"Itachi, you'd better watch out! Konoha has sent two teams to capture you. One of them is Kakashi and Minato's team, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is also among them," said Black Zetsu, whose head resembled a pitcher plant.
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze Minato, was actually sent out! The Yellow Flash of the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha really values you! Itachi!" Kisame was very excited, gripping the hilt of his greatsword, looking eager to try.
" Kisame- senpai, you seem really eager to spar with the Fourth Namikaze Minato!"
" Kisame, don't go up against the Konoha team this time."
"Why?"
" Yellow Flash, is extremely difficult to Namikaze Minato. The situation in Konoha is complex, and there's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Now is not the time."
Over the years, Black Zetsu had gathered a lot of intelligence. Pain certainly knew that Zi Yu was Li Yu, the head of the Konoha Senju Clan. There were only a few people in Konoha who knew Wood Release, and most importantly, not many people knew about Zi Yu's battle record.
Pain currently has no plans to extend his reach into Konoha; his main focus now is on gathering the other eight Tailed Beast.
Tobi is unreliable, Black Zetsu gathering intelligence, partly to protect the last core fighting force of the Akatsuki.
"Understood"
Li Yu was eager to confirm the intelligence, but someone was even more anxious than Li Yu. After obtaining the intelligence from the organization, they immediately sent Crow to secretly deliver the information.
Upon returning to his clan, Li Yu received a message from Itachi through the clan's intelligence network. The information was secretly transmitted to Konoha by the Senju Clan's merchant caravans from their various strongholds throughout the Shinobi World.
Li Yu took out his codebook and quickly deciphered the garbled numbers on Itachi's intelligence report.
Orochimaru killed Deidara and has awakened the Rinnegan. Proceed to the Uchiha Former Site immediately.
Li Yu was very surprised after reading this intelligence report.
"I see"
"I see"
"I said Orochimaru possesses the Mangekyo and still covets Sasuke's body; his ambitions are far from insignificant."
How did he know Sasuke could awaken his Sharingan?
"It seems the only option is to ask Orochimaru himself."
Li Yu knew that Uchiha Itachi was no match for Orochimaru who had awakened the Rinnegan, and that Yamato might also be able to help.
Orochimaru's intervention altered Itachi's plan, using hatred to help Sasuke grow, and then using the final battle to awaken Sasuke's Sharingan and grant him the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Plans can't keep up with changes.
"It seems we need the main body to take action."
Li Yu immediately destroyed the intelligence and then formed hand Hand Seals to dispel his Wood Release Clone.
Inside a white space, Li Yu was using incantations to strip away the power from Code's body and pour it into a more complex magic array.
The mixed bright red liquid swirls and slowly flows in circles, trying to fill the groove in the ground. In the center, there is an empty circular groove that can accommodate one person to sit down.
Suddenly, Li Yu received some information in his mind, and he stopped what he was doing.
"Interesting, very interesting!"
" Orochimaru- sensei, he really knows how to surprise people!!"
Li Yu had no choice but to stop what he was doing, and his entire body appeared in the secret laboratory amidst a spatial distortion.
Leaving the passage, I returned to the room on the ground, opened the dressing room, and took out the long-lost black robe.
"I haven't used the code name ' Zi Yu ' in a long time."
Donning the long-forgotten green patterned animal mask, I headed towards the former Uchiha site under the cover of night.
With a destination in mind, the journey became faster. A day later, Li Yu discovered two small teams dispatched by Konoha to capture Itachi.
Within their perception range, Namikaze Minato and Team Kakashi were resting inside a house.
Li Yu had no intention of communicating with them; this was a clandestine operation, and he was calculating how to bypass them.
No one noticed Li Yu's approach, except for Namikaze Minato.
Namikaze Minato used an excuse to leave, found a secluded spot, and decisively activated the Flying Thunder God.
The Specialized Kunai in Li Yu's ninja tool bag suddenly reacted. Li Yu, who was also skilled in the Flying Thunder God, clearly sensed it and could only sigh and stop in his tracks.
With a "whoosh," Namikaze Minato appeared beside Li Yu.
Namikaze Minato was still wearing his green vest and blue pants.
" Minato, you still managed to find out." Standing on the tree trunk, Li Yu casually removed his mask.
"I knew it was you. I suddenly noticed the Flying Thunder God coordinates nearby, and it was moving around rapidly, so I came to check it out."
"I still wanted to take a chance, so I deliberately took a longer route, assuming that Minato was asleep."
"It's been a while since we've seen you leave the village for a mission. This time you're out alone, heading roughly the same direction as us. What brings you here?"
"That's right, it's related to Itachi. Telling you won't hurt; we're also insiders about the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre."
"Itachi, send me a distress call! Sasuke's body is still possessed by Orochimaru. He killed Deidara of Akatsuki and awakened the Rinnegan."
"What Rinnegan? The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths?" Namikaze Minato might not have understood much before the Night of the Nine-Tails, but after that night, he still paid close attention to the origin of these eyes.
"That's right, the Anbu only received news that Sasuke transformed into Orochimaru and killed Deidara; they didn't mention the Rinnegan."
" The Rinnegan, belonging to the Sage of Six Paths Rinnegan, who is considered the progenitor of ninjas, is said to have created all Ninjutsu today."
"I once heard Jiraiya- sensei say that the person who possesses those eyes will bring about a major change to the Shinobi World world."
After finishing speaking, Namikaze Minato glanced into Li Yu's eyes once more.
" Minato, stop looking at me. Lord Jiraiya only once said that Naruto is the one who brought about major changes to the Shinobi World world."
"Yes, Jiraiya- sensei did say that later."
" Nawaki, what do you think of our team's mission?"
"Haha, forgive my bluntness, but it won't lead to anything; we'll definitely be stopped." Knowing the plot, Li Yu naturally spoke his mind directly.
"In that case, I'll go see Itachi with you."
Li Yu hesitated for a moment but still agreed.
"Alright, what about your team? Naruto isn't someone you can easily reason with."
"Haha, I have my own way. Wait for me," Namikaze Minato replied with a smile, then disappeared from the spot, returning largely unchanged.
" Minato, you're pretty quick!"
"Leave one clone behind, let's go," Namikaze Minato said, and headed forward.
"Hey Minato, do you even know where this is?! Wait for me!" Li Yu quickly pushed his mask back and hurried after him.
"This place isn't far from the former Uchiha site. Judging from your general direction, it should be around there."
"Well done, Minato."
"I think you're even more anxious than I am. You've been in Konoha for too long, doing clerical work, and you're itching to get your hands dirty!"
"That's true to some extent. The Anbu advisors assign tasks to you, the department head, every day, especially since your Senju Clan receives a large number of missions every year."
"While the salaries and benefits for Anbu consultants are high, it's certainly a bit boring."