Uncontrollable Factors

"Orochimaru... that guy's really dead?"

When the other two Sannin heard the news, they couldn't believe it.

They knew all too well how good Orochimaru was at staying alive.

He was practically a monster!

How could anyone have killed him?

Even the Five Kage weren't capable of that.

Unless they were willing to trade their life for his!

And yet, somehow, it had happened.

That made them both intensely curious about the one who had taken Orochimaru down.

Who was it?

Who had such skill?

"Art is beauty that lasts only an instant. Only fleeting beauty is true art!"

"Absurd! Art is lasting splendor. Only eternal allure is true art!"

Somewhere in the Land of Rain!

Watching Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands argue without end, neither able to convince the other, Uchiha Ye felt utterly helpless.

"Listen, you two. You've been arguing for two hours already. How about taking a break?"

He separated the two agitated men and tried to reason with them, exasperated.

It had all started because, after completing their mission, Sasori of the Red Sands had been set on finding Deidara to discuss art.

Uchiha Ye had tried to stop him, having heard what he said and already foreseen how things would turn out.

But Sasori of the Red Sands had completely ignored him, determined to meet Deidara and discuss art.

And so, here they were.

The two men had different ideas about art, and neither was willing to accept the other's view.

Both were trying to convince the other.

In the end, neither could change the other's mind, and they just kept arguing.

"Ye, which one of us do you think is right?"

Sasori of the Red Sands glared at Uchiha Ye in frustration, looking to him to settle the matter.

Deidara immediately looked over too, wanting to hear what Uchiha Ye thought!

Uchiha Ye threw up his hands in surrender. "Give me a break, Big Brother Sasori. I don't know anything about art. How can I just give my opinion?"

As if!

Whichever one he agreed with would end up holding it against him!

He was better off just watching. Why get involved?

"Tch, Ye, you're too crafty!"

Sasori of the Red Sands was clearly a little displeased, though he seemed to have expected this all along.

Then he dropped the matter and turned back to Deidara, saying seriously, "I'll prove to you that eternity is true art!"

Deidara snorted twice. "Lord Sasori, you won't convince me. Fleeting beauty is true art! Hmm!"

With that, he left.

Sasori of the Red Sands then turned to Uchiha Ye. "When you tried to stop me from meeting Deidara to discuss art, did you already know things would turn out like this?"

Uchiha Ye spread his hands. "What else, Big Brother Sasori?"

Sasori of the Red Sands grew curious. "How did you know we wouldn't see eye to eye? Did you already know Deidara's view of art was different from mine?"

Uchiha Ye nodded. "Exactly!"

Sasori of the Red Sands couldn't help asking, "How come you seem to know everything, Ye? Do you really have the ability to see the future?"

It had been the same when they fought Orochimaru!

Uchiha Ye had been thoroughly familiar with Impure World Reincarnation, a technique Sasori had never even heard of.

He'd known even more about it than Orochimaru, the one using it.

That level of knowledge was downright terrifying.

"See the future?"

Uchiha Ye gave a wry smile and shook his head. "How could I? If I had that kind of ability, wouldn't I be invincible?"

"I just know a little more than most people, so it looks like I know everything!"

Was he supposed to tell Sasori of the Red Sands, "That's right. I'm a transmigrator with the script in my hands"?

Sasori of the Red Sands probably wouldn't believe him anyway!

Besides!

"Uchiha Obito, you really do love keeping an eye on people!"

Uchiha Ye casually glanced toward a spot behind him and thought to himself.

Zetsu was listening in there.

"I see!"

Sasori of the Red Sands nodded in understanding.

But it was obvious he didn't believe that was the reason Uchiha Ye seemed to know everything.

Still, as his partner, he respected Uchiha Ye's privacy.

Everyone had their own secrets and trump cards, after all.

Uchiha Ye and Sasori of the Red Sands left.

But Zetsu, who had been listening nearby, couldn't help being shocked by the casual glance Uchiha Ye had just cast their way. "Did he discover us?"

How could he not be shocked?

Their concealment technique was so good that even the most skilled sensor couldn't detect them!

No one had ever discovered them while they were hidden.

But Uchiha Ye's glance just now had made it obvious that he knew they were there.

"His sensory abilities... are they really that terrifying?"

White Zetsu looked shaken. "Looks like keeping an eye on him won't be so easy from now on!"

Black Zetsu replied, "It seems that way! We should report this to Obito right away."

"His judgment really is good. Uchiha Ye is definitely a variable worth watching!"

An hour later!

"What? Even your concealment technique was detected!"

When Uchiha Obito heard about it from Zetsu, he couldn't help being shocked.

He knew better than anyone how good Zetsu was at hiding.

It was no exaggeration to say...

There wasn't a place in the entire shinobi world they couldn't get into.

That was how good they were at infiltrating.

And yet...

They'd been listening to Uchiha Ye from a distance, and he'd noticed them?

"That guy... seems a lot more troublesome than I thought!"

Uchiha Obito narrowed his eyes, his resolve to eliminate Uchiha Ye growing stronger.

If he didn't get rid of this unpredictable factor, it would definitely interfere with his plans.

"Unlike Uchiha Itachi, that guy is far too mysterious. He's also quite strong now, and he poses an even greater threat than Uchiha Itachi."

Over the past few days, he'd secretly infiltrated Konoha, trying to look into Uchiha Ye's identity and background.

But all he'd found was that Ye was a member of the Uchiha Clan, had lost both parents in childhood, and had mediocre talent.

That clearly didn't match Uchiha Ye's outstanding performance now.

In other words, Uchiha Ye had hidden himself so well that even Obito couldn't find a flaw.

That was undoubtedly terrifying.

After all!

If he wanted to, there was no information he couldn't uncover.

But that approach had failed with Uchiha Ye.

How could that not make him wary?

And besides!

He had absolutely no idea what Uchiha Ye was after.

Whether it was his reason for joining Akatsuki or his plans for the future.

He didn't think there was any reason to keep an unknown enemy like that around.

Uchiha Itachi was certainly capable and resourceful, but he was still under control.

Obito knew Uchiha Itachi's motives and his weak point.

But Uchiha Ye was different!

He had no ties!

Aside from physically destroying him outright, Obito could barely think of any way to deal with Uchiha Ye.

But clearly!

Considering that he and Sasori of the Red Sands had taken down Orochimaru together, it wouldn't be easy for Uchiha Obito to kill Ye now.

Besides!

As a valuable member of Akatsuki, Uchiha Ye wasn't someone they could afford to kill right now.