, he suddenly heard several cries of pain from outside the gorge.

"Who's there?"

"Stop!"

"Ah!~~"

"Thud, thud—"

Several dull sounds of bodies hitting the ground rang out.

Then came two sets of steady footsteps, slowly approaching.

"Thud, thud, thud—"

"What happened?"

"The footsteps are coming this way! Have I been spotted?"

"Damn it. Then I'll fight!"

Grimacing, Kabuto rushed out from behind the rock wall and looked ahead.

Only then did he realize that the Iwagakure ninja had all fallen.

Standing before him were just two figures in red-cloud robes, approaching him.

"Natsume, your Transformation Technique is incredibly convincing!"

Orochimaru strolled along, unable to resist teasing him with a chuckle.

"Please call me Tobi!"

Now dressed in a red-cloud robe and wearing a yellow-orange spiral mask, Natsume solemnly reminded Orochimaru.

Today, he had come to visit Iwagakure with Orochimaru as a member of Akatsuki—Tobi.

There was absolutely no Uchiha Natsume of the Flame Hidden Village!

"Of course! Tobi..."

Orochimaru shook his head, at a loss for words over the boy's antics.

The kid really did have far too many tricks up his sleeve!

He just had to disguise himself as an Akatsuki member... With his strength, he could have charged into Iwagakure, killed a whole bunch of people, and walked right back out. It wasn't certain anyone could have stopped him!

"Anyway, that kid Kabuto is hiding behind the rock wall over there."

"I've had people keep an eye on him and Nonō the whole time."

"The boy really does have talent. At such a young age, he's already learned the A-rank Medical Ninjutsu, Chakra Scalpel."

"It seems we arrived a little too early, though. The grand spectacle of them turning on each other hasn't begun yet!"

Orochimaru pointed toward the shadowy rock wall and spoke with interest.

"It's best if we get there in time."

Natsume felt a little more at ease.

He didn't want to arrive only to find that Yakushi Kabuto had already turned to the dark side.

"Oh, that kid's coming out on his own!"

"Who are you?!!"

Kabuto leaned out and looked at Natsume and Orochimaru.

He held a kunai in his left hand while keeping his right behind his back, chakra enveloping his palm and turning it into a sharp Chakra Scalpel. He remained on guard.

"Hmm... We're here to save you."

Natsume smiled slightly.

But to Kabuto, that sounded no different from a demon's deceitful enticement.

He wasn't about to blindly trust two mysterious strangers whose origins he didn't know!

Wait... Why did the person on the right look so much like Lord Orochimaru, who had defected from Konoha?

"Y-you two, what exactly do you want?"

"Don't be so nervous! Put away your jutsu. If I make a move, you might lose your life..."

Natsume warned him softly.

Truth be told, after learning so many new abilities and becoming much stronger,

he was rather eager to try them out.

He was just worried he might not control his strength and accidentally kill Kabuto.

"Don't joke around! I'm leaving! Don't get in my way!"

Kabuto shouted, agitated.

Even if that man really was Lord Orochimaru, he couldn't just get close to a Konoha defector!

He had to hurry and report the news so he could earn merit!

But just as he was about to break through,

"Whoosh, whoosh—"

The sound of two kunai cutting through the air came from above the gorge.

At the same time, a figure suddenly leaped down and lunged straight at Kabuto.